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Google Launches Lively, an Avatar Based 3D World
no.good.at.coding writes "Google has launched a Windows-only, in-browser (you need to install a client first, though) 3D avatar world — Lively — that you can embed in websites and use to interact with other people. It's not as expansive as Second Life yet, but expect things to get better."
It even makes use of Facebook accounts.
And Vista/XP only, while still being browser based.
Also, it's not really a Second Life competitor since you can't create stuff, part of what makes SL unique. It's more like just chat rooms.
Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
Ars Technica has posted a hands on: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080708-hands-on-googles-lively-social-3d-world-is-20-percent-done.html
I just took a look at the demo (And since I"m a Gentoo user, can't install the plugin) and why the hell does every female avatar in there look like a damn elf? I mean I don't know of any girl alive who has eyes like that. Do the guys at google masturbate to Bratz dolls or something? That's ridiculous.
Pax Vobiscum
Thanks for being that guy who brings up the "don't be evil" motto in every Google-related story. Ars Technica mentions that Mac and Linux versions are on the way. Or are you insinuating that supporting Windows at all makes one evil?
As far as I'm concerned they just did. When you install this, it installs a Windows *service* called Google Updater... set for automatic, running all the time, even when the "game" isn't running. I *DESPISE* that.
This is #1 on my "hate" list for apps. Followed closely be "calling home without asking", "not asking what directory to install to", and "installing widgets in the system tray".
We've all tired of posts with no redeeming qualities beyond bashing Microsoft, particularly in those cases where they haven't actually done anything.
Google, Microsoft's main competitor at the moment for those keeping track, released a tool to do something of dubious value to much of the Slashdot community. They have opted to release the tool on Windows first, probably because it has a larger install base than all competitors combined, but have stated there will be Mac and Linux versions "real soon now". Precisely which part of this story involves Microsoft doing something that could or should be criticized?
I'm all about making fun of Microsoft when they do something stupid, and Dog knows it happens plenty, but sadly they've done nothing mockworthy in this story.
Try not to take me more seriously than I take myself.
You know, it's much easier to call it an apathetic sausage fest... Wait, you meant literally?! Eeeewww.... I knew I liked the real world better.
FYI, the real world is full of dicks too.
"terrorism" and "pedophilia" are the root passwords to the Constitution
It's from The Matrix: Retarded err I mean Reloaded.
I like basketball!!1!
If there is an active open source project working on virtual worlds, we'd like to know, too.
You mean like this?
The wise follow a damned path, for to know is to be forsaken.
Look up OpenSim, a reverse-engineered version of the SL protocol. Runs a decentralized grid (well, allows for multiple, hetereogeneous server setups) and uses the SL client.
hookers and grits.
Every time I see someone post this, it saddens me -- Communities.com (the folks that own the domain now are completely unrelated) aka Electric Communities built a secure, distributed virtual world (under the names ECHabitats/Microcosm), in the mid-to-late nineties. Most people didn't get it.
It's obvious that, having seen Second Life, people are starting to understand -- "Hey, having things on centralized servers kind of sucks. I want to run my own 'sim', and be able to connect it to other peoples'"
There are few traces of the project left on the 'net -- a few mentions in Koster's MUD history timeline and a few entries in the internet archive...
Hopefully someone will pick up the idea and run with it one of these days.