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Google Lively To Be an Online Gaming Platform

Posted by Soulskill on from the world-of-googlecraft dept.

GamesIndustry.biz recently interviewed Kevin Hanna, creative director for Google Lively, about the virtual environment's beginnings and the plans for its future. Earlier this month, he announced that Lively would open to developers, and now he says the long-term goal is for Lively to be "used as an online games platform." Hanna goes on to say: "I'd like for it to be invisible, where, when it makes sense to have 3D aspects of the web, that everyone will have already downloaded the plug-in, it's one of the first things you do when you install your machine, and you're able to just jump around and play in a creative space. I feel like a big chunk of the games industry out there has a corporate mentality where you're first to be second, and I've been there, where they say, 'Make sure you include this aspect, and this aspect, and this aspect, to ensure that we have an 80 per cent market share.' And it's sucking the life out of what should be the most creative and innovative medium out there."

12 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Wow. by nawcom · · Score: 3, Funny

    I wonder how many markets Google will get into. I can't wait until Google starts working on their female douche product line. hehe.

    1. Re:Wow. by ivandavidoff · · Score: 5, Funny

      I can't wait until Google starts working on their female douche product line. hehe.

      That would lend a whole new meaning to "googling yourself".

      Or wait, maybe not.

    2. Re:Wow. by AKAImBatman · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I just yanked this from a report on one of the sites I operate:

      Firefox 63.32%
      Internet Explorer 16.33%
      Safari 7.43%
      Chrome 6.36%

      (For the record, the site is nothing that would predispose it to FireFox users over IE users. Unless you count video game players as "pre-disposed".)

      For Chrome to have grabbed that much market share so quickly is impressive. So "successful" is a perfectly acceptable tag. What remains to be seen is if Google will build on that success or let it flounder.

      --
      Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
  2. Acquisitions Leading Towards 3d by mfh · · Score: 5, Informative

    Valve denied it was being purchased by Google, but it leads me to believe that the opposite may be true. Time will tell.

    --
    The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
    1. Re:Acquisitions Leading Towards 3d by gad_zuki! · · Score: 3, Funny

      >Valve denied it was being purchased by Google, but it leads me to believe that the opposite may be true.

      Whoa, I knew Steam was a high-margin money maker, but who knew Value would be buying Google soon?! Between Google's forever tracking cookie and Steam's DRM, it could lead to incredible heights of corporate douchebaggery!

  3. Anyone else think of VRML by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "when it makes sense to have 3D aspects of the web, that everyone will have already downloaded the plug-in, it's one of the first things you do when you install your machine, and you're able to just jump around and play in a creative space"

    Everytime I hear someone propose something like this, I think of VRML and the failed (and misguided) attempt to reskin the web into something it's not.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  4. Re:Snow Crash? by Goaway · · Score: 5, Informative

    You know, that's what Second Life is. Been around for years now.

    And it's horrible.

  5. Re:Yeah but... by genner · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah but does it run Linux?

    And the answer:

    Requires Windows Vista/XP with Internet Explorer or Firefox

    So....it doesn't run on Chrome?

  6. First REAL attempt at a Metaverse? by Cornflake917 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Second-life's attempt to be the world's Metaverse turned out to be just a huge advertising/hacking cluster fuck. Not saying that that Lively won't be a advertising/hacking cluster fuck but at least it sounds it would be more open to programmers, which will allow for more diverse possibilities, so there could be just as much good stuff as bad.

    --
    Abaddon: An Xbox 360 Indie game
  7. Re:Linux Support? by not+already+in+use · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's the great thing about Linux -- Choice! Like, the choice to use an operating system with a marginal market share not likely to get commercial support!

    --
    Similes are like metaphors
  8. Is Slashdot... by diablovision · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Is Slashdot now becoming the marketing arm of Google? I swear this is like the 90th article about some new whiz-bang software they developed. There are other companies writing software!

    --
    120 characters isn't enough to explain it.
  9. Google Lively To Be an Online Gaming Platform by melted · · Score: 4, Funny

    Here's the translation from the corporate speak:

    "We've released it and no one bit. We have no idea what to do with it, so let us see if we can use other people's ideas for free."