What's mankind's next step?

I'm just a trial member right now, and my experience with SL is definitely far from exhaustive, but I think I got the concept.

So I need to ask anyone: what is the purpose of SL? I know that users are supposed to come up with one, so let me explain: I believe SL in its present state is not a game, it is only a toy.

I've been to There before, which is basically a chat with some few vehicle ride things.
To me, SL appears as basically an extended chat with some more socialization opportunities plus some creation and trading.
It is fascinating in all its social complexity, but I this being only a model somewhat unsatisfying.

It is said by users it is supposed to be a game, ok. But when we look back at how the Web evolved, I think you could say that SL has at least the potential to be something much more - to really be the all-purpose virtual world to substitute the WWW, to be the Metaverse. Even now it would theoretically allow for users to actually make enough money for a living in this virtual world--as there are web designers now irl. But if one could live by living in SL, then it would stop being a game. It would become rl.

Personally, I think I will cancel my membership next week, because the technology is not advanced enough to build great projects I dream of (and consider as my new basis for making a living), and - as I learned from a Linden post in an older thread - those parts of technology are not attempted to be developed further.

I am speaking of conversion tools for meshes from 3D applications, in this special case, to ease creation for complex content. It would make this world appear much more complex for a new user, but it would of course make it more fascinating. But I also think of easier character animation, and of non-human character animation. I think of NPCs, of Normal Map implementation, of database connectivity and on and on. And somewhere between here and the infinity of this wish list would be a binocular viewing device.

I understand that implementing those things would be an enormous (sometimes impossible) task and not the primary goal for LL, and certainly way above today's computer capacity. But that leads me to say, ok, it was a nice experiment, but for a real future we need to start all over again, and think even more much more large scale.

Though I believe this idea is all but new...

Just curious- what projects did you have in mind?

Not that I fell it impossible to do, I can reveal it:
Jurassic Park!
With a wide variety of animals, with *kind of* realistic sized areas for them. More the admire-the-wonders-of-nature or educative attitude - e.g. as exact a behavior animation as possible. From a merchant's point of view possibly divided into different areas of interest - the educational tour, the great-view chat and gathering space, the let-yourself-being-hunted-by-a-t-rex-game.

I've been dreaming of this for over one decade by now

I think that's a great idea Truman, however I think you're giving up a bit too easily.

I think 3D meshes will be available eventualy. A few things need to be dealt with first, though.

(Now I do appear as a notorious answerer... anyway
Don't be distracted by that special project. With people discussing the "web-on-a-prim" or a government elsewhere, I wondered how you feel about--well, making the virtual world a world with all properties of a real world?
(except biological funtions - maybe someone could write a script to make my avatar pee?)

Oh, there are Platinum versions of "special" attachments that already do that

Truman don't give up so easily.......

SL is a unique beast which really cannot fit into any standard "game classes" such as racing games, adventure games, simulations, ect. The open-ended-ness () of SL is what make this game so diversified. You CAN make your dream come true with a Jurassic Park! Will it be perfect? Nope, but it will be a LOT better than one built in any other game including extreamly good 3D ones........

The game will evolve; just ask any beta testers just how much the game has evolved so far if you don't beleave me. There is an old song lyric which say's "If ya can't love the one you want, love the one you're with". That also aplies to SL big time and in so many ways!!! SL is the best chance you have for making your dream come true till something better comes along (which may not be for quite a while) so I say don't quit till you have a chance to explore & find out more what SL can do for you.........

SL is so huge and you can do so much with it that quiting after only one week is like going to buy a car, get into the seat, and then saying the car does not run well because the seat is uncomfortable, so you don't buy the car.........I have been here for a little over 2 months and I am STILL learning new things every day about SL. Stay a month then deside if ya like it or not. And to let you know, don't ever cancel a trial-membership dude. You pay nothing and it will always be available too you.......

If you need to see what SL can really do, just IM me and I'll give you a grand tour and introduce you to some fantastic builders and creators. In fact, any of you wonderful and beautiful ladies like to give him a tour of SL (including all the clubs and mature areas hehehe) insted? I am sure you could give him a better tour than little ol me...... Hehehe

Perhaps even show him how to pee, an do other things with it............. I'm sure THAT will get his attention........


On Mathematics:
"It is now quite lawful for a Catholic woman to avoid pregnancy by a resort to mathematics, though she is still forbidden to resort to physics or chemistry." - H.L. Mencken

An attempt at a Jurassic Park was made back in beta or just after. Not sure how far it got, after they were forced to remove the Logo from the movie because of copyright issues.

Truman,

First of all, welcome!

I agree with many of the previous comments. In addition, I think it is helpful to think of SL in terms of its possibilities. SL is not a toy, nor is it a game. It's the beginnings of a metaverse, where eventually you'll have a Web-like network of content that is experienced in a 3D virtual realm. Things like RPG games are being developed by players (see DarkLife). We're already seeing the integration of eCommerce into SL via XML-RPC. Really, the sky's the limit. Even though there are limits today, that will not always be the case.

So, in a very large way, it's up to the players to determine what SL will become. That is one of the reasons you see so many anxiety-wrought forum threads focusing on future trends.

On the other hand, the open-ended nature of SL presents a challenge, in and of itself. With no set structure, it is sometimes difficult to grapple with what's already here, what can be done, etc. Yes, one of SL's major strengths is its rich social environment. But, that's far from all that SL has to offer.

Hang in there -- You pose very valid questions. I predict that, in the coming months, you'll be one of those stellar players constantly amazing us with the new and un-heard of in SL.

Ciao,
Paolo

I'm thinking true virtual reality, is a bit far off, but it looks promising especially with this added into it. Perhaps one day we'll have virtual walks on Mars or some place.

I would like a virtual Solar System..one were you can be in a Spaceship..leave a planet and actually see the planet getting further and further away as you travel out of the atomosphere and into Space..and then decend to another Planet in the same way and land and be able to explore that planet just like Secondlife or any Virtual World.

I've been wanting to experience that since childhood..in front of my turned off TV set pretending that it was a window into space from inside a Spacecraft.

Blake. Please, please, please go and play Freelancer. For all our sakes. You'll LOVE it!