"Virtual Reality" Second Life?

Has anyone thought of the future and the potential of a "virtual reality" Second Life when VR (which is still being developed) becomes a normal function for internet users (slipping on a headset and entering sims, ala the "Otherland" books). Do you think this would take SL to another level of immersion and could it be considered the next generation of internet gaming (or whatever you call things like SL)?

I believe it would become a much more profitable business for companies and residents selling stuff, because people would be even more motivated to spend as by "being" the avatar, it would make the person more conscious of looking good and owning cool things I think. And driving cars, going down waterslides, or on rollercoasters would probably be more immersive. Having said that, I have wondered if the wealth of a VR SL would be so high that people would be able to work full-time jobs and get paid comparable salaries to what they would in RL.

It's a scintillating idea Theo. Obviously some time in the future considering the overall laginess and flakiness of things at present. I wonder what kind of PC specs would be needed.
And would we dispense with the keyboard as the communication facillitator moving to mic/headphone and real voice coms?
Hmm, how would IM be preserved?

I think every advancement they make in Computer/user interfaces is a step in that direction. It's a Logical Future projection for SL, and similar Programs. The way things are advancing it could be only a Few years before we actually see it.

Angel.

I have 3D viewing equipment (a 3D monitor), unfortunately Second Life only sort of works with it, something with the renderer in SL. It is cool but broken. World of Warcraft on the other hand is amazing. The future is now.

Good question. I'm thinking some sort of cell phone text message, or maybe an ear icon meaning whisper, which would b the same as IM. Maybe even a notepad & pencil icon af if passing a note.

this is scary territory...i'm rather a fan of the extent second life/the internet is at now, it's certainly a form of escape-ism and rather fun...however i still enjoy my first life, and realise that sl is not really a replacement for it, more a practice tool for picking up social skills, etc.

how long before we spend ALL of our lives online, strapped into machines with VR headsets, groinal attachments (dave lister seemed to like his ) and tubes to pump in food and water? it'd probably be buildable right now...oh, and the tank could spin in 360 degrees and have fans in, to give you realistic rollercoaster rides...etc....the human race effectively turning itself into something like *the matrix*, but willingly!

anyone else worried about this? i realise for many of the less biologically lucky players, that sl allows them to be beautiful physically (let's not pretend it doesn't matter in life because we are a rather shallow race) and there's something rather beautiful yet completely tragic about that...however, do you really want to end up strapped in a tank for the rest of your lives, just for vanity? i know i don't...i'll continue playing sl for the mean time, i look pretty much like my av anyway, but as soon as it gets too creepy and the disbelief is completely suspended, i'm out of here! lol x

What I hear is that VR is mostly regarded as a dead end for now. The headsets are clunky, awkward, and not heathly to use for very long.

No, I think monitor and mouse will be with us for a lot longer yet.

Forty years ago the computer that handled Billing for our Local Power company Took up three floors of the Building it was housed in. The same computing power is now contained in a Chip you can hold in the Palm of your hand, and when in Use, it's in a case that can fit under a Normal Office Desk.
The head of IMB predicted Many years ago That the world wide demand for Computers would top out at Six Units.
In the Early 80's storing Movies on a Silver Disc that would be read by a Laser was a "Dead End".
With this sort of technology Two things hold true;
1: You cannot predict growth or direction with any accuracy at all.
2: there is no such thing as a Dead End when changes in the technology are happening as fast as they are now.

Angel.

Yes, but the restrictions are partly on the human side of the interface, and that is less easily changed.

I heard of people hacking quake back in the late 90's to work with vr headsets. Now that the client is open source I wouldn't be surprised if somebody is already working on it. If you haven't seen vr headsets lately you will be surprised. Look at how less clunky cell phones are now than 10 years ago, the same has been happening with vr headsets. (ok, maybe not as dramaticly as with cell phones, but you get the idea)

I suspect we will have a VR pick up surgically implanted and VR will supplement RL not replace it. So no blobs on couches plugged into VR. Just switch from one form to another as we choose.

Its just an expanded form of communication IMHO and pretty natural evolution of the phone, email, web, etc.

We have an amazing ability to adapt t new tech in unpredictable ways.

"Having said that, I have wondered if the wealth of a VR SL would be so high that people would be able to work full-time jobs and get paid comparable salaries to what they would in RL."

Ahhh... I think we crossed that line a long time ago.

A good example of 1:
A few years back the 'new kid on the block' was a graphics card that formed alternate left and right eye views and transmitted them to a pair of LCD glasses that used a strobe shutter to filter the appropriate view to each eye.
To say I was gobsmacked is puting it mildly. I was convinced it would catch on in a huge way.
Where did it go? .. sitting in a box somewhere .. must hook it up again someday for the novelty. It really was a wonder to behold. Imagine Svarga in simulated 3D!!!

mebbe Rule 2 will kick in and bring it back?

All that means is, More research into the fields of Biometric Interfaces (Currently a Rapidly growing field of research). Todays "Limits" are tomorrows Old Technology.

In the 1890's a Leading scientific mind in England (Forget the name) Stated Boldly (And many of his collegues agreed) that No more scientific research was necesary as Everything possible had already been invented.

Give it time. Technological Changes are happening Very fast these days.

Angel.

50 years ago, If you went to see "Revenge of the Creature" in Theatres, you were issued with cardboard "Glasses" with red cellophane in one lense, and Blue Cellophane in the other. Wearing those glasses, the creature lept off the screen at you. I've seen it Myself on a special TV showing of it. In the 70's the Movie "Logans Run" made use of Moving Holographic Cylinders to present Talking 3D heads. Eighteen years ago, to see the Rolling Stones "Steel wheels" Concert on TV, you wore a similar pair of Glasses with Polerized lenses, The polerization in each lense set at 90 degrees to the other. The effect was startling.
Like your example, Right idea, wrong Tech. but Each time the technology overcomes shortcomings of the previous example.

Airplanes were first envisioned in the Rennaisance, they never got off the ground until the Early 20th Century, but they Fill the skies today. The key was to Stop trying to have thier Wings Flap. Obvious now, but a Huge leap in design Logic a century ago.

Angel.

I love the "what ifs" and "wonder whats"...................I just watch and go with it where I can.

When it comes to advances in technology, I never say "Impossible", sometimes "Improbable", but never Impossible.

Back in the 80s, when I was in High School, I wanted to go to college for this new thing called "Computer Programming". I was dumb & listened to my Guidance Councilor who said "Computers will never make it big. It's just a Fad." There was another one who said her brother was a programmer and barely made $20,000, So it wasn't considered a career worth pursuing since they make so little.

What needs to be invented is a time machine!! Then I can go back in time & bitch slap those two teachers!!!!

I remember in my childhood a comic having some 3-D pages with these red/blue or red/green filters LOL

Drawback with the LCD shutters is the frame rate. You needed a monitor refresh of 140+fps to eliminate flicker.

A year or two back, the IMAX cinema was using the same system with the strobing alternate eyes. Talk about 'in-your-face' LOL

120 years ago when IK Brunel was trying to justify his sadly defunct broad gauge railway track a respected authority at the time stated it was physically impossible to travel at more than 100mph.

Saw one of these workplace posters the other day; If there isn't a way, we'll find a way

And don't forget the other quote: Build something that's idiot proof and they build a better Idiot!

Hell Tod, I was the prototype for that one!

Ten years ago, Time Travel was "Impossible" Now, thanks to Stephen Hawkings Number Crunching, it's Possible, but currently Improbable due to Power generation constraints.

~Matter teleportation was Impossible Five years ago, until it was accomplished with a Single Atom. Now it's Improbable also due to the Energy needed.

~Practicle Invisibility was Impossible up to Last year, Now they are working on the theories and some moderately Practicle designs on a Prototype Invisibility Suit.

~Two Years ago a Research group in an American University Successfully Accellerated Light Waves/Particles to speeds exceeding 186,000 miles per second, Effectively Breaking the "Speed of Light" Barrier.

Of the Six Phisical Impossibilities of Science Fiction:
~Antigravity
~Miniaturization
~Invisibility
~Teleportation
~Time Travel
~Faster than Light Motion
That's Four Down, Two to go.

In the face of that, VR is a Cakewalk.

Angel.

Hmmm .. if anyone does invent a Time Machine ... I hope they come back and tell us real soon!

My shopping list for SL technical upgrades is: -

1) Realistic shadows cast by objects and avatars
2) Better frames per second
3) A facility to 'round off' angular prim shapes
4) I flexible link option (perhaps this is available already but I haven't didscovered it)

Based on things I've heard, Linden Lab started as a research company making virtual reality interfaces and Second Life started as their test platform.