My Swanky New Virtual Bachelor Pad
By sovknight | July 10, 2008
Google has finally released their virtual environment chat room, called "Lively". This is essentially very similar to Second Life, except it runs in your browser and doesn’t require super-high system specs. Like Second Life, you have an avatar who walks around interacting with people, chatting and displaying various animations like dancing and fighting. All very cool. Of course, also like Second Life, it can be pretty boring, and a very large percentage of the people you’ll meet are obviously juveniles. Still, it’s interesting to say the least.
Here’s a shot of my lovely new virtual apartment. I know it isn’t much, and it really needs some decoration, but I’m a guy… I need help. If anyone wants to pop in and help me move some furniture, I’d be appreciative. You can find my room here: http://www.lively.com/dr?rid=4882966627502521272
The one thing that Lively really lacks is the ability to really alter your landscape. You can create a place of your own, but you’re limited as far as what Google has designed. You can’t create new shapes or forms, although you can import pictures into frames and YouTube video onto the televisions.
Also, the interface takes some getting used to. There aren’t any keyboard controls; everything is done with the mouse. It took me 15 minutes or so to get it down, but once you have it, it’s not too bad. Movement of your avatar is accomplished by hovering the mouse over it, then dragging it around once the directional arrows appear. You can also teleport to any place within the structure simply by double-clicking on the space where you want to go. You’ll find yourself constantly changing camera angles though, which is an annoyance. Still, I actually prefer the cartoonish look to Second Life, and I think the graphics are better overall.
Give it a shot. All you have to do is download the client, which is really small, and install it. Log in using your regular Google account, pick an avatar, and hop in. Hope to see you there!
Topics: Thoughts |
7 Responses to “My Swanky New Virtual Bachelor Pad”
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July 10th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Niiiiiiiiiiiic *whines* Are you so desperately in need of something to do that you created a virtual life to play in?? Come to work with me. I can keep you busy until you find a job.
This is so, so, so…. sad.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
ok, so I tried to embed a link in the above post but it didn’t work.
Here is the direct link. = http://youtube.com/watch?v=tB2nWxwv-E0
July 10th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
That person on your couch looks suspiciously like me. What’s up with that?
I’ve heard about people who have actually quit their real life jobs because they made even more money on Second Life. I don’t know how that works, but in a way it’s a tiny bit sad exchanging your real life for a virtual one. Then again, THEY GOT TO QUIT THEIR REAL LIFE JOBS CAUSE THEY MAKE ENOUGH MONEY IN VIRTUAL REALITY! Enough said.
Just make sure you still get out of the house once in awhile. Which reminds me that we might be going camping next weekend with Katie and Co. in northern Utah, and if we are, you should think about joining us. It’s only one night.
Sras last blog post..Past comes back to haunt
July 11th, 2008 at 6:27 am
OK, yeah, it must be said - this is interesting and all, but I am reminded of Dwight’s business venture on The Office: creating a Second Life inside of Second Life. This is the top of a very slippery, very single existence, my friend. Tread with care.
Oh, and before everyone boo-hoos me as a luddite, I will say that I have been, in the past, a Second Life citizen, and it must be said: People make money. A LOT of money. Some of them even make it in charming and entertaining ways as netizen stars, fashion designers, or design geniuses that can hew from the ether the most fantastic chimeras of man’s fevered imagination. But most of them are making it in one of the three cherished entrepreneurial fashion on Ye Olde InterWeb: strip clubs/porn/casinos (often all three), froo-froo frippery that people don’t need but think they do because all the lolcat-sporting hipsters have it stapled to their avatars, and MORE PORN.
Also, I attended a vampire wedding while traipsing about in SL. It was lovely. Wine was a bit thick.
I’m just giving you a gentle ribbing, Redhead. Just remember the words of cherished British stiff Owen Feltham: “The boundary of man is moderation. When once we pass that pale our guardian angel quits his charge of us.”
And why? Because the angel is busy playing Second Life, of course.
Claires last blog post..Transeducation
July 11th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Wow, okay, so ondiv and I had the same thought. Wish I’d taken the time to click on her link, now. Still, “don’t be a Schrute” remains good advice.
Claires last blog post..Transeducation
July 11th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
One of my good buddies once moved in with some roommates who were hooked on one of those online PS games in which you go on “quests” with other players from around the world. They were so hooked, in fact, that they would play hooky from work frequently so that they could play this game, and one of them may have lost his job because of it. He actually said he preferred this virtual reality to real life. How sad is that?
I mean, I grew up in the NES era, and I played hours upon hours of Dragon Warrior back in the day, and I know how the story element can bring you some fantastical relief from reality. But seriously, it’s just a little weird that games these days try to replicate real life. It all started with Sim City, which I think is completely pointless. You build a city and watch it grow over the years. How freaking boring! And what about Animal Crossing? If you don’t play every day, you’re going to have to spend a whole day weeding your garden that has grown in since you tended to it last, and stuff like that. What is the point? How about you go out and weed your own garden in real life? And then maybe go for a bike ride and an ice cream, or to a movie with a real life friend?
It sort of feels like we’re getting one step closer to plugging into the matrix.
July 11th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I don’t want anyone to get the impression that I sit for hours on end playing this thing. Far from it, I actually get bored and frustrated with it almost immediately. I’ve tried Second Life several times, and each time I uninstall it within a couple of days. I find virtual life to be severely lacking. Most of the “people” you encounter are so obviously 11 year-old boys with no agenda except to humor themselves. It’s idiotic.
I played World of Warcraft when it came out. I played it until my 30-day free trial ran out, then I promptly stopped, deleted the game, and moved on. I don’t get into these type of things.
I only blogged this because I thought it was interesting. I like chatting online with people, and this allows you to do it in an environment that has chairs and lights and plants and televisions and things, that’s all. I know the value of real life, and trust me, virtual simulations are far less satisfying. At least… so far…