November 20, 2008
Google to Shut Down Its Virtual World
Some colleges and professors have been enthusiastic early adopters of virtual worlds, 3-D online environments that attempt to simulate some of the visual social cues of face-to-face interaction. They’ll soon have one fewer online playground to experiment with.
Today Google announced that it will pull the plug on its virtual world, which it called Lively.
Thousands of Arizona State University students had served as the early testers of the online environment before it was publicly unveiled in July. But some scholars studying virtual worlds had been critical of Google’s strategy, especially its decision not to let average users freely create new online spaces in the world, as another popular system, Second Life, does. —Jeffrey R. Young
Posted on Thursday November 20, 2008 | Permalink |Comments
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Though it was an interesting environment to visit, Lively failed to compare favoarbly with the scope and complexity of Second Life. I commend Google for allowing users to explore tools such as this in their early stages of development AND for knowing when to pull the plug.
David Simpson,
Professor of Psychology,
Carroll University
— David Simpson Nov 20, 09:00 PM #
I’m quite surprised they’ve decided to pull the plug so quickly. I would have thought they could have done a lot better with their resources. If you’re interested in these virtual environments take a look at Entropia Universe. Software and registration are free and the community is pretty good. It also uses a real economy which is interesting.
— Atheron Nov 21, 03:44 AM #
I didn’t explore Google’s product, however, I have used both Second Life and Entropia. Second Life is useful for many types of applications, educational and non-educational. Additionally, SL is primarily a social networking vehicle. Entropia Universe is mostly a game with some ability to allow the user to socialize. The primary aim of Entropia is to play a game and win prizes. The social aspect happens by “accident” and isn’t an intended aspect of the game.
— Rosalind Nov 21, 04:24 AM #
Usually, I am a firm believer in the benefits of properly planned technology yet I remain, at this stage, totally skeptical -no, negative about the advantages of virtual worlds. Though I have only dabbled in Second Life, it seems a pointless exercise that could likely be better handled by interacting with a good, videotaped role play. I believe that would certainly be quicker and easier to produce than a CG environment.
All this being said, I am certainly open to other thoughts. If anyone has some good arguments, experiences or studies they would like to relate, I’d love to hear them.
— bcowan Nov 21, 09:50 AM #
Virtual worlds are in their infancy, much the way gear-and-lever adding machines were to the modern calculator. In other words, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Remember the HoloDeck on Star Trek? It’s way closer than you think.
— Darma Not Drama Nov 21, 02:08 PM #
I have to agree with bcowan’s post. . .I have yet to see an application of SL that is enough different than what could be accomplished in other mediums to warrant engaging in the steep SL learning curve. I’m still waiting. . .
— donnaw Nov 21, 07:47 PM #