Oculus Rift, Second Life

and just the state of things

 

 

 

   There has been a lot of talk - and a lot of hype - around Oculus Rift over the last few months. Now that some of the hysteria has died down a bit I want to say a couple words. The fact is this is a new gadget worth paying attention to. Will it be bringing on a new 'paradigm' in technology? Maybe, then again maybe not, the sheer amount of money being thrown at it argues that it is going to matter in some way. We just don't know what yet.

 

  Now I've seen a few people who think that Oculus Rift is going to be the death of Second Life as we know it. I really doubt that. The fine management of Linden Lab has made it widely known that they're going to create a whole new Second Life. The new virtual world will be of their creation initially and will be so superior to the old Second Life that we residents will abandon the old and flock to the new without any regrets.

 

I doubt all of this.

 

   First off, the Lindens might well not want us to all give up our sims and rush off to the New World. Right now we are their cash cow; they haven't made a single penny off Oculus Rift yet. The money they are using for all of this nifty research and development is coming from the users of the current Second Life virtual world platform. They need us, they need us badly.

 

   I also have my serious doubts that they are going to match the creativity of all those builders and creators that have worked so zealously to create the current Second Life. They seem to believe they'll create something that will capture our imaginations more than what we currently have. I really do think the Lindens need to spend more time inworld and seeing just how much so many of us have created.

 

   Sure, I say let them work on their nifty new virtual world. I just think they would be making a mistake to turn their backs on the people who are essentially bankrolling this for them. If anything they should be working as hard on making Oculus Rift usable in the current Second Life as the coming brave, new virtual world.

 

Enough said.