Other World Notes: Blue Mars and User-Generated Content

In a recent post, several New World Notes readers expressed skepticism that Blue Mars, the upcoming virtual world, would allow user-generated content. Company VP Jim Sink was a recent guest on the SL-based Metanomics show, and here's what he said then:

We wholeheartedly embrace user-generated content. All of our tools are free to use and anyone can become a Blue Mars developer. But user generated content on its own won’t make Blue Mars a success. The real trick is to create a system where the very best user generated content can bubble to the top and to provide a platform where developers who create excellent content can be rewarded for their work and can be confident that piracy will be effectively managed.

Full transcript here; from Sink's description, content will be created offline, and thus, not dynamic, collaborative content created in-world a la Second Life -- but user-generated content all the same. And when you think about it, outside the sandboxes, how often in Second Life do you actually see dynamic, collaborative content creation? Most SL builds remain so static for so long, the technical means of their creation are almost beside the point. In any case, my own 2008 feature on Blue Mars is here. Image credit bluemarsonline.com.

Comments

[Takuan]

I am thrilled with the way content is developed for Blue Mars so far. Being able to use full-featured dedicated programs and see the results in-world exactly as designed (unlike sculpted prims, for instance) is tremendously satisfying.

I know a lot of people express concern that "not just anyone can create content". Even if that remains true, I have to wonder how many of those people are the same ones who decry the fact that Linden Lab "let in the hordes" of no-payment-on-file accounts, and complain that this allows griefers to easily re-register an account and create gridbombs and other irritating scripted objects.

I for one will not miss the flying penises, the excruciatingly bad builds being sold for hundreds or thousands of $L to newbs who don't know better, and the rampant content theft. At the least, Blue Mars has much better accountability with content creation, and I welcome that.

[Juko Tempel]

I think the recent NPIRL post on Grendel's Children (http://npirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/grendels-children-and-avaria-featured.html) provides a good example of collaborative work in Second Life, and joint collaborative art spaces like Odyssey, Caerleon and BiW would too.

The value of shared learning and mentoring inworld shouldn't be underestimated either - that's how many newbs are encouraged to become quality content creators :-)

[Nexus Burbclave]

I think not going cross platform will prove to be a larger error than how they are handling UGC. In general I think the Second Life killer comparisons are overblown and potentially damaging, but since that my thoughts on this are larger than a comment ought to be, I've posted them at http://theburbclave.net/wordpress/?p=3. The rest of the site can be safely ignored for now, as I am in the process of rebuilding it from the ground up.

[Kimberly Rufer-Bach]

"And when you think about it, outside the sandboxes, how often in Second Life do you actually see dynamic, collaborative content creation?"

Every day.

[Porsupah Ree]

Agreed on the essential requirement of being cross-platform - one of the smartest moves Linden Lab has ever made. In that way, all of one's friends are potentially able to meet up in-world, not just those with the developer's favored platform.

The more people and more of their devices that can connect to any given world, the better - especially with smartphone sales surging ahead. Obviously, results won't compare on mobile platforms to those on fully fledged laptops and desktops, but the more casually someone's able to connect, wherever they are, the greater can be the potential for that world to be somewhere they'll spend time, and with that, growth in userbase, as social circles find themselves spending more time in-world.

If a graphics engine can't scale, it's of greatly diminished value, especially in the context of virtual worlds. Ultimately, it's people and mutual company that drive them, above all else.

[soror nishi]

"anyone can become a Blue Mars developer"

Everyone who doesn't own a Mac, I think.
Isn't that a little stupid??

[Ann Otoole]

Everyone can become a developer. Unless they expressed a dissenting opinion on the internet in which case they are denied.

[Connie Sec]

Graphics engine that can't scale??..been to the hair fair lately??
Doesn't matter if u can run it on your Iphone..if not more than 20 people can be in a Sim without it turning to mush..then the value of being able to be there on your phone is rather Moot. I await to if see BM's claim of 10,000 AV's per region is not just hot air. If it isnt..then virtual events would be better held there. And once in I can bet you the grafix engine will make even blind Freddy think SL looks like Legoland.

[Gigantopithecus Hellershanks]

In a perfect world, Blue Mars would be everything SL is and better, but obviously there is a somewhat of a downfall in having a completely open world where everything is downloaded as you walk around and everything is gray and laggy and most of the bad things about SL stem from that.

I won't announce Blue Mars as the killer to SL, but its about time someone lit a fire under the Lindens rear ends.

Blue Mars may run like a crisp console game, and at times Second Life runs like a choppy flip book or video stream.

Let the war for top dog begin.

[Nexus Burbclave]

In case my words weren't compelling enough, here is another perspective on the importance of cross-platform support:

http://blog.wolfire.com/2008/12/why-you-should-support-mac-os-x-and-linux/

If a tree falls in the woods, and there is nobody there to here it, does it make a sound.

[Nalates Urriah]

Devokan(1) is a Myst-Uru Style region with an experimental RPG and rapid change with collaberative building. The story line advances on a Myst-Uru Guild Forum (2).

(1) http://slurl.com/secondlife/Discover%20Devokan/109/94/22
(2) http://www.guildofmaintainers.org/Forum/viewforum.php?f=111&sid=48d5d8dc3dff7dd46460624c864cd419