Here's the results of last week's survey trying to determine active interest among NWN readers in Linden Lab's Sansar. ("Active" as in "interested enough to actually sign a contract to gain early access.") Surprisingly to me, just over 1 in 10 of our respondents said they've signed the NDA, while just over 1 in 4 have requested early access (but haven't yet been given the NDA form).
Assuming this data scales to Second Life users and people generally interested in virtual worlds who read this blog -- a medium-large assumption, but let's run with it anyway -- there's some interesting, potentially contradictory ways to interpret this data:
Over 1 in 3 are actively interested in Sansar. Which strikes me as a pretty large percentage, though others might wonder why it's not a majority.
Linden Lab is being stingy/careful with granting early access. Twice as many are being denied access, than getting it granted. Sure seems like Linden Lab is being super-cautious about who and how many get in early!
The Sansar NDA might forbid mentioning whether or not the signee even signed an NDA. Or as reader Dirk put it, "The first rule about NDA, you do not talk about NDA."
Or as Chic Aeon offered: "I have signed a few NDAs and many have said that the signee could not mention they were working for the company OR had signed an NDA -- let alone what the project was about. Think about it from The Lab's point of view. Let's say 200 top name designers go over to try out the new platform. 20 decide it is for them and stay. Does The Lab WANT people to know that 180 left?"
On the other hand, JohnC avers: "That might make some kind of convoluted sound business sense in many areas, but this whole Sansar thing is supposed to be the democratizing of VR, bringing VR tech into the sphere of the average creator, by a company that has a huge user base in SL who quite obviously are going to be gagging at the bit (even if they feign disinterest) to hear any news at all about what, like it or not, will be the successor to SL. When you act like you have a secret people become even more curious as to why. And who can blame them."
Especially when you contrast how open Philip Rosedale and its early users have been about High Fidelity (which Linden Lab is also an investor in).
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I haven't signed it because I'm looking forwaed to Sansar. I have spent so much money and time on sl that I'm in no hurry to see it end.
Posted by: Lemon Panda | Monday, October 03, 2016 at 04:11 PM
It could also mean a large number of NWN readers are not engaged enough to bother with a survey. I didn't take it.
Posted by: Amanda Dallin | Monday, October 03, 2016 at 04:55 PM
@ Amanda LOL
I did not take the poll either.
And my quote while completely legit left out the part following that I didn't believe that statment to be true *wink*. No matter. I have been misquoted in numerous real life and virtual reports. And honestly I think that was a good point and likely SOME folks will not move over for various reasons.
I am very much looking forward to Sansar's opening. **I am not exactly sure where the info that a only third of applicants are being granted entry.**
Lets be fair now (please put that in bold oh great blog reply ap) but it was stated LONG ago that only Maya (a 3D software application) folks would get entry at the beginning. That isn't being prejudicial against Blender and other 3D programs; it is simply EASIER to deal with ISSUES when the playing field is limited.
If I get in November or December I will be happy. If that doesn't happen, I will join the hoards at a later date.
BUSINESS is never my main goal on new platforms. I seems to always make a business and sell things (I think I was the top seller in Cloud Party although I never actually GOT any of that money - LOL) but the *experience* is the top thing for me.
Personally, I REALLY hope that some great skin and clothes folks join in the fun as I really like to look the best I can (vanity - vanity) and I would like to be able to spend any money earned to get to lookin' good. I can live in one outfit but I would really like to NOT have to make my own skin hair and clothes as I have on other platforms. NOT my thing.
So, we wait. We see.
Posted by: Chic Aeon | Monday, October 03, 2016 at 07:10 PM
PS. Lost my train of though while typing --
IF "Twice as many are being denied access, than getting it granted." then that means that 2000 folks are over at Sansar now learning and experimenting. That seems like a LOT for a "first wave" -- to me anyway. I would think 200 or so would be better for the vanguard.
I have not signed a NDA. I am NOT there. And I KNOW NOTHING - LOL.
Posted by: Chic Aeon | Monday, October 03, 2016 at 07:14 PM
Of course we will all be interested to see what Sansar is like. And no matter what I or many others might say, if we are in any way at all interested in some kind of easy access open world type alternative to building our VR experiences completely from scratch, then we would surly rather Sansar succeed than fail. Having said that, this blog has the specific purpose of discussing and even dissecting in minute detail all thing Virtual world related, and so I get tired of hearing comments of the “why don't you just wait and see” variety or “why are we even discussing this”. The fact is, as pointed out in the article, Philip Rosedale has gone about the Promotion of HI Fidelity in a totally different and open manner. Why is that? There is nothing odd at all in highlighting such things and speculating upon possible reasons. Likewise, as Blender is possibly the free tool of choice for mesh creation by a huge amount of SL users, why choose elitist software like Maya as the test platform, I believe it cost just over £200 a month rental as of now. When Sansar arrives I will be happy to use it if it is a viable option for whatever I have planned. But that will not in any way mellow my criticism of what I see as LL's continued bad choices in almost every sphere in relation to their currant and potential users. They don't deserve a pat on the back so much as a smack around the head to hopefully wake them out of their California dreaming :)
Posted by: JohnC | Monday, October 03, 2016 at 11:03 PM
Genuine question - is a response rate of 73 typical for one of these polls? I have no way of interpreting these results :)
Posted by: sirhc deSantis | Tuesday, October 04, 2016 at 01:46 AM
"1 in 10 people broke their Sansar NDA"
Posted by: Adeon Writer | Tuesday, October 04, 2016 at 07:59 AM
"is a response rate of 73 typical for one of these polls"?
It's on the lower side TBH, generally they run between around 100 and 300.
Posted by: Wagner J Au | Tuesday, October 04, 2016 at 11:27 PM
@Adeon: The thing is, nobody is strictly mentioned by name, so any reprisals would lead to undeserved punishment and alienation so long as Hamlet keeps mom about who replied.
Posted by: Patchouli Woollahra | Friday, October 07, 2016 at 12:06 AM
As usual Linden Lab does strange things. They have along history of this. Is it company culture?
Posted by: Cyberserenity | Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at 12:35 AM