MIKE PETERS VIPLAVA VEGINATI 3D Social Virtual Worlds

Contents Introduction Business Issues Social & Political Issues Communication & Collaboration Work Issues Education & Learning Issues Technological Issues Mapping between the Real World & the SVW Ethical & Legal Issues Conclusion Critique

Introduction The Social Virtual World (SVW) MUDs VS MMORPGs What can be done in a social virtual world? The Second Life Success Story

Business Issues Residents are generating millions of dollars in real money through SVWs. Large companies are exploring and creating a virtual presence. What motivates a consumer to purchase virtual & real world goods in SVWs?

Social and Political Issues Social & Political Updates in SVW  Lot of Cultural & Interest Communities  Government Offices in Virtual World Questions to Explore  How are avatar based communications different from web based communications  What are the selling points for a avatar based communication world  Will Government be able to offer better services to their citizens in SVW’s  Will the virtual world interactions effect the real world behavior of the people  Will these SVW’s lead to addiction and social isolation of its uses

Communication and Collaborative Work Issues There are many forms of communication in SVW.  , instant-messaging, verbal, animation. How do meetings in the virtual world compare to web-based or face-to-face meetings? How and why will real-world companies collaborate with in-world companies.

Educational and Learning Issues How will teaching and learning evolve with virtual interactions? Can effective learning take place in a SVW? How will the lecture’s role change in a SVW classroom?

Technological Issues Technology in SVW’s  Currently SVW’s are running on the company’s servers  In future free servers, applications and tools will be available Questions to Explore  Which technology will support the future metaverse  What will be the main 3D protocols for the SUV’s  How will devices like PDA and mobile phones connect to SUV’s  How will websites connect to SVW’s  How will the role of a software designer evolve to build powerful applications for the SVW’s  How will heterogeneous SVW’s be connected

Mapping Real World & SVW’s Mirror real world in a SVW Help control houses from office or shop sitting at home Questions to explore  Can we design a house in SVW and export it to real world  Can we develop device control technology connecting thousands of networked devices  Can we develop next generation smart devices and map them to the real world  What happens when we merge real and virtual world identities  Can virus spread in SVW and its consequences

Ethical and Legal Issues Do the rules and laws of the world apply in SVW? Should avatars be considered a virtual extension of you or can they be a fantasy character you are merely playing? Can you broadcast copyrighted music or videos in your private virtual space?

Conclusion SVWs are beginning to shape the knowledge-based and globalized societies and economies of tomorrow. A call for Researchers to look into these issues related to social virtual worlds. Explore the frontier between reality and virtuality.

Critique The paper’s purpose was to raise questions about social virtual worlds to get researchers excited and onboard. We think it did fulfill it’s goal. The structure and layout of the article was easy to read and follow.