The Social Space Station

I’ve just completed my first foray into the new Lively by Google virtual experience. This is Google’s attempt at a virtual 3D space that is browser based which sits somewhere between SecondLife and Habbo Hotel.

In fact, the design of the avatars and spaces (in addition to being a browser based virtual world) looks and acts very similarly to Auckland company Small Worlds (whose 3D virtual world is currently in beta) and Dunedin’s Straylight Studios (who built a virtual shop for design store Aduki some years ago).

Spaces are divided into rooms (cf. islands in SecondLife) which can be about anything (insert usual suspects here). The interface is very simple to use (see the toolbar in the snaps below) particularly the navigation as it’s easier and faster than the somewhat cumbersome SecondLife. In terms of customisation, there are a selection of avatars to choose from (including cats to keep Furries happy) and a range of templates to modify their looks. Although I’m not sure how far outside these defaults you can go but they are fun with a strong comic aesthetic.

The interactions in this world appear to be as unstructured and consequently aimless as most of these sites tend to be. Participation focuses on the social rather than achievement of a specific goal. It’s one of the reasons I find the SecondLife experience so underwhelming. Having said that, Lively by Google at least has a fun ambience in contrast to the somewhat ominous and overly earnest atmospheres of both ActiveWorlds and SecondLife.

Shown below are a few highlights from my time mooching around Lively by Google. Enjoy and perhaps I will see you in there somewhere.

Here is the Fight Club room that I inadvisedly entered (perhaps not a great idea for a newbie).

This is a close up of my avatar - which was not customised and automatically assigned on entry. It has that Generation X slacker thing happening.

Finally, here is my avatar kicking some serious arse. See my opponent flying off the edge of the frame which required no intervention by me.

Lively by Google is fun and elegantly implemented. Naturally the most popular rooms are those offering violence and/or sex. I suppose it doesn’t matter where you go, human nature ultimately prevails.