MixedRealities

Linden Lab today released the LLMedia API, which lets developers create plug-ins for the Second Life Viewer to bring new media-rendering capability to Second Life.

Currently

the types of media that can be used in-world have been limited to only those that can be rendered by the set of media rendering engines embedded in the Second Life Viewer, such as Apple QuickTime™ movies.

The LLMedia API will change this by enabling developers to create media rendering plug-ins for the Second Life Viewer. In the future, by installing these plug-ins, the residents will be able to enjoy a wider range of media in-world, without having to download new Viewers to do so.

Let’s hope developers will come up soon with those plug-ins. Having more or more easy to use media in-world is very important for event-organizers (educators, businesses, entertainment…).

Linden Lab wants to expand the use of web-media in-world, and Dusan Writer analyzes the (probable) thinking behind this:

This suggests that the Second Life brand will no longer be solely about a world, but rather represent a rich tool set of communication, social media and immersion applications that allow you to seamlessly shift from 2D to 3D experiences and back again, to tap into your social network through your phone, to have a voice chat in a 3D environment or from an “Avaline” mini-app.

Importing 3D Mesh Objects

Let’s not forget that Second Life is primarily a 3D world. The participants at the SLCC were very impressed by slides and video showing a project in development which will eventually enable residents to import 3D Mesh Objects.

(picture by Elisabeth Leysen)

It is unclear how the feature will exactly work, what will be possible and when it will be implemented. Looking at the very nice presentation of not just a Mesh Objects but also light/shadow effects, it reminded me of the Blue Mars videos.

While it is true that Blue Mars is not really open for the public yet and that Second Life boasts an enormous diversity of user generated content, I think Linden Lab is gearing up to not only make far better connections with the web, but also to increase the immersive quality of the world.

This is an important issue, and I hope we’ll get a better idea of when this is about to be expected. The issue is also important because it enables people to use more standard tools such as Blender and I guess Maya for content creation.

I don’t know what the effect will be on current content creators who often are good in using the in-world tools but are not necessarily trained in using other tools, but broadening the group of content creators even more seems the right thing to do.

Dusan Writer sounds very bullish in his analysis of Second Life. He is right to underline the impressive user engagement and the stunning number of voice hours.

However, let’s not forget there is a long way to go. The stability and scalability of the platform has to improve much more. The connections and integration with the web have to be implemented, and it is unclear when it’ll be possible to import 3D mesh objects.

In the meantime, outside the group of “believers” and heavily engaged users of Second Life and now that the hype is long time over, the audience at large pretty much ignores Second Life. People ask me regularly whether the world still exists.

Linden Lab/Second Life seems to have the considerable advantage to have a real business model and to actually earn money.

That very important fact coupled with a management team eager to deliver and a very engaged user base could make that soon nobody will ask anymore whether Second Life is still there.

Roland Legrand