virtual worlds as a socio-spatial operating system

© 2010 www.daden.co.uk

Virtual Worlds as a Socio-Spatial

Operating System

David BurdenDaden Limited

© 2010 www.daden.co.uk

About Daden

Virtual Worlds solution provider In Virtual Worlds since late 1990s, and Second

Life since 2004World-class capability in Integration and Artificial

IntelligenceMember, Serious Games InstituteBased in Birmingham UK, and Second LifeWinner Times Higher Education Award for

Outstanding ICT 2009Winner US Government Federal Virtual World

Challenge 2010

© 2010 www.daden.co.uk

Who We've Worked For

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What We Do….

Built Environment Visualisation

and Consultation

Artificial Intelligence

and Web Integration

Collaboration, Meetings

and Data Visualisation

Learning, Training and Education

© 2010 www.daden.co.uk

Synthetic Environments

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Serious Games

The Business Game – Pixel Learning

Often no avatar

Usually single user

One game = one task

Often stand-alone PC

Short duration

Limited goals

Limited actions

Game-play & score orientated

No persistence

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Simulations

VBS2 – Bohemia Interactive

Often no avatar

Usually first-person view

Single/multi user

Scenario/environment based

Stand-alone or networked PCs

Short/medium duration

Wider goals

Wider actions

Real-life not game rewards

Limited persistence

© 2010 www.daden.co.uk

Sandbox Games

Grand Theft Auto

Avatar based

Trailing camera/first-person view

Multi/single user

Scenario/environment based

Networked/Stand-alone PCs

Medium duration

Wider goals or storyline

Wider actions

Gameplay & score driven

Limited persistence

http://blog.media-freaks.com/other-horizons-different-applications-of-3d-animation/

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Virtual Worlds

SL5B Conference Panel – Second Life

Avatar based

Trailing camera/first-person view

Multi user

Scenario/environment based

Networked PCs

Medium/long duration

Wide/no goals

Very wide actions

Money & reputation

Persistence

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Synthetic Environments

Action Scope

Goal Scope

SeriousGames

Simulations

Virtual Worlds

“sandbox games”

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Application Platforms

ScopeOf Action

Range/Number/Complexity of Goals

SeriousGames

Simulations

Virtual Worlds

Game engine

Simulation engine

Virtual World engine

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Synthetic Environments

Don't confuse application platform and user experience/environment

Limitations of technology and maturity of application tend to currently link platform with experience/environment

As technology and applications mature further:

– A virtual world application platform could deliver a simulation and/or a serious game

– A simulation platform could deliver a serious game

– A serious game platform can only deliver a serious game

© 2010 www.daden.co.uk

One Platform – Many Environments

Vastpark as 2D user interface Vastpark as avatar-less game

Vastpark as virtual worldVastpark as simulation

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Socio-Spatial Applications

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Procedural/Task Training

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Interpersonal Skills Training

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Data Visualisation

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Remote Management

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Building Design

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Remote Meetings

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Remote Conferencing

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Spatial/Social Applications

SkillsTraining

OpsMgt/Trg

DataViz

/Intel

BuildingDesign

RemoteMeetings/

Confs

Collabor-ation

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Applications in/as Worlds

SkillsTraining

OpsMgt/Trg

DataViz

/Intel

BuildingDesign

RemoteMeetings/

Confs

Collabor-ation

Platform A Platform B Platform C Platform D Platform E Platform F

Game/Simulation/Virtual World

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Towards a Flexible Architecture

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The PIVOTE Model

SkillsTraining

App

Second LifeOpenSimVastPark...

Web Management Interface

Virtual Worlds

InternetWeb Services

WebMobile

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Virtual Worlds as User Interface

Different Virtual World User InterfacesWeb/Mobile User Interfaces

Web Management Interfaces

Virtual World Web

Web Services

SkillsTraining

OpsMgt/Trg

DataViz

/Intel

BuildingDesign

RemoteMeetings/

Confs

Collabor-ation

© 2010 www.daden.co.uk

Conclusions

A virtual world platform has the potential to deliver a wide range of user experiences, from games and serious games, through simulations to the true virtual world experience

At present organisations invest in a wide range of platform specific applications to serve a wide range of disparate business functions

By building an application as a web-service it can potentially be accessed from any environment, including virtual worlds

Virtual worlds can provide a single technical platform from which to access a wide variety of socio-spatial applications:

– Reducing development, deployment and support costs

– Reducing training time and costs

– Increasing synergistic benefits

Virtual Worlds as a Socio-Spatial Operating System

© 2010 www.daden.co.uk

Web: www.daden.co.ukBlog: www.converj.com/blogEmail: david.burden@daden.co.ukTwitter: daden5Second Life: Corro Moseley Second Life sim: Daden Prime

Virtual Worlds as a Socio-Spatial Operating System

David Burden