Virtual world economic theorist Edward Castronova has a one-page piece over on Wired called “Geekonomics” (Link). While he’s focused on contrasting the scarcity in the real world with the abundance in a virtual world, I found a comparison between the two more interesting. After all, there are some things in the real world that share important qualities with virtual goods. Most of you know where I’m going with this, so I won’t turn on the rant machine.

I really like this post over on I SHUSH (Link) discussing the “kirkyan” concept I presented earlier (reLink):

Kirkyans sound like spimes that sort of blossom forward in time. These are the spimes that are conscious of their own timesuits. … {snip} … you can have a hybrid book that changes itself over time based on the experiences of all the other copies of itself out there, and all the responses to those other copies. It’s information that blossoms forward in time to become better, more accurate perhaps, more current perhaps, and always growing in scope (but not necessarily authority).

A kirkyan book becomes a community of responses to the information that drives the book toward always new (even if not better) content. This means that books become aware of the changes in their own material manifestations (or timesuits).

How eloquently stated is that?

Joystiq has an entry showing the Novint Falcon haptic interface in use at this year’s GDC (I mentioned the device last year if you recall – reLink). The comments might be worth watching.

The Falcon reminds me of Sensable’s devices (Link) so it’s interesting to see a convergence between a sculpting tool like what Sensable makes and a gaming/interface device like the Falcon. All I can think now is, at under a $100, how ripe the Falcon will be for hacking. Combine that with an open source app like SharpConstruct and Sensable might have some competition.

The tools continue their downward migration.

via Blue’s News

{Image Copyright© 2006 Novint Technologies, Inc.}

There’s a very nice article on VFXWorld discussing the portability (or current lack thereof) of 3D files. It’s great to see this finally generating some real discussion; I’ve been chomping at the bit for years. From the five-page article, “3D Convergence: Bridging Design and Marketing”, written by Karen Raugust (Link):

The gaming, film and television industries are starting to look at the possibility of using CAD or other digital data as a starting point for vfx and product placement. For example, CAD is sometimes being used to design and build movie sets; the same information can then be used as a starting point to build the virtual set for vfx. Similarly, architectural CAD data could be used to recreate a cityscape, with designers getting a head start by acquiring the files used for the design and construction of the buildings being portrayed.

Meanwhile, some gaming companies are starting to ask for CAD data to help them replicate the cars featured in racing games, which aim for a high degree of accuracy.

Well worth the read.

C|Net reports that Linden Lab has received additional funding. Although the assumption is that this money will go entirely to Second Life, there’s been plenty of speculation that the company is working on another project – a successor to Second Life – which would both improve on the shortcomings of SL and position the company for potential/expected competition. I suppose funding could go to both. Time will tell. But for now, here’s a piece from the C|Net article (Link):

Linden Lab, the publisher of the popular virtual world “Second Life,” announced Tuesday an $11 million round of funding led by Globespan Capital Partners.

The new funding, which comes on the heels of an $8 million round in October 2004, came from Globespan as well as Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, Lotus founder Mitch Kapor, the Omidyar Network and Catamount Ventures.
…
For now, the company isn’t profitable, and it’s not clear when it will be, said Catherine Smith, Linden Lab’s director of marketing. However, she told CNET News.com that Linden Lab plans to use its new funding for aggressive international expansion, as well as for hiring intended to boost its infrastructure.