A few moments ago I received an email from a former design colleague. The answer was “No”. He did not have the skillset needed to create virtual content. In fact, none of the Industrial Designers I know have the skillsets needed. They know surface modelers like Alias and Rhino; know solid CAD applications like SolidWorks and Pro/ENGINEER. But none of them have done any videogame modding or even dabbled in the relatively simple world of Second Life. They’re basically clueless.

Now some people would say “Who cares? There are others out there who can do it.” Not quite and not for much of the content. For anyone who has done 3D development work in some of the videogames out there (including mods) or has seen what’s coming in the nextgen titles, it will probably be obvious that the skillsets needed to create compelling content are going through the roof.
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After word got out this past weekend I logged into the Second Life virtual world to see if I could find one of the legitimate Scion models (there have been plenty of non-sanctioned Toyota models in SL). No such luck. I did however find a nice photostream on Flickr but, thinking that there might be some better images to come from virtual world develop Millions of Us, I waited.

Well, Millions of Us CEO Reuben Steiger has just posted an entry discussing the project. And it’s a good entry with plenty of interesting details. But the images, frankly, suck (no offense, mon). So go read the entry (Link), but also visit that photostream (Link) if you want to see more images like the one above.

{Image source: intellagirl’s Flickr photoset}

One of these days I’ll have some vr goggles. From coolest gadgets.com (Link):

Essentially, the iTheater is a personal entertainment center that you wear as if they were glasses. You get great video and audio quality, too. The video is at a 230,000 pixel resolution and the audio is surround sound.

There’s really no limit as to what you can watch, either. The included RCA cables allow you to hook up your game consoles, DVD players, computers, iPod (video), or other video playing players. Imagine playing your games or watching your DVDs on a 50 inch screen.

Guess the first thing I need is to do some real research and then go try a pair instead of quoting a lame site with the name “coolest gadgets”.

Maybe later.

via Core77

{Image source: firstStreetonline.com}

Interesting news over on C|Net (Link) where it’s being reported that an accounting firm is establishing a presence in the virtual world of Second Life. One small piece of the article got me thinking.

Ciroula said she thinks that there are many similarities between advising a business in real life and in “Second Life.”

Those include the need for marketing and brand-building, and the necessity for establishing a good reputation. Further, businesses of all kinds need to learn how to manage money and cash flow.

The first part where mention is made of the “many similarities” won’t get an argument from me. But I’d point out here – as I’m doing now elsewhere (Link) – that the differences can be profound. If the marketing and advertising communities of the world are having trouble dealing with music and movie piracy over p2p networks and have failed dismally in anticipating services such as YouTube (and how to leverage them properly), one wonders if they’ll grok the additional challenges of a fully digital world where not only is piracy rampant, but applicable to every product in the landscape.
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Anyone remember the above image? That was the one I used in a much earlier entry (reLink) in which I made this comment:

What I really like about the Scion here is that it’s so…. primitive…. as in 3D videogame or Second Life primitive.

At that time I realized that Scion was the best car brand for Second Life and virtual worlds in general. Not just because the geometry was so easily translated, but because the company itself is marketing smart. That’s why I’ve watched and posted other entries on them (like this one – reLink).

Well, turns out that Scion will be finding its way into Second Life courtesy of the SL group Millions of Us. As part of the news that’s coming out of the currect SLCC on the West Coast, 3pointD has posted an entry on the story. Check out the entry on 3pointD – Link.

I’ll enter more links below as I come across them.

– Toyota Scion Enters Second Life
– Adidas, Toyota come to Second Life

{Image Copyright © Car Design News Ltd}