Re: [-empyre-] Syntax of desire

[John Klima <klima@echonyc.com>]

helen varley jamieson wrote:

> with the 2d environment, focus is much clearer [than 3d], and i've 
> found it totally engaging & immersive. it's simple & low-tech, but
> that's part of the beauty of it.

indeed simplicity requires the imagination to fill in some of the
blanks.  perhaps the engagement of the imagination enhances the feeling
of commitment to the environment, thus the immersion.

but that doesn't preclude any innate qualities that 3d may posses. the
very way a 3d world is defined in code and script engages me on an
intellectual level.  that a 3d world is a functioning description of a
physical space, using language alone, presents no end of fascination. 
and there are still plenty of blanks to fill in.

one preference i do have for the 2d is how it can handle chat text. most
if not all 3d muds use a separate screen space for the chat text. one
thing i loved about Ultima was that the chat was layered over the
isometric projection, at the location of the speaker. though words get
mixed and jumbled, removing the text from the scene depreciates the
immersion, and in a 3d world this is usually a necessity.  eventually
the text will be replaced by sound, either text-to-speech or actual live
audio.  my initial reaction is i'd rather not have live audio, better an
audio avatar.  is anyone working on text-to-speech specifically for
muds?

best,
j




helen varley jamieson wrote:
> 
> i'm using the palace, a 2d graphical chat client, for cyberformance; i've
> had a bit of a look at some of the 3d environments like active world, &
> found them much harder to get the hang of. it seemed to be that the 3d-ness
> of it was getting in the way of what i wanted to do with it. my avatar was
> clumsy and it was easy to get lost.
> 
> with the 2d environment, focus is much clearer, and i've found it totally
> engaging & immersive. it's simple & low-tech, but that's part of the beauty
> of it.
> h : )
> 
> >
> >I get the same impression. I have had a much higher sense of community
> >and participation in www.habbohotel.com than I ever had in any 3D VRML
> >shared world. As Creative Director at ParallelGraphics I used to argue
> >that 3D is different is you look at it from an end user vs. developer
> >point of view. It seems to me that it is 3D what people perceive it as
> >such, even if it implemented using 2D technologies.
> >
> >And the community forstering features of Habbo appear far better
> >developed than the one on blaxxun or similar. Speaking of which, is
> >someone aware that apparently blaxxun have joined the large number of
> >casualties in the "gone bust" arena? This one I would be particularly
> >sorry to see going. End of an era?
> >
> >All the best,
> >
> >Ciao, Cristiano
> >
> >Cristiano Bianchi
> >keepthinking
> >
> >t +44(0)20 7346 0305
> >m +44(0)7939 041169
> >e cristiano@keepthinking.it
> >w www.keepthinking.it
> >
> 
> ___________________________________________________
> helen varley jamieson: creative catalyst
> helen@creative-catalyst.com
> http://www.creative-catalyst.com
> http://www.abcexperiment.org
> http://www.writerfind.com/hjamieson.htm
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