Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Virtual reality is starting to takeoff, and in more ways than one. Virtual worlds are internet sites where people can create avatars and explore real places.  In the article “I’ve Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life” the author describes his experiences using vles.com (Virtual Lower East Side).  The author describes how he attended a concert from the comfort of his own home while using vles.com.

In another article “Going to the virtual office in Second Life” companies are using a separate virtual world called Second Life, which enables companies to have business meetings with others all over the world.  What is good about this type of meeting is that it saves companies time and money.   This type of meeting eliminates traveling to a location to meet another in person. While this sounds like a good idea it does have its cons.  With this type of set-up the possibility of running into a colleague around the office after the meeting cannot occur.  Therefore, if any information is left out of the earlier discussion, sharing the information later because you see the other party around the office cannot happen.  Any news that is unintentionally left out during the initial meeting will have to be included in another virtual office meeting, not when you happen to see the other colleague around the office. Virtual meetings eliminate office and social settings.  Another problem that might arise is with internet connection.  If one person’s internet goes down then how will the meeting take place?   Do they wait?  Do they have it without that person? What if it is the CEO or the person who runs the meeting and what they say goes? Or what if there needs to be an immediate decision that can’t wait?   What happens then? 

The amount of ways you can change your avatar fosters creativity for those on these sites.  You can make your avatar look like a virtual you or someone you always wanted to look like.  In the future I could see people hanging out with other people in virtual worlds similar to the way some business’s have their meetings, but without a work environment.