The world of virtual reality is a blank canvas for opportunities in creating immersive media. Because of all the internet hype around when the consumer version of Oculus Rift, Sony’s Project Morpheus, or even Valve’s SteamVR will begin hitting the masses, companies have been trying to find a way to capitalize on the market. Should it be of concern that Facebook’s buyout of Oculus Rift for $2 billion hints at where they think the world will see virtual reality going for the masses?
Recently, at the Silicon Valley Virtual Reality Conference and Expo (SVVR), Philip Rosedale, creator of Second Life, an online virtual world that operates similar to an open source MMORPG, talked about his newest venture, High Fidelity. High Fidelity aims at using virtual reality headsets and shared computers to create a collective space online. It is also open to regular old fashioned screens and can use a webcam to track facial features.
Here’s an intro video to High Fidelity.
So, if virtual reality is a simulation of the real world, and we’re getting closer to using our senses to exist in spaces of our own creation, couldn’t we use it to test an autonomous society free of traditions of the past? Can we try and build and test something virtually, then grab our 3D printers and create it in real life? There could be bigger implications than most see in how this experience could potentially change ideology…or it could just offer a release from the real world. Back to High Fidelity…
High Fidelity will provide the framework for the physics of the world space, but it will leave the development open sourced. In addition, venture capital firm, Vulcan Capital, just invested $11 million in new funding. So, they’re looking for new talent to help build out this world.
What are some of the useful things VR can achieve as a tool and experiential device?
