Metaversatility :: Blog

After sweating through a lot of shirts Robosnow has launched.

MULTIVERSE LAUNCHES ROBOSNOW INTO NETWORK OF VIRTUAL WORLDS

Metaversatility’s Demo Project Joins Multiverse’s “Worlds in Progress” Initiative

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – April 2, 2008 – The Multiverse Network, Inc., a leading provider of virtual world development technology for Massively Multiplayer Online Games, educational and social worlds, and business collaboration environments, today launched Metaversatility’s 3D online game – Robosnow – into its network of virtual worlds.

“Metaversatility’s stylized and entertaining robot fighting game reinforces the compelling aspects of our technology and business model,” said Corey Bridges, co-founder and executive producer, The Multiverse Network, Inc. “While Robosnow looks radically different from anything we’ve seen before, what’s truly impressive is that it took about a month to build.”

Robosnow is an evolving space that showcases the Multiverse Platform’s artistic and technical capabilities. The project gave Metaversatility, an experienced virtual world development studio, the opportunity to experiment with Multiverse’s technology independent of their current client projects. Robosnow is a demonstration of the studio’s and the platform’s capability to develop and launch a fully functioning game or world within a short period of time.

“With educational, commercial, and social spaces in development, it was important for us to develop a public demo,” said Matt Daly, Chief Creative Officer, Metaversatility. “It’s meant to be accessible, humorous, and modular, as we plan to continue developing it as a pet project.”

Metaversatility has amassed a diverse portfolio of custom virtual world projects utilizing a variety of platforms and technologies for clients including Orange, Scion, EMI, AMD, USC Annenberg, and Newmarket Films. They offer similar development on the Multiverse platform to clients interested in using proof of concept demos to raise funding or sell virtual worlds projects to internal committees.

Robosnow joins eight other worlds as part of Multiverse’s “Worlds in Progress” initiative. The initiative grants consumer access to projects currently under construction on the Multiverse Platform via the company’s revolutionary world browser, which consumers can download and use for free.

Those interested in downloading the Mutliverse World Browser and visiting any of the worlds in the companies network are encouraged to visit www.multiverse.net for more information.

The Multiverse Network, Inc.
Multiverse is creating a network of virtual worlds. Its technology platform is changing the economics of this medium by empowering development teams to create high-quality, Massively Multiplayer Online Games and non-game virtual worlds for less money and in less time than ever before. Multiverse solves the industry’s prohibitive challenges by providing development teams with the Multiverse Platform, a comprehensive, pre-coded client-server infrastructure and tools, a wide range of free content – including sample worlds for modification – and a built-in market of consumers. The company gives consumers a single program – the Multiverse World Browser – that lets them play all of the games and worlds built on the company’s platform and available in the company’s network. For more information about the company, please visit www.multiverse.net.

Metaversatility

Metaversatility is a virtual world development company that fosters community, entertainment, education and commerce in on-line spaces. Focusing on choosing the right solution for each client, they work with a variety of virtual worlds to meet project goals. From transnational corporations and broadcast media to nonprofit agencies and educational institutions, they have put their communication and technology skills to work on behalf of a diverse range of visionary organizations. For more information visit www.metaversatility.com

treadmills, ladies and gents… the future is now
Researchers, somewhere in the vastness of the EU have created a ginormous interactive treadmill.

The big story with this treadmill is that when you walk on it you can see ancient Pompeii before Vesuvius had a fit and boxed its ears. I’m just excited that we finally have a real platform… literally. They’ve definitely cut down on the number of navigational devices needed to traverse v-space…. now all you need is a nifty pair of goggles and a treadmill the size of Botswana
In any event it does seem to have some potential for the old immersion aspect… at the very least we’ll smell like we’ve had a workout

yum

CyberCarpet transports users to virtual worlds

[Date: 2008-04-15]

EU-funded scientists have developed a platform which allows users to stroll freely through virtual worlds. The CyberCarpet is currently set up with a programme that allows users to visit the ancient Italian town of Pompeii and see it as it was before Vesuvius buried it under layers of ash and rock in 79 AD. However, its developers believe that it could have applications in a wide range of fields, including training and town planning.

Starting today Orange Island will be taken over by Machinima Week. All week long (try the veal it’s fabulous) there will be panel discussions, classes and even some screenings. On Friday Matt and Drizzo will be on a panel called “Compare and Contrast Machinima Platforms” that starts at 12 PM SLT. So come say hi and prepare to get your virtual socks knocked off.

*side effects of uber awesome machinima week include hunger, lack of sunlight, and loss of socks. in very rare and serious cases there have been reports of irregularity. really that was just me. i ate some bad indian food. wish me luck.

Schedule :

Monday April 14th
10.30 am SLT - 11.30 am SLT : Machinima: an Introduction / Speaker: Paul Jannicola (ILL Clan, USA)
11.30 am SLT - 12.00 pm SLT : Screening of ILL Clan Machinima
12.00 pm SLT - 1.30 pm SLT : Machinima Class: Basics / hosted by Allen Kerensky & Moebius Overdrive (Alt Zoom, USA)
1.30 pm SLT - 2.30 pm SLT : Machinima as a Promotional Tool / speaker: AWM Mars (WBA Advertising, UK)

Tuesday April 15th
9.30 am SLT - 11.00 am SLT : Metaverse Explorers: S.I.C sim (mk Curtiz and Rheya Vella, Japan)
11.00 am SLT - 12.00 pm SLT : Machinima Class: Camera Controls
12.00 pm SLT - 1.30 pm SLT : Music & Machinima Discussion / speakers: Paul Jiannicola (ILL Clan, USA), Koinup Burt (Koinup founder, Italy), Akanjee Yongho (AlienHearts, France), Bobby Ritt (France)
1.30 pm SLT - 2.00 pm SLT : Machinima Screenings

Wednesday April 16th
10.30 am SLT - 12.00 pm SLT : Machinima Class: Pre-production / hosted by Allen Kerensky & Moebius Overdrive (Alt Zoom)
12.00 pm – 1.30 pm SLT : Machinima as an Artform / speakers: Lainy Voom, Evo Szuyuan (Odyssey, NL), Berardo Carboni (Volavola, Italy)
1.30 pm SLT - 2.00 pm SLT : Machinima Screenings

Thursday April 17th
9.30am SLT-10.30am SLT: Machinima Class: Camera Control / Speaker: Codebastard Redgrave
10.30 am SLT - 12.00 pm SLT : Machinima Tools in SL / Speaker: Moo Money
12.00 pm SLT - 1.30 pm SLT : Machinima class: Post-production / hosted by Allen Kerensky & Moebius Overdrive (Alt Zoom)
1.30 pm SLT - 2.00 pm SLT : Machinima Screenings

Friday April 18th
10.30 am SLT - 12.00 pm SLT : Teen Machinima: “A Child’s War” (Tab Pinkenba)
12.00 pm SLT - 1.30 pm SLT : Panel discussion: “Compare/Contrast Machinima Platforms” / speakers: Fox Diller, Matt Daly, Eric Dziurzynski, Eric Call
1.30 pm SLT - 2.00 pm SLT : Machinima Screenings

So yesterday on the Daily Show, John Stewart did a segment on Congress’ recent debate over virtual worlds, highlighting Second Life. The video itself is funny. There’s no denying that. The part I find funny is people’s reactions to virtual worlds. We all know it may be a little odd at times. Taking away the human style avatars I’ve seen dragons, robots, cubes, and of course furrys running around Second Life, still are people that closed minded? Virtual Worlds have so many fantastic uses. The education system alone could benefit tremendously from virtual worlds. The benefits even for politicians should be obvious. Raise your hand if you watch C-SPAN on a regular basis. Think of the millions of people that would be more inclined to learn about our government through a comfortable interesting medium.
I think I’ve made my point. *sarah steps down from soap box

Here is the video from the Daily Show and an article from the Washington post. Enjoy!

Congress Goes Virtual in Online World Hearing

A Linden Lab worker put on her nicest black suit and her most formal pair of wings this morning, to help run a Congressional subcomittee hearing about online virtual worlds that was broadcast simultaneously in the company’s own virtual world, Second Life.

Okay, this might be a little confusing, but here goes: A virtual depiction of the Rayburn House Office Building meeting room was projected on television screens on the wall, so that real-world attendees could take a look at the small virtual crowd that logged on for the event. Attendees logging in from Second Life, meanwhile, could watch the proceedings in a video screen projected on the wall of the virtual room. The real-world guests included executives from Linden Lab, IBM and a tech firm that helps nonprofit organizations take advantage of virtual worlds.

Sen. Ed Markey’s avatar. (Courtsey of Rep. Ed Markey’s staff)

A self-admitted group of virtual-world newbies, the politicians, led by Rep. Ed Markey (D - Mass.), asked a wide-ranging group of questions. In an era where technologies can catch on and become mainstream quickly, the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet wanted to know some basics. Could Second Life be used as a place to launder money? Are children safe in online worlds? Are there churches in there? Are you making any money?

“We have never seen any evidence of such activity going on in Second Life,” said Linden CEO Philip Rosedale, on the matter of whether criminals could use his company’s online world as a place to launder money. Rosedale argued that Second Life is a self-policing community, and that users would likely be quick to report any online behavior that seemed to indicate users posed any real-world threats.

Second Life audience. (Courtsey of Rep. Ed Markey’s staff)

As the politicians and the witnesses discussed the potentials of the online virtual world, the online visitors logged on in Second Life chatted away on the screen in conversations that ranged from the topic at hand and beyond:

“I think senators are superdelegates but not all reps.”
“I love flip4mac.”
“They should really move the x and the c away from each other on the keyboard.” (this following a warning that the video might freeze for “just a sex.”)

On the real-world end, Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) probably got the best quips out, joking that some people already think Congress is a virtual world, and that Markey was throwing the event merely to learn how to get to the next level in World of Warcraft.

The invite-only event was a bit less chaotic than the time, a couple of years ago, when Mark Warner, the former governor of Virginia, made a Second Life appearance and virtual participants floated across the room, apparently unable to control their avatars.

Virtual Worlds Conference 2008:

as told my modern cellulose acetate pictography!

sponsored by Dr. Pembleton’s cure-all tonic water

We’d like to share a recent creation of ours

And a virtual worlds conference update: “pants”

that is all.

-M

We like biiiigggg….APPLES and we cannot lie.

Ok I’m done. Emvee is heading up and out to New York for the Virtual Worlds Conference. Apparently thats where all the cool kids will be. We’re not only showing our beautiful mugs, but we’re also sponsoring VWCon! We’ll be signing autographs at our booth. Becca will be manning the tattoo station and being just all around lovely. Friday morning, Adri and Ellen Kolsto, from our partner GSD&M Idea City, will be presenting results from the Orange brand expectation survey. Our France Telecom friend & collaborator Stephane Adamiak will also be present to answer questions. Basically, our booth is where it’s at. So come say hi, get emvee branded, and see our bright and shining faces.

Or we will hunt you down like a lion hunts a gazelle. No mercy. Never back down. Never surrender. Or something super cool like that.

And last but certainly not least Petey Mc Peter is speaking on panel Friday at 4 pm.

The Rise of User Generated Virtual Worlds
Just as MySpace, Facebook, Bebo and other social networking sites have boosted the proliferation of user-generated content and personal spaces, new virtual worlds technologies offer consumers the opportunity to not only play in a virtual world, but create their own. As a content provider or brand advertiser, how do you capitalize on the phenomenon when everyone has their own virtual world?
Mark Zohar, Founder and Senior Vice President, SceneCaster
Peter Haik, CEO & Co-Founder, Metaversatility, Inc. (moderator)
Bruce Joy, CEO & Co-Founder, VastPark
Jason Hable, Director of Business Development, Areae