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Second Life Gets First Voice |
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Written by Adam Gosling
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Saturday, 03 March 2007 |
Linden Lab, the company behind the Second Life virtual world plans
to make voice capabilities possible in world in a decision that will
likely see a move toward new uses for the booming cyber-metropolis.
The core voice capabilities are being provided by Vivox, under the
terms of a service agreement with Linden Lab, incorporating 3D voice
technology from DiamondWare.
The company plans to make it possible for landowners to disable voice
if they don't want people talking on their turf, while Private island
owners may be able to enable voice, depending on the terms of their
subscription, says a Linden statement.
In world the volume of speech will be modified according to the
resident's spatial relationship with each other and will support not
only private one on one conversations but also group chats of up to 100
users. It will also be possible to set up Group Conference calls so
that the world can hold concerts and such.
Linden Labs believes the intorduciton of voice capabilities will pave
the way foreducators, non-profits and businesses to use Second Life as
a collaborative tool for learning and training.
The 3D "proximity-based" voice communication uses spatial awareness,
taking distance and direction into account, for a more realistic
"in-world" voice experience. When speaking, Residents' avatars will
also become animated according to the intensity of speech volume.
"The addition of Voice marks a natural progression in the ongoing
evolution of Second Life," said Joe Miller, Vice President, Platform
& Technology Development at Linden Lab.
"We believe Voice is a
transformative technology that will change the way Residents
communicate, and will lend more immediacy and dynamism to their
interaction with others. For example, academic institutions could use
the voice feature of Second Life to carry out lectures, corporations
could use it for customer training and friends can simply catch up with
each other."
"Voice has always been part of the long-term plan for the Second
Life Grid, as we feel it will help Residents become more immersed in
their virtual lives," said Philip Rosedale, CEO at Linden Lab.
"Our
approach is to give Residents the tools to create their own unique
experience, and we're hoping that many of them will develop new ways to
use voice which will ultimately enrich the collective evolution of
Second Life."
A private beta program on a test-grid for 1,000 users will be
launched initially ahead of a grid-wide beta trial. A formal launch is
scheduled for Q2, 2007.
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