vws roadmap: train for success

Roadmap Construction

Kickoff Workshop

10/14/08

Virtual Worlds Roadmap

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After a 20 year history of commercial virtual worlds, the only mass market success stories are

a) MMOs b) the recent success as kids’ entertainment.

Core Proble!


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1. What are the differences between what we have today and mass-market successful virtual world-based products?

2. How and when can these differences be overcome?

Roadmap Questions


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Accelerate the mass market use of virtual world-like technologies by documenting and publicizing the answers to these questions.

Roadmap Goal


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1. Define applications where VWs have value- describe the unique additive value in detail

2. Detail technical, feature, and business requirements for each application

3. Describe what barriers impede executing each requirement

4. Publish a timeline, cost, and method for overcoming those barriers

Roadmap TasksApplication-centric process


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Not: Creating standardsNot: Thinking about interoperability between virtual worlds unless that is a key requirement for a specific applicationNot: Focusing on any particular existing VWs platform other than as occasional examplesNot: Worrying about a specific definition of “virtual worlds” but rather including any type of “connected visual computing” that has key value for a given application.

What the Roadmap is NOT


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Virtual meetings / presentationsEducation / e-learningData visualizationConferencesTraining / simulationCollaborative & public designReal-world live eventsVirtual-only eventsEntertainment storytellingCasual gaming

DatingRetail shoppingCommunity communicationSocial networkingSimulation from real-world sensorsAdvertising / marketingHealthcare applicationsProduct R&DCustomer serviceMachinima production

Step #: Define ApplicationsExample Applications & Categories


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ConferencesProfessional presentationsMeetingsMusic concertsSportsClasses

Example: RW Live EventsTo be sufficiently specific, this topic should be further divided:


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Social presence. Useful for networking & sub-group conversations.

Example: ConferencesWhat is the value added with a visual virtual space?

Everything else critical for virtually attending a real-world conference could be achieved with a regular Web site - video stream, chat during presentations, identification of who is present


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• General ease of use• Simplicity for conference organizers• Navigation focussed on core value• Networking features: identification of position, background, interests• Group conversation features• Scalability of social features• Cost of hosting• Demonstrated incentive for conferences

Example: ConferencesWhat are key requirements to achieve this value that are at least sometimes missing today?


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• Creating software using today’s technology

• Demonstrating revenue potential for conferences

Example: Conferences

What effort is needed to overcome these gaps?


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• This could be a near-term mass market success

• Investment should be focussed on creating the successful software product needed

Comparison:

Example: Conferences

Conclusions:

More Likely Possible Less Likely

Conferences Sports One-off Consumer Events

Concerts


Contrasting Exam

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For mainstream business meetings, this take 4+ years to achieve mass adoption, because

• Such meetings require that the environment not take over essentially all of the computing power of one’s machine• Substantial value may not exist until gestures and expressions are automatically conveyed via webcam & avatar

$nd Example: Enterpris% Virtual Meetings

Conclusions:


Main Web Site:

www.virtualworldsroadmap.org

Draft Wiki on Applications:

virtualworldsroadmap.wikispaces.com

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http://www.virtualworldsroadmap.org

http://www.virtualworldsroadmap.org

vws roadmap: train for success

Technology