Wagner James Au / New World Notes
Author, strategist, virtual world reporter
recent posts
- Welcome to New World Notes’ 2006-2025 Archive!
- Virtual World Usage Stats from S&P Global Market Intelligence — Plus VRChat & Second Life Specifics!
- Top Five Posts Including: Huge Rec Room Layoff & Meta Boots Neal Stephenson Off Facebook (Briefly)
- Four Glorious Second Life Sims to Explore — After Watching Sabina Valeska’s Machinima Tributes to Them!
- Virtual World Usage Stats from S&P Global Market Intelligence — Plus VRChat & Second Life Specifics!
about
Category: Comment of the Week
-
Reader Nadeja concurs with Linden Lab staffer "Soft" on the value of using Large Language Models to help with creating/exploring Second Life related content — and has further tips, especially for Microsoft's LLM Copilot: I was doing similar things for months. For small scripts and functions, GPT-4 is a time saver, it can also handle…
-
Really interesting comment thread on the Vision Pro, and how it compares with the launch of the iPhone back in 2007. Good points from reader "Nadeja", highlighting its limitations as a computer replacement — and coming challenges for Vision Pro owners with long hair: I also remember the iPhone critics comparing it to the contemporary…
-
Metaverse author Matthew Ball (who we were just talking about!) made a good point in Comments, responding to our survey that nearly half the respondents said they "never" want an Apple Vision Pro. The thing is, Matt points out, people once said that about the iPhone before it launched in 2007: I dare say that…
-
Got another quick update from Firestorm project leader Beq, on reports that the Alpha version of the viewer integrating PBR is displaying objects too brightly. Beq says the problem is being addressed by the Lindens: "Visuals are still being tuned upstream (Linden Lab); ultimately, the Lab is going to drive that agenda because it would…
-
Here's some reader predictions for the coming year, first from longtime media exec Matthew Hawn: We get a solid UGC commercial hit on UEFN – built in their Creative 2.0 tools – that *isnt* from Epic Games. The focus on populating 3D worlds with AI characters fails to ignite anyone's interest. Why? NPCs without real…
-
Above: Uncanny Valley Luke Skywalker in Disney's big budget Mandalorian series Lots of interesting reader discussion to last week's post about how ultra-realistic mesh avatars haven't helped Second Life user growth. Veteran SLer 0xC0FFEA (a host of Reddit's largest Second Life-themed subreddit) delves deeper into this problem, and relates it to the Uncanny Valley problem…
-
Lots of interesting conversation around Linden Lab's new (and still active) job search for a senior product manager to help grow Second Life into "millions of customers" as the virtual world expands to mobile. Kaylee West understandably worries if this growth will impact the long-term existing community and the rates they pay for premium subscriptions:…
-
Above: Leading metaverse platform Roblox as compared to leading generative AI programs ChatGPT and Midjourney on Google Trends Longtime reader Iggy O. wonders why I keep comparing ChatGPT to metaverse platforms on Google Trends: Hamlet, why continue to compare it to metaverses? That is like comparing sales of bicycles to motor vehicles, because they all…
-
Watching Philip Rosedale and Avi Bar-Zeev talk about early days in metaverse development, reader "Nadeja" points out another early milestone that's often under-appreciated — the launch of pioneering game Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss: Another interesting thing is that in March 1992, just a few months before the publication of Snow Crash (June 1992), another…
-
While trolls recently griefing a Second Life flag with a trans flag may have the new-ish twist of adding pro-Russia propaganda, reader "yup" notes that antit-trans trolling is a constantly occurring issue in the virtual world: Sadly these anti-trans trolls infiltrate everywhere in Second Life too and they target trans places since awhile. They are…
Wagner James Au / New World Notes 