3D chat programs (week 8)

The first thing I've noticed about the various 3D chat programs such as Second Life and Habbo Hotel is that to truly get the most out of these sites, you'll need to cough up. Of course, as mentioned in the tute task, MSN Messenger is an instant messaging program, with its simplicity being its charm. It's free, easy to install, improved editions of it are readily available, and perhaps most of all, since it is predominantly used for text communication, it's quick. 3D sites are slightly the opposite, and though MSN can drop out at times, it is still pretty reliable. I noticed that some sites during the tute weren't even loading, which kind of defeats the purpose.

When I was trying to register for Habbo world (something which I would never do apart from this course) I had troubles with the name page, with it not letting me use four or five different log in names. The same reason- something to do with numbers and letters- was repeatedly given. Again, why would I bother joining this board when registering is so inconvenient?

Different types of socialising do occur on Habbo World, for instance. You must select your own "unique" avatar, for instance, which creates that character's personality. From there you can interact with the environment, buy swimming in their 'ool or moving to houses. Chat can be engaged, though it's still involved with the avatars communicating, rather than person to person. I believe that due to the amount of gimmicks involved in the program, plus the money involved in gaining full accessibility, it is more of a game than a serious chat program. Activeworlds' main selling point is its 3D environments, which are created by users themselves. Again, you can interact with the virtual environments whilst chatting, though there are more "worlds' to explore than Habbo World.

The 3D does make a difference, creating another layer of depth that exists in IM programs. However, the amount of time and space needed to load the graphics can serve as a deterrent, rather than an attraction. I can understand why people, specifically young teenagers where places like Second Life and Habbo World are aimed at, find fun in pretending to be someone/something else, but when it comes to simple online chat communication, less (MSN Messenger) may be more.