The Otherland Group - Blog

Websites are useless, so are virtual worlds ... and TV anyway

(syndicated from _notizen [german])

Last Thursday I was interviewed by a German podcasting group "Vier Nasen tanken Super" about The Otherland Group, Second Life, virtual worlds etc. And of course, one the guys on the other side couldn't help but accusing the whole idea of virtual worlds to be useless, senseless and stupid - because companies and marketing agencies are using them to "replay" all the old marketing models from past areas and avoiding the new paradigm of the web 2.0 Actually, Mario, with whom I had this - always pleasant - discussion, put forth this argument a long time ago. Since then it has become a mainstay of Second Life bashers in the publishing and advertising industry.

The problem with this line of reasoning is: is has a true core. Many advertising agencies are using virtual worlds as a vehicle to reuse old concepts. Sometimes this works (people are still the same), most often not. This does not mean, that virtual worlds do not offer a fertile ground for innovative new ideas, though. It only means, that all those "creatives" need some time to adapt ...

The web was considered a boring copy of print media once
When the web began to grow in 1995/96 many corporate websites were so called brochure ware: HTMLisized copy of the corporate brochure. This resulted in many low effort, easily done - and useless - sites. When TV came to Germany, many entertainment formats basically consisted of pointing a camera at a stage in some downtown theater. Does this mean that TV is superfluous? That there are no new means of artistic expression possible there in this medium? Does it mean, that websites are just another channel to publish a linear series of pages (layouted with Quark XPress in the way a printed page is)? Certainly not!

It just means that people need a little time to adapt and to start innovating in a new medium. Actually, Web 2.0 principles already are an important part of successful projects in virtual worlds. But that's just a copy of a web phenomenon. I expect completely new marketing models in the coming months (or innovative combinations of established ones).

Coincidence or not, but just this morning I found the article Online gaming hits its groove on ZDnet where Cory Bridges from Multiverse phrased it like this:

"I don't think we're on the immediate verge of that," said Corey Bridges, co-founder of The Multiverse Network, a developer of virtual world platforms. "The funny thing is that any time you have a new medium (like online games), you see people dragging (in) the constraints and tropes of old media. For example, the first Web sites were like brochures. It's predictable stuff like that."

I guess it always needs some time, for people to see the light. And nearly always they will put the blame on the medium/platform - not on their inability to adapt to "the new" ...

Technorati Tags: 3d web, second life, virtual worlds, web 3.d

The other Otherland Group

Yes, while The Otherland Group GmbH is a brand new company, there has been a business called 'The Otherland Group' within the virtual world of Second Life for quite a while. And, yes, those two are related. You could say that the Second Life company was kind of the first incarnation of a vision. It has grown to be something larger now - but the old Otherland Group is still part of the new one. It will grow and go through a kind of metamorphosis in the next months, probably. But those, who know it, will still recognize it.

But first a few words about the history of the Otherland Group brand. It is an important part of my life in the realm of virtual worlds, too. The first Otherland Group was a real estate firm in Second Life. It was founded in the autumn of 2005, nearly two years ago and a little more than half a year after I discovered virtual worlds. This virtual (but somehow very real) company has been a great hobby for me in the last 2 years. It wasn't the business side of this company, which I enjoyed most. I have enough of that in my first life. If was the creative side, which lead to the creation of this business - and, which made me spend so many weekend hours in Second Life especially during 2005 and 2006. Some of the results can be seen in the pictures of this blog entry, btw. They are all pictures taken on The Otherland Archipelago.

I know a lot people who might ask "But whats the 'creative' side of a land business in a virtual world?" Be assured: there is a lot of it. Just read on ...

Technorati Tags: second life, virtual worlds, web 3.d

Inworld Advertising on the OMD in Germany

The "Inworld Advertising Network" is a brand of The Otherland Group and markets ad-space in virtual worlds. IAN is the largest marketer of ad-space in Second Life with more than 2.000 ad-boards on over 150 sims.

Together with the german "predictive behavioral targeting" specialist nugg.ad we've created a behavioral targeting showcase within in Second Life, to demonstrate how targeting in virtual worlds can work.

This year we will attend the OMD (Online Marketing Düsseldorf), europe's leading convention and congress for digital marketing, from the 25th - 26th september. You find us on the nugg.ad booth (Hall 10, Booth 10H02)

If you wanna meet us and make an appointment contact me via email. We are looking forwar to see you on the OMD!

War of the Worlds

I've been talking a lot about Otherland in the last few days with friends of mine and a lot of times I've heard the same sentence: "ah - you're a second life agency". That's the moment where I have to point out, that Second Life is just one virtual world and that there are already dozens of others ... and that we aren't a SL-only company.

And depending on whom you want to reach and which objective targets and requirements you have, it of course can make sense to think about another virtual world than Second Life. If you wanna learn more about the different worlds and if you want to know which is "the best" you should visit the War of the Worlds App on ning.

Is Kaneva cooler than Second Life? Does Entropia beat Eve Online? When we only had aliens, things were much easier. Now that we have hundreds of worlds, on which side will you stand? Have a look at the ‘War of the Worlds’ and join the fight. There are loads of virtual worlds competing. You can simply vote which one you like most by clicking on a logo versus another one at the time.

(via connecting worlds)

Why you can not 'demo' a virtual world

Many avid users of virtual worlds are often disappointed after they try to demonstrate this new medium to others. The others "just don't get it". Thats no wonder. You can not "demo" virtual worlds. You have to experience them. I realized this again tonight, when I got an email from Sylvia, a team member from our real estate division.

The most fascinating aspect of virtual worlds to me has always been the (relatively) low technological effort that is sufficient to create the immersive effect (the feeling of being inside the virtual word and not sitting in front of the PC). All you need is a PC, a keyboard and a mouse. Fascinating, isn't it? Especially when you compare it to the clumsy and expensive VR devices of the late 90s.

Three features are necessary to achieve this effect and I am rather certain that they more or less define a successful virtual world. These features are:

• world
• avatar
• community/ consensus

World means a (somewhat) realistically depicted world on your screen. This can be a 3D world but it does not necessarily have to be one. There are quite successful virtual worlds with a 2.5 D or flat, comic-like display style. The more realistic a world is displayed, the easier it is to appeal

Avatar means an individual (customizable) persona that represents you, which you (1) control yourself, and which you (2) can see yourself.

Community/Consensus means a consensual experience of the "world" together with other avatars (users), who see you and which you see, all sharing the same experience when they are in the same "spot" within the virtual world.

The immersive (being there) effect is fueled by all of these features together and from being the "one in control". If you don't feel in control, if you don't are your avatar, most virtual worlds just look like a - badly done - computer animated movie. Look at the two pictures above: the right one shows nearly the same as the left one. But in the left one you see an avatar. And only if you feel (by taking control), that this avatar represents you, you have a chance to reach the immersive feeling.

Don't demo, let them try it out! Only personal experience will make them "grok" it.

Technorati Tags: 3d web, psychology, second life, virtual worlds, web 3.d