In the age of global pandemic, our identity and presence in the virtual world became more important than any other times in human history. While physically meeting people is prohibited to some extent in many places, the community-based virtual games such as VRchat and Second Life flourished and provided spaces where immersive online interactions happen. The users of both games created relationships with the other users with whom they can share their emotions and memories. Experiencing the two games myself, I investigated the elements in the game contributing to enhance user engagement and narrow the gap between the two realities. Following the investigation, I discuss how virtual spaces can be designed borrowing the architecture and sonic experience from reality to trigger certain interactions and actions. Depending on the system and the architecture in the game, the games do not remain only on screens, it continuously affects the reality and is, again, affected by it. Therefore, I empathise the importance of having this awareness as a creator.
[1] Downes, P. K. “An Introduction to the Internet.” British Dental Journal, vol. 202, no. 5, 2007, doi:10.1038/bdj.2007.173. ↩
[2] Lang, Ben. “Social VR App 'VRChat' Is Seeing Record Usage Amidst the Pandemic.” Road to VR, 22 Apr. 2020, www.roadtovr.com/vrchat-record-users-coronavirus/. ↩
[3] Lanier, J., and Lanier, J. (2018). Dawn of the new everything: Encounters with reality and virtual reality. New York, NY: Picador/Henry Holt and Company.↩
Silence
I enabled my mic for the first time and spoke.Silence
They look quite convincing with the numbers and writings on top of the rectangular notes.
The evidence room.
The prosecutor earned a point after bringing a convincing story.
“New Classic Avatars are Now Available in Second Life!”
[4] Lab, Linden. “INFOGRAPHIC: 10 YEARS OF SECOND LIFE.” Linden Lab, June 2013, www.lindenlab.com/releases/infographic-10-years-of-second-life. ↩
[5] Axon, Samuel. “Returning to Second Life.” Ars Technica, 23 Oct. 2017, arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/10/returning-to-second-life/. ↩
[6] Matney, Lucas. “Second Life-Maker Calls It Quits on Their VR Follow-Up.” TechCrunch, TechCrunch, 25 Mar. 2020, techcrunch.com/2020/03/24/second-life-maker-calls-it-quits-on-their-vr-follow-up-sansar ↩
An avatar shop. Here I can purchase the avatar with Linden dollars.
A guy with his genital out is facing towards me. Would the size of men’s penis be also 3d modeled with a ‘desirable’ size in real life?
[7] Matney, Lucas. “Second Life-Maker Calls It Quits on Their VR Follow-Up.” TechCrunch, TechCrunch, 25 Mar. 2020, techcrunch.com/2020/03/24/second-life-maker-calls-it-quits-on-their-vr-follow-up-sansar ↩
An advertisement video of a wedding video production service in Second Life. [9]
[8] Mayer-Schoenberger, Victor, and John R Crowley. “Napster's Second Life? - the Regulatory Challenges of Virtual Worlds.” SSRN, 17 Oct. 2005, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=822385. ↩
[9] https://youtu.be/bsbYhGvFtu4↩
[10] Linden Research, Inc. “Second Life Wedding Guide.” Second Life | Weddings in the Virtual World, 2020, go.secondlife.com/landing/weddings/?lang=en. ↩
[11] Morris, Steven. “Second Life Affair Leads to Real Life Divorce.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Nov. 2008, www.theguardian.com/technology/2008/nov/13/second-life-divorce. ↩
[12] Friedman, Emily. “Does Virtual Cheating Still Count?” ABC News, ABC News Network, 9 July 2008, abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=3473291. ↩
[13] Shea, Danny. “Second Life Divorce: Woman Catches Husband In Virtual Gay Affair.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 25 May 2011, www.huffpost.com/entry/second-life-divorce-woman_n_165291?guccounter=1.↩
[14] Rothman, Joshua, et al. “Are We Already Living in Virtual Reality?” The New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2018, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/04/02/are-we-already-living-in-virtual-reality. ↩
A furniture shop at Second Life.
[15] Bailenson, Jeremy. “Experience on Demand.” Reality Lab Lectures. 23 Oct. 2018, UW-Seattle Campus. ↩
1. Distinguishable sound source
2. Music with certain context
3. Binaural audio setting and 3D audio effect
Sound localisation. [21]
[16] Pegan, Elizabeth. “The Importance of Sound in Virtual Reality.” Cogswell College The Importance of Sound in Virtual Reality Comments, 17 July 2017, cogswell.edu/blog/virtual-reality-vr-sound-importance/. ↩
[17] “Understanding Music as Multimodal Discourse.” Music as Multimodal Discourse: Semiotics, Power and Protest, by Lyndon C. S. Way and Simon McKerrell, Bloomsbury Academic, 2018, pp. 3–3. ↩
[18] Isaza, Miguel. “Sonic Architecture.” Designing Sound, 29 Sept. 2014, designingsound.org/2014/09/29/sonic-architecture/. ↩
[19]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Head_and_torso_simulator.jpg
#/media/File:Head_and_torso_simulator.jpg
↩
[20] Lalwani, Mona. “Surrounded by Sound: How 3D Audio Hacks Your Brain.” The Verge, 12 Feb. 2015, www.theverge.com/2015/2/12/8021733/3d-audio-3dio-binaural-immersive-vr-sound-times-square-new-york. ↩
[21] By de:Benutzer:Ebs, Vektorisierung durch de:Benutzer:Antonsusi - selbst gezeichnet, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57829192 ↩
ID TheWingman sharing his mural in VRchat for his friends, on Reddit. [22]
"You know, it’s not easy to meet people around the world like you where I live. You’re from South Korea and you live in The Netherlands! How cool! I would not have met you unless in this VRchat. I’m so happy that I could meet all sorts of people here. That’s why I love to be here. What is your name again? Soyun? Soyun, It’s really nice meeting you! Have a good evening."
[22]
https://www.reddit.com/r/VRchat/comments/k4rcu0/mural_for_a_
couple_of_our_friends/
↩
Before I did the research, the worlds that I imagined in virtual space were mostly some sort of fantasy spaces where magical things happen. Then I realised a lot of things were actually brought from reality to VR with sharp intentions.
Overall in the research, I found that virtual spaces can be designed borrowing the architecture and sonic experience from reality to trigger certain interactions and actions. Depending on the system and the architecture in the game, the world could become an extremely capitalistic society, or a creative space where people feel safe to chat. People feel connected to the space where they are familiar with. Although the fantasy world also exists, how much they resemble reality affects the users to engage with the space and to identify themselves. Therefore, I believe it is important to know these crucial elements as a creator when forming a space influencing virtual culture and interaction.
Especially in this difficult pandemic situation where we spend a lot of time alone, we often miss human communication and desire to be with other people in the same space. Luckily, the VR technology is developed to the point that we could even simulate a person sounding like talking right next to the user. However, most importantly, it is the maker’s responsibility to create a healthy and creative environment which encourages to build a positive community. I hope, with the right direction of designing digital spaces, they can compensate for our desire for positive human communication and create virtual togetherness further.
"What do you want to do?"