CROSS-WORLD USAGE
AND OUTEROPERABILITY:
THE METAVERSE AS AN
ENTERTAINMENT
PLATFORM
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

The number of virtual
worlds is increasing rapidly
•200+ worlds online and in development (Q2 08)
•300m+ registered accounts (Q2 08)
•We are where the Social Networking industry was in 2003-2005
but
•The technology is not mature
•The market is not mature
•The growth and life cycles of virtual worlds are very different
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

Web integration
Now
Increasing avatars’ use of social networks
More virtual worlds / web mashups
More synchronous communication
tools into web pages
2D/3D integrations
More web-based virtual worlds
Virtual worlds/web integrations
Mobile access to virtual worlds
Virtual worlds / real world data blending
Future
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

context content
driven driven
single multi
world world
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

multi cross
vs
world world
using multiple virtual
worlds for different engaging in
purposes, maintaining interactions that
multiple active unfold across two or
accounts in various more virtual worlds
worlds
happening now not yet
content creators,
explorers, socializers
(multi-avatar 15%,
avg 3, min2, max 16)
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

Interoperability
Capability of two or more worlds to exchange
data via a common set of exchange formats.
Provides portability of identities, avatars and assets.
• Acceptance of common standards
• Every world has to connect to every world
• Requires a strong collaboration from each publisher
• Perceived as a zero-sum game
• Who owns the standards?
• Appearance
• Inventory transfer and access
• Names
• IP issues
• Payments and currency
• Missing inter-world regulatory institutions
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

Outeroperability
A central hub or destination for all avatars that
acts as the gateway between the virtual worlds.
Connects virtual worlds and the web and the worlds
between them using the web as a bridge. Worlds
need it to be visible, users need it to keep up easily
with their virtual lives.
• Worlds don’t need to speak to each other
• Light involvement of the virtual world publisher
• The integration is modular and based on standard
web technology
• It doesn’t support portability
• But it doesn’t involve the issues connected to it
• Allows the development of applications on top of
the virtual worlds
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

Outeroperability
‣Single sign-on
Mobile Client ‣Identity Management
‣Search
Apps ‣Worlds Browsing
The Web ‣Social Networking
‣Social Ranking
‣Recommendations
‣Mobile Apps
Gateway ‣Micro Payments
‣Gaming
World 7
World 1
World 6
World 2 World 3
World 4 World 5

What are we going to do with
connected worlds?
Structuring participation
is key to achieve
immersive engagement
“we do not merely 'suspend' a critical
faculty; we also exercise a creative faculty. We
do not suspend disbelief so much as we
actively create belief ” (sharon murray)
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

Immersive Storytelling
The user plays the role of the protagonist in a
dramatically rich environment
The user wanders around
a dramatic universe of possibilities which
lacks the sense of directed inevitability.
Storytelling is a need
and a huge opportunity
for virtual worlds
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

What’s the story here?
simple narrative
casual gaming
paths
gaming
RPG
ARG
complex narrative
Serious Virtual Worlds 08 - “Crossing Boundaries” - Coventry, UK

The Cross-World
Gaming System AI
XWorld World 1
Gaming Engine
RL
Stand-alone
client Agents
Gateway World 2
The Web
World 3
Mobile
World 4

The Metaverse as an
Entertainment Platform
Market Diversification
Web Integration
Multi-world usage
XWorld
Immersive
Storytelling