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Second Life avatars to speak

Slimy   on 28 February 2007 - 03:37 · 8 comments & 2853 views

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The animated avatars for members of the popular virtual world Second Life are about to get more realistic. Massachusetts-based Vivox said that its technology will enable the three-dimensional avatars representing people in Second Life to "speak with each other simply by walking up to other residents and talking." The speech capacity will add a new dimension to Second Life; voice conversations alongside the current instant messaging mode of communication. "Integrated voice is a natural extension of the virtual world our residents are building. Voice will further enrich that community and introduce new opportunities in social development and commerce," said Linden vice president Joe Miller. The speech program will include spatial audio to "mirror real-life" by making voices sound as though they are coming from the speakers' directions.

The Second Life Grid is a sophisticated development platform created by Linden Lab, a company founded in 1999 by Philip Rosedale, to create a revolutionary new form of shared 3D experience. "The Second Life Grid, with its resident-created world and highly immersive structure, is an ideal platform for business and social interaction. Live voice is essential to realizing the full potential of this environment, particularly for collaborative, academic and economic purposes," said Vivox chief executive Rob Seaver. Second Life, which was launched four years ago by San Francisco-based Linden Lab, is host to more than four million members from over 100 countries.

News source: Physorg

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#1 billyea on 28 Feb 2007 - 03:40
Great, because the thing we need is blocky 3D characters not shutting up.
I'm serious, Second Life is really that bad.
#2 The_Decryptor on 28 Feb 2007 - 03:43
Oh god, the furries are going to love this.

Second Life is a hell hole.
#3 DigitalDude on 28 Feb 2007 - 04:02
There.com has had the ability for voice chat since it was first out. Not really that shocking that Second Life followed.
#4 RudyJ on 28 Feb 2007 - 04:27
In case your real life is a failure, try Second Life.

This is starting to look more and more like "The Orchid Cage". A book by Herbert W. Franke...read it if you haven't done so already.

EDIT: typo
#5 Aero Ultimate on 28 Feb 2007 - 13:03
Why is this Second Life garbage making the front page?
Are there so many people with no life here?

#6 Tom Servo on 28 Feb 2007 - 17:34
Oh yeah. This is sure going to be THE bomb. I mean, all these virtual dominatrixes, whores, female sex slaves and whatever else perverse often female curiosities that make up most of SL, all talking in unexpected deep voices or sounding funnily pitch-shifted in an attempt to disguise their real gender!
(1 reply) #7 hotdog963al on 28 Feb 2007 - 20:25
I downloaded Second Life. I was SHOCKED by how terrible it is. How are they even successful, I mean, the gameplay sucks, the graphics sucks, the controls are confusing. wwwtfff
#7.1 DigitalDude on 28 Feb 2007 - 22:51
It's because there are whores everywhere.

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