rainbow six:vegas Archives

I understand that a lot of people find it easier to collect groups of websites together under the Web 2.0 banner, and save time explaining every facet of social networking, tagging, rounded edges etc.

But web 3.0?

So far, it seems to be the holy grail of turning the internet into a Tron 3D world where everything is accessible by an avatar floating around.

I’d debate whether 3D really is the next step. There seems to be very little which has an advantage to being in 3D besides gaming. And I think that’s probably proven by the discovery of 3DMailbox.

It’s a free email service which merges Second Life with your email account to allow you to send emails whilst your avatar relaxes on beach.

Aside from the fact my first attempts to actually run the program have been scuppered by the fact I’m on a work spec PC, rather than high-end gaming rig (Apparently my graphic card doesn’t support pixel shading in the right way, causing 3D Mailbox to crash), the trailer and information doesn’t seem to offer any reason why using an avatar to surf my email is in any way quicker, easier to better than using a traditional email program.

And if it doesn’t make my life easier, less stressful, or more productive, then that just leaves the enjoyment factor. And call me cynical but I’d rather be outside in the real world, or immersed in the likes of Rainbow 6: Vegas shooting terrorists, than playing a mix of Outlook and Second Life…

Having said that, if you do get it to work, and you do find it a revolutionary way of enjoying your email experiences, do let me know.

Remember kids. If you can’t justify what you are doing in a couple of simple sentences which explain why it’s great, then go and do something else.

I had a really good evening last night, and it reminded me about the importance of decent communities for any technology innovator, social networker, or internet publisher.

I’d watched all my friends playing Rainbow Six: Vegas on Xbox Live for the past month or so, but hadn’t had any time or cash available. It was only when I received it as a Valentine’s Day present (What a girlfriend!), that i was able to rejoin my best online mates.

And it was a little strange, after a month or two of enforced separation. But within minutes we were laughing and joking as we shot terrorists, and got killed ourselves.

The more you can encourage users to feel like your technology enables them to hang out and have fun with their friends, the better response you’ll get. Make it simple, intuitive, and friendly. And above all, make it work. That’s why I’m an Xbox fan boy, not a PC gaming fan boy.