Discussions on Making Second Life more a Tool Rather than a 'Game'

[Doomzy]

After looking in this software program, people had seemingly account this program as more of a game than anything else, as I see in advanced mode after being taught by a long time veteran and seeing all the options available, seeing the possibility of this becoming a more of a tool for builders in the real world I'm looking for opinions of this possibility.  What does anyone else think?

Doomzy.

 

[Peggy Paperdoll]

Second Life will always be viewed as a game for most of the users.  That's because it looks and feels like a game more than it looks and feels like any tool.  There are many things you can do in SL that do lend themselves to real life.  Building is one of those things.  But, for building, it's limited to visual design and concepts.  There's very little use for things like structural design, stress design, and such.  A prim can be as strong or durable as you choose to make it.  It has no weight and wind doesn't effect it.  SL is ideal for gaining a visual of a completed build.........like an architect's rendering.

 

SL is a better tool for the artistic.  Art is only limited by one's imagination and that is exactly what SL is.............a world of imagination.

[Amethyst Jetaime]

While SL is a game to many it's really not.  There are major companies, governments, universities and other institutions in here already that use it for many things.  A few uses of it are:

 

• modeling RL products that people can 'walk around or through' and even interact with in some ways .  Granted you can't use it for testing because there is no RL physics here.  But a script can simulate a lot of things for demo purposes.
• virtual classroom instruction and training-even 'field' training
• virtual conferences
• virtual conventions
• promoting RL tourism
• research in a wide variety of fields

and this is not a comprehensive list. 

I own a business that assists RL companies, universities and institutions of all kinds with using SL as more than just a game.  My company is recognized by LL as an official "Second Life Solution Provider".   Some organizations have public sims you can visit.  Others have private sims that you can see on the map but can't go there without being a member of a particular group.  There are even companies that use SL behind a firewall with sims not connected to the grid so they are assured complete control and privacy for security and proprietary reasons.

So no, SL is not a 'game'.  Although it can be very entertaining, it is put to a lot of serious uses.

[PeterCanessa Oh]

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Doomzy wrote:

After looking in this software program, people had seemingly account this program as more of a game than anything else

Doomzy.

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"Is SL a game" - type questions come up every few months.  For those that build, design and create here or run a business the answer is generally 'no'.  There are always those that say "it looks like a game so it must be a game", however.  Some people call it a chat-room, some call it a social environment (!).

Calling it anything other than a virtual world limits your own perception of what is possible in SL but, try as we might, there are always those that not only can't see beyond their own usage but even get annoyed when someone suggests SL might be more/different.