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Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

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Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#11

Post by BoorishBears »

junon wrote: post #2

Second Life required you were at least 18 at one point. It was meant more for social gatherings and meeting spots and I think (though I'm not 100%) that they shifted toward "virtual" office spaces with a focus on community building and digital trade using real-life currency. The metaverse, as I understand it, is just Facebook Games but in VR, for kids and bored adults. I think the outcome will be the same, though. I…

I'm shocked people are taking "Meta" at face value.

To me it's a way to signal to outsiders that Facebook is still cool and hip. That's it.

Now when recruiting they can play the Meta-not-Facebook angle.

Now if they can pad earnings calls with the amazing success the metaverse is seeing (so what if it's losing us money, that's the future!)

-

It's like an inverse Alphabet. Where Alphabet silently serves as an umbrella for moonshots, Meta is a moonshot that's an umbrella for boring old Facebook

Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#12

Post by npunt »

Web 1 had a lot of ideas that failed because they were too early, not because they were inherently bad ideas. Not sure if Metaverse will work exactly like SL did, or if its even the right idea, but it certainly will have a larger audience and lower cost of entry for both users and developers.

Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#13

Post by sillysaurusx »

npunt wrote: post #12

Web 1 had a lot of ideas that failed because they were too early, not because they were inherently bad ideas. Not sure if Metaverse will work exactly like SL did, or if its even the right idea, but it certainly will have a larger audience and lower cost of entry for both users and developers.

This is the correct answer. Lots of old ideas were in fact horrible ideas, until suddenly they weren't. Cannons were awful, right up till Napoleon proved otherwise.

I think people are so skeptical due to a combination of disliking Facebook and the usual "overestimating the impact of years, underestimating the impact of decades."

Wouldn't it be remarkable if 2021 happened to get the web exactly right? Think of it: in 3021, people will be using Twitter just like they do now, with Chrome and plugins and all the rest.

Projecting forward helps dispel your own preconceptions. And then you conclude "Why not build it now?" -- There's often not much standing in the way, except a whole lot of work (along with a fair bit of luck).

It seems like most of us just don't want Facebook to own the next Twitter. Admittedly, that's a scary proposition.

I suppose my advice would be to become comfortable with that sooner than later. Zuck has never gotten big bets wrong. It's possible this will be the first, but I wouldn't want to take the other side of that bet if my money was on the line.

Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#15

Post by mherrmann »

junon wrote: post #2

Second Life required you were at least 18 at one point. It was meant more for social gatherings and meeting spots and I think (though I'm not 100%) that they shifted toward "virtual" office spaces with a focus on community building and digital trade using real-life currency. The metaverse, as I understand it, is just Facebook Games but in VR, for kids and bored adults. I think the outcome will be the same, though. I…

> The metaverse, as I understand it, is just Facebook Games but in VR, for kids and bored adults.

I don't think that's true. Search for "Horizon Workrooms" to see an (IMHO) significant product they have in the collaboration tool space.

Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#16

Post by nowherebeen »

BoorishBears wrote: post #11
junon wrote: post #2

Second Life required you were at least 18 at one point. It was meant more for social gatherings and meeting spots and I think (though I'm not 100%) that they shifted toward "virtual" office spaces with a focus on community building and digital trade using real-life currency. The metaverse, as I understand it, is just Facebook Games but in VR, for kids and bored adults. I think the outcome will be the same, though. I…

I'm shocked people are taking "Meta" at face value. To me it's a way to signal to outsiders that Facebook is still cool and hip. That's it. Now when recruiting they can play the Meta-not-Facebook angle. Now if they can pad earnings calls with the amazing success the metaverse is seeing (so what if it's losing us money, that's the future!) - It's like an inverse Alphabet. Where Alphabet silently serves as an umbrella…

> Meta-not-Facebook

I am going to start using this term to satisfy people that argue its not called Facebook anymore.

Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#17

Post by ed »

Don’t read much into the product side of meta. Metaverse is just a hedge, so that if Apple shows us how to do VR/AR “right,” Facebook will have $10B worth of pieces on the board to be competitive, allowing them to avoid another iOS platform risk. Owning a platform provides leverage elsewhere too. Apple will be Apple, but maybe Facebook can be Android, next time around. (As a side benefit, it also helps “rally the troops,” which is needed given current morale.)

Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#18

Post by rhizome »

01100011 wrote: post #8

Do you mean the Facebook metaverse or the general concept? I can't comment on Facebook. The current discussion surrounding the 'metaverse' often describes something that is more open, almost like the internet. Whether or not this happens in practice remains to be seen. I think the idea is that you may be able to teleport between worlds(servers run by companies or other entities) and carry some amount of your state wi…

Whatever anybody thinks "metaverse" means now, what it really means, Facebook is going to change it permanently or go out of business. They have to be able to define away every negative aspect of their new metaphorical identity or they'll be used to undermine every future development of FB.

Meta was created out of a life or death situation (perceived or otherwise), so they have to gain control over their future so that it isn't possible for that to happen again. None of Gibson's words can prevent or counteract this.

Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#19

Post by nowherebeen »

juancampa wrote: post #6
Waterluvian wrote: post #4

It’s a way for Zuckerberg to learn firsthand just how much luck was involved in his success.

It's not like he invented the concept. They are trying to take over the term though

Its a powerplay. If he succeeds, he can solidify himself as a product genius, but in reality its just his money at play. Its easier to use money to take over something than to use money to invent something new.

Re: Ask HN: How is the “metaverse” concept different from the Second Life boom?

#20

Post by cloudking »

It's a vision for when VR/AR transitions from being heavy clunky hardware with niche use cases and early adopters, to lightweight powerful hardware with wide use cases and majority adoption. Similar to how mobile phones started out with a small group of adopters, then technologically evolved enabling more use cases, got small enough to fit in our pockets and now everyone has one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_adoption_life_cycle

The idea that we will work and play in the metaverse is blocked by the hardware right now. If the hardware is amazing (say, a regular looking pair of glasses) and can actually enable an immersive computing experience, that is more productive and better at connecting people, why wouldn't you use it? Regardless of who builds the platforms and experiences.

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