blogs.zdnet.com — Rumors are circulating that the search giant is planning to build its own virtual world based on Google Earth. And it's not as crazy as it sounds, with the latest version of Google Earth having added the ability to build and share rich 3D content using the company's SketchUp 3D modeling software.
Jan 25, 2007 View in Crawl 4
mrspinJan 25, 2007Submitter
They've only open-sourced the client e.g. viewer NOT the grid itself. Besides, Second Life is so unstable at times. Google could help with the grid, if Linden Labs opened that up.
joemerchantJan 26, 2007
Free currency doesn't make sense. It has to be restricted somehow, otherwise you might as well use dirt as currency.$5US bought me something like L$1300, enough to cover 130 textures - which kept me entertained for many hours. Not a bad rate compared to other forms of interactive entertainment.
ninjaboyJan 26, 2007
I have watched several videos with Google and linden programmers working together on a grid type project. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they were going to work on this together, Google has no reason to compete when it can just fix something up.
bogusdeiJan 26, 2007
When they work the bugs out, it'll be great for machinima directors. Shooting on the beach in Santa Monica in meatspace will run you thousands of dollars a day. And how long before cities and towns start buying their municipalities in these environments and taxing them just like they do here? Timid new world....
tlehmanJan 26, 2007
I remember when I first saw Google Earth, the first thing I thought of (right after "freakin sweet") is how this could be applied to rpgs and flight simulators.
PaulTheBookGuyJan 27, 2007
Sounds like a great idea. But isnt the whole point of a second life for it not to be exactly like your current one? Like in this google second life can my house have gun turrets on it?And what about my crocodiles with lasers on their heads?
xasercomFeb 9, 2009
Are GG's street views created by Massively Black and SketchUP? <a class="user" href="http://allqoo.com/wp/geeky-talks/massively-cool-models">http://allqoo.com/wp/geeky-talks/massively-cool-mo ...</a>