Freaking Aut

I got into virtual worlds because of James Wagner Au. And he's been a remarkable advocate for Second Life and other virtual worlds. But he somehow seems obsessed with virtual worlds being *in competition* with other kinds of social media. But really, is it any surprise that more people are playing simple social games then are playing around in virtual spaces and virtual worlds? Virtual spaces require a kind of investment, a *sensory investment* that farmchumps does not. A complex environment forces you to engage with it, a simple environment less so. Given how people are wired, I don't think the entire gaming internet is going to want to play high investment, high engagement games. It can be draining.

I think the problem is that perhaps Au still sees virtual worlds as "what the internet should become". I used to feel that way too. But now, well, they're just part of the internet. And a good part too. But the internet is far more than just a locus for 3d spaces.