New World Notes
The world’s longest-running metaverse news and culture site. By Wagner James Au, author of “Making a Metaverse that Matters”
Here’s How AI Bots Could Help Improve Second Life’s New User Experience (Comment of the Week)
In our latest post about improving Second Life’s first-time user experience, longtime reader/retired tech exec Luther Weymann details how AI might help with that:
AI bots are assigned to each new user. Read the IP address; if the new user is using it for the first time, they cannot disconnect the AI bot until it finishes. If the IP is a repeat user, allow disconnect.
The AI bot takes the new user through most processes, including how to rez, change clothes in a sandbox, tour important SL sites, and click a dance ball and dance. How to Add or Wear, how voice and text work, just a great list of things to know.
It takes 30 minutes, maybe longer if it’s fun, entertaining, and you’re getting a great intro to SL.
He contrast that with the current first-time user experience, which involves reading many in-world signs:
Reading signs on a walkway has never worked. I’ve tried for 16 years to help Day 1 people. Almost none of them know how to rez, that free clothes are on the SL Market, what a rez zone or sandbox is, how to change clothes, or what a dance ball is where you can join a group dancing.
You guys at SL have to overcome this. Lead them by the hand and see if concurrency increases.
This all sounds right. I think the key thing is differentiating the AI bot from a human-controlled avatar. I would actually recommend making the bot part of the viewer, a disembodied voice which can also enable relevant controls in the user experience to light up, when giving tutorials.
I’ve even recommend making the bot a character in a Second Life world narrative. For an idea of what I mean, check out this first-time experience from Scavengers, a recent multiplayer game with a lead designer who once worked at Linden Lab:
Call this AI bot, say, Governor Linden, a hip and humorous uncle/aunty type with a backstory, leading new player step by step through the core experience — even assigning them special exploration/scavenger quests to get them into the larger world and culture.
I actually wouldn’t be surprised if something like this is already in development. When Philip Rosedale announced his return to full-time SL development, he hinted that it’s the kind of AI application he’d like to see emerge. Anything to replace those infernal ass signs!
Thanks to NWN for this post and continued second life news.