“Twinity – the virtual world that mashes up the real with the virtual world”, proclaims their website. However, Twinity is no more of a mashup of the real and virtual worlds than any other virtual world. It’s a world of real people meeting other real people, filled with real digital content, all set against a backdrop of digital representations of real places and places that could exist in real life. What’s new here, if anything, and where might Twinity fit in the greater scheme of things?
Like many mashups, the main justification for their existence is convenience: bringing together multiple ideas, and associating them in a useful and time-saving manner. Twinity takes pre-existing concepts, makes a light, fluffy interface to access them, and uses what is currently a slow and buggy system to serve up the result. It doesn’t sound too good so far, but to be fair the whole system is still in Beta. However, only the flakiness of the system looks set to change, as the feature-set does not seem to be destined to change radically.
So what would make a potential user pick Twinity over another virtual world, or choose to use it despite the mass of more accessible options available for entertainment purposes?
1. Lightweight interface: there’s less to learn about interacting with the world than in other virtual worlds. However, this means that the Users’ options are limited when it comes to interacting with the world (where “User” is Twinity jargon term referring to the real person at the keyboard).
2. Convenience: it puts a whole bunch of people together with some digital diversions, in a place where they can interact with other people who have an interest in the same digital material. The entertainment types are quite limited at this point and it does not look as though that is going to change substantively in the near future.
How does Twinity overlap other virtual worlds?
1. Virtual physical presence: unlike text-based solutions, Twinity gives Users visual cues from the people around them, from simply knowing who is in the room to being able to get some measure of personality from appearance.
2. Eclectic encounter-based mechanic: Users can bump into other Users and interact with them. Interactions which might never have occurred in the real world are common-place and informal in a virtual world.
3. Virtual physical proximity: Users have something immediate to talk about that they can share. Proximity to objects and entertainment sources gives Users a shared experience that can form the basis of their interactions.
4. User-created items: This is common to many virtual worlds, to a greater or lesser extent. This capacity has not yet been added to Twinity, but is expected in the near future, certainly before the product exits the Beta phase.
In which ways does Twinity not compare well with other virtual worlds?
1. Broad cross-section of User backgrounds: Users are attracted to virtual worlds for a variety of reasons, and these differing reasons ensures that Users will be different from each other in some ways. However, a world with as many restrictions as Twinity is likely to filter out a number of potential Users because of the limitations on experiences and expression.
2. In-world creation tools: No in-world tools for content have been announced.
3. Limited movement and camera control options: This may be seen as a benefit by some, and a lack by others. Movement is orthogonal and diagonal only and camera controls are heavily simplified.
4. No geography: Twinity is essentially a set of rooms linked by teleportation. Outdoor spaces provide a semblance of geography, but really they are no more extensive than sound stages.
5. Windows-only client: Mac and Linux users are simply not catered for.
The lightweight simplicity of the interface may be sufficient to attract a large contingent of Users to the platform, however that very simplicity is likely to turn off users of people who have used other, more sophisticated worlds previously. In short, the platform is appropriate for people looking specifically for a lightweight chatting and entertainment solution – but don’t expect more than that.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:)
Twinity – what is it good for? : The Metaverse Journal – Australia’s Virtual World News Service…
“Twinity – the virtual world that mashes up the real with the virtual world”, proclaims their website. However, Twinity is no more of a mashup of the real and virtual worlds than any other virtual world. It’s a world of real peo…
Well I joined 30th of July. I have three apartments with widescreen flat TVs playing You Tube vidoeos, I have decorated with pictures from my PC, I have 20 friends from Germany, Singapore, Canada, USA, UK, France, Spain, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and India and 1 proper girlfriend. I have partied with the Top people and discussed Metaphysics on Twinity, helped design a club too. I have 5 outfits for every occasion and have about 25 different animations. I have learned German. Tech Support is unsurpassed.
I don't have time for zzzzz's I am not a fool LOL
Philip
From what you have listed, you are not a fool. But you are damn bored to the extend of nothing to do.
There is virtually no traffic in Twinity. i.e. There is nothing to do there.
They launch Berlin for more than a year and its a ghost town even today.
I dont think their singapore launch was also successful. Its like their berlin.
Nothing to do!
Worse I cannot unsubscribe from their mailing list. I am bored with them.
Twinity is good for nothing. There is nothing to do there and worse no one to talk to. There is apparently scenes of “REAL” cities to some extend with all the shops branded as Twinity and just buildings that resembles cartoon versions. Its neither real or cartoon . I dont know how to describe it.
Honestly I dont see why anyone after visiting it once will continue going in again? I dont .. the first comment is correct. … zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:}
Thats the common sign you see from avartars after visiting the location.
You cannot fly , just walk, and it takes a long while to way around with nothing much to do.
Try it and you will know what I mean.
I just tried Twinity.. Regretted like hell.. Should have taken your advise.. Took me a hour to download the software. Yep .. there is really nothing to do there.. Wont see myself going back in again..
Wanted to let the people out there be aware.. there are much better worlds to check out than twinity.com
You guys are nasty. I agree that twinity is actually quite different from other virtual worlds. The only thing you can create is the apartment , which may be real or fake , but frankly they are trying hard. Though I would like to think that after one year of trying, they should be getting their act right by now.
Hornestly I think it has a lot of room to improve in the sense that there needs to be a lot more things to do there rather than walking in a barren street (no many people around) admitting around a supposing real backdrop of buildings which cannot be entered .
I guess the concept is interesting but its the execution that is key.. I am still unsure of what they are trying to give consumers other than occassional dance events or fashion events.
The fake apartments are a distraction as they are completely a turn off for a mirror world. Its getting confusing in Twinity on whats real and whats not.. I personally think they are a very skewed world. Part Real, Part Fake..
Other than that, engine is definitely easier to use than 2nd life. They are still in beta.. so give them a break.. Maybe shall check back in another year if they are still around.. LOL
You guys are nasty. I agree that twinity is actually quite different from other virtual worlds. The only thing you can create is the apartment , which may be real or fake , but frankly they are trying hard. Though I would like to think that after one year of trying, they should be getting their act right by now.
Hornestly I think it has a lot of room to improve in the sense that there needs to be a lot more things to do there rather than walking in a barren street (no many people around) admitting around a supposing real backdrop of buildings which cannot be entered .
I guess the concept is interesting but its the execution that is key.. I am still unsure of what they are trying to give consumers other than occassional dance events or fashion events.
The fake apartments are a distraction as they are completely a turn off for a mirror world. Its getting confusing in Twinity on whats real and whats not.. I personally think they are a very skewed world. Part Real, Part Fake..
Other than that, engine is definitely easier to use than 2nd life. They are still in beta.. so give them a break.. Maybe shall check back in another year if they are still around.. LOL