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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Teh Internets It's Not Weal Life, It's Twinity

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 1:25 PM

MediaBistro reports that a company called Twinity has received €4.5 million in venture funds on the launch of their new project. Here's how Twinity explains itself:

In the 3D online world Twinity, a free virtual world, you can create your own avatar to party with friends and other avatars, go shopping and communicate via 3D chat. Get creative and design your virtual apartment in an authentic real virtual city. Explore Berlin in 3D with other avatars as the first of many virtual cities in Twinity and communicate via 3D chat. Join now and discover the possibilities Twinity offers you as your new virtual home. Twinity is not a traditional online game (MMO or MMOG) but a mirror world, which means a 3D online world or a virtual world that mirrors the real world.

Twinity is also reportedly planning virtual Singapore and virtual London. Here's a video of Berlin:

The idea here—Second Life meets Google Maps—is something that I'm surprised isn't a bigger deal already. I'm sure Twinity will partner with Berlin businesses to open virtual storefronts that mirror the real ones, creating a closed-circuit mini-internet (the Twinity Minternet?). But I'm not sure how they plan to beat the creepy Second Life stigma, because that video clip, to me, looks like Second Life without the furries, the flying, or the ability to change your environment. I'm not sure that's what people want in their life as an avatar.

Comments (13) RSS

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Snow Crash

Posted by Judah

on July 8, 2009 at 1:34 PM

My twinity avatar's gonna sit around commenting on the twinity recreation of SLOG all day.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on July 8, 2009 at 1:45 PM

My twinity avatar's gonna sit around talking about how "great" and "awesome" Georgetown is becoming, but it'll never go there.

Posted by Baconcat on July 8, 2009 at 1:59 PM

@1 - exactly. Now, where did I put my swords?

Posted by kulshan on July 8, 2009 at 2:03 PM

Oh goody, another place where furries can get together and have avatar sex!

Posted by pragmatic on July 8, 2009 at 2:08 PM

Does anybody still use Second Life? I thought it had pretty much become the Tribe.net of VR social networking sites, that is, a big waste of server space.

Posted by COMTE

on July 8, 2009 at 2:08 PM

I just love the phrase "an authentic real virtual city".

Posted by Mittens Schrodinger on July 8, 2009 at 2:17 PM

My Twinity avatar will be a giant huggy bear living in Vancouver BC with an "I Love Seattle" t-shirt.

Either that or a dashing zombie dressed up in tails and top hat.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on July 8, 2009 at 2:38 PM

Have we official run out of ideas?

Posted by The Amazing Jim

on July 8, 2009 at 2:47 PM

Weltzeituhr!!! Rotes Rathaus!!!

But where was Tom's Bar and the Arcotel Velvet? And no Imbiß or currywurst stand? FAIL

Posted by Massive Attack on July 8, 2009 at 3:39 PM

Sometimes I wish I could punch the Internet in the face.

Posted by laterite on July 8, 2009 at 5:05 PM

in Twittity, I'd bring back establishments and institutions of Seattle yore, for what it's worth. Top of the list; The Luna Park, the doghouse, the redline.

Posted by Rev.Smith on July 9, 2009 at 5:21 AM