Perhaps its the bias that I bring from Snow Crash or my understanding of VR through more modern technology, but Second Life and its universe felt hollow to me. Although the world was populated with people and activities, the metaphor between reality and the world quickly fell apart. Flying without explanation, surviving falls of incredible height, and swimming without need of oxygen perplexed me; more mundane activities (pictures included below) had no substance or texture. My attempts to pick up objects and interact with them failed, notably with the martini glasses in the Orange Club – my arm even became graphically detached from my body! Moreover, the view from the hot air balloon lacked the intimacy that comes with first person perspective. Perhaps alternate settings may change the experience, but the default speaks to some extent to what was imagined.
