Metameets 2011

This weekend (17-19 June) international conference Metameets 2011 took place in Amterdam. The topic  is Virtual Worlds, ideas, implementations, activities and other examples of creativity.

I would say that "Content is the key" could be used as a moto )

Let me give a brief conference overview. I will upload presentations later when they are available.

Almost all represented virtual worlds or technologies were based on OpenSim platform as server solutions and different Second Life Viewers as a client. I assume that because of community specific and rather long existence of this technologies. But people say that Unity become more and more popular now and admit that Unity-Smartfox combination is a perspective one.

Second Lilfe Viewers are interesting topic. I remember when I tried to use Scond Life at the first time, I was really mixed up with their user interface and complicated navigation. Obviously, not only me :) A lot of viewers were created to make it usable. Majority is about user interface, but some change the code for specific purposes. As I understood Second Life™ has shared their code under BSD License, so everybody can make viewer suitable for their needs.

F.e. presented KirstensViewer is adjusted to filmmakers, photographers and other high end users.

Few rather new virtual worlds were presented. 

Avination is Second Life competitor that promises better content protection, performance and compatibility, improved physics and motion. 

World Of Meeroos - virtual world of mythical creatures in Second Life.

Another interesting project Kitely allows to create virtual worlds on demand. You can create multiple virtual worlds for different purposes and care only about content.

Kitely metameets

View more presentations from kontikime

A lot was told about virtual education as a affordable and potentially variable way to learn. 

Chatterdale village, virtual place that allows you to learn other languages, is game, fun and learning combination, that suppose to prove alternative approaches efficiency.

I haven't heard about augmented reality before and was really amused by presentation about layar. Augmented reality is great new approach to advertisement, games, quests, education, and whatever you want.
I haven't got metameets presentation yet, so I just embed general layar presentation to illuminate the idea.
Layar Augmented Reality Platform - information for brands and publishers

View more presentations from Layar

The first thing I did after presentation was to install layar to my phone :)
In general, everybody admit that mobile and  location based technologies are very perspective.      

Another thing that surprised me is how widely virtual worlds are used for arts - films, music, photography, even theater - everything you can find. Another post about it -World is Virtual, Art is real

Summarizing, I can say that during conference I met a lot of interesting people who are really in the topic, received useful feedback, and got inspiration to continue our own virtual world development. I hope to attend Metameets 2012 but as a speaker that time.