I only made 1 prediction last year: that going to the Austin Games Conference might prove to be the most worthwhile thing I've done all year, but I turned out to be 100% correct. After the amazing TN dinner, Cory and I spent the next few months firing e-mails back and forth and the upshot is that I have left Climax, founded Digital World Developments and I'm now working on Second Life.
I'm really thrilled to have the chance to work on SL as it's exactly what I was imagining when I was working on collaborative virtual environments in CRG. The first time I visited a sandbox in SL I was immediately reminded of the collaborative creation experiments I ran in 2000. I've finally got round to uploading some video of the experiments so you can see what I mean (you can tell it's turn of the century footage by my original IDM soundtrack!).
The only cloud around this silver lining is that if Cory and I were both writing on TN the blog might give the impression of commercial capture and to be honest I have found it really hard not to gush about SL over the past few months. So, in the interests of impartiality, I'm going to step down. I've had a really great time writing on TN, but I'm quite happy to rejoin the honourable ranks of the TN commentators. If I get a really strong urge to brain fart I'll start a shiny new SL blog while I'm in exile and might even talk about tech, game design and gush about SL.
rejoin the honourable ranks of the TN commentators
This indeed is the most honorable rank! Once a TN'er always - see ya at the next do!
Posted by: Nathan Combs | Jan 20, 2005 at 20:51
wd!
Posted by: ren | Jan 21, 2005 at 05:53
it's a loss for us because we dont have too many people who code here. please keep commenting, and good luck at SL!
Posted by: Edward Castronova | Jan 21, 2005 at 07:46
Welcome to SL, Jim Linden. I'm looking forward to the fruits of your labour. Any specifics you can share about what you'll be working on?
Posted by: Tony Walsh | Jan 21, 2005 at 09:42
Yes, we are damn lucky to have Jim. He's working on some long range tech for SL and we'll hopefully have some fun demos and announcements in the next few months.
My apologies for cherry picking at TN, but isn't my fault that it keeps attracting really smart and intersting people!
Posted by: Cory Ondrejka | Jan 21, 2005 at 10:38
Yes, we are damn lucky to have Jim.
I'm feeling pretty lucky too!
He's working on some long range tech for SL.
As the crow flies the range is 5268 miles (8478 km) (4578 nautical miles) :-)
Posted by: Jim Purbrick | Jan 22, 2005 at 09:02
please keep commenting
Don't worry, I'll keep adding my 2 pence.
good luck at SL!
Thanks!
Posted by: Jim Purbrick | Jan 22, 2005 at 09:04
Break a leg, Jim.
Posted by: daniel harvey | Jan 23, 2005 at 21:29
the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is the definetely greatest book (and movie) ever made, and douglas adams is the greatest author ever. if everybody thought as him, nothing would have been wrong in this small corner of the completely mindbogglingly huge universe... :)
Posted by: Espen Bjørndal | Feb 20, 2006 at 09:29