A lot of people are talking about Blue Mars and as this virtual world has just gone to Open Beta it is hardly surprising. There is talk that it is a Second Life killer and that it is THE virtual platform where real world commerce can find viability. Well, as it stands, it is neither. As you wander around this visually stunning world you quickly realise how sterile it all is. Yes the visuals are gorgeous and even the avatars are not bad (albeit with spooky stares) but when it comes to being able to actually do something you quickly realise that all that glitters is not gold.However Avatar Reality, the company behind this project are keen to stress that this is a world for the developer and that it is their world to create and that Avatar Reality are purely there to facilitate. The question is how quickly are the dev's going to be able to make this world something that has more attraction than simply it's graphics.
Content creation relies on higher skill sets than are required in Second Life, with proficiency in, high end 3d Modelling and animation software like Maya, 3DSMax also knowledge of LUA is needed for those wishing to script. But given the massive amount of 3d content already out there (just check out renderosity.com and turbosquid.com) I am sure that there are Dev's who will see Blue Mars as a major opportunity.
For Blue Mars to be successful it will quickly have to add substance to the backdrop. I would thoroughly encourage people to visit www.bluemarsonline.com and download the client (when available, any day now)and have a wander, it is worth it for the scenery alone. Time will tell whether Blue Mars is able to fulfill it's true potential.
At the moment I see it as more of an acquired taste than something everyone wants to gorge on.
For More Info Visit:
Avatar Reality (Blue Mars Creators)
BlueMarsOnline (Blue Mars Official Site)
Metavercity (A Blue Mars Community Forum)
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