Look Ma, No Hands!

Metavered discusses using campers as a 'positive force'. And my first reaction is, that campers already are used to liven up an area and create a more scenic build. Having a camper 'mop' a floor, for instance, in a 50's diner build.

Then, as if by telepathy, dandellion Kimban comments in the same vein:

"We saw animated campers long ago. They wipe the windows, clean the floors, dig gardens.... what is new about this?"

And of course, the typical dopey reply given is that Kelly services is using campers as actors rather than just window dressing.

But the thing is, that I can't see what Kelly is doing is any better than window dressing. They have a bunch of scenes, a group performing a surgery etc., but in the end, it's just really fancy camping chairs.

Listen, I admire Kelly's heart. It's interesting to watch avatars camp in ways other than cleaning the floors or window washing. But they say it will help campers interact... no, I'm sorry. Campers don't play SL like you and I. They sit in the pose ball and then they leave to watch TV or whatever else they do. A camper gets nothing out of what their avatar is doing. All that matters is the pay out rate for the camping chair. It's a hands off attitude.

And I can't imagine coming and watching avatars camp, even if the scenes are interesting or amusing, would be a big draw. As I said, it is really nothing more than taking the traditional camping animation to the next level, but it's nothing earth shaking or eye opening. I don't think that it will educate SLifers or raise any kind of awareness any more than free pamphlets advertising for charity causes any increase in donations in real life.

And I disagree with some of the commenters who suggest it will liven up sims. It won't. It will add to the creepy factor, and I suppose that will be a big draw with horror fans, but watching lifeless and non-interacting avatars going through the motions over and over again...

Hands never on the keyboard...