AGDC08 / WiM: Google Lively keynote

Liveblog, hurried and it was hard to hear and muffled so lots of typos and elisions.

Kevin Hanna, Creative Director, Google Lively

About a year ago the first rumors hit about Lively. My favorite was one where some bloggers decided to debunk the rumor, presenting arguments as to why Google would never go into this space. At the end the question is why would Google do this?

So we are here to answer the question of why is Google in this space?

I came on the project almost two years ago, prior to that worked at Disney interactive, and at Microsoft on XBox.

Mod: can you talk about how we got to where we are today.

Priot to my joining, Google has a program called 20%, where every employee gives 1 day a week to work on whatever. And This started that way, not as a response to IMVU or Second Life but as a way to work in a deeper way with social networks. So rather than standalone apps something that would bridge the gap between Picasa, youTube, mySpace, those sorts of things.

Mod: I think it is interesting that we are seeing several different definitions of virtual world. Especially when google has Google Earth, 3d models, etc, everyone thought it would have another SL. Why this approach?

Interesting question. If you look at the suite of tools, everything is standalone and hopefully works with each other. YouTube, google Video, augments your life. it is a VW in the way that every room you build is a virtual world. A tool where schools and universities, who are using the tool now, can define their own worlds and experiences. There are a lot of competitors in the other space that have done well, but that’s not what we made.

Mod: can you explain it, show it, how users interact with it?

Let me kick off with the video… [shows video]

Let me hop through slides. Character customization. 12 bae sets of characters, each have their own clothing sets… [ very hard to hear here … ]

We went pretty deep with this. We worked closely with internal content team and overseas partners. Clothingm hairstyles, skin tones. Over 16000 base hairstyles…

Mod [missed q]:

I want to see the same person that I saw before, lot of emphasis in this project on content, lot of folks on the concept team come from television. Nobody wanted to have shared skeletons and motions. More enriching experience when different characters are there for different users.

This puts us into a space where we are really pushing to do something different. We are fully embeddable in any webpage, app for Facebook, MySpace, and I can go check out your blog and with little download or none check out your room, seeyour interests. You can have different videos, photos, art… in a much more intuitive way, it’s a more interesting experience.

Which isn’t to say that there isn’ room for th 2d space. But where it makes sense to have the 3d space, we can use the plugin.

Mod: so users build the spaces on their own using content from Google, and YouTube and Picasa?

Yes, for anything that is a Google gadget, a stock ticket, weather report, any of those things. you can plug those things into any polygon, which is exciting. We are starting to move towards interactive Google gadgets, open up the API for that.

Mod: So that’ a new announcement

Yes, imagine a virtual arcade and launch the games within the 3d space.

Mod: so what is the average user’s experience when they make a space and integrate it?

So rom creation is ridiculously simple. You use preseet templates and styles at the  moment, pick a room shell and sort through any number of furniture pieces from realistic to dinosaur bones. You could attach it to a tag in Google Earth so people click there and get a tour of your house. Drag and drop, put stuff where you want. if you are a google developer, you can make your own shells or models. You can sign up for that now. Longer term we will alolow that in max, maya, SketchUp. The catalog you can search by individual developer.

Mod: more in depth on why. Why this direction? What does this do, is it entertainment, social, what?

Yes. It goes to Google’s core philosophy. Everythign we do is integrated. This is one more way of seling the bigger picture and philosophy of Google of having a full web experience.

Mod; when you say this is an adjunct or enhancement, so you think we will have the web evolve to many ways to experince content, the en dof 2d, the end of static social networks?

I don’t think we will see the end of 2d. Good content is good regardles sof medium. I definitely see it opening towards 3d, there are areas where it is just better in 3d.

My personal opinion as an artist and creator is that some things work better in 2d. Not an official Google stance, it’s a personal stance. But I do see more 3d integration. You aren’t going to go to a 2d webpage or 3d page, you’ll go to page and see 2d/3d hybrids.

Havin a simple easy 3d tool to uagment that makes sense.

Mod: can you speak about usability considerations? Average web user target? Young people?

We’re definitely in a beta phase right now. At the moment you see hardcores, early adopters. It is definitely not the everybody crowd. The goal is a simple plugin like Flash for everyone to have this 3d experience. The hope is that everyone is able to go. Years ago I never thought that my mother would be mobile and texting. Google Lively is a a huge step in the direction of mass market for this, making it integral to your web experience?

Mod: what factors needed to lower the barrier of entry?

It’s got to work well, be simple. Some of the things we have done right is you click and you launch,m simple exe, small download. Again, akin to Flash, quick easy download. We are finding our userbase has gone through the roof.

Mod; because they see the image saying to download the plugin?

Yeah, five minute download, people say I’ll click on that, it looks cool and webby.

I don’t know we would have had the same success without the Google brand and all the tools, that’s kind of the power of Google. We told them we had no plans to market, no ads, nothing. We got told are you crazy? One percent will make stuff? But with Google, that’s like ten million people…

Mod: Google is a widely known brand, the average consumer’s search engine. As we have having discussions around the VW space, the importanc eof UGC. Where are you balancing UGC?

Absolutely on our map. Right now, easy for people to pick skin tone, etc, and for 99% of users that’s plenty. For the hardcores and people who want to make their own stuff, in the short term, they need the developer license, sign up now, start creating. But it is on the roadmap to open the API for game developers on Google, anyone can go through and use the economy we set up, the models, the HTML, and build their own games on there. Which i think opens up the world for possibilities.

Mod: we are talking about UGC, what about monetization?

Google is not interested in virtual dollars..

Mod: why, why not?

Google’s not interested in virtual dollars… if you look at Google’s other product they don’t work that way, why chnange that?

Mod: but you may have a place for peer to peer transactions?

Yes, everything int he catalog has a price tag, it’s just zero right now.

Mod; and devs will be able to monetize? Will they have to pay Google/

I can’t speak officially to it, but I expect so.

Mod: any usage targets?

We exceeded our target on downloads and users in the first 12 hours. We really are just putting it out there to let ppl bang on it, so we had to quickly beef stuff up. Ahead of where we expected, in a place where we had better get moving and refining core experience.

Mod: if you had a five year wishlist, what would your 5 year goal be?

Not an official google stance. I hope it becomes invisible, like Flash, Java, or HTML, part of the core architecture of how we work, play and interact, not just through the web but wherever we communicate.

Mod: and Google’s ongoing role in the online space?

The same role as in the Internet in general, they have been in the 3d world space for a while via Google Earth. So I think Google in the 3d and online space is here to stay.

AUDIENCE Q&A

Q: what is the timeline for going from 3d chat room to massive game apps?

Timeline for openening the Gadget API including games is in the foreseeable future, a short term goal. I can’t be exact. The opening the API overall is a long tail thing, longer term.

Mod: what are the challenges as far as opening the API? From tech pov and from a user POV?

That q goes beyond my expertise, lots of hypotheticals. YouTube, Picasa, search, those require huge infrastructure…

Mod: so just a large undertaking that may take time?

Q: what if your priority for Android on mobile devices like Android and iPhone.

Great question, I don’t have an answer. My role is on the content side. I hope soon.

Q: any plans for API or plugin for Chrome?

Seems so obvious. But Lively doesn’t run on lots of stuff,on macs… or a few other things. We’re in a beta, coming from game development, you develop one platform, then you port it. And people confuse our beta with a launch. The answer is soon, in the beta, before it’s finished.

Mod: as soeone who comes from game design doing web… some come from biz dev, new media, web types… as a game guy, what lessons did you take with you and what di dyou have to throw out?

Under the hood game dev is nt that different, 90% is the same. Characters, animations, etc. The production was the same. Scope was different, lots more content and preproduction than in any game. I have worke don 50 big games, never worked on a product that had this level of prepro. Everything has to be defined every step of the way. Google formed a company to do the content team. We worked so hard to maintain the quality across theboard and maintain visual appeal, and working with vendors…

Mod: you outsourced some… with an more open platform, would you allow vendors who create models, advertising assets?

Absolutely, lots of independent developers and universities that are already creating content. By us creating strong templates and examples it maintains the visual fidelity.

Q: sounds like you will help peer to peer transactions. Further details on monetization…

The goal is that you never buy google bucks. Whether google will facilitate via a point system, etc I don’t have a definitive answer other than the general philosophy that we want users to do that and we don’t want a piece of that pie.

q: I am at Vivox, voice?

Voice sounds awesome.

q: you have strong atr direction, how will you maintain quality when developers make stuff, will you vet?

No, good stuff will rise to the top. We worked hard to establish a house style, when you open it up to UGC it starts to go away, that’s the space that it is. The templates help people make stuff that fits. Those that want another direction can do that, good bad, whatever, that is the goal. So no vetting process.

Mod: what about moderation of inappropriate content? Standards?

Similar to YouTube, peopkle will flag stuff.

Mod: are you going to keep making content or will be be self-sustaining eventually?

Good question, i think our content team will always contribute in some way. But I think users will provide most of the users, there are a lot of them.

Q: Internal acceptance outside the US?

Can’t speak to markets, anecdotal. I would say a lot of our users maybe half or more are outside the US, a lot of the rooms are in different languages. We saw a user-created plugin to adapt to Asian markets for typing…

Mod: what do you think are the biggest challenges?

I think we’re there, it was the core experience, respnding to users. SOme things we have done right, others we need to refine, but that is the google model.

Mod: no small feat, how do you do something on that scale? How do you track and address concerns?

We actually have free energy drinks at Google, that helps. There is no simple answer.. . Lots of work and refinement. And looking at similar Google products and experiences.

Mod” so you have methodology from other Google prducts?

Yes, to my mind, we made a game. I am used to a box on the shelf. The Google philosophy is very different. Push it out there, let it get beat on, fix and tweak and adjust. Google Talk did the same thing, if you notice it has just slowly built.

Mod: Under the hood, not really all that different from game development, the different lies in the purpose, games tend to have an entertainment focus. So if you had to make a priority order for Lively, entertainment, bsiness, communications tool? and for other tools in the space.

So the philosophies of design can be very different. I mean the tech.

But it’s an information and communication tool. For individuals, along the lines of social networks, something that augments the social experience.

Q: Do you expect to users build with SketchUp, Max, Maya? Esp animation…

Yes, we are opening to those tools, a user preference thing.

Q: is it available for small businesses at this time?

You can sign up to be in the developer program right now, sign up type in the name, and we approved 120 developers this week.

Mod: and Google is not looking into virtual dolalrs, but users can sell objects to one another… so can someone make a virtual storefront?

I think that scenario is very likely. Mor eof a personal thing than an official stance. When we talk about opening the webspace, it makes sense.

Q: what is the best argument why this won’t be like Google Video, a good product but a passionate startup does better?

Mod: what advantage do you have?

Google. But that doens’t mean a passionate startup can’t trump that. Coming form the content side is that we executed on something that looks great. It’s a really good question.

Mod; and no one can say, but visual quality matters, you think? Web is not where consoles are…

That’s just tech, and it looks pretty good.

Mod: why is the visual style a competitive edge?

Users see it first, if something works but the examples aren’t great, it won’t be adopted. You can put together a great 3d engine, but have poor assets. People judge on looks.

Q: who is the target demographic, based ont he creative design?

It parallels the social app users. Avoid the trap of photorealism. Iconic representation becomes more accurate for users. A lot of the things that people using social apps are into. We asked the people working on social apps, a soft yet edgy style.

Q: are you looking at incorporating a story given the stylization of the characters?

We have seen a lot of machinima already. We want a story but we want it to be yours. People see gothy outfits of fantasy outfits or Eddie Bauer, we want people to create their own types. People assign personas to these characters, and the stories come naturally?

Mod: will people ever be able to buy actual Gap jeans for their avatars?

I don’t know, something I personally have thought about…

Mod: there is a school of thought that this sort user wants the branding.

I am sure there is a stance, but let me take off that hat… I think that is stupid. Maybe a STYLE of pants, maybe if it is free, maybe the younger kids, Hannah Montana t shirt. But I don’t think it is something you create a virtual economy for. Maybe you buy a shoes in Rl and it comes with a google id and you get the virtual version.

Mod: seems like it was attractive to people early on. But I was struck by you saying that you hope lively is invisible, if that is the case, then I think your position is interesting.

When you look at movies, people were selling hardware locked video, but users said I want to buy it once. I can see that happening with items. But that’s my personal opinion.

Quick aside, personal projections, while at Disney they said girls like Malibu, fashion, etc, let’s target to that. I said that’s a horrible way to create an IP, you do it that way nobody will like it.

Mod: anyone have a big session-closing question? OK, then where do you think we will see one worlds go relative other types of media?

We’re a tool to allow people to create their own content…

Mod: agree we cannot look too far ahead right now.

You can imagine a scenario where people create a company on the back of Lively. The tools will be there so any creator big or small can. Even more universities and schools adopting it for lessons, simple worlds as part of their curriculum. Once it hits critical mass, if it does…

Mod: project a timeline for out of beta?

Nope. When it’s done.