{"id":4312,"date":"2014-10-10T20:13:41","date_gmt":"2014-10-10T19:13:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sl.governormarley.com\/?p=4312"},"modified":"2014-10-10T20:13:41","modified_gmt":"2014-10-10T19:13:41","slug":"linden-lab-offer-an-escape-route-for-patterns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sl.governormarley.com\/?p=4312","title":{"rendered":"Linden Lab Offer An Escape Route For Patterns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inara Pey, on the ball as always, has posted an update for Linden Lab’s Patterns<\/a>, namely that Linden Lab are discontinuing their development involvement. However, in a sign that someone at Linden Lab has grasped that software doesn’t need to be buried on a dusty old shelf when a company decides to stop updating it, Linden Lab have put the feelers out to see if anyone else is interested in taking Patters onboard.<\/p>\n

The official press release from Linden Lab, entitled The Conclusion Of Patterns<\/a>, states :<\/p>\n

Recently, Linden Lab announced that we are working on an ambitious project to create the next-generation virtual world, while we continue to improve Second Life and grow Blocksworld. As we focus on these priorities, we have ceased development for Patterns, and we will be no longer offering the game for sale.<\/em><\/p>\n

We at Linden Lab are extremely grateful for the adventurous early players who explored the Patterns genesis release. Those who purchased the Patterns genesis release will still be able to play their copies of the game, but features relying on server connections, such as world-sharing, will not be functional.<\/em><\/p>\n

Patterns had early promise, and while Linden Lab focuses our efforts on our other offerings, we are still evaluating the future of the Patterns technology. Interested parties are welcome to contact us<\/a> with proposals.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is quite a brave and bold move by Linden Lab and shows that Linden Lab do seem to take notice of situations in the not too distant past, as Inara points out :<\/p>\n

The most interesting point of note with the announcement, however, is that the Lab appear to have taken on-board the Versu situation, and rather than simply closing the door, have indicated they\u2019d be willing to hear from third parties who might be interested in taking Patterns on \u2013 albeit with the caveat that the company is still evaluating the technology used in Patterns at this time.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Linden Lab’s decision to close development of Versu earlier in the year raised eyebrows because the platform showed great potential. Initially Linden Lab couldn’t agree a deal with Emily Short and Richard Evans and the product seemed dead and buried, but eventually a deal was struck and Versu lived on<\/a> :<\/p>\n

After Versu\u2019s cancellation, it looked for a long time as though neither the underlying technology nor the finished stories had a future. However, we are delighted to be able to announce that Linden Lab has negotiated a new arrangement that will allow us to release these stories and explore a future for the engine.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Whatever the long term future holds for Versu, Linden Lab have given the platform a fighting chance and the same is true of Patterns. Those who feel that Patterns could have a future have the opportunity to contact Linden Lab with a proposal to keep the platform alive. I wish more companies would follow Linden Lab’s lead here because whereas a company may not see a future in the product themselves, fans, developers and others can sometimes see a way of adding new life to a platform.<\/p>\n

Patterns was of course a product of the Rod Humble era and I still think Linden Lab were right to look at other products beyond Second Life. Indeed I still think they are right to look at other products. However it does seem that Linden Lab’s main focus now is their new virtual world, although they are still firmly behind Blocksworld and Second Life too.<\/p>\n

Eventually, I really think Linden Lab need more than three products, but I say that as someone who has no idea whatsoever just how grand, ambitious and adventurous Linden Lab’s new virtual world will be. That virtual world itself could indeed equate to being many different products, time will tell.<\/p>\n

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