The Super Globe

Last Updated on Sunday, 13 September 2009 14:08 Written by Rhed Rhode Saturday, 12 September 2009 17:48

Talking With Creator Erik Goff

I recently had the opportunity to sit down for a conversation with Erik Goff regarding his newest product, the “Super Globe”. Erik Goff is the owner and CEO of GMG, Builders Paradise, and PeoplePool . He is also the director of Metaconstruct.com, Metaproperty.com, and SLCC.

Rhed Rhode: Hello Erik, so tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Erik Goff:  I have been in SL™ for over 3 years. I am from the Netherlands. When I saw Second Life® for the first time, I immediately thought this is my place to be. LOL, A “Computer game” with economics, that has to be going off big time! LOL

Rhed: I know that you have a lot of proverbial "Irons in the fire in SL", because you are busy man here. LOL
Erik: Yes, although I can have my quiet moments too of course, luckily, we do lots of stuff here yes.  In the beginning, I was online 17 hours daily, but my body protested. LOL

Rhed: So, tell me a little bit about your business life here in SL.
Erik: Well, from day 1, I was interested in doing business here. From the time that I played Doom 1, the first 3-D computer game, I was already editing the levels, so I decided this should be my future job LOL,  and since then I do this, what we do is, varying from building, scripting,  and SIM management to personnel services. There is a lot to do in SL for a business.  :)

Rhed: And with all of the work you do in SL you still found time to work on the Super Globe?
Erik: Well it started as a project that I had to make for a data center we were building. I negotiated that I could also use it for the market, and I expanded it to what it is now. Since I am personally interested in space and telescopes, i wanted to make one that was better than the first version. Basically I combined lots of basic knowledge in there to make an educational tool

Rhed: It has always amazed me that there isn’t more educational content in SL.
Erik: I was a bit amazed about that. There’s a lot to do for educational content.

Rhed: And do you work on similar projects like this often, educational items?
Erik:  The things i currently make are mainly for fun. I am not planning to bring out a whole line/brand of telescopes in sl. from educational standpoint that would not be a bad thing though, lots of different types...for planets, I am not sure how large the market is to see a model of Titan for instance (a moon of Saturn).

Rhed: I think there's a niche for space themed objects, you never know what people are trully interested in I guess LOL.
Erik:  you never know. LOL  The biggest challenge will be to keep it updated. the scientific views on those bodies are still changing monthly, for instance when there was another Titan flyby by Cassini, the spacecraft currently out there, but for the earth there is of course a much larger audience, although, the Super Globe also contains mars, moon, and mercury.

Rhed: Also one of the more staggering concepts with the Super Globe is that you can set up to 20 cities on the globe, or mark areas of interest like volcanoes, seems like people could have a lot of fun with something like that, have you seen more interest from SL Business owners or from people interested in simply displaying it?
Erik: For the standard version which is on Xstreet, I just kept it to that people can fill in one or more note cards (“data sets”)  so they can show different objects (like cities or mountains) in different colors,  I made an extension though which enables me to do more. for instance i made for a customer a module which can demo an overflow (of data traffic) from one of their centers to another,  so one center gets red because too busy, and then that corrects itself. Another center gets yellow for a moment, and then all green again.

Rhed:  That makes sense, I can see where that would be useful if you were someone who owned multiple businesses here in SL.
Erik: Yes I can imagine people wanting to set up the locations of their crew. you can easily see if they are in the middle of the night. LOL. the most fun to make on the globe was the satellites, they needed to be tiny. And they are not really scientific btw, but they give a nice view. A real challenge was to also resize the satellite ring when the planet was resized.

Rhed: Also, Erik, I was made aware that you have done some custom work with the Super Globe for your customers, tell me a bit about that?
Erik: Oh no. I am scripting custom jobs all day. It’s my daily job :) there is lots and lots of work for scripters in SL, at least good ones. I also sometimes do reparation of failed scripts LOL, or failed scripters actually. They tried to make something, and then it doesn’t  work LOL. Then I have to make the same thing but better.

Rhed: Well, I’m sure your customers appreciate that LOL. I find that specifically with customizations, a lot of builders /scripters /designers aren’t so eager to alter their product or delve into personalization for their customers, and speaking from a customer's standpoint, I’m sure they appreciate the time you give them to help them get what they want, because they cannot always achieve it on their own.
Erik: Thanks LOL. But of course, not all customization is entirely free. If I feel that more customers want a feature in one of my scripts, then I change it for free or very cheap, since there is a market then. We all need to pay tier! :)
 

Rhed: LOL Aand what has been the overall response to the Super Globe so far?
Erik:  I had a response beyond expectations. People really love it. Many out there try to make their own evil genius room, but lack the skills to make a good interactive globe in it.

Rhed: I like that,"Evil genius room", I know exactly what you mean.
Erik: HaHa,  yes, why do you think I wanted to make one MUAHAHAHA!

Rhed: So what's next on your agenda, besides taking over the world? LOL
Erik: I guess the rest of the universe LOL. But let’s start with the SL-world first! :)

Rhed: Well Erik, thank you for your time, I like to close my interviews by asking entrepreneurs, such as yourself, to give our readers insight, any advice for someone just getting started designing, or owning a business?
Erik: " Ignore everyone in RL", would be my advice, like every starting entrepreneur also in RL, it’s a struggle in the first years. SL is no different than that, but eventually, if you're good, you will get there. Many people in RL, don’t understand what you’re doing, but in a few years they will. :)

Rhed: Any words of warning?
Erik: Erik: lots of them LOL, oh man, tons. But as main warning, I think I should say, "Don’t overwork", SL can be top sport, your health is the most important, for all other warnings, I do consultancy.  :)

For more information about the Super Globe, or to see it in-world, go to:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Muk/165/64/52