HiPiHi interview part 2
Here is the second part of the interview we had with Cindy Jiang, head of marketing for HiPiHi. If you haven’t yet, check out the first part of the interview, where we learn about the Chinese virtual world and some elements of interaction between users.
The private beta is built around Genesis, which includes 5 episodes, associated with the development of your HiPiHi world. Will this be the same with the final version? Will every user go through this introductory process?
“Hipihi –Genesis” includes five episodes, following the principles in the real world. The first section is called “the making of heaven and earth”, we will explore the new world together. Next, we will utilize the character image editing system and the powerful creating system in the episodes of “the making of human beings” and “the exploitation of the works of nature”. The preliminary system of social economy and transaction will be created in the episode of “the insubstantial mirage”. In the last episode, “appearance of the society”, every resident of Hipihi sees the new world and society created by themselves.
How is it specific to Chinese culture? Are you aiming exclusively at Chinese users?
The site is currently in beta testing mode with about 10,000 users – about 15 percent are from overseas. Although we are currently focusing on the Chinese market, we are thinking globally in the long-term. We are aspiring to create a 3D net standard, engendering a global virtual community, and are working to offer HiPiHi in multiple languages.
What is the state of the web in China? How do you place HiPiHi in China’s web and tech industry today?
We believe a major trend will be the gradual move from a 2D to 3D web environment. As time goes by the whole social networking arena will shift into the 3D environment. The contextual web as we know it today will become a truly experiential web, as users and providers explore new ways to effect functionality, creativity and generally improve the online environment. In this respect, we hope that HiPiHi will be ahead of the curve.
When will HiPiHi be launched to the public? Are you also planning on an English version?
Our public test will happen in August, and the full commercial launch will hopefully be sometime in the autumn. The English version is under development, and we are planning to release it later.
In a recent interview, the founder of HiPiHi, Hui Xu, said that you had invited sociologists and economists to create “a shared and fair world which will finally embrace the various cultures of the real world”. What steps are you taking to reach this goal?
Now the HiPiHi world is under limited beta test. So during the period our main goal is to make the creation function more powerful and foster our resident community, and form HiPiHi’s unique value.
Will HiPiHi support Windows Vista?
Yes. It will support Windows Vista. Right now there are little problems with the compatibility between the HiPiHi world and Vista. Fortunately, the solution is on the agenda.
Posted at 1:29 am on Jul 1st
I’m in the Hipihi beta program, and enjoying it a great deal. I encourage all virtual world enthusiasts to give it a try.
While waiting for the non-Chinese versions of the software to be created, which is quite likely not going to occur until it out of beta, it would be very useful for the Hipihi company to provide just a barebones translation of the Hipihi toolbars, menus, and dialog boxes into languages other than Chinese. The small amount of effort this would take on the part of the Hipihi company would greatly aid the efforts of the Hipihi user community in helping existing and future non-Chinese speaking users in gaining mastery of the Chinese version of the software.
As a specific example, when you right click someone in Hipihi, there are a number of options. I can’t read what the options are. When I click on an option, I get a dialog box that I also can’t read.
A graphics collaboration system such as Gliffy would be an efficient means of presenting this material. The Hipihi company could put pictures of each toolbar, dialog box, and menu in a publicly editable space at Gliffy. Then Hipihi users who speak Chinese and another language could add markups, post-it notes, etc. to the interface images, as well as any other information that might be useful, such as how to install the East Asian pack, etc.
I’ve started a zoho wiki for sharing Hipihi information, but have yet to receive any indication that anyone other than me has looked at it. That site is at http://hipihi.wiki.zoho.com, by the way.
Well enough for now, I’m enjoying my time in the Hipihi world, and as I said, encourage virtual world enthusiasts to give it a try.
Posted at 8:30 pm on Jul 3rd
The prim object system is much like Second Life. Second Life builders might want to give it a try.
This is the time, you know, early in Hipihi’s development, to become part of the Hipihi FIC.
Are there any plans to have a scripting language? Virtual objects are more interesting when they do stuff.
Posted at 5:00 am on Jul 11th
Hello,
We are a third party of Hipihi, which are made of friends all over the world loving and developing in Hipihi. We welcome firends abroad to join us and enjoy in the virtual world, no matter you are individual or company. You could contact us by Hi.pi.hi@163.com or log in our English forums: http://www.ideashape.cn/. Thanks for your attention.
Jolly
Posted at 6:05 am on Jul 11th
[…] July 11th, 2007 An interview at http://www.insidetonic.com/hipihi-interview-part-2/ dated June 28th reports that you were asked: “Will HiPiHi support Windows Vista?” and you responded as follows: “ Yes. It will support Windows Vista. Right now there are little problems with the compatibility between the HiPiHi world and Vista. Fortunately, the solution is on the agenda.” […]
Posted at 4:34 am on Jul 23rd
Say, it would sure be logical for the page that you go to when you click the English link on http://www.hipihi.com to have the links for english versions of the registration and download pages, and links to the english interface translation, and to the help and support english version.
Posted at 11:23 pm on Aug 13th
There is real competition in virtual worlds world.
There are a fow more alternatives to Second Life apart of HiPiHi.
http://www.rceworlds.com/