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Voice over IP (VoIP) in the Virtual 3D Business System
We plan to be on the cutting edge with integrated
VoIP. Key to our technology will be a 2-layer system for ensuring the user always has an option for communicationg with other users, or calling out to a phone number on the Public Service Telephone Network (PSTN)
Layer 1: Peer-to-Peer
For most in-world interactions, we wish to integrate voice in a manner that is very simple in interface, and requires little to no setup to establish voice communications with another user in-world. In fact, it is our entire goal to leverage our native proximity-detection capability to detect nearby users, and automatically maintain voice communications with those near you. In essence, anyone nearby can hear you, just like in the real world. As well, we wish to enable the same peer-to-peer voice client to establish on-demand "walkie talkie" capabilities with any user currently logged in, regardless of location. This should be a trivial addition once a voice chat system is successfully integrated with world logic.
To Summarize, our P2P voice system will have a couple of layers built-in:
Automatic "broadcast" synchronous voice with nearby avatars
Opt-out Option for this feature (DND, or, EarMuffs!)
On-demand P2P voice establishment with any online user
Technology:
There are currently a few likely choices to power the internal voice chat system, likely coming from one of two possible strategic directions:
Custom Build
- VoIP is becoming commoditized from a technology perspective. This may be a trivial component to allow a simple voice client.
Embed Existing Technology (or partnership) - there is a dizzying number of existing voice chat systems that exist, many of which, like //Google Talk//∞, have an open API for development into other projects. This will likely be the preferred choice, especially with Skype so we can leverage the Skype Out capabilities to offer an additional embedded avenue to the PSTN, thereby allowing a customer more options for integration.
- Google Talk
- Skype
- Ventrilo
- Jabertel
- Teamspeak
We are also at a time where IP PBX technology is coming into it's own. Two primary projects,
asterisk (*)∞, and
SipX∞, define a new genre of open-source PBX capabilities that should be leverageable into this world to empower true PBX capabilities. A true bridge between world objects, and traditional telecommunications processes can be built to virtualize and simplify some of the more complex (often annoyingly so) call features of most advanced PBX systems. For example, conference calling could be made simpler by properly designing a phone booth to allow an intuitive understanding of the call setup and management process.
This technology can be integrated in a compelling way, but obviously we will clearly need to position this world to be able to function without the integrated PBX capability, if a customer chooses not to use such features for fear of confusion with an existing operating PBX investment! P2P chat would prove very effective in itself, and would be the largest part of a native
internal user benefit. In fact, this would likely be such an enhancement over standard PBX intercom calling, that we would lessen the pressure on internal intercom systems!
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