Business Meets Community in Virtual Berlin

Abstract

In this chapter I, Jan Northoff also known as “January Lightfoot,” try to break up the parts and key aspects of the revenue model of the YOUin3D.com GmbH. Therefore, I start with the special features about the development of the virtual city “BERLINin3D.com,” a three-dimensional replica of Berlin (Germany), using Second Life technology. I will also touch the key aspects of setting up a business concept within Second Life and similar virtual worlds like OpenSim. Later on I will dig into our actual business processes and I will give a range of examples in its attached fields like community work, currencies, religion, art, and even virtual Tamagotchi phenomena like breedable virtual horses. At the end I will draw a short line over from the “social web” to a forecast of the future of the 3D Internet.