> If it's going to be a hodgepodge anyway due to user-generated content, wouldn't that be another argument for not trying too hard to develop their own integrated visual theme?
A lot of that depends on what kind of UGC they actually allow. I'm not certain whether they intend to allow users to upload their own content, or if UGC actually just means "build structures in game out of built-in assets". I suspect it's actually the latter.
> I wonder how Second Life deals with this.
In large part, through technical barriers. Second Life historically used a lot of rather idiosyncratic formats for its 3D models (like "sculpted prims" -- in short, XYZ coordinates stored in a texture), making it effectively impossible to import models which weren't created for SL. They did eventually allow users to upload meshes, but that capability is still gated behind some special permissions to prevent abuse.
A lot of that depends on what kind of UGC they actually allow. I'm not certain whether they intend to allow users to upload their own content, or if UGC actually just means "build structures in game out of built-in assets". I suspect it's actually the latter.
> I wonder how Second Life deals with this.
In large part, through technical barriers. Second Life historically used a lot of rather idiosyncratic formats for its 3D models (like "sculpted prims" -- in short, XYZ coordinates stored in a texture), making it effectively impossible to import models which weren't created for SL. They did eventually allow users to upload meshes, but that capability is still gated behind some special permissions to prevent abuse.