When I saw this story about a virtual economy for China I thought "Uh-huh. That's interesting."

This morning I came across a new map website for Dalian. The company behind it, Aladdin Information and Technology don't just do this for Dalian, however. It's no usual map. It's 3D. Click on a building and a photo of that building appears For every building on the map, which is most of urban Dalian. [I understood some pretty funky maps were being worked on - an acquaintance in a Chinese IT company was working on some kind of walk-through map a while back - not live yet (perhaps never, it all seemed to fizzle)].

Here's a screenshot of the Dalian map:
Virtual Economy for China - Downtown Dalian

Somewhat similar to what Google Maps provide in places of the US, but the Virtual Economy slant is what's special here.

• Advertisements: Notice on the map there's a banner advert (like a fabric banner) next to a corresponding shop. Off the screen some fireworks are flashing.
• Trademark registration: If you've got a real shop, you better snap-up the virtual shop (in the same place) soon, before someone else does! Aladdin IT suggest the system could be used for eCommerce.
• Interestingly, there's an API
• Why use it? There's a lot more potential, but imagine being able to .swoop down (3D virtualisation of buildings isn't that hard, and Chinese users have the bandwidth) to s store, then inspect the goods in a store without the hassle of other shoppers (probably an option that could be turned on), in a way that was familiar and tactile in the way that online shopping just isn't. Combine that with the interaction of others World of Warcraft style. Perhaps many Dalians for people in different moods - a lovers Dalian where it is always a warm summer night - a racer's Dalian where car racing is expected and required.

The economic benefits: not having to travel to the office, selling fish in a fish shop downtown, and having them caught from the sea at the time of purchase. It's virtual reality, it's a virtual world, a Virtual Economy, interacting with the real world. The Chinese Government are behind it, leading it almost, keen to make sure government policy and rule of law are upheld. I do have questions - for example the reason for cost when travelling is scarcity (fuel, buying a house closer to work, etc), and without scarcity goods cannot be sold and money not earned. It will be interesting to see exactly what's being rationed.

For me, the idea of a Virtual Economy just clicked, and I think it's going to be big. Massive. Aladdin IT seem to be developing a system that could monopolise if it gets a foothold. One worth being ahead-of-the-curve on.