Second Life introducing normal maps and specular maps

News: Second Life is introducing normal maps and specular maps. This means SL’s graphics quality will get one big step closer to today’s video games. It is exciting news. In simple terms it will allow to bake very high quality models to normal models (not just textures but depth as well). It will also allow us to increase details at least by factor five without any extra physics cost.
By specularity maps we ll be able to give different reflect effects on different parts of the same object. Texture artists will be able to play to create even more varieties (up to their imagination).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pr3AP_DADAY