Qualitative Research

course requriement for next semester

2006-11-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

gotta put $10 into the game - not having money slowed people up - couldn't play with their avie as much, couldn't buy cool things

$10 would get them a couple thousand linden bucks and expose them to more aspects of hte game - buying things which hopefully will lead them to think about how people make money in the game and why

I wonder if i need to require them to buy things? need to think about that some more

class so far

2006-11-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

They don't seem to be having as much fun as last semester. I'm having fun (see my other blog) but they don't seem as willing to experiment. There have been problems getting into the lab but overall - just not as playful. They did good observations for hteir first papers but.

I learned how to make a "machine" to give out notecards. I think i'll make use of that next semester - give out notecards with the locations to visit and little assignments. One group online talked about a treasure hunt; that might be a good exercise.

I think i'm going to go back to the group blog too - that may have spurred them on seeing what other people are doing. ANd i have got to remember to have them blog at hte end of class.

2006-07-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

This semester I think we will focus on 2 main questions
- how do you define basic terms - game, fun, learning
- how do you learn to play something like secondlife

i like the ideas of constructivist learning - have to create the shared reality, reflective writing - with a world like secondlife who do you share your reality with? how do you knwo if your understanding is the same as someone elses?

SO i need some measures for before, during and after the semester.
-I'm thinking that weekly or more frequent blog posts for their descriptions of what they did and what it taught/showed them

-a survey with a list of the activities we did during the semester and their assessment of how much and what they learned from each (to get them to sort of rate the assignments rather than evaluate them one at a time - that will be in the blog)

- i need a pretest - what do you know about secondlife now, have you ever hung out in a mmorpg - can't be anonymous so can't ask too much - need to be able to combine it with their blog posts and endof hte semester essay

- end of the semester essay - what do they think they learned about learning, about how they learn best

Crazy

2006-05-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Second life is becoming a real thing. http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/04/28/gamein.game/index.html

Rice Blog Post

2006-04-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Eric is right on a few points in this blog post. It most definitely is “too big to summarize in a soundbite or in a skimmable culture.” We’ve been trying to define this program all semester and I’m not even sure if we’ve come up with a great definition for it yet. We’ve called many things -- a game, a virtual world, a complete bore – and it may be all of them as Eric said himself. SL is so broad because it satisfies so many different areas of interest. In his second bullet point, he highlights all the different things that you can do within this program. Depending on your purpose, as he said, SL means different things.

However, I do not think that SL will replace videogames. He doesn’t define himself as a ‘gamer’, and nor am I one either, but I do know of many others who are currently obsessed with all the different systems out there (my 15 year old brother being one of those people). From what I’ve seen, video games are way more fun than Second Life… or rather, what interests me in video games, I don’t see in SL. I like action and story narratives which, as only a sporadic SL user, I don’t come across. I do, however, find those in video games and the hardcore gamers that I know aren’t about to completely switch over to the supposed new innovation of SL. Although Eric was mostly astute throughout this blog post, I have to disagree and say that SL won’t be disrupting the video game industry any time soon.

stalk much?

2006-04-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

I am most definitely a people watcher. I always have been. Sitting back and observing people in a particular environment is probably what I do best. Now, don’t get me wrong, but if you put me in a social setting, where I’m hanging out (and possibly even consuming a few beers), I can talk anyone’s ear off. But interviewing, in general, has always seemed too forced to me. It seems a little unnatural – because it totally is. It’s so much better to just sit down and have a conversation with someone at a party rather than going up to a person knowing that you have to interview them and ask certain questions and look for certain specific reactions.

Sitting back and watching is way more fun. It’s probably easier too. That’s why I’m more comfortable with it. I can be that fly on the wall and not have anyone notice that I may be watching their every move. Sure, that’s a little stalkerish but sometimes you get more out of it. If people don’t know you’re watching them, you can see them do some pretty ridiculous things, (e.i. stick their fingers in the chip dip at a party or pick their nose.) There’s a lot you can witness when you’re pretending not to be present.

Interviewing can be a lot more useful. You can sometimes find out a lot more personal information. Content Analysis can give you more insight into what you’re trying to observe. But I think observing is the most fun you can have when doing research. You just keep quiet, watch carefully and take a few notes as the unaware people go about their business. And if your research is an extended observation, then it’s totally possible to find out just as much information as the other types of research.

technologically inept...

2006-04-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

after writing my last little rant and checking out the site to see it uploaded i noticed that my last two posts for the weekly blog questions were posted on to my personal journal instead of this one. so i'm transferring them over. enjoy.

Should it bother us when we interview people online that we can't see them as they answer our questions?

Online interviews have their upsides and downsides. Frankly, I’m sort of glad I can’t see the people that I’m interviewing for my paper. I’d much rather randomly IM someone I didn’t know than go up to a stranger on the street and try to ask them questions. The internet gives people some personal space. I’ve found that people are a lot more open in online interviews than in RL. It’s easier to chat online and give out information because you don’t have an interviewer staring at you in the face and scribbling notes about everything that you say. Online interviews allow you much more freedom as an interviewer because you can just copy and paste the conversation at the end rather than trying to recall exact quotes. And with the kind of interviewing that we’re doing, it doesn’t really matter who the real person is who we’re interviewing. This person could be anyone; we’re just interested in their thoughts on their avatars and SL. I’m not concerned with their real lives per say. I don’t ask any questions about their personal lives. If a person does mention something about their real life, I will comment on their statements but I won’t probe into their life. That’s not the point of this project. It helps to have some anonymity when doing interviews of this type. Not being able to see the interviewee gives me a little more freedom in asking questions. When interviewing someone in person, I feel a little awkward because I may not know the person and I may feel a little uncomfortable writing down what that person is saying while they’re talking. Online, I can be a little bolder with my queries because I can just fly away if they get really offended for some reason. I can also just sit back and read what they have to say, having time to think of responses to their answers. Not seeing the interviewee gives you more time to think in your own space.

A down side to not seeing your interviewee is the lack of facial expression and tone of voice. As an interviewer I may not be completely sure how that person is saying his/her answer or I may miss the non-verbal messages that one would send when talking in person. The development of online-speak however has diminished this a little (terms like “LOL” and “JK” obviously help) but it hasn’t eliminated the benefits of watching a person and the way they speak. Overall, though, I enjoy the online interview because, in all seriousness, I’m not too sure how many of these SL users I would really want to meet anyway. There are some weird avatars out there…

major SL issues

2006-04-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

I too, am having major issues getting on Second Life. It doesn't work on my computer at home and i have been done to campus twice today to work on interviews and it says that Second Life is unavaible or something to that nature. What to do? It's getting down to the line, these issues that continuously come up are making it impossible to get my research done. It is very frustrating. It is difficult enough for me to get onto campus with the hope that SL will work there. I've been to two separate labs already, Park and Williams, and nada. Not working. I am not sure how we are supposed to do this when there is little to know way of getting onto Second Life, any suggestions? I can't imagine that there will be many suggestions, considering that many of us are in the same boat. I guess i will keep trying, what else can i do?

stop upgrading!

2006-04-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

you know what the most annoying thing about second life is? -- it's limited availability.

trying to get on this game from my apartment is pretty much impossible. the internet service that ithaca provides for us is ridiculously slow, making any kind of exploring a painfully slow process... that is if i could actually get ON the game from my apartment. my computer doesn't have a video card. and apparently, none of my friends computers are advanced enough for this game either so playing off campus at all isn't possible.

and when i AM on campus to play the game, i get pop up messages from the site saying that "the system may be down. please try again in a few minutes". if linden labs is always uploading a new version of SL, how am i ever supposed to play?!

i understand that linden wants to put up better graphics and make things faster for its players, but if they upgrade it too much, not too many players computers will be compatable! so what's better for SL: faster, more aesthetically pleasing with less players? or a little slower with better compatability to people's computers.

argh, i'm frustrated.

Data Collecting Techniques

2006-04-29T18:50:00.000-07:00

I am the most comfortable gathering infromation by way of Interview. I feel that actually talking to people is the best way to understand them. When you interview you are actually soing more thank just talking, you are observing as well. When I was interviewing for the final project I not only was talking to my subject but I was also noticing how the subject was talking to the people around her. Another reason interviewing is my favorite way, is you can be as specific as you want. When I observe I will not be able to gather specifically what I want all the time, when I am interviewing I can get any peice of information that I want (usually). I also enjoy talking to people. I have really enjoyed interviewing for the final project because i have talked to people that are so different from myself and in doing so I have learned so much about the different beliefs and routines people have. Comfort level for the subject for the most part is also better when they are being interviewed, that is if you have built good rapport, when you are just observing you sometimes won't be able to see the natural behaviors of the subject. For all of these reasons I am comfortable in saying that my favorite technique for data collection is interviewing.

Check this out

2006-04-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

I think this will have an effect on second LIfe and its members http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/04/24/web.surf.ap/index.html/

Interviews, Observation, or Content Analysis?

2006-04-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

All of the methods that we have used have their merits and their ups and downs, if you will. Interviewing clearly gets the most specific response with plenty of room for questions. Observation gives you the opportunity to see people in their natural habitat. Content analysis, gives the opportunity for deep study and many different views. However, when it comes to which one I prefer to do, then it’s a easy choice.

Although interviews may get the best responses and give you the most flexibility, they also have several down points. The first being that you actually have to find some one who will let you interview them, and in Second Life especially I have found this to be very difficult. On top of this interviews can often be awkward and time consuming, neither of which I particularly enjoy.

Observations aren’t as awkward as interviews, but they too have some problems. Unlike with some other forms observation can be seriously effected by the time when you conduct your observation. At different times areas will be more or less populated and by different groups, to effectively observe you have to go at the right time. Also observation is entirely based on your own observations, thus if you miss something, then it is gone forever.

Then there is content analysis. Although this method is by no means perfect (it involves a lot of reading, and looking for content) it is the least awkward and most convenient of the methods. Your sources will neither ignore you, nor will they restrict you to a specific time. Thus, for me, I find content analysis to be the most comfortable method. Naturally this is only my opinion, others may differ.

data collection technique

2006-04-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

i personally feel most comfortable with observing.

interviewing is ok, but sometimes while talking to people i don't know, i can tend to get uncomfortable and nervous. and if the person you're interviewing knows you're nervous, it could affect the way they react to you.

observing is out of the way... and i personally like reading people's body language. so it's really easy for me.

check out our pimp rides

2006-04-28T10:36:00.001-07:00

jim and I got a hold of some pimp rides...if you want some go to FlyinTails Airfield & Skydive Sl, Rabbit Valley (188, 98, 21). Go into the building where the red column from teleporting is going through...its grey on the ground and theres a bunch of free aircraft stuff in it.

Which data collection technique do you feel most comfortable with - interviews, observations, or content analysis? Why?

2006-04-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm huge on observing other people, real life especially. I actually like the combination of observation and then content analysis.

Observation is something that most people do naturally. Rather than asking people how to do things all the time, it is usually more effective to observe others - it is the most efficient way to assimilate in a culture. For me, it is the easiest way to find out what people are really like. When researching SL, I was able to observe people through their actions on SL, their blog posts, pictures and movies. Observation allows for a lot of fact collecting, I mean you have to realize your own biases, but for the most part, what you see is what you see.

I then take the observations and analize them for the content. I make connections and create my own threads. This is the easiest way to explain the data to other people.

I don't mind interviewing, its just that this method of research requires a lot more effort and confidence in the game then pure observation. I do believe that there is an aspect to personal interview that allows for much better information about a subject, because you can supass the boundaries of observaton. Obseravtion can only go so far in research; if you want to find out more about a specific topic, it would be harder to find a lot of blog posts directly related to the thesis, when in questioning, you can directly relate all questions back to the thesis of research.

Some Random Pictures

2006-04-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Just some random pictures....I forgot to post earlier in the semester.

1. is of the tons of snowmen i happened to have found at a sandbox

2. who ever said avatars don't go to the bathroom...i found a random toliet in the middle of the one club I was in and apparently you earn money for sitting on it...similar to a money chair. WEIRD!

Which data collection technique do you feel most comfortable with - interviews, observations, or content analysis? Why?

2006-04-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

I'd have to say that I feel most comfortable observing. This is not to say that I get all clamy and nervous before I conduct an interview or that I hate reading blogs and posts. Quite simply, I would liken recording my observations to writing a journal entry. I enjoy being attentive to all the action, dialogue, and occurences that happen around me. With observations, I get to interpret how the "world" appears to me. Any thought that comes to mind could be important and so I just write as if I were capturing my stream of consciousness.

With observations, there is very little for me to concern myself with. I just have to write down everything that I see, hear, feel, and think. When interviewing, I have to pay attention to the other person (sometimes offering feedback or words of encouragement). With content analysis, I have to consider the parameters of my study (perhaps my focus is too specific, or maybe it's too general).

Sidenote: I think that I might prefer to interview people in person. As classmates of mine have mentioned, sometimes the other person takes forever to respond (or they could just stop answering my questions without any explanation). We discussed the benefits to interviewing on SL (no real-time travel required, no need to be self-conscience, if the other person is weird you can just teleport, etc...), but I would probably feel more comfortable (maybe even less self-conscience) interviewing in person.

Mikedgo Fluffy on a vacation

2006-04-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

Mikedgo Fluffy is on an all expense paid vaction thanks to Linden labs he will be there for a week till May 3rd, 2006. However, Mikedgo Hicks is in the house making friends and completing 5 interviews tonight and making 5 friends so go Mikedgo Hicks.

What technique do you use to get interview subjects to talk?

2006-04-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

Eric Freeman

I am not really sure that i use any specific technique to get people to talk. I usually just find some random person and make small talk with them at first and then ask them to do an interview. I begin always by saying that i am a college student doing interviews in second life just to get that info out there. People are usually nice to me after that point for some reason. I cant really tell people that i will give them some linden bucks because the casino usually takes all of mine. So mostly just by being polite and making conversationg with people i get interviews done. So far no one has turned me down or said that they cant do an interview because there isnt any incentive. So i guess my major technique would be to tell the person i want to interview that i am conducting a short interview for a class in college and then ask them nicely if they would like to be part of it. Just be nice and people will do most anything you said in Second Life that is the great thing about a virtual world, people are crazy.

Should it bother us that we cant see their faces while interviewing?

2006-04-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

Eric Freeman

I do not believe that it really matters to me at least if I see someone's face while interviewing them or not. I will still ask them the same questions so whether i see them or not does not truly bother me. I guess in real life you can make the argument that facial expression make a big difference while conducting interviews in some instances. In second life this is not the idea at all. You conduct interviews with these virtual representation of real life people. They have no control over their facial expression except if they decide to throw a gesture in here or there. It is kind of like talking to a brick wall, except these avatars talk back. I think that it is better to not have facial expressions while conducting interviews in second life because you really dont know these people any ways so it takes away from the typical nervousness people get while conducting real life interviews. Also i think that using these expression that people use in second life are just a waste of time because really they serve no purpose other than to bug you. If you cant see the person than why would you care to see their avatar do some sort of silly expression?

Which data collection do you feel most comfortable with?

2006-04-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

Eric Freeman

Personally I would have to choose the observation method. I feel that while observing what people look like, how they talk, and just things they do in second life you can learn a great deal about them. Sure in real life you can recieve misconceptions about people but I feel that in second life people dont really have alternative egos and that people tend to act the same to most people they meet (unless you are harassing them). So by observing what they do I feel that you can create an accurate outline of how this person acts, talks, and goes about his/her business in second life. Also with doing observations you truly can not be wrong because the data is basically just what you see and if you see it happen than it is true. Also all of your assumptions you gather while observing people can not be wrong either because you are basing these assumptions on pure observation without ever interacting with this person so what you see is the only truth you have. The only downfall of observations is that you may totally pick up on false things that the person normally doesnt do which could make you think negatively of this person.

Which data collection technique do [I] prefer?

2006-04-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

Well, depending on my purpose for collecting the data, I might prefer any of the techniques over another. For writing a paper based on observations in Second Life, it would do me no good to analyze content outside of the game. For a paper on content analysis, interviewing and observing within the game would be insightful, yet useless. And a paper whose purpose is to delve into the minds of other members of Second Life would be anything but credible without using the interviewing technique.
However, because no purpose was linked to this question, I would choose observation as my favorite data collection technique. I love watching people, their actions, their interactions, and their appearances. I know that as children we were all taught not to judge a book by it's cover, but as we grow and experience more and more things, we learn which stereotypes we can trust and which we shouldn't (but sometimes do anyway). It may not turn out the most accurate results as far as representation of a culture, but it's the best way we can discern the most information in the smallest amount of time, and not to mention that it sure is fun to do. By watching others, especially their reactions to various stimuli, you can gain perspective without becoming entirely intrusive. Plus, it seems to me that there's so much more one can learn from observation...
By analyzing media content outside the game, you only gain insight into the perspectives of the creators of the limited number of works you are able to analyze, and thus your own perspective has the possibility of being subconsciously skewed in favor of that which is studied. The same result comes from the act of interviewing. These time consuming processes, though insightful as they may be, don't paint as full a picture as observation. And though observation may not paint the clearest, most vivid picture, at least the whole canvas is covered. And if you don't understand the metaphor, what I'm trying to say is that it's better to have seen the whole world and have a moderate perspective of it than to have a very clear view of only a small portion of the whole. Consider how this might apply to our contemporary world issues... terrorists, fundamentalists, neo-Nazis....

Which data collection technique do you feel most comfortable with - interviews, observations, or content analysis? Why?

2006-04-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

In my experience, observations have been the most comfortable way for me to collect data. Observing does not require me to speak with any avatar. All I have to do is watch and listen to what avatar do and say. I can travel to all sorts of places in SecondLife and see the many different ways that people interact with one another. Observing allows me to be in the same place as others, just like interviewing, accept I do not have to deal with talking to people I do not know. Since I am not an avid SecondLife user, it is hard to relate to other avatar and it is uncomfortable for me to talk to them. Unlike content analysis, I am allowed to be in SecondLife instead of analyzing it from SL materials. Observation is a way to be in the game but not really 'in the game' and that is why I prefer it above everything else.

April 21 Answer

2006-04-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

Should it bother us when we interview people online that we can't see them as they answer our questions?

Being a speech communication minor, I have learned the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication. Everything from the tone of a persons voice to their hand gestures have an affect on what they are saying. In SL, we are not able to hear or see the person we are interviewing. All we have to go by is what their avatar is typing. This makes it very difficult to completely understand what and how something is being said.

I, personally, think that all of us should be bothered by not being able to see the individuals we are speaking with. It takes away from the entire conversation and we are not able to see the exact reaction the person is having. I think that we would have more accurate qualitative research if we were able to see and hear the interviewee. If you think about it, it would be more beneficial to see the people we are interviewing and that is why I think we should be bothered.

Dancing in Sync! I wish I was this cool in real life!

2006-04-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

2006-04-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

hey i know this is a LOT late, but this is me as a Man avatar.

i much rather being a woman, however....i think i have been hit on in the last couple of days (by other men) as a man...then i ever did as a woman

strange....

brandy

2006-04-21T16:48:00.000-07:00

Interested in music in SL? Turns out there's a record label in the game - and Eric Rice owns it. Remember him - he wrote the article about understanding hte game. Turns out he's a designer and is helping groups get online (groups including microsoft)

here's a post from his blog about the music - http://blog.ericrice.com/blog/_archives/2006/4/20/1899927.html

and here's a link to a blog post about the microsoft island, including a SLURL to it -
http://www.secretlair.com/index.php?/clickableculture/microsoft_quietly_creeps_into_second_life/

2006-04-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

check it out - Business Week has a cover story on SecondLife and its economy - http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_18/b3982001.htm?chan=tc?campaign_id=rss_tech

cant see? dont care!

2006-04-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

I don’t think it should bother us that we can not see the people in SL that we are interviewing. In class we have discussed interview methods that mostly concern questions and things dealing with the actual material we hope to get from those we interview. However with you interview people in person there are a lot of other elements that you have to take into consideration that I’m happy to NOT deal with in my interviews in SL.
For example the meeting place has to be a place that is comfortable for both the interviewer and interviewee. This might be a neutral place like a coffee shop or something because inviting someone into your home, or going to their home has dangerous connotations with it (this might be my Manhattan mind thinking…but I’m not trying to get killed by going to someone’s house that I don’t know…to ask a couple of questions)
Secondly I feel that it necessary to be (sometimes too much) respectable, to dress and present yourself in a professional way when interviewing someone in person that the internet does not enforce/require. Sometimes I’m on SL wearing my PJ’s and the person I am talking to does not care because they can not possibly know. However if I showed up wearing that to a coffee shop or whatever neutral place we decided to meet…I may make them uncomfortable and unable to answer questions. On the flip side….I’m happy that I don’t need to meet someone in person that may make me uncomfortable. Cause I have decided that SL has some people that might make me umcomfortable. For all I know when I interview on SL that person could be sitting at their computer in a chicken suit, or with hundreds of guns and dead animals (extreme I know).
Lastly I like interviewing people on SL vs. real world because there can be more than on interview going on at the same time and the interviews seem to be shorter. I feel like I talk to more people in a shorter amount of time rather then needing to make all these app. Dates to meet with someone and have a full load of questions for them….so they don’t feel like I have wasted their time
MY main point is- I don’t think that there is anything wrong with not seeing the person we are interviewing ….I think it makes it a more comfortable satiation for everyone, and I’m some cases you can cover exactly what you want to know in a shorter time.

should bother us that we can't see our interviewers?

2006-04-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

Yes. As a journalism major, writing for a small paper, I am used to face-to-face interviews. There is something about seeing a person when you are tlaking to them that make the interview much more personal. You are able to connect with the person in a way that you cannot over the phone or on the computer. You can understand and contextualize their answers better when you are able to percieve their emotions based on facial expression and body movements.

Initial reaction is sometimes everything. If you ask a person a question and they react completely differently than you'd expect, then you can pick up on that and ask themm why they reacted the way they did. In SL, many people don't use their avatars to represent the way they feel at the exact instant. I also feel that when you can't interview someone in person, the conversation becomes much less personal.

Another problem with not seeing our interviewees, is that they could be anyone, and we would have no idea even based on their answers... we can't tell if they are lying. People are protective of their identity of the game, and many people separate their RL ans SL so much that they are sometimes different sexes, races, or whatever in the game. This is great, and its nice to express yourself, but when it comes down to getting fact and information from a person through their avatar, there are many potential problems with placing identity.

Should we be bothered because we cannot see our interviewees?

2006-04-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

I don’t think we should be bothered by being unable to see our interviewees while interviewing in Second Life. While interviewing people in Second Life, I think that the fact that we cannot see our interviewees’ faces is more of a nuisance than a major problem. It is unfortunate that we cannot see all the nuances of our subject’s answers because non-verbal communication speaks just as loudly as the spoken word; however, phone and email interviews are considered to be acceptable (though perhaps not ideal) research data, and we lose out on non-verbal communication through these types of interviews as well.

Also, Second Life is an environment where members construct their own reality, which includes their personality, actions, and appearance. Members can be the person they want to be, rather than the people they actually are while in the game, so it is probably better that we cannot see the real person behind the avatar. Because we cannot see the real person, we cannot blur the line between the real world self and the Second Life self.

This weeks Question- should it bother is that we cant see the people we interview?

2006-04-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
There are two sides to this answer. First, yes it does seem bothersome not to be able to see the person you are interviewing because 90 % of interpersonal communication happens non-verbally- through body language, gestures and facial expressions. In SL, we lose all of that. Also, the fact that we can't really trust anything the other person says, because there is no way to confirm it. Also, the fact that we cant find any background information may make our interviews seem incomplete. However, the second side is that it can be great for research to be anonymously and without seeing each other. This makes sure that we dont pre-judge someone based on their gender, race or class. Also, without looking for non-verbal clues, we focus just on the words, and this might help us find patterns and analyze them better and more clearly. After all, words are our primary resource during interviews, and appearances simply distract us from them.- Sonam.

In case you never saw me as a girl, this is your lucky day!

2006-04-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

I don't think I ever blogged what I look like as a female - so here are some pics for your pleasure.... not very good ones at that.

Qualitative file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/cdebrig1/Desktop/Snapshot_001.bmp Research file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/cdebrig1/Desktop/Snapshot_002.bmp

I can't see you, but its okay because I'm used to it!

2006-04-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

Qualitative Research
Should it bother us when we interview people online that we can't see them as they answer our questions?

I believe that notion of speaking to someone without actually seeing them has grown to be so ingrained in our current culture, that the thought of conducting an actual interview over the internet in which you are interacting with a stranger is not so much of a bothersome experience. Beginning with email, we as a culture began to uphold rapid response communication via virtual letters that could be read and replied in a matter of minutes. This spead up the process of communication with others via text quite a bit. After email, the instant messaging fad really took off, and that is where this generation essentially grew up.

Ever since I was in middle school, I can remember upholding frequent conversations with my friends afterschool via instant messaging - a sensation not quite the same as sending email yet not quite the same as speaking on the phone either. As we were raised by this medium, it has become normal practice for most students. Similarly we must now conduct interviews as students who are researching user habits in the game of Second Life; the process by which we will collect our data is by use of instant messaging in the game. In addition, we can also "see" the person whom we are addressing in avatar form - this allows us to conjure up some type of image of who we are speaking with.

If you think about it, speaking to strangers over the internet is nothing new - especially in light of MYSPACE and other online communities where strangers often message or comment on eachother's blogs and pictures. In essence, this should be much more relaxed than those types of interactions, as we researchers are able to distance ourselves from the interviewies through our research questions. The subject matter is not personal to us, therfore we can drop all personal quams. Speaking via messaging allows us to thoughtfully prepare our ideas before voicing them, we can reference what the person said minutes after the fact for rethought, and it also saves the awkward human experience of staring at a stranger in the eye and faking body language.

For all of this I would have to say that it should not bother us much at all speaking to someone who we cannot actually see; not to mention the fact that we get to set our focus on their avatar and pretend that it is a real person.

Christian

2006-04-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a story kind of related to what we've been talking about in class - here are people who brought real life into the game World of Warcraft

http://terranova.blogs.com/terra_nova/2006/04/serene.html#more

there's a video too

comfort with interviewing

2006-04-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

I don't think it should bother us that we can't see them. i think it's an issue that will effect our results because we don't know what is going on behind the avatar and behind the screen, but i don't think it should effect how comfortable we are interviewing people. I perosnally would be more comfortable interviewing people over the internet than in person. you don't really have to worry about being uncomfortable in front of someone you don't know and you have the time to word things the way you really want them to come out. however, not being able to see the interviewee a) doesn't let you study their body language b) doesn't guarentee that you're getting the real identity's answers c) they can hesitate because there's no pressure from a person in front of them to produce an answer. so i guess what i'm trying to say is that maybe bother isn't the right word.... but worry.

2006-04-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ok - a little fun activity - Some folks would like to have an IC version of Family Feud. They need to gather up the data for the questions.

They have a short survey online - it's an example of another kind of research - quantitative. Just like the appointment tv survey.

Here's the URL: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=591502025808

talking to strangers = awkward

2006-04-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

SL interactions seem so awkward to me. In real life, I’m very personable and I have no problem carrying on conversations with people that I’ve just met. Even when I’m talking to someone online, using AIM, whom I’ve just sort of met from somewhere recently, I can still think of some witty things to say. However, in Second Life, I don’t know the people that I’m talking to at all. I don’t know what they really look like or sound like and I have never met them in real life before. I have never been a fan of the online chat rooms so talking to complete strangers through the internet has never been my thing. In Second Life, you speak to other avatars, which don’t necessarily look like the real person who is typing to you -- they many not even be the same gender. So it’s a little awkward to initiate conversations and I’m a little hesitant about my SL interviews.
But after thinking about it I am going to approach my interviews in Second Life the same way I’d approach a person whom I’d like to interview in real life. I’m going to have to make some assumptions if these interviews are going to go smoothly. I want to be able to make the avatar comfortable while speaking to me. Nothing is worse than jumping in to a conversation with some really tough questions and getting vague or minimal responses from an uninterested or nervous avatar. I want to talk casually to the avatar for a little bit first so that they become comfortable interfacing with me online. I will also talk to them as if they were actually standing right in front of me. This will make me feel more comfortable asking questions to complete strangers over the internet. To start off I’ll probably say something like “Cool Snoopy costume. Where’d you get it?”, or something to that affect. Just a comment like that or something to get the ball rolling.
After a brief chat, I’ll dive into my interview. Having my questions on hand and in the right order is very important. I wrote my questions in an order that goes from simple to more complex. Asking for an interview is difficult enough and I think it’s even more nerve racking if the interviewer starts out with some really thought provoking questions. Trying to be as encouraging as possible definitely helps the interviewee feel a little more comfortable in an awkward situation, so giving them verbal cues through the IM window will probably make them want to continue talking. Caging or webbing the interviewee probably isn’t the best way to make them stay and talk to you. I’m not going to press an avatar if he or she doesn’t want to give an interview. I’m just going to try and be as friendly as possible so that the other avatar stays interested in our conversation. I know I can’t really incorporate body language as I would if I were giving an interview in real life but I’m just going to have to do my best to keep the other avatar involved in our conversation.

Interviewing a lot of men as a ridiculously attractive female avatar may help as well…

2006-04-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

So you don’t want to talk, huh?

I have been in a situation before when I am conducting an interview and the subject simply will not give me the answers I’m looking for. At this point I take out a blunt object – usually and baseball bat or a lead pipe – and proceed to mafia-style pound on the interviewee until I get what I want to hear.

Actually this is completely false.

I have had considerable success with interview subjects (both outside of and inside Second Life), and there are a couple of reasons why:

First, if you give the subject verbal encouragement, they will tend to delve deeper into the topic, which usually results in better answers. Throw out a “uh-huh”, “mm-hmm”, or “wow, really?” after the initial answer and the subject will most likely give you what you want to hear.

Second, body language is a key factor. It is extremely important to appear interested in what the person is saying. If they notice that you are occupied with something else – writing, tapping a pen or pencil, flipping through paper, etc. – then they will be less likely to cooperate. You must give your subject your undivided attention.

And finally, in order to get good answers, you have to write good questions; this is the most important aspect to interviewing (it seems apparent enough, but some people don’t realize this). If you spend some quality time thinking and writing good questions, and have plenty of follow up questions, then you will probably be successful in your interview.

And if none of this works bust out a baseball bat (wood works better than aluminum).

- Paul C

getting the interviewer to talk...

2006-04-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

I found that in SL, I am much less social than I am in RL. Usually I am a personable individual, and as a journalism student, I handle interviews well. I am usuallly confident and definitely not afraid to talk to people.

However, in the computer simutated world of SecondLife, I have found that my avatar tends to hang back, observe... I feel shy in the game. I think the more time you spend someplace the more comfortable you feel. I simply have not spent adequate time int he game to get over the first obstacle of interviewing: getting the interview.

I have, however conducted a few informal interviews, and these are the techniques I have used. Upon entering a location, I found that people are either there to talk to you, or they want to have nothing to do with you. So for me, its about finding the right place. Once I am in an area where I know people are going to want to talk to me, I settle in. I choose a person I want to converse with and I approach them. Using the chat function, I try and explain why I am there and why I am interested in talking to them. By being upfront like this, I find that I have good results.

Sometimes I talk about why they are in SL, why they find it interesting and what they do here. People like to tlak about their experiences, and by giving them that opportunity I establish a rapport with them: they are open to talk to me. Sometimes they offer friendship (through the friend option in the game) and then I know that I will be able to approach them and interview again. After establishing a relationship, even if its only for a few minutes, I can then narrow the interview down to the specific topic that I want to discuss, whether it is politics in SL, or about a specific activity they engage in. After a few interviews, its not so bad. Also, you never know who the real person is... so it really doesn't matter.

Qualitative Research

2006-04-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Getting Avatars talking:

I plan to have all my interview questions in front of me and then heading to the orientation island. I want to practice on a couple of SL'ers to get into the swing of things. I will adjust and change any questions i need to after my practice interviews and then im going in for the kill. I will start by being friendly, explaining my purpose and letting them know that it is an anonymous interview. Then i will ask them a couple of questions and be very conversational, rather than structured and dry. Hopefully i can have more of a conversation with them, and learn why they are playing SL and what makes it interesting to them. If i run into any unfriendly avatars who dont want to talk to me i will simply teleport away, so much easier than real life!

My Class

2006-04-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

On Friday, April 7, 2006 I attended a class that was more of a "discussion". We were allowed to ask questions about Second Life and the instructors tried to answer them for us. As you can see, I took a more passive than active approach; I was soaking it all in. Later on one of the instructors tried to teach us how to make stuff, but I didn't know what was going on.

- Paul Cataldo

Is Second Life a game?

2006-04-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

No, I do not consider Second Life a game. It does not coincide with the definition of a game because there are no goals to accomplish. Members in Second Life really consider it their SECOND life and they take it ridiculously seriously. They have boyfriends, get married, have sex and become strippers. Its like an alter ego for people who are missing something in their real lives. People spend so much money on clothing, body parts, and hair just so they can have the perfect avatar. Second Life means more to the members than a game could ever mean to people. I mean, people get obsessed with video games, but they don't go to the extent of living a separate live while doing it. If I had to classify Second Life as something, I would call it an online world not a game because of its seriousness, hardcore dedication, and the fact that it has no goals.

Class in Second Life

2006-04-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I was able to attend a beginners Q&A session on Teazer’s island. I didn’t find the session particularly helpful as no one really seemed to know what to ask. We all just sat there with the instructors; it was kind of awkward. Once people started asking questions, things turned into a mess because everyone was using the chat function, so there were multiple conversations going on at once. I preferred that everyone was using the chat function as I was trying to learn from what others were asking, but everyone’s talking at once made it difficult to keep track of the conversations. I think that I would have preferred to attend a class that was taught about a specific subject; there is still so much that I have to learn about Second Life that I would rather be given a topic and learn something completely new rather than just asking questions about things I already know something about.

is SL a game--brandy

2006-04-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

As I spend more time in SL I have realized that it has the opportunity to be a game to someone. While I look at it as an educational tool especially because I am using it in an educational setting/class, others are becoming SL members on their own free will every day. They are hoping to find some type of entertainment from SL that will help them escape anything that may be going on in their real lives, even if it is only temporary. I know we have read extensively and worked as a class to come up with a definition of what a game is....but I still think to me a game can simply be- something that you find enjoyment in like kicking a rock down the street or counting windows in a tall building. All of these things may not be competitive or have a qualitative outcome, but maybe the player is not always looking for that type of game, they are simply trying to have fun.

Players in SL really do have fun with building things, going to classes, altering their avatars and meeting people. Maybe these are the only aspects they are looking for in a game. Something they can participate in that does not make them win or lose, gain points or kill other avatars. They are simply existing, and having fun exploring the different ways in which they can exist, there are no pressures of the outside world or people at Nintendo outlining what they need to do within SL to ‘win’ something. There are no consequences or goals...and for some that may not be good at other types of activities that do have those elements, this is the best kind of game there is.
-brandy

2006-04-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

Want to help someone else with their research? This SL person is working on their Ph.D. at a college in Britain about social networks int he game. Here's the URL for a survey they're doing. A survey is usually for quantitative data - statistics, numbers. SO this is a chance for you to see some other kinds of research - worth checking out.

http://www.psy.surrey.ac.uk/survey21/

2006-04-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

Hey - there' going to be an inworld concert sponsored by Coke on April 22 on a stage in the waters around the island of Menorca

http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2006/04/yes_logo.html

Legal use of the Coke logos

The Money Maker...

2006-04-07T13:35:00.001-07:00

Jerry Fluffy here once more, with a word to the wise--If you want to leave objects laying around, go to a sandbox...or at least put it on your own land.

On Tuesday of this week, I was saw a peculiar object spinning around. It said "Make easy money!" and that caught my attention immediately, since I'm still looking for an inexpensive way to increase my Linden count. Anyways, I continue reading and it says to pay L$100 to get started. So, I paid the object, and received a copy of the object, and thought to myself "how am I going to use this to make some money?" Stupidly, I went around to some locations in SL to see where I could leave it. Unfortunately, I forgot to take into account that even though these parcels were not marked "no build zones", I didn't own these patches of land. But, whatever the case was, I had one of those dollar signs spinning on a daily basis.

The next day, I found out that I had made L$90. Someone had bought the object hoping to get rich quick, like I was hoping to do. I told Kim about this object, and what I was doing with it--at that time [Thursday], I had left it in a casino that I go to alot [to check out my ATM balance], because...after looking around the area, there were a lot of objects just lying around with no one to claim them. [For example, squeaky sounds, rubber "parts", billboard advertising a club, a new car...] Eventually, I empty my Linden total [to my ATM] to see if this thing really works. While partying at Cirque Mystique, I noticed that a person bought the money maker [and I paid the creator his 10%]. So I was making money off of this thing at a rate of L$90/daily--pretty good for a newbie. So, after making L$348 [combination of dwelling, raving, and the money maker sales], I called it a nite, and fell asleep.

So Friday in Qualitative class, we're in game going to locations and practicing out interviewing skills. I first get an IM from the creator of the Magic Money machine, advising me to discontinue use of the dancing dollar sign. [I had placed one out in a classroom to see if someone would take that bait, and like "magic", someone sure did, and I became L$90 richer] I asked him why, and he told me that he has been receiving complaints about how people are just leaving them all over the place. [Again, people own land in this game] I'm not the mischevious one, and my experiment was coming to an abrupt end anyways, so I agreed to taking it down [as soon as I got back to my room].

Sure enough, I logged into SL again in my room...and I recieve an IM from an angry person. Yes, he used "fucking" in the conversation--turns out that there has been discussion like this going on in the SL forumns, not positive discussion just so you know, and he's pissed that there was still a money sign in the casino. [What I found odd was that this was not his land, yet he was so protective over it] Anyways, when I got to the casino, I didn't see the spinning dollar sign, nor did I see this angry guy. Turns out that he was already at the casino [earlier] and got linden to ban the creator of the Magic Money object. Now, I think that's taking it a bit too far. I'm sure the creator never intended for this to be blown way out of proportion...but this "friend" of the casino owner got the object creator banned by Linden. And he was happy about that.

Well, with all of that behind me, here's what I have to say about the Magic Money object--people did not sure it correctly! They placed it all over the game, so that they could make the most amount of money possible, without taking into consideration that the land wasn't theirs. What pissed me off the most about what this guy said to me was that he generalized the whole situation, and placed the blame on me, when I know that I wasn't the only one with this object. Still, this guy was totally convinced that I was the cause of this entire problem, and threatened to get Linden on me so they could ban me as well. As a word of warning, he told me to never do this again, and left me alone.

So...if you see a spinning dollar sign anywhere, be careful. Better yet, if you have one, make sure you put it on your own land.

Is Second Life a Game?

2006-04-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

This is about the third time I've responded to this question, and I don't suspect it will be the last. So in an effort to liven up my answer, I will introduce a few remarks that I recently read on forum posts from SecondLife users.

One poster wrote "The economy is such a fascinating part of this game." However, seven minutes later, she adamently rephrased her statement: "Ack! I said game! I meant platform! I meant platform!"

A few posts later, someone addressed her slip "f you want to get techincal about it, it's not even really a game. It's a 3D interactive chat, and platform allowing RT creation of 3D content to the users."

However, another poster disagreed with that assessment. He wrote, "Actually it is a game... some just use it as a platform. But then, I agree to disagree. Call it what you will."

Personally, I would have to agree with the user who described SL as a 3D interactive chat, allowing for the creation of 3D content. In one of our readings a while back, I remember someone claiming that SL was a "tool and a toy." I think that those two descriptions are also appropriate.

Listening to Philip Linden discuss SL, it seemed pretty clear that even he had never envisioned SL as a game; but rather, he viewed it as a "world" in which users could interact, buy, sell, and create.

In my opinion, for something to qualify as a game, there must be a clear objective and pre-established rules. Second Life has neither. There must also be an element of danger/risk. Aside from the mythical corn field prison, I have not heard of any punishments or losses that one might endure. Also, one of the scholars we've read, said that in a game, goods might be exchanged, but nothing is produced. Obviously SL doesn't fall within that scholars frame of what makes a game, since guns/houses/vehicles are created and sold.

Is Second Life a Game?

2006-04-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

I have come to the realization that Second Life can be a game and not be a game at the same time. In essence, it is whatever you make of it as a member of the SL community. I look at the fashion culture and how serious some people are about it, that it seems less like a game and more like a tool or place to express one's creativity. At the same time, the competitive aspects within the fashion culture could classify as being a game. As in the real world, many things can become a game depending upon how you go about whatever it is. It truly all depends on how you treat the SL experience and how you go about using it.
To some people, Second Life cannot be considered a game because of the seriousness that they put into. Calling it a game would somehow bring what some people are doing in SL down a notch.
I think that overall, SL is a place to escape one's reality, express one's creativity, and explore.

-Jessie

Is Second Life a Game?

2006-04-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

After playing Second Life for quite a few weeks now, I have come to the conclusion that Second Life itself is not a game, but it has the potential of being a game. In his blog, Eric Rice called Second Life a “toy and a tool” and this is the best description of the program I have found to date.

Second Life does not a specific goal, it is not competitive, and there is no possibility of failure; therefore, it is not a game. Within the program, there are games for Second Life residents to play in order to socialize and/or compete, but the program itself is not a game.

Under the description of a “toy and a tool,” Second Life is whatever you want it to be; Second Life can be used for socialization, entrepreneurship, improvement of programming skills, just about anything. Therefore, residents can turn Second Life into a game by setting goals and establishing rules to achieve those goals. Because it is a world created by its residents, Second Life is malleable and residents can make of it what they want; therefore, though Second Life is not a game as is, it can become a game under the creativity of the resident.

A Place For Newbies...

2006-04-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

Jerry Fluffy here once again, this time with a tidbit for all of you SLers out there. As you may or may not know, it is a hard to go around the town of SL as a newbie. There's nowhere really to go outside of the Welcome Area (unless you're curious like myself), and it's hard to part with the L$250 everyone starts with, to get better clothes for yourself [that doesn't look newbie-made]. So what do you do you ask? Well, let me tell a little story first.

So after getting bored the day before, I ended my game by teleporting back to the welcome area, since I haven't been there in a long time. When I logged back into SL the next day, I was approached by a female av who asked me if I liked techno music. Going along with the questionaire, for I knew she was going to take me to some club, she offered me and another male av who was in the scene a teleport to the island of Plush Epsilon. Once there, the lady went on to show us two stores: The first had free tattoos for your av, but I didn't want any; the second had clothes of all kinds, but she showed us a section with free outfits. Taking a closer look for myself, I decided that this would be the perfect time to update my wardrobe...so I took all of the free items (she said we could), and tried on some of them. They are amazing; I'll post the pictures later.

After that, the lady took us to the club [like I expected], and the next thing you know, I'm dancing on the dance floor. The people in this club are all newbies; some of them were "born" three days ago. [Pretend today is March 29] So they're all there in this rave club, dancing, having a good time [and a good chat] when I notice that my Linden total went up. Turns out that one of the piggies floating around pays L$20 to a random person when activated. I made about L$100 that nite [which was great because...well...I was broke], and the other clubbers were happy that the piggy loved me so.

Then again, I was so happy that the piggy loved me so. Anyways, it was getting late, and one of my friends told me about this other new club that he found. [This one's not just for newbies] But I did earn some more Lindens from the Raffle Ball and the L$100,000 giveaway that was going on. I made L$28 more before going to sleep for the nite, but it sure was fun. If you'd like to go to these places, send me a message in game...or search for "Cirque Mystique" or "The Edge"--those are the two clubs I went to, and you could go there too. They have good music that you'll probably dance all nite too.

Thanks for listening again, and remember, this is Jerry Fluffy telling you to stay away from escorts--they're too expensive...

2006-04-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a very different online game. They claim to have 600k players. How come they have so many more players than second life?

Dofus is the name of hte game. They're free
http://www.dofus.com/en/

Late Notice of an Event in SL

2006-04-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

I just got an email about this...

Philip will be holding a Town Hall today (April 6) at 4pm PDT.

The Town Hall will be broadcast in Second Life with residents asking
questions via SKYPE and Philip responding using voice. Johnny Ming,
whom some of you may know from SecondCast, will be providing his
assistance and expertise in hosting.

You can listen to the audio stream by going here:
http://66.221.51.119:9008/listen.pls That station is currently
playing music, and will be switched over to the Town Hall feed when
the meeting begins.

If you'd like more information on attending the meeting in Second Life
or how to call in with Skype and ask a question, please see this
Announcement for details:
http://forums.secondlife.com/showthread.php?t=98557

Is SL a game?

2006-04-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

Is Second Life a game? I’ll restate the definition of games that I stated at the beginning of the semester as well as alluding to other definitions (from our readings and from other classmates). A game is a contest that places its players in a world outside of their own mindset. Play and gaming must be of your own free will in which you choose to enter and leave on your own terms and that things must be uncertain and unknown. This way you could have goals and objectives set out for you and rules to follow in order to achieve these goals. There must be some form of interaction and socialization while playing the game. You should be able to control what your character says and does, and possibly even where they go.
Second life fits a couple of these definitions- the players in a world outside of their own mindset (SL has so many different areas that you can categorize as a world of its own), You can choose to enter the game and leave it whenever you decide. There is interaction among players in SL, but the interaction does nothing to impede/improve your situation in the game (unless you receive some more Linden dollars or more clothing to put on). Although SL fits these parts of the definition there are still parts that it doesn’t fulfill, most importantly goals and objectives and the rules that help you achieve these goals. Costikyan suggested that the “things that make a game a game is the need to make decisions”; and although SL is user created-designing your own homes, appearance, land. Etc, it’s lacking a quantifiable outcome. “Defining Games” state that a quantifiable outcome is when someone has won or lost or received some kind of numerical score. There really isn’t any winner or loser in SL and Caillois makes a point in his article of the importance of challenges, a possible enemy to defeat, and the danger of losing. There really isn’t any “enemy” in SL, and the danger of losing? Non-existent. You can’t die, you be injured (heck you don’t even need to go to the bathroom), and the only thing you really risk losing is your Linden dollars, which one can buy more of once they create a paid account. Along with that, there aren’t really any set rules, unless you roam into an area where there is role-playing games: rules are fully explained for anyone entering into the area, and the only consequence for disobeying the rules is being banned/kicked out of the region.
Even now, after reading tons of articles from Suits to Zimmerman and Salen to Costikyan and even Caillois, playing “games” and “non-games”, and discussing things in class, it’s still tough to decide what is a game. Second Life qualifies as a “semi-game” since it fulfills many of the definitions that I previously came up with. But at the same time I really can’t categorize it as a game since there aren’t really any rules (free to do/say/wear anything you want for the most part without being reprimanded) and without rules or even an objective I can’t classify it as a game. When I think of games I think of something that draws you in and get really angry on intense while playing it. Even though, when I “played” Second Life I got drawn in, I felt I really had no purpose. I just kind of wandered around, saw people and tried to chat with them, and shopped. So along with that reasoning and my previous definition I feel that Second Life isn’t technically a game its more of a virtual reality, bringing you into a place you normally aren’t and letting you explore, build, and socialize in another setting.

"Taking Advantage" of Second Life

2006-04-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

Do I think that we, as a class, are taking advantage of the members of Second Life? No, and here is why.
The fact that we are taking an interest in this community is, if anything, beneficial to the members and creators of Second Life. The members of Second Life, I'm sure, want it to stick around for as long as possible, and how will it stick around? Promotion. The way Second Life will survive and grow, if it does, is through this means. And, although our role is supposed to be researchers, what we are also doing is promoting Second Life by word of mouth: telling our friends, family, etc. about it, and participating in it. The members who create and sell things in SL also have the same interest. They want as many people as possible to become members, so they can generate more Linden Bucks for the sellers.
Most of the people I've interviewed so far have been generous about giving information. And, I imagine it is because they want the word about Second Life to get out there. Although, I'm sure there are also those who like the status of Second Life as it is today, and don't want it to become too popular. Either way, I don't think we are taking advantage of them.

Qualitative Research

2006-04-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

Is SL a Game?

I disagree with the "game" label that SL has aquired. I think there are a lot of games within SL but i would never describe SL as a game, i would instead label it as an open ended virtual world created and modified by its inhabitants.

Elements that i think need to be part of a game are goals and rules or regulations that are consistent for each player. SL does not have one specific goal, instead each avatar is in control of whether they want to have goals or not. The goals are not conssitent or binding, and they may or may not advance you in the game. There is also a lack of rules because SL encourages avatars to create a world not be restricted by on that is already created. This is what made it more of a open ended virtual experience. There are limits such as starting cash and weather control, but there are not any rules avatars must follow to succeed.

SL has game components, but it is not a game. SL is an online society where users can do as much or as little as they please including socializing, exploring, building, and participating.

Talk from the Linden Labs Creators

2006-04-03T18:26:00.000-07:00

After listening to the talk from the creator of Second Life, I learned a few new things about Secondlife. I did not realize there was 150 thousand people subscribed to Secondlife. This face is hard for me to understand because it seems to me every time I log onto SL, I am the only one around. I also learned about scripting and it's importance to SL. It was interesting to find out that the scripting tool was responsible for allowing members to build new things. The creators discussed the money making capabilities of SL and stated that over $5 million is spent between users each month. This was difficult for me to comprehend that so much real money is spend in SL. The creators kept mentioning how SL was an early stage market and many people will be able to make money off of it. Personally, I do not have the time or energy to spend in SL. I do understand with proper dedication, users have the ability to make a profit.

If we were to analyze a speech, many qualities have to be taken into consideration. We could analyze eye content, calmness of speaker, ability to explain topics thoroughly, layout and topic of speech.

Teasers Class on Making a Cake

2006-04-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

I took a class on how to make a cake. I had no idea what I was doing at first. The instructor, Norton Lazarno, did not offer me much assistance and told me the course was advanced (aka he didn't think I was capable of doing it.) I decided to give it a shot and followed along. To my surprise, I was able to make a piece of cake. Next, we had to make full cake. My classmate Athina, noticed I was having trouble and she offered to help me. She took me to her land and taught me step by step how to finish my cake. It took me about an hour but with her assistance I was able complete my cake. Overall, the main lesson I learned was never to take a class with Norton Lazarno again. Pictures coming soon.

How to learn about Second Life before learning Second Life

2006-04-03T15:22:00.000-07:00

Eric Rice made many accurate comments about Secondlife and his article brought up several good points. His first piece of advice was "to slow down and chew your food." Looking back on my SL experience, I wish I had someone tell me this because I tried to learn quickly to catch on. Secondlife is complex and there is much to learn so players must be patient.

Rice stated that Secondlife can be used as a tool and a toy. Members can spend their time building houses or trying to make money. Some players take SL very seriously. Then, there are those member thats travel through SL and participate in things that spark their interest. SL gives members options and doesn't force them to follow in the same path.

Rice commented about how Secondlife has the ability to disrupt the video game industry. I agree with this comment because video games are costly and Secondlife is available free to the public.

Overall, I thought Rice's article was very accurate. I wish I read it before I began my participation in Secondlife.

Big Decision

2006-04-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

It seemed like a simple day in second life. I had just got up from sitting in a chair that made me something like 3 dollars every ten minutes I sat in it, when this girl came up to me. We started chatting awkwardly. I never quite figured out how to make conversation in second life. “Buy any nice hairs today?” “Wow that sure is a well constructed avatar!” “Wana search for fish in the sky?” (That one is an inside joke between me and calamari) Anyway nothing seems to work. I have found myself returning to the basics of courtship. When all else fails give her flowers, or in second life’s case: drag the box to the floor, look through it, find the type of flower you want to give her, drag that to the floor beside her and finally tell her to pick it up. The whole process is rather romantic. So I went through all that and gave her a flower. She picks it up and starts laughing. Now I don’t know what to make of this. Is she laughing at me? Is she saying she is flattered? I don’t know what the hell is going on. There is then yet another awkward silence which was broken by probably the last thing I would expect, and in second life, a place where you can summon a giant albino frog, that’s saying something. She asked me if I wanted to marry her. She then poured her heart out to me about how no one understands her in SL and how I happened to pull out her favorite kind of flowers. Now there is a few things wrong with this picture. Firstly, I have only talked to her for five minutes. Secondly, what kind of girl asks you to marry her after five minutes? On the other hand its second life, so who cares if I get married? I have always wondered what it would be like to have a wife. This is where I started to wonder what it would be like to have a wife. By the way she is still standing in front of me, waiting for my answer and doing some kind of sex dance. What would second life be like with a wife? Would she do my laundry? Would she cook me digital dinners? More to my horror, would I have to take her around shopping? What good comes from having a wife in second life? Could we have kids? I suppose we could find a house and start a family, program a little dog to run around. In the end I think I did what any man would do if given the delicate heart of a woman…Up Up and AWAY!

-Jim Klimek

Are We Taking Advantage of Second Life Users?

2006-03-31T11:09:00.000-08:00

by Zack Downes

Yes, we are taking advantage of people in Second Life. I say this so bluntly because, if you think about it, it is to our advantage as researchers to be able to use the information we seek, and in our case, we seek information from Second Life users about Second Life users. However, I think the purpose of this question is to inquire as to the ethical implications of our research. Are we taking advantage of Second Life users in a negative way? This seems to be more of a difficult question to answer. When interviewing users in the game, if we explain to them our purpose for interviewing them before we actually obtain any information, and thus give them the choice as to whether or not they want to help us out, then there are certainly no negative ethical issues in considering the advantages their information gives us toward our research. It was their choice to contribute, and thus we, as researchers, can't be held responsible for the information they give us in the game. The same goes for users who post blogs about their experiences. They must be aware that the information they blog is open to anyone and everyone on the internet, and this fact implies that it could be used for educational research purposes. They choose what to blog and what not to blog in a public forum, and in most cases, what they do blog tends to be information for others who seek to learn about Second Life, such as ourselves.

However, in situations where we do not introduce ourselves as researchers in Second Life, as having additional motives in being a part of the game than those of the typical user, then I do think we are "taking advantage" of other members. When they do not expect their actions and interactions to be documented to the extent that we might happen to be, there are certainly some ethical issues that might be raised. I think a good way to judge whether or not we are in fact immorally taking information from other users is to look at the situation from the subject's perspective - would I be upset if I learned that I was unwittingly providing this information, if I was being studied without knowing it? If this is the case, then chances are that the method you're using is in some way taking advantage of the user.

Are we taking advantage of the residents of Second Life? Why or why not?

2006-03-31T08:56:00.000-08:00

Qualitative Research

As time goes by and I spend more and more time analyzing and exploring the SecondLife culture, I've come to the conclusion that we are NOT taking advantage of the residents of SecondLife. In SL, everyone has their own adgenda - and so do we. Our adgenda is to explore, analyze, and learn. Some use SecondLife to fullfill sexual fantasies, while others use it to showcase their sharp programming skills, while others use it as a virtual vent to their real life problems. Just as in any type of real life culture study, there is that skeptical energy that passes by with the fakeness of assimilating into a culture only with the intention of studying it. As superficial as it all sounds, analyzing other people is something that we all do in our everyday life expereinces without even realizing it. Just becuase we don't publish our thoughts into a journal, it does not mean that we don't possess the very same thought processes that we sometimes are aware of when conducting research. We must be careful, however, to be fair and be upfront about our research if we are to ask questions and probe at all deeper than first hand open observations - otherwise you are exploiting someone elses trust and that is wrong on any and all levels. As just another user making observations, I again certify that we are NOT taking advantage of the residents of SecondLife.

Christian deBrigard

2006-03-30T14:11:00.000-08:00

Are we taking advantage of the residents of Second Life?
Paul Cataldo

I feel the answer to this is no with the possibility of yes, which means that the real answer to the question depends on the methods we use. As of right now I don't see anything wrong with what we are doing to obtain information. But, if we conduct the research and interviews in the guise of just a curious "newbie" without disclosing our real intent, then yes we are fully taking advantage of the other residents. In any given conversation, a person may disclose some information about themselves that they perhaps don't want to find out appeared in a research paper. This is especially true in Second Life because this virtual world is an escape for them from their real lives. There have been residents that I have talked to who have revealed some fascinating aspects about themselves that I could possibly use in any one of our papers, but for a few of these I did not intend to conduct a formal interview and therefore did not reveal myself as a "researcher". Faced with the ethical dilemma, I decided not to use any of what they told me since they were not aware of the situation because doing so would be taking advantage of them. However, if we continue to conduct our research in an ethical fashion without manipulating the residents to get or hear what we want, then I think we wont have to worry about whether or not we are imposing upon them.

Question for this Week

2006-03-29T17:32:00.000-08:00

Are we taking advantage of the residents of Second Life? Why or why not?
I do not believe that we are taking advantage of the resident of Second Life. We are active participants in the world of Second Life and we are just taking advantage of all the oppurtunities that are avalaible to all members of Second Life. If we had some sort of uneven advantage given to us by linden labs then in fact I believe we would be taking advantage of the Members of Second Life. But unfortunitly we do not have an advantage all we do is use the resouraces that are avalaible to us. I also believe that we are not taking advantage of the resident of Second Life becaue unlike the Rebakah Nathan lady we are being honest with other members of second Life. Now I know I may be only speaking for myself, but if someone asks why I am asking so many wuestions I always inform them that I am a college student doing research for a course. While sometimes I become shunned while taking photos, I have for the most part been embrassed for my research into Second Life and the activities that take place within Second Life.
I sometimes do think that if I was just a member of Second Life I would be embarassed at all the research that is done on my actions. I believe that Second Lie is an escape form the real world and when we look too much into Second Life we begin to go too far into a person's real life. Seond Life is somewhere where people are allowed to escape all of their problems in the real world and do as they please. however, with all the research a person may become embarassed for all of the data collected on their activities and stop doing such activities. But then I think that if this did occur we could just go about taking advantage of fellow members of Seond Life, just as Rebakah Nathan did, by ot informing other members that we are in fact researchers collecting data for a project.
That is my two cents so feel free to comment.

Class I attended today

2006-03-29T17:16:00.000-08:00

So today I went to a class and it was on how to make a cake. Now I have never ever made an object before in Second Life, but thanks to the great people at Teazers I learned how to make things and hopefully in the futue I can make some really cool things. But the class was awesome the teachers waited about 5 minutes after the start time because he knew a few clkasss members were running late. Then the class began by all the students buy a box for 0$L with the cake scripts inside, and a few textures. Most of the other students new how to create a new object in Second Life, but I had no clue. Luckily the professor was so nice he walked me through the whole process of how to make an object form the begining. Then after I made the object the class went on to how to edit the object into a piece of cake. It was sweet we got to add textues, and color and as script to eat it. Then we moved on and bought a new book for 0$L. This box helped us make a full size layered cake. i added a sweet icing design to the outside and it looked so cool. Over all it was a great experience and I definitily want to do it again because the people were so nice and I was able to learn so much. Below are some pictures of me doing work on the piece of cak, my layer cake, and me with the professor. So enjoy looking at them.

Qualitative Research

2006-03-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

I recently took a class in SL. The class was a Teazer's University class. When I entered, I did not know what the class was about, so I decided to ask as the class was progressing. I did not sure if it was appropriate for me to ask such a question in the middle of the class, but I felt I had to know before it went any further. I asked the question and the teacher responded to me saying "Jessie -- Creating Classes" and "Jessie -- Teazerus University offers classes about all sort of subjects in SL." Then someone else said, "This is where you'll probably come to learn to build great stuff Jessie :)." Yes, he added a smilie face, which was kind of nice, since I was feeling a bit out of place in the class, like I was doing everything wrong. Although the class was on creating stuff, it turned into a major dialogue between teacher and student about teaching your own classes and how to go about doing that. The teacher seemed very helpful, answering everyone's questions as they were asked. At one point the girl who was in the discussion about teaching her own class, asked where this class about that subject matter was being held and her question was ignored. She then asked it numerous times and finally someone answered her.
It was a strange experience being in a classroom situation with random people and in SL. After I found out where I was and what the class was about I pretty much kept my mouth shut. I mainly just sat on the bench observing the conversations that were occurring between the students and the teacher. I did not say anything until the end of the class when people were thanking the instructor, I just said "thanks" as well. I figured it was the right thing to do.

I CRASHED SECONDLIFE!

2006-03-28T18:22:00.000-08:00

I didn't mean to do it, but just like we were talking about in class yesterday, I created a string of events that cause the sector I was in to completely fail. I was wandering around an area called Pando, and I found a frozen pond where someone had created dancing penguins on the ice. I was bored and curious so I went into my inventory to the guns section and tried shooting at them with various weapons. I ended up caging myself somehow, but not the penguins. I then used my harpoon gun on one of the critters, and it pulled the penguin into the ground and the vanished. Next thing I know, all the penguins on the ice, (there were about 9 or 10 of them) also disappeared except for one that was tweaking out. I couldn't move my avatar, and about a minute later I was logged out of SL with a message that said the area I was in recieved a fatal error and had to be taken down. I wonder if other people in the same area were also taken off. I was kind of proud, I thought I'd share that with the class.

~Chris

Are we taking advantage of SL residents- this week's question.

2006-03-28T14:40:00.000-08:00

Logically speaking, I don't think we are. When we are playing the game, we are one of the residents, and that's our role. I am keeping my eyes and ears open, but I don't go into the game with only the goal of research in my mind. That will prevent me from understanding the essence of the game. Our role as researchers comes into play after we are done playing, and write down our experiences and then try to find patterns or stories in them. While we're playing the game, we're doing just that- playing. The question of taking advantage comes into play if we use other people's actions and words for our paper without informing them. I know we have done so already, but that was on a general basis and we weren't using private words or actions. But if we talk to people and don't tell them that it's for a class project, we might be crossing an ethical boundary and thereby taking advantage of them.
Having said that, I have to admit that I feel guilty whenever I'm playing, and I don't really know why. It maybe because I am playing because of our class, and would not have played or even come across the game if I wasn't in this class. It could be because I always have an underlying pupose of finding something for our blog or paper in what I do and where I go- while the others seem to be there just for fun. I know that we are participant observers and a part of the game, but I think that most of us haven't truly become a real SecondLifer yet, which makes us awkward around the other players that have. But, again, logically speaking, we are not taking advantage of SL residents- yet.

- SONAM.

Eric Rice artlice

2006-03-28T10:13:00.000-08:00

Eric Freeman

I agree with him that second life is both a game and tool at the same time. Yes you can do all sorts of stuff like playing games, partying, and building things but at the same time you really do not need to do any of that you could just walk around the second life world aimlessly doing nothing. Also I agree with him that second life is totally buzzword. I believe the creators of second life made it this way so they could appeal to all ages and not just one specific demographic. It is also then accessible to all people from just about any region in the world.
I do not agree with him that this is the early form of some type of thing that will "disrupt the video game industry". First of all he states that he is not even a gamer so really how would he know? Next I really do no see second life disrupting the video game industry I could see it helping it. It is very popular so I do not see it harming the video game industry any time. Also SIMS, which is a very similar game has not hurt the video game industry at all.
His point about second life being to big to summarize is very accurate. After watching that speech I found out that I am missing out on like probably half of what goes on in second life. There is so much stuff to do in second life that most people do not even know about because of the size of it. So I do think that it would be very difficult to tell someone what second life is because it is almost impossible to know everything that goes on in second life.

SL movie

2006-03-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

Eric Freeman

I guess i haven't ever really looked at second life from this point of view, the economic side. These two men did a real good job of showing the fun side of second life while talking about the usual boring economic facts. It was really information and amazing how much money actually goes on in the second life world. I found it weird how the makers of second life do not make any money from any of this so the second life world it kind of like a free market.
One thing that i still have not been able to understand and probably won't ever is why people pay actual money for this fake money. It truly is amazing how people can actually live off of making things on second life and then selling them. It really is like real life in that you make and sell things for higher prices to achieve greater economic status. Truthfully you do not ever really have to pay any money at all because you get to start a free account on second life and you can win so much money while playing games or just dancing. So that also baffles me, why these people would waste real life money when they can just try and make it doing other things.
Overall this movie has shown me a totally different side of second life i really havent ever thought of before. I never knew someone would or could actually live off of secondlife. Now I can see second life more of a little business rather than a game. Really the only way to do anything or get any cool things in second life involves money just like real life.

Reaction to SL Video

2006-03-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

After watching this video, it’s pretty apparent to me that I know relatively nothing about Second Life. Sure, I know how to walk/fly around from place to place, I can attempt to pick up objects and chat with other avatars, and sometimes I get lucky and can even figure out how to transport to specific locations. But I think being a skeptic of SL has really kept me unaware of how big this business really is.
In this video, Linden Labs took the form of two representatives, Phillip and Corey, who showed me all about the business of Second Life. Up until now I sort of assumed that SL was a “game” that was simply used by people in order to occupy time. After the video was over, I looked over my two pages of notes and realized that this program is more than just filler on a rainy afternoon.
Phillip started his speech with an introduction to Second Life. I remember hearing in class about the amount of users in SL (of which Phillip said there were 150,000) and that the amount of people online over the course of an evening was about 5,500. What I was really surprised to hear was the amount of real money changing hands within this virtual world. It was mentioned in the speech that there is about five million dollars in transactions occurring each month within SL. Five million dollars? Seriously? Which made me think, what could these people possibly be buying and selling that amounts to so much? I guess I was oblivious to the fact that while I was wandering around SL trying to figure out how to make my avatar walk into a certain building, other users were making this gig their full time job. I just thought about how horribly I would do in business if I were to try and make SL my source of income.
After introducing Second Life and then showing how this program actually does function very well within our society, Phillip gave the viewers some demographic data. Again, looking back on other virtual worlds such as the Sims, I assumed that mostly adolescents would be active users in SL. But, because Second Life can actually be considered a business, the average age of a user is 36. I mean, really, 36?? Meaning to say, that thousands of adults are using their time this way on a daily basis? Why?
After the overview of their program, Phillip opened the floor for discussion. I was thankful for Corey who was playing around with the SL graphics because otherwise I would’ve gotten caught up and confused by all of the technical jargon Phillip was using. Things like CTO, CPUs, TLD and UNC were all over my head but Santa Claus falling out of the sky certainly did keep my interest in the meantime.
However, one thing that Phillip said really made me stop and think. He proposed that perhaps why so many people use this program is because it is better than the real world. People build communities in Second Life; they make friends and develop histories. Sometimes Second Life is seen as a better alternative to a person’s first life. And that statement sort of made me depressed. This whole idea of a first vs. second existence is something that could be analyzed by someone researching SL.
It definitely makes me a little nervous knowing how much can be done through the internet and virtual reality. People are building graphics and copywriting them, selling them off to others in order to make a living, writing up contracts and building businesses all within this animated world. And Linden Labs makes a profit on all of this activity by basically being a bank and a tax collector. Programmers are trying to improve the quality of SL all the time so that it can compete with the real world. People are profiting from this new idea and technology while I’m trying to figure out how to change my avatars hairstyle. This video made me aware of the significance of SL and showed me that even though I find it to be a waste of time it is, in fact, the source of many people’s livelihood.

Beth Maurer

Reaction to Blog by Erik Rice

2006-03-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

So this guy is telling us to open our minds and accept Second Life as a complex interface that cannot yet be described. He also argues that we may not ba able to describe it for a few years to come, because the idea of a virtual reality, one as complex and intricate as SL, is still a new concept... too new to be conceptualiuzed.

And to some extent i agree. No one really knows what SL is capable of doing and no one knows if it will have some huge impact on the world one day. I see it as a third place, but then I am learning that some people see it as the work place, or even home. No, I am not sure what i think about Second Life and I am finding that the more I learn, the less I seem to know.

For instance, there is a lot of talk about the economics of Second Life, the value of the Linden dollar, and how it should be controlled. SL has become a place for business, sort of a friendly business.

I think when I frist entered SL, I thought of it mainly as a virtual place where you could play games. I agree with Erik when he says SL is not a game. But I am beginning to see that even if it is not a game, there is a lot more that can be done here. It makes you look at life with a different perspective. It is like the real world, only so much less real that you have all these options. You are not born completely poor, you do not ahve to feed yourself, and you can buid anything you want. Also you cannot die... so the risks are there for the taking. Even if you ended up bankrupt in SL, big deal, you could become a prostitute and make enough to buy that new coat in no time.

I still think SL is a little bit silly. I understand that people are making money, and I understand that people enjoy spending time meeting other people through their computers. But I also think that is SL becomes huge... this world will be a much sadder one. What if everyone just went home every day and tapped into SL? Experiecnes would be very limited, and though you could network in the broader sense, even get married in SL, whats the point? You could be marrying a guy that is really a girl... I prefer real travel, real experiences, and real people.

~Cassandra

2006-03-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

Reaction to blog
by Paul

I can see a lot of truth in what Rice wrote about SL. He nailed the notion about it being "buzzword compliant" along with being both "a tool and a toy". I am skeptical however about his claim that SL is "what possibly will disrupt the video game industry". Like Rice, I do not classify myself as a 'gamer', but contrary to what he believes I think videogames can survive SL. Rice asks gamers think about if "[they] think [they] can do better than what a video game company can put out?" I'm not 100% positive, but I think that most of those that walk around in SL are amateur videogame engineers; I would assume that most of the highly trained programmers have some sort of job with a major company. If anything, I would think that videogame companies would try harder to produce something that would maintain the interest of gamers. They have the capabilities to pay those who are skilled to create something that would captivate the audience more than something like SL would.

2006-03-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

Reaction to Tech Talk
by Paul

The most intriguing aspect to the video we had to watch was the economics involved in Second Life. Earlier in the semester, I was amazed when we were told that someone was able to quit their day job because they had made tons of money selling stuff in SL. I thought this was a one-in-a-million thing, but to my surprise it isn't. Roughly $5 million a month is traded between the makers of objects (which accounts for 25% of the SL population) and the buyers (the remaining 75%). There was the story of the kid who made the gun which generated enough revenue for him to pay for college, the "homeless musician" who got enough tips to rent an apartment in the real world, and the person who made a killing buying property and then re-selling it along with houses. As stated in the video, "it pays to be in real estate, even in Second Life." This is absolutely insane to me. How can something like this - a game of sorts - create real world money from, essentially, nothing?

Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that the "residents" of SL actually live in the cyber-world. As stated in the video, those that work at Linden Lab along with SL residents "believe that [Second Life] is better than the real world." An absurd thought, but one possibility that is definitely very real. The emergence of SL into a more complex "society" clearly points to this conclusion. The economic possibilities are but one of the many examples of this.

Classes in SL

2006-03-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

For my class I went to IDP University's Inventory Management class.

The class was aimed at beginners of the game and gave them tips on how to organize their inventory. I learned that you can drag any item in your inventory to your body and will automatically wear it. This goes for drinks and other objects such as jewerly as well. Also discussed was the difference between inventory and library items. They're technically the same, but library items can't be deleted. Many of the people in my class, including the teacher, found that this is sort of useless having your inventory stored identically in 2 places. The class was relatively short and pretty much consisted of a Q&A session. Wasn't a real popular class, but has anyone found an overpopular class in SL?

There were some disruptive people in the class as well which not only annoyed me but our teacher as well. Wow..just like real life!

SL video post

2006-03-26T16:01:00.000-08:00

Watching this video changed the way that I see Second Life [SL]. The presentation begins with one of the Linden guys talking about why they created this place and how they put it together. What interested me most about the first part of the discussion is the way that the creators look at the game. They wrote syntax for every object, so that the code is alive in the objects. The detail given later in the presentation about the scripting behind each section of an object was way over my head, but makes me see that these guys have put a lot of work into this. They seem to know its weird, but they also know that it is cool.

20000 people a day use SL. This shocked me a little, mostly because I had never even heard of the game till class. Then I learned that almost $5million people are users of Warcraft. SL is like most games and places in cyberspace, a place for self interest and to meet others. Buying and selling is HUGE. When you build something, it is yours, and this adds value for the users of the game. Users are buying and selling at a rate of $5 Million U.S. dollars per month, and that is climbing 25% per month. That is huge! Being an active participant in SL seems to be very similar to real life experience in the real world. Sometimes we are simply just consumers in a large economy and we are not really sure how our actions contribute to the larger picture. I know that in SL, I have up till this point been a very conservative spender. I also know that some of my classmates have been buying spending and making Linden dollars in the game.

I also thought the demographics of the game were interesting. The presentation provided many statistics that I had no idea about. They went into a lot of detail about the computer languages used in the game, and this is where I was mostly lost in the presentation. I have friends that are computer science majors and programmers, and I’m sure they would do a lot better processing this information.

As a speech, I think that the presenter was informative and thorough. Having Second Life on in the background, having the other guy playing around with it according to the direction of the conversation was interesting.

“We don’t see this as a game, but we see it as a platform that in many ways is better than the real world.”

~Cassandra

Qualitative Research

2006-03-26T15:48:00.000-08:00

SL before SL: Response to Blog

I thought it was interesting to think of second life as both a toy and a tool, cause it could used as both by different people. In our class, we are to some degree using as a tool, a tool for research, something we can look at, analyze etc. On our free time, when we are thinking about this class or this research project, we could essentially use it as a toy. Perhaps after this semester is over and we no longer have to use Second Life in the manner that we use it for class, we could use it as a toy if we so choose to go back to it.
I agree with Rice that Second Life is very broad and can be a lot to handle. When I first started playing with Second Life, I was beyond overwhelmed by everything that was part of it. Even now, having used it for a few weeks, I still find myself overwhelmed, wandering where do I go, what do I do?

-Jessie Roth

Response to SL before SL

2006-03-26T10:56:00.000-08:00

Quite frankly, when I read the title of this blog I expected much more than what it actually said. Therefore, I think that if Rice intended people to read this blog and be ready for SL, he doesn't fulfill that intention. On the other hand, I agree with most of the things he has to say. Specifically that SL is a toy or tool where you can play other games and make stuff and explore, but that doesn't make SL a game. Which is why I wonder if it would be as much competition for video games as Rice makes it out to be. I think the target for video games are not entirely the same as for Second Life. Video gamers like games with inherent goals and competition- and in SL, ther are none. So, in other words, you have to create your own game in SL, which not only requires more effort, it would probably also not be as good as real video games. However, the emergence of programs like SL might cause a division in gamers- game players and game creators. That is my humble opinion in the matter- SONAM.

how to learn about SL- B4 learning SL

2006-03-25T18:42:00.000-08:00

I liked the 2nd point he brought up that “SL is a tool AND a toy” for me it has been a helpful educational tool that has opened my understanding of what you can do/play on the computer. Tetris is really the only thing I have ever played on the computer. I had no experience with games like The Sims either. Through it being a tool it also became a toy for me. As I learned how to teleport, change my appearance, talk to people, take pictures of the things I was doing I was entertained....and strangely having fun. While I don’t find myself playing it every free minuet I have- it is a fun tool and toy. I also liked that he expressed through listing the different things you can be- (a musician, film maker, creatures) the concept that second life is what you put into it. By what you define as fun, you can find fun in the game. If you want something that is going to have a lot of explosions...guns...weapons then you make it that way. If you want it to be about meeting people and learning how to change your appearance, you can do that too

2006-03-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

I liked watching the movie; I wish that I had seen it sooner because it really opened my mind to how special second life is. I enjoyed learning the small facts about second life like that there are about 20,000 people a day on it, there is about 5 million dollars a month that is moved around by the second life players and if it was put into DVD’s it would be about 2,000 in total. Those are HUGE numbers, I was aware that people liked venturing out and discovering how to do things, but I did not think that that many people would be a part of it and that much money was moving around.

I liked the segment where they talked about the dollars/money of Second life. I was always a little confused with the money and the value of the money in the real world. I felt like I was asking questions like “what’s the point?” especially when I see people sitting at casinos for hours trying to make money. But I thought the story they told about the young man who put himself through college based on the money he made from the second life gun he created was awesome. Makes me want to step my creative Second life skills up and make a gun too! (hahhahaa).

I also thought it was interesting to learn that the average person participation in Second life is not a horny 16-18 year old boy late at night at his home computer. Second life was truly opened up to me when the speaker told the audience that the average age of the players was 32 and female. This was not the demographic I was expecting. The two guys seem really smart and I liked that they were able to explain the answers to so many people’s questions with ease. They truly have hit a gold mine with this program.
-Brandy Heron

Response to "Learn about SL before Learning SL"

2006-03-24T19:07:00.000-08:00

I do agree with Eric Rice on a couple of points. Most of what he mentioned we already discuss in class. I don't think that SL is a game and I think that Eric Rice made a good distinction; clarifying SL as a tool and a toy.

Second Life does incorporate all of those aspects that are so popular and palpable. "Social networking, collaboration..." etc, I've heard all about them. It was pleasing to read Eric Rice explain the complexity of Second Life, and warn people not too get ahead themselves.

I disagree with Rice on the issue of SL disrupting the video game industry. On paper (or on screen ), it would seem that people creating their own game might supplant pre-designed games. However, video games have entrenched themselves in our culture. Rice admits that he is not a gamer, so I take what he says with a grain of salt. Gamers that I know, enjoy the surprise that comes with new games. Yeah, it's fun to create your own games, but people love the universality of games. A person from Seatle can meet up with somebody from Miami and discuss the new features of Madden. Not everyone aspires to create. Many people enjoy partaking a new game that surprises them at every turn.

-Rand Geiger

The Video About The Stuff...

2006-03-24T17:19:00.000-08:00

Finally, a good real-life use for video games - makin' money!!! Well, actually, there are already a number of good uses for video games, both in the educational realm as well as for physical health, and yeah, Second Life probably isn't a video game, per se (we'll see what I decide to write for that midterm...) But the idea is there - people can use Second Life to make money, and lots of it! So, I guess this is a fact I knew before watching the video starring two wonderfully charming members of Team Linden. However, that was all I knew - "People make money using Second Life... cool... What's on Comedy Central tonight?" But I must say, those SL reps certainly made a convincing pitch explaining how I could, potentially, use their "sandbox language" to code my own neat little creations, and sell them for some useful cash. I don't understand why anyone would EVER buy ANYTHING in Second Life (using real money), because I just can't see how there wouldn't be some part of you that says, "hey, this is an utterly complete waste of money - DON'T buy it!" But were I to be a vendor in SL, I certainly wouldn't question any of my customers' purchasing incentives, especially if I was making some serious scratch. If they want to buy a virtual gun I made that shoots virtual pieces of double bubble to trap their target in a sticky pink virtual wad of virtual immobility, then by all means, buy it, and give me money! (Dear underprivilaged children who somehow have access to a high-processing-powered computer: the double-bubble-bazooka idea is mine - don't even think about creating it and selling it for $5 a piece...)

To analyze a speech in general, one should first, if possible, be aware of the purpose for the speech - what ideas is this speaker going to convey? Using the knowledge of the speaker's purpose, you can see if their goals were effectively and efficiently achieved during the speech. If you have no pre-speech knowledge of this nature, grab a pen and a notebook and put your attentive-listening ears on. Make note of the speaker's main points, and see how well they support those ideas, without straying or using extraneous vocab. I would also be aware of how well the speaker connects with the audience, if they do at all, and through what techniques. I figure the more a speaker can connect with and relate to an audience, the more attentive they will be and the easier it will be for them to fully understand the speaker's purpose.

Google Video: SL goes above and beyond.....

2006-03-24T16:51:00.000-08:00

Qualitative Research

In watching the grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrueling long google video on SL, I was surprised to learn a ton about the different possibilities that the interactive online game has to offer. Not only can SL be used as a programmer heaven, but it also offers a brand new way to do business, SL style.

I was in awe when the guy from SL opened up the creation program where game objects can be designed. The process is mmmmmuch to complex for me to understand, BUT I think I caught the dumb drum gist of it: An object is formed by the bonding and molding of units called "primitives", which are small units of virtual fabrication containing details of texture and appearance. Then, once these objects have the "look" that you want, you have to give the proper code to tell it what to do and how to do it. This type of programming is done through a SL licensed and patented "sandbox language" program that uses "CLI" languages - whatever that means. Basically - as they explained - their software is set up so that modifications to simple fabrications can be made quite easily, whereas more complex fabrications from scratch can become very very very complicated (greatworks take a great amount of programming knowledge). Hence - a programmer's dream.

On the business end of things, SL goes far beyond what I thought possible. Basically, while there are only a small handful of people who actually make enough money in SL to quit their day job (10 give or take), their are many who earn enough extra doe to make SL a great nextwork for business exchange. Last month alone, there was about $500,000,000 in transactions that took place- 180,000 of those included "distinct" objects that were unique fabrications. This not only shows us the immense amount of financial power that users of SL can harness, but it also illustrates the demand for creative minds at work. As such, the creators explained that SL offers an opportunity for users that cannot be obtained through any other medium. (indirect quote) - "In SL, a underprivileged teenager in a foreign country could essentially - given the right intellectual talent - build a gun in SL that could sell for 1000 linden bucks = 5 u.s.d., and sell enough of those to make more money than they could ever imagine in Real life as compared to the average income in their demographic. Since the SL market has been primarily U.S. and U.K. in nature, a teenager in this position would be making 5 US dollars that exchange into a far greater value in their native country." Essentially what SL has created is a free-for-all international market, and not just any market, one that promotes intellectual growth.

In addition, the business end also strike at home for me because you can hold "live" concerts in a podcast style with other SL users present inside clubs and arenas. In this virtual world, you could hang out at a bar with your friend and have a drink while you listen to an actual artist performing in his or her room over the web while watching their avatar produce the show on stage. Artists can earn money through being "tipped" and also through the actual sale of CD's to SL users at the clubs. It's just like a real-life scenario when you think about it, only here you have the opportunity for 50-500 people to see you perform at a time in one of these venues, and at the same time these are real people with real money. As a result, a bold new market arises - virtual artist recognition. Hmmmm....... I LIKE IT!!! Some artists have been able to do this successfully enough to the point where they could make enough money to afford a place to live/ support their real-life musical endeavors. This is just to good.

A whole new way of looking at this thing.

Christian deBrigard

Let's Put Things Together Jerry!--Google Video

2006-03-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

So, while The Price is Right was playing in the background in my room, I watched the Google video about Second Life. Basically, this was a video tape of a conference two guys from Linden Labs gave to people intrested in the program, and how it is possible to make money off of playing this game. Hearing what the two developers had to say about Second Life was quite interesting [especially the bit about how the game runs horribly on Macs without the Intel processor].

But before I ramble onto nonsensical issues and things that were of interest in thier speech, there are two things that I would like to point out as being learnt by watching this. The first was the fact that people are making money from selling their creations in Second Life. It turns out that whatever you create in this game becomes your own personal property, so you become in charge of it, free to do with it what you want. The second thing that I learned was how to build--I also went to a class on that in game after watching the video. See, building is one of the fine joys of SL, and it is though this process that people are making money [not to forget selling clothing and real estate as well]. In the class I went to, I basically learned the basics of the building process, but the big Lindens in game are made from complex items created by in game users [like the gun he showed to the audience] that have a large demand by others in the game. Though it is noted by the speaker that the SL community is willing to share some stuff with each other in the game, but selling lots of stuff basically increases your Linden count, which could later be transferred into actual money.

Now, what is it from speeches that we could take to be a part of our research? Well, remember that the first thing that must be done with any speech is to analyze it. [Silly step, but it helps] As far as categories go, I would say to first identify what the speech is going to be about--in this case, it was mainly about building objects and making money, but there were other topics covered in the speech as well. From there, take notes that pertain to the important factors that you've pointed out from the speech. Basically, what I'm trying to say here that the important things from any speech should be subject to analysis and further development. In this case, a good start would be to go into finding out how to build things, and how to give or sell them to other people.

SL Blog Article

2006-03-24T11:33:00.000-08:00

I think that his description was accurate, or at least as accurate as it could have been. His statement, "Second Life is too big to summarize in a sound bite or in a skimmable culture." is very true. Summarizing Second Life is like summarizing an entire culture, close to imposable. There are countless groups and interests that make up Second Life, and to summarize it would leave most of these things out. So although his description was vague, it was probably the only way to describe Second Life.

Google Video

2006-03-24T11:19:00.000-08:00

What surprised me the most were the statistics, especially the age ones. When they said that there were people in their 70s who played second life I was really stunned. I pictured my grandparents playing and it was just eerie. The amounts that people made in the game were also surprising. They said at one point that they were in a room with lawyers (who make a good it of money) and that these designers made more than they did.

This speech falls under a sort of talkative informative style. They were very laid back when they spoke they weren’t wearing suits and didn't look particularly well groomed, they didn't even have a presentation plan. One goofed off in the game while the other spoke in a kind of stream of conscious way. The speech was intended only to answer questions, they weren't trying to sell any thing or show how much better they were. In a way it was kind of what I expected from an independent game company.

Is Second Life Close enough to real life?

2006-03-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

No I do not believe that Second life is similar enough to real life, for our research collections to be appropriate. Second life is a place where people live out their fantasies. A person who may never play an instrument can be a rockstar, and man can be a woman, you can fly. There are a number of things that happen in secondlife that make it extremely different than real life. If one wants to collect research on a subject in real life they do more than just interview, they observe the subject in everyday life, or while doing activities relevant to the research topic. If I ask someone a question in real life I can directly observe their reaction, not just the words they give me. In second life there is no vulnerability, there are no consequences. Everyone can be good looking, or tall or anything they want to be, and once they become this fantasy character, they begin to think like that character. For example someone who is not musically inclined at all in real life can decide to be a young rockstar. Once we go to ask this person in Secondlife questions, they will not answer as themselves they will answer as a rockstar. So our research collection methods will not be accurate in telling what the user is really like. Instead we will be collecting data on what the users fantasy person is like.

Reaction to Rice's Blog

2006-03-24T10:57:00.000-08:00

I agree with the majority of Rice’s blog about Second Life; especially that Second Life is too big and complex to form a simple definition to describe its purpose. I especially appreciated that, while he made references to games, Rice did not actually define Second Life as a game; he used the words “tool” and “toy.” Like games, some users “play” Second Life for enjoyment, using it to play games that are available within the game, to socialize, and to explore the various environments. Others use Second Life for more serious reasons like doing research or making money.

I disagreed that Second Life will bring disruption to the video game industry. Second Life is not a game itself, it is a program that is supposed to serve as an alternate reality. In the real world, we play videogames to entertain ourselves, to socialize with others, and to take a break and relax. While Second Life has games within itself that serve these same purposes, Second Life was not designed solely for this function. Second Life and videogames were created to serve two different functions, so I do not believe that Second Life will significantly disrupt the other’s territory.

Overall, I think that while Rice’s description is mostly accurate, it is also a little too vague. If I had read it before playing Second Life, I don’t think it would have been helpful in my understanding of the game. But, to paraphrase Rice, Second Life is too big to summarize simply.

How to Blog About How to Learn About Second Life Before Learning Second Life

2006-03-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Eric Rice did a wonderful job describing Second Life, the activities in which one can participate in the game, and the way so many e-culture buzzwords so effectively apply to the SL world. However, I couldn't read this article without getting the impression that Mr. Rice might be making too big of a deal about Second Life. After watching the google video (about which I will blog at a slightly later point) and learning that the average age of the Second Life gamer is 32, it doesn't really look as though it's going to "disrupt the video game industry" - atleast not from my vantage point. I can't really see Second Life, in it's current manifestation, appealing to the younger generation of gamers - i.e. those high school- and college-aged HALO addicts who thrive on strategy and goals to satisfy their gaming desires. Because Second Life isn't defined as a "game" in the traditional sense, it won't appeal to that younger crowd. Second Life requires a gamer with a different purpose in playing than those who play traditional video games. It requires a gamer who has the same desire for escape from the real world, but at the same time still wishes to participate in truly real-life-like situations, whereas the traditional gamer desires a withdrawl from these sorts of situations all together. It is this difference in gaming purpose that will keep Second Life from really catching on in mainstream gaming as a new fad.

I do agree with Mr. Rice's assessment of the complexity of Second Life. It defies simple definition and summary, and the only way to come close to fully understanding it is to be come a hardcore participant and observer. And in any case, I don't see how it's possible to predict what will evolve from the new technology that has made Second Life what it is. So those people who do define Second Life as the "future of _____" or the "way we will do _____" are full of it. Second Life isn't popular enough yet to be thinking in those terms, and I don't think it ever will be.

~Zack Downes

Qualitative Research

2006-03-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

Is Second Life similar enough to the real world for our research collection techniques to be appropriate? Why or why not?

In my opinion, Second Life is different from the real world in that you can't feel the experiences that you have in playing Second Life. Also, it is more difficult to sort the truth of something from fiction. It is easy for people to be who they really are in Second Life versus in the "real world." Still, at the same time, even in the real world, people can act not who they really are, but it is more difficult to hide one's true identity. In second life, a woman can easilly transform into a man and vice-versa.
I still think that SL is okay for our research techniques because some of the same issues that may be delt with in the real world are also being tackled in second life. This may include identity crisis, awkward first meeting conversations, and various other social interactions that may be similar to those that might occur in the real world.
-Jessie Roth

SL Article/Video

2006-03-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

The article was presumptions, I agree that the game is large and that the possibilities are endless but to say that it is going to take over video games, or that you could use all buzzwords to describe it seems a little over the top. Buzzwords can be used to describe a number of things. It seems that he talks about the program as if it is almost going to take over real life, he needs to remember that it is a program, and though it is complex it is not as ahead of its time as he thinks. This genre of a second reality has started since the time you could first create a player in a game. Since then it has evolved into games such as sim city, the sims, and other role playing games. Secondlife is an evolution of that idea, not a revolution. So yes it is a complex game, and yes it is pretty advanced, but it is nothing new. They have done a good job at taking one aspect of a game of developing it into it's own entity, but that is what they have done, Sorry MR. Rice.

VIDEO

This video was long, and even though it did have moments where it would grab my attention I was clearly did not fit into the target audience. There were parts where they might as well have been talking in French. I did think it was cool that they were making money during every linden to dollar transaction, or that there were so many registered users yet only a fraction of them can sign on at one time. I have never been denied entry into the game, which makes me think that a lot of people sign up and just stop playing after one time. I new the game was big but I really didn't know the extent of how big the game is, or how much the user has to do with the development of the game. This video really pointed out a couple things that I would never believe otherwise, one is that so much money can be made simply by making and selling items. Enough to where people's career can be this game. Another fact that the average age is early 30's, I guess I could understand that but I would have never guessed it. Secondlife is a huge and complex program, this I knew before I watched the video. How involved certain people are, or how many registered avatars there are, is something I would have never guessed. I was also surprised as to how man females were in the game, and how many international people also were in the game. This video as I said in the beginning was long, and was not something I would watch voluntarily, but it did begin to point out how big secondlife actually is.

Second Life Google Video

2006-03-24T10:25:00.000-08:00

I was surprised to learn that the monthly financial transactions in the world of Second Life total $5 million. They discussed SL in relation to World of Warcraft, and touched on just how much smaller in scale SL was. I believe they said that about 20,000 users participate in SL each day. Even if there were 50,000 SL users, each person would have to spend an average of $100 a month to equal that $5 million mark. Plus, I learned that you have to pay around $250 a month in land taxes on each acre that you own. I had no idea that Second Life was so financially-driven. I was under the impression that it was geared more towards stimulating social interaction via the Internet.

I was unaware of the amount of programming and construction each user is able to complete. They repeatedly focussed on the child in the poor country who built the gun and was making a steady income off of it. Before this video, I had not viewed Second Life as an artist's canvas.

In the same vein, it surprised me to hear about the live concerts and such that were held on Fridays and Saturdays. I attended the U2 concert, but I figured that was probably just a one-time thing. I believe they said that the same number of people would come to listen to the shows in SL as would go to listen to live performances in the popular coffee-houses in San Francisco.

I had thought that the creators had envisioned a world in which the users could "choose their own adventures" (so to speak). In a sense, I figured Second Life was just like one the "Sims" game. I did not know to what extent they had hoped for users to create their own intellectual property... (I'm still a little confused as to who owns the rights to Second Life creationgs. Phil and Corey said that the user retains the rights, but I thought I remembered Kim saying that anything you create belongs to the owners of SL).

In analyzing the speech, we should take note of all the audio and visual aspects. Corey entertained the eye with his "game-play" and Phil spoke in an informal style (spending most of his time fielding questions).

It's also important to analzye the content; what exactly was discussed and how each matter was treated. For example, Phil repeatedly referenced back to the $5 million in transactions that take place. He also talked about the boy who created the gun. Using that story to depict Second Life as a platform for others to pursue their dreams; a free market in which the talented and ambitious can rise to the top, despite possible harsh physical surroundings. During his 15 minute introduction, Phil never spoke about how he and Corey make money from the game. He only focussed on the money that was earned by others. It wasn't until someone from the audience asked, then he finally addressed the issue.

-Rand Geiger

Is SL similar enough to the real world for our research collection techniques to be appropriate?

2006-03-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

I believe that second life may be actually more true to personal identity than real life, rendering it an ideal place to seek an interview. In SL, an individual's avatar is a direct expression of their own imagination, and so people tend to be much more confident, relaxed, happy, and willing to share in simulation. Hidden by an alias identity, users really do have no reason to mask or disguise their opinions/ stories. I found this to be true in my own experience in secondlife, when I interview someone on my very first day about why they were there, how it works, what there is to do, what their favorite part was, and how the world functions as a social network. The woman was completely genuine, sincere, and she didn't seem to be in a rush to push me off - she was there for THAT reason, to talk. In fact, what's to say that someone isn't lying or stretching their truth in REAL LIFE interviews? People often cloak what they really mean or feel to save themselves from the embarrassment of being judged.

On the other hand, research through observation can be a little bit more tricky. Since SL presents possibilities and options that are simply not done in real life, you will witness some very odd and sometimes disturbing displays of human nature. This is a fun place, an imaginary place, a world built by the individual creator. Therefore, while CREATIONS may say something about the people who made them, ACTIONS may very well be misleading. You would have to set a very strict set of criteria for observing, and expect a certain level of off-beat activity. The only thing that this WOULD be useful for is if you were to study the difference between the way a general population behaves in Real life compared to SL.

Christian deBrigard

How to learn about secondlife before learning secondlife

2006-03-24T08:48:00.000-08:00

The author of this article, Eric Rice, is - in my opinion - both correct and wrong on a few different levels. I will address each main point that he makes and provide my own response to it.

1) SL is so buzzword compliant that "it hurts". I suppose that I could agree with this one, as it is a world that - anything you can think of- you can do. Therefore, any interest of subject you may take up can quickly take flight. A world of limitless communication.

2) SL is a tool AND Toy. From what I have seen in SL, this has proven to be true. While some may seek freedom to leisure and risk in secondlife, many others seek SL as a means to conduct virtual classrooms (just as I had to ease-drop in this week) and other forms of research. It is a funky culture to study, but there are many different aspects there - just as in real life - and they are easier to access than in real life. I have yet to have time to experiment with creating my own stuff in SL, but I am positive that this would greatly enhance my gaming experience. The thought of being able to artistically express yourself in this game is reason enough to call it both a tool and a toy.

3) SL represents the early, early sparks of what will possibly DISRUPT the video game industry. I would have to beg the differ on this one. I believe strongly that SL lacks the fundamental rules, plot, and challenge that convention games offer - rendering it entertainment deficient to those who want to seek secondlife as source of entertainment, not a means. Secondlife is a goofier real-life, and it is the amusement of this fact that give people the drive and curiosity to explore and provide their own goals to achieve. A REAL GAME will set the goals for you, the parameters by which you shall obtain them, and will provide the necessary challenges to make the goal a stimulating experience.

4) Second Life is so complex and broad that it may be misunderstood as the 'future of _____' or the 'way we will do ______'. I agree that SL is so hugely complex that our culture will do a great deal of miss-labeling and mis-understanding of its true uses and potentials until it has become accepted widely enough to take its shape. The truth is, SL is what you make of it, it does NOT build up on its own, make history, or make people - again, it merely provides a means to do these things. It is the gamer that makes this world what it is perceived to be. Therefore, no one can really predict what the future will be, as that depends on how the game is adopted and used by the future generation. It could crash and burn, or who knows- it may become the next virtual workplace or even replace classrooms.

Christian deBrigard

SL Google Video

2006-03-24T07:16:00.000-08:00

Some interesting facts I found from the SL video was:
* SL is fully user created, even though LL created it, they have avatars in the game that create items-so technically they are keeping with the user created idea
* With over 150,000 people registered for the game, the made-up land of SL is actually larger than the country of Monaco and has the potential of growing even larger
* users are making about $5 million/month buying and selling objects that they create in the game; many people are making a living off of this process

I also found the demographics very interesting. 43% female, 25% international, and the average age of 32 years old. The age thing does make sense though. The SL version of the game we are playing is only open to people 18 years or older (I believe), so there aren't 13 year olds (unless they lie about their age) playing the game and messing with the average age. When you are watching the video, the 2 creators Phillip and Cory, you know that they are atleast somewhere in the early to mid 30's if not older, then you factor in the younger generation of players-such as our age and think of the older gamers too that are obsessed with gaming. By averaging out all their ages 32 is reasonable.

Their speech is interesting. You can catergorize it as a very casual conversation/presentation with the speaker always seeming to be distracted by something new happening in the game. They told the audience in the begining that because SL is so complex in nature that they would just be playing the game in order to explain the game and its components. The conversation was also very question based, Phillip (I believe) talked a little about the history of the game and some facts/demographics of the game but then opened up most of the discussion to questions anyone might have.

Midterm

2006-03-24T06:57:00.000-08:00

is posted on the syllabus website - at the top and in the description for week 9

It's due wednesday at the beginning of class.

Mike's opinions

2006-03-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

The first thing I will talk about is the google video with the Linden Lab guys. I thought the video was very information and enjoyable to watch. I learned a lot about Second Life including how large the game is, how Linden labs makes money, and how the games itself operates. The most interesting of these three topics to me was how large the game was. The main speaker said the game was increasing at a rate that a user would to be able to keep up with how quickly it was expanding and I felt that was very interesting. I always felt like Second Life was so large I would never see it all, and this confirms this belief. I also learned that Second Life has over 144,000 users and that a maximum of 5,500 could be online at once. This is interesting because that is less than 4 percent of all second Lifers could be online at once. This is interesting cause I always feel like I am meeting new people, and I have never once been unable to get into the game. So I just wonder when is it that the game tends to reach its maximum enrollment levels. I also found it interesting how Linden labs made money every time a transaction from real money to Linden dollars occurred, between the game and a user and two users. I thought it was very interesting cause I never thought if the game made money off a user to user transaction but now I know they do. I knew that they made money from a money charge or rent for land use. How large and code complicated Second Life is is also very interesting. I never thought about how much coding and timing goes into programming the game but now I know that there are thousands of hours of coding, computer programming and brainstorming that go into keeping the game operating and growing the way it has been growing. The developers and users both use coding to help the game grow, but the developers also need to keep in mind the numbers of servers needed to keep the game operating appropriately. The video was pretty good in my opinion.

The second thing is the blog that we had to read. I think the blog summed up very well everything that Second Life is and it brought up a very interesting issue in my mind. I am very firm in my belief that second Life is not a game, you can make games inside Second Life but it is not a game. However, Second Life and similar avatar games are the future of the gaming industry. I believe that the gaming industry is going to change their own definition of a game so that they can stay on top financially. I think it is very interesting how Second Life is not a game but it will end up being grouped with games so that it can be marketed appropriately. I believed the blogger guy was right when he said there is no way to describe second Life in a sound bite like the media will try to do. It is not a game, and not a new world it is a new medium that can be found somewhere between and until we find others like it will be very complicated for us to define it.

Wandering around SL

2006-03-23T19:48:00.001-08:00

I had some time today to wander around some more in SL. I actually like getting to wander around SL by myself..running into people is nice, but to stop and try to make conversations with them when you aren't in a setting such as club is tough. I teleported myself to an area of SL called West Haven-Suburbian Streets. It was your virtual "small town america". Cute houses lined streets, and there were trees, bushes, flowers, ponds and other items in the front lawn. I walked into one of these houses thinking I would see some cool things but the house was completely EMPTY!

Then i walked down another street and found a place where i TP to a Doodle house. I mean it was was all hand drawn and cute. You could have bought something to have your own doodle pad for only 20L, i figured I had better things to spend my money on.

I met some really cool people the other night when I was on playing and got a ton of new clothes, shoes, and even a glow braclet :). Plus I'm now a member of 2 clubs and a VIP at one (?). So I'm socializing as well observing. Here's some pics to leave you with.

Google Video

2006-03-23T19:48:00.000-08:00

I found the Second Life video to be interesting; however, it was clearly targeted to an audience of gamers and computer professionals and a lot of it went over my head. I was surprised to learn that the median age of players is 32; I would have expected the majority of players to be in their late teens and twenties. I was especially surprised to find that the Second Life universe included players who were in their 50s, 60s, and 70s; although it makes sense since almost everyone would like to try on an alternate personality once and awhile.

It’s hard to categorize the parts of this particular speech because the speech itself is so laid back. The representatives from Linden Labs seemed a little uncomfortable speaking and they used very casual language; I heard a lot of “like” and “um.” A large part of this speech was a question and answer session and it was clear that the audience was interested in Second Life, both the technology it uses and the ethical questions it brings up.

Based on what I have seen in this video, some of the parts of speeches I would examine include context (is the speech formal or casual?), audience (are they professionals or beginners with the topic?), and purpose (is the speech informational, persuasive, or part of a discussion?)