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A cognitive look at World of Warcraft
The Human/Computer Interaction Design group at Indiana University seems interesting -- they're apparently working on the connections between the Human/Computer interface, both studying what's already being done between humans and technology and thinking of new ways for the two to interact. And they're concerned with abstracts, not specifics -- they look not at which buttons are being pressed, but why and how the software informs you what to do next.One of the students in a class there has written up a cognitive account of what it's like to play World of Warcraft, which is a look at the game strictly through sense perception. Even if you're an experienced player, it's interesting to see the game in a new light like this -- rather than talk about the lore or the mechanics of gameplay, the writeup is all about the sights and sounds of the game, and how Blizzard's overall design clues you in to what can and can't be done in Azeroth.There's probably lots more work that could be done on this as well -- lots of games, including World of Warcraft, use design elements like colors and lighting to nonverbally clue you in on the next door to go through or where to send your attention during a scene or fight. Most of their other cognitive accounts are about actual UI design, but there are many, many things left for those studying user interfaces to mine out of the way videogames express themselves to the user.
Keen Teens? Not on MMOGs/Virtual Worlds, study finds
Pew Research has just published results of a study into American teens focusing on video games and civics, entitled (oddly enough) Teens, Video Games and Civics. Almost all teens game, but few are into MMOGs and virtual environments. Overall, 97% of teens (99% of boys, and 94% of girls) were gamers, with 80% of teens generally playing five or more different genres of games. Racing, Puzzle and Sports games topped the list (with 74%, 72% and 68% respectively), while MMOGs like World of Warcraft, et al came in at second-last place with just 21% and virtual environments (Second Life, Habbo Hotel, and so) in last place with only 10%. The five most popular games among teens were Guitar Hero, Halo 3, Madden NFL, Solitaire, and Dance Dance Revolution ranging in ratings from E for Everyone to M (Mature).
UC Irvine to compare WoW players from America, China
The University of California at Irvine has been granted $100,000 to study the differences between Chinese and American World of Warcraft players, according to the Orange County Register. The study will mostly focus on explaining why American players are much more likely to employ modifications such as Cosmos than Chinese players are, but project lead Bonnie Nardi made some interesting observations outside the scope of this particular endeavor.For example, she noted that Chinese players are for some reason more likely to talk about the aesthetic appearance of the game than are Americans. Whereas American players often play with their children, parents, or siblings, Chinese players are unlikely to do that. "The older generation dislikes video games," she said, and playing with siblings is obviously rare since most Chinese of the gaming generation have none."The vast majority of Chinese players are not gold farmers," she said. "They're ordinary players like anyone. The media has blown that story out of all proportion. Many people think Chinese play for a job. They play for fun." Enlightening stuff. We're looking forward to seeing what else comes out of her research.[Via Ten Ton Hammer] One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!
With persistent worlds comes persistent racism
The promise of what virtual spaces can bring us is significant -- erasing geographic limitations on interaction with others while fostering an exchange of cultures, beliefs, and languages. To this high-minded end, millions of dollars have been spent and many thousands of hours of work have been invested into creating rich graphical settings coupled with immersive environmental soundscapes. Crisp digital communication at its finest, right?Much like the promise of the the eradication of artificial barriers to meaningful communication through the Internet, virtual worlds and online spaces in general have fallen short of expectations. It's generally not the fault of the companies or the service providers though. The fault lies with us, the users.
Albright streams into Second Life
Former US Secretary of State and US Representative to the UN under President Clinton, Madeleine K. Albright, will be helping the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin launch the school's new Master of Global Policy Studies degree with a public discussion on 'the emerging global and transnational challenges of the 21st century and how the next generation of young leaders can contribute to developing innovative strategies to meet these challenges' at 4PM Wednesday, 10 September (US Pacific Time). Those of you not able to attend the Lyndon B. Johnson Library in Austin, Texas may, however, find it both convenient and particularly appropriate that you can view the event live via the 21st century transnational virtual environment, Second Life by visiting the amphitheatre at GSD&M's Idea City Island. Regardless of your political affiliations, the discussion should prove to be a lively and interesting one. For those of you left wondering what the difference is between global and transnational, global is that which affects every nation, while transnational is that which affects multiple nations, but is not necessarily global. Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.
MMO players are doing science, academic proposes
We've seen plenty of arguments in support of MMOs, claiming they improve everything from hand-eye co-ordination to math to economics to social skills. Even if some of these seem overblown, we'd rather have MMOs shown in a positive light than the alternative. Now, though, an academic from the University of Wisconsin has pointed out something which in retrospect seems obvious: gamers who engaged with difficult challenges were utilizing the scientific method in order to beat them.This didn't simply mean fighting ice beasties with fire powers, or the jolly gonzo science we've seen in the past. The gamers were coming up with specific hypotheses, testing them with empirical data, and modifying the hypotheses accordingly, using Excel spreadsheets to analyze their findings. This is, as she put it, 'the essence of science'.
Research profiles the typical fantasy MMO player
Researcher Dmitri Williams and his team have been doing some very hardcore MMO-related research. Thanks to Raph Koster, they were given free reign with the whole of SOE's EverQuest II-related user statistics. They've produced the first of many papers, this one called "Who plays, how much, and why? Debunking the stereotypical gamer profile," which is completely and freely available online.There are a bunch of interesting things about EverQuest II player demographics in there, some of which is surprising. For example, older players play more than younger players, and EQ2 players in general are physically healthier than the general population. There's a shocker! Of course, EQ2 arguably has a different sort of playerbase than something like EVE Online, or even other dikus like World of Warcraft. It's too bad we can't see the differences.More studies are coming, though (but all of them from EQ2 data). Williams and his international team of researchers are planning to uncover information about gender differences and more in future papers.[Via Raph Koster]
Back to School: Academic software
TUAW's going Back to School! We'll be bringing you tips and reviews for students, parents and teachers right up until the bell rings in September. Read on for tips on saving money on software. At the start of every school year, students, teachers and parents have a seemingly-endless list of "to-buy" items. It gets expensive, and software is often the last place people want to plunk down money. Fortunately, the world of academic software discounts can easily save students (and their parents) and teachers enormous sums of money. Academic software is exactly the same as the "regular" software, but the box says "Academic License" and the price can be significantly, noticeably less. How much less? Well, in the case of Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium 3.3, the academic version goes for $594.95 (you can save an additional $200 if you buy the package with a new Mac at the Apple Higher Education Store), and the full version clocks in at a whopping $1799US. $600 vs. $1800 is a pretty big difference, especially for students. Depending on the software title, you might have to be a college student or faculty member to take advantage of some of the best discounts, but more and more publishers are opening up the discounts to K-12 students and teachers. Please note: While academic discounts are available in other countries, this guide is primarily aimed at US and Canadian students. All prices are in USD. I've been buying academic software since I was in high school, and here are some of the tips/best practices I've picked up over the years ...
The bright side of gold farming?
Let's face it. Gold farming and RMT are the bane of many players' experiences in MMOs. Bots spam poorly-spelled gold ads in every MMO title with anything even resembling an in-game economy. From a player's perspective, it's a huge problem, and not surprisingly leads many to dislike the idea of RMT. But aside from the occasional media coverage of 'digital sweatshops,' most of us know relatively little about how gold farming operations are actually run, or what effects they have on real world society. Professor Richard Heeks from the University of Manchester has put together a substantial piece of work on gold farming. The Working Paper's abstract states Heeks' intention "to provide the first systematic analysis of the sub-sector." The paper is titled "Current Analysis and Future Research Agenda on 'Gold Farming': Real-World Production in Developing Countries for the Virtual Economies of Online Games." (Say that three times fast.) It provides an overview of gold farming followed by an in-depth analysis of its economics, sociology, enterprise, and development. In terms of development, the paper considers the benefits gold farming may create, particularly for workers in Asia. While there is a wealth of information in Heeks' work, one aspect that stands out is a question it raises: Which is more important in the grand scheme of things, socioeconomic progress for people in real life, or the enjoyment of a game?[Via Virtual-Economy]
Finding the Science! in World of Warcraft
In amongst articles about explaining chrondrule formation, intracellular signaling, and discussions of hatchling crocodile habits, Science Magazine online is hosting a writeup about a very unique event. The latest "Gonzo Scientist" column is all about the first scientific conference held in the World of Warcraft. Scientists from around the globe descended on Blizzard's gameworld of Azeroth to discuss topics of real scientific import, kill a few hyenas, and even participate in a pirates vs. ninjas dance-off.The article is as insightful as it is amusing, with author John Bohannon offering real hope for meaningful discource via virtual worlds. From the sounds of things some real work was accomplished via this virtual meeting, with a number of interesting topics discussed. Even the logistics behind setting up the conference (locations in-world, communication methods, etc) make for interesting reading. Check it out, and be especially sure to see the accompanying machinima presentation. It's clear that with respect for not only academic pursuits and scientific education but gameworlds and online cultures, real progress is being made to bridge the gap between utility offline and online.[Via WoW Insider]
SuperNova '08: All the world's a game
Supernova 2008, an annual conference on how pervasive connectivity and decentralization is changing the world, decided to take a look at how massively multiplayer games "offer glimpses of how social interactions and work will develop in the Network Age." On the panel were Doug Thomas, Dave Elfving, and Metaplace's Raph Koster. Koster pointed out that there's a natural desire on the part of MMO players for "transgressive" gameplay -- for doing things the game designers never intended. For instance, raiding was not an original part of EverQuest, but something created by players and later made by the developers into a central part of gameplay. Doug Thomas predicted that gamers will become more successful than non-gamers in the workplace, as we are more focused on getting things done, as well as being more open to diversity. Dave Elfving brought up the topic of hikaru dorodango, shiny balls of mud that Japanese children obsessively mold and polish for hours, and how the grind that most MMOs encourage might be tying in to a basic human compulsion.Uptake's Elliot Ng was there for (almost) the full panel, and has the complete write-up on his blog. Raph has his own take on the panel, and points out the similarities to an earlier talk he gave at Project Horseshoe.There's a natural desire to justify the games we love by insisting they will give us an edge in business, or that we are merely expressing natural human behavior in a new way. Is this the case, or is this just wish fulfillment?
A new Virtual World winter
With dozens of companies jumping on the virtual world bandwagon, being seen now as a natural extension of the marketing for a new IP, it seems virtual worlds are healthier since they have been in ten years. But what if it isn't? What if Second Life does not have as many "hardcore" users as they claim? What if dozens or hundreds of competing virtual worlds are fragmenting an already small market so much that none can survive? What if the various virtual worlds fail to standardize on base technologies and are continually forced to develop each virtual world from scratch? What if the virtual world industry is headed for a "winter" where every virtual world must struggle for survival -- and where most will inevitably perish?These questions, and others, are posed by Bruce Damer in his paper, "A New Virtual World Winter?".In part 1, he looks at the signs that the VW industry is headed toward a chasm from which few will emerge. In part 2, he will examine ways in which the industry can cross the chasm without falling in, as happened in the years between 2000 and 2003, when all the groundbreaking work in Virtual Worlds done in the 80s and 90s stumbled, fell into a chasm, and disappeared.
Gaming's best kept secret: World of Warcraft
Like a child taking his first step, a non-gamer encountering his first MMO is something to be cherished. Two wolves, one cow, and one top-heavy avatar later, Patrick Howe's first foray into "so-called" massively multiplayer games already has him wondering about addiction. Why, usually it takes at least four or five wolves before the average MMO gamer starts checking for the aggro radii of farmyard animals. (Patrick, when you want to know how best to take care of those pesky snow rabbits, we here at Massively.com can point you in the right direction). It's no easy thing to tip a virtual cow and realize you are suddenly standing on the lip of an abyss that contains games that can thrill you, addict you, train soldiers and fight cancer.Did you know that "there are games that require teams of people -- real people, from all over the world -- to work together to solve problems (although those problems often involve killing monsters)?" It's true! Perhaps one of the things that most surprises Patrick is that there are any benefits to playing MMOs. It's hardly surprising, considering the backdrop for his wolf-slaying excursion was an all-day conference on video game compulsion held at Cuesta College last May. It's easy to throw around that word, compulsion. Some people feel compelled to play. Do MMOs, by requiring long periods of play to build up a character and become part of a raiding guild and take part in raids, to have people depend on you, create compulsion in people otherwise compulsion-free? Or is this just the hysteria that accompanies any new leisure time activity, like music, movies, television or football?From the outside, non-gamers see us as addicted troglodytes, sitting in silence as we puppet over-stylized characters into ritual murder games. From the inside, we see it as a fun time with friends. But we all know people who really are a little "too" into their game, and need to take a step or two back, before they find themselves seized by eager psychologists hot to warn the unaware public of the latest danger to their poor children's fragile psyches.
Mixed reality Melbourne: Seventeen Unsung Songs
It's one of those little Melbourne bars, not so much wider than the bar that runs much of the length of it, with some seating near the front for the smokers (who are nearly out in the cold, literally), and a smaller lounge area in the back with a tiny little stage. It's poorly lit (too dark for clean photography), and the cramped space is moderately crowded. The focus is, strangely, two men, and their laptops. Their laptop screens are projected against the walls, and strange ambient music is circulating through the room. This is a living performance in Second Life created solely for an audience in the physical world.
Game week at Orange Island
Orange Island (home of French global telecommunications franchise, Orange) is hosting a week of gaming and game-related events and discussions in Second Life this coming week, including (of course) some games. Starting Monday, 26 May on Orange Island, there's a packed schedule of events. Some particularly not-to-be-missed sessions include An Overview of Games in Second Life by the redoubtable Onder Skall at 11AM Monday, 26 May; Second Life as a Gaming Platform : challenges & opportunities, moderated by our very own Akela Talamasca at Noon Tuesday, 27 May; Midgar & World of Hogwarts with Luthien Biziou at 1:30PM Tuesday, 27 May; Roleplaying in SL moderated by Fab Outlander. All times are in SLT (US Pacific time). There's plenty for gaming aficionados of all stripes from video game music covers and jousting to an arcade gaming and an art display.
Augmentation vs Immersion: The debate that never was
Since around the middle of 2006 a debate has swirled back and forth, over Immersion vs Augmentation, sparked by Henrik Bennetsen. Discussion groups in Second Life have wrangled over it, blogs have argued the point in no less than three directions, papers have been presented on the topic. We've been a part of that ourselves, in the past. The curious thing about the debate, though, was just how spectacularly varied the positions were, and how none of them seemed to form divisional boundaries-- a very curious thing in what you'd expect to be such a polarized topic. And then, just recently, we finally realized ourselves that the reason was that the terms of reference were essentially flawed and as a result, more than half the material written on the topic is invalid for all practical purposes.
$30,000AUD for studies in religion
Doctor Helen Farley (Lecturer in Studies in Religion and Esotericism) and Doctor Rick Strelan (Senior Lecturer in Studies in Religion) were awarded a $30,000AUD Strategic Teaching and Learning Grant by the University of Queensland (Australia) in October of last year to construct an island in Second Life for Studies in Religion. Dr Farley has already had practice teaching meditation via Second Life, and used it successfully for student work thus far. The new University of Queensland island will be attached to the New Media Consortium region, which has over 250 educational institutions involved.
Virtual Worlds Help In Addiction Therapy
Virtual worlds are all too often spoken of as something you're in danger of becoming addicted to. We've all heard the stories of inertia, bloat, pallor and unemptied cat trays. But Professor Patrick Bordnick, associate of the University of Houston, is using VR to help treat addictions in the course of therapy. As Professor Bordnick points out, imagination alone isn't a particularly powerful tool to recreate the situations in which a recovering addict learns to say 'no': 'As a therapist, I can tell you to pretend my office is a bar, and I can ask you to close your eyes and imagine the environment, but you'll know that it's not real'. Rather than ask the patient to visualise a bar stocked with alcohol or a party where cigarettes are on offer, Bordnick uses a VR helmet along with other components such as olfactory stimulation and actor participation to create a highly plausible and immersive environment. Although the patient consciously knows he is taking part in a VR simulation, the immersion has proven sufficient to build intense cravings, just as if the focus of the addiction had really been present.By supplying an enviroment that is realistic enough to stimulate cravings but remains controlled and safe, Bordnick can gradually train patients in the use of coping skills. As those skills will have been developed in the face of a close analogue of the real thing, the patient is much better equipped to contend with the challenge of the real-world situation.
Dubai Women's College
Dubai Women's College is, as far as we can tell, the first educational institution in the Middle East to open a campus in Second Life (are we wrong? There's a lot of educational institutions with setups and sites on the grid). The island, Dubai Women's College, isn't, as yet, a whole lot to write home about -- a mosque, some signs, some classroom-platforms, out in the middle of community-college-ocean. There's a college map, and a museum-under-construction. Oh, and a sign out front that proclaims: 'The extent of a teacher's imagination is the only limit to what or how teaching can take place in this learning environment.' Well, that and a functional grid gets you a virtual-world-enabled education.
The London School of Journalism
The London School of Journalism is taking their budding journos in-world. This great British institution has joined a long list of educational institutions and set up a college in Second Life, where they plan to offer free lectures on writing and journalism and industry issues to anyone who's interested. The school's director says the mixed-medium of sound, text and the ability to see avatars' faces will enhance their teachings. 'We've already had an enormous response on Second Life, with between 500 and 1,000 people visiting our area each day,' LSJ director Michael Winckworth told industry blog www.Journalism.co.uk Unfortunately he displayed some less-than-investigative journalistic skills by also saying 'I know of no-one else on Second Life offering open lectures,' despite the veritable plethora of same. But we all have our off days.
