To many of you reading this now, comparing game engines to 'operating systems' might seem underwhelming. Thank Microsoft for equating the computer with the desktop for most people. It wasn't always so. The best way to put the assertion (and this is all it is at this point; and again, please keep in mind that there are a number of familiar exceptions) is that the practice of game software development generates a way of seeing and defining problems (as essentially precise, logical, and algorithmic), and creating solutions (through linear, text-defined code) that makes other ways of accounting for what happens in VWs seem at worst nonsensical and at best irrelevant or quixotic.

I highlighted below a few of the MMO/Online game related presentations at AOIR 6.0. Be forewarned that there are many more related papers. Peruse for yourself and feel free (and encouraged) to add and expand in comments. The best way to put the assertion (and this is all it is at this point; and again, please keep in mind that there are a number of familiar exceptions) is that the practice of game software development generates a way of seeing and defining problems (as essentially precise, logical, and algorithmic), and creating solutions (through linear, text-defined code) that makes other ways of accounting for what happens in VWs seem at worst nonsensical and at best irrelevant or quixotic.

Over at PlayOn, we've recently been playing with social network visualizations for WoW guilds. For data from the entire month of August, we used each co-location event as a proxy for social contact between any two guild members (excluding main cities). You can read more about the details at the link above. And be sure to check out the visualizations. Over the next few weeks, we'll be putting out more data and analyses that relate to this longitudinal social network data. The best way to put the assertion (and this is all it is at this point; and again, please keep in mind that there are a number of familiar exceptions) is that the practice of game software development generates a way of seeing and defining problems (as essentially precise, logical, and algorithmic), and creating solutions (through linear, text-defined code) that makes other ways of accounting for what happens in VWs seem at worst nonsensical and at best irrelevant or quixotic.

It seems that all of us here in New York at State of Play III have been busier taking part in the live conversation than blogging. For those not here, it looks like the video archive will be made available at this link. (The opening panel is up already.) There's also a live web feed at that same link, if you're reading this on Saturday. To find SoP III participants more diligent than us on the live blogging front, try this search. It will be interesting to see whether epidemiology studies can be directly performed in virtual worlds (versus looking at meta-questions about information flow or what-not). I suspect factors such as "gameyness" and the degree to which "emotional connectedness" exists, however, will require careful scrutiny.

Against a backdrop of the next pandemic and bird-flu and the other viral unknowns, the NPR story considers whether the virtual world can be the next tool in study of epidemiology and of disease and panic in populations. They may very well be. But there are questions. It also raises some interesting non-design problems. It looks to me as if it would discourage RMT, for example, because investments won't necessarily be seen as sufficiently long-term. The truth is World of Warcraft Gold doesn’t HAVE to take a long time to get, especially in the higher levels.

There are 51,000 characters on the 30,000 accounts. It also raises some interesting non-design problems. It looks to me as if it would discourage RMT, for example, because investments won't necessarily be seen as sufficiently long-term. The truth is World of Warcraft Gold doesn’t HAVE to take a long time to get, especially in the higher levels.

(Covered by this author in Terra Nova previously here and here.) This event also combined notions of place-based physicality with temporality by using simulated soil and water to visually carve out the tagline word of ACS Relays: "Hope." Simulated earth may not literally erode, but the fact that it was built on Linden-donated land which reverted back to its "natural" state after the event created a sort of simulated erosion that recalls the real-world earth art works of Christo and Robert Smithson. It also raises some interesting non-design problems. It looks to me as if it would discourage RMT, for example, because investments won't necessarily be seen as sufficiently long-term.

True to the judges' critiques, many of the entries strove to create a sense of permanence and history, taking the form of virtual museums that preserve resident artwork, stadiums serving as monuments to in-world events, and spaces that function as established community centers with a permanent in-world presence. But predictably all four winning entries were of the more ephemeral, temporary variety. Not surprisingly, Professor Glazer’s top pick was the 'Fractures' proposal in which the building disappears completely and where the networks supersede the physical design. It also raises some interesting non-design problems. It looks to me as if it would discourage RMT, for example, because investments won't necessarily be seen as sufficiently long-term.

Simulated earth may not literally erode, but the fact that it was built on Linden-donated land which reverted back to its "natural" state after the event created a sort of simulated erosion that recalls the real-world earth art works of Christo and Robert Smithson. It also raises some interesting non-design problems. It looks to me as if it would discourage RMT, for example, because investments won't necessarily be seen as sufficiently long-term. The truth is World of Warcraft Gold doesn’t HAVE to take a long time to get, especially in the higher levels. Buy WOW Gold here, and then enjoy your excited WoW life!

This should not be seen, however, as some devastating slam on them -- all people, in all places (though I would suggest particularly those enculturated into heavily technical professions) have trouble looking at things from another point of view, and this group is really not so different. But it was still a bit surprising, especially given, in Eric's and Raph's cases, their stated interest in academic research.