When I received this email, I immediately thought of Second Life and it's users.
From my email inbox:
Internet Evolution is about to embark on a truly groundbreaking new video project, and I wanted to see if you would like to get involved.
We're looking to create a video case study about a company embarking on
an important new IT project in the second half of this year.
However, unlike most case studies (which take place after the fact) our
case study will follow the project from planning, through
implementation, to trouble shooting and completion.
Projects that we are highly interested in covering include: cloud
computing; analytics; social media in a business environment; security;
or an upgrade to a company's computing and middleware systems.
The core of the case study will be three short (five minute)
documentaries covering the before, during, and after of your project.
These documentaries will be filmed by our professional film crew on
location at your company premises at a time that is convenient to you.
Each one takes about a morning to film.
We'll also outfit you with a video camera and the training required to upload occasional project updates.
The purpose of the case study is to highlight the great work that IT
professionals such as yourself do every day. Our goal is to highlight
your success for others to learn from. And, of course, as well as making
you a star (and a corporate hero!) we'll also compensate you for your
time.
Interested? Please drop me a line at ferraro@internetevolution.com if you would like to know more about this exciting new Internet Evolution project!
Sincerely,
Nicole Ferraro
Executive Editor, Internet Evolution
Showing posts with label Virtual Worlds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virtual Worlds. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
PBS Frontline Digital_Nation, Rachel Dretzin, and Douglas Rushkoff Present: *Distracted by Everything*
Does the Internet promote freedom of expression and communication, making it a catalyst for democracy and activism? Is the net tilted towards Democracy and participatory society? Meanwhile, do services like Facebook and Twitter encourage virtual and superficial involvement over dedication to the kind of activism that makes a difference? Does it just take people off the streets, blogging safely in their homes where they no longer threaten repressive regimes?
Digital Nation – Life on the Virtual Frontier (2009 – 2010) is a documentary film by Rachel Dretzin and Douglas Rushkoff that thematizes the media issues in the context of our virtual lives, tech development, networking and multitasking.
Chapter 1: Distracted by everything. M.I.T. students are among the world’s smartest and most wired. They constantly multitask with their tech tools.
Chapter 2: What’s it doing to their brains. Tests given Stanford’s multitaskers yield troubling discoveries. Other research into Net use and the brain raises more questions.
Chapter 3: South Korea’s gaming craze. Some cautionary lessons from a country where Internet addiction has become a health crisis.
Chapter 4: Teaching with technology. Teachers are embracing digital media–’it keeps students engaged; new skills are needed for a new age.’ But is there a catch?
Chapter 5: The dumbest generation? The debate has just begun on whether we are losing as much as we’re gaining in 24/7 wired world.
Chapter 6: Relationships. Millions of people are inhabiting the Net as it were a real place, satisfying the urge to connect to others in online games, virtual worlds.
Chapter 7: Virtual worlds. Second life offers a totally new reality for humans, says it’s creator–and IBM has begun shifting it’s meetings into this virtual space.
Chapter 8: Can virtual experience change us? The U.S. military is using virtual spaces for PTSD therapy and for flying drones in Iraq while based in a room in Nevada.
Chapter 9: Where are we headed? A school is organized around learning through video games–may be it’s students are getting something we aren’t yet able to measure or recognize.
[Thanks Body Pixel]
Digital Nation – Life on the Virtual Frontier (2009 – 2010) is a documentary film by Rachel Dretzin and Douglas Rushkoff that thematizes the media issues in the context of our virtual lives, tech development, networking and multitasking.
Chapter 1: Distracted by everything. M.I.T. students are among the world’s smartest and most wired. They constantly multitask with their tech tools.
Chapter 2: What’s it doing to their brains. Tests given Stanford’s multitaskers yield troubling discoveries. Other research into Net use and the brain raises more questions.
Chapter 3: South Korea’s gaming craze. Some cautionary lessons from a country where Internet addiction has become a health crisis.
Chapter 4: Teaching with technology. Teachers are embracing digital media–’it keeps students engaged; new skills are needed for a new age.’ But is there a catch?
Chapter 5: The dumbest generation? The debate has just begun on whether we are losing as much as we’re gaining in 24/7 wired world.
Chapter 6: Relationships. Millions of people are inhabiting the Net as it were a real place, satisfying the urge to connect to others in online games, virtual worlds.
Chapter 7: Virtual worlds. Second life offers a totally new reality for humans, says it’s creator–and IBM has begun shifting it’s meetings into this virtual space.
Chapter 8: Can virtual experience change us? The U.S. military is using virtual spaces for PTSD therapy and for flying drones in Iraq while based in a room in Nevada.
Chapter 9: Where are we headed? A school is organized around learning through video games–may be it’s students are getting something we aren’t yet able to measure or recognize.
[Thanks Body Pixel]
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Brad Reason (Doubledown Tandino) - Second Life/Virtual Worlds DJ, Music, Events, & Marketing Bio, Press, & Awards - 3.2010 Update
In the real world, Brad has over a decade of experience creating, producing, and performing at corporate, promotional, and music events. He has been bringing these facets of skills onto the web and into virtual worlds for real life and second life companies such as IBM, AMD, Intel, CBS, Orange, Electrolux, Playboy, Remedy Communications, Princeton University, Electric Sheep Company, Muse Isle Connection, Menorca and many more.
Brad has several aspects he brings to the project which make him a expert in his field. The first feature to Brad's full package includes marketing and advertising, utilizing the inworld environments, new media, social media, web 2.0, new technologies, and graphic design. The second feature is the follow through and bringing the project to realization through real-time events, music performance, live DJ, promotional emceeing, and branding. Many corporations, companies, and clients have ideas, and Brad knows how to turn those ideas into realities, surpass goals, and exceed expectation. He has a catalog of references and recommendations which can be viewed at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/
Brad has a unique skill-set, a variety of talents, and experience which most others do not have. He is a creative go-getter, and is constantly bringing new imaginative ideas to the table.
-----
Press and Awards:
CNN interviews Brad Reason: "Best Jobs: Second Life DJ" (2010):
http://money.cnn.com/video/
BlazingMinds: "Who the Band: Brad Reason" (2010):
http://blazingminds.co.uk/
FreePlayVL: "Music in 3D - Virtually Live Music is Social Media" (2010) - http://freeplayvl.wordpress.
Cybergrrl Oh interviews Doubledown Tandino on Rezzed.TV (2009)
http://rezzed.tv/2009/11/cybergrrl-oh-living-a-2nd-life-episode-21-doubledown-tandino/
Doubledown Tandino wins Live Music Entertainment Award for "Best Live DJ" (2009):
http://lema-awards.com/home/
Japan Inc Magazine: "The Music Industry: Real Music for a Virtual World" (2009):
http://www.japaninc.com/mgz86/
Reason.TV: Drew Carey interviews Doubledown Tandino (2008):
http://reason.tv/video/show/
Reuters features Doubledown Tandino's music event "Delicious Dish" (2008): http://secondlife.reuters.com/
"Tonight Live With Paisley Beebe" (2008):
http://www.slcn.tv/tonight-live-paisley-beebe-16mar08
The Avastar - "Raving for Charity" (2008):
http://djdoubledown.blogspot.
Doubledown Tandino wins Electrolux Grant Program (2007):
http://millionsofus.com/blog/
Electrolux & Millions of Us Honor Doubledown Tandino as DJ Innovator (2007): http://millionsofus.com/blog/
The Avastar: Intel's "Second Fest" - Doubledown Tandino featured with Pet Shop Boys (2007): http://djdoubledown.blogspot.
The Avastar: DJ Festival produced by Doubledown Tandino (2007):
http://djdoubledown.blogspot.
Metaverse Messenger: "Doubledown Tandino: Resident of the Week" (2007): http://djdoubledown.blogspot.
Feature in URB Magazine (2007):
http://djdoubledown.blogspot.
Baltimore Sun - "Making A Living in the Virtual World" (2007):
http://djdoubledown.blogspot.
Baltimore Sun - "Finding your New Self" (2007):
http://djdoubledown.blogspot.
"Groundbreaking SL into RL Mixed Reality Jazz Show" (2007):
http://djdoubledown.blogspot.
-----
Links
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DJBradReason
Blog: http://DJDoubledown.blogspot.
Portfolio: http://Bit.ly/
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/
Twitter: http://Twitter.com/Ravelong
Original Music: http://ReverbNation.com/BradReason
Graphic Design and Virtual World Photography: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
Second Life Office/Company: Ravelong Productions: SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/
Second Life Office/Company: Ravelong Productions: SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
SL Shakespeare Company Changes Its Name to Metaverse Shakespeare Company
by: Lora Constantine
The SL Shakespeare Company (SLSC) today has finalized its name change process, and will now officially be known as The Metaverse Shakespeare Company (MSC).
“In its three years, the SL Shakespeare Company has accomplished its goal of spreading Shakespeare throughout SL via reviving his theatre and architecture on SL, and promoting affiliate events, from discussion groups to Renaissance music to non-SLSC sims,” said Ina Centaur, Artistic Director of the Metaverse Shakespeare Company. “Our new brand name better reflects our expanded mission to take Shakespeare to the metaverse—beyond just Second Life, but also OpenSim, WOW, Entropia, and other multiuser virtual worlds. Moreover, it frees up the general name of ‘SL Shakespeare’ for others to use, to continue to imbue SL with that aqua vitae of Shakespeare.”
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Website: http://mshakespeare.com
Press Center: http://mshakespeare.com/press
Blog: http://blog.mshakespeare.com
Playbills: http://playbills.mshakespeare.com
Programmes: http://programmes.mshakespeare.com
Saturday, February 6, 2010
AvatarsUnited.com
Facebook has stood firm declaring all users need to be their real life personae, and not Second Life avatars, or else they will delete your FB account... so perhaps AvatarsUnited.com is a fresh start on a social network new media site for avatars.
I do hate the buy-coins scam section though. LL needs to remove that from the equation of the site to have it gain any future credibility.
I have started the non-group "What the Hell are We Doing Here" on the site. You are welcome to join it.
----
Linden Lab acquires Avatars United
Via Massively:
In a move that will no doubt perplex, flummox and befuddle many media commentators and technology columnists who erroneously believed that Second Life was a Web 2.0 social networking tool, Linden Lab has acquired social networking site, Avatars United (and developers of same, Enemy Unknown AB). This also has the side-effect of shooting down any semblance of Wallace Linden's identity piece last week being an overture of a conversation, instead making it look like the usual introduction to a Linden Lab fait accompli.
We've written about Avatars United on a couple of previous occasions, but never really had much call to get involved ourselves.
Monday, February 1, 2010
FreePlayVL - *Virtually Live Music IS Social Media!* - Music In 3D Feature Article February 2010
FreePlayVL – Music In 3D
* Virtually Live Music IS Social Media!*
By Teddi Davis of FreePlayVL
"All forms of social media work. It just depends on how you use them." Brad Reason aka Doubledown TandinoBrad Reason’s music career continues to flourish entwined with computer and Internet technology. He keenly demonstrates social media is about leveraging technology to connect, network, share, perform, promote, and learn. Most importantly, he shows discipline with these social media platforms is worth the effort! By Teddi Davis
Brad Reason, also known as Doubledown Tandino in Second Life® and other virtual communities, recently shared how the Internet helped him get his start, and how social media has advanced his career. Besides being an accomplished musician and DJ, Brad Reason is uniquely positioned to comment on social media’s usefulness and efficacy. Not only does he create, perform and DJ virtually live music, Brad’s also a new media marketing professional. In fact, he’s a full time social media, new media, and trending technology specialist. Since he spends 40 to 70 hours a week working with social media platforms, his experience and insights are sure to help other musicians make use of today’s most compelling promotional tools.
Brad began his music career over a decade ago. “At first, it was more about using my computer and sampling, than about creating music,” he said. “It was for my own personal enjoyment, and the intrigue.” Creating music with a personal computer was in its infancy. Brad started with a program called Impulse Tracker, which was a basic spreadsheet form of laying out sounds and samples. “As I was creating my first music,” Brad recalled, “the Internet was starting to blossom as well.” He started connecting with other PC musicians via forums and message boards. “Thanks to the Internet, we could share each other’s tunes, and swap samples–it was experimental, and avant-garde,” he recollected.
He was learning and growing by listening to other people’s music, and picking up tips and techniques from his virtual peers. Heavily into electronica at the time, Brad was influenced by Aphex Twin, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, and Air among others. He began to appreciate he was on the cusp of something big because not only were the people around him beginning to listen to his tunes, there was a growing online community of other artists also experimenting.
When Brad decided to incorporate some of his compositions into a play he had written, he was stunned when he got his first request to purchase a CD. “I didn’t even have a burner,” he said. “I was in total shock that someone actually wanted to listen to the music I was creating.”
And then came the MP3.com Web site. Brad could now upload his music, and create CDs. “Once that site became popular, people around the world were listening, downloading, and buying my music,” he recalled. MP3.com was the first online location for sharing, and downloading music. “It was a social media community for music before the term ‘social media’ was even coined,” Brad noted. “You could technically consider that experience as the start of my use of social media.”
Even though MP3.com got into a legal tangle and is no more, we all know the concept stuck. Brad said he now uses sites like ReverbNation.com/BradReason and TheSixtyOne.com/Doubledown to share and sell his music. “New technology, new equipment, and new software followed–such as, ACID, Reason, Cubase, Protools, Ableton Live, Serato Scratch, and Native Instruments–and now,” he said “the possibilities for music making are limitless.” And so are the ways to connect with an audience.
Brad doesn’t use social media to communicate just with his fans, however. He also uses these tools to connect with venues and other music business contacts. As a new media marketing pro, Brad notes most venues are behind the times when it comes to social media. “Venues don’t realize the potential for using these tools for promotion and booking quality music acts,” he said. Not surprisingly, Brad finds venues are ‘very enthused’ that he expertly uses the Internet to both perform and promote. “I use social media to share my music, announce when I have created a new piece of music, announce my live shows, and connect with industry professionals.” He also uses social media platforms to house his portfolio, bio and resume, but Brad especially enjoys connecting with his fans. “I am happy to respond to comments, and keep the lines of communication two-way.”
Brad finds social media so successful, he now limits his use of other promotional tools. In the past, he used fliers, print media, and press releases, as well as posting event info at non-social media based Web sites. “Now, because I am very skilled at using social media to market, advertise, and promote, I use social media fully, and have no need to focus on print anymore.” Social media in tandem with CDs and business cards, with the occasional flier is all he needs now.
“I use FaceBook (for everything), Twitter (for real-time info spreading), LinkedIn (for professional networking), my blog, DJDoubledown.blogspot.com, to keep a portfolio of my work as well as share other people’s interesting concepts, Flickr (for photos and graphic designs), Reverb Nation (for my original music), Soundcloud (for my DJ mixes), Second Life, Club Cooee, Skype, Digsby, Google Wave, PHP bulletin boards, FourSquare, Mashable, and a multitude of other social media and new media platforms.” Brad said, “I am everywhere on the Internet, either as Brad Reason or as Doubledown Tandino.”
When I asked what advice he would give digital musicians relative to social media, Brad suggests keeping all lines of communication open. “Don’t be too quick to dismiss a new form of social media,” he advised. “All forms of social media work. It just depends on how you use them.”
Brad’s music career began and continues to flourish entwined with computer and Internet technology. He keenly demonstrates social media is really about leveraging technology to connect, network, share, perform, promote, and learn. But most importantly, Brad Reason shows discipline with these social media platforms is worth the effort!
---
Thank you also to Sitearm:
"Nice article about music and social media: Virtually Live Music IS Social Media! Teddi Davis, editor of Free Play Virtually Live, interviews Brad Reason, a new media marketing professional who is also a musician and DJ. The article shares experience and insights on how to use the newly available online promotional tools."
http://sitearm.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/music-and-social-media/
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Improving The Virtual Event User Experience
Improving The Virtual Event User Experience
by Dennis Shiao of It's All Virtual
To get to your flight, one embarks on a journey through the airport. First, you park your car (or arrive via mass transportation). Then you take an elevator, walkway or escalator and arrive at your terminal. From there, you use a self service kiosk to check in to your flight and receive your boarding pass. Perhaps you check in an item of luggage or two. Then, you enter the security checkpoint line and have your carry-on items (and yourself) screened.
Once through, you walk towards your assigned gate, while stopping (if needed) to use the restroom, purchase a snack or pick up some reading material for the flight. Once that’s all done, you may sit at the gate and relax for a bit before your flight takes off. All in all, quite a complex journey – and, you’re no closer to your destination! Believe it or not, however, the airport has provided subtle “tools” to make this journey a bit more efficient.
In the midst of one such journey (on a recent business trip), I drew comparisons between the airport experience and the virtual event experience. Here are some tactics used at the airport that may improve the user experience for virtual events:
READ THE FULL ARTICLE on IT'S ALL VIRTUAL
by Dennis Shiao of It's All Virtual
The Airport Experience
Once through, you walk towards your assigned gate, while stopping (if needed) to use the restroom, purchase a snack or pick up some reading material for the flight. Once that’s all done, you may sit at the gate and relax for a bit before your flight takes off. All in all, quite a complex journey – and, you’re no closer to your destination! Believe it or not, however, the airport has provided subtle “tools” to make this journey a bit more efficient.
In the midst of one such journey (on a recent business trip), I drew comparisons between the airport experience and the virtual event experience. Here are some tactics used at the airport that may improve the user experience for virtual events:
READ THE FULL ARTICLE on IT'S ALL VIRTUAL
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Farmville!! The Commercial!!
Farmville... not only does it completely SUCK, but it's also a scam, and the people playing it STILL DON'T CARE! Farmville proves the level of ability that virtual world mainstream society can handle at this juncture in time. Wonder why Second Life only has a 10% retention rate? It's because Second Life is too intelligent for 90% of the population, who are playing FARMVILLE!!!
5 Ways to Capitalize on James Cameron's "Avatar" in Virtual Worlds
Massively wrote a great follow-up on this hoopla called "The Sea Monkey experience of Avatars"
"Virtual environments can be beautiful, can exhibit grace, and can be immersive and fascinating and useful in all sorts of different ways ... but if you've got the 'Avatar blues', it's like buying Sea Monkeys and getting Artemia salina × nyos.
We don't expect actual user-retention in any virtual environment to rise significantly in the wake of this. We expect that the number of retained Pandora-piners will be about the same percentage as retention for pretty much any other general demographic. Sea Monkeys can be pretty awesome, make no mistake. They just might not be what you really want.
In the meantime, there's a lot of designers across several virtual environments who are making a lot of money copying skins, designs and settings from the film."
Here is my list of 5 ways you can try to make a buttload of cash by riding the blue glowing wave of "Avatar" and it's popularity.
1) Turn the crap you were selling into the color blue (and make it glow!).
That's right... any content you were selling before can now be official Na'vi "Avatar" content by changing it to the color blue, making it glow, and by changing the title of the object. Look, I did it here:
What was once a wood box called "Object" is now
an Official "Avatar" glowing blue prim called:
"Pandora's Box" ... on sale now....
(If you would like the x-rated version,
these Na'vi prims are also for sale at Zindra,
coincidentally also named "Pandora's Box")
2) Change the avatar skins you were selling to the color blue.
If you were a skin designer or avatar designer, all you have to do is add blue versions to your product line... and of course, call those skins "Na'vi"
Hot "Avatar" tail.... mmm...
In case the designers out there are wondering, the code for Na'vi skin is
H: 203 | S: 63 | B: 69 | R: 66 | G: 134 | B: 177
3) Create a Na'vi role-player group. Then create a role-player test in order to gain exclusive entry.
Similar to the Bloodlines business model: Create a role-player group, something like Na'vi of Second Life or Pandora Roleplay. Then, in order for avatars to become official members of the Na'vi role-player clan, they will have to shop and purchase the Na'vi avatars, and Pandora pixels in order to gain exclusive access into the group.
"I just need to buy 10 more spirits from the Sacred Tree of Souls,
then I know they'll let me in."
4) Redesign the spaceship you were selling to look like the mercenary helicopters from the movie.
Remember that rocket ship or helicopter you once made? Well strap on two large ceiling fans to the side, and now you have a human mercenary ship from the movie ready to be sold.
5) Advertise on your website (and make sure the ad has a picture of a blue avatar in it).
Finally, of course.... keep plugging! Advertise the blue. Ride the blue wave. Anything that is blue and says "avatar" on it is a gold mine in clicks
---
Although this blog post is meant to be tongue-and-cheek, I am also trying to point out that the creativity and imagination within a virtual world, and within people's minds, can be limitless. The new "Avatar" designs appearing in Second Life are quite detailed and expertly crafted. For example, "Pandora - Na'vi ' Planet Avatar" on the Pegase sim did a great job.
However, Second Life is practically limitless. Second Life has been around for 6 years!! Anything can be created, and usually, anything and everything IS created.... but, don't sell yourself short by jumping on the "Avatar" Na'vi bandwagon. "Avatar" is James Cameron's brain-child. Why copy it? Why not create a world of your own using Second Life (or Open Sim, or any virtual world platform) to explore your own creative, artistic, and imaginative ideas? Sure, the movie "Avatar" is hot right now, but it's only one of many options. Use your own brain power to create, and not to copy and sell.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
New World Notes Advertises IMVU Advertising Avatar Like Avatar From *Avatar* on Article About Second Life Advertising Avatar Like Avatar From *Avatar*
I'm so confused.... this is a screen capture of New World Notes, showing a screen capture of a Second Life webpage. On that Second Life page is an ad for an IMVU ad featuring a blue Avatar (to coincide with the movie "Avatar"). Ironically, on the New World Notes page happened to be another IMVU ad featuring the same blue Avatar.
I've got the Avatar blues. All these blue ads makes me finally want to click on that big-breasted Evony ad (which is probably showing up to the right hand side of my blog)
Check out:
IMVU Advertises With Avatar Like Avatar From *Avatar* on Article About Second Life Advertising With Avatar Like Avatar From *Avatar*
by Hamlet Au of New World Notes
Lindens Advertise Second Life With Avatar Like Avatar From *Avatar* (But Not For Much Longer)
by Hamlet Au of New World Notes
Avatars blue, Second Life concurrency and transactions rise
by Tateru Nino of Massively
A Mystery
by Tateru Nino on "Dwell on It"
Avatar vs. Avatar: Will Fans of The Movie Find Happiness in Virtual Worlds?
by Botgirl Questi of Botgirl Lives
---
Meanwhile, in the real world, where news reporters cannot get any substantial virtual world REAL avatar news, they resort to creating some virtual fantasy news of their own:
Audiences experience 'Avatar' blues
by CNN
'Avatar' Leaves Some Fans Feeling Legitimately Blue
by MTV
Avatar blues? Is ‘Avatar’ contributing to depression and suicidality?
by Psychology Today.
(Footnote: "suicidality" isn't even a word)
DJ Doubledown Tandino opens the official live DJ series in Club Cooee January 17, 2010 - 1pm-3pm (EST)
DJ Doubledown Tandino opens the Live DJ series in Club Cooee
Room: Red Moon Club (official) in Club Cooee
January 17, 2010 / Time:
EST: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
SLT/PST: 11:00am - 1:00pm
German 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Event Details
DJ Doubledown is back! Remember the "Rocking the Metaverse" live event we had a while ago? Well, DJ Doubledown will be with us again on Sunday, 17th of January, 2010!
Join us in Club Cooee
This event will be the first session of our new performance series "DJs live on air" in Club Cooee, a live DJ performing and you can participate as a DJ. If you are interested in being a live DJ at one of the next sessions, please reply to dj@clubcooee.com and tell us which genre you want to play when performing. You will get an answer by mail with instructions if you have been chosen to perform as a DJ in one of the next party nights.
January 17, 2010 / Time:
EST: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
SLT/PST: 11:00am - 1:00pm
German 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Event Details
DJ Doubledown is back! Remember the "Rocking the Metaverse" live event we had a while ago? Well, DJ Doubledown will be with us again on Sunday, 17th of January, 2010!
Join us in Club Cooee
This event will be the first session of our new performance series "DJs live on air" in Club Cooee, a live DJ performing and you can participate as a DJ. If you are interested in being a live DJ at one of the next sessions, please reply to dj@clubcooee.com and tell us which genre you want to play when performing. You will get an answer by mail with instructions if you have been chosen to perform as a DJ in one of the next party nights.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Gal Gamers Geekier Than Guys - A study in the Journal of Communication
Gal Gamers Geekier Than Guys
A study in the Journal of Communication found that women who engage in a role-playing game online actually spend more time in the alternate reality than the guy players do. Karen Hopkin reports.
Listen to this podcast:
Download this podcast
Picture a gamer, someone who spends countless hours immersed in one of those online role-playing alternate realities. And what do you see? Is it a physically fit female closer to 40 than 14? If not, you may need to rethink your assumptions about geekdom. Because a study in the Journal of Communication shows that when it comes to dominating the virtual world, women are actually more hardcore than men.
Scientists conducted a survey of some 7,000 players who were logged on to a game called EverQuest II. And they discovered some interesting things. First off, the average age of the gamers surveyed was 31. And that playing time tended to increase with age. Which is also where the sex differences come in. The female gamers actually logged more time online: an average of 29 hours a week, versus 25 for the males, with the top players putting in 57 hours a week on the girl’s side, and 51 for the guys. What’s more, it looks like women are more likely to lie about how much they really play. The researchers found that the gals tended to lowball how long they spend glued to the screen.
So, never ask a women her age. Or how much time she spends defeating the dark elves to rebuild the world of Norrath.
—Karen Hopkin
Listen to this podcast:
Picture a gamer, someone who spends countless hours immersed in one of those online role-playing alternate realities. And what do you see? Is it a physically fit female closer to 40 than 14? If not, you may need to rethink your assumptions about geekdom. Because a study in the Journal of Communication shows that when it comes to dominating the virtual world, women are actually more hardcore than men.
Scientists conducted a survey of some 7,000 players who were logged on to a game called EverQuest II. And they discovered some interesting things. First off, the average age of the gamers surveyed was 31. And that playing time tended to increase with age. Which is also where the sex differences come in. The female gamers actually logged more time online: an average of 29 hours a week, versus 25 for the males, with the top players putting in 57 hours a week on the girl’s side, and 51 for the guys. What’s more, it looks like women are more likely to lie about how much they really play. The researchers found that the gals tended to lowball how long they spend glued to the screen.
So, never ask a women her age. Or how much time she spends defeating the dark elves to rebuild the world of Norrath.
—Karen Hopkin
Friday, December 18, 2009
Avatar Opens in theaters today - Here's the concept on notebook paper from 1998
Avatar is an upcoming movie directed by James Cameron that will be a big hit with furries and people who don't know what the movie is about.
Coming in 2011: Jupiter Cats
Just The Facts
- Avatar is James Cameron's first full-length movie since Titanic
- Avatar is rumored to be the most expensive film ever, at $313 million
- Makes use of new simulated 3D environments
- It's hard not to be unsettled by the furry creatures
Cracked on Avatar
We're not sure if its whether the movie looks really good or really cheesy-bad, but there is something about the hype and mystique surrounding Avatar that just can't keep our pants clean. Maybe its the fact that the director of Aliens and Terminator 2 is returning to the sci-fi genre that keeps us interested. Maybe its the gentle, passionate furry love story guns, guns, war, explosions and guns (manly guns) that makes us feel warm and fuzzy manly and powerful.
[Note: At this point, original CRACKED contributor was fired because all of his jokes were about poop and furries. CRACKED hired a new contributor, to finish the topic page on Avatar with a higher level of sophistication. We apologize for the immature first section.]
Ahem.
Avatar tells the story of a Marine, Jake Sully, who was confined to a wheelchair after being injured in combat. He enlists in the new Avatar program, which seeks to combine humans with Na'vi, mystical fox-like creatures that live on Pandora, one of Earth's new moons. Then somehow an epic war starts that decides the fate of the world. Just like every other blockbuster ever released. Avatar has been promoted as "the single most complex piece of filmmaking ever made", "beyond the cutting edge", "the film event of its release day".
However, Avatar has come under some criticism for what is perceived, based on the trailer at least, to be not-revolutionary CGI.
Despite the ridiculed trailer, critics are raving, and it currently stands in the 90 range on Rotten Tomatoes. The consensus seems to be that although Avatar's story and characters aren't original, the breathtaking special effects make the plot seem refreshed. In particular, critics can't seem to get enough of how color is used on the island of Pandora, offering insights such as "Dude, the colors are like... woooooahh, man" and "Oh man, bro I just might shit my p-".
Avatar Videos
Avatar Trailer[via Cracked]
Monday, December 14, 2009
Update: The Freelance Job I Posted (A Write-up Analyzing Several Social Network Games and Virtual Worlds) has Raised their Budget! ($350-$750usd)
An Update from the freelance project I posted yesterday: They have raised their payout budget to $750usd. I will repeat the project here:
Goals description: We want to develop a new range of online Flash games (board games, role playing games and party games), inspired by existing games that are running on Web Social Media and Mobile. The supplier will have the mission to search and inventory web games.
- These games must be very popular with good graphic design.
- These games are running or could run on the Social Media sites or/and mobile.
- The supplier shall conduct a study involving 10 games.
- He’ll provide an analytical report that will detail the reasons of the success of the games. The internal reasons (scenario, graphic quality, earnings,) and the external reasons (marketing, communication).
- He will write a report outlining the strengths and weaknesses of each game, as well recommendations for improving each game.
Estimated workload: 5 days. The budget is now $350 to $750usd
If you are interested, follow these steps:
first, click on this banner and sign up to this site (free):
Second, I need you to contact me. Email me , or use any social network inbox message method is fine, or even just comment under this post so I can connect with you. Let me know you've signed up and I'll send you the job info.
-----
Keywords: analytical report, android, board games, english, english writer, flash, flash game, flash games, free games, games, games board, games design, games project, games role playing games, gaming, graphic, graphic design, graphic quality, inventory, inventory web, line games, marketing communication, mobile, myspace, online flash games, party games, project, project manager, report, role playing games, search, social, social gaming, social media, web, web games, whitepaper, write, Facebook, Game Design, Report Writing, Research, Testing / QA
Goals description: We want to develop a new range of online Flash games (board games, role playing games and party games), inspired by existing games that are running on Web Social Media and Mobile. The supplier will have the mission to search and inventory web games.
- These games must be very popular with good graphic design.
- These games are running or could run on the Social Media sites or/and mobile.
- The supplier shall conduct a study involving 10 games.
- He’ll provide an analytical report that will detail the reasons of the success of the games. The internal reasons (scenario, graphic quality, earnings,) and the external reasons (marketing, communication).
- He will write a report outlining the strengths and weaknesses of each game, as well recommendations for improving each game.
Estimated workload: 5 days. The budget is now $350 to $750usd
If you are interested, follow these steps:
first, click on this banner and sign up to this site (free):
Second, I need you to contact me. Email me , or use any social network inbox message method is fine, or even just comment under this post so I can connect with you. Let me know you've signed up and I'll send you the job info.
-----
Keywords: analytical report, android, board games, english, english writer, flash, flash game, flash games, free games, games, games board, games design, games project, games role playing games, gaming, graphic, graphic design, graphic quality, inventory, inventory web, line games, marketing communication, mobile, myspace, online flash games, party games, project, project manager, report, role playing games, search, social, social gaming, social media, web, web games, whitepaper, write, Facebook, Game Design, Report Writing, Research, Testing / QA
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Interesting Job Opportunity - A Write-up Analyzing Several Social Network Games and Virtual Worlds
Here is the description:
Goals description: We want to develop a new range of online Flash games (board games, role playing games and party games), inspired by existing games that are running on Web Social Media and Mobile. The supplier will have the mission to search and inventory web games.
- These games must be very popular with good graphic design.
- These games are running or could run on the Social Media sites or/and mobile.
- The supplier shall conduct a study involving 10 games.
- He’ll provide an analytical report that will detail the reasons of the success of the games. The internal reasons (scenario, graphic quality, earnings,) and the external reasons (marketing, communication).
- He will write a report outlining the strengths and weaknesses of each game, as well recommendations for improving each game.
Estimated workload: 5 days. The budget is up to $250usd.
If you are interested, follow these steps:
first, click oin this banner and sign up to this site (free):
Second, I need you to contact me. Email me , or any social network inbox messae is fine, or even just comments for this post so I can reach you. Let me know you've signed up and I'll send you the job info.
-----
Keywords: analytical report, android, board games, english, english writer, flash, flash game, flash games, free games, games, games board, games design, games project, games role playing games, gaming, graphic, graphic design, graphic quality, inventory, inventory web, line games, marketing communication, mobile, myspace, online flash games, party games, project, project manager, report, role playing games, search, social, social gaming, social media, web, web games, whitepaper, write, Facebook, Game Design, Report Writing, Research, Testing / QA
Goals description: We want to develop a new range of online Flash games (board games, role playing games and party games), inspired by existing games that are running on Web Social Media and Mobile. The supplier will have the mission to search and inventory web games.
- These games must be very popular with good graphic design.
- These games are running or could run on the Social Media sites or/and mobile.
- The supplier shall conduct a study involving 10 games.
- He’ll provide an analytical report that will detail the reasons of the success of the games. The internal reasons (scenario, graphic quality, earnings,) and the external reasons (marketing, communication).
- He will write a report outlining the strengths and weaknesses of each game, as well recommendations for improving each game.
Estimated workload: 5 days. The budget is up to $250usd.
If you are interested, follow these steps:
first, click oin this banner and sign up to this site (free):
Second, I need you to contact me. Email me , or any social network inbox messae is fine, or even just comments for this post so I can reach you. Let me know you've signed up and I'll send you the job info.
-----
Keywords: analytical report, android, board games, english, english writer, flash, flash game, flash games, free games, games, games board, games design, games project, games role playing games, gaming, graphic, graphic design, graphic quality, inventory, inventory web, line games, marketing communication, mobile, myspace, online flash games, party games, project, project manager, report, role playing games, search, social, social gaming, social media, web, web games, whitepaper, write, Facebook, Game Design, Report Writing, Research, Testing / QA
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Multiple Worlds - The Music Video!!!! By SpyvsSpy Aeon
Message From SpyvsSpy Aeon:
"Slim Girl Fat (Slim Warrior inSL) and Brad Reason (Doubledown Tandino inSL) released a collaboration track entitled "Multiple Worlds." and there you have the video production. The music title inspired me since the beginning and I hope you enjoy. Many thanks to all Characters that helped me."
DIGG THE VIDEO
http://reverbnation.com/BradReason
http://reverbnation.com/Slimmie
http://www.youtube.com/user/spyvspyaeon
(Also posted on Mal Burns Blog)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The Problem With Internet (and Virtual World) Girlfriends
The Problem With Internet (and Virtual World) Girlfriends
(Click the image to enlarge)
[VIA Kontraband]
(Click the image to enlarge)
[VIA Kontraband]
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The 5 Science Fiction Tales That Made Us Love Virtual Reality
The 5 Science Fiction Tales That Made Us Love Virtual Reality
For almost as long as there has been science fiction, there's been virtual reality, teaching us about worlds inside machines before we even knew what the internet was. Here are five of the earliest, and best, VR stories we grew up with.
[CHECK OUT THE 5 SCIENCE FICTION TALES (and videos) THAT MADE US LOVE VIRTUAL REALITY HERE]
Doubledown Note: Unfortunately there is no mention of Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Every Second Lifer knows that "Snow Crash" is truly the originator of the concept of "Virtual World" and "Metaverse."
Film adaptation of Snow Crash??
The novel was optioned shortly after its publication and subsequent success, although it has never progressed past pre-production. John Raffo and Jeffery Nachmanoff both completed drafts under the supervision of director Marco Brambilla while the project was set up at Touchstone Pictures and Kathleen Kennedy's production company, but due to the large budget required, neither was given a green light.
Also, there is no mention of a few others that I think deserve honorable mentions. These include the movies "The Matrix", "Strange Days", "Cool World" and the book "Vurt" by Jeff Noon.
Are there any other Virtual World science fiction stories, or Virtual Reality stories I missed? Please post those in comments, and I'll add them to this blog post.
For almost as long as there has been science fiction, there's been virtual reality, teaching us about worlds inside machines before we even knew what the internet was. Here are five of the earliest, and best, VR stories we grew up with.
[CHECK OUT THE 5 SCIENCE FICTION TALES (and videos) THAT MADE US LOVE VIRTUAL REALITY HERE]
Doubledown Note: Unfortunately there is no mention of Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Film adaptation of Snow Crash??
The novel was optioned shortly after its publication and subsequent success, although it has never progressed past pre-production. John Raffo and Jeffery Nachmanoff both completed drafts under the supervision of director Marco Brambilla while the project was set up at Touchstone Pictures and Kathleen Kennedy's production company, but due to the large budget required, neither was given a green light.
Also, there is no mention of a few others that I think deserve honorable mentions. These include the movies "The Matrix", "Strange Days", "Cool World" and the book "Vurt" by Jeff Noon.
Are there any other Virtual World science fiction stories, or Virtual Reality stories I missed? Please post those in comments, and I'll add them to this blog post.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Security Checks To Prevent Virtual World Event Disruption
by JoelFoner of joelfoner.com
Virtual world event management is, in the large, similar to real life event management. You’ve got to make sure that guests and performers are lined up, that marketing and advertising is effective, and if it is a broadcast event, that the technical and support staff logistics have been completed. Security, however, requires some special handling in order to avoid enabling disruptive people to create chaos at your event. This post focuses on some specifics for Second Life™ security management, however the principles are similar for other virtual world platforms.
Event Disruption Categories
- Purposeful region crashes (exploiting a bug to cause the region to crash “on demand”)
- Littering (leaving objects in inconvenient places, placing them out during an event, or moving them around in the way of the event)
- Pollution (planting a particle generator that creates a spray of smoke, fog or distasteful imagery)
- Disruptive chat or voice participation
[CLICK HERE TO READ JOEL FONER'S 10 SECURITY CHECKS]
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Metaworld (24/7) and Metaverse Week in Review (Sundays 12pm SLT)
There is always a lot of news programming and 24/7 videos from V-worlds & social networlds so you can enter and check out current news and video shows from the metaverse. (Archives of past shows are available by clicking the “On Demand” button on the Livestream viewer.)
Real Virtualities- livestreaming video
http://www.livestream.com/metaworld1
http://www.livestream.com/metaworld2
http://www.livestream.com/metaworld3
http://www.livestream.com/metaworld4
NEED A SHOW REMINDER?
We have a “Subscribe-o-matic” notices option! List of our current Second Life kiosk locations to subscribe plus RSS feed info – details here!
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