EBay bans virtual economy

Posted on February 3, 2007 by Antonio

Video-Game

In the world of online gaming and digital spaces like Second Life, there is a parallel, virtual economy. But this translates as cash in the real world, a good example of why we should avoid dichotomizing “real” and “virtual,” and instead see them as supplementing each other.

EBay bans auctions of virtual treasures – Los Angeles Times:

Researcher Edward Castronova of Indiana University estimated in his book, “Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games,” that more than $100 million changes hands each year for these digital items â€” a good portion of it on EBay.

With so much money at stake, disputes over the ownership of these digital bits are getting more heated.

Get a first life

Posted on January 21, 2007 by Antonio

First Life

While I agree with the sentiment of this Second LIfe parody (it makes a fine point about being engaged with your physical reality), I still think it’s a false dichotomy to say one world is real and the other is virtual. It’s all real, and what happens in computer space and non-electronic space influence and affect each other.

We misunderstand “virtual,” which doesn’t mean “false” or “unreal,” but rather is an externalized, networked interface that transcends normal geographic space. Moreover, “virtual” spaces remediate; that is, all newly created electronic media incorporate old media. Second LIfe, for example, uses a lot of old media conventions- such as camera angles, linear perspective and cinematic lighting- to make its world believable and navigable. In other words, users cannot be totally disoriented by something completely new and alien. There needs to be familiarity.

Ultimately if I were given a choice, I’d rather spend the day in a forest than on a computer, but I believe it is unwise to completely dismiss something just because it is electronically generated. What do you think?

Technorati Tags: firstlife, secondlife

Culture jamming video games

Posted on September 3, 2006 by Antonio

This is an interesting take on video games:

Gaming the System – New York Times:

Persuasive Games, based in Atlanta, is one of many companies that create online games. Sometimes it does this for name-brand clients, including Cold Stone Creamery and Chrysler. Earlier this year, however, Persuasive Games released a game about the copy-shop chain Kinko’s that was rather different. For starters, Kinko’s is not a client. And the game, called Disaffected!, is not a typical example of an “advergame.” In fact, it’s billed as an anti-advergame. As the company explains: “Disaffected! puts the player in the role of employees forced to service customers under the particular incompetences common to a Kinko’s store.” Since January, the game has been downloaded more than 150,000 times from Persuasive Games’ Web site, one of several places it can be obtained for free.