Recently in 3D Virtual World Category
Dipaola, Steve. "Authoring the Global Self: Identity, Expression and Role-Playing in Virtual Communities." Proceedings of CGSA (Canadian Game Studies Association). 2008.
http://journals.sfu.ca/loading/index.php/loading/article/view/40
ABSTRACT
We examine Traveler, a social-based 3D online virtual community with over ten years of continuous community use as a case study. Traveler is a client-server application allowing real-time synchronous communication between individuals over the Internet. The Traveler client interface presents the user with a shared user created virtual 3D world, in which participants are represented by avatars. The primary mode of communication is through multi-point, full duplex voice, managed by the server. This paper reports on the initial design goals of the developers in the mid 1990s to emulate natural social paradigms, and then more recently, reports on how the online community uses distance attended multi-point voice and opened end 3D space construction to express themselves both on a personal level and collaborative level to facilitate a tight socially based community.
http://journals.sfu.ca/loading/index.php/loading/article/view/40
ABSTRACT
We examine Traveler, a social-based 3D online virtual community with over ten years of continuous community use as a case study. Traveler is a client-server application allowing real-time synchronous communication between individuals over the Internet. The Traveler client interface presents the user with a shared user created virtual 3D world, in which participants are represented by avatars. The primary mode of communication is through multi-point, full duplex voice, managed by the server. This paper reports on the initial design goals of the developers in the mid 1990s to emulate natural social paradigms, and then more recently, reports on how the online community uses distance attended multi-point voice and opened end 3D space construction to express themselves both on a personal level and collaborative level to facilitate a tight socially based community.
Dipaola, Steve and Collins, David. "Social Metaphor-based 3D Virtual Environment". ACM SIGGRAPH. 2003
http://ivizlab.sfu.ca/media/sig03pp.pdf
ABSTRACT
http://ivizlab.sfu.ca/media/sig03pp.pdf
ABSTRACT
Our design goal for OnLive Traveler was to develop a virtual community system that emulates natural social paradigms, allowing the participants to sense a tele-presence, the subjective sensation that remote users are actually co-located within a virtual space. Once this level of immersive "sense of presence" and engagement is achieved, we believe an enhanced level of socialization, learning, and communication are achievable.OnLive Traveler is a client-server application allowing realtime synchronous communication between individuals over the Internet. The Traveler client interface presents the user with a shared virtual 3D world, in which participants are represented by avatars. The primary mode of communication is through multi-point, full duplex voice, managed by the server.We examine a number of very specific design and implementation decisions that were made to achieve this goal within platform constraints. We also will detail some observed results gleaned from the virtual community and virtual learning user-base, which has been using Traveler for several years.
Pearce, Celia. "The Truth About Baby Boomer Gamers." Games & Culture. Vol 3. Issue 2. 2008 pp 142 - 174.
http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/~cpearce3/PearcePubs/PEARCE_BabyBoomerGamers.pdf
ABSTRACT
This article describes a study conducted in the summer of 2006 aimed at exploring the play patterns and lifestyles of gamers who fall into the loose demographic of "Baby Boomers," typically defined as people born between 1946 and 1964. This independent study, including more than 300 participants, combined quantitative and qualitative techniques to paint a multifaceted picture of the gaming lifestyles and tastes of this understudied population. The study findings show that Baby Boomers comprise a vibrant video game audience, that they are devoted players, and that they have distinct needs and interests that have gone ignored by both the mainstream game industry and the game press. They also provide some detailed data about their play styles and gaming interests, the role of gaming in their larger media mix, as well as specific case studies that paint a nuanced portrait of this understudied and underserved audience.
http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/~cpearce3/PearcePubs/PEARCE_BabyBoomerGamers.pdf
ABSTRACT
This article describes a study conducted in the summer of 2006 aimed at exploring the play patterns and lifestyles of gamers who fall into the loose demographic of "Baby Boomers," typically defined as people born between 1946 and 1964. This independent study, including more than 300 participants, combined quantitative and qualitative techniques to paint a multifaceted picture of the gaming lifestyles and tastes of this understudied population. The study findings show that Baby Boomers comprise a vibrant video game audience, that they are devoted players, and that they have distinct needs and interests that have gone ignored by both the mainstream game industry and the game press. They also provide some detailed data about their play styles and gaming interests, the role of gaming in their larger media mix, as well as specific case studies that paint a nuanced portrait of this understudied and underserved audience.
Steinkuehler, Constance A. "Learning in massively multiplayer online games." Sixth International Conference on the Learning Sciences. Kafai and Sandoval and Enyedy, N. and Nixon and Herrera, F. Erlbaum, 2004.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1149126.1149190
ABSTRACT
Given their increasing domination of the entertainment industry and wide spread popularity among a wide range of populations, massively multiplayer online videogames (MMOGs) are quickly becoming the form of entertainment and a major mechanism of socialization. Researchers have taken notice, and educational MMOGs are now beginning to emerge; however, there is a paucity of research on the actual culture/cognition of MMOGameplay, despite its necessity for sound theory and viable design. This paper outlines an ongoing cognitive ethnography of a currently thriving MMOG. Using discourse analytic methods, this project is developing a "thick description" (Geertz, 1973) of naturally-occurring gameplay, paying particular attention to the forms of socially and materially distributed cognition that emerge, the learning mechanisms embedded within community practice, and the ways in which participation shapes and is shaped by the situated (on-and off-screen) identities of its members. After outlining the data collection and analysis methods used, I present an illustrative analysis of selected data and preliminary findings specific to learning within this new virtual space for play.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1149126.1149190
ABSTRACT
Given their increasing domination of the entertainment industry and wide spread popularity among a wide range of populations, massively multiplayer online videogames (MMOGs) are quickly becoming the form of entertainment and a major mechanism of socialization. Researchers have taken notice, and educational MMOGs are now beginning to emerge; however, there is a paucity of research on the actual culture/cognition of MMOGameplay, despite its necessity for sound theory and viable design. This paper outlines an ongoing cognitive ethnography of a currently thriving MMOG. Using discourse analytic methods, this project is developing a "thick description" (Geertz, 1973) of naturally-occurring gameplay, paying particular attention to the forms of socially and materially distributed cognition that emerge, the learning mechanisms embedded within community practice, and the ways in which participation shapes and is shaped by the situated (on-and off-screen) identities of its members. After outlining the data collection and analysis methods used, I present an illustrative analysis of selected data and preliminary findings specific to learning within this new virtual space for play.
Burke, Timothy. "Can a Table Stand on One Leg? Critical and Ludological Thoughts on Star Wars: Galaxies." Game Studies Journal. Vol 5. Issue 1. 2005.
http://gamestudies.org/0501/burke/
ABSTRACT
My frustration in this case is somewhat similar. Does a virtual economy that follows a Pareto distribution or centers on mechanisms of hyper-accumulation make one think of the fictional universe of Star Wars, give one a sense of experiential immersion in a galaxy far, far away? Star Wars the fictional property seems to have wealth and poverty, so perhaps so. However, is the role that players want to play in such a universe, their sense of desired imaginative investment, more about being Uncle Owen and less about being Luke Skywalker? No one comes into Ultima Online planning to play an anonymous serf, and yet, a massive social foundation of serf-like labor ought to be the essence of economic realism in a faux-medieval setting. If Koster is satisfied with a power law distribution of wealth because it is realistic, why doesn't he also want most players to be explicitly framed as a laboring class within a pyramidal economy? Somebody is doing manual labor down in the spice mines of Kessel, after all.
http://gamestudies.org/0501/burke/
ABSTRACT
My frustration in this case is somewhat similar. Does a virtual economy that follows a Pareto distribution or centers on mechanisms of hyper-accumulation make one think of the fictional universe of Star Wars, give one a sense of experiential immersion in a galaxy far, far away? Star Wars the fictional property seems to have wealth and poverty, so perhaps so. However, is the role that players want to play in such a universe, their sense of desired imaginative investment, more about being Uncle Owen and less about being Luke Skywalker? No one comes into Ultima Online planning to play an anonymous serf, and yet, a massive social foundation of serf-like labor ought to be the essence of economic realism in a faux-medieval setting. If Koster is satisfied with a power law distribution of wealth because it is realistic, why doesn't he also want most players to be explicitly framed as a laboring class within a pyramidal economy? Somebody is doing manual labor down in the spice mines of Kessel, after all.
Leo and Chang, Geunyoung. "Lifestyles of virtual world residents: Living in the on-line game Lineage." CyberPsychology and Behavior. Vol 7. Issue 5. 2004.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089%2Fcpb.2004.7.592
ABSTRACT
This study attempted to explore different lifestyles of game players who have adopted the virtual world as part of their life in the online game world. An online survey was conducted to the players of one of famous Internet based games called 'Lineage'. 'Lineage' has become the biggest online game in the world accommodating over 6 million users worldwide, where people create his or her new identities and play various roles. 4,786 game players have participated in the survey, and their lifestyles were identified with their values and attitudes in the virtual world. Upon classification of their lifestyles, the behavioral tendencies and characteristic desires were compared by the lifestyles in virtual world. The study showed that game players have developed their own distinctive lifestyles, and the lifestyles were strong criterion on explaining the behavior patterns and their different desire to achieve in the world among them. The lifestyles were classified into three general categories; Single-Oriented Player, Community-Oriented Player, Off-real World Gamer. Each group displayed distinct differences in their values and game activities, as well as anti-social behavior tendencies. The differences were reflecting not only their personality but also their socio-economic status within the virtual world that is constructed through the game activities. This study hopes to serve as a model to understand how players from different real life backgrounds will behave to the various game features and how they adopt the virtual world for their new social identities.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089%2Fcpb.2004.7.592
ABSTRACT
This study attempted to explore different lifestyles of game players who have adopted the virtual world as part of their life in the online game world. An online survey was conducted to the players of one of famous Internet based games called 'Lineage'. 'Lineage' has become the biggest online game in the world accommodating over 6 million users worldwide, where people create his or her new identities and play various roles. 4,786 game players have participated in the survey, and their lifestyles were identified with their values and attitudes in the virtual world. Upon classification of their lifestyles, the behavioral tendencies and characteristic desires were compared by the lifestyles in virtual world. The study showed that game players have developed their own distinctive lifestyles, and the lifestyles were strong criterion on explaining the behavior patterns and their different desire to achieve in the world among them. The lifestyles were classified into three general categories; Single-Oriented Player, Community-Oriented Player, Off-real World Gamer. Each group displayed distinct differences in their values and game activities, as well as anti-social behavior tendencies. The differences were reflecting not only their personality but also their socio-economic status within the virtual world that is constructed through the game activities. This study hopes to serve as a model to understand how players from different real life backgrounds will behave to the various game features and how they adopt the virtual world for their new social identities.
Taylor, T. L. "Living Digitally: Embodiment in Virtual Worlds." The Social Life of Avatars: Presence and Interaction in Shared Virtual Environments. Schroeder, Ralph. Springer, 2002. pp 40 - 62.
http://www.itu.dk/~tltaylor/papers/Taylor-LivingDigitally.pdf
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1852334614/qid=1008619056/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1_1/107-9926315-7839715
http://www.itu.dk/~tltaylor/papers/Taylor-LivingDigitally.pdf
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1852334614/qid=1008619056/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1_1/107-9926315-7839715
Ludlow, Peter. "Coming Soon to an MMORPG Near You! The Gambino Family". The Second Life Herald (Formerly the Alphaville Herald). 2004.
http://foo.secondlifeherald.com/slh/2004/06/coming_soon_to_.html
http://foo.secondlifeherald.com/slh/2004/06/coming_soon_to_.html
Hof, Robert D. "My Virtual Life (Virtual World, Real Money)." BusinessWeek. May, 2007. pp 70
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_18/b3982001.htm
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_18/b3982001.htm
