Virtual Cultures

Cisco and the future of Networking

So there are a couple of things about Cisco's new Virtual Worlds blog here: http://blogs.cisco.com/virtualworlds/ that are really interesting.  It's got some interesting stuff, for sure, but the fun part for me is the inference from Cisco's interest in virtual worlds.  First off, I believe they've been interested in online community for several years now, working with one of the early Well folks (and a really smart man) Cliff Figalo.  That this has now grown into an interest in virtual worlds is not surprizing:  virtual worlds offer many advantages for online community, new communication methods, a deeper sense of presence, etc.  And the inference that really delights me is that Cisco, whose very successful focus has been on the new technology, and networking, is seeing human networking as the new frontier.  That in addition to the technology of connection, the online space creates exciting new possibilities for human networking also.

Second Life at its Best

Second Life is possibly the most diverse petri dish that the ludisphere has seen. It can become a fulcrum for the best, the worst and the oddest forms of human play and expression. Part of what I find intriguing about it is the convergence of play and art that takes place here, and the following is one of the most compelling examples I've seen of this of late.

Watch the World(s) by Robbie Dingo

Please enjoy and if anyone else has any cool user-created content in Second Life they'd like to share, please send it along.

Ian Bogost on Colbert Report

Just a quick note, Ian Bogost did an appearance last night on the Colbert Report - talking about his recent book (Persuasive Games) and about the value of games as education and tools for exploration of different aspects of our world in a meaningful way (he used the various elements affecting the world oil scene as an example - he did a game on this called Oil Gods.

The interview's on Comedy Central: http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/?lnk=v&ml_video=91012

Also a quick note... in addition to another example of a heightened awareness of games in the general culture, there was a great comment from Steven Colbert about his own familiarity with role playing... it was funny.  But thinking it over, it occurred to me that it also highlights one of the elements of role playing online - it really is the same as a lot of behavior that happens in the rest of our lives, what a surprize.  The flexibility of online worlds just gives us an enhanced ability to role play - to explore, learn, overcome new challenges, etc.  Anyway kudos Ian!

Report from SIGGRAPH Sandbox: Warren Spector Keynote on Emergent Gameplay

Warren Spector’s Saturday morning Keynote  for the SIGGRAPH Sandbox Symposium focused on a topic near and dear to my heart: emergence. Spector has been a master of emergent gameplay with titles like Thief and Deus Ex, the latter of which took some bold steps in terms of trying to leverage “emergence as a design material,” as I term it. Spector was, as always, delightfully curmudgeonly, exploring the topic with equal measures of humor and cynicism, but also providing very specific examples.

NPR Story on Avatars/"Alter Ego" Book

There's an interesting story on NPR about avatars and the book and exhibition Alter Egos: Avatars and Their Creators.

I'm interviewed briefly as part of this, but that has nothing to do with the fact that it's a very well-done in-depth story. :) One of the more nuanced and thoughtful press pieces I've heard on the subject.