Beyond the Game

Holy cow that was a long reading. I'm only going to focus on a small segment of it because talking about the whole thing would take FOREVER.

When we think about virtual worlds, especially in the context of this class, we tend to think about them in terms of video games. The concept of a virtual world, however, extends far beyond the narrow scope of games and, given sufficient advancement in realism, can play a major role in many aspects of the economy. People tend to view things like Second Life as "games" because they consist of a virtual world represented by avatars. Second Life isn't really a game as much as it is a virtual space. People use it for meetings, for sales, for education, and for many other real-world purposes - there is very little "playing" going on.

Castronova views these types of "serious" virtual worlds as being long-run competitors for many commonplace economic establishments. Specifically, he cites passive media, travel, communications, and user interfaces as economical facets that may eventually be dominated by virtual space. TV viewership has fallen in recent years, and quickly growing in popularity are forms of entertainment offered by virtual spaces, whether they be games or DVR or what have you. People are increasingly seeking interaction with their media. Castronova points out that the travel industry may take a hit as virtual worlds are increasingly well able to simulate reality. There are many costs (airfare, hotels, etc.) and barriers to traveling somewhere, and a virtual visit to a country gives a simulation of the experience with none of the overhead. Is it currently anywhere near the real thing? No. But people regularly take brief vacations to fantasy lands - could this become a new norm for people looking for a vacation? (at this point, I'd argue no, but the future holds many possibilities) Communication is the most obvious competitor here. Much of the reason people enter virtual worlds is to interact with other people. As virtual worlds make it easier and easier to communicate between members, they may become a more viable strategy than costly phone calls or bandwidth-heavy video chatting. A virtual world provides a unique situation of avatar-based interaction, making it feel personal without the need for an actual face-to-face conversation. User interfaces also stand to benefit from the virtual world's avatar system. Having an avatar demonstrate a task to you is more intuitive than having it explained in words, and also feels more friendly and inviting. As virtual worlds become more and more ubiquitous, it becomes increasingly likely that people will want to use them for more of their common tasks.

Beyond economics, virtual worlds may also be used for the improvement of lifestyle. In education, for example, experimentation is already being done with virtual worlds. Castronova cites the use of virtual worlds such as Quest Atlantis, Revolution, and Second Life in a classroom environment, providing an immersive way for students to relate with and apply their coursework. Certain studies, such as the effects of a virus, may be modeled in a virtual space, with virtual test subjects. The possibilities of using virtual worlds to provide a certain experience is endless, limited only by the imagination (and coding ability) of the creator. Organizations or individuals might opt to create a virtual world to make a statement. Castronova uses examples such as a religious group that might want to demonstrate their beliefs through a virtual world, or some promoter of a service may offer a world in which avatars receive such a service and demonstrate its benefits (the article specifically refers to a "Very Good Thing").

Virtual worlds aren't just limited to games. There are countless possibilities that are opened by the concept. Have you had any experience with a virtual world that did not center around a game?