Tim McCall Weblog

WHERE’D YOU GUYS GO?

When we were younger, my brother, cousin and I were three of the most adventurous kids around. We were always outside, always climbing trees and using our imagination. Then the Sims came a long and I was left climbing trees and building forts by myself. Another story which has molded my opinions of online gaming started in my senior year of high school when everyone was having a good time and spending our last days with friends we wouldnt not see as much anymore. The first couple months were great; parties, dances, events, and even just hanging out. Then HALO was introduced to my group of friends and spread like wildfire. One by one, friends would stop hanging out and stay in to play the game with one another. By the spring, half of my friends were like ghosts, and when they were around they were talking about this game. It is almost a joke amongst my friends how much I dislike HALO simply because of this loss of personal contact.

I don’t know why I have resisted these video games, but there is something in me that cannot get into them. I understand the attraction and was perfectly willing to give Second Life a try. Maybe because it is not a game or competition, I would find something else in there that appealed to me.

ARTICLES?

First, I read the three articles to see if there was any advice, or anything to get me more pumped up about this virtual experience.

Pine and Gilmore, really gave me a new outlook on a world that I am very negative about. It made me see more than just these social/gaming possibilities of the virtual world. I would say that the greatest thing that I got out of this reading was a more signifigant appreciation for what could happen in the near future. It is almost like a renaissance, in which everything, including business will become more artistic. I totally agree that experience outweighs goods in many cases, so I guess that it is kind of hypocritical that I am anti-halo. The experiences that people recieve when they are in the “Halo world” are real and are something that people can take with them anywhere. So maybe I am coming around on the game, but I will still take a real-life experience over a virtual one any day.

PLAY

I agree with Michele; Play is Play. I think that the only difference with play in the virtual world is having responsibility for your actions. In most places you can do what you want online with little accountability. I think that this is something that the virtual world is getting better at and they have started to regulate more. The aspect of play does connect to the Experience Economy article in the fact that play can also be serious. Just because something is meant for business, doesn’t mean that it has to be uptight and have no entertainment value.

The third article put the cap on my misunderstandings with one quote. “One notable result of Second Life’s openness and success is that it’s becoming an even more conducive environment for people to make real life connections in business or creativity or even (especially) romance”.
For the first time I realize that I have been cyber-stereotyping. Not everyone in Second Life is looking for cybersex, or fighting aliens. This place could help me find a job or opportunity. And not like Monster or Craigslist can. This is the next step.

SECOND LIFE
Ok. So now I’m pumped. A new outlook on the Virtual world. Timo McCallen is ready to tour tutorial island….

It started off great. Someone asked me the other day what my superpower would be if I could have one, and my wish of flying was granted. I perfected this, and then landed down the road where I was graphically hit on by a man on a steam roller. I then found myself in a stripclub which happened to a few people in this class. After running away from strippers and bartenders, I wound up in the desert. I was lost and couldnt find Tutorial Island. It was dusk and getting dark quick. Second Life, like Halo and the Sims before it has left me lost and lonely. I decided to call it a night in my second and first life. I guess Im not meant for the virtual world, or maybe I need to practice.

The experience was not all bad. Combined with the readings, I learned that the virtual world does have a lot more to offer than I thought.

-Tim-