Course Project: Second Life

References

community.secondlife.com. (2012, February 15). Retrieved February 20, 2012, from Second Life Usage Information: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Featured-News/Q1-2011-Linden-Dollar-Economy-Metrics-Up-Users-and-Usage/ba-p/856693

Dell, K. (2008, May 12). time.com. Retrieved February 22, 2012, from Time Science: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1739601,00.html

Mouse8u. (2012, February 16). Second Life Thoughts. (D. D. Torre, Interviewer)

Sherwin, J. (2007, June/July). psychologicalscience.org. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from APS: http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=2179

Singh, I. (2011, November 29). virtualventshub.com. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from Virtual Events: http://www.virtualeventshub.com/virtual-event-trends/what-virtual-worlds-tell-us-about-human-social-behavior/

Zanjask. (2012, February 15). Second Life Thoughts. (D. D. Torre, Interviewer)

Course Project: Second Life

Summary of Second Life Findings

     As I approach the end of my journey researching the nature of Second Life, I find myself reflecting on my findings. There is no doubt in my mind that the virtual world can serve as a medium for observing human behavior. I have however come to contemplate how accurate the data obtained using this method really is. There is an undeniable and un-inhibited connection between how users behave and react depending on the avatar. One user I questioned told me that all he wanted out of a virtual world as Second Life was an interactive medium that allowed him to create exactly what he wanted. That meeting someone within SL for him simply meant finding other users that enjoyed similar interests. This is a natural response and one that all people share we all flock to those who share our similar interest. We try to limit our social interactions in a typical day to people and friends we can relate to on numerous levels. That being said my overall conclusion is that Second Life as many other software-based games are limited to certain types of behavioral studies. There is also no guarantee that the information obtained within the world can accurately paint a complete picture of human behavior. As everyone within the world is free to do and act as they see fit. There is no real filter or control by which you can base your research off; elements of the real world tend not to apply in the same sense within SL. They are there but they are always there on more loosely terms. For the end goal of Second Life is still to provide a space were users could do anything and everything they want. With this comes differing opinions based on the individual user needs. Some as described above just want a place to hang out with like-minded individuals, while others want to completely change themselves to fit a different personality

Course Project: Second Life

Day 19

How do the 3D spaces used by different people online in SL reflect their interests & personalities? 

     3D spaces within Second Life can tell you a great deal about the users that inhabit its confines. Every user within Second Life is there for their individual reasons but one reason that most users all agree on is that they are there to have fun and enjoy themselves. Fun can have different meanings to different users but one common factor that can be attributed to the fun factor for all users is being around interests the user finds interesting to them. In order to have fun the user has to be within an environment that he can personally relate to. That is why within Second Life you will find 3D spaces that target different types of venues and interests this is in order to reach the broadest amount of users it can. Observing which 3D space users like to spend time can tell you a great deal about their likes, interests, and even dislikes. If you observe that a user frequents spaces with more open an organic themes with mellow music. You can then discern that the user prefers more peaceful and tranquil settings away from all of the industrialized cities. Contrary to this if a user frequents very congested spaces with an over abundance of people then you can discern that the user prefers a setting in which they can socialize more. The simple matter is that we humans naturally seek that which provides us the most comfort and that need varies based on the individuals values, needs, and wants. Every little thing we do tells a story about who we are and what we want but often the cues are so minute that we do not take the time to consider the greater significance of that detail.

Course Project: Second Life

Day 18

     One can gather a great deal of information from observing the virtual goods for sale within its virtual world. As everything that is created within the virtual world is created with its users in mind. No virtual world can survive without its users and developers know this and they create and implement new features and content to supplement its users. This is further expanded when you begin to talk about virtual economies as you begin to have users selling to other users within the world. The rules and principles are still the same in that the user that is selling you goods still has to adhere to the majority of the users needs and wants to have a succesful business within the world. That is why you see a great deal of the sellers within the store focus on the selling of specific or key virtual goods proven to be succesful. Every so often sellers will break from this covention and create new and unique virtual goods. At the time of writing this blog users can find different virtual goods as animals, animations, apparel, art, audio and video, avatar accessories, and much, much more. The simple matter is that you can find all types of virtual goods within the store and that is because its users demand a wide assortment of content. Studying and observing the market place within SL is a great way of understanding the type of people that inhibit the world of SL. By understandin the interests of the users we can better develop a more concrete picture of those users behaviors and interests. We can then in turn use this information to better understand what it is that drives users to SL and what will keep them coming back.

Course Project: Second Life

Day 13

    Last time I talked about the different items on sale within SL discussing my thoughts and observations as to why the users would be interested in purchasing them. Today I want to expand on that by talking about the process of buying and seelling virtual goods within SL. In order to purchase anything within the world of Second Life you need to have the standard form of currency for the virtual world. You cannot simply go in with currency from your country if origin first you must buy the in world currency called Linden dollars. I believe the developers choose this route because dealing with various different currencies ans exchange rates would of ended up being to difficult. This way everyon within the virtual world goes and buys Linden dollars with their real money and then can proceed to purchase waht they want within Second Life without dealing  with figuring out how much 1 pound is in U.S. dollars. There are two ways of acquiring Linden Dollars one is through the use of the second life webpage were you click on BUYL$ at the top right corner of the screen. The other method is to purchase the Linden Dollars from within the game from anywhere within the world by clicking on BUYL$ from within the Second Life viewer screen. If you have not set up billing information the first time you buy Linden dollars you will have to fill it out before you can purchase any money.

Course Project: Second Life

Day 12

    

     In all modern societies, there is always and invisible guide of norms that one must follow to be accepted within society. A set of norms that determine what is and is not acceptable this concept transcends several venues from fashion, sports, to religion. Each of these has its own set of guides and trends that change over time based on new content. I was interested in determining whether this concept also translated into the world of Second Life. I wondered if users would view me differently based on my decision not to purchase new threads for my character. I discovered that as in real life, opinions were mixed and depending on the user, the answer would change. It is no secret that norms in modern society do not apply within Second Life as the world promotes complete individuality for its user. However, within this virtual world there still lies a set of norms and trends that users follow. I found that certain users really did not care much about character customization, as what they were interested was the overall content that the world provided. Contrary to this, I also found users that relished the ability to customize their characters the way they saw fit and for them this meant a great deal. I found this to be very similar to the real world in that opinions are always subjective and completely dependent on the person being asked. As interests differ, so will their opinions on the matter of what is and is not important.

Course Project: Second Life

Day 11

    In order to understand what makes Second Life so appealing we must first take some time to analyze the content that makes up the virtual shop within SL.  Let's take a look at 5 items on sale this week within Second Life's shop and make scientific predictions on the type of people that are the most likely to purchase the content. 

     One item for sale this week within the SL  shop is  the Chroma Teleporter System. Chroma is  a 'pad' that you place on the ground, which allows you to transport your avatar to and from multiple locations on a sim. I see this item attracting all users who are unhappy with or are simply seeking a new way of getting around SL. This saves users the trouble of opening the destination menu and selecting a location to travel. All you have to do is simply preset the pads to popular destinations that you frequent, then it is simple as standing on the pad and selecting to transport to said destination.

Chroma Teleporter

      Another item for sale this week is the REBORN:. Streetwear Cap/w Scarf Female. This a small collection of accessories for customizing your characters look. This is an item that I see targeted towards any individual within SL that is looking to customize the look and feel of their character by changing their attire.



REBORN:. Streetwear Cap/w Scarf Female

  

     The third item for sale this week that i want to share is the Valycion FAMAS Assault Rifle. This item is a complete virtual recreation of an assault rifle completely customizable to its users taste with several attachments available. I see this item being purchased by any user within Second Life who is a gun enthusiast and enjoys customizing them. I also see this item being very popular with users who also enjoy first-person shooter games as this item mimics some of the qualities that you may find within those types of games.

Valycion FAMAS Assault Rifle

    

     The fourth item is The Energy Loft B156 *Fully Furnished* Skybox. This item is a complete virtual house within the world of Second Life. The house comes with virtual decor and several other perks for its users. This item is most appealing to all users within the world that value having a personal space to socialize with their friends without having to deal with unwanted interactions with unknown users.

The Energy Loft B156 *Fully Furnished* Skybox

   

    The last item of this week that I want to briefly dissect is the .::Vassnia::. Lorelei - Wedding Gown. This is a wedding gown based on a special request. It includes a high quality top, bottom, skirt with attachments and sculpted back and front bows, the skirt is scripted so you can touch it and resize or reposition parts individually to adjust the dress to your size and shape. This is an item that I see targeted towards any individual within SL that are looking to customize the look and feel of their character by changing their attire. As I continue to explore this virtual worlds shop I have concluded that clothing attire seems to make up for a sizeable chunk of the store. This further helps my initial observation that Second Life is a virtual world in which players can feel free to express themselves without any concerns for succumbing to standards or norms of real life.



Wedding Gown