Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Cinemassively: Stroker Serpentine Interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/cinemassively-stroker-serpentine-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/cinemassively-stroker-serpentine-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/cinemassively-stroker-serpentine-interview/#commentsFiled under: , ,

(Given the fact that this is a morning show, language, nudity, and anything potentially offensive is missing.)

When I first met Stroker Serpentine, the king of adult products in Second Life, at SLCC 2006, I was expecting someone creepy. However, he was one of the kindest people I've ever met. He was supposed to speak at SXSW last week, but ended up cancelling due to this CBS Early Show interview.

In the video, Tracey Smith asked Stroker some candid questions about his profession in SL. What struck me most is that they portrayed it objectively, instead of sensationally. They even featured viewpoints from escorts and a cyber law expert!

MassivelyCinemassively: Stroker Serpentine Interview originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cbs-early-showcinemassivelykevin-aldermanlinden-labsecond-lifeslslcc06stroker-serpentinesxsw08tracey-smithSun, 16 Mar 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Multiverse co-founder describes new virtual world order]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/multiverse-co-founder-describes-new-virtual-world-order/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/multiverse-co-founder-describes-new-virtual-world-order/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/multiverse-co-founder-describes-new-virtual-world-order/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Multiverse's Corey Bridges spoke at the SXSW conference about the effects digital distribution and the democratization of advanced development tools will have on the industries of gaming, social networks, and virtual worlds.

Gamasutra put together a great summary of the talk. The thesis: just as they are stripping the entrenched establishments of the music and film industries of much of their oligarchical power, new technologies will transform online gaming and virtual worlds. According to Bridges, virtual worlds are just getting started. "WoW is not a fad," he said, "it's a harbinger." Furthermore, the virtual worlds will be in the hands of indies, not the major conglomerates, and they'll be synergized with social networks.

Bridges also touched on the notion of a more splintered industry made up of smaller projects catering to lots of niche tastes, as opposed to the huge Hollywood-budget productions we see today. A while back someone said that it would take at least a $1 billion super project to take on World of Warcraft. But maybe, as it was with the Roman Empire, the wolves at Blizzard's gate will be countless smaller tribes made up of the so-called unwashed hordes.

MassivelyMultiverse co-founder describes new virtual world order originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>corey-bridgesgamasutraindiemultiversepredictionsprojectionssocial-networkingsocial-networkssxswsxsw08virtual-worldsworld-of-warcraftWed, 12 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW08: How gamers are adopting the wiki way]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/08/sxsw08-how-gamers-are-adopting-the-wiki-way/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/08/sxsw08-how-gamers-are-adopting-the-wiki-way/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/08/sxsw08-how-gamers-are-adopting-the-wiki-way/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


One of the many excellent sessions in the ScreenBurn track at SXSW Interactive this year, the "How Gamers Are Adopting the Wiki Way" panel featured George Pribul (lead admin of WoWWiki.com), April "CuppaJo" Burba (Community Manager for Tabula Rasa), Angelique Shelton (GM of Wikia Gaming at Wikia Inc), and Jake McKee (Principal at Ant's Eye View) talking about the symbiotic relationship between gamers and wikis. Interesting factoid: WoWWiki is now the second largest English-language wiki in the world behind Wikipedia. At 3 million unique users per month, a full half of English-speaking WoW players visit WoWWiki every month.

One of the initial questions was the obvious, "Why wikis?" Pribul answered that forums, the traditional places where gamer communities gather, aren't very good formats for organizing information. Wikis not only organize information very well but allow community collaboration on data that changes over time. A question from the audience next asked about the significance of wikis for other industries besides gaming. Shelton responded, "Whatever people have a natural passion about, and any way you can enable your customers to come together and collaborate on their passion -- wikis are an amazing tool for that. Individuals can step up and take ownership of something." She mentioned that people often wonder why anyone would want to write content for free, and used a basketball analogy to counter that: even though you could get paid to do it in the NBA, people still play pickup games on the street. The social dynamics within a wiki give participants pride, attribution, and community elevation -- people get social status for sharing this information.

Gallery: SXSW 2008

Continue reading SXSW08: How gamers are adopting the wiki way

MassivelySXSW08: How gamers are adopting the wiki way originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angelique-sheltonapril-burbablizzardfeaturedgaming-wikisgeorge-pribuljake-mckeencsoftSXSWSXSW08TRwikiawikisWOWwowwikiSat, 08 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST