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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Free for All: The second annual Frindie Awards]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/free-for-all-the-second-annual-frindie-awards/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/free-for-all-the-second-annual-frindie-awards/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/free-for-all-the-second-annual-frindie-awards/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/real-life/" rel="tag">Real-Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/sci-fi/" rel="tag">Sci-Fi</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/asherons-call/" rel="tag">Asheron's Call</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/contests/" rel="tag">Contests</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/culture/" rel="tag">Culture</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/pvp/" rel="tag">PvP</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/ryzom/" rel="tag">Ryzom</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-matrix-online/" rel="tag">The Matrix Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/wurm-online/" rel="tag">Wurm Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/pve/" rel="tag">PvE</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life/" rel="tag">Second Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/vanguard/" rel="tag">Vanguard</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/runescape/" rel="tag">RuneScape</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/browser/" rel="tag">Browser</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mobile/" rel="tag">Mobile</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/casual/" rel="tag">Casual</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mabinogi/" rel="tag">Mabinogi</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/kids/" rel="tag">Kids</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/alganon/" rel="tag">Alganon</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-for-all/" rel="tag">Free for All</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/family/" rel="tag">Family</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/misc/" rel="tag">Miscellaneous</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/enter-at-your-own-rift/" rel="tag">Enter at Your Own Rift</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/sandbox/" rel="tag">Sandbox</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/free-for-all-the-second-annual-frindie-awards/"><img alt="Frindie Awards logo" data-src-height="247" data-src-width="530" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2013/01/friendies.jpg" style="margin: 4px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" /></a></div>
It's time once again for the <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/Frindies/">Frindie Awards</a>, my attempt to shine some light on the best indie, browser-based, free-to-play, and unusual MMOs that are all-too-often ignored by press -- and players. This one is for the little guys! Well, mostly. It's also for those games that seem to have passed under the collective radar of Massively readers or that seem to be very misunderstood.<br />
<br />
Picking the winners this year is just as hard as it was last year, maybe even harder. 2012 was an <em>incredible</em> year for MMOs, so I would rather have just put together an article that highlights every single favorite. In the end, it's more helpful to make myself pick out a winner. It's a rare thing for some of these games to even receive a nod on a major website, something I still can't figure out. Either way, it's best to think of <em>all</em> of the MMOs on this list as my favorites from 2012.<br />
<br />
Anyway, let's get to the awards!<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/free-for-all-the-second-annual-frindie-awards/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Free for All: The second annual Frindie Awards</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/free-for-all-the-second-annual-frindie-awards/">Free for All: The second annual Frindie Awards</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/free-for-all-the-second-annual-frindie-awards/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20413448/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/02/free-for-all-the-second-annual-frindie-awards/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>a-mystical-land</category><category>alganon</category><category>arcane-legends</category><category>asherons-call</category><category>beau-hindman</category><category>browser</category><category>castle-empire</category><category>club-penguin</category><category>deepworld</category><category>derek-smart</category><category>drakensang-online</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>ffa</category><category>forge-of-empires</category><category>free-for-all</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>freemium</category><category>frindie</category><category>frindie-awards</category><category>frindies</category><category>gameglobe</category><category>glitch</category><category>habbo-hotel</category><category>innogames</category><category>istaria</category><category>jagex</category><category>life-is-magic</category><category>linden-lab</category><category>milmo</category><category>nadirim</category><category>opinion</category><category>runescape</category><category>Ryzom</category><category>salem</category><category>Sandbox</category><category>second-life</category><category>SOE</category><category>Sony-Online-Entertainment</category><category>spacetime-studios</category><category>Square-Enix</category><category>Star-Stable</category><category>the-matrix-online</category><category>the-missing-ink</category><category>There</category><category>There Will Be Blood</category><category>tiny-speck</category><category>travian</category><category>turbine</category><category>Vanguard-Saga-of-Heroes</category><category>velvet-rope</category><category>wakfu</category><category>wurm-online</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Beau Hindman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: There]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/rise-and-shiny-there/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/rise-and-shiny-there/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/rise-and-shiny-there/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/culture/" rel="tag">Culture</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/casual/" rel="tag">Casual</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/humor/" rel="tag">Humor</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/livestream/" rel="tag">Livestream</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/misc/" rel="tag">Miscellaneous</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/sandbox/" rel="tag">Sandbox</a></p><div style="text-align: center; ">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/rise-and-shiny-there/"><img alt="There screenshot" data-src-height="274" data-src-width="530" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2012/09/fullscreen-capture-9142012-44435-pm.bmp.jpg" style="margin: 4px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; " /></a></div>
I remember years ago staying up very late, usually on the weekends, chatting about politics or religion in a wonderful social MMO called <a href="http://www.there.com/"><em>There</em></a>. My wife and I would join a bunch of online friends to haunt parties and other gatherings, often getting booted out because we would bring up sensitive topics or would act too silly. <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/THERE/"><em>There</em></a> was a great world to cut my social MMO teeth on. I had already been playing <a href="http://www.uoherald.com/"><em>Ultima Online</em></a> and <a href="http://www.everquest.com/"><em>EverQuest</em></a> starting around '99, but <em>There</em> was a brand-new experience. I loved it. Social MMOs are a rare thing, often ruled by half-naked people and driven by mature themes. While <em>There</em> did have its "private parties" (if you know what I mean), it was generally a friendly place with a better creeps-to-normal-people ratio than other social MMOs.<br />
<br />
The game shut down in 2010, and I honestly thought it was gone forever. Somehow I missed the fact that it relaunched not so long ago, and this past week I was able to not only log in to the game but resurrect my avatar from all those years ago.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the game seems largely empty, but I do normally visit MMOs during the day. Still, I took a few screenshots and compared them to older ones just to show how things have changed. What a week. What a nostalgic, wonderful week.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/rise-and-shiny-there/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Rise and Shiny: There</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/rise-and-shiny-there/">Rise and Shiny: There</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sun, 16 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/rise-and-shiny-there/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20324388/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/rise-and-shiny-there/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>beau-hindman</category><category>customization</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>hands-on</category><category>IMVU</category><category>livestream</category><category>makena</category><category>makena-technologies</category><category>massively-tv</category><category>rise-and-shiny</category><category>second-life</category><category>social-mmo</category><category>socializing</category><category>stream</category><category>There</category><category>twitch</category><category>twitch-tv</category><category>video</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Beau Hindman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 16 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Previously on MV TV: The week of September 8th]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/previously-on-mv-tv-the-week-of-september-8th/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/previously-on-mv-tv-the-week-of-september-8th/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/previously-on-mv-tv-the-week-of-september-8th/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/aion/" rel="tag">Aion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/everquest-ii/" rel="tag">EverQuest II</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/previews/" rel="tag">Previews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/professions/" rel="tag">Professions</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/vanguard/" rel="tag">Vanguard</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/guild-wars-2/" rel="tag">Guild Wars 2</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/casual/" rel="tag">Casual</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/humor/" rel="tag">Humor</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/guides/" rel="tag">Guides</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/livestream/" rel="tag">Livestream</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/misc/" rel="tag">Miscellaneous</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/sandbox/" rel="tag">Sandbox</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/previously-on-mv-tv/" rel="tag">Previously on MV TV</a></p><div style="text-align: center; ">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/previously-on-mv-tv-the-week-of-september-8th/"><img alt="Previously On MV TV banner" data-src-height="208" data-src-width="530" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2012/09/fullscreen-capture-2102012-84938-pm-001-1347721242.jpg" style="margin: 4px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; " /></a></div>
It's starting to cool down outside, at least here in Texas. Trust me, I know how strange that sounds, but the temperature during the middle of the day is moving up as usual and the mornings and evenings are pure bliss. If it's cold where you are now, settle down with a cup of coffee and take that newspaper and throw it in the trash! Who needs to <em>read</em>? Follow the magic links down below, and not only will you get the news, but it will be delivered in a completely non-newsy form: video game streams!<br />
<br />
Let's break down the top stories for this week. First, we'll be joined by the Pigster as he takes us on a tour of <a href="http://www.spiralknights.com/"><em>Spiral Knight</em></a>'s planet. Richie is still stuck in <a href="https://www.guildwars2.com/en/"><em>Guild Wars 2</em></a>, but trooper that he is, he continues to file reports from the front lines. How brave! <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/editor/mj-guthrie">MJ</a> returns this week with a recipe for Gnoll burritos from <a href="http://www.everquest2.com/"><em>EverQuest II</em></a>, a newbie tour through the character mines of <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/guild-wars-2/"><em>Guild Wars 2</em></a>, a quickie glimpse of the floating islands of <a href="http://www.vanguardthegame.com/?cid=1063240"><em>Vanguard: Saga of Heroes</em></a>, and an avocado dip recipe given to her by the pirates of <a href="http://na.aiononline.com/"><em>Aion</em></a>. I finish off by travelling back in time to a game called <a href="http://www.there.com/"><em>There</em></a>, a title that kept <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/editor/beau-hindman">me</a> up for ages when I was younger.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/previously-on-mv-tv-the-week-of-september-8th/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Previously on MV TV: The week of September 8th</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/previously-on-mv-tv-the-week-of-september-8th/">Previously on MV TV: The week of September 8th</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sun, 16 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/previously-on-mv-tv-the-week-of-september-8th/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20324371/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/16/previously-on-mv-tv-the-week-of-september-8th/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>aion</category><category>beau-hindman</category><category>featured</category><category>Guild-Wars-2</category><category>livestreaming</category><category>makena</category><category>massively-streamteam</category><category>massively-tv</category><category>mv-tv</category><category>mvtv</category><category>ncsoft</category><category>round-up</category><category>roundup</category><category>SOE</category><category>SONY</category><category>Sony-Online-Entertainment</category><category>spiral-knights</category><category>stream</category><category>streamers</category><category>streaming</category><category>streamteam</category><category>There</category><category>There Will Be Blood</category><category>three-rings</category><category>twitch</category><category>twitch-tv</category><category>vanguard</category><category>Vanguard-Saga-of-Heroes</category><category>video</category><category>videos</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Beau Hindman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 16 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: Creating content for cash]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/14/some-assembly-required-creating-content-for-cash/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/14/some-assembly-required-creating-content-for-cash/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/14/some-assembly-required-creating-content-for-cash/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/aion/" rel="tag">Aion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/everquest/" rel="tag">EverQuest</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/everquest-ii/" rel="tag">EverQuest II</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/business-models/" rel="tag">Business Models</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/game-mechanics/" rel="tag">Game Mechanics</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mmo-industry/" rel="tag">MMO Industry</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life/" rel="tag">Second Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/all-points-bulletin/" rel="tag">All Points Bulletin</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/misc/" rel="tag">Miscellaneous</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/some-assembly-required/" rel="tag">Some Assembly Required</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/14/some-assembly-required-creating-content-for-cash/"><img alt="Some Assembly Required  Creating content for cash" data-src-height="330" data-src-width="530" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2012/09/sar-brain-header.jpg" /></a></div>
Housing. Mission generators. Player-run festivals. Music. Overall general sandboxy goodness. Since its debut over a year ago, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/some-assembly-required/">Some Assembly Required</a> has covered a number of topics related to player-generated content as well as the games that offer such features. However, recent events have turned my attention toward a different aspect of PGC.<br />
<br />
Between the <a href="http://blog.dota2.com/"><em>Dota 2</em></a> <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/10/valve-removes-player-created-aion-mace-from-dota-2/">incident</a> and <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/06/create-and-sell-your-own-in-game-items-with-soes-player-studi/">last week's announcement</a> from <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/soe/">Sony Online Entertainment</a>, I am actually looking at player-generated content in a whole new way: as a revenue generator. That's right -- collecting cold hard cash for your creativity. Although plenty of titles allow players to create content and share it within the games, very few let players sell that content for real-world money. This column explores the cash-for-content phenomenon in MMOs: what games have it, how to use it, and whether it is likely to become the next big thing.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/14/some-assembly-required-creating-content-for-cash/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Some Assembly Required: Creating content for cash</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/14/some-assembly-required-creating-content-for-cash/">Some Assembly Required: Creating content for cash</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/14/some-assembly-required-creating-content-for-cash/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20320962/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/14/some-assembly-required-creating-content-for-cash/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>aion</category><category>all-points-bulletin</category><category>all-points-bulletin-reloaded</category><category>apb</category><category>apb-reloaded</category><category>apbr</category><category>ascension</category><category>cash-for-content</category><category>crime</category><category>Dota-2</category><category>f2p</category><category>fantasy</category><category>featured</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>g1</category><category>game-mechanics</category><category>gamersfirst</category><category>IMVU</category><category>ncsoft</category><category>opinion</category><category>pgc</category><category>player-content</category><category>player-generated-content</category><category>pvp</category><category>sandbox</category><category>sar</category><category>selling-content-for-cash</category><category>selling-PGC</category><category>selling-UGC</category><category>some-assembly-required</category><category>THERE</category><category>truly-free</category><category>UGC-for-cash</category><category>Whirled</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[MJ Guthrie]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: Knight Age]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/rise-and-shiny-knight-age/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/rise-and-shiny-knight-age/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/rise-and-shiny-knight-age/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/betas/" rel="tag">Betas</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/screenshots/" rel="tag">Screenshots</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/game-mechanics/" rel="tag">Game Mechanics</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/new-titles/" rel="tag">New Titles</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/previews/" rel="tag">Previews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/casual/" rel="tag">Casual</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/humor/" rel="tag">Humor</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/kids/" rel="tag">Kids</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/family/" rel="tag">Family</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/rise-and-shiny/" rel="tag">Rise and Shiny</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/livestream/" rel="tag">Livestream</a></p><div style="text-align: center; ">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/rise-and-shiny-knight-age/"><img alt="Knight Age screenshot" data-src-height="339" data-src-width="530" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2012/09/fullscreen-capture-8282012-24534-pm.jpg" style="margin: 4px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; " /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.joymax.com/knightage/"><em>Knight Age</em></a> is an adorable new Anime MMO brought to us by <a href="http://www.joymax.com/portal/">Joymax</a>. I want to emphasize the word <em>adorable</em> because the game is perfectly designed to illicit a reaction that is something along the lines of "<em>Awww, look how cute that is! My head is explo..</em>" and it really does have that effect. In fact I love the graphics of <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/Knight-Age/">Knight Age</a></em> so much that I would give anything to see an MMO developed that looks like <em>Knight Age</em> yet has the hardcore ruleset of, say, a <a href="http://www.wurmonline.com/"><em>Wurm Online</em></a> or <a href="http://www.darkfallonline.com/"><em>Darkfall</em></a>. Yes, I am entirely serious. Strange how many players tend to think that "serious" or "hardcore" titles need serious or machine-taxing graphics. That's simply not true; just ask a <a href="http://us.battle.net/wow/en/"><em>World of Warcraft</em></a> raider.<br />
<br />
The point is that the graphics of <em>Knight Age</em> are one of my favorite things in the entire universe. The characters are chunky and solid, the animations are smooth, and the game runs like butter. Does this mean I do not like more realistic graphics? No, it means that I like <em>all sorts</em> of graphics and all sorts of gameplay. It's possible for a writer to enjoy different things. I know, crazy huh?<br />
<br />
But what does <em>Knight Age</em> offer other than amazingly awww-rific graphics? Some interesting gameplay, that's what, and a soft grind. Allow me to explain.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/rise-and-shiny-knight-age/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Rise and Shiny: Knight Age</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/rise-and-shiny-knight-age/">Rise and Shiny: Knight Age</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/rise-and-shiny-knight-age/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20319002/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/rise-and-shiny-knight-age/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>beau-hindman</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>hands-on</category><category>joymax</category><category>Knight-Age</category><category>livestream</category><category>massively-tv</category><category>rise-and-shiny</category><category>social</category><category>social-mmo</category><category>stream</category><category>there</category><category>twitch</category><category>twitch-tv</category><category>video</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Beau Hindman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 09 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Free for All: Zeroing in on my favorite free-to-play mains]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/free-for-all-zeroing-in-on-my-favorite-free-to-play-mains/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/free-for-all-zeroing-in-on-my-favorite-free-to-play-mains/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/free-for-all-zeroing-in-on-my-favorite-free-to-play-mains/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/screenshots/" rel="tag">Screenshots</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/culture/" rel="tag">Culture</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/browser/" rel="tag">Browser</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/races/" rel="tag">Races</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/casual/" rel="tag">Casual</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/kids/" rel="tag">Kids</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-for-all/" rel="tag">Free for All</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/family/" rel="tag">Family</a></p><div style="text-align: center; ">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/free-for-all-zeroing-in-on-my-favorite-free-to-play-mains/"><img alt="My Vanguard main" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2012/05/screenshot00002-001.jpg" /></a></div>
I felt a little nostalgic this week. Heck, at my age, I feel nostalgic every time I smell chimney smoke or hear Christmas music. I suspect it will only grow more common with age. MMOs have been such a huge part of my life for well over a decade now that I feel nostalgic about many of the things that happened during that time, and for many of the characters I have grown -- and lost.<br />
<br />
I'm not <em>overly </em>sentimental about it, but it is interesting how we feel about the pixelated versions of ourselves, the ones we control while sitting at a keyboard or while touching a tablet. I don't want to downplay how important gaming can be for many of us, either. Once, years ago, I met a fellow player in a social game called <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/There/">There</a></em>. She was a wonderful person who had over time lost the ability to walk. She loved the freedom that the avatar gave her. Needless to say, she was <em>very</em> connected to her character.<br />
<br />
I made a short list of some of my favorite characters from the years. As I think about it, this list says a lot about me as a gamer and about the types of games I love.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/free-for-all-zeroing-in-on-my-favorite-free-to-play-mains/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Free for All: Zeroing in on my favorite free-to-play mains</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/free-for-all-zeroing-in-on-my-favorite-free-to-play-mains/">Free for All: Zeroing in on my favorite free-to-play mains</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Wed, 09 May 2012 20:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/free-for-all-zeroing-in-on-my-favorite-free-to-play-mains/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20233699/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/free-for-all-zeroing-in-on-my-favorite-free-to-play-mains/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>beau-hindman</category><category>beau-turkey</category><category>Changyou</category><category>f2p</category><category>featured</category><category>ffa</category><category>free-for-all</category><category>free-realms</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>freemium</category><category>glitch</category><category>jagex</category><category>milmo</category><category>opinion</category><category>runescape</category><category>Ryzom</category><category>SOE</category><category>SONY</category><category>Sony-Online-Entertainment</category><category>spellborn</category><category>the-chronicles-of-spellborn</category><category>there</category><category>tiny-speck</category><category>Vanguard-Saga-of-Heroes</category><category>velvet-rope</category><category>zentia</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Beau Hindman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 09 May 2012 20:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Free Realms]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/rise-and-shiny-recap-free-realms/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/rise-and-shiny-recap-free-realms/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/rise-and-shiny-recap-free-realms/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/hands-on/" rel="tag">Hands-On</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/casual/" rel="tag">Casual</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-realms/" rel="tag">Free Realms</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/kids/" rel="tag">Kids</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/family/" rel="tag">Family</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/rise-and-shiny/" rel="tag">Rise and Shiny</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/livestream/" rel="tag">Livestream</a></p><div style="text-align: center; "><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-realms/"><img border="1" hspace="4" vspace="4" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/02/main-1-530.jpg" /></a></div>
I remember when <em><a href="http://www.freerealms.com">Free Realms</a></em> was announced and when <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/laralynmcwilliams">Laralyn McWilliams</a> showed off a peeing puppy, in real-time, at Fan Faire. Everyone was excited for the new game and world -- even hardened raiders and roleplayers. The demo was just <em>cool-</em>looking and had a very unique feel to it. Most gamers' only experiences with a social or "real-life"-style game were with <em><a href="http://www.secondlife.com">Second Life</a></em>, and those experiences were often tainted by run-ins with 40-something-year-old bondage fans. <br />
<br />
My experience was slightly more broad. I spent a lot of my earlier MMO years within games like <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/">There</a></em>, <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life/">Second Life</a></em>, <em><a href="http://www.furcadia.com/">Furcadia</a></em> and a few others. While I was not a fan of some of the <em>stranger</em> people who frequented these games, I loved the idea of a game that allowed players to just hang out, to live in a virtual world, and to form relationships. My first experience with disabled players was through <em>There</em>, and ever since then I have looked at MMOs differently. So when <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-realms/">Free Realms</a></em> was announced and released, I looked forward to spending time in a game that revisited that style of "living" in a game world. <br />
<br />
Over the last week, I decided to peek back into the world to see how it has been holding up. Click past the cut to find out how it worked out!<br type="_moz" /><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/rise-and-shiny-recap-free-realms/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Rise and Shiny recap: Free Realms</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/rise-and-shiny-recap-free-realms/">Rise and Shiny recap: Free Realms</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/rise-and-shiny-recap-free-realms/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19840111/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/rise-and-shiny-recap-free-realms/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>beau-hindman</category><category>f2p</category><category>family</category><category>featured</category><category>free-realms</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>freemium</category><category>ftp</category><category>furcadia</category><category>kids</category><category>real-life</category><category>rise-and-shiny</category><category>second-life</category><category>social-games</category><category>SOE</category><category>Sony-Online-Entertainment</category><category>There</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Beau Hindman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Free for All: Remembering my first F2P experiences]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/free-for-all-remembering-my-first-ftp-experiences/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/free-for-all-remembering-my-first-ftp-experiences/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/free-for-all-remembering-my-first-ftp-experiences/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/world-of-warcraft/" rel="tag">World of Warcraft</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/sci-fi/" rel="tag">Sci-Fi</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/anarchy-online/" rel="tag">Anarchy Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/flyff/" rel="tag">Flyff</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/business-models/" rel="tag">Business Models</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/casual/" rel="tag">Casual</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-for-all/" rel="tag">Free for All</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/rose-online/"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/07/rose-for-ffa-1.jpg" /></a></div>
I sit here, racking my brain, trying to think of the very first free-to-play game that I experienced. It's been quite a long time, at least seven years. As a quick history, I started in MMORPGs in '99, by bringing home a box of <a href="http://www.uoherald.com/news/"><em>Ultima</em> <em>Online</em></a> for my wife to look at. She laughed at me at first, but soon I would return home from work to find her in the middle of a marathon gaming session. We then switched to <a href="http://everquest.station.sony.com/"><em>EverQuest</em></a> and then to <a href="http://www.cityofheroes.com/en.html"><em>City of Heroes</em></a>. In between those major choices, I spent a lot of time exploring the internet for new games. <br />
<br />
I <em>want</em> to say that one of the first free-to-play games I found was <a href="http://flyff.gpotato.com/"><em>FLYFF</em></a>, or possibly <a href="http://www.roseonlinegame.com/"><em>ROSE Online</em></a>. It's hard to remember exactly. I searched old emails and found a few references to some games, but I can only verify start dates like February of 2004 for games like <a href="http://www.there.com/info/homepage"><em>There</em></a> or <a href="http://secondlife.com/"><em>Second Life</em></a>. On a side-note, my <a href="http://www.eveonline.com/"><em>EVE</em></a> account started on July 30th, 2004. Regardless, I can remember my first experiences with free-to-play games. I recall the grindy-yet-beautiful worlds I visited, marveling at high-level players who must have played for six months solidly in order to achieve their greatness.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/free-for-all-remembering-my-first-ftp-experiences/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Free for All: Remembering my first F2P experiences</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/free-for-all-remembering-my-first-ftp-experiences/">Free for All: Remembering my first F2P experiences</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/free-for-all-remembering-my-first-ftp-experiences/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19550737/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/free-for-all-remembering-my-first-ftp-experiences/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Anarchy-Online</category><category>ArchLord</category><category>beau-hindman</category><category>cash-shop</category><category>city-of-heroes</category><category>COH</category><category>everquest</category><category>f2p</category><category>facebook</category><category>featured</category><category>flyff</category><category>free-for-all</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>ftp</category><category>maple-story</category><category>rose-online</category><category>second-life</category><category>there</category><category>Ultima-Online</category><category>UO</category><category>World-of-Warcraft</category><category>wow</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Beau Hindman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Kate Paiz takes LotRO's Exec Producer reins from Jeffrey Steefel]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/" rel="tag">Lord of the Rings Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mmo-industry/" rel="tag">MMO Industry</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/06/paiz.jpg"  alt="" /></a></div>
For <a href="http://www.lotro.com/"><em>Lord of the Rings Online</em></a> fans and players, this past weekend was undoubtedly one of the busiest news periods for the title since launch.  Once official word hit that <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lord-of-the-rings-online/"><em>LotRO</em></a> was indeed <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/04/lord-of-the-rings-online-going-free-to-play-this-fall/">going free-to-play</a>, players had <a href="http://www.lotro.com/betasignup/faq.html"><em>FAQs</em></a> and <a href="http://www.lotro.com/betasignup/vipchart.html">charts</a> and <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/04/lotro-goes-free-to-play-massivelys-interview-with-turbine/">numerous interviews</a> to read, digest and figure out what it meant for the future of the game.<br />
<br />
It's understandable that a second big announcement would get lost amid the flurry of F2P frenzy, especially since it was packaged in with the F2P announcement itself.  However, now that things have settled somewhat, it's important to recognize a significant leadership change at Turbine.  <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/kate-paiz/">Kate Paiz</a> has taken over as Executive Producer for the title, following in <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/jeffrey-steefel/">Jeffrey Steefel's</a> footsteps, who has moved on to a new project at Turbine.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=335117">According to her introduction letter</a>, Paiz worked as a producer for both <a href="http://there.com/info/homepage"><em>There.com</em></a> and <a href="http://www.ddo.com/"><em>DDO</em></a>, and helped to supervise the latter's transition into its successful hybrid F2P model.  This experience will be invaluable for <em>LotRO's</em> new evolution, and she couldn't be happier: <em>"Given my background, it's hardly surprising that I believe very strongly in the power of providing gamers with a choice in how they pay and play our games."   </em>Considering that one of her first public acts as Executive Producer was to handle the bombardment of interviews and forum questions about <em>LotRO's</em> upcoming model, one could say that her new position was forged in the fires of Mt. Doom itself.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/">Kate Paiz takes LotRO's Exec Producer reins from Jeffrey Steefel</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19505948/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>ddo</category><category>dungeons-and-dragons-online</category><category>executive-producer</category><category>f2p</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>jeffrey-steefel</category><category>kate-paiz</category><category>lord-of-the-rings-online</category><category>lotro</category><category>mt-doom</category><category>there</category><category>there.com</category><category>theres-no-crying-in-lotro</category><category>turbine</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Olivetti]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: More Marriott, less Microsoft]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-virtual-whirl-more-marriott-less-microsoft/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-virtual-whirl-more-marriott-less-microsoft/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-virtual-whirl-more-marriott-less-microsoft/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/business-models/" rel="tag">Business Models</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/culture/" rel="tag">Culture</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mmo-industry/" rel="tag">MMO Industry</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life/" rel="tag">Second Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-virtual-whirl/" rel="tag">The Virtual Whirl</a></p><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-virtual-whirl/"><img hspace="4" border="1" vspace="4" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/01/vwhirl4-580.jpg" /></a></p>
<p>It's certainly taking time for people, organizations and businesses to learn how to obtain benefits from virtual environments, and it will take quite some time yet to figure out how to optimize those results. On the plus side, there are many hundreds of thousands of people working on that.</p>
<p>Working out how to effectively operate and manage virtual environments for large numbers of people, well, that's actually taking a lot longer. There are far fewer people actually involved in the process, and the same wheels are being reinvented over and over - and quite often, they seem to be square ones.</p><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-virtual-whirl-more-marriott-less-microsoft/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Virtual Whirl: More Marriott, less Microsoft</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-virtual-whirl-more-marriott-less-microsoft/">The Virtual Whirl: More Marriott, less Microsoft</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-virtual-whirl-more-marriott-less-microsoft/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19452743/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-virtual-whirl-more-marriott-less-microsoft/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>business-models</category><category>culture</category><category>featured</category><category>linden-lab</category><category>marriott</category><category>microsoft</category><category>mmo-industry</category><category>second-life</category><category>the-virtual-whirl</category><category>there</category><category>there.com</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Tateru Nino]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[One Shots: No matter where you go, There you are]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/one-shots-no-matter-where-you-go-there-you-are/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/one-shots-no-matter-where-you-go-there-you-are/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/one-shots-no-matter-where-you-go-there-you-are/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/screenshots/" rel="tag">Screenshots</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/one-shots/" rel="tag">One Shots</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/one-shots-gallery-ii/full/#2799117"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/03/os895there580.jpg"  alt="" /></a></div>
Much like when MMOs go offline, when a virtual world goes offline, we also see a number of displaced residents wondering what to do next. Thankfully, in this case, our contributor had his next destination all mapped out ahead of time.<br />
<br />
This image comes to us from Alan C., and was taken in the final hours of <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/">There.com</a>, which <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/there-com-is-closing/">recently shut down</a> after being in service for seven years. He writes in to explain this flight:  <em>It was the last couple hours before There.com closed.  Using my last ThereBucks I purchased a gold and black Trek outfit and a Tiki Trek flying shuttle.  I met a fellow trekker and we flew for the last time in There.  Just like the bumper sticker says, I am "Boldly Going Forward".  I am now playing </em><a href="http://www.startrekonline.com"><em>Star Trek Online</em></a><em> and not looking back.</em><br />
<br />
Do you have a screenshot from a game that shut down -- gone, but not forgotten? We'd love to see it, if you'd like to share. Of course, if your favorite MMO is alive and well, those are welcome too! Just email those in to us here at <strong>oneshots AT massively DOT com</strong> along with your name, the name of the game, and a brief description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here on Massively for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit! <br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/one-shots-gallery-ii/">One Shots: Gallery II</a></strong></p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/one-shots-gallery-ii/#3751554"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/01/os1194wow1024_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/one-shots-gallery-ii/#3743281"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/01/os1193coh1024_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/one-shots-gallery-ii/#3736570"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/01/os1192dcuo1024_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/one-shots-gallery-ii/#3734643"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/01/os1191fe1024_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/one-shots-gallery-ii/#3731462"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2011/01/os1190rom1024-1293988911_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/one-shots-no-matter-where-you-go-there-you-are/">One Shots: No matter where you go, There you are</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/one-shots-no-matter-where-you-go-there-you-are/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19399649/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/one-shots-no-matter-where-you-go-there-you-are/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Alan-C</category><category>one-shots</category><category>screenshot</category><category>screenshots</category><category>there</category><category>there.com</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Krystalle Voecks]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: Questions from the virtual mailbag]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-virtual-whirl-questions-from-the-virtual-mailbag/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-virtual-whirl-questions-from-the-virtual-mailbag/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-virtual-whirl-questions-from-the-virtual-mailbag/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/entropia-universe/" rel="tag">Entropia Universe</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/business-models/" rel="tag">Business Models</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Economy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mmo-industry/" rel="tag">MMO Industry</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life/" rel="tag">Second Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/blue-mars/" rel="tag">Blue Mars</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/hipihi/" rel="tag">HiPiHi</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-virtual-whirl/" rel="tag">The Virtual Whirl</a></p><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-virtual-whirl/"><img hspace="4" border="1" vspace="4" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2010/01/vwhirl4-580.jpg" /></a></p>
<p>This week, in <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-virtual-whirl/">The Virtual Whirl</a>, we're going to take a selection of reader questions that we've received in comments and in the virtual mailbag and do our best to offer up some useful answers. Join us as we whirl through the mail. Not surprisingly, the two most frequently asked questions involve <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/there-com-is-closing/">the demise of virtual environment</a>, <a href="http://www.there.com/"><em>There.com</em></a>.</p><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-virtual-whirl-questions-from-the-virtual-mailbag/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Virtual Whirl: Questions from the virtual mailbag</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-virtual-whirl-questions-from-the-virtual-mailbag/">The Virtual Whirl: Questions from the virtual mailbag</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-virtual-whirl-questions-from-the-virtual-mailbag/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/19385983/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-virtual-whirl-questions-from-the-virtual-mailbag/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>blue-mars</category><category>business-models</category><category>china</category><category>economy</category><category>entropia-universe</category><category>featured</category><category>frenzoo</category><category>hipihi</category><category>linden-dollars</category><category>linden-lab</category><category>lindex</category><category>michael-wilson</category><category>mmo-industry</category><category>opinion</category><category>redlightcenter</category><category>second-life</category><category>the-virtual-whirl</category><category>there</category><category>there.com</category><category>utherverse</category><category>virtual-worlds</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Tateru Nino]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[With persistent worlds comes persistent racism]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/with-persistent-worlds-comes-persistent-racism/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/with-persistent-worlds-comes-persistent-racism/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/with-persistent-worlds-comes-persistent-racism/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/real-life/" rel="tag">Real-Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/culture/" rel="tag">Culture</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mmo-industry/" rel="tag">MMO Industry</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/academic/" rel="tag">Academic</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="middle" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/09/somethingtosay425.jpg" /><br />The promise of what <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds">virtual spaces</a> can bring us is significant -- erasing geographic limitations on interaction with others while fostering an exchange of cultures, beliefs, and languages. To this high-minded end, millions of dollars have been spent and many thousands of hours of work have been invested into creating rich graphical settings coupled with immersive environmental soundscapes. Crisp digital communication at its finest, right?<br /><br />Much like the promise of the the eradication of artificial barriers to meaningful communication through the Internet, virtual worlds and online spaces in general have <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/anti-aliased-crime-and-punishment-in-mmos/">fallen short of expectations.</a> It's generally not the fault of the companies or the service providers though. The fault lies with us, the users.<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/with-persistent-worlds-comes-persistent-racism/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>With persistent worlds comes persistent racism</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/with-persistent-worlds-comes-persistent-racism/">With persistent worlds comes persistent racism</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080911-researchers-find-racism-translates-to-virtual-worlds-as-well.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/with-persistent-worlds-comes-persistent-racism/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1312705/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/12/with-persistent-worlds-comes-persistent-racism/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>academic</category><category>ars-technica</category><category>arstechnica</category><category>culture</category><category>ethnicity</category><category>grief</category><category>griefing</category><category>mmo-industry</category><category>prejudice</category><category>race</category><category>racism</category><category>real-life</category><category>religion</category><category>social-influences</category><category>there</category><category>virtual-worlds</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[James Egan]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cinemassively: Being Virtual]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cinemassively-being-virtual/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cinemassively-being-virtual/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cinemassively-being-virtual/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/cinemassively/" rel="tag">Cinemassively</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a></p><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4rPMZoTWYsk&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4rPMZoTWYsk&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><a href="http://happygeeknewmedia.blogspot.com/">Davey Winder</a> wants the world to know that virtual interactions are about more than just business. They're about contact with other humans, finding love, or seeking escape from a disability. While <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=4rPMZoTWYsk">this video</a> may not provide the answers that his book does, it highlights the interesting misconceptions that people may have.<br /><br />When <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davey_Winder">Davey</a> was struck by a brain virus, he lost everything that meant something to him. Looking for solace, he discovered text-based online communities. He recently wrote a book, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Being-Virtual-Who-Really-Online/dp/0470723629">Being Virtual</a>, that looks into the personal interactions centered around virtual worlds. In doing so, he answers a lot of questions that may come from having a virtual life, such as identity issues and embarrassment.<br /><br />If you have machinima or movie suggestions from any MMO, please send them to machinima AT massively DOT com, along with any information you might have about them.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cinemassively-being-virtual/">Cinemassively: Being Virtual</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://youtube.com/watch?v=4rPMZoTWYsk>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cinemassively-being-virtual/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1267047/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cinemassively-being-virtual/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>being-virtual</category><category>cinemassively</category><category>davey-winder</category><category>linden-lab</category><category>makena</category><category>second-life</category><category>sl</category><category>there</category><category>virtual-worlds</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moo Money]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Scion car prototypes to be drivable in There]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/scion-car-prototypes-to-be-drivable-in-there/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/scion-car-prototypes-to-be-drivable-in-there/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/scion-car-prototypes-to-be-drivable-in-there/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mmo-industry/" rel="tag">MMO Industry</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/news-items/" rel="tag">News Items</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://newconceptcars.net/category/toyota/"><img hspace="4" border="1" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/scion_fuse3_425.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.toyota.com">Toyota</a>-owned car manufacturer <a href="http://www.scion.com">Scion</a> has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with virtual world <a href="http://www.there.com/"><em>There</em>.</a> The company operates a virtual nightclub shaped like existing Scion car models. <a href="http://www.worldsinmotion.biz/2008/07/therecom_scion_campaign_expand.php">According to virtual worlds blog Worlds in Motion</a>, the company has now decided it likes this kind of marketing so much that it is introducing three concept cars -- the Hako Coupe, the FUSE, and t2b -- into the game as drivable player vehicles. <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there"><em>There</em></a> has always placed a fair amount of emphasis on vehicles, so this seems to fit.<br /><br />At GDC earlier this year, we performed <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-building-brands-in-virtual-worlds/">in-depth analysis</a> of Scion's <em>There</em> campaign (and hosted some <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/gdc08-club-scion/">images depicting its plans</a>) and came to the conclusion that it was pretty novel. At the time, we reported that <em>There</em> users had spent a total of 1,915 hours in Club Scion. Since then, that number has risen to 3,000. Whatever your feelings on in-game advertising are, it seems be working in this case.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/scion-car-prototypes-to-be-drivable-in-there/">Scion car prototypes to be drivable in There</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.worldsinmotion.biz/2008/07/therecom_scion_campaign_expand.php>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/scion-car-prototypes-to-be-drivable-in-there/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1264171/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/scion-car-prototypes-to-be-drivable-in-there/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>cars</category><category>club-scion</category><category>concept-car</category><category>concept-cars</category><category>fuse</category><category>hako-coupe</category><category>makena</category><category>makena-technologies</category><category>scion</category><category>t2b</category><category>there</category><category>there.com</category><category>toyota</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Axon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cinemassively: Lost in There Quest Commercial]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/cinemassively-lost-in-there-quest-commercial/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/cinemassively-lost-in-there-quest-commercial/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/cinemassively-lost-in-there-quest-commercial/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/cinemassively/" rel="tag">Cinemassively</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/machinima/" rel="tag">Machinima</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/humor/" rel="tag">Humor</a></p><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0uolP68CM3c&amp;hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0uolP68CM3c&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/VirtualVikki">VirtualVikki</a> made this video, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uolP68CM3c">Lost in There Quest Commercial</a>, for <a href="http://tcon07.wetpaint.com/?t=anon">ThereCon</a> last year. Taking place in July 2007, it was a week of science fiction events and activities in the virtual world, <a href="http://www.there.com/"><em>There</em></a>. In order to motivate the viewers, she created this parody of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_in_Space">Lost in Space</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/"><em>There</em></a> is an interesting platform for <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/machinima/">machinima</a>. They have a limited range of motions and customization, but they do have lip-synching ability built in to their voice system. The result is a bit more cartoony than <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life">Second Life</a></em>, so it appeals more to the teen demographic. Many companies are doing interesting things in the platform, though, so we'll keeping our eye on it!<br /><br />If you have machinima or movie suggestions from any MMO, please send them to machinima AT massively DOT com, along with any information you might have about them.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/cinemassively-lost-in-there-quest-commercial/">Cinemassively: Lost in There Quest Commercial</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Tue, 13 May 2008 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uolP68CM3c>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/cinemassively-lost-in-there-quest-commercial/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1194197/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/cinemassively-lost-in-there-quest-commercial/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>cinemassively</category><category>lost-in-there</category><category>machinima</category><category>makena</category><category>there</category><category>virtualvikki</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moo Money]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 13 May 2008 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cinemassively: Global Kids Kofi Annan Simulcast to four different virtual worlds]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/cinemassively-global-kids-kofi-annan-simulcast-to-four-differen/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/cinemassively-global-kids-kofi-annan-simulcast-to-four-differen/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/cinemassively-global-kids-kofi-annan-simulcast-to-four-differen/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/real-life/" rel="tag">Real-Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/events-real-world/" rel="tag">Events (Real-World)</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/events-in-game/" rel="tag">Events (In-Game)</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/new-titles/" rel="tag">New Titles</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life/" rel="tag">Second Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/cinemassively/" rel="tag">Cinemassively</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a></p><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tEtDEdyf3bM&amp;hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tEtDEdyf3bM&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/global-kids/">Global Kids</a> has been quite busy with their activities this year! They recently streamed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofi_Annan">Kofi Annan</a> receiving the <a href="http://www.macfound.org/">MacArthur Foundation</a>'s first International Justice Award. Not only was this event special and meaningful in the first place, but it was also fairly unique in how far it reached. <br /><br />The award ceremony was broadcast to the web, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life/"><em>Second Life</em></a> on both the main grid and the <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/teen-grid/">teen grid</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/"><em>There</em></a>, and <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/whyville/"><em>Whyville</em></a>! Could this be a glimpse of the future of event outreach? For more information, check out their site, <a href="http://holymeatballs.org/">Holy Meatballs</a>!<br /><br />If you have machinima or movie suggestions from any MMO, please send them to machinima AT massively DOT com, along with any information you might have about them.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/cinemassively-global-kids-kofi-annan-simulcast-to-four-differen/">Cinemassively: Global Kids Kofi Annan Simulcast to four different virtual worlds</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEtDEdyf3bM>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/cinemassively-global-kids-kofi-annan-simulcast-to-four-differen/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1171507/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/cinemassively-global-kids-kofi-annan-simulcast-to-four-differen/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>cinemassively</category><category>global-kids</category><category>holy-meatballs</category><category>kofi-annan</category><category>linden-lab</category><category>macarthur-foundation</category><category>main-grid</category><category>makena</category><category>new-title</category><category>second-life</category><category>sl</category><category>teen-grid</category><category>teen-second-life</category><category>there</category><category>virtual-worlds</category><category>whyville</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Moo Money]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Does it get any better?]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/real-life/" rel="tag">Real-Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/new-titles/" rel="tag">New Titles</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-Play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/browser/" rel="tag">Browser</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/casual/" rel="tag">Casual</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/03/riplounge.jpg" /></div>
<p>Take an advertising/marketing operation and mix it with a virtual world, and what do you get? No, not <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there"><em>There</em></a> -- well, maybe them, but that's not who we mean. The answer is <em><a href="http://www.riplounge.com/">Riplounge</a></em>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.riplounge.com/">Browser-based and 2.5D</a> (2D sprites in a pseudo 3D environment), <em>Riplounge</em> is for ... umm. Well, actually we're not quite sure. We think it is aimed largely at the wannabe-hip, under-25, knows-about-the-same-about-computers-as-your-granny demographic. Or maybe the I-wish-I-was-15-again demographic.</p><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Does it get any better?</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/">Does it get any better?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://mashable.com/2008/03/17/riplounge>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1146579/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/23/does-it-get-any-better/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>habbo-hotel</category><category>new-titles</category><category>riplounge</category><category>there</category><category>there.com</category><category>virtual-worlds</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Tateru Nino]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Visions of Global Justice]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/visions-of-global-justice/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/visions-of-global-justice/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/visions-of-global-justice/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/culture/" rel="tag">Culture</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/events-in-game/" rel="tag">Events (In-Game)</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/news-items/" rel="tag">News Items</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/second-life/" rel="tag">Second Life</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/politics/" rel="tag">Politics</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/03/visions-of-justice0-425-a.jpg" alt="" /></div>
<p>This coming Wednesday, 19 March, the USC Network Culture Project will feature the work of thirteen talented virtual world artists on the theme of justice, all specifically created for this event to celebrate the International Criminal Court.</p>
<p>The artists involved are a talented set indeed from visual, audio and performance fields: <a href="http://www.fishthemagish.net/blog/">Tuna Oddfellow</a>, <a href="http://sl-art-news.blogspot.com/2008/02/am-radios-refuge-and-prospect.html">AM Radio</a>, <a href="http://www.secondlifeinsider.com/2007/08/13/who-are-we-pavig-lok/">Pavig Lok</a>, <a href="http://tooterclaxton.blogspot.com/">Tooter Claxton</a>, <a href="http://memespelunk.org/blog/">Juria Yoshikawa</a>, <a href="http://www.dancoyote.com/">Dancoyote Antonelli</a>, <a href="http://filthyfluno.blogspot.com/">Filthy Fluno</a>, <a href="http://story.krystalepic.com/index.php?q=blog/6">elros Tuominen</a>, <a href="http://www.slprofiles.com/slprofiles.asp?id=3524">Chance Abattoir</a>, <a href="http://odysseyart.ning.com/profile/nashadam">Adam Ramona</a>, <a href="http://odysseyart.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=josinaburgess">Josina Burgess</a>, <a href="http://odysseyart.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=velazquez">Velazquez Bonetto</a>, and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sevenjunivers">Junivers Stockholm</a>.</p><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/visions-of-global-justice/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Visions of Global Justice</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/visions-of-global-justice/">Visions of Global Justice</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/visions-of-global-justice/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1142626/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/visions-of-global-justice/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>adam-ramona</category><category>am-radio</category><category>art</category><category>bettina-tizzy</category><category>chance-abattoir</category><category>culture</category><category>dancoyote-antonelli</category><category>delia-lake</category><category>elros-tuominen</category><category>filthy-fluno</category><category>global-kids</category><category>icc</category><category>in-kenzo</category><category>international-criminal-courts</category><category>josina-burgess</category><category>junivers-stockholm</category><category>juria-yoshikawa</category><category>justice</category><category>kofi-annan</category><category>macarthur-award</category><category>macarthur-foundation</category><category>pavig-lok</category><category>politics</category><category>second-life</category><category>second-life-places</category><category>there</category><category>tooter-claxton</category><category>tuna-oddfellow</category><category>usc-annenberg</category><category>usc-network-culture-project</category><category>velazquez-bonetto</category><category>whyville</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Tateru Nino]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[GDC08: Building brands in virtual worlds]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-building-brands-in-virtual-worlds/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-building-brands-in-virtual-worlds/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-building-brands-in-virtual-worlds/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/events-real-world/" rel="tag">Events (Real-World)</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/virtual-worlds/" rel="tag">Virtual Worlds</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.scion.com/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/02/eh_gdc_wim_scion01.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /></div>
We've seen a lot of interesting things at the <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/worlds-in-motion">Worlds in Motion Summit</a> which took place at <a href="http://gdc08.joystiq.com">GDC</a> earlier this week, we found this post-mortum of Scion's virtual campaign in There.com fascinating. While we tune out commercials and skim over print advertisements as much as anyone, but well thought-out interactive advertisements in virtual worlds still feel novel and interesting. (Well, okay, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/21/colgate-palmolives-second-life-not-raising-a-smile/">some of them aren't</a>.) So what made Scion's campaign stand out? Read on for an analysis.<br /><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/gdc08-club-scion/">GDC08: Club Scion</a></strong></p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/gdc08-club-scion/#654694"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2008/02/eh_gdc_scion02g_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/gdc08-club-scion/#654592"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2008/02/1061933893_df42bc8822_o_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/gdc08-club-scion/#654591"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2008/02/1061935755_d1235e2c00_o_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/gdc08-club-scion/#654590"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2008/02/1061932897_f24f7a3cfd_o_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/gdc08-club-scion/#654589"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.massively.com/media/2008/02/1529596533_e5993978dc_o_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-building-brands-in-virtual-worlds/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>GDC08: Building brands in virtual worlds</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-building-brands-in-virtual-worlds/">GDC08: Building brands in virtual worlds</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:53:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-building-brands-in-virtual-worlds/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1120652/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-building-brands-in-virtual-worlds/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>brand</category><category>brands</category><category>featured</category><category>gdc</category><category>gdc08</category><category>gdc08fanboy</category><category>makena</category><category>marketing</category><category>metaversatility</category><category>scion</category><category>there</category><category>there.com</category><category>trilogy</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Harper]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:53:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dr. Phil comes off as pro-MMO]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-phil-comes-off-as-pro-mmo/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-phil-comes-off-as-pro-mmo/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-phil-comes-off-as-pro-mmo/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/culture/" rel="tag">Culture</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/mmo-industry/" rel="tag">MMO Industry</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/there/" rel="tag">There</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/news-items/" rel="tag">News Items</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/politics/" rel="tag">Politics</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/education/" rel="tag">Education</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2007/12/phil-blog280x280_225x225.shkl.jpg" alt="" />Over at the games blog Game|Life they pointed out a somewhat rare event: a sudden outbreak of common sense. Well-known psychologist for the masses 'Dr. Phil' recently <a href="http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/12/dr-phil-sticks.html">stuck up for virtual worlds on national television</a>. More specifically, he pointed out that there was nothing <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/wanted-for-murder-mmorpgs/">inherently wrong</a> with them. On a episode devoted to teen behavior, Dr. Phil confronted a young woman who apparently spent too much time in the <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/There/">There</a></em> virtual space. <br /><br />While Phil apparently couldn't understand the appeal of online friendships, he did take pains to clarify there was nothing wrong with the service or the activity - just her choice to over-indulge. <br /><br /><em>Addressing Michael Wilson, CEO of <em>There</em>, the good doctor explained that there were "a tremendous number of safeguards" in place at <em>There</em>, saying "Your intention is not to consume kids from their real life. Like many MMOs, <em>There</em> is free to play but charges for in-game items like cars and furniture. According to Wilson, if someone is overspending, <em>There</em> will contact the account holder and ask them if they're aware of how much they've spent on the game. If a parent calls with concerns, <em>There</em> will shut off their kid's account. In other words, said Dr. Phil to his guests, "The problem is not the game, the problem is the use of it."<br /><br /></em>Now if only Phil could communicate that to most of America ...<em><br /></em><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-phil-comes-off-as-pro-mmo/">Dr. Phil comes off as pro-MMO</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/12/dr-phil-sticks.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-phil-comes-off-as-pro-mmo/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1057741/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/dr-phil-comes-off-as-pro-mmo/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>addiction</category><category>common-sense</category><category>dr-phil</category><category>there</category><category>there.com</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Zenke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:00:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>