Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[LEGO Universe readying new race track, pets, property, and a month-long event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/lego-universe-readying-new-race-track-pets-property-and-a-mon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/lego-universe-readying-new-race-track-pets-property-and-a-mon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/lego-universe-readying-new-race-track-pets-property-and-a-mon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Next week is looming large for fans of LEGO Universe. May 3rd will see major new challenges made available to the game's community according to a LEGO press release circulated earlier this afternoon.

First up is a month-long initiative to finish the colossal Nexus Tower construction project. The tower houses the Nexus of Imagination, and it's a good thing too since the dastardly Maelstrom is bent on unyielding destruction. Players will need to contribute bricks to the Nexus Force cause or risk leaving Imagination vulnerable to the forces of darkness.

LEGO Universe will also be sporting a new race track as of next week, and the circuit is every bit as grueling as its name (Dragonmaw Chasm) suggests. New achievements are the order of the day, and skilled racers can unlock new cars including the Fire Brawl and Mach Lava. Finally, the new game update is bringing new property options to LEGO Universe. These include the ability for players to place pets on their in-game homesteads and bring said pets to life via a system of behaviors. Head to the official LEGO Universe website for more.

Gallery: LEGO Universe Main Gallery

MassivelyLEGO Universe readying new race track, pets, property, and a month-long event originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buildingdragonmarkdragonmaw-chasmfamilygallerykidslegolego-universemaelstromnexus-of-imaginationnexus-towernexus-tower-projectpatchespetspropertyrace-carsrace-trackscreenshotsupdatesTue, 26 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Picking apart the MetaPlace Bill of Rights]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/picking-apart-the-metaplace-bill-of-rights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/picking-apart-the-metaplace-bill-of-rights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/picking-apart-the-metaplace-bill-of-rights/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

MetaPlace is not an MMOG. It's a platform for creating virtual spaces that can be used for anything the creators can imagine. As such, the traditional MMO EULA is completely inadequate. Raph Koster -- the head honcho on the MetaPlace project -- made that clear in a panel at AGDC08. So, the folks working on MetaPlace had to come up with a whole new set of rules -- rules that allow users ownership of their virtual property, for example. There's a veritable landmine of problems awaiting this endeavor, of course. That's not to say it's impossible. It's just going to be extremely challenging.

Koster published a first draft of the Terms of Service for MetaPlace on his blog the other day. It's based based on the Declaration of the Rights of Avatars that he conceived back in 2000. Readers of the MetaPlace ToS are likely to come away with two impressions. The first: that it's really cool and admirable and that in a general sense, Koster and friends are on the right track. Two is that the MetaPlace team seems to be underestimating just how epic a quest it's committed itself to.

Continue reading Picking apart the MetaPlace Bill of Rights

MassivelyPicking apart the MetaPlace Bill of Rights originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>areaebill-of-rightsblogdeclarion-of-the-rights-of-avatarsdiscriminationend-user-license-agreementeulametaplaceprivacypropertyraph-kosterterms-of-servicetosThu, 18 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Imagined, but not owned]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/23/imagined-but-not-owned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/23/imagined-but-not-owned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/23/imagined-but-not-owned/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Linden Lab has been overhauling its website and promotional material lately for the poorly understood virtual world Second Life. One of the key changes to be spotted is the alteration of the long-standing descriptor, "Second Life is a 3D online digital world imagined, created and owned by its residents", which now only reads, "Second Life is a 3D online digital world imagined, and created by its residents", and there's signs that the wording is still evolving a little.

The unannounced change has caused a fair bit of speculation, especially among those who were never all that certain as to what the ownership consisted of in the first place. In fact, that seems to be at the heart of the reason for the change.

Continue reading Imagined, but not owned

MassivelyImagined, but not owned originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lawlawsuitlinden-labmarc-braggownershipphilip-rosedalepropertyrightsTOSTue, 23 Oct 2007 21:00:00 EST