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[Study finds 'conclusive evidence' of games/violence link?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/study-finds-conclusive-evidence-of-games-violence-link-bolloc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/study-finds-conclusive-evidence-of-games-violence-link-bolloc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/study-finds-conclusive-evidence-of-games-violence-link-bolloc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Iowa State University's Craig Anderson has led a study which claims 'conclusive evidence' of a link between violent video games and increased aggression in children. The findings (and indeed the validity of the study) have been challenged by Christopher Ferguson whose research at Texas A&M International University has found the opposite.

Ferguson finds a number of flaws in the Iowa State study, which he says demonstrates only "weak correlations". We can spot a few of our own. For example there is no definitive usefully testable method for determining aggressive tendencies. By failing to factor in extraneous variables, the study results could quite easily be interpreted to indicate that aggressive tendencies cause kids to spend more time playing violent video games. Just because two things are correlated does not mean that one causes the other. The majority of dead people have eaten meat. That doesn't mean that meat kills people.

Continue reading Study finds 'conclusive evidence' of games/violence link?

MassivelyStudy finds 'conclusive evidence' of games/violence link? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academicchris-fergusoncraig-andersoncultureiowa-state-universityopinionpediatricstexas-a-and-mwashington-postWed, 05 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The revolution in the news]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/02/the-revolution-in-the-news/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/02/the-revolution-in-the-news/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/02/the-revolution-in-the-news/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Unlike Second Life's 2003 Tax Revolt, which (at the time) went unnoticed by the mainstream media, the current revolt over void/openspace simulator server pricing is drawing attention in places where a lot of potential customers are being exposed to it -- and it's early yet. More words are doubtless being drafted over the weekend to run on mainstream Web-sites and newspapers.

By mainstream (a word that has an awfully slippery definition), we mean widespread. There are at least three other effective and correct definitions of the word at least one of which conflicts with that, but let's just go with what we have and leave those other definitions for another time. You know what we mean.

Continue reading The revolution in the news

MassivelyThe revolution in the news originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>economyeric-krangelgigaomglobeandmailjohn-zdanowskilinden-labnquisitropenspace-simulatorsopinionsecond-lifesecond-llifesilicon-alley-insiderthe-guardianvirtual-worldsvoid-simulatorswagner-james-auwashington-postSun, 02 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR's quest for online success]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/wars-quest-for-online-success/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/wars-quest-for-online-success/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/wars-quest-for-online-success/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Just when developers and venture capitalists were almost to the point of apprehension for the future of investing in the MMO genre, Warhammer Online has broken the failed-MMO streak by creating what looks to be the biggest thing since... well, since World of Wacraft. In a recent interview with the Washington Post, Mythic's Mark Jacobs pointed out that by his count, only 10 MMO titles have enjoyed any sort of financial success in the last 11 years, while the number of failures is much higher.

Frank Gibeau, president of EA Games expands upon Jacobs' statement, "The game industry is only just starting to scratch the surface for the opportunity out there." Gibeau goes on to explain that the failure of many MMOs has been due to lack of quality. "We're the first quality MMO to release since World of Warcraft was released," he said.
Warhammer Online Coverage Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out all of our previous Warhammer Online features, and don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

MassivelyWAR's quest for online success originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eamark-jacobsmythic-entertainmentwarwarhammer-onlinewashington-postworld-of-warcraftMon, 22 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daedalus Project tracks MUD]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/the-daedalus-project-tracks-mud/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/the-daedalus-project-tracks-mud/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/29/the-daedalus-project-tracks-mud/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Actually, it tracks MMOs, but what a clever title, huh? The Daedalus Project is the demographic/analysis website created and maintained by Nick Yee, a graduate student of Stanford University in the field of Communications who now works at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). Nick's site is noteworthy both for the online surveys of MMO players that are open to anyone who wants to participate, and also for the conclusions he draws based on those survey results.

This statistical data has been used by Washington Post, CBS, TechWeek, CNET, the Associated Press, Nature.com, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among other publications. Nick always has a survey or two running, so if you're interested in contributing your experiences and thoughts to the collective (and growing) body of knowledge concerning MMOs, you can do so at the 'Current Surveys' section of his site.

For those of us interested in metadata, The Daedalus Project is a genuine boon, and we hope he continues his necessary and groundbreaking work well into the future.

[Thanks, Nick!]

MassivelyThe Daedalus Project tracks MUD originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>associated-presscbscnetdemographicsmetadatanature.comnew-york-timesnick-yeepalo-alto-research-centerparcstanfordstanford-universitysurveystechweekthe-daedalus-projectwall-street-journalwashington-postFri, 29 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST