Students Blog

Since Second Life, in various ways can be classifies a "God Game" or "Sim" because it immerses its players in an large interactive environment, in which the characters create the narrative,"manipulat[e] variables"(26), and can greatly affect their social arenas and those of other avatars. In Second Life, each player has control over his or her avatar's social network through friend request (alllowing an avatar to locate another on the map), clique formation, and gathering location. People will only move their avatars in "flocks" (26) by choice, otherwise the program has allowed each avatar to move independently. In Second life, each player can form relationships eith other players. When I played I was teleported to a fountain area where there was a large gathering of returning players and a few new players. Their conversation was very casual, sexual, and comical. There were two players, a man and a woman, who were dressed similarly. They seemed to be the leaders of the crowd and controlled its dynamic. To my surprise, the online conversation was so real. For instance two women were dancing, doing the "eagle" dance from Nelly's song "Drop Down and get your eagle on girl". Another avatar who was watchin told them to "get low", which are lyrics of "Get Low" by Lil' John and the East Side Boys. I just wasn't expecting there to be flirtatious and sexual behavior since the avatars aren't human. As a "sim" game, players can develop both positive and negative relationships with one another in Second Life. On the contrary to the roleplay/adventure genre, Second Life allows its players "generate his or her characters or story elements"(22).This feature maintains the convention first seen in Dungeons and Dragons because it allows people to create avatars using the provided archetypal traits. In Second Life, I had some difficulties when creating my avatar, so my desired appearance has not been accomplished yet. My avatar's name is Devon Malady, and although she has my first name, he fashion style and physical appearance do notmimic mine yet. There was a woman dressed in Dominatrix outfit and her name is Demonique Keeper and there was a man who looked like Jason. They were really scary looking. It's interesting because even as an avatar, I would control my avatar's ineractions with others based on my pre-judgment of their personalities due to theirappearance. Because the creators of Second Life did not create a "pre-structured story", the players can create their own storylines, ""dynamic drama"(22). Therefor the players have a great deal of freedom. Second Life fully utilized the the producer/consumer relationship because the creators have given the consumers a lot of freedom and have created a realistic world based on media influence and societal ideals. For insatnce like Sim City, second Life has incorperated mature areas and content in their games, which is reflective of our sexually oriented society. Therefore, the players have become "co-author[s]" within Second Life (21). In addition, there iis no closure in Second Life, which casues the players to want to return to the game and it also maintains complexity. I believe that the players in the Second Life have the ability to reach the "complexity barrier" because the players are given so much freedom. The storylines, relationships, hobbies, etc. are unlimited.This creates emergence because the social environment of Second Life is unpredictable because the rules are scarce. Second life is "nonlinear" and "context dependent", and therefore it was complex task for the designers to create this game system, a second-order design. The game designers of games like Second Life could not anticipate the players' behavior because the players have the ability to manipulate, use, and sometimes "outsmart" the rules of the game.

The following is my conversation with an Avatar named Troy Alexander, who is a Second Life Mentor. Even though he is not a creator, as a player he has helped facilitate the success of the game by helping new players. When players assist one another they are ultimately influencing the social network by helping one another become acquainted with the online world and people.

Troy Alexander: hi
Troy Alexander: here
Devon Maladay: thanks
Troy Alexander: I am behind you in black
Devon Maladay: where r u
Troy Alexander: turn around
Troy Alexander: cross the path
Devon Maladay: can you walk up to me??!!
Devon Maladay: i c u now
Troy Alexander: right here
Troy Alexander: k
Devon Maladay: this is my first time on
Troy Alexander: welcome
Devon Maladay: thank u
Devon Maladay: im having a hard time
Troy Alexander: dont mind the freaks
Troy Alexander: lol
Devon Maladay: hehe
Devon Maladay: im trying
Troy Alexander: how can I help kitten?
Devon Maladay: not sure, how do i settle in? go shopping? if i want to
Troy Alexander: ok to see shops and such
Troy Alexander: or find just about anything
Troy Alexander: use the find button at the bottom
Devon Maladay: ok, thank you
Devon Maladay: how did u get the title "SL Mentor"?
Troy Alexander: you use find and check places tab and make sure you check look in mature
Troy Alexander: because I help new people out for the games creators
Troy Alexander: I am a building instructor as well
Devon Maladay: oooo thas cool
Troy Alexander: *smiles*
Devon Maladay: and how do i request a friend?
Troy Alexander: you just made one
Devon Maladay: *smiles* back at you !!! lol
Troy Alexander: heheh
Devon Maladay: :)
Devon Maladay: another question
Troy Alexander: ok
Devon Maladay: i have no idea what my face looks like! are there mirrors???!!
Troy Alexander: holding the alt keay use your mouse to look around
Troy Alexander: you look a bit underfed sweetie
Devon Maladay: thank you...don't know if I did it rite! Does my face look aright to you because I became furstrated when I was creating my avatar?!!
Devon Maladay: hehe
Devon Maladay: thanx, my face or my body?!!! or both
Troy Alexander: looks like there is a texture on your face
Devon Maladay: really?!!!!! lmao
Devon Maladay: no wonder no one will talk to me
Devon Maladay: besides you since its your job
Troy Alexander: it doesnt look bad just like a screen or something
Devon Maladay: !!!
Devon Maladay: j/k
Troy Alexander: I choose who I talk to
Devon Maladay: ooooo ok
Devon Maladay: well then I appreciate it
Troy Alexander: I am a vulunteer and I help out when i can
Troy Alexander: what you need is a greeter
Devon Maladay: well homie...i gotta go. Thank you again :)
Troy Alexander: ok take care
Troy Alexander: your very welcome anytime
Devon Maladay: one sec
Devon Maladay: a greeter?
Troy Alexander: greeter will help you further than I can
Troy Alexander: I answer basic questions
Devon Maladay: oo ok
Devon Maladay: thank you
Troy Alexander: look for the second life greeter above the head