SYNTHETIC WORLDS

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SYNTHETIC WORLDS

• THE BUSINESS AND CULTURE OF ONLINE GAMES

• ANY COMPUTER GENERATED PHYSICAL SPACE
  REPRESENTED GRAPHICALLY IN THREE DIMESSIONS THAT
  CAN BE EXPERIENCED BY MANY PEOPLE AT ONCE OR
  SIMULTANEOUSLY.
• THIS WILL INCLUDE ALL THE MMORPG WORLDS IN THE
  GAME INDUSTRY. THESE ARE ROLE PLAYING GAMES ABOUT
  DUNGEONS AND SPACESHIPS AS EXEMPLIFIED BY
  EVERQUEST
• MULTIUSER SOCIAL WORLDS AS THE SIMS ONLINE
• MULTIPLAYER COMBAT GAMES AS HALF-LIFE
• WE WILL EXCLUDE ONLINE GAMES SUCH AS POKER OR
  CHECKERS, TEXT BASED CHAT ROOMS AND (MUDS)
  MULTIUSER DUNGEONS OR DOMAINS THE ANCESTOR OF
  MMORPG

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INHABITING A SYNTHETIC WORLD

• BUY THE SOFTWARE (ABOUT 50.00)
• HAVE A FAIRLY HIGH-END COMPUTER AND A FAST
  INTERNET CONNECTION
• A CREDIT CARD FOR MONTHLY CHARGES (10 - 15.00)
• INSTALL THE SOFTWARE AND CONNECT TO THE GAME
  SERVER FOR NECESSARY UPDATES AND PATCHES
• ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT SCREEN WILL SET UP AN ACCOUNT
  USING PERSONAL INFORMATION, PASSWORD AND SOFTWARE
  VERIFICATION KEY
• AGREE TO EULA AND CODE OF CONDUCT
• CHOOSE A WORLD OR SHARD THAT FITS YOUR FANCY AND
  CLICK ON CONFIRMATION BUTTON
• CHOOSE A BODY OR FORM THAT YOU WILL INHABIT AND
  CUSTOMIZE WITH A NAME, CHARACTERISTICS,
  ATTRIBUTES, SKILLS ETC
• CLICK TO CONFIRM ACCEPTANCE OF BODY CONSTRUCTED,
  NAME MUST BE UNIQUE

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• YOUR NEW IDENTITY IS NOW STORED ON SERVER.
  CLICKING ON ICON WOULD PROMPT FOR ACCOUNT NAME
  AND PASSWORD, VERIFICATION OF EULA ANDTOS.
• YOU CAN BUILD A NEW BODY OR ACCEPT THE ONE
  ALREADY BUILT, NOW YOU ARE READY TO ENTER THE
  WORLD FOR THE FIRST TIME
• CHOOSE BETWEEN FIRST OR THIRD PERSON PERSPECTIVE
  DEPENDING ON THE VIEW DESIRED

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FIRST CONTACT AND INTERACTIONS

• YOUR ENTITY MAY ENCOUNTER NPCS (BOTS) OR AVATARS
  LIKE ITSELF CONTROLLED BY ANOTHER HUMAN AND
  EXCHANGES MAY ENSUE (TEXT BASED OR VIA AUDIO
  FEED)
• GOODS OR SERVICES MAY BE OFFERED OR REQUESTED AS
  LIFE BEGIN IN THIS WORLD
• GRAPHICAL NARRATIVES MAY SUGGEST CONTEMPORARY OR
  MEDIEVAL SETTING. REAL WORLD STRUCTURES AND
  ACTIVITIES LIKE STORES, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS,
  COURTSHIPS, ROMANCE, MARRIAGE AND COMMERCE ARE
  COMMONPLACE
• QUITING THE GAME WILL LEAVE YOUR AVATAR STILL
  ENDOWED WITH THE ATTRIBUTES AND BEHAVIORS AND
  WORLDLY POSSESSIONS THAT HE/SHE HAD WHILE
  ANIMATED, ON AWAKENING THESE WILL AGAIN BE
  ASPECTS OF HIS/HER PERSONALITY

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IDENTIFICATION AND REALITY CHECK

• ONE IDENTIFIES WITH THE AVATAR ENTITY
• THE WORDS I, ME AND MINE ARE USED WHEN THINKING
  AND TALKING ABOUT ONES AVATAR
• ONE BECOMES THE DRIVER OR ANIMATOR OF THIS
  SYNTHETIC ENTITY
• THE ATTRIBUTES AND BEHAVIORS DEFINED IN THIS
  ENTITY ARE WRAPPED AROUND ONESELF AND ONE
  FUNCTIONS IN THIS SPACE ASSUMING THESE AS ONES
  OWN
• EMOTIONAL PROXIMITY PREVAIL, ONE FEELS JOY OR
  PAIN DEPENDING ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THIS ENTITY
• CULTURAL NORMS OF REAL EARTH BLEED THROUGH
  THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS IN THE SYNTHETIC WORLD,
  OBJECTS AND EVENTS CONJURE UP SIMILAR MEANINGS
  AND ELICIT SIMILAR FEELINGS AS IN REAL EARTH
  WHILE IMMERSED IN THE ROLE PLAY AND IDENTIFIED
  WITH OUR ENTITY IN THE SYNTHETIC WORLD

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• THIS SYNTHETIC WORLD IS CREATED BY HUMAN MINDS
  AND SO CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIOLOGICAL AND
  POLITICAL FORMS, CATEGORIES AND MEANINGS ARE
  PROJECTED INTO THIS SPACE AND SHAPE OUR
  INTERACTIONS WITH BEINGS, OBJECTS AND EVENTS
  HERE.
• LIKEWISE EXPERIENCES IN THIS WORLD LINGER WITH US
  AS WE EXIT THIS SPACE AND OFFLOAD OUR ENTITY
  AFFECTING AND INFLUENCING OUR BEHAVIOR AND
  INTERACTIONS IN REAL EARTH (DISHONESTY, TRICKERY,
  LOVE, FAILURES, SUCCESSES, DEATH ETC)
• OBJECTS FROM THIS WORLD ARE TRADED FOR REAL WORLD
  CURRENCY, GOODS AND SERVICES AFFECTING RELATIONS
  ON THE MICRO AND MACRO ECONOMIC LEVEL
• TRADE IN CYBERSPACE GOODS AND SERVICES ON EBAY
  AND PRIVATELY ARE REPUTED TO BE IN THE HUNDRED OF
  MILLIONS NECESSARILY AFFECTING OUR GNP
• REAL WORLD CLUBS, GUILDS AND ASSOCIATIONS EVOLVE
  ON REAL EARTH TO FACILITATE LIFE IN SYNTHETIC
  EARTH
• SYNTHETIC WORLDS ARE USED BY MANY TO ESCAPE THE
  LIMITS AND RESTRICTIONS AND DRUDGERY OF LIFE ON
  REAL EARTH. IT REPRESENTS A SPACE WHERE ONE CAN
  SURMOUNT LIMITS IMPOSED BY PHYSICAL FACTS, OUR
  PHYSIOLOGY, POLITICS, ECONOMICS ETC AND CREATE A
  WORLD WHERE ONE CAN LIVE AND EXPLORE WITHOUT
  THESE EARTHLY CONSTRAINTS.

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OF SYNTHETIC WORLDS

• SUPPLY AND DEMAND FORCES OPERATE HERE LIKE REAL
  EARTH BUSINESSES
• ONE CAN GET A WORLD UP AND RUNNING FOR (5M -
  20/30M)
• ECONOMIC IDEAS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND, PLENTIFUL
  AND SCARCITY GUIDE ONES DECISION MAKING PROCESSES
  JUST AS ON REAL EARTH. PRECIOUS GEMS AND CURRENCY
  ARE HOARDED AS ASSETS FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF
  GOODS AND SERVICES, COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS
  DETERMINE ACTIONS
• GROWTH OF THESE WORLDS WILL BE DETERMINED BY
  MARKET FORCES
• BUSINESS SCENARIO VARIES ACROSS CONTINENTS
  (KOREA NCSOFT,CHINASHANDA, NETEASE, WEBZEN
  JAPAN/USASONY-SOE, ELECTRONIC ARTS, DISNEY,
  MICROSOFT ETC)
• SMALL DEVELOPMENT FIRMS MAKE/RUN THE GAME WHILE
  PUBLISHERS CONTROL DISTRIBUTION AND BILLING OR
  THE DEVELOPER DOES EVERYTHING
• IN SYNTHETIC WORLD BOTH SOFTWARE AND ONGOING
  SERVICE REQUIRE CONSTANT UPGRADES AND MANAGEMENT

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• DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IDEA SKETCHED OUT IN A
  DEMO DESIGNERS DETERMINE PLAYER ACTIONS
  ARTISTS RENDER ENVIRONMENTS AND CHARACTERS,
  PROGRAMMERS MAKE IT HAPPEN ALPHA VERSION IS
  TESTED UNTIL MANAGEMENT IS SATISFIED WITH CONTENT
  AT WHICH TIME A BETA VERSION IS RELEASED USUALLY
  FREE FOR TESTING BY PUBLIC
• WHEN USERS ARE HOOKED ON THE GAME AND IT GOES
  GOLD CHARGES BEGIN. SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE THE
  PRIMARY REVENUE STREAM
• ADVERTISING ON INTRO PAGE ALSO GENERATE REVENUE (
  BUT THESE MUST BE TIME AND CONTENT SENSITIVE)
• PRICE DISCRIMINATION AND PROFIT MAXIMIZATION
  FOLLOWS PRINCIPLES OF DEMAND ELASTICITY (PLAYERS
  WITH INELASTIC DEMANDS PAY MORE, THOSE THAT ARE
  NOW HOOKED AND ARE LONG STAYERS) SWITCHERS
  ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY MONTHS PAY LESS
• SOME OWNERS CHARGE HIGH PRICES WHEN THINGS ARE
  HOT AND SUBSCRIPTION LEVELS ARE HIGH, THEY REAP
  PROFITS THEN SELL OUT TO NEW OWNERS AS DEMAND
  SLACKENS
• TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT LIKE HIGH SPEED
  INTERNET AND INCREASED BANDWITH CAN HAVE POSITIVE
  EFFECT ON SALES AND THE GROWTH OF THIS INDUSTRY
  BUT GENERATIONAL EFFECTS LIKE LEARNING CURVES FOR
  THOSE NOT NECESSARILY COMPUTER SAVVY MAY EFFECT
  GROWTH

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BUSINESS OF SYNTHETIC WORLDS

• OBJECTS FROM THIS WORLD ARE TRADED FOR REAL WORLD
  CURRENCY, GOODS AND SERVICES AFFECTING RELATIONS
  ON THE MICRO AND MACRO ECONOMIC LEVEL
• CYBERSPACE GOODS AND SERVICES ARE TRADED ON EBAY
  AND PRIVATELY. THIS TRADE IS REPUTED TO BE IN THE
  HUNDRED OF MILLIONS THUS AFFECTING OUR GNP
• GROWTH MAY FOLLOW BOOM AND BUST PATTERN OF MANY
  NEW TECHNOLOGIES
• ECONOMICALLY THESE WORLDS CAN BE CONSIDERED CLUB
  GOODS WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE AS TO WHO MAY LIVE
  IN WHICH WORLD AND THE PRICE TO CHARGE FOR ENTRY
  TO MINIMIZE CONGESTION

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REAL EARTH SYNTHETIC EARTH MELDING

• AN ORGANISM SURROUNDED BY POROUS BARRIER THROUGH
  WHICH PEOPLE PASS FROM REAL EARTH TO SYNTHETIC
  EARTH CARRYING BEHAVIORIAL ASSUMPTIONS AND
  ATTITUDES WITH THEM WITH THE VALUATION OF THINGS
  WITHIN THIS SPACE BECOMING ENMESHED WITH THAT OF
  THINGS OUTSIDE THIS SPACE
• THERE IS HUMAN SOCIETY ON EITHER SIDE VALIDATING
  INHABITANTS SHARED VALUES, FACTS, EMOTION,
  MEANINGS
• TO USERS THEY LIVE IN BOTH SPACES AT DIFFERENT
  TIMES OF THEIR DAILY LIVES, LIFE IS REAL WHILE
  LIVED IN EITHER SPACE AT THE RESPECTIVE
  INTERVALS.
• THE SYNTHETIC SPACE IS VERY MUCH A PART OF LIFE
  ON EARTH, ITS AN INNER SANCTUM OF ESCAPE TO A
  WORLD OF WONDROUS, JOYFUL AND PLEASURABLE
  EXPERIENCE THAT IS AS REAL TO THEM AS LIFE
  ANYWHERE ELSE
• EBAY FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET FOR SYNTHETIC
  WORLD CURRENCY

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EFFECTS ON EARTHLY LIFE

• SYNTHETIC WORLDS ARE MORE THAN JUST FUN AND
  GAMES BUT FORUMS FOR COMMUNICATION NOT AFFORDED
  BY VIDEO GAMES
• OR CHAT ROOMS
• THEY OFFER A HIGHER QUALITY AND LOWER COST
  COMMUNICATIVE AND INTERACTIVE ALTERNATIVES WHERE
  PEOPLE CAN MINGLE WITH ONE ANOTHER IN A
  WORLD-LIKE SPACE NOT AVAILABLE IN OTHER GAMES OR
  COMMUNICATION MEDIUMS
• PIAGET PLAY IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF OUR
  DEVELOPMENT, PLAY BRINGS US JOY INTRINSICALLY AND
  EVOLUTION HAS SPECIFICALLY MADE PLAY A JOYFUL
  ACTIVITY. JOY MOTIVATES US AS A WAY TO LEARN
  ABOUT OUR WORLD AND BUILD OUR SKILLS
• LIFE ITSELF MAY BE PLAY (SHAKESPEARE, HUIZINGA)
  SYNTHETIC WORLD PROVIDE HUMANITY WITH MORE THAN
  ONE WORLD IN WHICH TO LIVE(PLAY) FOR THE FIRST
  TIME WITHOUT THE CONSTRAINTS AND SCARCITY
  ARTIFICIALLY IMPOSED BY THE DOMINANT GROUP

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EFFECTS ON REAL EARTH LIFE

• SYNTHETIC WORLDS OFFER A WELL DESERVED AND LONG
  AWAITED ESCAPE FROM THIS PRISON
• THEY FORM A COMMUNITY OF USERS INTO A SOCIETY
  THAT DOES THINGS AND ALLOW THINGS THAT OUR EARTH
  SOCIETY DOES NOT. PEOPLE GO THERE TO REALIZE AND
  EXPERIENCE THINGS THAT ARE SCARCE OR UNAVAILABLE
  ON EARTH(CONNECTIONS, EXPLORATION, ACCOMPLISH
  THINGS)
• THEY PROVIDE CONTENT AND AI BASED RELATIONSHIPS
  THAT ARE HARD TO FIND ON EARTH. GENERATES
  EMOTIONAL CONTENT AND A VALIDATING COMMUNITY OF
  LIKE-FEELING HUMANS.
• NO FRONTEIR IS TRULY SEPARATE FROM ITS HOMELAND
  AS SUCH THESE EMOTIONS ARE KNOWN TO MELD INTO THE
  SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT OF REAL EARTH
• EMERGENT EARTHLIKE CULTURES PERSIST GROUPS FORM
  IN AND OUT OF THE GAME THESE USE (EMAIL,
  BLOGGING, TELEPHONE, VOIP),

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• GAMES SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
• LEGAL AND POLITICAL VALIDATION OF OBJECTS AND
  EVENTS HERE SUGGEST A REAL SPACE
• GAMES ARE PART OF OUR DAILY LIVES, SCARCE
  RESOURCES LIKE TIME AND ENERGY ARE ALLOCATED
  SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS UNDERTAKING
• REAL COURT CASES HAS ARBITRATED ON PROPERTY
  RIGHTS AND OWNERSHIP OF DIGITAL GOODS
• ANTI GAME SENTIMENTS ARISE TO COMBAT THE FLIGHT
  TO THESE SPACES OF FUN ( ADDICTION, VIOLENCE, ALL
  FUN NO WORK, GAME CURFEWS, CULTURE OF VIOLENCE)
• REAL EARTH CORPORATIONS ARE SET UP PRIMARILY TO
  PROFIT FROM TRANSACTIONS IN CYBER ITEMS
• AN INCREASE IN COMPUTING POWER IS EXPECTED TO
  PARALLEL AN EXPLOSION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
  INTERESTING SYNTHETIC SPACES
• HUMAN TRANSITION HERE MAY INCREASE AS LIFE ON
  EARTH BECOMES COMPARATIVELY DULLER AND
  MEANINGLESS

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• SOCIAL HAPPENINGS LIKE (WEDDINGS, PARTIES,
  CELEBRATIONS, MEMORIALS ALSO EXIST HERE POLITICAL
  EVENTS LIKE NEGOTIATIONS OVER CONFLICTS
  ARBITRATIONS, PROTESTS, PETITIONS TAKE PLACE
  BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE GAME
• ECONOMICS (TRADE WITHIN THE GAME AND OUTSIDE THE
  GAME FOR GAME GOODS AND SERVICES
• CULTURE (SYMBOLS, RITUAL AND LANGUAGE) DRESS
  CODES AT PARTIES REMINISCENT OF THAT OF
  CHARACTERS IN PLAY WORLD (KNIGHTS, WITCHES,
  WARLORDS, WIZARDS),
• SOCIOLOGY (ROLES AND NORMS), PLANNING STRATEGIES
  ALONE OR IN GROUPS FOR ACTIVITIES IN THE GAME
  WORLD

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POSSIBLE SOCIETAL APPLICATIONS

• STATE MONOPOLIZATION TO CONTROL CONTENT (CHINA)
• USED AS IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE LIKE IN SCHOOLS
  WHERE ITS IMMERSIVE COMPONENT CAN BE EXPLOITED TO
  TEACH VARIOUS SUBJECTS
• CAN BE USED FOR MILITARY, SECURITY PERSONNEL
  TRAINING
• SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TESTING

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TV VERSUS SYNTHETIC WORLDS

• DISTRIBUTION OF WEEKLY HOURS IN EVERQUEST VERSUS
  TV

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PLAYER CHARACTERISTICS
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TIME SPENT IN NORRATH
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WORLD INHABITANTS