This document discusses exploring the spatial behaviors and movements of avatars in virtual worlds. It describes the "Magic Ring" project in Second Life that collected 29 variables like location every 5 seconds from 211 avatars over 6 months, resulting in 90 million data points. The project analyzed spatial practices, connection frequencies, and identified "hot spots" to gain new perspectives for sociological research methods. It encourages thinking about new approaches to studying how avatars move and interact in virtual spaces.

1. How
to
explore
the
“spa/alites”
of
avatars
in
a
virtual
world?
Example
of
the
project
“Magic
ring”
in
Second
Life.
LUCAS Jean-François
Chair of Research and Training “Modelling of imagination,
innovation and creation”
Economics and Social Sciences Department
Telecom ParisTech - 75014 Paris
jean-francois.lucas@telecom-paristech.fr

2. Think
about
new
perspec2ves
of
research
methods

3. Explore
«
New
new
worlds
»

4. Immersion:
percep2on
–
narra2ve
–
social

5.
“Why
to
study
how
avatars
move
when
nobody
moves?!”

6.
The
“spa2ali2es”
of
avatars

7.
The
«
Magic
Ring
»
gets
29
variables
every
5
seconds

8.
211
avatars
–
6
months
–
90
million
data

9. Spa2al
prac2ces
–
connec2on
frequency
-­‐
etc.

10. «
Hot
spots
»

11. «
Hot
spots
»

12. Related
work

13. New
perspec2ves
for
sociology

14. Thank
you
hTp://research-­‐sl.blogspot.com
hTp://www.gehan-­‐kamachi.net