Title card Why Second Life Can’t Tip: The Power And Perils of Living La Vida Ludic Barry Joseph Global Kids, Inc. Tampa, Florida 09.06.08

1 Me

Barry Joseph H E L L O my name is

Gk logo

2 You

YOU

AUDIENCE

AUDIENCE “ People used to make records as in a record of an event the event of people playing music in a room” Ani DeFranco

“ People used to make records

as in a record of an event

the event of people

playing music in a room”

Ani DeFranco

AUDIENCE “ People used to make records as in a record of an event the event of people play ing music in a room” Ani Defranco

“ People used to make records

as in a record of an event

the event of people

play ing music in a room”

Ani Defranco

AUDIENCE

AUDIENCE

AUDIENCE here there then

here

AUDIENCE here there then Text “ Return ID122 1” to 41411 Text “ Return ID122 2” to 41411 Text “ Return ID122 3” to 41411

here

AUDIENCE here there then Text “ Return ID122 1” to 41411 Text “ Return ID122 2” to 41411 Text “ Return ID122 3” to 41411

here

3 Big Ideas

Ecology of games

Race

“ The minstrel tradition… is visible in the digitally manipulated black caricatures that populate urban/street themed games.” “ High-tech Blackface”

“ The minstrel tradition… is visible in the digitally manipulated black caricatures that populate urban/street themed games.”

“ Our focus… is on gameplay and what we believe is another manifestation of minstrelsy in gaming— performance . How, we ask, do urban/street games establish a powerful learning environment for not only portraying but also performing race in the form of blackface ?”

“ Our focus… is on gameplay and what we believe is another manifestation of minstrelsy in gaming— performance . How, we ask, do urban/street games establish a powerful learning environment for not only portraying but also performing race in the form of blackface ?”

4 Tipping

Malcolm Gladwell “ a new way of understanding why change so often happens as quickly and as unexpectedly as it does.”

Rate of Growth

Rate of Growth

Rate of Growth 35 Million user hours a month 8/08

Brands In

Competition

Pop Culture

No Plans?

Plateau Kingdon on Second Life's Recent Concurrency/Active User Plateau

Brands Out

5 Digital Minstrelsy & Me

Grand Theft Auto

Guitar Hero

Lars and Stone

6 Mercury Metropolitan

Mercury Metropolitan

Ryan Winters Mercury Metropolitan

jolson Jolson

jolson2 “ Jolson was the first openly Jewish man to become an entertainment star in America. His marginal status as a Jew informed his blackface portrayal of Southern blacks .” -- St. James Encyclopedia Of Popular Culture

“ At first it was really a personal experiment . I wanted to see what sort of reaction I received and if I was treated any differently. When I first started, I was a white male avatar, and found it difficult to fit into some already existing cliques . So, I wanted to try a different approach:” “ Creating a virtual identity that was different from my real identity, but remaining transparent about my real life identity if ever questions were brought up in conversation. Being honest about your real identity is important if you want to form ‘real’ friendships, ones that can even extend outside of the virtual world. I was actually treated even better than I was as a white male avatar. There were also a lot more clothing choices as a female. I've grown attached to this female avatar .”

7 “Ludic” & the Modernist Divide

Ludic

Gonzalo Frasca "We will propose the term ludology (from ludus, the Latin word for "game"), to refer to the yet non-existent 'discipline that studies game and play activities'."

Play Money

Thomas Malaby “ Johan Huizinga set the tone for much of the inquiry into games and society in the latter half of the twentieth century with his book Homo Ludens (Man the Player) in 1955… Later in the book [Huizinga] speaks of the “ play-element ” (a type of experience or disposition), rather than of “ play ” as a (separable, safe) activity... This play element is marked by the legitimacy of improvisation and innovation that it allows.”

"...it was not my object to define the place of play among all other manifestations of culture, but rather to ascertain how far culture itself bears the character of play."

Thomas Malaby “ There is a standard account of what games are that saturates both popular and academic accounts of games. This is the idea that games are a subset of ‘ play ,’ where play is understood to be something fundamentally opposed to ‘ work .’ The primary shortcoming of seeing games as play, and play as opposed to work, is that games become domains intrinsically set apart from people’s day-to-day life .” “ Gaming becomes sensible not as an escape from everyday life but as just one of its multiform domains…”

Classroom vs recess

8 “A Ludic Century”

DISCLAIMER!

“ Have a box or similar non-human object with the name ‘Eric Zimmerman’ on it, and you should do my voice and make it clear that it is just your construction of me.”

Eric’s Books

“… games represent one of the most robust and inventive vectors of digital culture.”

“… games represent one of the most robust and inventive vectors of digital culture.” Complex Systems Global Collaboration Mod/Hack/Transform

Complex Systems

Global Collaboration

Mod/Hack/Transform

“ Games do not merely represent new systems of meaning, but are new paradigms under which meaning might be created.”

“ Games do not merely represent new systems of meaning, but are new paradigms under which meaning might be created.”

A Ludic Paradigm

Over the last century, the industrial age was replaced by an era of information , as factory processing and paper bureaucracy … reached their practical and physical limits. In this context, the study and production of information in and of itself arose…”

“ Just as the information age replaced the industrial age, a ludic age has already begun to replace the information age.”

“ Information as a paradigm is inadequate to describe emerging cultural systems like Wikipedia, multiplayer online games, or global financial networks.”

“ These phenomena are not just based on the formal complexity of abstract information processing, but are very human, creative systems.” “ It is inhabited , played with, evolved , and transformed , by a social organism that itself is changing over time.”

“ It is inhabited , played with, evolved , and transformed , by a social organism that itself is changing over time.”

“ The free play of gears or a steering wheel ” “ The play only exists because of the more rigid structures, but also exactly despite them.”

“ Games are the embodiment of this paradox of rigid rules and free movement, of locked formal structures and playful improvisation. And it is this movement from systems of information to systems of play that is increasingly defining our time.”

Love Work Learn Engage Government Produce Knowledge

Love

Work

Learn

Engage Government

Produce Knowledge

9 Living La Vida Ludic

Global Kids, Inc.

GLS

B.Z. A.Z. G.K. = Youth Development SL = Embodied, Constructivist Learning G.K. & SL = The Ludic Life!

The Ludic Life We are finding a new way to live our lives within a virtual world by collapsing the modernist divide, allowing us to live or approach our lives in news ways through integration with play -elements.

10 Designed or Emerged?

Philip Rosedale in Fast Company (Aug ‘08) No Hassle/Fee Conference Call Better Audio Quality Bottomless Bag 3D Prototyping Tiki Hut on Beach Funny Hat “ Being able to do your work in a virtual workspace that makes it fun and reduces your travel time is a tremendous benefit to a company.” No Hassle/Fee Conference Call Better Audio Quality Bottomless Bag 3D Prototyping Tiki Hut on Beach Funny Hat

“ Being able to do your work in a virtual workspace that makes it fun and reduces your travel time is a tremendous benefit to a company.”

Cory Ondrejka by email (Aug ‘08) “ As fans of cognitive science, there was a desire to use 3D representations for communication and collaboration, but we didn't design SL to be good for business meetings or education… [But after launch] educators descended in increasing numbers, demonstrating the value of SL as a space for conveying, storing, representing, and consuming information .” “ As fans of cognitive science, there was a desire to use 3D representations for communication and collaboration , but we didn't design SL to be good for business meetings or education … [But after launch] educators descended in increasing numbers, demonstrating the value of SL as a space for conveying, storing, representing, and consuming information.”

“ As fans of cognitive science, there was a desire to use 3D representations for communication and collaboration, but we didn't design SL to be good for business meetings or education… [But after launch] educators descended in increasing numbers, demonstrating the value of SL as a space for conveying, storing, representing, and consuming information .”

“ As fans of cognitive science, there was a desire to use 3D representations for communication and collaboration , but we didn't design SL to be good for business meetings or education … [But after launch] educators descended in increasing numbers, demonstrating the value of SL as a space for conveying, storing, representing, and consuming information.”

Blue Linden by email (Aug ‘08) "My impression is that although it may not have been designed specifically to a ludic end, Philip's being inspired by Burning Man led to a desire to build a toolset and an environment where it was understood that ludic behavior would have naturally resulted."

"My impression is that although it may not have been designed specifically to a ludic end, Philip's being inspired by Burning Man led to a desire to build a toolset and an environment where it was understood that ludic behavior would have naturally resulted."

Philip Rosedale by email (Aug ‘08) “ I am about to leave for Burning Man... but I think this is a great topic. Like Blue said, I really built SL as a place to make things, to create. So the 'Ludic' element I guess comes with that because along with one's ability to create the world around you is the ability to create yourself and your timeline/narrative . So the Ludic thing springs from a creative platform.” “ I am about to leave for Burning Man... but I think this is a great topic. Like Blue said, I really built SL as a place to make things, to create. So the 'Ludic' element I guess comes with that because along with one's ability to create the world around you is the ability to create yourself and your timeline/narrative. So the Ludic thing springs from a creative platform.” “ I am about to leave for Burning Man... but I think this is a great topic. Like Blue said, I really built SL as a place to make things, to create . So the 'Ludic' element I guess comes with that because along with one's ability to create the world around you is the ability to create yourself and your timeline/narrative. So the Ludic thing springs from a creative platform.”

“ I am about to leave for Burning Man... but I think this is a great topic. Like Blue said, I really built SL as a place to make things, to create. So the 'Ludic' element I guess comes with that because along with one's ability to create the world around you is the ability to create yourself and your timeline/narrative . So the Ludic thing springs from a creative platform.”

“ I am about to leave for Burning Man... but I think this is a great topic. Like Blue said, I really built SL as a place to make things, to create. So the 'Ludic' element I guess comes with that because along with one's ability to create the world around you is the ability to create yourself and your timeline/narrative. So the Ludic thing springs from a creative platform.”

“ I am about to leave for Burning Man... but I think this is a great topic. Like Blue said, I really built SL as a place to make things, to create . So the 'Ludic' element I guess comes with that because along with one's ability to create the world around you is the ability to create yourself and your timeline/narrative. So the Ludic thing springs from a creative platform.”

Thomas Malaby Making Virtual Worlds: Linden Lab and Second Life. (Coming out in early 2009 from Cornell University Press.) “… [Lindens] had not expected the cultural aspects of SL to happen at all, and they were still very much in a period of adjustment in this regard… this was revealed in the changing status of ‘ content’ around Linden Lab.” “ Even in 2005, it was clear that for the most part SL ‘ content’ was for Lindens content in the game developer sense: stuff that was built , scripted, and texture-mapped in SL. As users created other things, such as support groups , or social events, Lindens had to work to get in the habit of thinking of these social creations - which depended little if at all on the conventional content creation tools - as content just the same.”

“… [Lindens] had not expected the cultural aspects of SL to happen at all, and they were still very much in a period of adjustment in this regard… this was revealed in the changing status of ‘ content’ around Linden Lab.”

“ Even in 2005, it was clear that for the most part SL ‘ content’ was for Lindens content in the game developer sense: stuff that was built , scripted, and texture-mapped in SL. As users created other things, such as support groups , or social events, Lindens had to work to get in the habit of thinking of these social creations - which depended little if at all on the conventional content creation tools - as content just the same.”

Thomas Malaby by email (Aug ‘08) “ Rather than think about what is happening now as somehow a ‘ break’ from the past (a new era, or somesuch), it is rather that the way everyday life has always been game-like is only now coming into focus , becoming more and more difficult to deny.”

Philip Rosedale by email (Aug ‘08) “ Since the world is moving towards more mutability and creativity in general (not even counting SL), I'd say Eric Z's thoughts are correct .”

11 Salesman Dwight vs. Philly Jim

csi

csi

The office

Living in SL Thesis: SL is for play Jim: “Playing that game again?” Antithesis: SL is not for play Dwight: “Second Life is not a game… it doesn’t have points or scores.” New Thesis: SL is for your life Dwight: “My life was so great I literally wanted another one… absolutely everything was the same.” Playing in SL Thesis: SL is for your life Dwight creates Second Second Life Antithesis: SL is pathological Jim: “It’s for those people who want to be even further removed from reality.” Pam: “He’s really in pain.” New Thesis: SL is for play Pam: “You’re a sportswriter in Philadelphia? Nice build, too. You have a guitar on your back?!!”

Thesis: SL is for play

Jim: “Playing that game again?”

Antithesis: SL is not for play

Dwight: “Second Life is not a game… it doesn’t have points or scores.”

New Thesis: SL is for your life

Dwight: “My life was so great I literally wanted another one… absolutely everything was the same.”

Thesis: SL is for your life

Dwight creates Second Second Life

Antithesis: SL is pathological

Jim: “It’s for those people who want to be even further removed from reality.”

Pam: “He’s really in pain.”

New Thesis: SL is for play

Pam: “You’re a sportswriter in Philadelphia? Nice build, too. You have a guitar on your back?!!”

Dwight the SL Salesman Jonathan Fanton McArthur Foundation Henry Jenkins M.I.T. Luis Moreno-Ocampo International Criminal Court

Philly Jim the reporter Hamlet Au New World Notes Walker Spaight Second Life Herald Katt Kongo Metaverse Messenger

12 Ludic Life & Education

Human Barometer Avatar Barometer

The Ludic Life Continuum LUDIC Ryan pretending to be a woman

The Ludic Life Continuum LIFE Ryan appearing as a man

The Ludic Life Continuum LUDIC Ryan pretending to be a woman LIFE Ryan appearing as a man LUDIC LIFE Ryan appearing as a woman

The Ludic Life Continuum LUDIC LIFE LUDIC LIFE 1 2 3 4 5

Harry Potter Dance Party of Good and Evil

The Ludic Life Continuum LUDIC LIFE LUDIC LIFE 1 2 3 4 5

The Ludic Life Continuum LUDIC LIFE LUDIC LIFE 1 2 3 4 5

Living in SL A Professor appearing as himself, Addressing a real world subject, With an audience that through their preparations became proof of his thesis. Playing in SL Henry as Dumbledore, Meeting in an H.P. set designed for the talk, For teens who created the set, their avatars and outfits, and the props, To dance to fan-music about Harry Potter.

A Professor appearing as himself,

Addressing a real world subject,

With an audience that through their preparations became proof of his thesis.

Henry as Dumbledore,

Meeting in an H.P. set designed for the talk,

For teens who created the set, their avatars and outfits, and the props,

To dance to fan-music about Harry Potter.

The Ludic Life Continuum LUDIC LIFE LUDIC LIFE 1 2 3 4 5

International Criminal Court

The Ludic Life Continuum LUDIC LIFE LUDIC LIFE 1 2 3 4 5

"IT WAS REALLY FUN!!!! I enjoyed building a solar/ hybrid car [in TSL] for my project and I enjoyed making a billboard. I would recommend this style of learning for any subject because it keeps us (students) pushing because we are using a game for learning." -- Ernesto

The Ludic Life Continuum LUDIC LIFE LUDIC LIFE 1 2 3 4 5

13 The Subversive Nature of the Ludic Life

Tipping image

Background/foreground LIFE LIFE WORK WORK PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY

stuff LUDIC LIFE 1 2 3 4

14 Second Life Can’t Tip

Title card Why Second Life Can’t Tip: The Power And Perils of Living La Vida Ludic

“ Can’t Tip” Second Life will never tip. or Second Life has yet to tip.

The Ludic Life & SLED We are comfortable with this ludic life tension. We thrive and seek this tension. The ludic life can be said to have tipped amongst SLED educators.

We are comfortable with this ludic life tension.

We thrive and seek this tension.

The ludic life can be said to have tipped amongst SLED educators.

Ludic Life Discomfort CSI The Office Congressional Hearings on Second Life

What Can We Do? Ludic Luddites Can Be Our Allies. Abandon the myth of infinite possibilities . Second Life can’t tip until the Ludic Life tips first. The Ludic Life won’t tip unless we make it happen.

Ludic Luddites Can Be Our Allies.

Abandon the myth of infinite possibilities .

Second Life can’t tip until the Ludic Life tips first.

The Ludic Life won’t tip unless we make it happen.

Title card Why Second Life Can’t Tip: The Power And Perils of Living La Vida Ludic Barry Joseph Global Kids, Inc. More information at: RezEd.or/groups/ludiclife Tampa, Florida 09.06.08