This document studies avatar personalization across three virtual worlds: World of Warcraft, Maple Story, and Second Life. It finds that WoW players are on average older (29.8 years) than Maple Story (18.1 years) and have more alternate characters, while Second Life players are oldest on average (41.1 years) and have fewer alternate characters. The document also examines differences in how users customize their avatars across domains and the relationship between avatar customization and user identity.

1. Body and Mind: A Study of
Avatar Personalization in
Three Virtual Worlds
Nicolas Ming-Hui
Nicholas Yee Greg Wadley
Ducheneaut “Don” Wen
Palo Alto The University
Palo Alto National Chiao-
Research of Melbourne
Research Tung University
Center
Center

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3. World of World Craft

4. Maple Story

5. Second Life

6. wow
& maple war 70/30
sl : 50/50

7. Age
• WoW ( 29.8 )
• Maple Story ( 18.1 )
• Second Life ( 41.1 )*

8. Age
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•

9. “Mains” & Alts
• WoW 12
• MS 8
• SL ( )
(>90%)

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11. -MS
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12. -SL
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• /
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• !!!!

13. Avatars & Identites
• 32%

14. • 1.
• 1.
2.
• 1.
2.

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18. :
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21. II
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