Simulated worlds made available to the public the possibility to connect with people from all over the world that share the same objective: to participate in a world that is not marked by the limitations of the physical world. In a simulated world, you can be whoever you want, do whatever you want, visit places that you could not visit otherwise, meet people and do activities together. And not only that: now these places also offer great business opportunities and the possibility of creating your own world from scratch. An example of that is Second Life, a metaphysical universe where almost anything is possible.
In massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) it is possible to be part of a world with dragons, elves and other fantasy characters, such as in World of Warcraft. But there are also games where you can do real life activities, such as The Sims. The possibilities in these games are immense. But now with Second Life, you not only can be whoever or whatever you want, but you can also build your own world from scratch, leaving it all up to your own creativity. Differently from MMORPG’s, in Second Life there is no set narrative, no set goal: everything is up to you.
Because of the endless possibilities, many experiments have been made with Second Life. Many places have been created that otherwise would not be possible to create. Peter Yellowslees, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California decided to make a world to give the students a perspective of what schizofrenia patients suffer. He created a hospital where students can go and experience the same type of hallucinations that patients with schizofrenia do. As observed in the article “Living a Second Life” by The Economist, Dr. Yellowslees leases an island in Second Life, where he built a hospital that looks like the one in Sacramento, where many of his students practise. Some people believe that Second Life will become an important tool in long-distance learning.
In massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) it is possible to be part of a world with dragons, elves and other fantasy characters, such as in World of Warcraft. But there are also games where you can do real life activities, such as The Sims. The possibilities in these games are immense. But now with Second Life, you not only can be whoever or whatever you want, but you can also build your own world from scratch, leaving it all up to your own creativity. Differently from MMORPG’s, in Second Life there is no set narrative, no set goal: everything is up to you.
Because of the endless possibilities, many experiments have been made with Second Life. Many places have been created that otherwise would not be possible to create. Peter Yellowslees, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California decided to make a world to give the students a perspective of what schizofrenia patients suffer. He created a hospital where students can go and experience the same type of hallucinations that patients with schizofrenia do. As observed in the article “Living a Second Life” by The Economist, Dr. Yellowslees leases an island in Second Life, where he built a hospital that looks like the one in Sacramento, where many of his students practise. Some people believe that Second Life will become an important tool in long-distance learning.
Another possibility with the metaverse (metaphysical universe such as Second Life), is to develop successful business. According to CNN’s article “Second Life: It’s not a game” from January 2007, Linden Lab, that created Second Life, counts 65 companies that now use Second Life to serve real-world business customers. Not to mention that in Second Life any resident can become an entrepreneur and there are hundreds of people profiting from it. They sell clothes, properties, bikes, cars and many other items. According to CNN, about $600,000 is spent daily throughout Second Life, for an annual GDP of about $220 million.
In conclusion, simulated worlds are now an important part of society. Because of them we are able to interact with people from different locations and interests, explore fantastic places, do business, take care of real life issues, and even create our own world and invite people to visit it. Simulated worlds are now more than ever an alternative to the outdoors life. It has also changed our lives outside the computer screen and our perception of the real world.
Works Cited:
Kirkpatrick, David. ”Second Life: It’s not a game.” CNNMoney.com. 23 January 2007. Cable News Network. 11 April 2007 http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/22/magazines/fortune/whatsnext_secondlife.fortune/index.htm
“Living a Second Life.” Economist.com. 28 September 2006. The Economist. 11 April 2007 http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7963538
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