Second Life: a game, or not?

I will be 32 in one week (drop gifts in the inventory of Cerulean Vesperia!) and I consider myself to be a gamer.

I have forsaken Netflix, Gamefly, the Sims, World of Warcraft, Halo 2 and even Dance Dance Revolution for Second Life.

I consider Second Life to be a game.

From Merriam-Webster (bolding is mine):

GAME: Etymology: Middle English, from Old English gamen; akin to Old High German gaman amusement
1 a (1) : activity engaged in for diversion or amusement : PLAY (2) : the equipment for a game b : often derisive or mocking jesting : FUN, SPORT game of a nervous player>
2 a : a procedure or strategy for gaining an end : TACTIC b : an illegal or shady scheme or maneuver : RACKET
3 a (1) : a physical or mental competition conducted according to rules with the participants in direct opposition to each other (2) : a division of a larger contest (3) : the number of points necessary to win (4) : points scored in certain card games (as in all fours) by a player whose cards count up the highest (5) : the manner of playing in a contest (6) : the set of rules governing a game (7) : a particular aspect or phase of play in a game or sport game> b plural : organized athletics c (1) : a field of gainful activity : LINE game> (2) : any activity undertaken or regarded as a contest involving rivalry, strategy, or struggle game> game of politics>; also : the course or period of such an activity game> (3) : area of expertise : SPECIALTY 3 game>
4 a (1) : animals under pursuit or taken in hunting; especially : wild animals hunted for sport or food (2) : the flesh of game animals b archaic : PLUCK c : a target or object especially of ridicule or attack -- often used in the phrase fair game
synonym see FUN


Just because many parts of Second Life lack a formal competitive element does NOT mean it's not a game. There is no official leveling up or advancing, and the rewards system is much more personal and subtle (ratings, personal satisfaction, statistics that show progress). My only concern with defining SL as such is that "game" connotes frivolity, and some of us are doing pretty serious work here :) Professional level reference, grant funded projects, museum quality displays, etc.

I would even go far as to argue there is a degree of contest to the activities of the SLL2.0: keeping count of how many islands NMC has? modeling our programs on the best practices of others because WE want to get as much traffic? Competing nationally for grants to get funding to accomplish our goals? *grin* And, as Phil's email demonstrated, we are constantly struggling to define ourselves and explain, "what is the point?"

There is a serious games movement and perhaps that's something to consider as we continue to evolve in this digital space. The lines between educational games and entertaining games are continually blurring as more and more research demonstrates that playing (electronic/digital) games fosters learning. Check out the Serious Games Initiative or Games for Change (there is a SL group called games for change, too).

Certainly, the gamer culture thinks that everything should be free (sort of like information!) but virtual economies are nothing new to the world of games; Lineage, World of Warcraft, and EverQuest are all subscription-model games with money involved and a real-world exchange rate for anyone who wants to trade dollars for game gold, equipment or characters. Economist Edward Castronova has done quite a bit of research in this area, and his book Synthetic Worlds is excellent.

For me, the appeal of Second Life has been a combination of #1 and #2. Sure it's a diversion, and absolutely it's fun and is often amusing, but it also is an excellent strategy to achieve an end, namely, continuing to make library services relevant in the 21st century by meeting our users where they are. I have also found it to be an excellent professional networking tool. After a tour from Carolina Keats of most of Health Info Island last night (plug: go visit, if you haven't yet!), I told her how exciting it was to hear that NIH and CDC and the Red Cross are interested in our efforts and want to work with US! It's thrilling see libraries respected as the go-to place, and being recognized as trendsetters.

People come to SL for different reasons. Gamers play games for different reasons. For example, in World of Warcraft, one might focus on one, or any number of, the following:

• Hone a skill in the game, like herbalism or crafting armor
• Level up characters and sell them to make money
• Play capture the flag with a team of people, instead of completing quest
• Create machinima by filming in-game action and setting it to music and/or dialogue
  Meet at a virtual pub in Azeroth and do nothing but hang out and chat
• Make other people's lives miserable by griefing. The original use of the word "hack"did not have malicious intent; rather, a hack is meant to be a workaround for improvement. See the MIT Tech Model Railroad Club website for details

People who cause grief in-world or in-game (known as griefers) get something out of it: attention, an outlet for creativity, and the fun of pushing people's buttons. Sometimes I find them obnoxious, sometimes I find them funny, to be honest. The best thing we can do is not take them (or ourselves!) too seriously, and find a better outlet for their creative energies--sometimes punishing them or banning them just gives a new challenge.

I say that the people who game for social or creative reasons are just as worthy of being called gamers as those who play in more traditional ways.

Lastly, I would argue that there IS story in Second Life. The difference is that WE create it, and tell it, every day. That is the significant difference between games and books, in my opinion - the player is a participant--nay, PROTAGONIST--rather than simply an observer.