Nexeus Fatale

Sex and video games is a very loaded subject.  Sex and MMO’s is even more loaded.  It seems when the topic of sex arises, the media gets into a frenzy, parents begin uprisings, and everyone begins to treat it as some sort of taboo thing.  We all seem to forget that most people have had sex, even more have seen the act in one form or another.  The reason sex is so difficult to discuss (while at the same time one of the most discussed subjects) is due to its nature of being a highly intimate act that creates and revolves around very important moments in our lives.  With that said, the conversations that are had on the subject are not always the most compelling ones.  There are very few intelligent, mature conversations about sex in the video game and MMO market arenas that do not revolve around legislative nature, or revolve around some sort of scandal.  Most media cover the topic much in the same way Britney Spears is followed by the paparazzi.  Then there’s items like this on YouTube, this presentation by Daniel Floyd does a great job in starting the conversation and making comparisons between sex and video games to film.  Some very valid points are made, such as the way sex is used in video games.  While it does seem unrealistic, immature and derogatory at times, it does sell.

(more…)

The Second Life Community Convention 2008 Registration is open for everyone!  Ticket prices are $220 (or $L 58220)  You can register at http://www.slconvention.org/register/

I really hope to see you on September!  For more information visit www.slconvention.org

Whoodini said it first, The Freaks Come Out At Night!  Well, lets have them come out this Thursday night!  Once a month the Thursday Night Dance Party will have a theme, this month it will be “Night Freak!”, come dressed in your scariest, elaborate, or monster like outfit!  The music will start with hip-hop classics and continue with music that will make you move (house, hip-hop, rock)!  The party begins at 7pm PST (10pm EST) at the high. in Second Life.

On the Second Life Music Development List, there’s a discussion concerning price for music services in Second Life.  The question brings to light a very important topic; how do you determine price in a virtual world?  What would you charge a virtual person for your services rather than a real person?  The economies of scale in Second Life versus that of the real world are quite different.  While the Second Life economy is strong, the value of 1 Linden ($L) is not the same value of 1 United States dollar ($).  Many entrepreneurs, business people, and hobbyist, benefit from this smaller scale, they are able to deal with larger sums of value virtually with little impact to their wallet.  Determining prices is still an issue; it requires surveying, taking a look at the economic data, and the value of the provided service.

(more…)

Gartner reports that 90% of corporate virtual world projects fail within 18 months.  While there are several unknowns concerning the data gathered from the report, I am considering that Gartner’s report does not include projects that were closed but deemed successes, or is not intended as a permanent fixture in the virtual world space as failures.  Gartner discusses many reasons why virtual world projects fail (such as a performing a project for a ‘cool’ factor or a competitor has previously done so) and uses examples of successful virtual worlds (Habbo Hotel, Club Penguin and BarbieGirls.) This is an indication that there are challenges when performing a project inside virtual worlds such as Second Life or There.com and suggest that these platforms are not conduits for successful virtual world projects. I diagree.  I do agree with the message, corporations need to better understand the platform before hopping in to virtual worlds and expecting great sucess, but I fear that its steering people to an unsuccessful route.  There are many reasons why corporate virtual world projects have a large failure rate deals specifically with the approach not the platform or the technology.

(more…)