Well, it had to come up eventually, didn’t it? I seriously don’t know anymore. I don’t know if I’ve started to be accustomed to nerd culture, or if it’s actually really cool. I keep thinking of ‘The revenge of the nerds’ films. The film represents nerds, yes, but the booger man? Is that supposed to be a nerd? And then I google it and find this lovely test (you have to try it) and realise that I’m 30% nerd, and I’m quite sure I can safely say that my dad is 100%! But then I notice that people use the word ‘nerd’ in such a positive attitude. Just because they’re really interested in, I don’t know, reading the news, they label themselves as nerds.
So I tried looking up the word in my parent’s 80’s versions of Websters and Oxfords Dictionary, and Encyclopedia Britannica, and you know what? The word isn’t even listed! But as a fanatical worshipper of the Good Lord Wikipedia, I was saved! Nerd!!!

Often, when I explain to people what it is I’m writing my thesis on, they often comment on what sad people these gamers are. They can’t live properly in real life so they have to live in a pretend one, a.s.o. I must admit that although I was fascinated by these virtual worlds, I kinda thought the same thing.
Now, however, I’ve become clinically addicted to The Sims Online. It is just terrible. I might start playing at 10pm and suddenly look at my watch and realise it’s 8 am. Before, I thought this game was sooooooo boring. And I suppose it still is actually, it just depends on who you play with! Now that I’ve been playing for a while I’ve met some really interesting people and had some amusing conversations, and I’m starting to consider these people my friends. It’s weird, because when I’m out with real life friends I may find myself slapping my thigh with a great laugh and saying something like “You’ll never guess what DevilsEyes told me yesterday! It was so funny!”. Thankfully, most of my friends do find these stories quite amusing, but there is a sense of awkwardness as well. I see that they may not recognise who I am anymore, and are kinda scared that I might turn into one of these ‘sad’ TSO players. I must admit that I’m quite concerned myself! I’m more than happy to sit alone at home, by myself, with a few beers and playing TSO.
My mind has started to change however. I’m not exactly sure of what is sadder. Going out drinking with the same friends (that I love), laughing at the same stuff and making a fool of myself the same way (over and over and over again) or that I’m meeting new people from all across the world, building things in virtual reality and being introduced to new ways of thinking. Now, see, I don’t know if I’ve become brain washed here, or if our ‘outside’ interpretation of TSO players is just worped and wrong! Sigh! Although I have to say, it was quite daunting the other night when I actually dreamt about another sim. It was very strange! I didn’t dream about what he may look like or be like in real life. I dreamt about him, as the Sim he is and my Dekcuf. We were in TSO’s Alphaville as well! Hmmmmmmm….I think this thesis is going to drive me mad!!!!

There’s an extremely interesting article in Gamasutra this week (you will have to get a log on name and password, but SOOOOOOO worth it). The article is by Fortugno and Zimmerman and concerns the miscommunication between educaters and game designers. It’s really interesting and they also point out that educators mustn’t forget what playfulness is, an activity. I won’t recap the whole article here. Just wanted to lead some of you into an interesting direction!!! Specially INFOMEVI345!!

Right! So all of you who are observant and wondered why I’ve changed the blogname (not that I think anyone actually reads this blog), I have to thank Peter S. Jenkins for noting it out to me. Extremely embarrassing because I was only asking his permission to carry a link to one of his papers, and he so generously pointet it out to me!!! So that’s it, looks like I’ll have to read Alice in Wonderland again! But thank you very much for your observation Mr. Jenkins!!! :-)

And for those of you cursious as to why I’ve written so many posts today; well! I’m working. As a reseptionist, and let me tell you something, there is a reason why receptionists always look bored and are constantly tending to their nails. It is very boring work indeed, which should leave me plenty of studying time, perfect part time job, I guess!!!

So I’ve just been to Terra Nova and entered my first ever comment to a post. Pretty freaky actually, commenting on what most of the superstar academics in this field are writing about. I may be getting way ahead of myself here.
But I know some of you are not frequent Terra Nova’ers, so I thought I’d mention something about one of the topics there at the moment. Two players of The Legend of MIR 3 ended up having quite a disasterous fight over a virtual sword. If I understand it correctly player 2 borrowed this sword from player 1 to do something within the game, and then refused to return it to player 1 and sold it. Player 1 ended up being so furiated that he actually killed player 2, physically. Now the big discussion is if this is an occurance that needs som discussion or if this is just some mad man on the loose. And ofcourse let us not forget the relevance of killing someone for something that is not ‘real’!
Well, it is an occurance that needs more discussion, because this is not going to be the only incident in the near future!! We do have to do something before ‘they’ start banning MMORPGs because of some massive hysteria.
It is my opinion that there should be some for of court system or government officials to oversee virtual crimes (thinking about the stealing part) such as these. We have to remember that these worlds are persistent. It’s not like you were playing Tomb Raider and someone stole your weapon there, then you pressed replay and had it back. This is so much more complicated. You work so hard to attain certain goods and skills. We’re talking years now, not just months, when someone comes and steals something you’ve worked so hard at achieving, it sure as hell would make me see red, although I do believe I have the constraint to stay non-homocidal, but who the hell knows what is really going on in my head!!! There is a value to virtual goods. At the moment, the only way I feel we can establish the value of a virtual item is to establish time spent attaining it and also current value on e-bay (ahh yes, for you poor souls who haven’t listen to me ramble on about this after a few beers, you can actually buy in-game virtual items for ‘real’ money). But that’s just me and my humble opinion! :-)

Yes!! I could not think of a better place to do this. I’m so confused and distraught!!! I’ve come to the conclusion that people playing TSO (The Sims Online) are actually genuinely nice people!! I don’t get it! There are supposed to be griefers all around, but I haven’t found a single one. So, since I’ve based my thesis on governmental policies of behavior within TSO my advisor and I decided it might be wise to become a griefer myself, so that I could force MAXIS to deal with me or see what other forces the TSO community has designed to deal with ‘criminals’. But I can’t do it! To me it is just like screaming abusive comments in the middle of the town square. I’m not saying that I’m a completely gentle and always nice person, but I can’t bring myself to be rude to people. I tried insulting a few people for being Americans, but they just wouldn’t have it and ignored me, and I felt left out and a bit of a dweeb, actually. The people I’ve become friends with actually mean something to me as well.
But I still don’t like the game. I still think it’s very boring, but then again, this may just be because I’m a pathetic newbie still. I don’t know all the dance moves and I bought a fridge the other day and managed to place it with the doors facing against the wall so I can’t reach the food!
Another problem I’m finding is the time difference. In a life where I have to work, study and play, it is hard having to stay up all night playing and then off to work at 8 am! That sounds so pathetic!
I’m also having a bit of trouble with my European sense of humor! Either people aren’t getting it or they are offended by it or they just don’t like me. Yes, I’m a TSO outkast! Lovely!
Then there’s the whole “should have started this ages ago” scenario. Getting involved with MMORPGs takes an awful long time! You can’t just go in, play a few hours and then think you understand it.
So, in short, I’m a bit down and frustrated. Not exactly sure what I’m going to do next! But I need to find an angle soon, or I’ll never finish this thing!!!

Well let me just tell you that that’s absolute crap!!! My tv died a dramatic death during Easter and my productivity and sleep have actually deteriorated. There’s nothing else to do but involve myself with cyberspace, or worse, get involved in books!!! And reading isn’t all it’s cracked up to be!! You can’t sit and read at the same time as eating (well, with great difficulty), you can’t tidy your messy desk, you can’t make food, you can’t read a newspaper while reading, you can’t chat, you can’t talk on the phone; all of which were lovely things you could do while watching tv. But now?! I’m so involved with a book and it’s so exciting, so I cannot go to bed until I’ve read the next chapter, I cannot meet my friends until I’ve read the next chapter, and I CERTAINLY cannot do anything else but lay on my couch and read!! Not to mention the hours I spend infront of the computer!!! When before I would wind down infront of the tv when I came home, I now attach myself to cyberspace for entertainment and before I know it it’s 6.30 a.m.!!! Not good for my sleep or work schedule!!! So whoever told you that tv slowed down productivity is clearly lying!!! Things get much worse without!!!

Grand Theft Auto is under political attack again. Hillary Clinton has publicly announced video games as a ‘major threat’ to moral health in The Sunday Times(subscription). I sigh and shake my head and think ‘oh no Hillary! Don’t make nice with the republicans over computer games!”. And I really don’t understand why we’re talking about kids playing games that were designed for adults, anyway. What is that all about? These games were never intended to be played by 10 year olds, and for a reason. Maybe the discussion should be more about how we enforce the age limitations on games. Wouldn’t that be more realistic?

This is great!!!! An absolute must in anyone’s collection!!!
The Real Ones

Absolutely brilliant band and they have also generously posted an incredibly easy way to download their music for almost nothing!!! Try Bratislava and if you’re not hooked by then, try Oh My! (ever so slightly more clean and poppy’er but still 100% pure quality)!!

If you are ever near this band live it would be a sin to ignore them! Yes!! They’re that good or I wouldn’t have bothered to post this!!! :-)

I’ve stumbled on to a few oddities when it comes to gaming lately. I’ve noticed Dungeons and Dragons gets a lot of heat both by Christians and of all weird things, the Israeli army. I suppose it doesn’t really suprise me that things and meanings are being read into games, after all, I grew up in the ‘play music backwards and kill yourself’ age, I’m kinda used to it. But I had to have a nice little chuckle when Watercoolergames introduced me to another gaming aspect the Christian fundamentalists are baptising themselves into. Yes! Preaching in online games. And when you first realize what an amazing channel to evangelize through, why not pick Halo 2!!! Yes!! I’m sure they’ll reach a lot of trigger happy satanic kids in the middle of playing war and will definately convince them to lay down their weapons and join the power of the Lord! It looks like it may become a good old fashioned good vs. evil fight!! I wonder how long they’ll be able to continue!
Ha ha ha ha!!!! I’m sorry but seriously(?):