Second Life is three-dimensional, online world launched by Linden Research, Inc on June 23, 2003. The world allows its users (known as “residents” in game) to explore and interact in the world using a highly customizable avatar. Residents in Second Life can use their avatars to interact with other residents in game, giving Second Life a unique feel; somewhat reminiscent of a social networking service. Second Life also allows its participants to create, trade, and even sell items and services. These include items such as houses or automobiles, to services such as banks or paper services. Second Life strives to be an accurate reflection of its name: an actual virtual “second life.”
Second Life promotes and encourages social interaction through its service. Residents interact by creating items or services together, participating in services on the site (such as going to a virtual dance club or going to an amusement park), or simply by chatting with someone they know or just met. However, there are also users who choose to simply explore the world. There are many different types of users in second life and each Second Life user chooses to interact with the service in a unique way that suits them best.
Bartle chooses to label characters into four different categories: achievers, explorers, socialisers, and killers. He states that the best way to distinguish the difference is to consider the suits in a traditional pack of cards: “achievers are Diamonds (they’re always seeking treasure); explorers are Spades (they dig around for information); socialisers are Hearts (they empathize with other players); killers are Clubs (they hit people with them)” (Bartle). He uses these categories to layout the interactions of users in a game. By doing this, Bartle is able to analyze the dynamics of the games interactions and report the effects that these user interactions have on the game environment.
Using Bartle’s categorization is somewhat hard to use in relation to Second Life. Bartle’s theory seems to work well with MMOG that involve fighting or some level of violence (such as World of Warcraft). Second Life, while being an MMOG, has more of a social feel than other games of its type. This intern makes it harder to label inside of Bartle’s type scope.
Second Life provides a high level of customizability for
their avatars. Users can change
everything from their characters height and weight to how large their nose and
ears are.
Taylor discusses in her article “Multiple Pleasures: Women and Online Gaming,” how the sexual characteristics of avatars are grossly inflated by many users. This can be seen in Second Life where certain characters can be seen wearing phalluses in world. This customizability allows users to express themselves in an almost unlimited fashion due to Linden Research, Inc. choice to not sensor such actions.
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