Experiencing Virtual Worlds Working Group

Co-Conveners: Victoria Szabo (ISIS), Clare Woods (Classical Studies)

As a complement to Duke’s expertise and achievements in advancing the technologies of virtual reality (the DiVE, medical center simulations, Second Life island development, the OpenCroquet project, 3d modeling and mapping, game development), our working group will study the experience – literary, aesthetic, psychological, economic – of virtual worlds environments. These environments as user-created, user-driven spaces are an emerging medium, but one that is rapidly creating venues for social, educational, and intellectual interaction. With the advent of sophisticated 3D graphics and wider access in entertainment, industry,and education, the field has developed simultaneously on a number of fronts. The last several years have seen important studies from economic/public policy (Edward Castronova), psychological (Patricia Wallace), and literary (Janet Murray) perspectives, but there has been little attempt to bring these various studies and viewpoints into conversation with one another. We propose a “wide focus” analysis and intellectual exploration of virtual worlds as new media for (self)expression, and identity creation, and as new tools/paradigms for global communication, commercial and social interactions.

The 2010-11 focus will be on making - and critiquing - our own virtual world environments in Second Life, OpenSim, and authoring with the Unity Game Engine. The plan is to alternate hands-on instructional and workshop sessions with guest speakers and other related activities. New members are always welcome to attend.

Contact: ves4 [at] duke [dot] edu (subject: Expericing%20Virtual%20Worlds) (Victoria Szabo)