What can we learn from the World of Warcraft and

Second Life?

Cynthia Calongne

Colorado Technical University

World of Warcraft• Over 6.5 million players

• Over 4231 custom interfaces (by players)– www.curse-gaming.com

• Play styles: PvE, RP, PvP, RPvP

• Fantasy game setting: Horde vs. Alliance

• Immersive virtual world -- engaging and addictive

WoW Machinima

• Amish Paradise -- Weird Al Yankovic

• Billy McClure– Parody that follows the adventures of a young

night elf male in Elwynn Forest

• Winner of the Xfire World of Warcraft Machinima Contest (2006)– 1st Place Best Dance– 2nd Place Best Editing– 2nd Place Best Original Music

What Makes WoW Engaging

• Reward system -- loot, money, experience

• Engaging graphics, sound, animations, races

• Quests -- supports a variety of play styles

• Reputation & rank--faction and battlegrounds

• Customizable interfaces -- user control

• Interaction -- forums, player sites, chats

• Compelling social spaces--groups and guilds

• Skill development

What is Second Life?

Activities

• Creativity– Build, model, texture, associate and use

• Interaction– Social skill, collaboration and cooperative play

• Game– Logic/Puzzle, Mystery, Roleplaying (RPG), PvP– Need more Player vs Environment games**

• Skills– Music, art, fantasy, technology, applied skills

Campus Design

Virtual Campus in SL

Design

Research -- Shared

Thomson NETg

Virtual Classrooms

Presentation Forums

Dynamic Environment

Legitimacy in the Academy

Blended Reality Symposiums

Amazon.com in SL Briefing

Amazon.com SL

Navigating the NMC

Educational Events

Teaching in Second Life

Applied Learning

Immersive Design

Modeling the Problem

Structural Designs -- Floating

Evolutionary Design

Scripting Ramapo’s Robots

Diverse Virtual Spaces

NMC Teachers’ Buzz Meetings

NMC Campus Designers Electric Sheep Company

Virtual Learning Spaces

• Second Life provides an opportunity for – Collaboration and Community– Research– Use of Virtual Learning Spaces– Classes in World --

• Activity-based learning• Authentic assessment• Game-based culture• Easy interaction and navigation

Learning Activities• Conceptual

– Skill development– Knowledge acquisition– Leadership– Strategy– Tactics– Team building– Economics

• Activities– Building/creativity– Quests/discovery– Guide/mentor– Solve problems– Accomplish goals– Collaboration– Financial success

Conclusion

• Next Steps– Create activities that map to learning outcomes

• Reusable learning objects -- games, activities, etc.

– Design game-based worlds that provide immersive learning experiences

• Quests focus on discovery• Reward systems• Remains engaging, unlike many educational games

– Leverage virtual world capabilities to create and use temp-on-rez learning spaces

For More Information

Contact Cynthia Calongne at calongne@pcisys.net