SYNTHETIC WORLDS

1. SYNTHETIC WORLDS • ANY COMPUTER GENERATED PHYSICAL SPACE REPRESENTED GRAPHICALLY IN THREE DIMESSIONS THAT CAN BE EXPERIENCED BY MANY PEOPLE AT ONCE OR SIMULTANEOUSLY. • THIS WILL INCLUDE ALL THE MMORPG WORLDS IN THE GAME INDUSTRY. THESE ARE ROLE PLAYING GAMES ABOUT DUNGEONS AND SPACESHIPS AS EXEMPLIFIED BY EVERQUEST • MULTIUSER SOCIAL WORLDS AS THE SIMS ONLINE • MULTIPLAYER COMBAT GAMES AS HALF-LIFE • WE WILL EXCLUDE ONLINE GAMES SUCH AS POKER OR CHECKERS, TEXT BASED CHAT ROOMS AND (MUDS) MULTIUSER DUNGEONS OR DOMAINS THE ANCESTOR OF MMORPG THE BUSINESS AND CULTURE OF ONLINE GAMES

2. INHABITING A SYNTHETIC WORLD • BUY THE SOFTWARE (ABOUT $50.00) • HAVE A FAIRLY HIGH-END COMPUTER AND A FAST INTERNET CONNECTION • A CREDIT CARD FOR MONTHLY CHARGES ($10 - $15.00) • INSTALL THE SOFTWARE AND CONNECT TO THE GAME SERVER FOR NECESSARY UPDATES AND PATCHES • ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT SCREEN WILL SET UP AN ACCOUNT USING PERSONAL INFORMATION, PASSWORD AND SOFTWARE VERIFICATION KEY • AGREE TO EULA AND CODE OF CONDUCT • CHOOSE A WORLD OR SHARD THAT FITS YOUR FANCY AND CLICK ON CONFIRMATION BUTTON • CHOOSE A BODY OR FORM THAT YOU WILL INHABIT AND CUSTOMIZE WITH A NAME, CHARACTERISTICS, ATTRIBUTES, SKILLS ETC • CLICK TO CONFIRM ACCEPTANCE OF BODY CONSTRUCTED, NAME MUST BE UNIQUE

3. YOUR NEW IDENTITY IS NOW STORED ON SERVER. CLICKING ON ICON WOULD PROMPT FOR ACCOUNT NAME AND PASSWORD, VERIFICATION OF EULA ANDTOS. • YOU CAN BUILD A NEW BODY OR ACCEPT THE ONE ALREADY BUILT, NOW YOU ARE READY TO ENTER THE WORLD FOR THE FIRST TIME • CHOOSE BETWEEN FIRST OR THIRD PERSON PERSPECTIVE DEPENDING ON THE VIEW DESIRED

4. FIRST CONTACT AND INTERACTIONS • YOUR ENTITY MAY ENCOUNTER NPC’S (BOTS) OR AVATARS LIKE ITSELF CONTROLLED BY ANOTHER HUMAN AND EXCHANGES MAY ENSUE (TEXT BASED OR VIA AUDIO FEED) • GOODS OR SERVICES MAY BE OFFERED OR REQUESTED AS LIFE BEGIN IN THIS WORLD • GRAPHICAL NARRATIVES MAY SUGGEST CONTEMPORARY OR MEDIEVAL SETTING. REAL WORLD STRUCTURES AND ACTIVITIES LIKE STORES, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, COURTSHIPS, ROMANCE, MARRIAGE AND COMMERCE ARE COMMONPLACE • QUITING THE GAME WILL LEAVE YOUR AVATAR STILL ENDOWED WITH THE ATTRIBUTES AND BEHAVIORS AND WORLDLY POSSESSIONS THAT HE/SHE HAD WHILE ANIMATED, ON AWAKENING THESE WILL AGAIN BE ASPECTS OF HIS/HER PERSONALITY

5. IDENTIFICATION AND REALITY CHECK • ONE IDENTIFIES WITH THE AVATAR ENTITY • THE WORDS I, ME AND MINE ARE USED WHEN THINKING AND TALKING ABOUT ONES AVATAR • ONE BECOMES THE DRIVER OR ANIMATOR OF THIS SYNTHETIC ENTITY • THE ATTRIBUTES AND BEHAVIORS DEFINED IN THIS ENTITY ARE WRAPPED AROUND ONESELF AND ONE FUNCTIONS IN THIS SPACE ASSUMING THESE AS ONE’S OWN • EMOTIONAL PROXIMITY PREVAIL, ONE FEELS JOY OR PAIN DEPENDING ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THIS ENTITY • CULTURAL NORMS OF REAL EARTH BLEED THROUGH THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS IN THE SYNTHETIC WORLD, OBJECTS AND EVENTS CONJURE UP SIMILAR MEANINGS AND ELICIT SIMILAR FEELINGS AS IN REAL EARTH WHILE IMMERSED IN THE ROLE PLAY AND IDENTIFIED WITH OUR ENTITY IN THE SYNTHETIC WORLD

6. THIS SYNTHETIC WORLD IS CREATED BY HUMAN MINDS AND SO CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL FORMS, CATEGORIES AND MEANINGS ARE PROJECTED INTO THIS SPACE AND SHAPE OUR INTERACTIONS WITH BEINGS, OBJECTS AND EVENTS HERE. • LIKEWISE EXPERIENCES IN THIS WORLD LINGER WITH US AS WE EXIT THIS SPACE AND OFFLOAD OUR ENTITY AFFECTING AND INFLUENCING OUR BEHAVIOR AND INTERACTIONS IN REAL EARTH (DISHONESTY, TRICKERY, LOVE, FAILURES, SUCCESSES, DEATH ETC) • OBJECTS FROM THIS WORLD ARE TRADED FOR REAL WORLD CURRENCY, GOODS AND SERVICES AFFECTING RELATIONS ON THE MICRO AND MACRO ECONOMIC LEVEL • TRADE IN CYBERSPACE GOODS AND SERVICES ON EBAY AND PRIVATELY ARE REPUTED TO BE IN THE HUNDRED OF MILLIONS NECESSARILY AFFECTING OUR GNP • REAL WORLD CLUBS, GUILDS AND ASSOCIATIONS EVOLVE ON REAL EARTH TO FACILITATE LIFE IN SYNTHETIC EARTH • SYNTHETIC WORLDS ARE USED BY MANY TO ESCAPE THE LIMITS AND RESTRICTIONS AND DRUDGERY OF LIFE ON REAL EARTH. IT REPRESENTS A SPACE WHERE ONE CAN SURMOUNT LIMITS IMPOSED BY PHYSICAL FACTS, OUR PHYSIOLOGY, POLITICS, ECONOMICS ETC AND CREATE A WORLD WHERE ONE CAN LIVE AND EXPLORE WITHOUT THESE EARTHLY CONSTRAINTS.

7. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OF SYNTHETIC WORLDS • SUPPLY AND DEMAND FORCES OPERATE HERE LIKE REAL EARTH BUSINESSES • ONE CAN GET A WORLD UP AND RUNNING FOR ($5M - $20/30M) • ECONOMIC IDEAS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND, PLENTIFUL AND SCARCITY GUIDE ONES DECISION MAKING PROCESSES JUST AS ON REAL EARTH. PRECIOUS GEMS AND CURRENCY ARE HOARDED AS ASSETS FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES, COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS DETERMINE ACTIONS • GROWTH OF THESE WORLDS WILL BE DETERMINED BY MARKET FORCES • BUSINESS SCENARIO VARIES ACROSS CONTINENTS (KOREA: NCSOFT,CHINA:SHANDA, NETEASE, WEBZEN JAPAN/USA:SONY-SOE, ELECTRONIC ARTS, DISNEY, MICROSOFT ETC) • SMALL DEVELOPMENT FIRMS MAKE/RUN THE GAME WHILE PUBLISHERS CONTROL DISTRIBUTION AND BILLING OR THE DEVELOPER DOES EVERYTHING • IN SYNTHETIC WORLD BOTH SOFTWARE AND ONGOING SERVICE REQUIRE CONSTANT UPGRADES AND MANAGEMENT

8. DEVELOPMENT PROCESS : IDEA SKETCHED OUT IN A DEMO; DESIGNERS DETERMINE PLAYER ACTIONS; ARTISTS RENDER ENVIRONMENTS AND CHARACTERS, PROGRAMMERS MAKE IT HAPPEN ALPHA VERSION IS TESTED UNTIL MANAGEMENT IS SATISFIED WITH CONTENT AT WHICH TIME A BETA VERSION IS RELEASED USUALLY FREE FOR TESTING BY PUBLIC • WHEN USERS ARE HOOKED ON THE GAME AND IT GOES GOLD CHARGES BEGIN. SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE THE PRIMARY REVENUE STREAM • ADVERTISING ON INTRO PAGE ALSO GENERATE REVENUE ( BUT THESE MUST BE TIME AND CONTENT SENSITIVE) • PRICE DISCRIMINATION AND PROFIT MAXIMIZATION FOLLOWS PRINCIPLES OF DEMAND ELASTICITY (PLAYERS WITH INELASTIC DEMANDS PAY MORE, THOSE THAT ARE NOW HOOKED AND ARE LONG STAYERS) SWITCHERS ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY MONTHS PAY LESS • SOME OWNERS CHARGE HIGH PRICES WHEN THINGS ARE HOT AND SUBSCRIPTION LEVELS ARE HIGH, THEY REAP PROFITS THEN SELL OUT TO NEW OWNERS AS DEMAND SLACKENS • TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT LIKE HIGH SPEED INTERNET AND INCREASED BANDWITH CAN HAVE POSITIVE EFFECT ON SALES AND THE GROWTH OF THIS INDUSTRY BUT GENERATIONAL EFFECTS LIKE LEARNING CURVES FOR THOSE NOT NECESSARILY COMPUTER SAVVY MAY EFFECT GROWTH

9. BUSINESS OF SYNTHETIC WORLDS • OBJECTS FROM THIS WORLD ARE TRADED FOR REAL WORLD CURRENCY, GOODS AND SERVICES AFFECTING RELATIONS ON THE MICRO AND MACRO ECONOMIC LEVEL • CYBERSPACE GOODS AND SERVICES ARE TRADED ON EBAY AND PRIVATELY. THIS TRADE IS REPUTED TO BE IN THE HUNDRED OF MILLIONS THUS AFFECTING OUR GNP • GROWTH MAY FOLLOW BOOM AND BUST PATTERN OF MANY NEW TECHNOLOGIES • ECONOMICALLY THESE WORLDS CAN BE CONSIDERED CLUB GOODS WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE AS TO WHO MAY LIVE IN WHICH WORLD AND THE PRICE TO CHARGE FOR ENTRY TO MINIMIZE CONGESTION

10. REAL EARTH SYNTHETIC EARTH MELDING • AN ORGANISM SURROUNDED BY POROUS BARRIER THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE PASS FROM REAL EARTH TO SYNTHETIC EARTH CARRYING BEHAVIORIAL ASSUMPTIONS AND ATTITUDES WITH THEM WITH THE VALUATION OF THINGS WITHIN THIS SPACE BECOMING ENMESHED WITH THAT OF THINGS OUTSIDE THIS SPACE • THERE IS HUMAN SOCIETY ON EITHER SIDE VALIDATING INHABITANTS SHARED VALUES, FACTS, EMOTION, MEANINGS • TO USERS THEY LIVE IN BOTH SPACES AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THEIR DAILY LIVES, LIFE IS REAL WHILE LIVED IN EITHER SPACE AT THE RESPECTIVE INTERVALS. • THE SYNTHETIC SPACE IS VERY MUCH A PART OF LIFE ON EARTH, ITS AN INNER SANCTUM OF ESCAPE TO A WORLD OF WONDROUS, JOYFUL AND PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE THAT IS AS REAL TO THEM AS LIFE ANYWHERE ELSE • EBAY : FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET FOR SYNTHETIC WORLD CURRENCY

11. EFFECTS ON EARTHLY LIFE • SYNTHETIC WORLDS ARE MORE THAN JUST FUN AND GAMES BUT FORUMS FOR COMMUNICATION NOT AFFORDED BY VIDEO GAMES • OR CHAT ROOMS • THEY OFFER A HIGHER QUALITY AND LOWER COST COMMUNICATIVE AND INTERACTIVE ALTERNATIVES WHERE PEOPLE CAN MINGLE WITH ONE ANOTHER IN A WORLD-LIKE SPACE NOT AVAILABLE IN OTHER GAMES OR COMMUNICATION MEDIUMS • PIAGET: PLAY IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF OUR DEVELOPMENT, PLAY BRINGS US JOY INTRINSICALLY AND EVOLUTION HAS SPECIFICALLY MADE PLAY A JOYFUL ACTIVITY. JOY MOTIVATES US AS A WAY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR WORLD AND BUILD OUR SKILLS • LIFE ITSELF MAY BE PLAY (SHAKESPEARE, HUIZINGA) SYNTHETIC WORLD PROVIDE HUMANITY WITH MORE THAN ONE WORLD IN WHICH TO LIVE(PLAY) FOR THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT THE CONSTRAINTS AND SCARCITY ARTIFICIALLY IMPOSED BY THE DOMINANT GROUP

12. EFFECTS ON REAL EARTH LIFE • SYNTHETIC WORLDS OFFER A WELL DESERVED AND LONG AWAITED ESCAPE FROM THIS PRISON • THEY FORM A COMMUNITY OF USERS INTO A SOCIETY THAT DOES THINGS AND ALLOW THINGS THAT OUR EARTH SOCIETY DOES NOT. PEOPLE GO THERE TO REALIZE AND EXPERIENCE THINGS THAT ARE SCARCE OR UNAVAILABLE ON EARTH(CONNECTIONS, EXPLORATION, ACCOMPLISH THINGS) • THEY PROVIDE CONTENT AND AI BASED RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE HARD TO FIND ON EARTH. GENERATES EMOTIONAL CONTENT AND A VALIDATING COMMUNITY OF LIKE-FEELING HUMANS. • NO FRONTEIR IS TRULY SEPARATE FROM ITS HOMELAND AS SUCH THESE EMOTIONS ARE KNOWN TO MELD INTO THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT OF REAL EARTH • EMERGENT EARTHLIKE CULTURES PERSIST GROUPS FORM IN AND OUT OF THE GAME THESE USE (EMAIL, BLOGGING, TELEPHONE, VOIP),

13. GAMES SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY • LEGAL AND POLITICAL VALIDATION OF OBJECTS AND EVENTS HERE SUGGEST A REAL SPACE • GAMES ARE PART OF OUR DAILY LIVES, SCARCE RESOURCES LIKE TIME AND ENERGY ARE ALLOCATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS UNDERTAKING • REAL COURT CASES HAS ARBITRATED ON PROPERTY RIGHTS AND OWNERSHIP OF DIGITAL GOODS • ANTI GAME SENTIMENTS ARISE TO COMBAT THE FLIGHT TO THESE SPACES OF FUN ( ADDICTION, VIOLENCE, ALL FUN NO WORK, GAME CURFEWS, CULTURE OF VIOLENCE) • REAL EARTH CORPORATIONS ARE SET UP PRIMARILY TO PROFIT FROM TRANSACTIONS IN CYBER ITEMS • AN INCREASE IN COMPUTING POWER IS EXPECTED TO PARALLEL AN EXPLOSION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERESTING SYNTHETIC SPACES • HUMAN TRANSITION HERE MAY INCREASE AS LIFE ON EARTH BECOMES COMPARATIVELY DULLER AND MEANINGLESS

14. SOCIAL HAPPENINGS LIKE (WEDDINGS, PARTIES, CELEBRATIONS, MEMORIALS ALSO EXIST HERE POLITICAL EVENTS LIKE NEGOTIATIONS OVER CONFLICTS ARBITRATIONS, PROTESTS, PETITIONS TAKE PLACE BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE GAME • ECONOMICS (TRADE WITHIN THE GAME AND OUTSIDE THE GAME FOR GAME GOODS AND SERVICES • CULTURE (SYMBOLS, RITUAL AND LANGUAGE) DRESS CODES AT PARTIES REMINISCENT OF THAT OF CHARACTERS IN PLAY WORLD (KNIGHTS, WITCHES, WARLORDS, WIZARDS), • SOCIOLOGY (ROLES AND NORMS), PLANNING STRATEGIES ALONE OR IN GROUPS FOR ACTIVITIES IN THE GAME WORLD

15. POSSIBLE SOCIETAL APPLICATIONS • STATE MONOPOLIZATION TO CONTROL CONTENT (CHINA) • USED AS IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE LIKE IN SCHOOLS WHERE ITS IMMERSIVE COMPONENT CAN BE EXPLOITED TO TEACH VARIOUS SUBJECTS • CAN BE USED FOR MILITARY, SECURITY PERSONNEL TRAINING • SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TESTING

16. TV VERSUS SYNTHETIC WORLDS DISTRIBUTION OF WEEKLY HOURS IN EVERQUEST VERSUS TV

17. PLAYER CHARACTERISTICS

18. TIME SPENT IN NORRATH

19. WORLD INHABITANTS