Pixels and Policy

Study Shows Virtual Therapy Outperforms Real-World Shrinks

Could virtual worlds be used to provide therapy to those who lack access to a real-world practitioner?

That's the premise of a recent article outlining the multiple ways virtual worlds could provide essential mental health services to more patients than ever before. But what about the possible caveats of virtual head-games?

Pixels and Policy takes a look at the compelling academic studies of just how effective virtual world psychotherapy really is. 

What Happens to my Virtual Stuff When I Die?

Following up its Fashion Section puff piece on designer shoes in the virtual world, The New York Times takes a more nuanced look at some of the legal questions the Metaverse creates. We're taking credit for provoking the story, of course.

Chief among them: What happens to my virtual empire when I die?

As NYT's Chris Nicholson explains, that's a question with no definite answer.

Are Virtual Worlds Enhancing or Destroying Our Sense of Self?

It's rare that I stumble on a piece of writing that makes me immediately hit the "Share This Story!" button, but a research piece sent in by one of our readers has me excited.

Bob Lloyd, a multi-degreed former techie with a knack for the pen, recently wrote a piece for BlogCritic where he asked whether online worlds were replacing our sense of self with an amorphous nothingness.

Pixels and Policy breaks down Lloyd's research and asks: Are virtual worlds making us into little more than an ever-changing combination of groups and avatar masks?

Pooky Amsterdam on 5 Reasons to Use Second Life as a Media Platform

Today's guest post is from the Second Life media guru and Treet.tv staple Pooky Amsterdam. In her post, Amsterdam argues for the expanded use of Second Life as a platform for ambitious virtual media operations.

Amsterdam, who needs no introduction, is the host of Second Life's "The 1st Question," a machinima producer, and an advocate of machinima and Second Life as emergent platforms for engaging both business and entertainment.

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Filming a live broadcast program for the internet where people can log in from all over the world and participate is riskier than Formula 1 race car driving, so agreed Richard Bartle, the father of the MUD.

It is very rewarding, and I am breaking the virtual ceiling with it, as my show every Tuesday night, The 1st Question attests. It is an increasingly popular weekly phenomenon.

Giving people rewards for engagement is a trend likely to continue as you win peoples hearts and minds when you give them something palpable to play with and of course watch.I am also on the forefront of real time Multi User Virtual Environment (MUVE) entertainment, and my company PookyMedia is award winning for the machinima (Cinema done on machine) we produce.

Continue reading below the fold!

Virtual Tourists Show Little Interest in U.S. Government Sims

        The DoE's island is impressive, but empty.

Until recently, the Department of Energy''s involvement in Second Life has been limited to hosting a speaker through the University of Delaware's Second Life lecture series,"Global Agenda." This attracted a few dozen avatars, some of whom even stayed through the entire speech.

Fascination with virtual worlds, especially Second Life, has led several government agencies to construct outreach and public education centers in the Metaverse.

Now, after several years of concerted development, these virtual temples to the Department of Energy and the NOAA sit mostly unused, victims of what one tourist calls "the big empty."