Comments on: Danah Boyd on MySpace

By: reBang weblog » Blog Archive » M-M-MySpace Generation

reBang weblog » Blog Archive » M-M-MySpace Generation — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 18:08:55 +0000

[...] I’ve been following an entry over on Raph Koster’s blog (Link) discussing the MySpace phenomenon. There are some interesting comments that are worth reading imo. The most recent comment as of this writing included this bit: I think the first step between connecting a MMOG with a true social network is to grow it FROM an existing social network and allow a virtualization of that social network into a visual representation. Interesting. I guess by going from Second Life to LinkedIn I’m doing this all backwards (see earlier post for reference – Link). I’ve not actively pursued making virtual person-to-virtual person contacts on LinkedIn; no time at the moment. Perhaps next week. [...]

By: Dranore

Dranore — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 00:37:47 +0000

The closest thing we’ve got is Second Life. For all intentensive purposes it’s very similar to MySpace and can litterally have your own “space” for a fee. You can however PARTICIPATE for free. Interestingly they’re in the process of intergrating the Mozilla browser into their engine… so you could even literally tie myspace into it. If MySpace WANTED to attempt a virtual world. They most defitely could by connecting it back to the webpage.

I think the first step between connecting a MMOG with a true social network is to grow it FROM an existing social network and allow a virtualization of that social network into a visual representation. I think it’s doable and I for one would be intereted to see how it unfolded.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 23:05:04 +0000

I think life is a game, life in general in an open sense and society in a goal-oriented sense. MySpace works because its game is open and personal representation is radically decentralized, you can collate with spheres of friends in addition to making otherwise random networks with disparate people. MMO’s have all required embodied interaction through an avatar, which heavily centralizes and therefore limits the networking factor. Subscription rates and the fact that MMO’s are largely closed systems are also limitations.

By: Heartless_

Heartless_ — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:08:56 +0000

Why?

Because we already have the Jack Thompson crowd against us and we don’t need the MySpace lynch mob following us also.

So lets not

By: Raph

Raph — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 16:33:08 +0000

Never mind, fixed the feed.

By: Raph

Raph — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 16:29:04 +0000

What’s wrong with the RSS feed? Over on the side there, Feedburner claims 463 people read it last night…

On the other hand, I got told last night by a friend that the feed stopped a few days ago.

By: Wukong

Wukong — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 15:28:33 +0000

According to the the included link, the primary activity for teens on MySpace is identity play. It seems to me that role play is in some ways antithetical to indentity play, especially the very limitted type of role play available in commericial MMORPGs. Teens are more interested in being a human adult than an orc warrior or a gnome rogue.

Perhaps if MMORPGs presented more activities than being a hero in a world where no one dies, or being wealthy when none go hungry, then the role playing choices might be more interesting to teens. As it is, MMORPGs serve as escapist entertainment. Teens aren’t looking for escape from the adult world. They are looking for entree.

By: Cael

Cael — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 12:49:06 +0000

Partly the appeal of myspace and IMs is as it always is in any generation gap. The capacity to create and use a lnguage impenetrable (or nearly so) to an older generation, which often reacts strongly to use of that language.

“d00d u no ne1 1 2 rade teh MC?” – in WoW, especially on the euro servers, that kind of crap gets the derisory treatment that i feel it deserves, but then i’m 36.

In order to attract the youth, you have to accept and work with their own language and let them have the capaicity to extend it.

But whatever you do, don’t get it wrong. Because you’re lame like the teacher in the nikes and the hoody top who thinks he’s cool.

By: Santo

Santo — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 09:05:09 +0000

(Not really fitting here, but couldn’t find an e-mail: You need to fix the RSS feed )

By: Wolfe

Wolfe — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 08:42:14 +0000

There are several heavy differencies, most reasons why MySpace and MMORPG dont compare well are design bandaids on the MMORPG side. Altho there is additional trouble in IP development where a mmorpg product is stuck in conventions which wont allow it to adapt fast enough for cultural growth and development.

I could point out a list of maybe 20 standard mmorpg features which would be bad for MySpace but I’ll save you the trouble.

Another product problem with mmorpg’s is that they are “games”, hence they fall within “controlled space” of the parents. MMORPG’s are also Role-Playing-Centric, founded on the notion that you pretend to be someone other than yourself, almost all players of mmorpg’s are not role-playing in this sence, they are trying to apply themselves to controling their proxies as representatives of themselves, more or less. This isnt much of a problem for mmorpg gamers, but it does pose a problem for the communication about the activity of “playing mmorpg” between consumer and onlooker (parent/school/whatever).

If you want to rob MySpace of some of its market and stuff it into the mmorpg sphere you’ll have to convince those marketting people to sell realestate on the web, rather than another game. (And I think that will be problematic.)