Virtual Worlds as Tools on Designing Virtual Worlds

Computer Science

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

I re-read the previous paragraph immediately after having written four pages about computer science and virtual world design. I bit the bullet and cut them.

Many virtual world designers ¹ have a soft spot for computer science because their own backgrounds are in this area. However, the fact is that computer scientists in general are not tremendously interested in virtual worlds except when they’re working on them ², in which case they have a direct relationship with the designers anyway. Designers who are former programmers can call on their own experience, of course: Program design methodologies can certainly help in the process of virtual-world design, and systems analysis techniques are invaluable, too. The greatest benefit of computer science training to designers, however, is perhaps the understanding it gives of what can be programmed (and how long it will—or might—take).

Artificial Intelligence

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

I also have a background in artificial intelligence (AI). I did my BSc in computer science but my Ph.D. was in AI. Why? Because AI is highly relevant to virtual worlds.

The reason AI is relevant is because of mobiles. Okay, well there are other reasons, too—object representation, pattern recognition, route-finding, parsing, and so on—but mobiles were why I went for it. Virtual worlds are places, but (except for heavy role-playing or educational worlds) they’re places that are better for having denizens. The virtual world designer has to create not only the environment, but also the occupants of that environment. This is where AI comes in.

Education

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

I had 26 AI papers I would, given a free rein, have liked to have discussed here. I have 37 such education papers. Yes, I have a background in teaching, too.

Computer games and education have an uneasy relationship. Computer games are fun, education isn’t. Educationalists figure that by marrying the two, education can be made fun; unfortunately, all too often computer games are made unfun instead. It is this precedent that puts off many game-style virtual world designers from looking at educationalist virtual worlds. This is something of a shame, because there is a lot of very interesting work going on in the area. Books could be written about virtual worlds in education; indeed, books have been written about them ¹.

Law

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Lawyers are almost all concerned only with real-life laws as they apply to virtual worlds. They are overwhelmingly not interested in the design of in-context legal systems for virtual worlds. Even so, for this reason alone virtual world designers should listen to what they have to say; there are also other reasons, however, that we shall come to shortly.

Virtual worlds raise several issues for real-world law with which legislators have yet to get to grips. These include