Gaming

     I have never been one for video games, and before EME class I had never heard of Second Life. What I learned is that it is a 3-D virtual world which allows people to do pretty much anything they can do in real life with an avatar character from the comfort of their homes. Second Life is open to and created by the public. Gamers can meet and interact with other "residents" and explore popular destinations around the world such as the Eiffel Tower. After learning about virtual gaming I have come to the conclusion that I still prefer interacting with the real world and actually humanly experiencing life. Nonetheless, I see the benefit of its use in teaching as well as in the business world.
     How virtual gaming can be used in PR is pretty evident: I would create an "island" for my client or company so that gamers could have a positive experience in the virtual world which would hopefully encourage them to do business with my client in the real world. I was also intrigued with the possibilities virtual games pose for politics since I am a political science minor. The "Howard Dean for Iowa" game was especially interesting. It would be a great tool to use to appeal to the younger members of a constituency.
     When I was a little girl, my sister and I played "House" all the time. We each had three or four baby dolls that we could dress, pretend to feed, push in a stroller, and put down for a nap. Today, baby dolls are still being sold, but there is also another option. SimBaby. SimBaby is a virtual baby that you can design to your liking, feed, buy him/her clothes, take to the park, and have compete in cutie contests in a virtual world online. When I was 5 years old I didn't know how to type on a computer, let alone design my own baby in a virtual world. Quite obviously times are changing. As I learned through my outside source this week, even youngsters can live in a virtual world.