Wk 2 — Activity — Virtual: Worlds
1. Show photos or a video of your Virtual World visit
2. PLACE: Describe some of the differences between Physical Long Beach State University or the High School or Other School you attended last semester and this semester’s “Zoom University”. How is the physical place different from Zoom U? How are they similar?
The physical differences between my high school and Long Beach State University is that Long Beach is way bigger and has more facilities. The physical differences between zoom university, high school, and Long Beach is that obviously zoom university is at home on my laptop and not on campus.
3. PLACE: Describe some of the differences between Animal Crossing, Minecraft, or whatever world you visited, and a non-place online environment like Instagram or Facebook. Do you feel a placefulness of Animal Crossing different than a communication tool like Insgagram? How are they different? How are they similar?
The main difference between animal crossing and Instagram is that animal crossing is a game in which I can make my own world and interact with others and instagram is a social media platform in which I am engaging in the real world. I feel more peaceful in animal crossing because it is my world and I can do whatever I want but on instagram I’m usually sucked into everyone else’s life and what they’re doing. You can only communicate with only a few people on animal crossing but on instagram I can communicate with way more people because I can comment, send dms, like pictures. With animal crossing you can’t say a lot with the person or people you are playing with because there is a limit of words you can say. I guess the only thing animal crossing and instagram is that you can interact with your friends.
4. PLACE: Compare a physical place like LBSU, Starbucks, The Mall, to your virtual place in Animal Crossing, Minecraft, etc. How are they similar? How are they different? Does the physical place afford your experiences that the virtual does not? Does the virtual place afford you experiences that the physical does not?
Well in animal crossing I live on an island and it’s surrounded by a beach and on my island I have my neighbors, museum/aquarium/insect exhibit, clothing stores, general stores, and my house. Physically everything in animal crossing is realistic to real life and the only major difference is that it’s virtual and not real. Yes, physical places afford my experiences animal crossing cannot because I can’t get a tan or enjoy the nice breeze and sunshine on the beach in a game. I have to experience it in real life. But at the same time animal crossing affords my experiences that the physical world cannot because due to covid I can’t do most things like go to the aquarium so I have to experience it through my game.
5. CONCLUSIONS: Has this experience given you any new thoughts on the Idea of Place? Is it possible to find a Place Experience during some degree of Pandemic Isolation?
Throughout this experience I have not changed my perception of the idea of place. To me a place is literally a place, somewhere you can put yourself in whether it’s a real place or virtual you’re still putting yourself there. Yes it is possible to find a place experience during some degree of pandemic Isolation through games or visiting virtual worlds, for example if your self isolated and can’t go to a cafe go to a cafe in a game or if you can’t go to the movies with your friends have a zoom meeting or go on group facetime and watch a movie together.
6. IDENTITY: This week’s activity and the questions above have all been about the idea of Place. I’m changing the subject for these last two questions. It’s easy to see how Fortnite or World of Warcraft are MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games). But what about Instagram or Facebook? Are they MMORPGs? Why? Or why not?
No instagram and Facebook are not MMORPGs obviously because they are not video games. They are social media platforms to see and interact with. people’s social lives as well as to communicate with others. MMORPGs are video games and communication with others solely revolves around the game.
7. IDENTITY: What about RL itself? To what degree do you think RL is an MMORPG?
I guess the degree to which real life is like a MMORPG is that in real life we do interact with people and have some sort of goal to accomplish which is basically the basis for a MMORPG. But other than that it all just depends on what you do, if you want to explore around the world like a MMORPG then go for it, you won’t have any magical powers or cool weapons but it’s all about the experience. Life is actually pretty much like a MMORPG except in real life. we make the rules and we have infinite possibilities of outcomes of the choices we make and if we mess up it’s game over forever.
8. Name your Medium Blog Post: Wk 2 — Activity — Virtual: Worlds
