Virtual Worlds Blog http://uscpublicdiplomacy.com/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/ en USC Center on Public Diplomacy Copyright 2007 2007-11-02T18:34:00-08:00 Eureka Dejavu, the avatar of Rita J. King, CEO and Creative Director of Dancing Ink Productions, LLC, explores the virtual world and comments about events like Virtual Vibe Jazz Fest hosted by United States Department of State International Information Programs Bureau and The University of Southern California Center for Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School bringing a cultural revolution. To read more about the blog kindly click Public Diplomacy As Cultural Revolution Public Diplomacy As Cultural Revolution Eureka Dejavu, the avatar of Rita J. King, CEO and Creative Director of Dancing Ink Productions, LLC, explores the virtual world and comments about events like Virtual Vibe Jazz Fest hosted by United States Department of State International Information Programs Bureau and The University of Southern California Center for Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School bringing a cultural revolution.

To read more about the blog kindly click Public Diplomacy As Cultural Revolution

]]> 2007-11-02T18:34:00-08:00 Monday, May 8, 2006 3:00PM with a reception to follow Venue: Davidson Center, USC Campus, 3415 S. Figueroa, LA Join the USC Center on Public Diplomacy as we announce the award winners of the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Games Contest. For those who will not be able to attend in Los Angeles, the event will be Simulcast in Second Life at Annenberg Island. To start your Second Life account, please go to http://secondlife.com/ For a sneak preview of Annenberg Island within Second Life click here The webcast will also be available at http://ascwebcast.takeonedigital.com/ See you there!  Reinventing Public Diplomacy Through Games Awards Ceremony Monday, May 8, 2006
3:00PM with a reception to follow
Venue: Davidson Center, USC Campus, 3415 S. Figueroa, LA

Join the USC Center on Public Diplomacy as we announce the award winners of the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Games Contest.

For those who will not be able to attend in Los Angeles, the event will be Simulcast in Second Life at Annenberg Island.

To start your Second Life account, please go to http://secondlife.com/

For a sneak preview of Annenberg Island within Second Life click here


The webcast will also be available at http://ascwebcast.takeonedigital.com/

See you there! 

]]> 2006-05-08T10:01:00-08:00 Join the USC Center on Public Diplomacy as we cordially announce the awards-recipients of the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Games Contest! When: May 8th, 2006 3:00-5:00 p.m. PST Where: Davidson Executive Conference Center University of Southern California 3415 S. Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90089-0871 There will also be simulcast of the Awards Ceremony within Second Life! Stay tuned for more details! SAVE MAY 8th!!! The Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Games Contest Awards Ceremony! Join the USC Center on Public Diplomacy as we cordially announce the awards-recipients of the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Games Contest!

When: May 8th, 2006 3:00-5:00 p.m. PST

Where: Davidson Executive Conference Center

University of Southern California

3415 S. Figueroa Street

Los Angeles, CA 90089-0871



There will also be simulcast of the Awards Ceremony within Second Life! Stay tuned for more details!

]]> 2006-04-22T00:38:00-08:00 At the Second Life meeting, we discussed different resources to find out more about public diplomacy for the contest. Here are some suggested readings on our own wiki:  http://wiki.uscpublicdiplomacy.com/mediawiki/index.php/Suggested_Readings For further information on Public Diplomacy At the Second Life meeting, we discussed different resources to find out more about public diplomacy for the contest.

Here are some suggested readings on our own wiki:  http://wiki.uscpublicdiplomacy.com/mediawiki/index.php/Suggested_Readings

]]> 2005-12-04T07:56:10-08:00 Meeting in Second Life to discuss the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Virtual Worlds Contest! Tonight at 7 p.m. PST. Hope to see you there! Harmony Harbinger Contest Coordinator Come to Second Life to discuss the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Virtual Worlds Contest! Meeting in Second Life to discuss the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Virtual Worlds Contest!

Tonight at 7 p.m. PST.

Hope to see you there!
Harmony Harbinger
Contest Coordinator

]]> 2005-11-21T20:41:10-08:00 Authors Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby were interviewed on NPR’s Talk of the Nation about their new book Smart Bomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment and Big Bucks in the Video Game Revolution.  Their book is another rendition of the history of video games told from a cozy almost “in-world” feeling. The first chapter, which you can read on NPR’s website, starts off in a story book fashion from the world of E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo).  NPR Smart Bomb - Inside the Video Game Industry On NPR, they spoke about how video games is media medium that is different from all other traditional media. They discuss its merits and how it has become the driving force in computer technology. They also discussed virtual worlds as a space for another aspect of our identity rather than a replacement and they stressed the opportunity to enjoy “real” experiences with other people around the world with massively multi-player online games. They also noted that as the industry continues to grow and the more emotive the technology becomes, games will provide even more enriching experiences. If I could have gotten on air after my repeated redialing, I would have asked that in light of the already burgeoning intercultural interactions happening in online games, what are their comments on public diplomacy using video games as a tool presently and in the future? I am ordering the book, looking forward to reading it and seeing how it compares to Steven Kent’s Ultimate History of Video Games.  NPR: Smart Bomb - Inside the Video Game Industry Authors Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby were interviewed on NPR’s Talk of the Nation about their new book Smart Bomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment and Big Bucks in the Video Game Revolution.  Their book is another rendition of the history of video games told from a cozy almost “in-world” feeling. The first chapter, which you can read on NPR’s website, starts off in a story book fashion from the world of E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo).  NPR Smart Bomb - Inside the Video Game Industry

On NPR, they spoke about how video games is media medium that is different from all other traditional media. They discuss its merits and how it has become the driving force in computer technology. They also discussed virtual worlds as a space for another aspect of our identity rather than a replacement and they stressed the opportunity to enjoy “real” experiences with other people around the world with massively multi-player online games. They also noted that as the industry continues to grow and the more emotive the technology becomes, games will provide even more enriching experiences.

If I could have gotten on air after my repeated redialing, I would have asked that in light of the already burgeoning intercultural interactions happening in online games, what are their comments on public diplomacy using video games as a tool presently and in the future?

I am ordering the book, looking forward to reading it and seeing how it compares to Steven Kent’s Ultimate History of Video Games. 

]]> 2005-11-15T06:47:03-08:00 3 cities in 12 days. Los Angeles to New York City to Austin to Washington DC and finally back to Los Angeles. 3 very different conferences - the first being Games for Change. Games for Change was a wonderful amalgamation of people from education, health, government, and the games industry. all focused on the conference theme which was “Social Change through Digital Games.” Some attendees have already developed and produced games, others had never touched a game but understood the importance of understanding the medium and were hoping to find ways to utilize it in their own work environments. Rusel DeMaria does a thorough wrap up of it in Gamasutra - Games for Change Conferences! Conferences! Conferences! Part 1 - Games for Change 3 cities in 12 days. Los Angeles to New York City to Austin to Washington DC and finally back to Los Angeles.

3 very different conferences - the first being Games for Change.

Games for Change was a wonderful amalgamation of people from education, health, government, and the games industry. all focused on the conference theme which was “Social Change through Digital Games.” Some attendees have already developed and produced games, others had never touched a game but understood the importance of understanding the medium and were hoping to find ways to utilize it in their own work environments.

Rusel DeMaria does a thorough wrap up of it in Gamasutra - Games for Change

]]> 2005-11-12T21:28:38-08:00 Whoa that’s us in the Washington Post! Check it out! Video Game World Gives Peace a Chance Video Game World Gives Peace a Chance Whoa that’s us in the Washington Post!

Check it out!

Video Game World Gives Peace a Chance

]]> 2005-10-18T15:55:12-08:00 I’ve been trying to come up with a design to test and existing game to see if there are elements within it that would fall under the definition of public diplomacy. Initially, I looked at Civilizations and noted a list of the following general items: 1. World history facts 2. Mentions of culture 3. Mentions of foreign countries 4. Mentions of global areas 5. Mentions of world literature 6. Diplomacy option 7. Negotiation option 8. Concepts of reputation 9. Peace option 10. Structures: embassy, mutual protection pact, trade agreements, espionage 11. Differences in race I am also looking at Medal of Honor. I will be entering the online gaming community shortly and will hopefully be able to add cross-cultural communication, shared tasks, conflict negotiation, community. Now how to test if exposure to these items makes an impact on the individual? Game elements that fit under public diplomacy I’ve been trying to come up with a design to test and existing game to see if there are elements within it that would fall under the definition of public diplomacy.

Initially, I looked at Civilizations and noted a list of the following general items:
1. World history facts
2. Mentions of culture
3. Mentions of foreign countries
4. Mentions of global areas
5. Mentions of world literature
6. Diplomacy option
7. Negotiation option
8. Concepts of reputation
9. Peace option
10. Structures: embassy, mutual protection pact, trade agreements, espionage
11. Differences in race

I am also looking at Medal of Honor. I will be entering the online gaming community shortly and will hopefully be able to add cross-cultural communication, shared tasks, conflict negotiation, community.

Now how to test if exposure to these items makes an impact on the individual?

]]> 2005-10-15T20:54:01-08:00 We’re not the only ones holding a game design competition! mtvU, a dedicated television network for college students and the Reebok Human Rights Foundation is offering a $50,000 reward to a student or group of student digital activists who create an online video game or viral campaign to raise awareness and help stop genocide. Check out mtvU.com Stop the Genocide in Sudan through an Online Video Game! We’re not the only ones holding a game design competition!

mtvU, a dedicated television network for college students and the Reebok Human Rights Foundation is offering a $50,000 reward to a student or group of student digital activists who create an online video game or viral campaign to raise awareness and help stop genocide.

Check out mtvU.com

]]> 2005-10-10T08:04:05-08:00