Team Fortress 2 by Valve

Gameplay (quotation and video):

In TF2, each class [totally nine character classes including Spy, Pyro, Soldier, Heavy, Medic, Sniper, Demoman, Scout and Engineer] has roughly three main ways of attacking - a primary weapon (the Heavy's minigun, Pyro's flamethrower, Engineer's sentry gun, etc.) and secondary (various classes have shotguns, others pistols, while the Demoman has a highly effective mine thrower) and melee weapons (the Scout's bat, the Medic's bonesaw, and so on). Though classes now possess fewer means of attacking, the resulting gameplay feels much more focused. Each class has a very clearly defined role and the means to ensure they perform successfully. The only limiting factor is, of course, how effectively your team meshes together.

source: Team Fortress 2 Review: Well worth the wait? by Charles Onyett



Valve's game Team Fortress 2 came into my radar through machinima Ignis Solus, meaning "burn alone" in Latin. I personally think machinima is a good creative channel and marketing device since it can reach audience, who has not yet paid attention to hardcore video games like dedicated gamers do but is interested in stories, animation, video, and music (Mac users?). (Steam is a PC gaming hub)

Pure Combat in Second Life (Its biggest advantage is platform free) is like a casual game version of Team Fortress 2. [to be finished]

Dark Isle RP Sim by Darby Dollinger and watcher Castaignede

Dark Isle (SLURL) is a mythical roleplaying game based on ancient Celtic civilization. You can choose to begin the game with a tour of the sim that along the way introduces players the game narrative - the crisis of Dark Isle, and sets up a backdrop for making up your own stories. There are also puzzles to solve in order to proceed to next stop. Players would encounter NPCs. It's kind of a nice single player mode if you are alone or choose not to talk and collaborate with other players.


The scenery at the entry point was quite spectacular. Immediately, I was drawn to continue playing the game. The core structure of the roleplaying game is based on Celtic social class - peasants, nobles, and druids (and of course game moderators are gods). Earning your way up reflects RL quite well (see comment for the game's detail description about class structure). You can also level down to be slaves. I entered the game as unskilled serf. Below is my character's story (The game doesn't seem to be surrounded with sexual theme though watcher told me that it was once a Gor):

My character's name is Thalia, a 20 year-old young woman. She is the daughter of a poor peasant from another village. Her father past away recently. She traveled alone to the village at Dark Isle. She met two young men, who stayed only shortly at the village. She's so naive to ask for helps upfront. She told them about the golden egg she's found from the hen outside of blacksmith's house.

I ended up getting stuck at the 3rd puzzle, where I could not find clue to next point and the item Talisman of Hope. It seems like I will need help from gods.

(watcher warmly welcomed me to the game. Thus the journey began...)

7Seas Fishing Game by Seven Shikami

How I came across this game... I was checking out NOAA's (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Second Earth, which takes real-time data from Google Earth and display graphical information such as satellites around the earth on a scale model globe (which I didn't see it). It also tells you current weather info about places around the world. This is very cool.

In the same region around a small corner, there seemed to have couple people around since I saw 5 green dots on Second Life map. But there were on one around. Apparently, they were not avatars but bots to attract traffics. At least it got me.

7Seas Fishing Game's gameplay demonstrate good utilization of the open sea areas in Second Life. Teleport to its headquarters (SLURL) at Flotsam Beach. After couple casts and siting around a while, I caught a Common Fish: Brown Flounder, which I can save it as a pet and display in my aquarium.

...catching various wearable pets and other prizes! Load up some bait and shoot for leveling up your rod, track down those rare fish, show off your catches in a personal aquarium, take part in a fishing contest, create your own fishing area with your own custom catches, or even play games with your newfound finned friends -- it's all possible!

Shrooms by Aargle Zymurgy

Shrooms is a puzzle game. (for detailed game rules, click comment)


Play free Shrooms games at Hachimantai (SLURL)

Game Creator: Aargle Zymurgy
Arcade Owner: Creator: Lemon Family

Steamed bun = Chinese culture in Japanese culture. Steamed buns are fun and fulfilling food on the go, especially good while both hands are busy playing games.

Kung Fu Panda

Po's Kung Fu Challenge (online multiplayer battle)

The following description was found on Cocoa Krispies cereal box:

Peaceful Valley finds itself threatened by the evil Snow Leopard, Tai Lung. Po, the daydreaming, noddle-loving panda is unexpectedly chosen to defend his town in a Kung Fu showdown. Po puts his heart into the task and finds that being himself and doing his best are his greatest weapons in the battle to save his friends.

You need a PC and points to play the MMO game. Points can be bought or gained through playing the other two smaller games (casual games) - Mah-Jong Mayhem and Po's Awesome Appetite. The gameplay of Po's Awesome Appetite is based on the popular gameplay of Super Collapse!

Weblin (3D Avatar)

Export Second Life Avatar to Web Pages by Au

I got my avatar's portrait photographs done at Weblin Shop in New Berlin. I did not notice that the photographer is a bot. Weblin's idea is really fun though it's not literally a 3D net. I can take my 3D avatar to surf web pages and chat/IM with other avatars. It reminds me a lot the earlier Windows desktop sheep. New Berlin (founded by January Lightfoot) is worth of checking out as well.

Stereoscopy (Real 3D)

List of movies:
My Bloody Valentine 3D; Bolt; Journey to the Center of Earth

More resource about stereoscopic imaging:
stereoscopy.com

Money Bounties

Pure Combat held a money bounty event on Dec 21. To prepare myself for the combat, I read all the game rules and practiced my combat skills with other players. It's not just a shooting game. All kinds of weapons can be used in the combat - knife, bat, mine, etc. The fun was in two aspects - social and simple/intense gameplay. But it may get a bit brutal. I have not yet successfully killed anyone.

Map of combat zone. I was on No Team. You can be Blue or Red. (nothing political)

Gambit Game Lab

Thanks Phillip, Kevin, and Josh for showing me Gambit and Phorm.

Living Game Wrolds 2008

Conference Schedule
Streaming Live in Second Life
Gameworlds Chat Channel

Dec 2
11:00 AM
Panel 2: Designing for New Audiences Emmi Kuusikko
# Sam Lewis
# Jason Achilli
# Yasmin Kafai
# Craig Kronenberger