Second Life

A recent blog entry on foreign exchange rates elicited the comment/question, “Where would you class the Linden dollar?”  (For those who are not in the know, the Linden dollar is the currency used in Linden Lab’s Second Life, a virtual world; the Linden dollar is exchangeable for real-world currencies.)   The answer is that the Linden dollar is classed in 332.4 Money, given its including note for "other mediums of exchange."

Even before we answered the question that was posed, we were asking among ourselves, “But where would you class Second Life?”  Does it qualify as a computer game (that is, as a massively multiplayer online role-playing game [MMORPG])?  If so, the appropriate class would appear to be 793.932 Computer fantasy games, which inherits the “Class here . . . role-playing games” instruction from 793.93 Fantasy games.  Or does Second Life lack the essential qualities of a game and belong in standing room at 793.9 Other indoor diversions?  What indeed are the essential qualities of a game?

Consider the following observations:

While Second Life is sometimes referred to as a game, this description does not fit the standard definition. It does not have points, scores, winners or losers, levels, an end-strategy, or most of the other characteristics of games, though it can be thought of as a game on a more basic level because it is “played for fun.” (From “Second Life” in Wikipedia)

Key components of games are goals, rules, challenge, and interactivity. Games generally involve mental or physical stimulation, and often both. Many games help develop practical skills, serve as a form of exercise, or otherwise perform an educational, simulational or psychological role.  (From “Game” in Wikipedia)

MMORPGs are massively multiplayer games in that they take place in a perpetual online world with hundreds or thousands of other players. They are role-playing games in that each player controls an avatar which interacts with other players, completes tasks to gain experience and acquires items. (From “List of MMORPGs” in Wikipedia)

Second Life is a 3D online digital world imagined and created by its residents.  (From Second Life home page)

Is Second Life a MMORPG?  (From Second Life FAQ)
Yes and no. While the Second Life interface and display are similar to most popular massively multiplayer online role playing games (or MMORPGs), there are two key, unique differences: 
    Creativity . . .
    Ownership . . .

(Please excuse me for considering this Q&A from the FAQ more marketing copy than a reasoned answer to the question.  But it is perhaps informative that the creators of Second Life feel the need to pose the question at all.)

Phenomena that are part of the MMORPG category generally have character progression goals, in which the player gains skills and resources to deal with the challenges of the game.  Everyday, non-virtual games (e.g., board games, sports games) involve something very much like character progression in the gaining of points, traversing a path, etc., while dealing with the challenges of the game.  Thus, the typical MMORPG really does seem like a game.  But does Second Life include the basic sense of progressing against challenges set forth by the game?  According to the explanation given on its website, the Second Life world consists of creating an avatar, exploring the Second Life world, meeting and interacting with people (i.e., other avatars), having fun (by engaging with the phenomena created by the various residents of the Second Life world), and building a presence in this world (by buying land, creating games, opening a business, whatever you want to do).  Thus, while there are many games that can be played as part of the Second Life world, Second Life itself seems more an alternative reality, an online digital world, a virtual reality, than a game.  This line of reasoning leads to Second Life’s being classed in standing room at 793.9 Other indoor diversions.  As we have seen, specific aspects of Second Life are still classed with the aspect in question.  Real estate speculation in Second Life is classed at 332.63 Specific forms of investment; social interaction in Second Life would go into 302.231 Communication via digital media. 

Were it not that Second Life and its aspects are in standing room in the classes we have cited, we would be inclined to reflect the virtual nature of Second Life by adding —028568 Virtual reality (built with T1—0285 Computer applications plus 68 from 006.8 Virtual reality, following the add instructions under T1—0285).

We are virtually sure this is the right approach to classifying Second Life.  Please let us hear from you, dear readers, whether the distinctions we are making—games vs. other diversions; the real world vs. the virtual world—strike you as appropriate distinctions for the bibliographic world.  Comment on!

Comments

[Andy Powell]

My in-world t-shirts use 006.8. See

http://artfossett.blogspot.com/2007/02/0068-tee-shirts.html

(but I'm not a cataloger) :-)

[David]

MMORPG business is amazing, and it will grow too. The sky is the limit. The problem is that most games, like wow, prohibit real world trading. It ain't stopping nobody though.

[Donna]

We have two books about Second life that LC has classed in 794.8, and a third that UKM has classed in 794.8, c2008 (1) and c2007 (2).

Our copy catalogers will follow DLC.

Is an update coming out to specify Second LIfe as 793.9?

[Katrina]

We decided to class Second Life at 006.8 because the patrons looking for information on it were not the typical gamers from 793.93. This was discussed between catalogers and the computer and sports selectors.

[Mark (online football game) Smith]

This game http://footballsuperstars.com is very similar to second life. The main difference is that you can also play virtual football games.