Virtual World Avatars

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Virtual worlds have always been regarded as a parallel of real life. These online communities have they own set of nuances, rules and even sensibilities. This is why it is crucial to have an identity in virtual worlds. Enter avatars.

What are avatars, by the way? They are representations or embodiments of the identity of the virtual world icon. It is the manifestation of one's presence in these online communities. Because of the different forms of virtual worlds, these avatars have come to take different types of forms. The most common and simplest form is by way of two-dimensional icons which represent the username in interactive forums and discussion threads. When the technology for online communities advacned, these avatars became rendered in 3D animation which can explore an environment.



The origin of the term avatar goes a long way back. In its actual context, avatars refer to Divine physical manifestations. The term has been used extensively in Hindu texts to describe incarnations.

As for its virtual word usage, the first instances of the use of the term avatar came in 1985 in the game environment of the popular video game Ultima IV. These avatars were the visual representation of the game player - and its apperances can be customized to suit the preferences of the users. This feature eventually inspired other online role-playing games to use the term avatar. These games were Habitat (1987) and Shadowrun (1989).

The term was further coined into popular consciousness with the novel Snow Crash in 1992 when it was used by the author Neal Stephenson to describe the relation of the human form with the Metaverse or the Internet. Here is his description of the term as written in the acknowledgement of his book:

"The idea of a 'virtual reality' such as the Metaverse is by now widespread in the computer-graphics community and is being used in a number of different ways. The particular vision of the Metaverse as expressed in this novel originated from idle discussion between me and Jaime (Captain Bandwidth)Taffe...The words 'avatar' (in the sense used here) and 'Metaverse' are my inventions, which I came up with when I decided that existing words (such as 'virtual reality') were simply too awkward to use...after the first publication of 'Snow Crash' I learned that the term 'avatar' has actually been in use for a number of years as part of a virtual reality system called 'Habitat'...in addition to avatars, Habitat includes many of the basic features of the Metaverse as described in this book."

With its emergence in computer games, the concept of avatar was given a new dimension when used in online chats and more recently in instant messaging programs. The first recognized instant messaging platform to use these avatars was AOL Instant Messenger. It was then adopted by other brands such as Google Talk, LJ Talk, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger. This extended to blog commenting and then in artificial intelligence.

However, the main element of avatars still remains in video gaming. Avatars have grown in popularity in online communities for massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG) and in social networks. As a representation of the user's identity, these virtual worlds provide 3D animated templates where users can customize its appearance. Avatars can either be an exact reflection of the user or it can be the manifestation of that user's imagination - meaning users can create their own identities inside these virtual worlds through avatars.

A decade ago, one has to pay a huge amount just to get access to a game cartridge or the likes. But now, we are seeing a different business model powered by the New Media. These are freeware, accessible by thousands and thousands of Internet users. After all, isn't it true that the best things in life are free?

Today's New Media-savvy generation is close to a spoiled bunch. If something is not for free, it is not worth any attention. This is why freeware for entertainment - in the form of online games and virtual worlds - has been a hit and is turning into a fast-earning industry.

Yes, you read it right. Freeware entertainment is an industry, most especially in the World Wide Web and even in mobile technologies. This happens when a free game or virtual world has gotten so much user-base that the collective users are already a commodity which can be sold by the freeware developers to advertisement spots. The lure to corporate entities is "sell your products or services here because we have the whole world waiting for your message." Actually this selling line is quite successful that freeware developers don't have to pitch it. Corporate entities approach them themselves.

However, advertisers are still a third party per se. And costly advertisement slots nearby free online games and inside free virtual worlds come at a later time in the development of the freeware - when user base is assured, steady and of immense volume. This is why in the beginning, freeware developers ratchet up with various gimmicks to get everybody's attention - being free is one good gimmick.

But with the freeware business model, where will developers get funds except their own pockets? This is when innovation and imagination comes in. For a very long time in free virtual worlds, developers try to sneak in profits by providing value-added services which can come at a cost. This is where avatars come in. If users get to enjoy virtual worlds that much, they may care enough to spend an extra amount to embellish the appearance of their avatars.

This same business model can be seen in our case study for this specific situation: the South Korean freeware marketer Neowiz. They have a slew of online games which are free to play for everyone in the World Wide Web. However, they are able to sustain themselves and even rack in profit at the same time. One of these games is Special Force.

Special Force is a first-person-shooter (FPS) game which is free to play but generates $5 million a month. It is able to do this by doing commercialization techniques which are not disruptive to the game. There are no commercial items which will lead to immediate victory. The integration is seamless and natural.



An example of Neowiz's strategy is charging players for game upgrades. They also have virtual money which give users flexibility with the accessories for the game. Because of the success of these monetizing techniques, they caught the attention of the video game industry giant, Electronic Arts from the United States of America. EA bought 19% of the company for $105 million.

This success should become a benchmark for free virtual worlds especially for how avatars are being monetized. Commercialization techniques should only enhance the experience and not be the experience.

Avatars are meant to be merely a representation of the personality of the user in virtual worlds. It does not necessarily have to be an exact replica of that user. However, through the years, with the emergence of virtual worlds as a common part of society, many people have turned to their avatars as their identical personality. Sometimes, avatars are "the" personality.



Times have changed when a person's involvement in a game or a form of entertainment constitute only a part of one's self. The paradigms have changed and the attitude of children regarding avatars can be the subject of curiosity of parents.

However, there are certain issues with avatars which have to be carefully addressed before we let them into the lives of young children. Even if they are in the virtual realm, avatars are not as innocent as they appear. For example, even with all these technical advancements, problems of stereotyping and discrimination can still exist.

When the concept of virtual worlds was still new back in the day, most sociological experts would point out that it can be a utopian world wherein the perils of prejudice in the real world can be disregarded. Divisions of class, creed, race and even gender are not supposed to make its way here.

But that was not what happened.

Because virtual worlds and its user's avatars came to represent the actual personality of the user, the nuances and sensibilities of the real world made its way to the virtual world. Looking in the surface, there seemed to be no difference at all. Virtual worlds are just online, that's all.

New users in virtual worlds, especially young children, enter these online communities with pre-determined notions of how they should perform, of what types of avatars they should appear. There are still incidences of discrimination and division - just by the simple decision of a child to dress up his/her avatar in order to look cool, powerful and likable.

In other words, there was a pressure to conform to standards inside these online communities. How come there are no avatar templates whom are disabled or of a certain eclectic skin color? How come these avatars should be human - why can't it be just about any random thing such as a pillow, a vegetable or a toy? More importantly, why are there avatar templates to begin with?

Child safety protocols may have something to say about creating pre-determined avatars so that children can be protected from maliciously-designed avatars. But the more liberal adult-oriented virtual worlds should have none of these templates.

The problem which comes in the territory of virtual conformity is that there are demands which are created but not necessarily important. Here comes the notion of commercialization, another of those thoughts which was supposedly not to be found in virtual worlds. But they are here. After all, one can argue that how can these virtual worlds operate without expecting profit.

It is indeed the nature of virtual worlds to think commercially in order to survive in the long term. But this doesn't mean that children should have a commercial outlook inside virtual worlds. Not everything that is important in virtual worlds should come with a price tag. There may be pressure to purchase customizable accessories and clothing for avatars and the like. These are all fine; but they are not necessary. Tell these to your children the next time they request money for unnecessary transactions for the virtual appearance of avatars.

After all, one of the perks of virtual worlds is being a place where young children can rehearse their social skills and meet friends. It is still true that the best things in life are free.

Beyond their use in gaming worlds, avatars are strongly affiliated nowadays with social networking virtual worlds. Usually these online communities are an expansion of instant messaging conversations. More often than not, they take on a whole new level and become the exact replica or otherwise a created persona of the user.



One of the most popular non-gaming virtual worlds with a massive user base today is Second Life. How did it grow and become one of the foundations where the industy of avatars took off? We will find out in this module.

Second Life is a virtual world created and developd by Linden Lab. It was released in June 23, 2003 and primarily moved through the World Wide Web. Its users are called Residents and with the introduction of the free client program Second Life Viewer, the integration of avatars to fully experience and enjoy the online world became a necessity.

Its developer Linden Lab was formed in 1999 with the focus on creating a hardware which will give World Wide Web computer users with an immersive world which can be experienced in all its three hundred and sixty degrees glory. Although the hardware aspect of the vision - The Rig - never quite made it, Linden Lab continued to have momentum through the creation of the software application Linden World. Here, users were able to be involved in task-powered games and even in 3D animation-powered socialization. This became known as Second Life.

The term Second Life may have resurrection connotations but it actually refers to a parallel world where real-life users can lead. For this purpose, people can actually replicate their own identities or be free to choose their own appearances, nuances and personality. This gave rise to the popularity of customizable avatars.

Second Life, like other early online communities, had a thrust towards gaming. But by 2001, Linden Labs CEO Philip Rosedale noted that users were gearing towards the collaboratie and creative promise of Second Life. Thus, the shift towards a virtual community was pushed.

Through this paradigm shift decision, Second Life attracted computer users who are not so interested with gaming. Instead it became a virtual meeting place where socialization can occur among avatars. Individual and group activities and the production and trade of virtual services and properties became the hit features of Second Life.

Its socialization aspect also generated much interest and traffic - especially clubs where generic chat can happen and even sexually-provocative areas.

Avatars play a huge role in this socialization aspect of this non-gaming online community. Although they are made to signify the real-life user, avatars do not have to be represented as an actual person. Some users prefer to represent themselves as animals, vegetables and even minerals.

Second Life is free for use as well as for the creation of account. Only a single avatar is allowed though for one person. Modes of communication include embedded chat protocols and instant messaging systems. As a testament to its popularity, it was honored just this 2008 for advancing the state of online communities with a premium on user-generated content. As of the same year too, Second Life has an estimated 15 million accounts registered. Just imagine how many avatars that can be.

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