[MUD-Dev] [paper] The Sacred and the Virtual: Religion in Multi-User Virtual Reality

[Jon Lambert]

Here is an interesting paper for your reading pleasure.
Some of these worlds have interfaces that are solely textual
and some very much like Diablo with avatars and objects that can
be manipulated in ritual.  In either case, I think they qualify 
as very mud like.  The disappointments, shortcomings, and differences 
as compared to the real life behavior, rituals and services are frankly 
discussed.  Many of the problems experienced are quite reminiscent 
of those we associate with communications in heavily roleplay-centric 
games.  The abstract sums it up nicely.

   <http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol4/issue2/schroeder.html>

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Abstract

This paper explores the social interaction among participants in a 
church service in an online multi-user virtual reality (VR) environment. 
It examines some of the main features of prayer meetings in a 
religiously-oriented virtual world and also what sets this world apart 
from other virtual worlds. Next, it examines some of the issues of 
research ethics and methods that are raised in the study of online 
behavior in virtual worlds. The paper then analyzes the text exchanges 
between participants in a virtual church service and some of the ways 
in which these compare with the content of a conventional church 
service. Finally, the paper draws out some implications for our 
understanding of the relation between interaction in the virtual and 
in the "real" world.
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--
--* Jon A. Lambert - TychoMUD        Email:tychomud at ix.netcom.com *--
--* Mud Server Developer's Page <http://tychomud.home.netcom.com> *--




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