[MUD-Dev] MEDIA: .hack//SIGN Japanise animated series

[Mike Rozak]

I just finished watching the ".hack//SIGN" Japaniese animated
(anime) series, which takes place in a virtual world similar to
Everquest. You might wish to rent a copy from your local
video-rental store. In the likely event that you cannot rent the
Japanese series, you may want to shell out some money for the
DVD(s).

The series is noteworthy because its story takes place in a virtual
world similar to Everquest, and the story itself revolves around the
nature of the world and why the players are there. .Hack//Sign is
not a typical anime; there is very little combat and no gore. It
spends most of its time on character development, some philosophy,
and lots of pauses where characters look worried.

You might be interested in .hack/SIGN because it explores
virtual-world issues like:

  - Why players are in the virutal world

  - How players' personalities are different in the real world

  - Cross-gender play

  - Griefers

  - PK

  - Newbies

  - Guilds

  - Etc.

None of the examined ideas will be new to anyone here, nor is
artwork, audio, or characterization anything special. However, the
fact that a series is exploring the nature of a virtual world is
interesting. I also found it interesting to see what aspects of VWs
are explored, and which are left out. (The world economy is not
mentioned, for example.)

The amazon.com link for the 1st DVD is here... you can read the
posted reviews.

  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000089UBP/qid=1091494339/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/104-9076324-7002324?v=glance&s=dvd

By the way, does anyone know of any other recent popular media based
on virtual worlds? (Besides the Matrix, and older books like
Neuromancer.)

Mike Rozak
http://www.mxac.com.au
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