A Chronicle

The Future of Immersion, In My Mind

In contemplating the future of immersion in my mind, there are many possibilities that exist, none of which seem to be very easy to take. Given the story that we heard about the Korean couple, we can only imagine that in the future this problem could be much worse, especially given the definite possibility of more realistic online character that you can create for yourself. People right now spend hours and days and weeks in online environments with people they don't even know playing a game that simulates reality, perhaps a skewed reality in a different world. People are easily able to immerse themselves in pseudo-realities every day and being able to do so in a much more realistic manner, detached from the bounds of real society, can only compound the problem.

Virtual reality must not be seen as an impending doom, however. It must be viewed as a realm of possibility, but one that shan't be trifled with. When looking at the possibility of furthering online education in 3D VLE's, it appears to me to be a practical way of engaging more people in learning. I would even look at it as 'cheating' on the teachers part. Using video games as a means of engaging is probably even worse than watching a movie in class with students, but if it works in getting them more involved, why fight it?

For someone like me, getting engaged in the classroom has always been a problem. But getting engaged in an online environment is simple. Why? Possibly because I grew up loving video games, and have played them for over 20 years. And possibly because everyone is engaged in a online environment everyday, learning about each other in a mutually shared online environment. Imagine if FACEBOOK were VIRTUAL? Now putting a virtual environment in the hands of students, where they can learn and engage in a fun way can only end on an upside, right? Not Necessarily. The possibility for distraction is equally as real, and this time, it would be much harder for the instructor to reel in the class. The possibility for virtual online anarchy is clearly foreseeable. We must tread lightly. For now the online classroom must be kept small, and the class count should probably never grow to more than a handful.

When looking at the future of immersion beyond the classroom, I look forward with both excitement and trepidation. I am fully capable of staying clear of virtual environments, video games etc. for lengthy periods without being bothered. But many people cannot. I know too many people who get home from work at four or five and spend the rest of the night playing video games until they go to sleep, maybe briefly stopping to eat, and then wake up and do it again the next day.

One of my favorite television shows, The Big Bang Theory, is about a group of such people, who congregate together for weekends at a time, each bringing their own laptops, and play World of Warcraft for 72 hours straight holed up in a tiny apartment. (The show is hilarious!) During one episode, The Barbarian Sublimation, the pretty girl from next door, Penny is introduced to the game and becomes seriously addicted to the point of 'immersive illness'. (She is invited on a quest by Howard, one of the guy's next door friends who she is normally grossed out by, and she accepts.) At this point she realizes that she has succumbed to World of Warcraft addiction just like the guys.

(Here's a small clip!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5htYFsvuL8

Sheldon shows her how to play

She has clearly lost it!

Her avatar, Queen Penelope

It finally hits her, she's a nerd!

With games and avatars and everything else advancing at practically light speed, I cannot predict the future. Who knows what 3D environments will be like in 5 years? Someone more knowledgeable than I could make a fairly educated guess, but it would still only be a guess. The addition of physical components to supplement the virtual environment is already being introduced, and will only get more advanced. With the advancement of not only the imagery, but the way in which we manipulate the environment, the future is a highly uncertain for immersion. The only thing we know for sure is that it will continue to evolve. It is our obligation to steer it toward the higher good. But, is it truly in our hands to keep its evolution on the right path? Only time will tell.

CLASS 10: ASSIGNMENT 15 : World of Warcraft: My Addiction

Professor Aaron E. Walsh notes:

The following account was written by "John" in July 2007. John was a student of mine. He was in my Discovering Computer Graphics course at Boston College (http://ImmersiveEducation.org/@/bc), and was much more advanced with 3D graphics than the other students. When I asked why he was taking this class, when he clearly had enough experience to take one of my more advanced classes, he explained that he had no choice: he had failed out of school, and was starting over. After we talked more as the semester went he explained why. I asked him to write it down for future students. Here’s what he wrote in one sitting about why he was “starting over”.

Video game addiction and related concerns are addressed by the Immersive Education Initiative’s Psychology of Immersive Environments (PIE) group. For details visit http://JiED.org/1/1/7

World of Warcraft (WoW): My Addiction

I've played various MMORPG games over the years, some being fairly addicting, some not even catching my interest, but one stands out above the rest as the most addicting and life consuming thing I've ever encountered in my life. You might have guessed it already, but that game is World of Warcraft, a game that I would recommend everyone stays away from.

Like most addictions, it didn't start out that way. It was just harmless fun; I'd log on for a few hours every day and level my character, talk to some friends I had on the game... it was nothing that took me away from other things. I was in high school at the time, and was still managing to get on with my work at first, even though that was a struggle in itself sometimes, and I kept in touch with my friends and saw them regularly.

At first I was surprised at how little interest I had in playing the game for long stints, as I had heard some things about how enticing and gripping the game was, and the first few months were fine, until I started to get near the level cap. Approaching the maximum level I began to play the game more and more, as reaching the end game content opened up a whole new world. I became involved with a hardcore raiding guild, competing to be the best guild on the server, and it all went from there.

The first thing that changed was that I now had raiding times to meet every weekday evening in addition to the gold farming I had to do during the day in order to be able to afford all the potions and items I needed to raid, and somehow, my guilds progression through the bosses in the game became the most important thing to me in my life, and I slowly started to phase out my friends. At this point I was still going to school, so between the school day and the game, I had no time for anything else.

Contrary to what people might think, I didn't lack a social life at all, even without seeing or talking to any of my friends from school. In fact, it was quite the opposite, I had a whole new group of friends... in World of Warcraft. Now I didn't even have to leave my room to hang out with my friends, I could just pop on my headset and hang out with them in the game.

Now, to rewind a bit, I remember when I was creeping up on the level cap, and my parents were beginning to get concerned with how much I was playing the game, I kept telling them that it would be all over soon. Heck, even I thought it would! Little did I know, the game would be even more demanding of me after that.

I wanted to be the best, I wanted to have the best items, I wanted to have the most gold. I wanted to be popular with the people on my server, I wanted to be known. I wanted to top the damage meters on every single fight. I don't know why, I can't explain it, but the game was just the most important thing to me, I wanted to do nothing else. I wanted to play every single day all day and night and would do whatever I could to keep myself awake and at the computer. Whatever it took, energy drinks, amphetamines, I would keep myself awake for hours on end, not getting any exercise and rarely leaving the house.

The more and more I played, the more and more things I felt compelled to spend my time doing inside the game. It seems that they create the game in such a way that even though there technically is a way to have the ultimate everything and clear all the bosses etc.. etc...... By the time you get close they add more content to the game to keep you going, its a never ending story. I would pick up my prescription for amphetamines just so I could stay up all night farming items to sell for gold, I wanted to have the best enchantments and to get all the rare random world drops... and so much more. I completely stopped going to school, completely stopped seeing my friends.... and the most worrying fact was that I didn't really care. It just stole my heart and mind from everything else, gave me a false sense that everything was okay and that I wasn't ruining the rest of my life. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't stopped, I had stopped going to school and cut off social contact with everyone but the people I knew in the game, it was like a world within itself. I didn't even want to stop until I had a taste of life without it, a taste that was forced, however. If I hadn't been forced to live somewhere without a computer I don't know what would have happened.

IMMERSIVE ILLNESS

CLASS 10: ASSIGNMENT 14
IMMERSIVE EDUCATION ADDICTION IN THE FUTURE

This article begins as a summary of how he came to know Professor Walsh, having been in two of his classes in the early 00's. He describes an interview where Walsh explains that he has been working with Immersive Environments since the early 90's, and how for much of the time since then he has spent his time developing the international standards for 3D Immersive Education. He then mentions Nesson's Observation, that those students who may have a tough time in the real world, may be able to 'blossom' much easier in an online learning environment. Professor Walsh then points to the downside, the possibility of Immersive Illness.

The article proceeds into an interview between Ian Lamont and Professor Walsh, where Mr. Lamont asks about the 3D Environments that Walsh uses, and what types of tasks and activities the students are required to take on in said environments. Professor explains that students learn the basics of 3D environments, such as what 3D graphics are, and how to work with and build using them. Mr. Lamont askys why not use Second Life? And Professor Walsh goes onto explain that in 2003, Second Life was simply not a viable option, but that today Second Life is a candidate for the new Immersive Education platforms of today.

Professor Walsh then goes on to discuss advantages and difficulties inherent in the 3D VLE, and his attempts to spread such education to institutions the world over. The article is capped off with a discussion about whether most institutions have the technology readily available, and if not, what is a solution? Professor Walsh explains that most will not, and that this will more than likely not change, which is why it is of utmost importance to eliminate cost and reduce the complexity of Immersive Education.