Just a side note before we begin, any entries that have KIFF: as the first word are part of Keeping it Family Friendly.
This week we'll be in and out of the Spiral.
Outside the Spiral
Gamers are able to help scientists come up with cures for cancer...
there is a game called Foldit where gamers can use their visual spatial skills, honed by many hours of gaming, to fold proteins. Since diseases and a slew of other organic stuff is made up of protiens, one tiny change in the structure of the protien could alter the molecule and change a disease into a cure.
you have to download the client to start playing though.
(for more detail please click on the word Foldit, it will take you to the website)
Last year, the horrible earthquake and tsunami attacked Japan. The Zynga game Farmville let you plant Daikon radishes on your farms. Each daikon planted raised money to help the Nihon-jin (Japanese people)
it was part of the Japan Earthquake relief event (needless to say, since anime is one of my passions, and I can speak some Japanese I planted rows of Daikon.)
Zynga games have also donated to other disaster relief situations.
On another note, has this ever happened to you?
You're playing the RPG game you love to play (insert your favorite massively multiplayer online game here) and some idiot says "Can I see the weapon you've got?" and your character says "ok" and you think that this is harmless. The character then pays your character the smallest amount of currency and takes off with your weapon.
-_-; sadly that happened to my Tibian character Amethyst Star. (Tibia, one of the oldest MMOs, is a German MMO created back in 1997)
That is an example of cyber harrassment. If that is done between minors then it is cyberbullying.
Unlike in RL (gamer speak for "Real Life") there is sadly no escape from it. There is no escaping from it, because the internet is availiable 24/7.
Inside the Spiral
Wizard101 is a children's game and Kingsisle strives to keep it that way. One measure they use to keep it that way is the chat filter.
There are three levels to the chat filter
Menu Chat where the wizard is limited to only using the prewritten menu of phrases. Usually used for players under 13
Limited Chat/ Text Chat The wizard can type what they want to say, but the words have to be approved by the filter. If they're not they'll show up as "..." on other players screens.
Open Chat /18+ chat Wizards who have this type of chat have either a subscription or have bought Crowns from Wizard101.com
If you play Wizard101 and wonder what chat another player has, just look at the little speech bubble below that character's name.
Here's a guide created by Wizard101Central's thepyromancer12 on how to recognize the kinds of chat
A guide to recognizing what chat someone has.
Unfortunantly having different levels of chat isn't 100% effective against bullying. Lesser mature wizards have found ways to swear around the filters. Players can still use the Text and Open chats to throw insults at other players.
Kingsisle keeps archives of the chat and if a player reports another player for bullying, that player will be reduced to having only menu chat & have other consequences happen to them.
Stay Safe in the Spiral!
This week we'll be in and out of the Spiral.
Outside the Spiral
Gamers are able to help scientists come up with cures for cancer...
there is a game called Foldit where gamers can use their visual spatial skills, honed by many hours of gaming, to fold proteins. Since diseases and a slew of other organic stuff is made up of protiens, one tiny change in the structure of the protien could alter the molecule and change a disease into a cure.
you have to download the client to start playing though.
(for more detail please click on the word Foldit, it will take you to the website)
Last year, the horrible earthquake and tsunami attacked Japan. The Zynga game Farmville let you plant Daikon radishes on your farms. Each daikon planted raised money to help the Nihon-jin (Japanese people)
it was part of the Japan Earthquake relief event (needless to say, since anime is one of my passions, and I can speak some Japanese I planted rows of Daikon.)
Zynga games have also donated to other disaster relief situations.
On another note, has this ever happened to you?
You're playing the RPG game you love to play (insert your favorite massively multiplayer online game here) and some idiot says "Can I see the weapon you've got?" and your character says "ok" and you think that this is harmless. The character then pays your character the smallest amount of currency and takes off with your weapon.
-_-; sadly that happened to my Tibian character Amethyst Star. (Tibia, one of the oldest MMOs, is a German MMO created back in 1997)
That is an example of cyber harrassment. If that is done between minors then it is cyberbullying.
Unlike in RL (gamer speak for "Real Life") there is sadly no escape from it. There is no escaping from it, because the internet is availiable 24/7.
Inside the Spiral
Wizard101 is a children's game and Kingsisle strives to keep it that way. One measure they use to keep it that way is the chat filter.
There are three levels to the chat filter
Menu Chat where the wizard is limited to only using the prewritten menu of phrases. Usually used for players under 13
Limited Chat/ Text Chat The wizard can type what they want to say, but the words have to be approved by the filter. If they're not they'll show up as "..." on other players screens.
Open Chat /18+ chat Wizards who have this type of chat have either a subscription or have bought Crowns from Wizard101.com
If you play Wizard101 and wonder what chat another player has, just look at the little speech bubble below that character's name.
Here's a guide created by Wizard101Central's thepyromancer12 on how to recognize the kinds of chat
A guide to recognizing what chat someone has.
Unfortunantly having different levels of chat isn't 100% effective against bullying. Lesser mature wizards have found ways to swear around the filters. Players can still use the Text and Open chats to throw insults at other players.
Kingsisle keeps archives of the chat and if a player reports another player for bullying, that player will be reduced to having only menu chat & have other consequences happen to them.
Stay Safe in the Spiral!
Great example of how game publishers can promote causes. Think of how many people purchase and these games. When the publisher takes on a social cause and helps their customers connect they have the potential to help spread the message to a huge network. That can be an incredible influence. Is this a good thing? Can it be a concern as well?
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
- Jon