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Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games by Edward Castronova
US $7.96
Approximately£5.92
Condition:
Good
A book that has been read, but is in good condition. Minimal damage to the book cover eg. scuff marks, but no holes or tears. If this is a hard cover, the dust jacket may be missing. Binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with some creasing or tearing, and pencil underlining of text, but this is minimal. No highlighting of text, no writing in the margins, and no missing pages. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections.
- Buy it nowSynthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games by Edward Castronova
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eBay item number:285014720907
Item specifics
- Condition
- Book Title
- Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games
- Publication Date
- 2006-10-15
- Pages
- 344
- ISBN
- 9780226096278
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
ISBN-10
0226096270
ISBN-13
9780226096278
eBay Product ID (ePID)
53953466
Product Key Features
Number of Pages
344 Pages
Language
English
Publication Name
Synthetic Worlds : the Business and Culture of Online Games
Publication Year
2006
Subject
Internet / General, Social Aspects / General, General, Virtual Worlds
Type
Textbook
Subject Area
Computers, Business & Economics
Format
Perfect
Dimensions
Item Height
0.1 in
Item Weight
19.1 Oz
Item Length
0.9 in
Item Width
0.7 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
Dewey Edition
22
Illustrated
Yes
Dewey Decimal
794.8/14678
Table Of Content
Acknowledgments Introduction: The Changing Meaning of Play Part I. The Synthetic World: A Tour Chapter 1. Daily Life on a Synthetic Earth Chapter 2. The User Chapter 3. The Mechanics of World-Making Chapter 4. Emergent Culture: Institutions within Synthetic Reality Chapter 5. The Business of World-Making Part II. When Boundaries Fade Chapter 6. The Almost-Magic Circle Chapter 7. Free Commerce Chapter 8. The Economics of Fun: Behavior and Design Chapter 9. Governance Chapter 10. Topographies of Terror Chapter 11. Toxic Immersion and Internal Security Part III. Threats and Opportunities Chapter 12. Implications and Policies Chapter 13. Into the Age of Wonder Appendix: A Digression on Virtual Reality Notes References Index
Synopsis
From "EverQuest" to "World of Warcraft," online games have evolved from the exclusive domain of computer geeks into an extraordinarily lucrative staple of the entertainment industry. People of all ages and from all walks of life now spend thousands of hours--and dollars--partaking in this popular new brand of escapism. But the line between fantasy and reality is starting to blur. Players have created virtual societies with governments and economies of their own whose currencies now trade against the dollar on eBay at rates higher than the yen. And the players who inhabit these synthetic worlds are starting to spend more time online than at their day jobs. In "Synthetic Worlds," Edward Castronova offers the first comprehensive look at the online game industry, exploring its implications for business and culture alike. He starts with the players, giving us a revealing look into the everyday lives of the gamers--outlining what they do in their synthetic worlds and why. He then describes the economies inside these worlds to show how they might dramatically affect real world financial systems, from potential disruptions of markets to new business horizons. Ultimately, he explores the long-term social consequences of online games: If players can inhabit worlds that are more alluring and gratifying than reality, then how can the real world ever compete? Will a day ever come when we spend more time in these synthetic worlds than in our own? Or even more startling, will a day ever come when such questions no longer sound alarmist but instead seem obsolete? With more than ten million active players worldwide--and with Microsoft and Sony pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into videogame development--online games have become too big to ignore. "Synthetic Worlds" spearheads our efforts to come to terms with this virtual reality and its concrete effects. "Illuminating. . . . Castronova's analysis of the economics of fun is intriguing. Virtual-world economies are designed to make the resulting game interesting and enjoyable for their inhabitants. Many games follow a rags-to-riches storyline, for example. But how can all the players end up in the top 10%? Simple: the upwardly mobile human players need only be a subset of the world's population. An underclass of computer-controlled 'bot' citizens, meanwhile, stays poor forever. Mr. Castronova explains all this with clarity, wit, and a merciful lack of academic jargon."--"The Economist" " " ""Synthetic Worlds" is a surprisingly profound book about the social, political, and economic issues arising from the emergence of vast multiplayer games on the Internet. What Castronova has realized is that these games, where players contribute considerable labor in exchange for things they value, are not merely like real economies, they "are" real economies, displaying inflation, fraud, Chinese sweatshops, and some surprising in-game innovations."--Tim Harford, "Chronicle of Higher Education ", From EverQuest to World of Warcraft , online games have evolved from the exclusive domain of computer geeks into an extraordinarily lucrative staple of the entertainment industry. People of all ages and from all walks of life now spend thousands of hours--and dollars--partaking in this popular new brand of escapism. But the line between fantasy and reality is starting to blur. Players have created virtual societies with governments and economies of their own whose currencies now trade against the dollar on eBay at rates higher than the yen. And the players who inhabit these synthetic worlds are starting to spend more time online than at their day jobs. In Synthetic Worlds , Edward Castronova offers the first comprehensive look at the online game industry, exploring its implications for business and culture alike. He starts with the players, giving us a revealing look into the everyday lives of the gamers--outlining what they do in their synthetic worlds and why. He then describes the economies inside these worlds to show how they might dramatically affect real world financial systems, from potential disruptions of markets to new business horizons. Ultimately, he explores the long-term social consequences of online games: If players can inhabit worlds that are more alluring and gratifying than reality, then how can the real world ever compete? Will a day ever come when we spend more time in these synthetic worlds than in our own? Or even more startling, will a day ever come when such questions no longer sound alarmist but instead seem obsolete? With more than ten million active players worldwide--and with Microsoft and Sony pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into video game development--online games have become too big to ignore. Synthetic Worlds spearheads our efforts to come to terms with this virtual reality and its concrete effects. "Illuminating. . . . Castronova's analysis of the economics of fun is intriguing. Virtual-world economies are designed to make the resulting game interesting and enjoyable for their inhabitants. Many games follow a rags-to-riches storyline, for example. But how can all the players end up in the top 10%? Simple: the upwardly mobile human players need only be a subset of the world's population. An underclass of computer-controlled 'bot' citizens, meanwhile, stays poor forever. Mr. Castronova explains all this with clarity, wit, and a merciful lack of academic jargon."-- The Economist " Synthetic Worlds is a surprisingly profound book about the social, political, and economic issues arising from the emergence of vast multiplayer games on the Internet. What Castronova has realized is that these games, where players contribute considerable labor in exchange for things they value, are not merely like real economies, they are real economies, displaying inflation, fraud, Chinese sweatshops, and some surprising in-game innovations."--Tim Harford, Chronicle of Higher Education
LC Classification Number
GV1469.15.C43 2006
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- e***n (390)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseGreat transaction, exactly as described, packed well, and promptly shipped on August 6th. Unfortunately the U.S. Postal Service took 23 calendar days to deliver the book. It was shipped from Pennsylvania, to Atlanta, past Alabama to Texas, enjoyed several days in Texas, then to Minneapolis, Jacksonville, Florida, back to Atlanta, finally to Birmingham, and Huntsville. The seller was very responsive and I decided it was interesting to see if/how the book would arrive. Thanks, Joe
- m***m (2330)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseI’m thrilled with my recent purchase . The website was user-friendly, and the product descriptions were accurate. Customer service was prompt and helpful, answering all my questions. My order arrived quickly, well-packaged, and the product exceeded my expectations in quality. I’m impressed with the attention to detail and the overall experience. I’ll definitely shop here again and highly recommend from this seller to others. Thank you for a fantastic experience!Tobin's Spirit Guide: Official Ghostbusters Edition by Erik Burnham: Used (#404302598631)
- _***b (56)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseI gave 5 stars on shipping because i sent 2 separate emails + they responded with helpful info, even though it arrived late. This was a great value with free shipping + the condition is very good, better than advertised 🙂! The overall quality and appearance is excellent! I highly recommend this seller and give them 👍👍👍👍
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Seller Feedback (518,109)
- e***n (390)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseGreat transaction, exactly as described, packed well, and promptly shipped on August 6th. Unfortunately the U.S. Postal Service took 23 calendar days to deliver the book. It was shipped from Pennsylvania, to Atlanta, past Alabama to Texas, enjoyed several days in Texas, then to Minneapolis, Jacksonville, Florida, back to Atlanta, finally to Birmingham, and Huntsville. The seller was very responsive and I decided it was interesting to see if/how the book would arrive. Thanks, Joe
- m***m (2330)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseI’m thrilled with my recent purchase . The website was user-friendly, and the product descriptions were accurate. Customer service was prompt and helpful, answering all my questions. My order arrived quickly, well-packaged, and the product exceeded my expectations in quality. I’m impressed with the attention to detail and the overall experience. I’ll definitely shop here again and highly recommend from this seller to others. Thank you for a fantastic experience!Tobin's Spirit Guide: Official Ghostbusters Edition by Erik Burnham: Used (#404302598631)
- _***b (56)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseI gave 5 stars on shipping because i sent 2 separate emails + they responded with helpful info, even though it arrived late. This was a great value with free shipping + the condition is very good, better than advertised 🙂! The overall quality and appearance is excellent! I highly recommend this seller and give them 👍👍👍👍