[ShinyOldLady]

Would it be at all useful to explore potential possible community structures, citizen roles, technical and energy loss scenarios via someplace like Second Life? I have only read about the place, but it sounds like some very specific parameters that can be set up for an area or independent "land mass". You know, something like, you lose (die) if you can't provide yourself or your family with a minimum level of calories over time? Or you pass Go (successful garden that year) collect $200, and earn a Get Out Of Jail Free card? The more mischevious here could play marauders or plastic-addicted FEMA dependents.

[jimbomonkey]

I have only read about Second Life as well, but your idea sounds fantastic. It would be great to hear from Second lifers on the forum about such possibilities. (Trying to keep it on the 24 hour page)....

[ShinyOldLady]

Set up correctly, it might help newbies adjust (or at least begin to consider the ramifications) to the PO concept and the pervasiveness of losing access to cheap oil in the US. Sort of like having your power, water, cell phone, Walmart and car die all at once.

[ShinyOldLady]

Anyone out there considered this as useful? (trying to keep this in the 24 hour category)

[Omnitir]

I don't know, being able to instantly teleport to any location, and being able to levitate and fly around the place, hardly seems like a suitable environment for role playing in a post peak world.

Second life is good for virtual meet up, say if you have a bunch of peaknics from all over the world and want to organise a free seminar or something. But I can't imagine it being useful for much else. Also, it costs real money to purchase things in second life.

Good idea though. But you would probably be better off looking to other environments to simulate post peak oil. A simple game mod would be much better, though far more time consuming (though second life is also fairly time consuming). But at least game mods are free.

[azreal60]

Yeah, and honestly, I don't think you in anyway want to use a video game to simulate real life. Being a video game, it creates a mindset of unrealistic solutions. The things you'd do in a video game you'll never do in real life, and visa versa. If you want to simulate peakoil, just begin cutting oil out of your life in greater and greater amounts till it's all gone. It will be just like peakoil, only a bit ahead of the curve for reality. That's about the best your going to do.

On the otherhand, if your looking for an exscuse to continue your second life addiction, I can give you two.

1. As a former Evercrack and Wow addict, I can sympathize with the extreme need to be on there 24/7.
2. A large group of doctors is now calling video game addiction an illness right up there with drug and alcohol addiction. So game away, your insurance might cover the treatment. =-)

[I_Like_Plants]

I think it's been found that virtual persons, or avatars, actually use as much resources as real people in the 3rd world. I think we spend too much time staring at screens as it is.

[ShinyOldLady]

Thanks for the input, everyone. Although I get itchy to check email and read a bit on this site every day or two or three, I wouldn't want to spend much more time in from of the screen.

I could go for a board game though, maybe Monopoly with squares for global warmth flooded property, etc.

The only other person who thought Second Life could be useful hadn't been there either, so thanks guys!

[Ludi]

I think a lot of us into this issue are so busy with the "first life" trying to set up our, er, sustainable futures, we might not have time to play a game, also we're too busy pooping around here on the forums!


I kind of hope people will get more interested in reality, rather than roleplaying.

[Omnitir]

Actually what I think would be great, from a raising awareness point of view, would be if a major developer made a RPG game set during the oil collapse. Make it attractive and fun (latest graphics and lots of defending homesteads) so that it sells well, and include a detailed and realistic story that enables strong immersion with the game, and you could potentially go a long way to raising awareness of PO issues to an audience that generally wouldn't have much exposure to it.

Sounds great, I'll make it. Now all I need in about $50 to $100 million, and two or three years...

[Judgie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Omnitir', 'A')ctually what I think would be great, from a raising awareness point of view, would be if a major developer made a RPG game set during the oil collapse. Make it attractive and fun (latest graphics and lots of defending homesteads) so that it sells well, and include a detailed and realistic story that enables strong immersion with the game, and you could potentially go a long way to raising awareness of PO issues to an audience that generally wouldn't have much exposure to it.

Sounds great, I'll make it. Now all I need in about $50 to $100 million, and two or three years...

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('azreal60', '1'). As a former Evercrack and Wow addict, I can sympathize with the extreme need to be on there 24/7.
2. A large group of doctors is now calling video game addiction an illness right up there with drug and alcohol addiction. So game away, your insurance might cover the treatment. =-)

[I_Like_Plants]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', '
')
Over a seven-month period he bacame destitute, was evicted from his apartment, and is now homeless.