Law & Games Seminar

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1789567

I found this to be an interesting tidbit, especially the design of germs in SecondLife

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/arti…d-of-Germcraft

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7030234.stm

A MMORPG with ethical issues built in? Does it lose something if it has to be explained?

Chinese game lets you execute corrupt officials (more at Zonaeuropa).

CCP Games has announced that it has an appointed an in-world lead economist for Eve Online:

Dr. Guðmundsson will publish quarterly reports on the state of the EVE Online economy as well as ongoing analysis of other economic indicators, such as inflation, economic growth and price trends. His research is designed to provide players with information necessary to make strategic decisions, but is also expected to have an impact on future development of the game. Dr. Guðmundsson will also be responsible for coordinating research initiatives with academic institutions.
“EVE Online may be set in the future, but the skills needed to play are rooted in the real world of today. Players operate vast corporations whose shares are traded in-game among players so economic strength and agility is key to their success. Just as entrepreneurs and executives rely on real-world economic indicators, EVE Online players need timely information and analysis of the in-game economy,” said Hilmar Pétursson, CEO of CCP Games. “That’s why we created this important position and we’re delighted to have someone of Eyjólfur’s caliber and expertise fill the role.”

Dave Birch writes,

Something you may not have noticed, but there was another milestone passed on the road to the future of banking a few weeks ago, when Project Entropia auctioned banking licences for its virtual world. In fact there were five licences sold, with the highest bid at $99,900 going to “Yuri”, an undoubtedly fit and proper avatar. Financial services follow the money, even when it is virtual. Last year, a player set up a bank in another science fiction game, EVE Online, but that one was unsupported and unregulated by the game’s operator, CCP hf of Iceland. The player tried to abscond with the deposits, but CCP froze his account before he could sell them for “real” money. EVE Online has been attracting more interest, this time from the Financial Times, which picturesquely calls a galaxy far far away where rampant capitalism held sway, free from the restraints of Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, SEC inquiries and European Commission investigations. Where there are “large-scale scams, widespread corporate espionage, military-industrial alliances and interplanetary wars”.

via Slashdot,

“In a decision that could have far-reaching implications, a federal court in Pennsylvania has held that the California arbitration clause in the ‘take it or leave it’ clickwrap agreement on the Second Life website is unconscionable, and therefore unenforceable. In its decision (pdf) in
Bragg v. Linden Research, Inc., No. 06-4925 (E.D. Pa. May 30, 2007), the Court concluded that the Second Life ‘terms of service’ seek to impose a one-sided dispute resolution scheme that tilts unfairly, ‘in almost all situations,’ in Second Life’s favor. As a result, the case will stay in Pennsylvania federal court, instead of being transferred to an arbitration forum in California.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/17/magazine/17lootfarmers-t.html?ei=5087%0A&em=&en=22b6f6bd091d0e1d&ex=1182312000&pagewanted=all

Of note,
“last month American WoW players filed a class-action suit against the dominant virtual-gold retailer, IGE, the first of its kind.”

The thought had occurred to me as I was writing my conclusion, seems like I missed out!

This article concerns Second Life and election law in Japan. A Japanese lawmaker has opened an office within Second Life which may be in violation of Japanese law. The law, about 50 years old according to the article, restricts the use of text and images in election campaigns to postcards and pamphlets. It will be interesting to see if other Japanese politicians follow their colleague’s move into virtual worlds. If you’d like, you can read the entire article by clicking on the link below.