Second Life

SecondLife is the latest most contemporary virtual online game yet. It outshines its competetors such as 'The Sims' and is more popular than its rivals such as 'There'.It allows the consumer, referred to as 'residents' in the game to create and run their own virtual world.Its refined detail and provision of an advanced level of a social network service combined with conventional characteristics of a metaverse, hands down towers above any other virtual online gaming product to date. Consumers are able to create and mould their own avatar which they can then operate to their command, and interact with other gamers.From a cinema allowing consumers to watch film previews and videos uploaded by fellow gamers, to the consumer's own virtual house complete with furnishings down to the colour of the walls, Second Life has it all.It has the advantage of making gaming more of a social institution rather than an 'anti-social' activity which passively discourages one on one socialisation. It also actively encourages digital democracy as consumers are able to upload digital footage to share with whoever they wish. Alternatively, the danger of Second Life lies with the controversial debate that society is fast becoming more and more dependant on digital software. Not only are consumers dealing with the stress and expense of their own lives, but Second Life is also a game where the consumer can make money; from designing and selling add-ons to other consumers, and acting as an outlet for advertisers