http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/ en USC Center on Public Diplomacy Copyright 2007 2007-11-02T18:34:00+00:00 This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site, subject to copyright and fair use. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/7XZHHwmTnag/ #When:18:34:00Z Eureka Dejavu, the avatar of Rita J. King, CEO and Creative Director of Dancing Ink Productions, LLC, explores the virtual world and comments about events like Virtual Vibe Jazz Fest hosted by United States Department of State International Information Programs Bureau and The University of Southern California Center for Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School bringing a cultural revolution. To read more about the blog kindly click Public Diplomacy As Cultural Revolution 2007-11-02T18:34:00+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:18:34:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/CLHKPydmt30/ #When:10:01:00Z Monday, May 8, 2006 3:00PM with a reception to follow Venue: Davidson Center, USC Campus, 3415 S. Figueroa, LA Join the USC Center on Public Diplomacy as we announce the award winners of the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Games Contest. For those who will not be able to attend in Los Angeles, the event will be Simulcast in Second Life at Annenberg Island. To start your Second Life account, please go to http://secondlife.com/ For a sneak preview of Annenberg Island within Second Life click here The webcast will also be available at http://ascwebcast.takeonedigital.com/ See you there! 2006-05-08T10:01:00+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:10:01:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/h5kHoAAMCuc/ #When:00:38:00Z Join the USC Center on Public Diplomacy as we cordially announce the awards-recipients of the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Games Contest! When: May 8th, 2006 3:00-5:00 p.m. PST Where: Davidson Executive Conference Center University of Southern California 3415 S. Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90089-0871 There will also be simulcast of the Awards Ceremony within Second Life! Stay tuned for more details! 2006-04-22T00:38:00+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:00:38:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/qv_q1EXYnzg/ #When:07:56:10Z At the Second Life meeting, we discussed different resources to find out more about public diplomacy for the contest. Here are some suggested readings on our own wiki:  http://wiki.uscpublicdiplomacy.com/mediawiki/index.php/Suggested_Readings 2005-12-04T07:56:10+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:07:56:10Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/AOZ4hYm1qMY/ #When:20:41:10Z Meeting in Second Life to discuss the Reinventing Public Diplomacy through Virtual Worlds Contest! Tonight at 7 p.m. PST. Hope to see you there! Harmony Harbinger Contest Coordinator 2005-11-21T20:41:10+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:20:41:10Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/25-E7PpKzAU/ #When:06:47:03Z Authors Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby were interviewed on NPR’s Talk of the Nation about their new book Smart Bomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment and Big Bucks in the Video Game Revolution.  Their book is another rendition of the history of video games told from a cozy almost “in-world” feeling. The first chapter, which you can read on NPR’s website, starts off in a story book fashion from the world of E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo).  NPR Smart Bomb - Inside the Video Game Industry On NPR, they spoke about how video games is media medium that is different from all other traditional media. They discuss its merits and how it has become the driving force in computer technology. They also discussed virtual worlds as a space for another aspect of our identity rather than a replacement and they stressed the opportunity to enjoy “real” experiences with other people around the world with massively multi-player online games. They also noted that as the industry continues to grow and the more emotive the technology becomes, games will provide even more enriching experiences. If I could have gotten on air after my repeated redialing, I would have asked that in light of the already burgeoning intercultural interactions happening in online games, what are their comments on public diplomacy using video games as a tool presently and in the future? I am ordering the book, looking forward to reading it and seeing how it compares to Steven Kent’s Ultimate History of Video Games.  2005-11-15T06:47:03+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:06:47:03Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/m15xT8ZmA-s/ #When:21:28:38Z 3 cities in 12 days. Los Angeles to New York City to Austin to Washington DC and finally back to Los Angeles. 3 very different conferences - the first being Games for Change. Games for Change was a wonderful amalgamation of people from education, health, government, and the games industry. all focused on the conference theme which was “Social Change through Digital Games.” Some attendees have already developed and produced games, others had never touched a game but understood the importance of understanding the medium and were hoping to find ways to utilize it in their own work environments. Rusel DeMaria does a thorough wrap up of it in Gamasutra - Games for Change 2005-11-12T21:28:38+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:21:28:38Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/HZwxkjsT7lA/ #When:15:55:12Z Whoa that’s us in the Washington Post! Check it out! Video Game World Gives Peace a Chance 2005-10-18T15:55:12+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:15:55:12Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/oTjSY43f5cc/ #When:20:54:01Z I’ve been trying to come up with a design to test and existing game to see if there are elements within it that would fall under the definition of public diplomacy. Initially, I looked at Civilizations and noted a list of the following general items: 1. World history facts 2. Mentions of culture 3. Mentions of foreign countries 4. Mentions of global areas 5. Mentions of world literature 6. Diplomacy option 7. Negotiation option 8. Concepts of reputation 9. Peace option 10. Structures: embassy, mutual protection pact, trade agreements, espionage 11. Differences in race I am also looking at Medal of Honor. I will be entering the online gaming community shortly and will hopefully be able to add cross-cultural communication, shared tasks, conflict negotiation, community. Now how to test if exposure to these items makes an impact on the individual? 2005-10-15T20:54:01+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:20:54:01Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/GhJtw4qHB8M/ #When:08:04:05Z We’re not the only ones holding a game design competition! mtvU, a dedicated television network for college students and the Reebok Human Rights Foundation is offering a $50,000 reward to a student or group of student digital activists who create an online video game or viral campaign to raise awareness and help stop genocide. Check out mtvU.com 2005-10-10T08:04:05+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:08:04:05Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VirtualWorldsBlog/~3/UaAeNFjAM4g/ #When:12:59:07Z Welcome! The purpose of this space: to document my research on the potential of video games in the realm of public diplomacy.  With the rise of “info-tainment”, “edutainment” and political marketing, there has been merge between politics and popular culture. One burgeoning form of popular culture is that of video games. As technology advances and this interactive media becomes more and more sophisticated, the reach and influence of video games is expanding exponentially. Can institutions utilize video games and massively multi-player online games to promote public diplomacy? How could a game be designed to proport principles and characteristics of public diplomacy? I hope to find some answers. As for myself, I am currently the project manager for Public Diplomacy and Virtual Worlds at the Center for Public Diplomacy. I am also a graduate student in Global Communications at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. Last year at the London School of Economics I wrote my thesis entitled, “Can Space Invaders bring World Peace? A Study of Political Communication and Video Games.” It emerged from a nagging idea to somehow tie my previous studies in Foreign Service to my previous work experience in the gaming industry. As for my gaming experience, I would call myself a wanna-be gamer. I believe in the medium (how very academic sounding). I hope to illustrate to the general public (students, parents, politicians, gamers and non-gamers, etc.), through journaling my budding experiences through games and discussing my research, that games have the potential to promote cross-cultural communication and understanding. In short, I believe that games can change the world. So let’s play! 2005-10-08T12:59:07+00:00 http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newsroom/vwblog_main/#When:12:59:07Z