Life, Second Life, First Life, Third… Parodies and Ads

January 15, 2008

Let me start of by saying that I don’t hate the game Second Life. In fact, I played it for almost a full week before deciding it just wasn’t for me…especially since my original life pretty much rocks. I mean really, the blog isn’t titled “be awesome instead” just because of the quote from How I Met Your Mother (please end the writers strike!!!).

The Virtual World

As far as the game goes it was just way too difficult and time consuming. I’m a huge geek, I work as a Systems Admin, I have played quite a few games (WoW, AoE, SiMs, etc..), and to be honest I just don’t get it. And all the companies creating SL stores? I mean the real economy isn’t great and all, the dollar is pretty much worthless and all, but it is so bad that we need a Virtual Economy? To each their own I suppose. Though if the “Linden Dollar” gains a whole lot of value (1000 L$ is worth about $3.73 US, found via secondlife.reuters.com) I may have to open a Virtual Bank (oh well, looks like Second Life banks are now banned)… For the most part It seemed to me like extending your childhood by playing with virtual dolls. You dress them up, buy accessories, invite friends over to play with their dolls… I should mention that as a man I only know about this whole “playing with dolls thing” from watching my sisters and what my wife told me about it…. There is some money to be made there though. Second Life Reuters reported in December of 2006 that the number of Residents making more than $5000 a month was up by 40% from just a month earlier, seems like good growth, but according to GigaGames companies that are trying to make money are up, visitors to these are down…

Advertising and Parodies (1st and 3rd life)

As you know I always enjoy a good laugh. I enjoy it even more when it’s not “at” me…and I enjoy it even more when it’s funny like this site: Get a First Life. And while I have enjoyed Darren Barfoot’s First Life Parody site (Find out where you actually live!), and in fact agree with his jesting on every point, I knew it wouldn’t be long before someone took it further. Then a few days ago (and yes I know his post is from March 2007, but like I said, I get out and have a good 1st life) I ran across a post at Adverblog cornering Second Life and Kit Kat. The blog didn’t have a lot of insight, just a Kit Kat commercial, Third Life, (direct link to youtube video)and a link to the creators of the ad (UbachsWisbrun/JWT). It seems pretty brilliant of Kit Kat..at least pretty funny, though I hope no one would actually play a game of them playing a game…where would it end? OR would it? Is is possible that if you sink into virtual reality enough it all eventually circles around to reality? Seems a little too Matrix(y?) for me. Maybe I should get back on Second Life and start a virtual blog…wait, now I have confused myself.

I digress.

Posted in Internet