The JVWR, Volume 10, No. 2

Published: September 16, 2017

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Issue editors:

Richard E. Ferdig, Kent State University, USA

Kristine E. Pytash, Kent State University, USA

Glenn W. Muschert, Miami University, USA.

We live in an era of digitally-mediated relationships. From finding a spouse online to daily interactions facilitated through social media, many people build and sustain both platonic and romantic relationships with technology. Virtual worlds are also spaces for these interactions. This special issue is dedicated to an exploration of such topics in a collection of articles exploring “real virtual relationships.”

Original Call: CfP: Relationships

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Issue Editor Corner

The Recursive Relationship between Virtual and Real in Relationships

Richard E. Ferdig, Kristine E. Pytash, Glenn W. Muschert

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

Virtually Together: Examining Pre-Existing Relationships in MMOG Play

Kelly Bergstrom, Jennifer Jenson, Suzanne de Castell, Nicholas Taylor

De-Roling from Experiences and Identities in Virtual Worlds

Stefano Gualeni, Daniel Vella, Johnathan Harrington

Empathy with Non-Player Characters? An Empirical approach to the Foundations of Human/Non-Human Relationships

Jonathan Harth

Harsh Words and Deeds: Systematic Content Analyses of Offensive* User Behavior in the Virtual Environments of Online First-Person Shooter Games

Adrienne Holz Ivory, James D. Ivory, Winston Wu, Anthony M. Limperos, Nathaniel Andrew, Brandon S. Sesler

Not Playing the Game: Negative Opinions about Online Dating and Video Gaming among Non-Participants

Max Marc

The JVWR, Volume 10, No. 1

Published: 31 May, 2017

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Issue editor:

Victoria McArthur, University of Toronto, Canada

The 2017 Assembled issue of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research is a collection of four interdisciplinary research papers, representing the diversity that is “virtual worlds.” They represent a field that truly is ‘assembled’ – emerging from and supported by passionate scholars from various intellectual backgrounds.

Original Call: CfP: Assembled 2017

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Issue Editor Corner

Editorial

Victoria McArthur

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

Internet Research in Online Environments for Children: Readability of Privacy and Terms of Use Policies; The Uses of (Non)Personal Data by Online Environments and Third-Party Advertisers

Olesya Venger

Using Google Trends Data to Gauge Interest in Virtual Worlds

Anthony Crider, Jessica Torrez-Riley

Virtual Worlds, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality: Differences in Purchase Intentions Based on Types, Users, and Sex

Angie marie cox, Indira Guzman, Sikha Bagui, Kenneth Cromer

Levelling Up: Minors’ Play in a Closed-system MMOG

Jennifer Jenson, Suzanne de Castell, Victoria McArthur, Stephanie Fisher

The JVWR, Volume 9, No. 3

Published: 31 December, 2016

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Issue editor:

Yesha Sivan, Coller Institute of Venture, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Edge tech, usage and developments in Virtual Worlds. A collection of 5 papers which suggest new angles and unique points of view, is presented in this Edge issue. Each of these five papers pushes the boundaries of the disciplines in a different way. Together, they demonstrate the dual value of the JVWR, first as a stage to explore the future of virtual worlds (defined broadly,) and then help to shape the future of real worlds.

Original Call: CfP: Quick Turnaround Assembled 2016

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Issue Editor Corner

Learning from the “Edge” of Virtual Worlds

Yesha Y. Sivan

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

Pokémon GO 2016: Exploring Situational Contexts of Critical Incidents in Augmented Reality

Tuomas Kari

Flow in Virtual Worlds: The Interplay of Community and Site Features as Predictors of Involvement

Valerie Elizabeth Barker

The Experience Machine: Existential Reflections on Virtual Worlds

Stefano Gualeni

Playful Constructivism: Making Sense of Digital Games for Learning and Creativity Through Play, Design, and Participation

Vittorio Marone

Restorative Virtual Environment Design for Augmenting Nursing Home Rehabilitation

Jon Ram Bruun-Pedersen, Stefania Serafin, Lise Busk Kofoed

The JVWR, Volume 9, No. 2

Published: September 30, 2016

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Issue editors:

Suely Fragoso, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Maria del Carmen Gil Ortega, the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

Athanasios G. Malamos, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, Greece.

This issue, as with all JVWR assembled issues, aimed at highlighting the diversity of issues of virtual and real worlds.  Three of the five articles are concerned with questions related to the body, specially the gendered body, but each brings a different perspective: YouTubing on gender, race and ethnicity; gender issues through avatar choice, appearance and identification; and the potential of a union between virtual technologies and body image.  The other two articles discuss questions related to user generated content: links between creation, consumption and motivation in digital environments; and a methodology for the identification of relationships between networks of individuals.

Original Call: CfP: Assembled 2016 Part 2

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Issue Editor Corner

Editorial

Suely Fragoso, Maria del Carmen Gil Ortega, Athanasios G. Malamos

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

YouTubing Difference: Performing Identity in Video Communities

Samara M Anarbaeva

Exploring Intrinsic Gender Identity Using Second Life

Barbara Maria Mitra, Paul Golz

Technology and the Not-so-Stable Body: “Being There” in the Cyborg’s Dilemma

Sean Philip Gleason

‘I Create Therefore I Virtually Exist’: Digital Content Creation, Virtual Consumption, and Motivation in Second Life

Peter Nagy, Bernadett Koles    

Detecting Covert Networks in Multilingual Groups: Evidence within a Virtual World

Janea Triplet, Andrew Harrison, Brian Mennecke, Akmal Mirsadikov    

The JVWR, Volume 9, No. 1

Published: April 14, 2016

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Issue editor:

Sue Gregory, School of Education, University of New England, Australia.

This 2016 Assembled issue of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research relates to an eclectic group of six articles covering a variety of aspects of the use of virtual worlds. Firstly presented is a short history of the virtual world economy that provides the reader with an overview of where the virtual economy began in three virtual worlds and where it is today. The second article discusses the use of non-player characters in courses and how students reacted to these. The third article relates to the use of a virtual world to provide training for office-based medical emergencies. The fourth article explores the relationship between the real and the virtual supermarkets. The fifth article looks at lighting controls used in virtual environments, and the final article is an overview of the use of cloud in connecting video games.

Original Call: CfP: Assembled 2016 Part 1

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Issue Editor Corner

Editorial Sue Gregory

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

A Brief History of Virtual Economy

Mohamed Nazir, Carrie Siu Man Lui

Put on Your Game Face: Designing the Researcher Presence in Immersive Digital Environments

Jaime Banks, Rosa Mikeal Martey 

Put on Your Game Face: Designing the Researcher Presence in Immersive Digital Environments

Jaime Banks, Rosa Mikeal Martey 

Developing Virtual Reality Simulations for Office-Based Medical Emergencies

Alexander J. Lemheney, Ed.D., William F. Bond, M.D., Jason C. Paden, Matthew W. LeClair, M.S., Jeannine N. Miller, M.S.N., Mary T. Susko, M.H.A. 

The Relation between Customer Types in a Real Supermarket Compared to a Virtual Supermarket

Vassilis Javed Khan, Rebecca Brouwer     

Utilizing Virtual Environments for the Evaluation of Lighting Controls

Vassilis Javed Khan, Tino van de Kraan, Johan van Leest, Jon Mason, Dzmitry Aliakseyeu     

Gamecloud – A Platform for Connecting Video Games

Janne Parkkila, Kati Järvi, Timo Hynninen, Jouni Ikonen, Jari Porras

The JVWR, Volume 8, No. 2

Published: November 5, 2015

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Issue editor:

Yesha Sivan, Coller Institute of Venture, Tel Aviv University, Israel; School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HK.

This issue presents six papers each reflecting on one angle to the future of virtual worlds: Four concrete views relating to bots, head mounted displays (HMD), neuroscience and meditation, and eSports; as well as two theoretical views relating to the focus of virtual worlds research and looking at virtual worlds as a mediator between “technology trends” and the “digital transformation of society and business.”

From the 2015 point of view: The virtual is becoming the real and the real is becoming the virtual.

Original Call: CfP: Futures

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Editor in Chief Corner

Toward the Futures of Real AND Virtual Worlds Yesha Y. Sivan

Essays

Three Real Futures for Virtual Worlds

Tom Boellstorff

Is a Technological Singularity Near Also for Bots in MMOGs?

Stefano De Paoli

Conceptualizing Factors of Adoption for Head Mounted Displays: Toward an Integrated Multi-Perspective Framework

Ibrahim Halil Yucel, Robert Anthony Edgell

Being There: Implications of Neuroscience and Meditation for Self-Presence in Virtual Worlds

Carrie Heeter, Marcel Allbritton

The eSports Trojan Horse: Twitch and Streaming Futures

Benjamin Burroughs, Paul Rama

The Metaverse as Mediator between Technology, Trends, and the Digital Transformation of Society and Business

Sven-Volker Rehm, Lakshmi Goel, Mattia Crespi

The JVWR, Volume 8, No. 1

Published: March 6, 2015

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The editorial team for this issue includes:

Stephanie Blackmon, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

Patricia Anderson, East Carolina University. Greenville, NC, USA

Virtual worlds hold a tremendous amount of potential for research, education, and interaction. While the literature available on virtual worlds has increased over the years, there are still unexplored arenas as well as areas that require further conversation and investigation. Some of us are continuing to develop our avatars and hone our skills in virtual worlds, while  others are finding new ways to leverage the openness of these environments via unexplored opportunities within the virtual world.

This Assembled 2015 issue contains selected peer-reviewed articles that start, and in some cases continue, discussions about the vastness and versatility of virtual worlds.

Original Call: CfP: General Call for Papers

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Editor in Chief Corner

Possible Futures

Yesha Y. Sivan

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

Alexandria – A Virtual Repository of Knowledge

Joseph Michael Graham, Eva Comaroski

From Voxel Vistas: Place-Making in Minecraft

Tyler Quiring

Lessons from Recruiting Second Life Users with Chronic Medical Conditions: Applications for Health Communications

Jodi Swicegood, Saira Haque

Professors and Virtual World Professionalism: A Qualitative Study

Stephanie J Blackmon

The Influences of User Experience, Aesthetics and Psychology in the Design Process of 3D Avatars (Theoretical model)

Thomas Photiadis, Nicos Souleles

Gaming Experience and Spatial Learning in a Virtual Morris Water Maze

Suzanne de Castell, Jennifer Jenson, Hector Larios

The JVWR, Volume 7, No. 3

Published: July 27, 2014

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The editorial team for this issue includes:

Yesha Sivan, Metaverse-Labs Ltd, Tel Aviv-Yaffo Academic College, Israel

Abhishek Kathuria, The University of Hong Kong

David Gefen, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Maged Kamel Boulos, University of Plymouth, Devon, UK

In this issue, we take a review lantern and shed some light on some of this field’s aspects. Clearly, we do not cover everything. We will often see shadows and not the full image. Ultimately, we hope to encourage further exploring of the field.

The third thematic issue of JVWR 7th year (2014) focuses on a literature review of 3D3C worlds according to specific topics such as Law, Taxation, Medical, Education, Money and more. The Lantern issue is published in two parts: Part 1 on Q1/2014 & Part 2 on Q3/2014.

Original Call: CfP: 3D3C Virtual Worlds – Topical Lantern Review

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Issue Editors’ Corner

Taking a Broader View by Looking DeeperYesha Y. Sivan 

Yesha Y. Sivan 

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

Virtual Worlds Enabling Distributed Collaboration

Marko Hakonen, Petra M. Bosch-Sijtsema 

Virtual Currencies, Micropayments and Monetary Policy: Where Are We Coming from and Where Does the Industry Stand?

Ruy Alberto Valdes-Benavides, Paula Lourdes Hernandez-Verme

Meta-theoretic Assumptions and Bibliometric Evidence Assessment on 3-D Virtual Worlds as Collaborative Learning Ecosystems

António Correia, Fernando Cassola, Diogo Azevedo, André Pinheiro, Leonel Morgado, Paulo Martins, Benjamim Fonseca, Hugo Paredes

Two Decades of Evolutionary Art Using Computational Ecosystems and Its Potential for Virtual Worlds

Rui Filipe Antunes, Frederic Fol Leymarie, William Latham

Fostering Team Creativity in Virtual Worlds

Pekka Alahuhta, Emma Nordbäck, Anu Sivunen, Teemu Surakka

Finding Healthcare Support in Online Communities: An Exploration of the Evolution and Efficacy of Virtual Support Groups

Donna Z. Davis, Willemien Calitz

The JVWR, Volume 7, No. 2

Published: May 31, 2014

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The editorial team for this issue includes:

Samuel Cruz-Lara – LORIA (UMR 7503) CNRS – INRIA, Université de Lorraine, France

Sue Gregory – University of New England, Australia

Suely Fragoso – Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Urs-Vito Albrecht – Braunschweig University & Hannover Medical School, Germany

Christopher Lueg – University of Tasmania, Australia

The six papers in this issue demonstrate some of JVWR goals. They are pushing our thinking about both the virtual and the real, they are presenting “new” academic science that go beyond the trivial, and they are taking a stand about the world. We encourage authors to follow the diverse models presented here.

Original Call: CFP: General Call for Papers

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Editor-In-Chief Corner

Impacting the Real Future via the Virtual Present

Yesha Y Sivan

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

Distributed Immersive Participation as Crowd-Sensing in Culture Events

Theo Kanter, Rahim Rahmani, Jamie Walters, Willmar Sauter

A Multi-faceted Approach to Anonymity Online: Examining the Relations between Anonymity and Antisocial Behavior

Rebecca Chui

Virtual Collaboration Spaces: Bringing Presence to Distributed Collaboration

Austin Tate, Jeffrey T Hansberger, Stephen Potter, Gerhard Wickler

Virtually Friends: An Exploration of Friendship Claims and Expectations in Immersive Virtual Worlds

Brooke Foucault Welles, Tommy Rousse, Nick Merrill, Noshir Contractor

Using 3D Virtual Standardized Patients to Teach Motivational Interviewing

Margaret Czart

White Man’s Virtual World: A Systematic Content Analysis of Gender and Race in Massively Multiplayer Online Games

T. Franklin Waddell, James D. Ivory, Rommelyn Conde, Courtney Long, Rachel McDonnell

The JVWR, Volume 7, No. 1

Published: January 28, 2014

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The editorial team for this issue includes:

Yesha Sivan, Metaverse-Labs Ltd, Tel Aviv-Yaffo Academic College, Israel

Abhishek Kathuria, The University of Hong Kong

David Gefen, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Maged Kamel Boulos, University of Plymouth, Devon, UK

In this issue, we take a review lantern and shed some light on some of this field’s aspects. Clearly, we do not cover everything. We will often see shadows and not the full image. Ultimately, we hope to encourage further exploring of the field.

The first thematic issue of JVWR 7th year (2014) focuses on a literature review of 3D3C worlds according to specific topics such as Law, Taxation, Medical, Education, Money and more. The Lantern issue is published in two parts: Part 1 on Q1/2014 & Part 2 on Q3/2014.

Original Call: CfP: 3D3C Virtual Worlds – Topical Lantern Review

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Issue Editors’ Corner

Taking a Broader View by Looking Deeper

Yesha Y Sivan 

Peer Reviewed Research Papers

Review of Educational Research Methods in Desktop Virtual World Environments: Framing the Past to Provide Future Direction

Dennis Beck, Ross Perkins

The Aspatial Economics of Virtual Worlds

Edward Heath Robinson

Privacy in Virtual Worlds: A US Perspective

Jeannie Pridmore, John Overocker

Overview: Virtual Reality in Medicine

Claudio Pensieri, Maddalena Pennacchini

Taxation of Virtual World Economies: A Review of the Current Status

Jamie S. Switzer, Ralph V. Switzer 

Linguistic and Multilingual Issues in Virtual Worlds and Serious Games: A General Review

Samuel Cruz-Lara, Alexandre Denis, Nadia Bellalem