Customer Reviews

Avatars: Exploring and Building Virtual Worlds on the Internet

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Bruce Damer's book is the perfect starting point for anyone wishing to take those first steps into virtual worlds. Readers can scour the text, getting a sense of what these computer spaces look like and how they function. AVATARS will give you courage and certainly peak your interest. Once you are online, the book is an excellent guide to how to maneuver, communicate and build in the various worlds.

AVATARS is an excellent how-to introduction to virtual worlds. However, it is an even better now-what discussion of the impact of virtual communication. Damer introduces questions of the place of computer communication within more traditional channels. He reassures readers that life can be enhanced through online interaction; however, he also cautions that family and friends can't be hugged through the computer.

AVATARS is an enthusiastic, informative and balanced introduction to virtual words. An excellent place to jump in with at least one foot

I am quite surprised by the mean-spirited reviews of this book. Perhaps the individuals writing them consider themselves "gods" in cyberspace, which causes me to wonder, if they know so much, why did they buy the book in the first place?

Published in 1998, the book is certainly outdated by the phenomenal advances in interactive multi-media technology, but I never-the-less consider it a superb introduction to new possibilities.

For me, although I have some exposure to technology, this book was an eye-opener. Initially I wondered why people would spend so much time in cyberspace "avatar-acting" but then I had two "aha" experiences from the book that easily earn it five stars:

1) In a similar vein to the early work in "cyber-cafe's" where interactive audio-visual was put into gathering places for Hispanics and for Negros (and perhaps whites and Asians also, but these are the two I remember), avatars break down barriers to sincere interaction. Of course they open paths for deception as well, but the key point here is that if in cyberspace no one knows you are ugly, you can focus on substance.

2) The second "aha" experience occured when I turned this book upside down and asked myself, if we can create avatars that are imaginary, can we go the other way? Can we feed real-time real-world information into a "serious" game and go to the next level, where the public can literally "be" the President, "see" all intelligence about anything that is available to Google, and experiment with alternative behaviors, policies and investment options?

I spend a lot of time reading (#66 over-all, #1 for non-fiction about global issues) and this book was a real pleasure to read, and an extremely valuable catalyst to my thinking. Dated or not, I recommend it very highly.

The book brings into view several new and interesting perspectives of the virtual world, the world of today and tomorow. The book was compiled totally online and was totally digital until publication.

Tho the book is well written, and very nicely illustrated, like everything in the world of computers, the technology has evolved to such a point where the technology mentioned out dated.

The book also goes beyond the technology, and into the communities that form online. This is a good study of the who and why of the Internet

With all due respect to Mr. Damer, this book is basically an introduction to what Avatars and Virtual Communities are. Mr. Damer provides a guided tour of several online communities. One or more of thewe worlds no longer exist. This is another example of web-time and how difficult it is to publish a book with a technology topic. I found the book very basic. Visit his web site to learn all you need to know and be introduced to the awesome online worlds. . . and save some money.

Eventhough I've been into computing for years now I hadn't entered the world of VR until just prior to buying this book. It gave me hints on what is possible in VR, as it might you. If your already well aquanted with computers I'dd advise you to skip the some parts. but still a great book.

The book provided little insight or information about these virtual worlds, and completely failed to enlighten the reader as to the technology which made these worlds interesting. It provided an basic overview of the worlds, a brief history, and how to manuever around in them, however this failed to give any substance to the writting.

As the author notes in the forward, this was his first attempt at writting, and it clearly shows as entire text was written at an elementary school level. This made the reading uninteresting as well as uninformative.

For those uninitiated with the Internet, virtual worlds, or any other form technology, this might serve as a good spring board. However, if the (to be) reader is looking for anything more than a general overview, I would recommend finding a different source from which to learn.

Really, a hopelessly outdated book even at the time it was published. Mr. Damer fails to consider the online gaming community and how it is the GAMING COMMUNITY which will enable the Internet to truly become a 3D universe. A quick look at Mr. Damer's web site (www.Damer.com) also reveals how Mr. Damer just doesn't "get it"...he is still attempting to push the concept of "avatars" through his "company." Maybe Bruce should load up a copy of Counterstrike or Unreal Tournament and see what the future of "avatars" and the Internet will really be in the near future.

This book, while containing much useful information, treats the reader as a purile infant. If you know nothing about computers, the Internet, and Cyberspace...and you enjoy being condescended to then this is the book for you!!!