An attempt at a quick post: user-generated content and game developers

[zhai]

I frequently have game-related things I want to post about here (and writing-related things, and science fiction-related things, and...), but rarely feel like I have the time to post thoughtfully, so this is an experiment in writing something off the top of my head just as it occurs to me

Comments

Re: ugc

[zhai]

Hi Cube -- thanks for your comment (and the linkedin add :) ). A discussion of this came up in the version of this post cross-posed to Gamasutra's blogs, in the comments, if you're interested:

http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/ErinHoffman/20091023/3382/Quick_Post_UserGenerated_Content_And_Game_Developers.php

Basically, I would contend that there is some value transfer in "rearrangement" arts of sufficient complexity -- youtube machinima, custom Sims furniture, etc -- it all depends on the game (which I realize is not a very satisfying answer to folk involved in ownership disputes over these things!). Completely agree with you re fair exchange in SL or Metaplace -- though in SL's defense there are still quite a few people who make a living off of their SL digital "crafts", which I think they perceive to be fair, though ownership disputes do still crop up.

Thanks again for your comment on this, it lights a bit of a fire under me to post more of the game thoughts I have queued up in my google tasks, if I can just dig out from some of this other stuff... :)