A recent reminder for Second Life players to make wise choices in creating and protecting their passwords has some wondering if the game is experiencing a problem with hackers, spamers or glitches.

MMORPG.qj reported that Daniel Linden, Linden Lab's community affairs director, has suggested that residents of Second Life consider May "Strong Password Month." It seems Linden went on to strongly encourage people to change their passwords right away.

It does sound like a security breach or a suspected one prompted this, but in the gaming world, password security is always a concern. It can't hurt to play it safe.

In other Second Life news, Linden Labs is getting ready to test an age verification tool that will help ensure residents are 18 or older. Beta testing is set to begin soon and will require residents to input some form of ID to help esnure the population follows the age restriction requirements.

Boy, I wish that rule extended to MMORPGs like EQ and Vanguard!

Related:
Second Life Guide: Part One
Second Life Under U.S. Tax Microscope

Find more...
Comments >>

Labels: game security, linden labs, online games, second life

Sony Computer Entertainment let the cat out of the bag about its big, free promotion to make the PlayStation 3 a little bit different than anything else out there. Taking tips from the MMORPG Second Life and the Wii with its adorable Miis, Sony plans to make gamers feel right at “Home.”

Home is a new service that will launch sometime this fall that will offer gamers a detailed 3D sort of game within the game.

From Sony’s media release, “Home is a real-time online 3D, networked community available on the PLAYSTATION®Network. It allows PS3 users to interact, communicate, join online games, shop, share private content and even build and show off their own personal spaces to others in real time. Home will be available as a free download from the PLAYSTATION®Store and will launch directly from XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) on PS3.”

Users will get to create their own avatars and customize them to their own liking. They also will have their own in-game apartments where they can have others over to see their gaming trophies, watch videos, show off pictures and so on.

“This is a significant step forward in the area of user community services and emergent entertainment experiences,” said Izumi Kawanishi, Corporate Executive and CTO Software, SCEI. “While the 3D graphics demonstrate the power of PS3 and the PLAYSTATION Network, the most impressive feature in Home is the variety of ways in which multiple consumers, as well as our third-party partners, can experience the next generation of communication by interacting and sharing among each other. I feel strongly that this unique blend of community, user-generated content, collaboration and commerce will expand the future of computer entertainment.”

The new Home project goes into closed beta this spring with the full launch set for sometime this fall.

I’m personally not sure what to think about this. Granted, games like Second Life have an impressive following, but I’m having trouble seeing a hard-cord PS3 gamer that’s been pulled in by the power wanting to sit around and show home movies in a cyber apartment. I'm just not sure this is the kind of PS3-targeted game fans were looking for.

Maybe it’s just me?

Related:
PS3 Episodic Games Coming Soon
PS3 Supply Shows Sony’s Strength
Can Ken Save The PS3?
Second Life Guide: Part One
Find more...

Comments >>

Labels: home, PlayStation 3, playstation network, ps3, second life, sony, Wii