Massively Multiplayer Online Sex Game

Its another of those days where I have some crazy idea and have to blog about it. This one is about having an online game that is focused on having sex with other online players. It was partly inspired by this article on wired.com about "Sluster", an online magazine started in this online game called "Second Life". For those not in the know, "Second Life" is a game that has taken virtual communities to a new level. I wouldn't really call it a game, because there is no objective or end point. You just live in it. You build your house, get a job, meet people. Doesn't sound like much right? But it has taken the gaming world by storm. There are people who make a living selling designing and selling digital clothes in the game, and now someone by the name of Thomas Struszka has started a porn magazine within the game. Here are some shots of the magazine:

Hot!

Girl on Girl action!
Note that the girls are "real" people, as in they are characters played by other users, and they are "paid" to pose in the Sluster magazine. This is the extent in which virtual communities have evolved, and Second Life has in fact become the model for many game developers in how to create great and exciting virtual communities. Having nudity in games is the first step, sex is the logical next step.

Until somebody can suggest a better name, I shall dub this sex game "Gone Wild". Like I said earlier, the focus of the game will be to have cybersex. But this isn't just like logging in, chatting with somebody, look at your 3D figures having sex, then log-out. No, this game will have challenges, like in real life. Its not that easy to get laid. In "Gone Wild", you can play 2 roles - Superstud, or Highly Desired person. At first I only wanted to have guys as Superstuds, and girls to be Highly Desired, and that only guys have have sex with gals, but I guess these days have to be more politically correct, so in "Gone Wild", homosexuality and bisexuality is allowed.

As a Superstud, your aim is to create as many opportunities to have sex. You get more points if you get good response from partners, so you must set the mood right, sweet talk, get the foreplay right etc. You get more points also for having sex in different and more "difficult" areas. For example, having sex in the cinema bathroom will get you more points than having sex in a hotel room. The ultimate would be having sex on the plane, because you have to earn enough money to get an airticket, then "seduce" someone within a short time frame. You also get points for Highly Controversial relationships. You can take on different jobs in "Gone Wild" to earn money, so for example, if you are a Professor, and you have sex with a student, you get extra points because its Highly Controversial. Other examples would be Doctor-Patient and Stewardess-Passenger relationships. No extra points if you have sex with your secretary!

The Highly Desired role is what makes "Gone Wild" interesting and challenging. To gain points, you must have a very chaste image. It means, you must have sex without getting caught. For example, getting seen having sex in a park would drastically affect your image. Getting seen going to the hotel room with another person would also mean negative points. The more times you discreetly have sex, the more highly desired you become. And SuperStuds that have sex with Highly Desired people will obviously gain more points. Highly Desired people can also gain points by catching others in the act.

That's the gist of the idea. How I wish I had the resources to capitalize on this game concept. I'm sure I'll get many supporters... :)

Birthday thoughts

It's my birthday today! Thanks to all the well-wishers who remembered. Someone actually sent me a birthday greeting but I dunno who it is. The number is 96253996. Its too embarrassing to ask the person who it is, so if anyone knows, drop me an email.

My thoughts on turning 26? Its nothing to shout about - I am officially in my "late twenties", which sucks, but still I can pass off for 16, which also sucks, especially when I'm meeting clients. I'm ambivalent about the whole thing - I'm happy with the way my life is going but not satisfied with the pace, i.e I wish I could become more successful faster. So at the risk of sounding like TM on a good day, I'm going to write all the negative things about getting older, if only to spur myself...

At 26, I have failed to:
1) Conquer half the known world [ Alexander the Great, at 26, had already united Greece and conquered Persia, and would continue to conquer the lands beyond until his death at 33]
2) Develop a new theory about physical law [ Albert Einstein, in fact, did all his best work at 26, which includes the Special Theory of Relativity, Electromagnetic Theory of Light, and the famous E= mc2]
3) Create a revolutionary way to search the Internet [Larry Page and Sergei Brin were 25 when they created Google, which used their patented PageRank engine]

On the positive note, I have several years to go before I:
1) Become a billionaire [ Bill Gates became a billionaire at 31, Michael Dell at 33, Jerry Yang at 35]
2) Change the way people communicate, learn, work and play [ Tim Berners Lee invented the World Wide Web at 34]
3) Climb Mount Everest [Edmund Hillary was 34 when he became the first man to reach Everest]
4) Create a fantasy world that resulted in 6 blockbuster movies, hundreds of books and comics, and millions of fans [George Lucas filmed Star Wars: A New Hope at 35]

Copycats

They say that imitation is best form of flattery. That's quite true in business of course. If you're a smaller player amongst the big boys, one strategy is to copy your way to reach the same level as the leaders. But when you rip-off something as try to pass it off as original, then you lose all credibility altogther. I came across 2 examples, both unfortunately big Singaporean companies.

1st example:
I attended a meeting with Popular bookstore and National Library Board, and some representatives from NTUC income were there trying to push their latest game through Popular and NLB (Why NTUC Income is competing in the game industry I have no idea). Their latest game is called "Logic 9", the Singapore version of the popular Japanese game, Sudoku. "Its similar to Sudoku, but you can play not only with numbers, but with graphics like fruits and animals! Features 4 different difficulty levels and 15 challenges per level. Selling at only 9.90!" Then the NLB representative asked,"So what's the difference between this and Sudoku?" "Its essentially the same, but you can play with fruits, animals etc." Wow. Rip-off a popular game, one that's freely available on the Internet, put it on cd and sell for 9.90. If consumers are stupid enough to buy that, I'm obviously in the wrong business trying to create my own games!!

2nd example:
This one is more ridiculous, and committed by the most 'successful' of Singapore companies, Creative Technologies. Who are they trying to con with their latest Mp3 player, the Zen Vision M? They ripped off the Apple iPod design as usual, but this time, instead of providing more value for money by providing more space or features, they are selling their 30GB one for $599. The Zen Vision M is thicker, uglier, several months later than the iPod, and they are selling at $50 more?! I won't go into anymore, cos another site has expressed their contempt for the Zen Vision M more eloquently than I have.

I must say that I'm saddened that Creative is getting spanked by Apple in music player wars, and that this lack of creativity seems to be pervasive among our so-called leading companies in Singapore.

Busy busy

Haven't had time to blog, cos I've been super busy. It seems like I've taken on more projects I can't handle, but what the hell, its about time the business started coming in. One of those projects is actually starting another company with 2 blokes I met recently. They were looking for an IT guy to develop an online soccer game, and it was something that I wanted to do for a while. So what the heck, despite my schedule, I thought just do it. So the company we started is called FreeLunch Media, and the game will be launched in a couple of months at www.extratimelive.com. I can't quite reveal what it'll be like, but I'll definitely announce it again. For now, its time to piah!