In this enthralling fantasy debut, five teenagers experience an Earth that's familiar but dramatically different, with voices that hover at the edges of consciousness, urgently calling.
In a post-apocalyptic future, four teenagers, created by mythological gods and goddesses to be pawns in a game, prove once more to be unpredictable as they battle in Africa and wander through the underworlds.
Virtual reality (VR) technology has been developed commercially since the early 1990s [1]. Yet it is only with the growth of the Internet and other high-bandwidth links that VR systems have increasingly become networked to allow users to share the same virtual environment (VE). Shared YEs raise a number of interesting questions: what is the difference between face-to-face interaction and interaction between persons inside YEs? How does the appearance of the "avatar" - as the graphical representation of the user has become known - change the nature of interaction? And what governs the formation of virtual communities? This volume brings together contributions from social scientists and computer scientists who have conducted research on social interaction in various types of YEs. Two previous volumes in this CSCW book series [2, 3] have examined related aspects of research on YEs - social navigation and collaboration - although they do not always deal with VRIVEs in the sense that it is used here (see the definition in Chapter 1). The aim of this volume is to explore how people interact with each other in computer-generated virtual worlds.
With "Avatars!", readers can grab their avatar (a digital representation of themselves) and run to the nearest virtual world where they can experience the Internet. "Avatars!" focuses on what people do inside virtual worlds, such as building three-dimensional structures, navigating through the worlds, and learning digital etiquette and social interaction skills. A CD-ROM provides readers with ready-to-run worlds that connect them with thousands of other people on the Internet, and which are referenced in a companion Web site.
In Avatars of the Word, O'Donnell reinterprets today's communication revolution through a series of refracted comparisons with earlier revolutionary periods: from the papyrus scroll to the codex and from copied manuscript to print.
In Puranic lore, Vishnu is the preserver of the universe and the cosmic order. The Dasha Avatar is the Puranic story of the ten incarnations of Vishnu who descends to the terrestrial world to establish stability and order, time and again. The avatars occur in a sequence – the first was matsya or fish representing life in water, followed by kurma or turtle signifying life in water and on land, then varaha or boar alluding to terrestrial life and so on. The sequence of the avatars could be taken to symbolise various stages in the evolution of life culminating in the advent of the perfect being.
With videogames now one of the world's most popular diversions, the virtual world has increasing psychological influence on real-world players. This book examines the relationships between virtual and non-virtual identity in visual role-playing games. Utilizing James Gee's theoretical constructs of real-world identity, virtual-world identity, and projective identity, this research shows dynamic, varying and complex relationships between the virtual avatar and the player's sense of self and makes recommendations of terminology for future identity researchers.
‘A picture may tell a thousand words, but a story can reveal a thousand Truths’ Avatars of the Master is an exciting journey that delves deep into the sacred stories of the Indian tradition. Through these stories, we learn about love, surrender and the conquering of pride. We understand the power of grace, the yearning of the heart and the true meaning of humility. This book describes and explains the first five incarnations of the supreme deity—Narayana (Vishnu). Each one of these incarnations opens a portal to the inner world where we gain a vivid picture of who the Master is and how He can transform our life. To anyone who has a thirst for Truth, the teachings expounded in these pages will provide a rich source of wisdom to carry forward on their path. They are honestly delivered and spring from the authentic experience of one who has taken shelter under a true Master. This is about real spirituality with real divinity.
James Cameron’s critically acclaimed movie Avatar was nominated for nine Academy Awards and received countless accolades for its breath-taking visuals and use of 3D technology. But beyond its cinematic splendour, can Avatar also offer us insights into business ethics, empathy, disability, and the relationship between mind and body? Can getting to know the Na’vi, an alien species, enlarge our vision and help us to “see” both our world and ourselves in new ways? Avatar and Philosophy is a revealing journey through the world of Pandora and the huge range of philosophical themes raised by James Cameron’s groundbreaking film Explores philosophical issues such as religion, morality, aesthetics, empathy, identity, the relationship of mind and body, environmental and business ethics, technology, and just war theory Examines a wide range of topics from the blockbuster movie, including attitudes toward nature, our responsibilities to nonhuman species, colonialism, disability, and communitarian ethics Written by an esteemed group of philosophers who are avid fans of Avatar themselves Explains philosophical concepts in an enjoyable and accessible manner that will appeal to all levels of readers With a new trilogy of sequels now announced, this is the ideal entry point for understanding the world of Pandora for fans and newcomers alike
Technologische Fortschritte in der Computergrafik, dem dreidimensionalen Scannen und in Motion-Tracking-Technologien haben zu einem erhöhten Einsatz von Selbst-Avataren in immersiven virtuellen Realitäten (VR) beigetragen. Selbst-Avatare werden zum Beispiel in den Bereichen Visualisierung und Simulation, aber auch in klinischen Anwendungen oder für Unterhaltungszwecke eingesetzt. Deshalb ist es wichtig neue Erkenntnisse über die Wahrnehmung des eigenen Körpers, des Selbst-Avatars und der räumlichen Wahrnehmung des Benutzers zu gewinnen, sowie den Einfluss des Selbst-Avatars auf die räumliche Wahrnehmung in der virtuellen Welt zu untersuchen. Mit Hilfe von moderner VR-Technologie habe ich untersucht wie Veränderungen des Selbst-Avatars die Wahrnehmung des eigenen Körpers und des Raumes verändern. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Selbst-Avatare nicht genau die gleichen Dimensionen wie der Körper des Benutzers haben müssen, damit sich der Benutzer mit seinem Selbst-Avatar identifizieren kann.