Online Worlds > Xeko (Elf Island)
News Article on Elf Island
Bugdozer:
Gaming for Good in Elf Island
by Erin Bell (11/17/2008)
Featured Article
When Liz and Craig Kronenberger founded Good Egg Studios about a year ago, they saw a great opportunity to develop a virtual world with redeeming values that could instil social responsibility in a fun and entertaining way. Now, the husband and wife co-founders are seeing the fruits of their labor come to life in the recently launched Elf Island.
Having started a children's entertainment company in the late 1990s, the Kronenbergers had their fingers on the pulse of that industry already, but it wasn't until they noticed the emerging popularity of virtual worlds – especially in the kids space – that the idea for Elf Island was born.
"Elf Island is a virtual world that allows 'tweens to play games and do good, and we're calling it 'Gaming for Good,' which we feel is a new category in the virtual world space," explained Liz Kronenberger, who in addition to being the co-founder of Good Egg Studios is also its VP of Marketing.
Another term Kronenberger uses to describe Elf Island is that of "mirrored gaming" – in other words, the virtual world uses games, storytelling and social interaction to empower kids to make a difference in the real world by working with various non-profit organizations to connect in-game quests with real-world projects.
One example of a partnership is with Habitat for Humanity, where players build virtual homes within the game by collecting supplies with their character in Elf Island, which in turn triggers the building of a home in the real world.
Through photographs and videos, players get to interact with virtual hosts who share their life experiences. In the case of the Habitat for Humanity Good Quest, the host is a child named Jose who shares the fact that he doesn't have a roof over his head, which empowers the player to complete the quest. Once the quest has been completed, Jose will thank the player and show them that he now has a roof over his head, and can sleep peacefully and do his homework, all because of the player's gaming efforts through Elf Island.
According to Kronenberger, the quests in Elf Island will be placed into three different categories: helping people, helping animals, and helping the earth. All of the non-profit partnerships must tie back to one of the categories, and by completing ten good quests, players will unlock a secret.
Elf Island itself is a fantasy-based world, where each player gets an elf avatar that they can personalize with more than 2,000 clothing items, and that have a range of movements including running, jumping, flying and rolling. Players can choose a home and personalize its appearance with animated items from the marketplace, and can also choose a musical theme such as a pirate ship theme or a music box. There are also 42 animals within Elf Island to interact with.
In addition to the immersive Good Quests, the virtual world also offers mini-games for players who want a quick fix of more competitive gameplay. In addition, players have the ability to join tribes, which allows up to 12 kids to come together and participate in Good Quests as a team. Elf Island also has a functioning economy where players can buy, tell, trade and gift items to each other.
So far, Elf Island has partnered with a handful of non-profit organizations, and according to Kronenberger, the involvement and interests of the players will help to determine what new partnerships are established moving forward.
Registration for Elf Island is free, and each player automatically has access to their Elf avatar and other basic services. To actually participate in the Good Quests and receive the full, enhanced experience requires a subscription fee of $5.95 per month.
http://www.gamezebo.com/features/web-games/gaming-good-elf-island
AmberDaze:
--- Quote ---To actually participate in the Good Quests and receive the full, enhanced experience requires a subscription fee of $5.95 per month.
--- End quote ---
So no quests for non-paying members? :??:
Happy:
--- Quote from: AmberDaze on November 17, 2008, 01:12 PM ---
--- Quote ---To actually participate in the Good Quests and receive the full, enhanced experience requires a subscription fee of $5.95 per month.
--- End quote ---
So no quests for non-paying members? :??:
--- End quote ---
I was expecting a there to be a pay option, but I wasn't expecting this. :td:
littlebelle:
Funny how these good quest seem to slap good people in the face. I understand the need to raise money but they are also promoting helping the world. Seems everyone should be allowed to learn and grow without paying 5.95 a month. Lets face it these organizations survive becausse of caring individuals. Now the kids they are trying to reach will be in the next decade the ones that donate to these charities. Kind slaps them back in the face. Lets see where will I donate my money. Not that one I could not do there quest as a kid. Very probable.
Also the kids doing these quests have parents who do donate now. And if the kids are actively learning about these oraganization and truly learning to care about others. What parent if funds are available would not want to show there child that there trying through building in a virtual world can mean they can help in real.
funfly:
--- Quote from: Bugdozer on November 17, 2008, 01:06 PM ---
Gaming for Good in Elf Island
by Erin Bell (11/17/2008)
Featured Article
Another term Kronenberger uses to describe Elf Island is that of "mirrored gaming" – in other words, the virtual world uses games, storytelling and social interaction to empower kids to make a difference in the real world by working with various non-profit organizations to connect in-game quests with real-world projects.
One example of a partnership is with Habitat for Humanity, where players build virtual homes within the game by collecting supplies with their character in Elf Island, which in turn triggers the building of a home in the real world.
Through photographs and videos, players get to interact with virtual hosts who share their life experiences. In the case of the Habitat for Humanity Good Quest, the host is a child named Jose who shares the fact that he doesn't have a roof over his head, which empowers the player to complete the quest. Once the quest has been completed, Jose will thank the player and show them that he now has a roof over his head, and can sleep peacefully and do his homework, all because of the player's gaming efforts through Elf Island.
Registration for Elf Island is free, and each player automatically has access to their Elf avatar and other basic services. To actually participate in the Good Quests and receive the full, enhanced experience requires a subscription fee of $5.95 per month.
http://www.gamezebo.com/features/web-games/gaming-good-elf-island
--- End quote ---
I understand the need for money for these games, however I am thinking that this way of pay to play will encourage kids to grow up into "Pay to Fix" instead of actually doing deeds to help others too. Money is needed for assistance in these deeds I know. But so is the actual volunteer/work needed as well.
:sb: Ok, stepping off my soapbox, I feel somewhat better after venting. :)
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