SGS Feature: 'SGS DC 2006: Corporate Games Audit'

Today's main feature written for Gamasutra sister site Serious Games Source, which deals with games created for training, health, government, military, educational and other uses, continues the site's coverage of the recent Serious Games Summit D.C. (SGS D.C.). Specifically, the feature concerns a panel from the event titled “Corporate Games Audit”, which saw representation from several major companies including IBM, Cisco Systems, and Northrop Grumman. In this excerpt, writer Chris Oltyan discusses IBM, and the major technology company's interest with the popular virtual landscape of Second Life: “Bringing people together is a key factor in IBM’s movement towards acceptance. Second Life, on October 12, hosted the first IBM virtual block party. IBM alum from around the world were able to log in and hang out with old friends, and connect in a way never available before. The trail to this event was blazed with collaborations like the Palace Museum in Beijing, making a model of the Forbidden City for tourists, and a Virtual Wimbledon that gave information and visualization for how the games were played.” He adds: “It was not all roses, and some barriers were discussed, however. Lacking standards created walled gardens where collaboration was made difficult. Access control to the information discussed was a corporate nightmare, as well as security in general. Also, IBM faces issues of who gets a patent if multiple people discuss an item online, and other identity issues.” You can now read the full Serious Games Source feature on the subject, including more concerning this particular SGS D.C. panel. (no registration required, please feel free to link to this feature from external websites).