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Whyville

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Developer(s)Numedeon
Publisher(s)Numedeon
Designer(s)Numedeon
EngineJava
Platform(s)Java
ReleaseMarch, 1999
Genre(s)Virtual Reality virtual world serious games
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Whyville is an educational Internet site geared towards preteens and children. Its goal is to engage its users in learning about a broad range of topics, from science and business to art and geography.

The game is reported to be one of the most popular virtual worlds with a player base of more than 5 million.

Whyville has received a number of awards from independent parent groups for its educational value and safety. For example, Whyville has received awards in 2006, 2007, and 2008 from iParenting as the best website for kids, and the best on the web for its safety features . In 2008 Whyville received a NAPPA (National Parenting Publication Award) Gold Award as a site that represented the best in its genre for kids

As a simulation based virtual world, Whyville's users engage in games and roleplay sponsored by a wide range of governmental, non-profit, and corporate entities. Launched in 1999, by Numedeon Inc, Whyville was one of the first virtual worlds for children, and is one of the few virtual worlds whose purpose is primarily educational. you can chat with people and have fun.

Numedeon Inc was founded by Dr. James M. Bower his students and collaborators at the California Institute of Technology interested in ways in which the Internet and simulation-based serious gaming could change education.

Whyville Virtual Economy

Whyville was one of the first virtual worlds where game play was based on an internal virtual currency. Users earn a 'clam' salary based on the educational activities they engage in on the site. With their clams they can buy face parts, projectiles, furniture, bricks, and other virtual goods and services that enhance their life 'in world'.

Whyville was also one of the first sites to emphasize user created content . Tied directly into the clam economy, once a user has accumulated a large enough clam savings, they can start their own Whyville virtual business based on their own created content. Most of these businesses are built around the construction of 'face parts' from which users make their own avatars, using simple pixel by pixel drawing tools. Others businesses design and sell decals for users virtual Scions (virtual automobiles in Whyville sponsored by Scion Car Company, a Division of Toyota). Players must draw their creations by hand. There is no copying and pasting, and all contributed content is reviewed by site staff for appropriateness. Since the sites launch, thousands of players have created millions of face parts.

Even though it is difficult to obtain a large amount of clams, there are many users who have played Whyville since the day it came out, in 1999. Long time players who have maintained their accounts wisely, usually have the most clams in the game. Many richer Whyvillians use their clams to make face parts, buy Scions, or even just give them away through raffles and contests. Others may deposit their clams into a virtual Bank, (sponsored by the Bankinter of Spain) which allows Whyvillians to earn interest by depositing their clams in CD's (certificates of deposit) or into their online password protected savings accounts.

Sponsorships in Whyville

Whyville has an extensive and growing list of both public and private sponsors. Examples include NASA the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the J. Paul Getty Trust, Disney, EMI, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Scholastic Publishing the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History.

One of Whyville's major corporate sponsors is Scion which launched its first virtual world presence in Whyville, where users can use clams to purchase customizable Scion xB, Scion xD, and Scion tC cars . Users without sufficient clams can arrange loans from a virtual branch of Toyota Financial Services based on their Whyville Credit Score (Why-CO score). A robotic loan councilor helps citizens understand how to raise their credit rating. Scion owners can give rides to other users by invitation and can purchase custom decals made by other users for clams.

Whyville also has an extensive virtual nutrition project sponsored by the University of Texas System and The School Nutrition Association. In this project, Whyville's citizens elect to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, and a nutrition calculator then determines their state of health.

Whyville also has games and activities focusing on environmental issues supported by organizations like the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The site has yet to launch a major project involving global climate change.

From Site Revenue

In addition to sponsorships, Whyville also has a unique form of "from site" revenue, called 'Pearls' which combines a limited form of premium subscription with the ability to purchase virtual goods . The Pearl system is designed to resemble a monthly parental allowance system where users make their own decisions about how and whether to spend their Pearls, or save them for future purchases. Users can purchase virtual goods including virtual pets and avatar parts licensed by real world celebrities .

Whyville in the Schools

Whyville has also become involved in a number of work force pipeline projects aiming to encourage children to consider technical and scientific careers. For example, the National Science Foundation has recently awarded funding to the ETR Associates to implement a project through middle school classrooms to engage young Hispanic women in computer game design and entrepreneurship. The Texas Workforce Commission through the Office of the Governor has also funded Whyville to develop work force related games related to advanced manufacturing and biotechnology. In the 2007-2008 school year, Waco Independent School District piloted Whyville in more than fifty Career Connections classrooms for over 1,000 students, integrating Whyville into school day activities and creating lesson plans available in the Whyville discussion group at Ning.com.

Whytexas Challenge

In April, 2008, as part of its work with the Texas Workforce Commission, Whyville launched a new initiative for teachers called the Whytexas Challenge . Over three weeks, 300 teachers in Texas signed their students up to compete for their classrooms. The winners, from the Waco Independent school district amassed more than 17,000 clams in the three week period of time ref></ref>.

The Whyville Times

Whyville has a weekly newspaper called "The Whyville Times" that comes out every Sunday. Throughout the week, talented whyvillians send in an article that they have written to the Times Editor to see if she will put it in the next weeks edition. If they make it in, other users may comment on the article in the BBS.

Whyville's BBS is a Whyville related Bulletin Board System where citizens can chat about the issue/topic related to that BBS. BBS's are found in the Whyville Times where citizens give feedback about an article or discuss the topic of the article. However, there are many BBS's throughout Whyville where the citizens can engage in challenging debates, or ask questions and seek help.

Educational Research in Whyville

As a learning site, Whyville is also attracting increasing attention from the educational research community interested in the effect of virtual worlds on children . The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for example, is funding a new research project aimed at understanding how preteens explore and share information about reproductive health using Whyville .

Whyville and Popular Culture

In addition to its more serious side, Whyville also provides fun and entertainment to its citizens. For example, the site has hosted several pop concerts with well known artists. The latest concert in the series, on September 20, 2007, involving the group The Cheetah Girls. Also, Whyville has hosted concerts for Stacie Orrico and TobyMac. Whyville also has done events involving the Jonas Brothers.

Leaders in Whyville

Whyville has many leader opportunities. Citizens can become a Whyville "Ymail Helper" or a Whyville "Newbie Guide", these people take new citizens ("newbies") on a tour of Whyville. You can become a Whyville senator through an election process with Whyville's citizens. This teaches children about politics and voting in real life. Every four months, the citizens elect three new senators. The senators work together with the citizens and act as a voice for the population to the administrators (City Workers).

References

  1. Merrilea J. Mayo (2009-01-02). "Video Games: A Route to Large-Scale STEM Education". Science Magazine. Retrieved 2009-01-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. Linda Knapp (2007-02-17). "Why is Whyville a Hit? It's safe and fun". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2007-02-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. Irene Scherer (2008-11-05). "Virtual Worlds for Kids Win Parenting Award". Library Nation. Retrieved 2008-11-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Richard Lee Colvin (2002-07-08). "Cartoon lips, virtual fashion and physics". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2002-07-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. Kevin Newcomb (2006-07-18). "Scion Offers Virtual Car Loans at Whyville". ClickZ. Retrieved 2006-07-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. Learning Nutrition at Whyville’s Virtual Cafeteria
  7. Anastasia Goodstein (2007-06-27). "Virtual Environmentalism". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2007-06-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. Stefanie Olson (2008-12-15). "People spend real money for virtual goods". The Mercury News. Retrieved 2008-12-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. Joey Seiler (2008-12-24). "Whyville and Vside next for virtual greats". Virtual World News. Retrieved 2008-12-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. Donna Jones (2007-05-04). "Gaming class aim to spark girls interest in computer careers". The Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-05-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. Perry Announces $3 Million to Develop Workforce of the Future, 2006-08-02 press release by Texas Governor Rick Perry
  12. Why-Texas Whyville Texas Challenge
  13. [http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kafai/projects/whyville.htm Yasmin B. Kafai Research Projects, 2006-08-09
  14. [http://spotlight.macfound.org/main/entry/thomas_kafai_tweens_reproductive_health_virtual_worlds/#When:14:03:00Z Thomas & Kafai: Tweens and Reproductive Health in Virtual Worlds, 2008-08-09

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