TVO "Civics 101" producer Michael Lehan interviews Tony Walsh about game-based learning in his blog article "Learning in virtual worlds."

Excerpt:

For Tony Walsh, using a video game as an education tool is a radical step in human development, but also a very natural one, connected to our basic social behaviours.

“Learning by doing is universal. It has a far higher retention rate than any other kind of learning,” Walsh explains.

“It explains the growing importance of game-based learning.”

Video games are simulations of reality. Actions performed in game can emulate actions performed in reality. According to studies, the retention rate is the same. But the virtual reality of video games can be altered to focus the experience, removing the unnecessary bombardment of information that distracts from the learning experience.

Second Life reporter Draxtor Despres interviewed Tony Walsh at the 2008 BAVC Producers Institute. Here are the results:

Tony Walsh makes a brief "expert" appearance in this intimate look at computer gamers whose lives have been transformed by the emerging genre of Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs). View the trailer here.

Tony Walsh makes a brief appearance in the trailer for the upcoming documentary Second Skin.

From Tony Walsh's blog: "I was able to play about 10 minutes of the ultra-violent game while we chatted. Amber and I were treated to all sorts of Halloweenish sights during the first few minutes of game-play, including needle-stabbings and poop-flinging. Frankly, I was expecting more but based on what I've seen on YouTube, the action gets more disgusting as the game progresses."

Tony Walsh's blog post on a "penis griefing" incident in Second Life was cited in the September issue of New Scientist (online edition), in an article entitled "Virtual entrepreneurs and 'griefers' spoil the fantasy of online worlds."

Tony Walsh comments on avatar-based viral marketing in a short video piece hosted by Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail. Walsh spoke on a similar subject in a recent ARG Netcast.

Tony Walsh was a guest panelist on the ARG Netcast (podcast), entitled "The Buzz," joining ARGNet publisher Jonathan Waite, Unfiction owner Sean C. Stacey, and ARGNet writer Celina Beach in a chat about ARG-related buzz and viral marketing. Thanks for having me, folks, it was a fun conversation.

Tony Walsh was cited in the Reuters article "Protecting real brand names in a virtual world."

Excerpt:
"Clickable Culture blogger Tony Walsh predicted trademark infringement would be an issue back in 2005. He agreed it wasn’t Linden Labs’ role to scour Second Life for trademark violaters. His view is that they need to make it easier for companies to find and report them. One way to do this would be to streamline the complaint process and improve search capabilities."

Read the full article here, or more about intellectual property issues at Clickable Culture:
- ‘Second Life’ Trademark Infringement Quantified
- ‘Second Life’ Copier Controversy
- The Regurgitation of ‘Second Life’ IP Issues
- SL vs. RL IP

Tony Walsh joined Bill Marshall and host David Onley in a brief discussion about The Vortex Game Competition.

Host Amber MacArthur and guest Tony Walsh chatted briefly about the "seedy" side of Second Life in the debut edition of this TV/podcast show.

Tony Walsh was cited in a March 11, 2007 article entitled "(Virtual) reality bites" about the intersection of business and culture in Second Life:

"The presence of real world businesses was really offensive to residents," said Tony Walsh, a Toronto developer and consultant who specializes in social media. "In the beginning, the attitude was; `This is an escape from real life. We don't want any real life here.' That was two years ago. Now it's `Everyone in the pool,'" he says.

Tony Walsh's take on the state of search in Second Life is cited in Daniel Terdiman's article "Rescuing search in 'Second Life.'"

Tony Walsh made a live appearance on the CP24 show HomePage to chat about the virtual world Second Life.

Tony Walsh appeared on CityNews International's World Wide Web segment to chat about the virtual world Second Life and the use of that environment to screen the independent feature film Four Eyed Monsters. Walsh has written previously about the film's Second Life debut in a blog post entitled "Down in Front."

Tony Walsh appeared on TVO's The Agenda to discuss the ins and outs of virtual world Second Life. Walsh's notes before and after the show provide additional commentary.

In an interview published in Italy's La Stampa online, writer Ivan Fulco asked Tony Walsh about reasons to both visit and avoid Second Life, about the culture of the growing virtual world, about the platform's staying-power, and about virtual worlds generally.

Tony Walsh appeared on TVO's The Agenda to defend the entire Internet against a Maclean's Magazine claim that "the Internet sucks." Walsh's notes before and after the event provide additional commentary.

Tony Walsh quoted in "Wired, CNET, Reuters Agog Over Second Life" by Mark Glaser. The article analyzed a burst in media hype and business interest in the virtual world, citing Walsh's criticisms as a counter-point.

Tony Walsh is featured in a story about the virtual world of Second Life. Read the full article as a PDF.

Tony Walsh was cited in Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper in an article entitled "Mystery History" about Toronto's first inner-city alternate reality game "Waking City." Tony contributed puzzle designs to the game.

Tony Walsh was cited in the June issue of the Harvard Business Review in an article by Paul Hemp entitled "Avatar-Based Marketing." Walsh is noted for his invention of the word "advertar," used to describe avatars as autonomous or user-controlled marketing vehicles.

Tony Walsh's thoughts about crime and punishment in the virtual world were quoted in a New Scientist article:

Predictably, not all Second Life residents liked the idea. "What a mind-numbingly futile exercise," Tony Walsh wrote on a Second Life bulletin board. "So now we have yet another level of tedious bureaucracy to Second Life." Others wondered whether the court would have any teeth to back up a judgement, or even what would happen if a Linden (a character played by an employee of Linden Lab) was the target of a case.

Walsh's comments about the quote can be found here.

Tony Walsh's thoughts on a lawsuit filed against virtual world maker Linden Lab were quoted in a Wired News story entitled "Second Life Land Deal Goes Sour."

"There will be substantial interest in the outcome of this suit from business, legal, academic and virtual-world resident interests," wrote freelance journalist and Second Life blogger Tony Walsh. "I think that this is part of the reason that Bragg filed suit. He might be the first person in history to sue over a virtual land deal gone sour."

The source of this quote can be found on Walsh's blog, Clickable Culture.

Tony Walsh's story "Hidden Virtual-World Prison Revealed" was the inspiration behind Discover Magazine's investigation into a virtual-world penal colony known as The Corn Field. The resulting article, written by Stephen Johnson, appeared in Discover's April 2006 issue (published in March).

Quoted in an iMedia Connection article entitled "Bold New Opportunities in Virtual Worlds."

What could the arrival of widespread WiFi service in Toronto mean for gamers and the game industry? Reporter Michelle Cheung posed this question and more to Tony Walsh on CBC News in Toronto.

For further thoughts on this subject, read Walsh's article "Upcoming Toronto WiFi Service: Gaming Impact?" at Clickable Culture.

James Renovitch of the Austin Chronicle gives the "Secret Sex Lives of Video Games" some love, interviewing members of the 2006 SXSW panel. Tony Walsh sneaks in an introductory soundbite, while Kyle Machulis of MMOrgy and Glennis McClellan of Republik Games steal the show.

Pierluigi Casolari of Italian game culture site Videoludica interviews Tony Walsh, covering such topics as his 2002 article his article "Big Mac Attacked" (about anti-McDonald's action in The Sims Online), and the state of in-game advertising.

MuchMusic's MuchNews Weekly aired Tony Walsh's commentary about recent statistics showing men spend more money on games than music. (Canadian Coverage)

Featured in interview series entitled "The Blogger's Blogger" by Canadian writer Melanie McBride. Read the interview on McBride's blog Chandrasutra.

Provided sound-bites for the article "Blogging the Spotlight":

"Tony Walsh, a Canadian blogger and freelance journalist, says that as blog writers start to get sued, they'll begin to understand terms like 'libel' and 'slander,' and blogging will become more like 'serious business.'"

Tony Walsh's cartooning work was featured in an Apple.com article about the production of "This is Daniel Cook," a Canadian-produced television show and companion web site. Walsh's signature illustration, animation, and interactive design has helped make ThisIsDanielCook.com a popular pre-school destination.

Featured in short radio piece "Journalists Cover Online Worlds," which aired on KUT FM (and appeared on kut.org) in Austin, Texas. More info posted to Clickable Culture.

Quoted in "Birth Of A Nation," an article about the success of Halo 2.

Excerpt:
"Tony Walsh, a Toronto-based designer and writer of the weblog Clickable Culture, argues that the lasting resonance of Halo 2 will be its significance not as a game, but as a financial phenomenon – and from there, as a cultural force. 'From an artistic standpoint,' says Walsh, 'the game has given us nothing; from a business standpoint, it exceeded some pretty big expectations.'"

The article fails to mention my definition of "cultural force" was "more fat guys sitting on couches."

Featured interview in article "Ads scream for attention — literally":

"Toronto online pundit Tony Walsh thinks these ads are capitalizing on the public's post-9/11 preoccupation with terror. He's even coined a phrase for the phenomenon. He calls it 'terror marketing.'"

See Clickable Culture for additional information.

TVOntario's Studio 2 covers topical gaming issues with panelists Tony Walsh, Bret Dawson and Liss Jeffrey.

See Clickable Culture for additional information.

Cited in paper "The Virtual World as a Company Town: Freedom of Speech in Massively Multiple Online Role Playing Games" by Peter S. Jenkins. [download as PDF]

Repeat. MuchMusic's MuchNews Weekly featured commentator Tony Walsh on the increasing presence of pop music in games (Canadian Coverage).

MuchMusic's MuchNews Weekly featured commentator Tony Walsh on the increasing presence of pop music in games (Canadian Coverage).

Canada.com's "Web Junkie"- Profiles Tony Walsh's Babies With Beards minisite.

MuchMusic's MuchTalks "Violence" show featured commentator Tony Walsh. (Canadian Coverage)

"Brush With Fame"- Writer Nick Galvin recommends Tony's Babies With Beards site: "Browse the gallery of little bearded angels, explore the history of bearded babies and consider the many advantages of a bristly bub."
Nick Galvin's article also appeared here in Australia's newspaper "The Age"

Given the last word in "McDonald's im Phantasieland" an article about integrated advertising in online games (in German).

Quoted in "I'll meet you There"

Quoted in article "It's Tuppertime Again" (Canadian circulation).

Quoted in cover story "My Sims, Myself."

Quoted in an Associated Press story on activism in gaming, which was carried in a variety of online news sites across North America. Here's an incomplete list--

USA
ABCNews.go.com
Akron Beacon Journal
Alabama Times Daily
Baltimore Sun
Boston.com
Chicago Tribune (Subscription)
Everett Herald
Excite.com
Fort Worth Star Telegram
Holland Sentinel
Houston Chronicle
KansasCity.com
LA Times (Subscription)
Lakeland Ledger
Long Beach Press-Telegram
Miami Herald
Raleigh News
Rapid City Journal
Salina Journal
Salon.com
San Diego Union Tribune
San Jose Mercury News
Sarasota HeraldTribune
Times Picayune, LA
Wichita Eagle

Canada
Canada.com
Globe and Mail
Ottawa Citizen
St. Catherine's Standard
Toronto Star
Vancouver Sun

TechTV interviewed Sims creator Will Wright who references my article "Big Mac Attacked."

Tony Walsh's Big Mac Attacked article and enthusiastic reaction to it was mentioned in a New York Times News Service piece that ran in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Slashdot linked to the Big Mac Attacked article.
Nearly 600 comments from Slashdotters.

Big Mac Attacked article reprinted on Alternet. View Alternet comments about this article.

Featured indie comic artist: "Tony Walsh created one of the most memorable big-city comic characters ever..."

The Original Canadian City Dweller's Almanac is a book published by Penguin Canada.

Tony Walsh comments on Neverwinter Nights and its treatment of user-created content as it pertains to his Gloomveil project. [story]

Wired's Noah Shachtman: "...[the] mythic world of 'Gloomveil'... is filled with quirky animations and heroic soundscapes."

Neverwinter Nights Stratics interview on the Gloomveil project: "We and all of the Neverwinter Nights community are certainly looking forward to playing in your world." - Isildur

Tony Walsh interviewed about Gloomveil on MediaChic.com.

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on the Xbox console (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on Wargaming in a time of crisis (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on the question of "Is Technology Failing Us?" (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on the Webby Awards (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on the movie "A.I." (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on "Geek" culture (Canadian coverage).

Gloomveil a Top 10 pick: "Perhaps the best graphics of any NWN world site, as well as some very interesting background." - Nina Nuts, NWNuts

Tony Walsh profiled in the "Moxie Men" series.

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on the subject of interactive, digital storytelling (Canadian coverage).

Featured in story "Neverwinter Nights: The Next Step in Online Gaming," Realms Magazine #5, Vol 1 (North American circulation).

Campaign Spotlight at Neverwinter Haven.

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on the "digital divide" (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on some online and offline zines and zine culture (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on some of the day's top tech news stories (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on game culture (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on alternative Christmas celebrations (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on the technological and social implications of PDA-usage (Canadian coverage).

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on Web-design basics (Canadian coverage).

About Gloomveil:
"...if you're into fantasy gaming, it's worth a look." - Mac Addict, New, Cool, and Up to Date

TalkTV's The Chatroom hosted Tony Walsh as commentator on video game violence (Canadian coverage).

"A mix of fan fiction, FAQs, reader submissions and unique Flash-based 'widgets,' Gloomveil goes beyond the simple fansite and becomes a work of art in itself." - Michael Eilers, Inside Mac Games

About Gloomveil:
"A visual as well as textual feast, this site truly captures the meaning and execution of 'multimedia' - can you tell we like it?"
"Make sure you check out Gloomveil.com regardless of whether you are interested in NWN or not; any fan of fantasy literature will find something intriguing." - Inside Mac Games

"[Gloomveil] looks to be an exciting addition to the Neverwinter game." - BeGames

About Gloomveil:
"Gloomveil is quite a remarkable feat that continues to improve with each passing week. Role-playing game fans, fans of Baldur's Gate (Bioware's previous RPG effort) and others are encouraged to check the site out." - MacCentral

About Gloomveil:
"Unlike many fan sites, which focus purely on news and info related to the games they're interested in, Gloomveil.com takes the experience a step further -- it's an extension of the game itself, a place where game fans can continue their role-playing experience beyond the game." - MacCentral

About Gloomveil:
"The bar is now open at Gloomveil, a fan world site with excellent graphics and atmosphere." - Silverdawn, Planet Neverwinter

About Gloomveil:
"A beautiful site - not to be missed!" - Marizelle, Neverwinter Nights Stratics

About Gloomveil:
"This excellent looking campaign opens its doors to players from all worlds to venture into the fog..." - Kellith,

"An amusing cartoon starring local hero Ratboy..." [blurb]

Tony Walsh interviewed about Rat Boy on YTV's Antigravity Room (Canadian Coverage).

Profiled in Features section of this University of Waterloo magazine (Waterloo circulation).

Tony Walsh interviewed about Rat Boy on CBC Television's Midday (Canadian Coverage).

Rat Boy featured on MuchMusic's Fax news segment and The Wedge indie culture segment (Canadian Coverage).

Tony Walsh's Rat Boy comics featured on CityTV's CityPulse's Entertainment segment (Ontario coverage).

Rat Boy profiled in Preview (Toronto circulation).

Mentioned in Music Notes section (Toronto circulation).

Rat Boy mentioned.

Rat Boy video aired on MuchMusic's The Wedge indie culture segment (Canadian Coverage).

Reviewed in Rose City Ramblings (Pasadena, CA circulation)

Rat Boy video aired on MuchMusic's The Wedge indie culture segment (Canadian Coverage).

Mentioned in MaximumRocknRoll's Scene Report.

Tony Walsh profiled in Toronto Life for his work on Rat Boy comics (Ontario circulation).