The Alphaville Herald

Big Brother in SL: Rules that Even Orwell Could Not Anticipate

by Urizenus Sklar on 30/11/06 at 10:11 pm

As one might expect, the blog-o-sphere is all a twitter over the upcoming Big Brother in Second Life hyperevent because …well… just because its a hypervent. You’ve seen the reports from our friends Adam Reuters and Mark 3.D Wallace, but now you’ve come to the Herald for the *real* story. You are asking: Uri, what’s really going on? What’s the didge?

Well funny you should ask, and lucky for me the work has already been done! In a post on the Virtual2 blog we are treated to a fascinating report by CJ Christensen — one of the “lucky” 15 finalists that were chosed to have the priviledge of sitting in a gold fish bowl eight hours a day for 31 days. If you win…that is… if you *win* — which is not to say come in second — you get the grand prize of an island and 12 months rent, which is better than minimum wage in some places I suppose. But the real ballbuster here is the list of rules you have to agree to; they are positively Gorwellbyzantian (TM). I’ve stripped them from Virtual2 and posted them below the fold. Oh, CJ declined the honor of being one of the 15. (By the way, CJ, you were supposed to keep this confidential until Friday!)

Nov 28 (2 days ago)
Congratulations! You made it!
You are one of the lucky fifteen!
Within 24 hours you will receive a document containing the rules.
Friday 1 December at 11:00 PM SL Time Big Brother will start! From there on we would like you to be in the house for at least 8 hours per 24.
Please send us a picture of your avatar!
We would appreciate it if you kept this email confidential until Friday.
Good Luck!
Big Brother

Big Brother Second Life

I, Avatar Name:______________________________________ acknowledge and confirm by replying this document that:

1. I join the Big Brother Second Life game (the “Game”) at free will.
2. I am over 18 years old.
3. I have read and agreed to the rules of the Game (below), as well as to the ‘terms of service’ provided by Linden Lab

(http://secondlife.com/corporate/tos.php).

4. I acknowledge that everything I (by form of an avatar) do and say while playing the Big Brother Second Life game is at personal title and in no way related to the opinion of Endemol The Netherlands B.V. (ENDNL)

Rules – General

1. ENDNL can change the rules as well as the starting-and ending date, of the Game at its own discretion, at any time and without bearing any obligation whatsoever regarding any of the participants.
2. Each participant is free to stop and leave the Game at any moment. When the participant leaves the game, the participant can not claim the prize.
3. The winner of the Game will receive a prize. The prize will contain a Second Life island worth 1675 US$ plus 12 times the monthly fee of 195 US$.
4. In the event that the Game ends before the final winner is appointed, the Prize will be divided between the remaining contestants at that moment.
5. ENDNL and/or its employees can never be held responsible for any harm, costs or loss of the participants which in any way, results from and or is caused by (participating in the) Game.
6. ENDMNL is allowed to publish my avatar picture, moving pictures and avatar name in all possible purposes and media

Rules – by subject

1. Online

1. In order to participate in the Game, each participant has to be online, in Second Life, in the Big Brother house, at least 8 hours per 24 hours, during a period of 1 month as of 1 December 2006.
2. The 8 hours can be divided in different sessions.
3. Extra online hours from day one cannot compensate a shortage of day two a.s.o.
4. The online time of residents will be monitored by Second Life scripts.
5. Teleporting in or outside the Big Brother house is not permitted.
6. Even when you have been in the Big Brother house for more than 8 hours you are not allowed to be anywhere else in Second Life.
7. ENDNL will monitor the position of the participants in Second Life.
8. The first two violations of this rule will lead to warnings.
9. The third violation will lead to eviction from the game.
10. Technical difficulties that lead to violation of this rule are excluded. This is to be judged by ENDNL.
11. Participants can IM King Ventura if they suspect violations by other participants.

2. Visitors in the house

1. If third parties (non-participants) enter the Big Brother house, the participants have to ban them from the Big Brother island (after having given them 1 warning).
2. Any detected misuse in this respect by participants, will lead to elimination of the participant(s) from the Game.

3. Elimination

1. Visitors of the Big Brother island can bring out a vote to their favorite participant .
2. Only one vote per visitor per week is allowed.
3. Each Thursday at 11:00 PM SL Time the three participants with the least votes will be eliminated from the Game and the house.
4. Each week, after the elimination, the number of votes will be reset to zero.
5. Dates of elimination and number of participants leaving the game:

1 December: 15 participants.

7 December: 15 participants – 3 participants = 12 participants.

14 December: 12 participants – 3 participants = 9 participants.

21 December: 9 participants – 3 participants = 6 participants.

28 December: 6 participants – 3 participants = 3 participants.

4 January: 3 participants – 2 participants = 1 participant.

6. In the event that participants are eliminated from the Game by ENDNL as a result of any violation of these rules, ENDNL will decide on how many participants will be eliminated that week by the voting system. When the participant or participants are eliminated, the participant or participants can not claim the prize.
7. In the event of any dispute, ENDNL will appoint the final winner.

4. Assignments

Participants will be given all sorts of (group and-or individual) assignments (such as, but not limited to building, scripting, or other assignments).

1. All assignments are announced by King Ventura through IM or group notice.
2. Changes rules and regulation are announced by King Ventura through IM or group notice.

5. Language

1. All communication has to be in English
2. The first two violations of this rule will lead to warnings.
3. The third violation will lead to eviction from the game.
4. Participants as well as third parties can IM King Ventura if they detect a violation of this rule by participants.

6. The House

1. When entering the Big Brother house, the participants will be appointed their own rooms. When the participants enter the Big Brother house, the rooms will be empty.
2. Participants will have to develop their own furniture.
3. The rooms and participants have to stay visible for visitors of the Big Brother house at all times.
4. Every object that is made by participants has to be marked ‘share with group’.