I’m hoping that the first and second issue form the main hump of getting The Daedalus Project going – the first issue is hard because of having to lay the groundwork, and the second is hard because it shows whether I have enough content to keep the issues going. And I hope that The Daedalus Project is something that you find useful, informative, or entertaining.

I really do appreciate those of you who have given me support and positive comments over the past 3 years. This is truly something I could not have done without the support of the player community and the webmasters of high-profile web portals. Your participation is literally what keeps all this going. And your continued participation is a reflection of the relevance and value of this research.

I have recently been accepted to a PhD program in Communication at Stanford, where I will be able to continue my MMO research. I will be working with people who are both social-science-minded and tech-savvy, which is very difficult to find out there. Traditional psychologists don’t have a vocabulary for talking about computer games (except for violence and aggression it seems), and traditional CS/HCI departments are not grounded enough in social-science to ask the relevant social and psychological questions.

It feels really good to be able to pursue something that began 3 years ago as a small online survey, and it feels really good for all this to come together in the way that it has. My online research in MMORPGs led me to a job opportunity with Accenture Technology Labs 2 years ago, numerous interviews with print and news media, and this forthcoming academic career at Stanford. The Internet truly can empower individuals who tap its potential.

Again, I would like to express my gratitude to all those individuals who have supported my research in the past, those who continue to participate in my surveys, and those who took the time to email me positive comments and constructive feedback. Thank you for being a part of this. And I hope you continue to follow my research as I turn a new and exciting page in my academic career.

How You Can Help:

- Participate in the current survey: http://www.nickyee.com/mmorpg/main.html
- Post a message on your community forum or message board about the findings and survey.
- Create a link to "The Daedalus Project": http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/
- Create a link to "the HUB": http://www.nickyee.com/hub/