Rockso Rocks Second Life

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Original Thoughts:

Music venues have traditionally been a place for people to meet and listen to live music in the real world.  Through the internet, music venues have the ability to be readily available to a mass audience rather than primarily to those who are in proximity to the location.

Some such virtual music venues already exist in several formats.  There are the music libraries which allow for people to listen to a collection of music specific to that library.  There are websites, such as Pandora, that act as radios for multiple artists, allowing the audience to listen to a variety of different styles.  Recently, websites, such as MySpace, have held live concerts and streamed video of the concert through their websites, utilizing the internet as a virtual concert.

These virtual music venues will continue to grow in the future.  Artists will hold live concerts for people all over the world from one location rather than traveling all over it. Audiences will be able to choose where they want to see their favorite band play, whether it is in a concert hall or on the moon.  Music venues in the physical world will cease to exist as humanity becomes increasingly lazy, forcing artists to only play within the virtual space.

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Final Thoughts:

The question that came to mind most often while using Second Life was whether having a second life is even necessary.  I have since come to the conclusion that while a program, such as Second Life, is not necessary, many people have second lives in real life.  Many people choose to show different aspects of their lives to different people, which retroactively allow them to have multiple lives.  Once this thought had entered my head, I was able to have a much more enjoyable experience with Second Life.

Second Life allows for real people to demonstrate their music through online music venues.  However, many people who do not use Second Life are not aware of this tool that is available to them.  With this problem in mind, it becomes apparent why there are a much larger population of DJs on Second Life rather than musicians.  DJing only requires good taste in music and not any of the skill required to create music.  Because of this, Second Life’s music venue scene is desaturated by all of the DJs reproducing others’ work.  Despite the apparent flaws in Second Life’s attempts to provide music venues, the opportunities exist for new artists to be found should they choose to utilize this tool.

I also found that real life situations can greatly influence Second Life.  Several of the islands I had visited early on no longer exist.  When I teleported to these islands, a real estate manager appeared and asked if I needed any help.  It turns out that the financial crisis in real life has been mirrored in Second Life, forcing some island owners to sell off their property.  While visiting one club, I found myself talking to the owner of the club and ended up on the financial situation topic.  As we danced in the jumpstyle, she confirmed my suspicions about the financial crisis.

It seems that no matter in what life we live, we cannot escape the real world.

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SLURL:  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Westinghouses/48/238/801

If I had to save on SLURL it would be for The Club.  The Club has awesome music and nice light effects, creating the perfect atmosphere for a hardcore dance style club.  The owner of the island is really nice and helpful, as are the rest of the people who go to this club.

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Island:

If I could design my own Second Life island, it would be a stage for musicians to perform on.  I would allow for the stage to be modifiable so that it can change to something closer to the taste of the genre or musicians.  The focus would be on the musicians, so I would also add effects that could be used on stage to help bolster the bands.  I would attempt to market the area outside of Second Life so that many people could find about the bands that play at my stage.

Story board – Bread!

The Touch from Afar

My experiences on second life

The fun began when I had to decide my name. If I had a choice to name myself in my first life, I would have named myself Tina. Tina Tanna sounds musical!  For my second life I chose to call myself ‘Freebie’, because my character was a freedom lover as per my first essay.  Little did I know ‘Freebie’ is a VERY common word in Second Life. Anyways, I am happy with my choice. Freebies are highly sought in Second Life. Blush Blush…! And my last name is ‘Adored.’ I officially have the best name on second life!

I really enjoyed second life. I can look sexy without dieting and I can try innumerable free dresses and hairstyles! Yeah, the girl in me squeaks. But more than anything I enjoyed the fantasy and imagination out there in second life. It’s like living a dream! I really love finding interesting places to visit and enjoy the originality of places. I also love watching unique avatars. I am sure someday I will find a posthuman prince charming for myself.

Working on the video on second life for the final assignment was a little frustrating. Some locations had changed since I had created my story board. And I simply lost some other landmarks. I really spent way longer than I would normally have to keep continuity in the video. Camera movements were really tough too. And working with Camtasia was a painful task as well. Now I better stop digging my ‘F’ grave, and tell you I am really pleased with my video. I wanted to take a shot of the earth from the moon or my video, and it was the last scene I had to shoot. And where my character faced the globe, she could see India! How sentimental that made me, and the final video! Watch it, I am sure you will like it!

Extraordinary Touch in Second Life

I once had a gown, it was almost new,
Oh, the daintiest thing, it was white and blue,
With little stars placed here and there,
When I had it on, oh, I walked on the air!

That’s my my trans human life theme song, a touch different from the beautiful original waltz song,  My Alice Blue Gown

A girl’s dreaming in her sleep, and her spirit floats to another world, where she’s queening the beautiful night sky in her fantasy gown! It has a bodice of stars, and a skirt of a beautiful puffy cloud. The stars glitter in the dark blue night and make her shine like a star, and the cloud makes her fly! The aloof,cold and still silence of the night in the faraway universe is caressed and teased into submission by gentle, urgent, sexual, stimulating strains of music. The girl’s dancing effortlessly to the music, in the spotlight of the moon.
Its an extraordinary dream, a touch away from reality.

How extraordinary would it be to lose touch of some senses, and get in touch with others! To break loose of earthly strings to a place where no one can reach to tie you down and try to control you. To escape the clutches of gravity into a world where there is no force to drag you down. Away from the squabbles and clashes of earth where the only friction you may feel is of wind blowing through your hair and caressing your skin as you swirl and dance and glide in space. You are having the time of your life, in touch with extraordinary freedom, lightness, joy and beauty.

I believe in star sign characteresics. Being a Libran, I am influenced by the element of air. Like air I always wanted to escape from restraining confinements and get my own space. I have always longed, yearned freedom. I don’t like being told what to do, I love finding my own direction. I cannot help feeling resentment towards people who think they own me and can tell me how to live my life, even if I know they love me. In situations like that I always feel like ‘getting away’, to lose touch with the real world and get in touch with my true self. But my true self does have apprehensions of being ‘alone’ when I tell others to ‘Leave me alone’. I do realize in my dreamland I would be often haunted by a wrenching touch of longing. A longing to see, hear, touch, feel, hug and kiss the people and things I loved and left behind. There ought to be a perfect space, a perfect relationship, where people understand each others’ need of freedom and choice of life. I do believe it is possible to find that perfect balance. Its out there in he world, and you just need to search for it.. Like a cloud kissing mountain tops!

slurl

Romantic Moods, Foreck

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Foreck/139/239/25

This is a beautiful place on second life, with a very wide range of spaces that are cosy, private and calming. The mood of the island is most beautiful in the night. There is dancing, amazing animations, most gorgeous animals loitering around, beautiful plants, and soothing sound effects. There is a scenic underwater viewing tube with fantastic sea life . There is a lighthouse from where you can catch a glorious glimpse of the sunset. There is a rocket ride to the moon. Once on the  moon you can visit the interior of the moon, and say hello to a friendly astronaut there! I enjoy the peacocks, the crawling mongooses on the ground, the beach the hammocks. If there is just one island to remain on second life, this would be my choice.

A fantasy land I would love to design on second life

I have always been  fascinated by the novel Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. If I were to create a world in second life I would create a world where you would feel you are in 18th century old south. there will be characters that live there, everyone you know from the novel. Scarlett, Rhett, Ashley, there will be Tara, Peachtree Street..etal. There will be events where the members could participate, like ballroom dances, barbeque’s, picnics in the forest. The mode of transportation would be horse rides. The clothing will resemble that period. There will be bids for dances with the ladies, where the highest linden player will get to waltz with the woman of his choice.  And there will be farming, and you could buy your patch of land, and like the Facebook game Farmville, your status in the southern society will depend on how well you have maintained your plantation. There will be the hugebells, the magnolia trees, the jaybirgds and the junebugs, just everything that is the essence of Gone with the Wind.

Time Travel by Ram Reanimator

SLURL I’d like to keep in second life.

I haven’t really found the unique place which I liked the most, but there are few places that I like to visit. My avatar is a cyborg and I have a fascination with sci-fi, superheroes and all things fantastical. So, one place that come in mind is a sci-fi city by the name of Insilico. Its a floating city thousands of meters above post-apocalyptic earth. It is based in 24^th century and the graphics are pretty futuristic. There are futuristic dance floors, all sorts of weird looking vehicles and models. There is even a role play game involved where you can be citizens of insilico and play your part in the story. There is so much more to explore and I would like to experience the distant futuristic setting created in Insilico. I think it gives us a chance to see what would become of our planet if we keep on harming the nature the way we are doing now.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/INSILICO/174/185/3602

Island I’d like to create on second life.

If I get a chance to create an island on second life, I would create a fusion of past and future. A city that has elements of mythological stories in a futuristic setting. This city would have role play involving humans, cyborgs and aliens. People will get a chance to become whatever they like and then they’ll have to work towards their progress to achieve the ability to create and build stuff in the city. The architecture of the buildings would be a unique fusion of different architectural styles from past, present and future. There will be a lot of free stuff to lure people to play and live in this city. I am a big fan of comic superheroes. So this city will have its own superheroes and supervillains. In conclusion, I would like to create a virtual world where people can become whatever they want and take a break from their uninteresting first lives.

TIme Travel Video

Avatar Images, Storyboard and Poster

My experience in second life

My original word was ‘Metaphysics’. I changed it to ‘Models’ later on as I learnt new things about second life. Initially I was a bit skeptical about the potential of second life for the kind of stuff we were asked to do in the class. There was so much that I did not know. Just like a newborn in real life I was learning my way in second life. I was stuck in the welcome area for sometime after I was ‘born’ in second life because I did not know how to teleport to new places. I did not delve much into the second realm until we were showed how to find places and teleport to new locations. It was only then that I truly realized the potential of second life as a new world with endless possibilities.

I was introduced to the Texas A & M second life campus. It was interesting to see the campus as a 3d virtual world. Sitting in a class in real life can get boring,but in second life, its exactly the other way round. We roamed around the campus and experienced new things unlike in a real life classroom. I made new friends on second life. I found this awesome place where you could get all the freebies you want. I tried on many free avatars I got from there. I liked the batman avatar and kept my appearance the same for a couple of days but I soon got bored and tried a new cyborg avatar. Its so convenient in second life to change who you are. Real life does not give you that option. I discovered new environments. Some of them had futuristic settings while some were straight recreations of the past.As I moved through time and space, I saw simple as well as complex 3d models enriching the environments. I discovered a car museum, an ancient Greek city, a futuristic island and so much more.

It is fascinating to travel in second life. The physical boundaries of time and space do not apply here. You can be someone you are not or someone you want to be. You can have things that you cannot possibly have in real life and with the advent of technology it is going get even better.

Initial blog

Metaphyscis

Punit Deotale

Metaphysics is defined as study of things that cannot be easily sensed or perceived by human beings. It tries to answer the questions that are beyond human perception. e.g study of human mind or the meaning of existence or time and space.

I have always been fascinated or even disturbed by the questions like why do we exist?, who are we?, what purpose do we serve in this universe?, what is universe?, why does it exist?, what’s beyond the boundaries of universe if at all it has boundaries?, what was before the birth of the universe?, how would you visualize zero? I don’t know if I can ever find answers to these questions,but it will certainly change my perspective if I were to be to become someone else, some one that I am not or someone that I would like to become.

I want to be there till the end, till the end of the world, the universe, to see everything, to see how the universe will meet its end and dissolve into zero. I want to be there at the brink of nothingness. I cannot achieve that in my present form with my mortal body. I would like to be a cyborg, a machine that will let me live forever but still retain the humanity in me. I cannot fulfill these dreams in the real world. The answer is second life- a virtual universe, where you can be anybody you want, you can travel to any place without any boundaries of time and space. Second life or for that matter, any virtual world provides a different perspective on metaphysical theories and I would like to explore those.

Aren Jonasson – Popnfresh Popstar

Models:

The term model can be taken in many different ways. Modeling can also be seen just as differently. Model can have two very distinct meanings in the world of second life. The first is basically what everything in the world is made up of, ‘prims’, which is short for primitive which is another term for a model. The second way model can be perceived is by human modeling, posing with outfits or without even.

The great thing about Second life is that you can do anything you can imagine in this virtual world, or atleast within a certain amount of reason. The form of models I will focus on will be the term that has to do with the building blocks of objects in second life. Like I said players can do anything within the world and the same goes for creation of objects.

Our world is made up of so many different shapes and models and the same goes for within the second life world. There are even many unique models that are not in our real world which makes second life that much more interesting to explore.

Exploring Secondlife:

My experience in the world of second life was at first unexciting. But after figuring out how to teleport places, use outfits, find objects to play with, it became a much larger and more fun environment. A few drawbacks while playing within the world was that the loading times and lag caused me to lose my immersion within the world only to realize that a handful of minutes had passed.

Every map that i had been to had unique and interesting aspects to them. All the different objects that allowed different interactions with were quite enjoyable. After a good deal of exploring I stumbled upon a site that talked about an Ivory Tower. This is where I became interesting in building in Second Life. The ivory tower was a muli-level building in which the player could learn all about different techniques while building. So after a good 2 hours of reading and learning I decided to take the next step. Playing the in sandbox!!

So i recorded the process of discovery in the sandbox and created a handful of somewhat ‘simple’ objects within the world. Given that if i had more time and put some money into getting interesting textures i could have created much more interesting objects.

IF ALL OF THE ISLANDS IN SECOND LIFE DISAPPEARED AND ONLY ONE SLURL REMAINED AND YOU COULD PICK IT. WHICH ONE WOULD YOU SELECT AND WHY?:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Svarga/160/100/23

This island is quite interesting, not because it is Japanese anime related… or maybe it is because of that. One section of the island looks like a normal japanese area with buildings and what not, then a bit further down half of the city skyscraper section is being destroyed by giant robots. Another section of the island is reminds me of Toontown in disneland, where everything surrounding the town is quite normal but when u enter through the gates it because very cartoony. But on this island… very anime-ish. Why would i want to keep this island? I think the giant mechs destroying the city was quite entertaining, and the anime town is enjoyable for younger kids.

IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AN ISLAND, WHAT WOULD YOU CREATE, AND WHY? DESCRIBE THE ISLAND, ITS FEATURES, AND AUDIENCE.
An island made up in sections for getting all kinds of free fun stuff. Half the island would be devoted to giving new players all the cool stuff they ever wanted for free. The other half of the island would be for having fun and interacting with all kinds of stuff in the world of second life, like games and vehicles. Running around with toyguns shooting targets or each other, driving madly around a track in a super fast car, or just rolling around on giant rainbow balls with friends. That kind of game and fun stuff.

Stephanie Strickland – Xova Mocha

Video:  Ethiquette

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Storyboard:

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Images:

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Final Thoughts:

As I spent more and more time in the virtual world of Second Life, I found that ethics does not seem to bear as much significance as etiquette.  That is to say morally questionable actions or activities seem to be expected and dealt with in most areas I visited.  Etiquette–in this case how one person treats another–is much more difficult to regulate.  Overall, I found people to be nice, helpful and generally pleasant, but of course there were the inevitable bad apples.

An interesting phenomenon which I encountered many, many times was the one in which other Second Life users seemed intent on finding out my “Real Life” information, almost to the point of being obsessive.  Every time this happened, I couldn’t help but be annoyed.  Wasn’t the point of Second Life to recreate one’s self in a fashion aligned with whatever we can dream up?  Instead, I found it more like a One-and-a-Half-Life, in which I was simply a 3D graphic representing my Real Life self.  Perhaps this is why Second Life is so commonly referred to as a “glorified chat room”, since most participants seem unable to transcend their First Lives within the virtual world.  I did, however, encounter a few locations that were “true” Second Lives.  Commonly known as RP (role-playing) zones, these are places in which players will assume fictional roles appropriate to the environment, and remain “in character” while they are in these zones.

Overall I think SL has a TON of potential.  I often found myself logging on, becoming bored within 15 minutes and logging off, only to return a few hours later to see what else was new.  Despite the horrible lag, slow rez-times, cheap-looking animation, advertising and spam EVERYWHERE, and overall bad interface Second Life remains–for whatever reason–addictive.

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Initial Thoughts:

In a virtual world, ethics become a very curious animal for several reasons. First of all, there is usually no “law” like we might have in the real world, which is to say that there is no entity which defines what is “right” or “wrong”. Of course there are certain actions that might warrant “slap-on-the-wrist” punishments such as an account ban, however characters within the world are given no ethical parameters otherwise. The only limitations are those which the user brings with him or her from a cultural background.

While a virtual world may lack real world “laws”, it can also lack many of the real world’s “problems”. For instance, there are no starving cultures, no injury or disease and no death. Conventionally “right” acts in the real world, such as donating food or giving blood, may manifest themselves in other ways in a virtual world. For example, users may find themselves helping others by “enhancing” their playing experience, either through sharing items, giving instructions or simply spending time together.

Of course the single biggest factor that governs the conduct of the users in a virtual world is ANONYMITY. In Second Life, each user is given an avatar which they can name and dress in an infinite number of ways. They can even become different species if they so chose! The result of this anonymity is a lack of accountability. Unless you chose to forgo a certain amount of anonymity, you can pretty much say or do whatever you want to whomever you want with little or no consequence.

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If I could keep just one island on Second Life, it would be Angel Manor, home of the Rose Theater.  A very stunning building with lots of rooms to explore, a very large ballroom (dancing is essential in Second Life!), a couple of stages, and lots of beautiful seating.  It’s easy to see that it took a lot of time, talent and patience to build this place, with TONS of attention to detail.  And even though it takes a loooonnnnggg time to rez, it’s totally worth sitting there for 15 minutes just to see this place.

I would like to create a massive island where people could rent out tiny plots of land for their tiny houses for tiny fees (1$ a year maybe).  The rule for this island would be simple; whatever character you have created for your avatar, you must also play the role of.  For instance, if your character is a ninja, you must walk around doing backflips and hiding in shadows.  If your avatar is a domestic horse, you should allow people to saddle you up for a ride.  It would be up to the user to assume a look and a role, however they would not be allowed to discuss aspects of real life or ask other users about theirs.  The result would (hopefully) be a series of small neighborhoods in which people could interact with eachother in their “true” Second Life.

davyd deed – barrett

Final Impressions on Texture

My experiences started out just as every other Second Life avatar.  I was formulated from a welcome screen and just as babies borne into the actual world, I looked much the same as every other SL baby out there.  This initial impression was rather lackluster.  Where was the customization I was promised?  At least I was able to move through the beginning stages pretty quickly and get to the heart of what I was truly interested in, textures.

I traveled to many different locations after I left the newcomer island.  However, during my travels I found that many of the locations looked similar despite the endless possibilities for construction and design.  Most of the locations were just rectangular buildings filled with some slight variation of furniture.  More often than not, the buildings were plastered with haphazard images that passed as the building’s decoration.  Avatars were the most customized aspect.  I certainly was surprised to see some of the complex variations that people spent time concocting.  My own appearance took many different paths.  At one point I went so far as to become a quadruped.  It added to the overall texture of the environment because ninety-nine percent of people were bipedal.

Although there were many disappointments in the form of total environmental immersion as explored through textures, I did come across one gem throughout my experience of Second Life.  The location was named the Lost Gardens of Apollo – it certainly was a heavenly place.  From the Greek-inspired ruins, to the Japanese blossoms, and the constant sunset environment, everything was well-thought out and placed to give the user a complete experience.

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Final Video:

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One Island Remains – The Lost Gardens of Apollo:

If all of the islands in Second Life disappeared, I would most certainly choose the Lost Gardens of Apollo for the one place to remain. It persists as the only coherent and well-laid out design intent I have come across. The entire island is quite a peaceful and relaxing place. There are no spinning lights, dance floors, mismatched textures, or blaring music to be found any where. A variety of flora scatters the landscape; ancient Greek ruins can be found around each corner; small streams of water are carried throughout the peaks. I am typically not one for places of antiquity, but this location certainly has me as a fan.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Apollo/172/103/26

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My Virtual Island:

I am fascinated by the notion of stripping people of their privileges in Second Life. People are given a lot of virtual freedoms: the ability to create any appearance, any object, and the ability to fly. A few places I came across these actions were not available – how quickly I had taken them for granted. The island might be landscaped with tall buildings which people can’t traverse, standard and boring looking objects, and not allow for the creation or littering of objects from a person. An audience could be anyone in the virtual world. The whole reason for the formation of such an island is to exemplify the importance of why these actions were given to Second Life inhabitants in the beginning of their journeys.

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Story Board:

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Initial Thoughts:

Textures can inform the users in a given environment of a past, the possibility of a certain future, and create a place. I imagine that my avatar would be a collector of these textures. His desire is to make a greater texture from the interplay of different cultures, times, and places by bringing them together and examining them in a new setting

Textures have the ability to define an object’s past and inform the viewer of a possible future, too. For example, the rust on a wall may be the result of an intricate play of water dripping from a long-since placed steel pipe on a recently built concrete wall below. The water seeps into the pores of the concrete and colors it likewise. Each crevice that the water comes in contact with will inform the history of the wall. Since virtual environments are more often than not timeless, we have the unique ability to create a past and future with textures.

Locations are defined by the textures that they house. Written labels on items are part of the texture just as much as the weathered effect from natural encounters with the surrounding world. By collecting an assortment of materials and textures, we can create an entirely new culture that is rich with the textures from various locations and former cultures.

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Second Life and You!

Video – updated

Video Storyboards

Split Face/Poster

Character Sketch/Avatar

Second Life and Epistemology

Epistemology or the theory of knowledge concerns itself with the make-up of knowledge. It seeks to understand what it is we think we know and what are its limitations. Epistemology questions our perception and by extension, uses perception to inquire about whether we really need to exist at all in order to perceive.

With virtual simulations like Second Life, it has become harder to distinguish between what we know to be truth and what we believe. Truth and belief in epistemology function as separate ideas and just because a person believes in it, doesn’t make it true and the truth is not always believable. It is the belief of some philosophers that knowledge springs from a sort of synthesis of the two. The Second Life avatar, to some, becomes a total portrayal of oneself, often becoming even greater than their current state, embodying their desires and defying the impossible. To them, this becomes an even truer representation than their real self. Can one’s virtual avatar really become what we believe we should be or is it merely an extension of an already well-established personal identity? For example, is the person’s avatar acting extroverted because they believe that’s how they should act or are they an extrovert acting out under a new, digital guise?

The avatar, a simulacrum that is supposedly different from a person or is an improvement of one has become a theory known as posthumanism. But does the posthuman really represent another, completely separate plane of existence? Descartes posits that knowledge is not infallible and therefore everything we think we know can become uncertain, however; our existence cannot be because the declaration “I do not exist” is a paradox. The reasoning is that one would have to assume that they exist in the first place in order to say that they do not exist. Essentially, in order to doubt everything else, including knowledge, Descartes knew that he would at least have to exist.

Perhaps human and posthuman aren’t totally distinguishable after all and maybe we can exist comfortably without being grounded in reality. Real life may not be the only mode we can exist in. Do the virtual and physical self represent two separate existences or are they depictions of one singular existence? What we’ve supposedly known for thousands of years is now being put into question. However, it is safe to assume that not everyone believes that a flying unicorn on Second Life represents anything more than collection of vertices but they don’t know that it doesn’t. To simply state that we don’t know, doesn’t mean we will never know. The exploration of the posthuman could open up new truths and create even more beliefs. This could mean an expansion in our knowledge of what it means to be human. Study and perhaps an empirical approach will be the best way to explore this new frontier that resides in what has become a completely different kind of reality, the Internet.

Closing Thoughts on Epistemology

The idea of knowing anything in Second Life is a bit of a tricky one. In many ways for me, I had to rethink how my experiences were being interpreted. Interaction, race, gender, and even time became completely flexible and interchangeable. People and places may share similar characteristics to their real world equivalents but when examined, they are completely different. For example, the A&M campus in Second Life may have Academic Plaza in it as well as a recreation of Fish Pond but then again the layout is different, not to mention the large amphitheater that doesn’t exist in the real life equivalent as well as a beach where one can swim with dolphins.

The very idea of appearance alone must be reevaluated because we are dealing with a medium of pixels that can be reshaped at any time, the “human” appearance especially can be reshaped as easily as it takes for one to throw on another pair of pants. When I first began, I had to “shop” around for a new appearance. Unfortunately, to really get an excellent looking skin you either had to really look around or pay for it and the idea of trading in real money for virtual money is one that has yet to really catch on for me and probably won’t till the rewards become more tangible. In Second Life, appearance and even gender become only two dimensional. I had once run across a girl who was sending out some pretty strong signals over the local text chat. Even at this stage I became uncomfortable but became even more so when she began speaking and a male voice issued out from her.

Learning almost becomes a sort of trial and error in Second Life. So as I began to interact with others in this world, I began to relearn everything, almost like a kid but the stipulation being that its completely virtual. As I continue to explore, I think of these experiences and how they relate to a real world perspective and realize that there probably isn’t a standard that they can be measured against and instead to just allow them to be in a new world unto themselves.

Slurls

Alliance Virtual Library’s Info International

http://slurl.com/secondlife/SJSU%20SLIS/191/64/34

An awesome compendium of links to several different education related websites to the literature and history of areas all over the globe organized into this virtual environment. They even host an area were people can gather and listen to Jazz! Probably the best place I’ve seen yet that actually teaches you something interesting.

Bradley University

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bradley%20University/34/15/24

It appears that their goals are similar to A&M’s in promoting education but they make it much cooler. Multiple areas exploring scifi, mystery, genetics, and even religion. It appears they also have areas where students can gather and create discussion groups depending on related subjects.

IBM Island

http://slurl.com/secondlife/IBM/195/117/24

Very interesting place, its a huge sandbox but what is even more interesting are the buildings that appear to be designed for meetings, complete with a huge amphitheater where many people can listen to one speaker. It also has RSS feeds to different topics concerning new and developing technology.

Article about IBM in Second Life:

http://www-03.ibm.com/industries/retail/us/detail/news/N057747D16880B63.html

IBM is also promoting diversity with one of their buildings, created in Second Life:

http://home.earthlink.net/~eagleibm/

* Anyone whose interested in crazy models as well as cool particle effects should check out this world, especially the teleporter.:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Atlas/126/204/50

Final Thoughts

If I had to choose a slurl to keep, I would probably keep the slurl to the Alliance Virtual Library’s Info International. As stated earlier, it is an an awesome compendium of links to several different education related websites to the literature and history of areas all over the globe organized into this virtual environment. The best part in my opinion is that they even host an area were people can gather and listen to Jazz. That’s a pretty awesome idea in my opinion not only because its cool that there are Jazz lovers in Second Life but it also shows that there is a level of sophistication in Second Life elevating it beyond that of an online game that only teenagers and young adults play. It is an example of how people are working to make Second Life not only a legitimate piece of software but also one that can teach people and I think that is rather admirable as well.

If I had to create an island in Second Life I probably would just create an island that its sole purpose was to push the graphics of Second Life to its limits and try to make a fun and interesting world with cool particle effects much like the slurl that I have posted earlier (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Atlas/126/204/50). For the most part I think there are areas in this place that are pretty awesome and I would like to have world just filled with awesome areas just like that. This mainly because I’m tired of seeing the mediocre graphics that are usually in Second Life and really just because I’m curious about what kind of things you can do with the Second Life engine if you were creative enough with it.

Dagora Explores the Universe… of Second Life!

Original Concept post:

Architecture — Paul Sward
(I took a little different approach, I wrote this from the perspective of my metahuman.)

We stumbled upon the anomaly quite by accident — not a good sign when choosing a new base of operations. We soon learned it was not so easy to access when our attempts to locate something to warp-lock failed repeatedly. Good, I thought, that will make my job a little less demanding. Easier to hide a base than defend it. In my Empire-funded studies, I excelled academically in starbase design. My instructors wanted me to pursue it, but I just wanted to fight. Ironic, isn’t it. Now I live or die by my ability to fight, but still my superiors insist on using my ability to design a station.

I will succeed and exceed those expectations. I’ll give them a station worth defending. A station as much a home to our band as a secure position. My training in school didn’t cover much in the way of defense, that came from relentless assault on enemy positions. Observation, mixed with a bit of my own ingenuity, has produced a vision in my mind of a station laden with defense. Nigh impervious to infiltration, even if we lose most of our ranks on the run home. But we won’t lose. Not out there, and certainly not here. I will succeed, and so too shall we all.

The core structure will follow simple necessity. A large, round tower with spires on either end. From the center will spring five arms sporting the best batteries we can find. This was a trick I picked up a few years ago; the crossfire scenarios we faced still burn brightly in my mind. Around this, I will place our heavy drone army. An automated inner sphere of mobile defense should give anyone knocking on our door too much to think about while the lasers pound them from the core. Outside that, a larger sphere of lighter drones mixed with electronic warfare platforms. No offensive battle can be fought without the logistics of order relays and heavy shielding. The platforms themselves are strong, and unless a truly overwhelming force comes to call, these will last through all layers of defense. The largest, outer sphere will contain tiny scouters. They will let us know if anyone enters our territory with plenty of time left to array our defenses. Simple and effective. Perhaps now we will accrue some real wealth worth defending. — Personal Log, Brt. Dagora

Experiential Update:

Second Life.  Do I need a second life?  I’m pretty busy with my first one.  Dancing the night away seems fun and all, but do I really want to take time to learn an environment with such an awkward interface?  What could it POSSIBLY have that makes it so interesting to millions of people worldwide?

Well, if you can imagine it, you can find it in Second Life.  I picked my topic because I was skeptical that it would even exist.  I found more than I bargained for with the very first teleport into Spaceport.  I found numerous space ships available for purchase, several others sitting out on display.  Investing in Lindens didn’t sit quite right with me, so I kept exploring.  I eventually stumbled upon several space stations equipped with various craft built for battle, transport, or simple leisure.  I didn’t think Second Life could have anything approaching battle simulation, there aren’t even any health meters!

As I continued to explore, I found ships set out for test piloting.  I decided to give them a go.  As it turns out, piloting in Second Life is about as difficult as piloting in real life.  That is to say, it takes a long time to learn to be good at it.  I didn’t have that time, so I careened about anyway: wrecking a few, jumping out of a few, spinning wildly out of control.  It turns out I’m not meant to be a Second Life pilot, but the intricacy of the ships and stations more than made up for my failed attempts at flying in a space ship.

SLURL Love:

If I had to save one SLURL I’d say it would be Kat Burger’s Spaceport.  That was where I spent the majority of my time during my Second Life adventures.  There is quite a range of activities, spread out in a useful and appealing way.  The space ship market is tucked away on one corner, but it’s the first the you see when you land.  There’s a floating weapon market, a space station above that, fencing, a combat zone, and a starlit garden for dancing.  There’s a lot to do there, and I didn’t even get a chance to see it all.

Spaceport – http://slurl.com/secondlife/Spaceport/127/193/47

If I were to design my own Second Life island, I’d probably do it a similar way to Spaceport.  I would put games and other activities on the ground level.  If I needed to earn Linden I’d put a market floating out of sight, but still accessible via teleporters or elevators.  I would make it less focused on the market and more focused on enjoyable activities.  I would put more buildings that have actual functions, instead of randomly placed bunkers within forested areas.  I would definitely include PVP elements in my island, because if you’re not gaming with and against other people, you’re essentially just in a fancy chat room where you can dance.  Sorry — where your avatar can dance.

Brandi to Blythe Marialla

Final Image Submissions:

Drawing / Avatar / Face-Split / Poster / Storyboard

“Touch” Video Submission

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First Impressions of “Touch”

When in a disconnected world like Second Life, your perception of touch is already tainted and affected by what you have already experienced. The sand is only as sandy as you perceive it to be. Water with can become whatever suits your purpose. Is it hot? Is it cold? Is it even wet? At first, this seems like a limiting factor–you aren’t really touching the ground, or feeling the wind whip through your hair. Yet at the same time, touch is entirely based on your perception. Anything you perceive or touch is defines who you can become in this world, pushing past your human boundaries–or let you be constrained by them as comfortable rules.

In real life people live in these invisible bubbles which indicates the comfort level of people you are around. Do you immediately try to place yourself within those same boundaries, or do you find yourself suddenly free to do whatever it is you want? Is this freedom caused by the disconnect you feel from the place, or is it really the full freedom everyone wishes they have in real life but are just unable to fulfill? This space is virtual space, but while in an empty room, if one person walks right beside you and simply stands there, do you begin to feel uncomfortable by the invasion of your personal virtual space? When talking to friends, you can perceive different relationships through touch, through the hand on an arm, or a high five. In second life, do these mean the same things? In a virtual reality where your perception defines your experience, you either find yourself becoming the person you always wish you could be in this feeling of safety within another realm, or you can try to place your real life views onto your virtual person.

In a place like Second Life, networking becomes an integral part of the social aspect. You are simulating acting with people as you would in real life, and what you say and do affects them, just as what they say and do effects you. Touch encompasses this idea of emotionally effecting each other. You are touched by his words. That idea really touched her. It is a change within our emotions. In Second Life, you have an opportunity of crafting what you say and to create within you an image you believe will have the most impact to the individual, whether good or bad. This emotional aspect touch deals with the imprint you wish to have on a community you might never see in real life, and the ties you wish to make.

Touch is perception. Touch is change. It is both physical and emotional, but in the end, it is also what defines us. Within a virtual environment though, suddenly we have the appearance of more control over this element. We can carefully craft our words for maximum impact. We can run through fire with no pain and run through crowds without fear of our personal bubble. Yet, it’s by what we do within this environment that creates the person we are. For some, it really is freedom to be who you are. For others it could be a way to rebel from social stigma. For certain people, it’s simply another environment, in which you yourself remain the same. No matter how the virtual world changes your interpretation of touch, this interpretation is what is creating your virtual you.

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My Second Life

Second life really does dump you into a strange world with just the clothing on your back–clothing that instantly marks you as a newbie to the world. Did I really want to always be running around in bright green torn up shirt and jeans with fishnet stockings and fake hair? Its strange how vain you get in second life when it comes to your clothing–it is literally what most defines you. In a virtual world, you are wanting to create yourself as you wish people would see you–whether to change species entirely, or simply exaggerate features you might already have in real life. In the course of second life, I found that through this process of changing who you are, you begin to better connect to your character.

Now that there is ownership, you have to actually experience the world, with all its awkward camera angles and interesting glitches. As I moved from environment to environment, I really was impressed by the variety of things people had created to help make you feel like you are having an affect on the environment–things like being able to play on a swing set or have your character be sucked into a ray of shining light and hover around. Trying to discover different ways people implemented touch on their islands was an interesting journey. I was yelled to get out of more private islands–whether verbally, or literally ejected by a security system. Some places tried to hold onto the real world, to the point you weren’t even allowed to fly–while others hugged onto this idea that anything could happen, from raining watermelons to dancing in the stars.

With all these events and interactions, I really did find myself connected to my character in a way that pushed beyond just me watching glowing pixels on a screen. Touch encompassed these experiences. It was “touching” a seat to sit in it or flying through tree tops. It was putting on ten different outfits until finding one I liked. Through my word, I was surprised by how much Second Life has pushed the virtual and real world boundaries.

Second life really does dump you into a strange world with just the clothing on your back–clothing that instantly marks you as a newbie to the world. Did I really want to always be running around in bright green torn up shirt and jeans with fishnet stockings and fake hair? Its strange how vain you get in second life when it comes to your clothing–it is literally what most defines you. In a virtual world, you are wanting to create yourself as you wish people would see you–whether to change species entirely, or simply exaggerate features you might already have in real life. In the course of second life, I found that through this process of changing who you are, you begin to better connect to your character.

Now that there is ownership, you have to actually experience the world, with all its awkward camera angles and interesting glitches. As I moved from environment to environment, I really was impressed by the variety of things people had created to help make you feel like you are having an affect on the environment–things like being able to play on a swing set or have your character be sucked into a ray of shining light and hover around. Trying to discover different ways people implemented touch on their islands was an interesting journey. I was yelled to get out of more private islands–whether verbally, or literally ejected by a security system. Some places tried to hold onto the real world, to the point you weren’t even allowed to fly–while others hugged onto this idea that anything could happen, from raining watermelons to dancing in the stars.

With all these events and interactions, I really did find myself connected to my character in a way that pushed beyond just me watching glowing pixels on a screen. Touch encompassed these experiences. It was “touching” a seat to sit in it or flying through tree tops. It was putting on ten different outfits until finding one I liked. Through my word, I was surprised by how much Second Life has pushed the virtual and real world boundaries.

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The Last Slurl

Tokyo Peninsula

http://slurl.com/secondlife/TokyoPeninsula/123/127/28

This island is a treasure of details for those who enjoy the fantastic. Every time I enter this area, I feel like I happen upon something I’ve never noticed before–in fact I actually realized there was a whole other part of the island just the other day that I’d never gone to before. It is a playful area, full of oversized creatures and object to push the wonderment factor. There are snowman you can run into that burst into snowflakes to an area that rains cats and watermelons. There is both a moon and sun that hover near the island that you can touch and visit and so many hidden nooks and crannies that there is always something different to do and to explore. This is both the most adorable and unique area I found during my second life travels, and the one I’d most want to stay if the entire second life universe were to disappear.

Island Creation

The island I would create would be a storybook world, set up like a sprawling forest with paths or clues leading you to different areas. You could follow a path to grandmothers house and see a wolf sleeping a bed with a girl in a red cloak poised to knock on a door. You could find a trail of bread crumbs leading away from a path and discover a house made entirely of candy. Each of these locations would have a signpost near them where you could download the story itself to read, containing the tale that is told today as well as the much more intimidating one that it originated from (if available). There will be many different ways you can interact with your environment, such as clicking on a Cheshire cat in a tree and him giving clues where different locations are. This island would aimed at an audience both young and old, since despite the childlike nature of the area, there is something enchanting about revisiting your childhood fairytales.