Posts made by Therese Weel

I'll raise a glass to that senitment Dan and Corinne.

A snowstorm and fumbleing user fingers could not keep us from the tour.

I found this active worlds universe easier to navigate than second life. With the text instructions on the right side of the screen and sizable windows. The preloaded menu of places to teleport was also helpful.

A few of us were on a skype with Queenbee aka Margaret during the session mostly for extra helpin logging in. So we also benefited from some insight the project which I'll share with you.

First of all, much of the work was done by university students who were also learning as they created these worlds. This project started several years ago. Often the best learning experience is finding out what doesn' t work. The pioneers who worked on this project over the years have gained that type of knowledge.

The area for the Ernie Davis middle school was developed for sixth graders who may be challenged or at risk. The students learn without realizing they are learning.

Thanks Margaret for showing us your worlds, and I hope you made it home safely with that April snowstorm on the East Coast. ( Ah the joys of climate change)

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I'll be there with bells on.

Getting a tour of a virtual world is a real time saver. Especially when your tour guide can provide some insight into what you are experiencing.

I've downloaded the client and will be there bright and early.

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It is a video that describes the experience of second life vis someone’s online identity or persona.

Creating such a rich virtual persona is new for human beings. Yes, we have created online personas with profiles and blogs for years.

But a virtual world can really hit that ball out of the park.

I wonder how many second lifers and people who spend time online can relate to his story - I certainly can.

What is also interesting is that this fellow is actually creating the movie using second life.

He will be continuing his video diary in the months to come in fact boing boing reports that it will be a made for tv series.

Hmmm - He’s certainly found some value in second life

Machinima documentary. Filmmaker, television producer, and multimedia artist Douglas Gayeton shot and produced this made-for-TV series online within Second Life:

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 1st episode of ‘My Second Life’ online! ‘My Second Life’was shot entirely in the popular online world Second Life. On one of his visits in SL, Filmmaker Douglas Gayeton came across a series of seven video dispatches by a character named Molotov Alva. It appears that a man by the same name mysteriously disappeared from his real world California home in January 2007. Will he find the answers he’s looking for?

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In January 2007 Ton Zilstra published some worthwhile reads from his research and insight into Second Life. My paraphrased snippets are below. You can find the original articles here:

Scope

Early 2006 there were roughly a hundred thousand registered accounts with SL. Now, a year later 2,8 million are registered, with the first million reached last September, and the second million last month. The influx of newly registered accounts is indication of the hype. Not that all those registered accounts represent actual returning users. Estimates are that there are between 200 and 400 thousand of those.

The value of the in-world transactions between SL residents rose from about 300 thousand US$ per 24 hours in August to 1,2 million US$ now. (as always the porn and gambling industry have been paving the way in this new medium)

Value

Immersion is a powerful feature of 3D worlds, where attention and engagement are concerned. There are no up front goals, rules, and that the environment is not meant to have a certain form. Residents create the landscape themselves, and after creation can keep on altering it. Their own appearance, and each and every object. The internal economy is based on that ability to manipulate everything.

Most of Second Life seems to be replicated from our regular surroundings, but then in a well kempt and suburban form. The really interesting uses I’ve encountered however are those that try to build on the unique possibilities a virtual world provides. Only then does SL realize its possibility as a new medium.

Simulation and virtual action learning, like the Heart Murmur Sim, or the tsunami-simulation by NOAA.
Prototyping, like quickly creating sketches for 3D animation, or having customers judge form and color of different products (Philips), or even put their own products together (Nike), or as an architect guide your clients through the first designs of their new home.
Visualization of complex data structures for third parties (like the NOAA weathermaps)
New experiences, like 2nDisability which allows users to really experience different disabilities. (different visual impairments and neurological afflictions available at the moment), or roleplaying games in a fitting environment (recreating historical situation, or for training purposes)
Immersion in encounters. A funny thing I notice is that I look avatars in the eye during conversations. Even though the other will not notice that at all, it does change my involvement in the moment. I am more involved, less easily distracted as with regular IM or phone conferences. In certain situations that can be very helpful, like at the island for cancer patient support groups, or when trying to involve more people in the on-line version of a conference.
The possibility to build things that are not possible in the real world. For instance as an expression of art (like the Arts Department of Texas University presence in SL)

Drawbacks

Newly registered users are confronted with a confusing learning path, and the hurdles of quickly integrating into SL society as a resident are big. People dipping in their toes just to see what the fuss is all about are easily deterred, never to return. Entering SL is to a large extent still too much of a culture shock.

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Thanks for that link.

I guess the value of virtual worlds depends on what we will use them for.

I have come across a few articles which discuss the virtual economy of Second Life. It seems virtual worlds have become an interesting place to study social economic topics such as the gift economy.

This article provides a glimpse into the subject.

http://www.thetransitioner.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Peer-to-peer%20currencies

The link comes from from Michel Bawen's P2P Wiki - One of my favorite reading spots.

http://www.p2pfoundation.net/Category:Money

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Therese Weel