The Metaverse U Archive, Revealed!

From James Au's New World Notes blog:

In between sessions of last February's Metaverse U, Henrik "Augmentationist versus Immersionist" Bennetsen and his team of Stanford grads descended on the panelists and speakers, getting their thoughts on the state of virtual worlds.  The archive of videos is available here, and it's bursting with established luminaries like Randy Farmer, Mitch Kapor, Raph Koster, and rising stars like MIT's Beth Coleman, Wello Horld's Jerry Paffendorf, and NASA's Jessy Cowan Sharp. I pop up amid them and offer some babble, too. Go here to rummage through it all.

Wall of photographs from Second Life by Chrome Underwood.  These beautiful pictures are currently on display at the Santa Barbara City College SL Island. Teleport to SBCC, and the Serious Games Design Institute.  Chrome is the Team Leader for SGDI development on the island.  He is a professional photographer, and his work provides a unique window into the extraordinary beauty within the Second Life virtual environment.  The photo above, which shows a group of SGDI members, Chrome and guests sitting around a campfire in front of the photo wall, was taken at the Open House, Thursday May 1 by Happiness  A lively dialogue about art and life in Second Life took place over the SL voice chat system, with participants from various locations around the country. A magical time was had by all...

Top 10 Art Installations of Second Life

(From James Au's New World Notes Blog, www.nwn.blogs.com. James Au is the author of The Making of Second Life, which I highly recommend.)

(From James Au's New World Notes Blog...www.nwn.blogs.com )



Robbie Dingo, SL machinima auteur (and "artist in residence" for Millions of Us, a sponsoring partner of New World Notes), put out an odd and unexplained request for numerous avatar screenshots.  Now we know why: for this sweet and mesmerizing machinima exploring avatar-based identity through the appearance of some 70 Residents.  Watching it reminds me of something Hunter Linden, one of the world's founding creators, told me about avatars for my book:

“I always liked the idea that if you saw somebody, and they were an eight foot Gundam robot, you knew that was a costume, and inside there was someone who looked just like you.” Instead, the Linden team consciously made it so that everyone who joined Second Life would have the same DNA, so to speak, no matter how strange and diverse each of them eventually became.

My perspective, at least.  Watch Dingo's video, than read on, for the creator's own perspective on its inspiration, on its development, and just as important, the full cast of players.

Continue reading "Robbie Dingo, Unmasked: Avatars and Identity Crystallized Into Four Lovely Minutes" »

From James Au's New World Notes Blog, Lanna's list of upcoming events of note on Second Life... (Edited)

 

As part of its 50^th anniversary, NASA is hosting a mixed reality forum to discuss its future; NASA Deputy Director Shana Dale (SL Xena Dahl) is going to present by avatar in Second Life while being simulcast physically on NASA TV on Wednesday, May 14 at 8:30 AM.  It's part of a series of NASA outreach events to discuss the role of space exploration in advancing science, engineering, technology, education and the economy. The program builds on NASA’s robust collaborative efforts in virtual worlds and features a preview of NASA's Constellation Program. In Extropia Core (click here to teleport)

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Thursday, May 8

 

12 PM - Art Without Borders:  Second Life & Immersive Social Networking
This is a panel conversation at The Mountain West Conference on the Arts that will be streamed live into SL.  Panelists Lauren Lamonica, Nettrice Gaskins, and George Schoemaker will discuss how artists, teachers, and spectators to creative opportunities for performing, networking, and marketing art in virtual worlds. In-world residents will be able to participate in the session, asking questions of the speakers in real time.  The session will be conducted live again at 2:15 PM.  In West of Ireland (click here to teleport)

 

12:30 PM – Sinatra Cartier on the Titanic
Fans of Old Blue Eyes should not miss long-time SL resident Sinatra Cartier – aka Rick Ellis – as he performs some of Frank Sinatra's greatest music aboard the RMS Titanic. Come see why Sinatra C. gets rave reviews as a F. Sinatra impersonator. In Titanic (click here to teleport)

 

Image by Gita Rau.  Used under Creative Commons License

6 PM – Eyes on Second Life – Meet the Artists
Meet the talented artists behind the current collection of SL photographs at the Crescent Moon Museum. Second Life Artists:  Sunn Thunder, Gita Rau, Callipygian Christensen, Antonella Munro and Grunt Greenwood will all be on hand to discuss their work. In FairChang Village (click here to teleport)

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Saturday, May 10

8 AM –  Floating World: Immersive Art at the Marina
This exhibit features the glowing, mesmerizing, immersive 3-D art of SL artist Alizarin Goldflake, will be displayed on the docks and in the air above Bissorte Marina.  Ms. Goldflake will be present to answer questions. Selected pieces will remain on view until May 17th. In Bissorte (click here to teleport)

1 PM – Sophrosyne’s Saturday Salon with Benjamin Duranske
Sophrosyne’s Salon welcomes guest is Benjamin Duranske (Benjamin Noble), author of the authoritative legal blog Virtually Blind and the new book from the American Bar Association Press, Virtual Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds. Ben will be discussing his book as well as a number of controversial legal issues confronting residents and business people in virtual worlds. In Extropia Core (click here to teleport)

3 PM – Save the Seals
The International Fund for Animal Welfare is holding a live event to bring attention to the commercial seal hunt in Canada and the upcoming vote by the EU to ban the importation of seal products from Canada into the EU market. There will be a live performance by Juel Resistance, a popular acoustical blues performer. In IFAW Island (click here to teleport)

5 PM –  Quadrapop Tree Artist's Salon
The Quadrapop Tree Gallery is starting artists' salons discussing a variety of topics related to the arts in Second Life.  This inaugural salon will consider the RL art of Manx Wharton (currently displayed in the Gallery) and the issues of RL art in SL.  The hope is to have lively discussion about art in-world both technically and aesthetically.  In Pelinor (click here to teleport) 

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Sunday, May 11

10 AM - Fashion Institute of Technology: Senior Digital Image Exhibit

The Fashion Institute of Technology is exhibiting student work by the graduating class of the BFA in Photography and the Digital Image program. The exhibit features photography and video from twelve emerging artists emphasizing methods and processes of traditional and digital media. The exhibition is a culmination of individual yearlong theses projects expressing a wide variety of themes and concepts. Showcased works include: a documentary film on virtual worlds and online gaming; found imagery projected onto nostalgic spaces and materials; long exposure nighttime equine portraits; and experimental collages dealing with surrealism and the feminine form. In Teaching 2 (click here to teleport)

12 PM - The Rasmuson Gallery of Alaskan Artists
This is the opening of a collaborative nonprofit gallery to celebrate the arts of Alaska. Each artist is a grantee of the Rasmuson Foundation. There will be music, video, and virtual food at the opening for all Second Life residents to enjoy. In Rhetorica (click here to teleport)

Join Lanna's Group on Eventful.com to stay up to date on what's happening in SL-- info on submitting event notices below. 

All times in SLT, "Second Life Time"-- i.e., Pacific Standard)

 

(Re-Posted from Mick Brady's Blog, Postriders in the Sky)

Our second official open house event was held on the Serious Game Design Institute island campus on Thursday, May 1st, and by all accounts (at least those heard by the author) it was not only a success, but seemed to provide the perfect opportunity for new friendships to be formed; some guests even speaking in glowing terms about what may arise in the future from these virtual, but very real, bonds. That, of course, is what happens when a group of like-minded avatars get together in the New World and begin to share their passions.

The afternoon began with a stroll along a path lined with kiosks, each presenting a clear and simple tutorial on an aspect of functioning in Second Life - practical knowledge crucial to any new resident. That was soon followed by a series of magic carpet tours of the entire island (our plush oriental carpet seats six), and finally, a walking tour of some of the nearby buildings and classrooms. We all ended up at the outdoor photo exhibit, where my in-world representative, Chrome Underwood, gave an artist’s talk on his latest body of work, New Images of Second Life.

As afternoon faded into evening, many of us began to sit on the stone steps leading down to the glowing firepit in the center of the circle, surrounded by a wall of giant luminous photos in the background, with nothing but the stars and moon above. It proved to be a heady mixture, and as often happens around a campfire, we all drew a bit closer, and the conversation began to lift off nicely, soon to be sparkling in the air around us. We were off on another magic carpet ride, fueled only by the energy of our combined imaginations. It was a memorable evening; one which won’t soon be forgotten around these parts.

Author’s Note: You may also want to check out another recent account of this event at Happiness Merryman’s blogsite within the Gaia Community.

Photo credits: Top photo by Happiness Merryman; remaining photos by Chrome Underwood

Happiness asked her Machinima Mentor what books she should read to learn how to do her own machinima movies.  (Machine animation - Creating videos in virtual worlds.)

Her Machinima Mentor said:"Forget the books for now. Jump in.  Just do it!"

Happiness said: "OK"   And jumped in ! 

This is the first in a series of machinima videos documenting her learning curve.  Enjoy!

Monday, May 19

1 PM – Healing Laughter
Alarah Weatherwax  offers a session on the power of Healing Laughter. This class will help provide insights into killing the ego as we learn to laugh at our self and with others. The goal is to spread the laughter around and make the world a lighter place for all. In Pandara (click here to teleport)

 

 

StarRose Merlin, SolarGaianlight Raymaker (RL name: Prabhath P) and Happiness Merryman will conduct a discussion on Virtual Spirituality on Saturday, May 24, 2008 at 10.30 AM SL Time at the Mystic Academy Virtual Reality Sky Box. Teleports are outside the entrance of the Mystic Academy Castle.

Virtual Spirituality includes the advancement of spiritual consciousness evolution using various levels of internet technology like, email, chat, web sites, social networking and 3D virtual worlds. The discussion will focus on Virtual Spirituality in 3D virtual worlds like Second Life. We can explore how the virtual experience can facilitate access to advanced levels of consciousness and creativity not easily accessible in real life and how these abilities can be integrated with real life. The discussion will also be a curtain raiser for the Virtual Spirituality issue to be published by the international emag Your Spiritual Revolution (www.yourspiritualrevolution.org).

Lanna's List For May 22-28: CARP Perfoms Pink Floyd's "The Wall", HL2 Machinima PremiereCharlanna Beresford's weekly round-up of upcoming SL events...

On July 21, 1990, nine months after the dismantlement of the Berlin Wall, Roger Waters and an all-star cast performed The Wall at the Potzdamer Platz in Berlin. The performance was watched by a live audience of 250,000 and an estimated half-billion people on television. Inspired by these events, an international team of artists working with the Cybernetic Art Research Project (CARP) bring a unique vision and live performance of The Wall to Second Life. CARP the Wall takes place on Saturday, May 24 at 2 PM and again on Sunday, May 25 at 1 PM.  Lighting is very important to this event and all facelights are strictly prohibited. In Havens Paradise(click here to teleport)

All proceeds from CARP the Wall will be part of the Relay for Life of Second Life and benefit the American Cancer Society. The Relay for Life continues until July 19th, for more information and to bette identify legitimate RFL events like CARP the Wall, visit ACS Island (click here to teleport)

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(All times in SLT, "Second Life Time"-- i.e., Pacific Standard)

Thursday, May 22

2 AM - Digital Animation Expose
This mixed reality event takes place at the University of Hertfordshire in RL and SL and showcases the best student films from the current academic year. The Digital Animation Expose also includes presentations from leading professionals in the animation, film and games industries. More information on this full day event is available at the UH Second Life Amphitheatre. In Uni of Herts (click here to teleport).

2 PM - Professional Blogging Workshop
If you interested in blogging and the why, how and what to do, then this workshop is for you.  Participants will learn the nuts and bolts of setting up a blog, how to do it, what NOT to do, and what to expect from his/her blog. There are many opportunities for audience participation including reviews of blogs of those in the workshop.  In Cookie (click here to teleport).

7 PM - Host & Hostess Training
Recreational Employment Agency (REC) is offering a Host/Hostess training class for those who are thinking about becoming a Host/Hostess or those who already are and would like to become a more valuable employee.  Participants will learn how to post events, add VIPs, as well as basic working knowledge of how to run a successful event. There is a 150L charge for this course. In Andraca (click here to teleport).

Also this week: Conference on teaching languages in Second Life, SL Ballet performance, mixed reality Beethoven concert and discussions on Sara Paretsky's VI Warshawski.  All that and more after the jump...

Friday, May 23

9 AM - Exhibit Designers Meeting
Every Friday, there is a brainstorming and discussion session around prototyping exhibit design in Second Life hosted by The Tech Virtual Museum of Innovation. In The Tech (click here to teleport).

10 AM - SLanguages 2008
SLanguages 2008 is a 24 hour multilingual conference taking place in Second Life to celebrate and investigate the use of virtual worlds for language education.  The events will cover methodologies, teaching tools and experiences. Visit the conference website for a full schedule and more information on the event. In EduNation II (click here to teleport).

5 PM - Memorial Day Weekend Bash for Relay For Life
From 5 PM on Friday, May 23 until 9 PM on Monday, May 26, the Haute Couture sim is hosting an entire weekend of special shopping, dancing and music (live and dj) events to benefit  the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life. All proceeds from the yard sale, tip jars, Raiders Store will go 100% to RFL. Notecards with complete event information are available on-site. In Haute Couture (click here to teleport).

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Saturday, May 24

6:30 AM - Clothing Design Using Graphics Templates
This course by NCI will show you how to design your own clothing in Second Life using Avatar UV maps. This class will teach participants to move beyond the appearance sliders and create Second Life fashions with precisely-placed hems, necklines and accents using your own custom designed textures.  This is not an entry level class and be sure to read this information on prerequisites and requirements. In Fisherman's Cove (click here to teleport).

3 PM - Show off Your Creations Contest
This contest sponsored by the SL Learning Centre is an opportunity to show off some of your interesting and unique builds.  Registration is required and must be completed 30 minutes prior to the start. Full rules are available at the event, but entries may not be larger than 10m and have more than 50 prims.  Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries.  In Agape Enchanted (click here to teleport).

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Sunday, May 25

12 PM - Premiere of The Monad
Machiniplex is presenting the in-world premiere of The Monad by filmmaker Sam Goldwater.  Goldwater delivers a powerful and moving film about identies in virtual worlds and real life.  Following the screening there will be a Q&A session with the director and a general discussion on digital filmmaking.  In HatHead (click here to teleport).

4 PM - SL Ballet Performs Phylogeny
Phylogeny is a new original ballet that is a collaboration between the Second Life Ballet and Indiana University/Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI). It is the beginning of time.  We see beings fly and soar in the air. We see another set of beings crawl and tumble on the ground. They are not animals, but humans. Then, as their dance and the mysterious music continues, those in the air become dragons, and those on the ground become bears. Who has evolved from whom?  A different view of who was first and phylogeny -- the development of the species. In IBM (click here to teleport).

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Monday, May 26

12 AM - Guide to Preferences
This class by the Academy of Second Learning offers a guide to the settings within Preferences in your SL viewer. Participants will have the opportunity to learn what all those settings mean and how to adjust them to personalize their SL experience.  Specifically, this class discusses the universal buttons in the Preference window, together with the contents of the General and the Input & Camera tabs. This is the first of a series of four stand-alone classes that cover all of the settings in the Preferences window.  In Eson (click here to teleport).

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Tuesday, May 27

8 AM - Jeremy Denk at WGBH
This mixed reality event features a live performance by classical pianist Jeremy Denk; he will perform Ludwig Van Beethoven: Piano Sonata in C, Op. 53, Waldstein.  Sponsored by WGBH 89.7, a non-commercial public radio station in Boston, MA, the performance will be a live concert on the radio and will simultaneously take place live in their virtual Fraser Performance Studio in Second Life. After the hour-long live performance, Jeremy Denk will have a live Q&A with SL attendees.   In Brightonia (click here to teleport).

 11:30 - Academic Uses of Second Life 101
This session is designed to help educators just getting started in Second Life with the basics. It  is being simultaneously presented at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Conference in RL, in SL at Avgi Isle, and streamed here. There will also be several demonstrations following the presentation; among the demonstrations is one from a music academy, an accounting course, a hotel management course, team-building demo, and more. In Avgi (click here to teleport).

3:00 - Bohdi Congrejo at Cuddler's Cove
Bodhi Congrejo is a veteran SL performer who plays a limited number of times in-world. Bodhi plays a mix of originals and select covers and draws audiences in with heartfelt lyrics and relaxing melodious scores. In Glen Island Beach (click here to teleport).

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Wednesday, May 28

6 PM - Book Discussion - Hard Time by Sara Paretsky
Sara Paretsky's incomparable character V I Warshawski returns in Hard Time.  For those not familiar with VI Warshawski, she is among the first, and is perhaps the most compelling, of female private investigators of contemporary fiction. Come share your thoughts about this book, character and author.
In Info Island (click here to teleport).

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WRITERS!  You are invited to contribute articles and poems on the subject of "Virtual Spirituality" for publication in "Your Spiritual Revolution" e-magazine...



Articles and poems invited for the Virtual Spirituality issue of YSR E-magazine

Your Spiritual Revolution E-magazine (www.yourspiritualrevolution.org) will publish a special issue on the theme of Virtual Spirituality in August, 2008. Virtual Spirituality includes the advancement of spiritual consciousness evolution using various levels of internet technology like, email, chat, web sites, podcasting, social networking and 3D virtual worlds.

Articles and poems are invited for this special issue. Articles can be 1000 to 2500 words. Second Life residents of Gaia community can focus on writing articles about their own experience in relation to spirituality in the 3D virtual world and explore questions such as how the virtual experience can facilitate access to advanced levels of consciousness and creativity not easily accessible in real life and how these abilities can be integrated with real life.

Articles about how spiritually conscious social networks like the Gaia community can enhance spiritual evolution are also welcome.

Poems can deal with your spiritual experiences in social networking and Second Life.

Send the article ideas first and the completed articles to p.prabhath@gmail.com">p.prabhath@gmail.com. Deadline for submission of articles is July 5^th, 2008.

*****************************************************************************************************

SECOND LIFE EVENTS: May 29 - June 4: Greek Play "The Bacchae", "Antz" Director in Mixed Reality, Philip Rosedale Speaks, and more...

Friday, May 30

8 AM – Are you an Entrepreneur?
Are you considering a business in Second Life and have no idea where to start? This class will help you with the self-assessment and planning necessary to tell if you are ready to open shop in SL and what you will need for a business plan.  Be sure to come early, this class by TUI is limited to 20 participants. In Technical User Interfacing (click here to teleport).

 

6 PM – Feathers Boa on Interactive Art
Feathers Boa  creates engaging and memorable pieces in Second Life. In this workshop, she will discuss and show how she makes her interactive art in-world. In Caerleon Isle (click here to teleport).

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Saturday, May 31

 

9:30 AM - Museum of Robots Cocktail Hour and Contest Information Session
Come learn more about the Museum’s  Build-a-Robot Competition or simply come to enjoy the free cocktails and dancing. The Museum of Robots is dedicated to the appreciation of robots and features exhibits, art, special events and many of the most famous movie and television robots in the world. Don’t miss the Robots & Donuts exhibit by acclaimed RL artist, Eric Joyner. In Kubrick (click here to teleport).

1 PM – The Singularity: A Dissent at Sophrosyne’s Saturday Salon
Can humanity transcend biology? Zha Ewry joins Sophrosyne’s Saturday Salon for a survey of the transhumanist landscape and a thoroughgoing intellectual critique.  In Extropia Core (click here to teleport).

8 PM – Celebrating Three Years of 100 Word Stories
It's the third anniversary of the 100 Word Stories Podcast, which has the most episodes of any independently-produced podcast in the world. Crap Mariner will be sharing some of his favorite stories while leaving the microphone open to other contributors to share their own favorites if they so desire. This is a voice event.  In Blakslee World (click here to teleport).

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Sunday, June 1

11 AM – The Crackers
The Crackers are an RL band from Poland that blends funk, soul, and R ‘n’ B. In Escape (click here to teleport).

3 PM – Grand Opening of Investing InfoIsland
Come celebrate the grand opening of Investing InfoIsland; this sim offers unbiased resources and training to promote the library as an unbiased source of investing information. The opening will include speakers from ALA and FINRA and a sock hop to celebrate.  In Investing InfoIsland (click here to teleport).

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Monday, June 2

11 AM – Novice Gladiator Games
Curious about what is was like to be a gladiator? This event allows novices to experience what it was like as well as to show their skills and fight like a gladiator. In The Roman Empire (click here to teleport).

7 PM – Skinny Shepherd on Heron Island
Skinny Shepherd (Alex Bevan in RL) draws on captivating showmanship, imaginative and honest song writing, and great guitar playing for a thoroughly entertaining performance.  In Tanglewood (click here to teleport).

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Tuesday, June 3

 

9:30 AM – Trivia at Sharon’s Diner
Come show your command of useless information to win Lindens! Ayla Stringer hosts this contest. In Doldari (click here to teleport).

7 PM –Who is Your Idol?
In a world chock full of people who don't inspire us -- who represent modes of being we want whole-heartedly to avoid -- it's good, reassuring, and useful to have an idol or two.  Come join this discuss to share (or just listen) about your idols, role models, or heroes.  In Benicia (click here to teleport).

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Wednesday, June 4

1 PM – Summit: Digital Democracy in Exhibit Design featuring Philip Rosedale
The Tech Museum of Innovation is holding a mixed reality event to celebrate their new art, film and music exhibition on exhibit design in virtual worlds. This event includes a keynote speech by Philip Rosedale, Linden Labs Chairman and former CEO which will be followed by a Q & A session. In The Tech (click here to teleport).

9 AM - The Future of Religions/Religions of the Future Conference
This two-day conference examines how two of the 21st Century's driving forces, religion and technology, will continue to re-shape each other and, in the process, re-cast our understanding of "humanity" in the Third Millennium. The very full agenda is centered on, but not limited to, virtual worlds and social networking technologies, speakers and panelists will also examine changes precipitated by the biotechnology revolution, cognitive science, information technologies and robotics. This event is cosponsored by the Al-Andalus and Extropia communities. In Extropia Core on June 4 (click here to teleport) In Al-Andalus Alhambra on June 5 (click here to teleport).

Want to know more about life in Second Life?  Visit our METAVERSE forum here in Gaia.