SL Adventures

Just think, what if there was a way to create a pseudo-life that has all the functional experiences and challenges as real life.  Well, for those of you that don't know, there is a place to do that.  Actually, there are several, but Second Life seems to be the most popular and innovative.  You can create an avatar, log in, and begin the adventure in-world.  Universities have courses in SL (Second Life), businesses have corporate meetings, and people can meet virtually in-world while really being anywhere in the real world.  If you can dream it up, you can create it in SL.  It isn't just a game that people get on to role-play. 

My favorite place to visit is the Science Friday Island in Second Life.  Avatars can listen and communicate with Ira Flatow's guests.  There are simulations.  The other day I went to Paris.  Actually, it was Paris circa 1900.  I was there to meet with some classmates and my instructor.

 

D.I., my instructor, was the first to really introduce me to SL a year ago.  Before meeting him I would infrequently venture into SL without any clear purpose and spent most of my time trying to get a lay of the land.  D.I. showed me more about what SL was and how to be more creative.  SL really is a virtual play land that is unique.  We, you and I, can be creators.  According to D.I, SL's greatest strength is its ability to allow people to communicate and also as a place for simulations.  

Users can communicate by text chat or VoIP.  There are pro's and con's to both communication approaches.  Text can take longer to get a message across, and if the other person isn't a strong typist then it isn't efficient.  However, there isn't really any new equipment you need to text in SL.  Voice chatting is great because it gives the avatars more of an identity.  Hearing the person's voice really builds a sense of communication and connection.  Although, there can be challenges to setting up the mic and/or audio equipment.  Feedback can be bad if it isn't set up properly.

Well, I will leave it at that for now, but if you are ever in SL come find me.  My name is Orgon Jishnu.