An introduction to its workings & philosophy Tony Ackroyd Tony Lusch 1

 Online 3D world  40,000 users at one time  12m registered  53 UK Educational involved (eduserv)eduserv  4,700 people earnt over US$200 in Nov 2009SL statsSL stats  Very engaging – addictive  Free 2

 How to become member  Basics on how to get about and interact  Discuss philosophy of SL  Have a go 3

 Multi-user Community  EconomyRules  Real-time3D World  Free, self-contained software  Runs on Mac or PC (even from USB stick)  Needs a modern graphics card (3 years)  Driven by computers (servers) in Cal, USA  Owned by Linden Labs 4

 Register at  Choose a name (takes a long time)  Choose an initial avatar  Fill out your details  Receive and activate from  Download and Install Secondlife software 5

 Orientation Island first  Series of tasks to learn the basics Appearance:modifying your avatar Communicating Moving Searching  Once completed go to help island  Can never return 6

 Chosen your initial shape on registration  Can change to others at anytime  Can spend hours (days!) modifying  Can make / buy clothes and objects to wear  Can make / buy skins 7

Modified in Photoshop / 3D package Imported into SL 8

 For all your second life worldly possessions  Very much like My Docs in windows  Must keep it organised  Drag and drop Into world Onto others: giving 9

 Walk / Run – arrow keys (+ ctrl-r)  Fly  Home – PageUp – PageDown  Teleport Search Using a landmark in you inventory Use the Map  Mouselook – M  Examine – Alt-ZCtrl- Alt-Z 10

People Places 11 Use search

 Saying is talking out loud Anyone can hear you within 20 m Press Enter to got into talk mode type, press Enter to say it Esc(cape) takes you out of talk mode  Instant Messaging Via Search, Via communicate, friends Like making a phone call If not on-line sent 12

 Java style language  SL API gives lots of functions to use  Objects literally talk to each other to communicate  Recommended reading

 Menus  Left click Touch - result usually depends on a script  Right click Sit Wear Goto Edit / Create Avatar info More 14

 A basic membership is free  Money brought in via paypal or credit card  Money can also be taken out  Approx. US$ 1 to 265 Linden$  Strict controls to avoid inflation etc.  Objects created can be sold  Reselling of Land  Service industries: managers, DJ’s, etc 15

 Mainland Sims (servers) Can buy land (space on server) via auction premium member Tier fee (monthly ground rent) (US$5-195)  Island Sims US$1,000 for 65,536 m 2 +VAT Tier fee US$295 +VAT Resell parcels to non premium members Themed & covenants ½ price for education 16

 Real life in miniature Project planning Running businesses Acting as consultants  Collaborative learning at a distance Problem based learning at Coventry OU teen grid  See UK snapshot snapshot  See 101 uses for SL (via the metaverse blog)

 It is complex  Takes time but is addictive  Recommended reading Creating Your World: The Official Guide Creating Your World: The Official Guide by Aimee Weber  A developing economy  It does mirror real life 18