Before we begin... First things first …  Please be seated in the auditorium: right-click on a bench and select 'Sit here' from the pie menu  Can you hear me? Make sure the volume on your computer is high enough for you to hear my voice. Check the master volume in your SL browser preferences if need be

Introduction to SL Khoisan Fisher (in SL) == Chris Hutchison (in RL)

Communication How to contact me: in-world, search for Khoisan Fisher (do not ask me to add you to my contacts!) me at either:   

A few rules... A few rules and restrictions …  Please read and adhere to the Code of Conduct published in the Welcome Zone. Students who violate the Code may be ejected or excluded  Building and rezzing is not permitted on this island. All your building and scripting should be done in public sandboxes  Please treat lectures in SL as seriously as lectures in the real world: your good behaviour ensures that this will be an effective and valuable learning environment for everybody.

Setting your preferences Over the next few slides I'll show you how you might set your preferences to make most effective use of SL  Voice preferences: ensure you have voice enabled  Graphics: adjust to optimum performance for your computer  Web preferences: choose built-in browser  Chat preferences: log your chats. When you collaborate on in-world tasks, your chat log will be a record of your problem-solving

Setting your preferences

The Desktop VR module Three important module web sites to note:  a comprehensive guide to the module  a comprehensive guide to CISM in Second Life, with blog, tutorials, links, and other key course materials  the student wiki

Lectures in SL All in-world lectures will take place in the Amphitheatre (i.e. right here) I shall use voice to deliver lectures, but I would ask you to to use text to communicate with me and each other in order to minimise noise

Lectures notes Lecture slides will be shown on this screen Lecture notes may be grabbed by clicking on the box next to the podium Additional lecture notes and references may be found on the module web sites

The VR Module Syllabus  Introduction to desktop VR. Examples and sample applications. MUVEs. Why Second Life? building and scripting  Introduction to 3D modeling with Blender and Wings3D. Basic terms and concepts of 3D modeling. 3D animation  Panoramic (photographic) VR and its applications  3D GIS; terrain visualisation and terraforming  3D scientific and business data visualisation  HCI and human factors

The VR module Assessment  Two components: project (implementation + report = 70%) and 'exhibition' (poster + demonstration + viva = 30%)  Group collaboration but individual work and assessment!