Tateru's Mixed Reality Directory

Tateru Nino's weekly look at recent real world incursions into Second Life

Major real world organizations keep bringing official sites and branded locations into SL; each week, we check out ten of them, so you can figure out which are worth your attention-- and how they're trying to attract it.

Coming up: the Ajax Football Club delivers flashy moves but no follow-through; Kraft Food's Phil's Supermarket offers amusing talking pig, little else; the Mexico Tourism Board shows off their native wonders; Maldives Embassy pleases Maldiphiles (but few others); Penguin Books(UK) not a page turner; Sears' virtual store experiment grows dusty on the shelf; Sprint Center delivers a stage without a show; Mistukoshi Department Store delivers Japanese splendor and modern web-shopping; Universal Motown Records deals virtual illegal drugs, and canned Chamillionaire-- but nobody's really tuning in or turning on.

 

Company: Ajax Football Club Category: Replica Stadium Landmark build Location(s): Ajax Arena Island Activities: Marketing and Promotional Meeting space Commercial Vendors (team merchandise) Limited Freebies Non-Interactive Kiosks Activity level: Unstaffed Unaltered Event status unknown Negligible traffic Rating: If you're a fan of good building, visit once, whether or not you're a fan of the Ajax Football Club. Even if you are a fan, there doesn't seem to be much reason to return.

Notes: Ajax is a Dutch football club. Excellent build, oozing verisimilitude. Attractive and appealing, insofar as stadiums and their attendant facilities are concerned. Lovingly crafted with a very authentic feel. Beyond buying some merchandise, however, there seems to be nothing to do here but visit and take photos.

Company: Kraft Food / Phil's Supermarket Category: Promotional Displays Event Center Location(s): Food Island Activities: Static environment Web links Marketing and promotional Non-Interactive Kiosks Interactive Kiosks Events Activity level: Unstaffed  Irregular events Recently updated Negligible Traffic Rating: Apparently there are some events upcoming. Statistically, they would almost have to be better than the build. Not worth your time, unless you're talking to the pig.

Notes: Totally redesigned and rebuilt since our last review of this site, the results are ... disappointing, to say the least. The chatbot pig at the door has punctuation trouble and worse - but is one of the most engaging aspects here; Almost all of the 400+ or so kiosks inside are unscripted and non-functional. A very few work (just the ones near the door, and not all of those), and give out nutritional information or weblinks (some broken). Maybe the place is in the throes of rebuilding, but there's nothing to indicate that.

Company: Maldives Embassy Category: Government Office Location(s): Location on Diplomacy Island Activities: Interactive Kiosks Non-Interactive Kiosks Marketing and Promotional Static Environment Staff  Web Links Activity level: Staffed (10am-noon, 3pm-5pm WET)  Unaltered Negligible traffic Rating: If you're interested in the Republic of Maldives for tourism, or for business or for any other reason, it's worth stopping by. Others will doubtless find little to interest them here.

Notes: The first national embassy established in Second Life. An avatar is regularly on duty here and able to answer questions. Kiosks present information about roadmaps and proposals for environmental and sociopolitical reform. If the ambassador is not in attendance you can use a kiosk to contact her by email. All the chairs need a bit of work - as it is they range from awkward to hilarious

Company: Mexico Tourism Category: Replica Social venue Location(s): Visit Mexico Island   Activities: Marketing and Promotional Non-interactive Kiosks Guided Audio Tour  Scheduled Video Limited Freebies Archaeological Replicas Scenic Areas Dancing Activity level: Occasionally staffed Recently updated Medium traffic Rating: Worth a visit or two for the scenery; would make a nice date. The closest you'll get to the visiting real thing at the present time. Worth coming back to with friends.

Notes: This features SL replicas of the Chichen-Itza archaeological site in Yucatan, Mexico, including Mayan pyramids, free costumes, and a lush rainforest build with sit/cuddle balls. If you're interested in learning about the archaeological sites, grab the free Audio Tour HUD and have a seat on the giant butterfly near the entrance for a narrated tour.

Company: Mitsukoshi Category: Web-linked Store Location(s): Mitsukoshi Island Activities: Web Links Freebies Base-Jumping game Marketing and Promotional Activity level: Unstaffed Opened this week Medium traffic Rating: Absolutely worth a visit. If you're a Japanophile, probably worth repeat visits, with friends.

Notes: The Mitsukoshi site (also pictured at the very top) features a traditional Japanese market with gardens on the ground level, and a very attractive modern-style web-linked department store in the sky. The ground-level market has stalls with a variety of free, good-quality traditional garb: kimonos for men and women, fans, and hats. There's also a fun paragliding game on the upper level (with a furry avatar as a prize) -- but stay away from the sim borders! The weblinks all go to the online store, so if you shop Mitsukoshi, there's no real reason to come back to the sim just for that.

Company: Penguin books, UK Category: Event Stage Promotional Activities Location(s): Location in Hooper Activities: Web Links Static Environment Limited Freebies Marketing and Promotional Giant Typewriter! Activity level: Unstaffed Recently updated Negligible traffic Rating: Come for the HUD and for events. Nothing really much to make you return if there isn't an event on.
Notes: You can get a book sampler HUD here which shows you the latest book samples (most with audio that works almost anywhere). You can also pretend to be Calvin-the-bug and jump around on the giant typewriter to tap out your desperate plea for assistance. There are assorted web-linked book kiosks at the site

Company: Playboy Category: Social Venue Promotional Activities Location(s): Playboy Island Activities: Static Environment Non-Interactive Kiosks Some Freebies Web Links Playboy Bunnies Commercial Vendors Activity level: Frequently staffed    Some updates  Medium Traffic Rating: Nice place to relax, better with friends. The staff really make the place.
Notes: Featured in New World Notes (see there for images, also), Playboy positions itself as a brand of relaxation and sophisticated leisure. There are plenty of places to relax around the island, and the Playboy Bunnies - when present - are generally charming and engaging conversationalists. Don't come expecting hordes of nude photos or sex - you'll be disappointed.

 

Company: Sears Category: Weblinked Store Location(s): Location on IBM 10 Activities: Interactive Kiosks Non-Interactive Kiosks Marketing and Promotional Static Environment Web links Activity level: Unstaffed Unaltered Negligible traffic Rating: Interesting to take a look at, but it won't bring you back.
Notes: Interactive displays are limited, but cute and interesting and go with SL's strengths. The whole place feels more experimental than anything else. A sort of "What do you think of this?" - indeed, there's a sign encouraging feedback in the lobby

 

Company: Sprint Stadium Category: Replica Stadium Location(s): Sprint Center Island Activities: Static Environment One Freebie Activity level: Unstaffed Unaltered Negligible traffic Rating: Unless you want a Sprint tee-shirt or a lounge or indoor stadium machinima set you'll probably want to skip this. Disappointing.
Notes: Not as detailed as the Ajax Football Club, and almost completely non-interactive. There's no kiosks, information or web-links here. There is one freebie vendor that gives out a single Sprint tee-shirt

Company: Universal Motown Records Category: Entertainment Center Location(s): Corner of four regions, at Bermuda, St Martin, Barbados, Antigua Activities: On-Demand Audio Streams On-Demand Video Streams  Static Environment Limited Freebies Commercial Vendors Interactive Kiosks Web Links Activity level: Unstaffed Occasional updates  Negligible traffic Rating: If you like Chamillionaire and want to pick up some SL merchandise, it's worth a visit. With a focus on just a single artist, it's unlikely to grip your attention for very long.

Notes: The build has a very SL feel to it, that somewhat eclectic mix of slightly surreal and sci-fi. The stage/event area could be of use to machinimists and photographers, though some clutter tends to accrete due to the lack of auto-return. The Web Links tend to double-up, but all actually work, which is a pleasant change. There are free joints (their magic mushroom vendor is offline), and some SL merchandise which can be purchased. The only artist featured here is Chamillionaire.

Tateru Nino is an SL consultant and widely-read blogger. E-mail her at [email protected], and visit her personal blog, Dwell On It.

Comments

[Mike Hummel]

We have provided a free-of-charge plattform to list interesting locations in SL for everybody to look at. SECONDPAGES.COM is a yellow pages directory for SL which includes a HUD for inworld category and free-text search. Pictures can be added to entries to give a first look bevor teleporting. Please check it out and give us feedback so we can adapte the service to user requirements.

regards
Mike Hummel

[P. from Weston MA]

How do you think that the opening of the Second Life server sources and similar open efforts will effect companies' willingness to create an SL presence?

[Magnus]

I tried out the second pages and it was okay. It could use some improvements to the user interface though.

[Lukeone Greggan]

Wow, nice page. :-)

But Î wouldn't like via slurl.com.

You can link it like "secondlife://sim/y/z/

Regards

Luke