New World Notes

How Old's Your Avatar? Survey Suggests Avatar Age Closely Matches Real Life Age

In her latest survey, CeNedra Rivera asks readers how old their avatars are, in relation to their real life selves. Strolling through the world of Second Life, you'd think it was almost entirely inhabited by overripe twenty-somethings, even though we know the SL user median age is 32, and according to the latest data, nearly half the population is 35 and over. 

According to Ms. Rivera's poll, however, close to half the population describe their avatar as "more or less the same age", while just 17% admit to having an avatar that "appears much younger than me".  Her survey is based on a small response sample, just 78 Residents, though I think it's roughly accurate, based on the way her answers are phrased.

Nokia Researching Second Life's Themed Communities

When Eladrienne Laval reported that the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer sponsored by a meeting of steampunks, Harry Potter roleplayers, space navy wargamers, and post-apocalyptic survivors, I was skeptical.  But that seems to be the case, with Nokia researching how "their unique cultures interact with the diverse overall community of Second Life, and their ability to function in a mobile society."  If you were among the members of Wastelands, Steelhead City/ Europa, The Ordo Imperialis, New Caledon, or the Harry Potter gang who attended, what do you think Nokia was trying to learn?  And did they take away? 

Prad Prathivi's Ten Avatar Types To Avoid

Before Mr. Prad Prathivi created the Second Life-specific keyboard that's the talk of the SL blogosophere, he offered this helpful guide on his blog, Metaversally Speaking.  Sample:

#3: The Overdone Blonde.
Typical Comment: Hey big boy… wanna come over here and have some fun? ;-)
Who are they? They have platinum blonde hair, slutty clothing and breasts which cover six postal codes.
What bugs us about them? We know you’re a guy. Give it up.

Generally good advice, though in my opinion it does a possible disservice to at least some SL phylum.  After all, when they're not overwhelming you with jargon, "The Script Geek" is working miracles, "The Rude Shopkeeper" is sometimes annoyed for legtimate reasons, and "The Bot" can sometimes be a charming conversationalist.  More key, what other types should be on his list?

We Hate What You're Wearing: Your Guide To Fugly Metaverse Fashion

As the URL itself suggests, wehatewhatyourewearing.blogspot.com is a blog devoted to wittily documenting and snarking at the latest SL fashion disasters, and all the myriad ways avatar customization in an open-ended environment can go so, so, so horribly wrong.  (At left, this month's featured atrocity exhibition.)  Most recently, contributor Alicia Chenaux (yes, her), has thoughts on facelights blinding as the sun.  This group blog isn't the first blog devoted to wretched metaverse style, by the way; the SL Fashion Police is still going strong, recently filing charges on crimes against the ass.

The World As It Was... The World As It Is

Going through my old archive of posts tonight, I came across this: at left, the view from my first office in Waterhead, circa October 2003.  At right, the view from my office today.  The original office is gone, many neighbors have moved, what used to be the literal edge of the world has been connected to another outcropping of land and sea.  Not to mention an entire new sky.  (Click for fuller view.)

The anchorpoint?  You can see it off-center in each photo: Club Sinatra, one of Second Life's first jazz clubs. Five years later, more or less unchanged.

SL Use Case: Dynamic Engineering Education Demo

How does a jet engine work?  To explain how, a guy named Nick Talbot went into Second Life, crated the internal mechanisms of one (rotating compressor blades, combustion shell, etc.), and added related particle effects, to show the engine's exhaust. For good measure, he created this narrated machinima to take us through the process, step-by-step.  To be even more effective as an educational tool, teachers could challenge students to take the separate parts, go into SL, and build a working model themselves. Hat tip: SLblogosphere.

Angrybeth's Cool Multi-Camera Simulator Machinima Tool

Multimedia artist and British educator Angrybeth Shortbread just created a very useful system that simulates a multi-camera setup, similar to the kind used for covering live TV events.  It comes with a set of movable target and camera points that you can position as desired. When you're ready, you sit on the camera object, and then toggle between the other camera angles with your keyboard arrows.  "Simply build your set design or interview stage," she writes, "and drop this tool over the top of it."  It's a powerful utility for a single person to record machinima of an event from multiple angles.  Read more about it on Ms. Shortbread's blog; to get a first-hand demo in-world, here's a direct SLURL teleport link.

Update, 4:40pm:  Angrybeth just IMed to tell me the version above is only a prototype, but she's creating a final version with eight camera points she'll sell soon.

1000 Great Second Life Places In Koinup's Places Directory

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Pierluigi of NWN partner Koinup just sent me a link to this widget, which depicts an SL sim called Mao, a microcosm of ancient China.  (Direct teleport SLURL to Mao at this link.)  "I think that Mao will become the new Chouchou or the new Tempura mainly for its fantastic photographic appeal," he says.  It's in Koinup's new Places directory, which aggregates locations featured in the user screenshot database.  Launched a few weeks ago, it's already amassed 1000+ locations-- go here to explore them.

Lanna's List for September 25-October 1: Obama Rallly, Burning Life, Metanomics Interviews Philip, and more...

Lanna with two of the Obama event organizers Sienna Harris and Taff Nouvelle

Charlanna Beresford’s weekly round-up of upcoming SL events…

As the Presidential elections heat up in the United States, so do the events supporting the candidates.  The two-day ObamaFest 08 Rally Weekend starts at 10 AM on Saturday, September 27 and wraps up at 4 PM on Sunday, September 28.  The event provides an opportunity for Obama supporters to get together, learn more about the campaign and enjoy some of the best live music and DJs that Second Life has to offer.  A full schedule of events is available here.  Live concerts are in New Homes (click here to teleport) and DJ shows are in Marqi Global HQ (click here to teleport).

In addition to events, supporters of each major party candidate have created Second Life exhibits that share information about their respective platforms.  Educate yourself and get involved!  More information on Barack Obama's platform is available in-world in Silicon Island (click here to teleport) and more information on John McCain's platform is available in-world in Keen (click here to teleport).

Nominate Hot Guys For Iris' List By The End Of Friday!

The floodgates of mankind have been opened: I posted the call for suggestions to Iris Ophelia's Top Ten Hot Male Avatars of 2008 a couple days ago, and it's already chockfull of fifty-plus guys.  Which seems like enough male avatars to peruse over, but Iris tells me she's more than happy to go wading knee deep in dude.  At least until the end of this week, after which point, the Open Forum will be closed.

Post your nominations for Iris' list here by end Friday 11:59pm SLT.

After Friday, Iris and some of her friends will select thirty, and we'll put those up for a user survey, to help her narrow down the choice.  (Pictured: 2007 pick Catero Revolution, who generously suggests some men to take the mantle this year.)