fromcommunication: November 2010

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Metaverse Creativity. Volume 1, Issue 1.

The Volume 1, Issue 1 of Metaverse Creativity Journal is published.
From the Intellect website, you can read all the articles by free.

This new Journal is edited by Elif Ayiter (Sabanci University) and Yacov Sharir (University of Texas, at Austin). From here congratulations to both for such a wonderfull work.Specially, my recognisement to Elif Ayiter.

The Editorial Board of Metaverse Creativity is integarted by Trish Adams (The University of Queensland, Australia, Selim Balcisoy (Sabanci University, Turkey, Andrew Burrell (University of Sydney, Australia), Stefan Glasauer (Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany, Beth Harris (Museum of Modern Art, New York, US), Patrick Lichty (Columbia College, Chicago, US), Steven Zucker (Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY, US)and the Advisory Board is formed by Howard Rheingold (Stanford University, US) and Roy Ascott (University of Plymouth)

The articles you can read in this first number of Metaverse Creativity are:

Cyber-archaeology and metaverse collaborative systems, by Maurizio Forte and Gregorij Kurillo
For a critical perspective of the value of web art, by Claudia Sandoval
Using 2D photography as a 3D constructional tool within the metaverse, by Murat Germen
Epoch of plasticity: The metaverse as a vehicle for cognitive enhancement, by Natasha Vita-More
LPDT2, by Roy Ascott, Elif Ayiter, Max Moswitzer and Selavy Oh
Surpassing human nature: Reinventions of and for the body as a consequence of astronomical experiments in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, by Luca Ayala
Virtual puppet, my love impossible, by Semi Ryu

With these interesting articles, there is one I made and titled: Brainflowing, virtual/physical space and the flow of communication: An explanatory approach to the metaverse through a tool designed for brainstorming. On it I try to identify the mainstream characteristics of Virtual Environments (in this case, Second Life), by describing the actions undertaken in the design process of brainflowing, created with Akemy Mochizuki (Draceina Pinion avatar). By considering Second Life as a flow of communication and as a space for communicating, I identify which of the actions performed are more related to one or to another dimension of this Virtual Environment.

From this Intellect webpage, "Brainflowing, virtual/physical space and the flow of communication: An explanatory approach to the metaverse through a tool designed for brainstorming"can be accessed by free

Note 1: This volume 1, issue 1 can be accessed, by free from intellect website

Note 2: Brainflowing has a symbolic price of 2000 linden Dollars, which are equivalent to $5.28, £4.68 or €5.52, and it is available in Dracy´s Virtual Shop, http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zerelia/227/99/74, the shop that Akemi Mochizuki has in Second Life.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Walking around Open source Virtual Worlds.

After doing a small travell around some of the open source Virtual Worlds, it is clear that their features and characteristics are almost the same than Second Life ones. If we have in mind the prices that these Virtual Worlds set for having a land there, it seems that they will receive many users in not many time but some disadvantages have this environments now.

Some of the visible disadvantages of these Environments are.

1. It is not possible to import the contacts our avatar has on S.L., although it is allowed to import the calling cards of the avatars you has offered (and they accepted) friendship in Second Life.

2. It seems that is possible to import the items we have in S.L by using this format (see Open Simulator. Inventory Archives)and by using a device which is supported by Linden Lab and which is needed to pay for and called storedinventory. This means that users will need to learn to use that format after paying for having saved all that they have in Second Life. Imprudence viewer allows users to import and export items (one by one) but the user must have all the rights of that items.

3. The language script seems to be not so developed as the one that scripters use in Second Life.

Thus, according to Akemy Mochizuki (Draceina Pinion avatar), professional scripter, she can use plural notecards in one prim in SL but just one in opensim.In SL DRACY CROSSWORD PUZZLE can have 30 puzzles in it but just one in Opensim

3rdrockgrid: After registering on their webpage, you can enter by using the Imprudence viewer. Is similar or equal to SL and OSgrid. It also uses the same language for scripting, though and users reported me, it has some lacks which are being arranged.They have currency but still not fixed.
Giantgrid
The same interface and functions than the others Virtual Worlds reviewed. Also have their own currency. Is needed to register and then, it is possible to enter by using Imprudence.
Inworld
The same interface and features than another virtual worlds.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Open Source technology for creating Virtual Worlds

There are several Platforms done by different communities

Open sim,

realXtend,

Open Wonderland,

Open Cobalt

OSgrid and Reactiongrid are grids, applications of the platform Opensim

Until now, I have entered at Osgrid (first is needed to download it), by using Imprudence Viewer (which alows to enter in OSgrid, 3drock, cyberlandia, gigantgrid, inworldz, legencityonline, localhost, meta 7, reactiongrid, roleplaysworld, sciencesim, second life, theneworldgrid, worlddsimterra or youralternativelife)

The experience is the similar that you can feel when entering in Second Life and the interface is pretty similar, if not the same. You can also enter with the avatar name that you has on Second Life. But, the appeareance will be not the same. By default, my avatar is a man.

James OReilly comments, ways for exporting your things from Second Life to another Virtual Worlds.