Second Life at Case

Newmanizzl Voom: Well, that's the model, so my part is pretty much done I guess, the rest is up to Ian (Hye Binder).
Newmanizzl Voom: He needs to work on some things longer than I do, so I'm somewhat ahead of him in some places. My job is.....shorter I guess?
Mir Benelli: So your job is making these gadgets and his is what, coming up with the concepts and making them work?
Newmanizzl Voom: The concepts and ideas we work together on, but since I don't really know much about programming, that's where my help ends usually.
Mir Benelli: Ah. That makes sense.
Mir Benelli: What's your favorite part or favorite thing that you've made so far? Or favorite concept you're creating?
Newmanizzl Voom: Well, I was originally really proud of the sculpties I had made, specifically this chair. It allowed me to work in an environment I was familiar with(3DStudioMax) and import it into Second Life.
Newmanizzl Voom: But recently I've grown fond of this hovercraft.






Newmanizzl Voom: I would say the chair is still my favorite, because it is only one prim, which is quite incredible.
Mir Benelli: So are there any really huge problems you've had to overcome in bringing your Labs to life?
Newmanizzl Voom: There were quite a few problems with sculpties. I had to pretty much learn an entirely new way of modeling.
Mir Benelli: What's the difference between Sculpties and Prims? Or is it just a different way of making Prims?
Newmanizzl Voom: Well, you see that chair there?
Mir Benelli: Yup.
Newmanizzl Voom: It is only one prim.
Newmanizzl Voom: Creating that chair within second life only would take... around 8 prims at least.
Mir Benelli: Impressive. So can anyone make sculpties or do you need special programs?
Newmanizzl Voom: What the sculpties allow you to do is create an object by molding a cylinder within a modeling program such as 3dStudioMax or Maya. Then you add a special texture onto that deformed cylinder. Then, you have to add a special mapping system to that cylinder.
Newmanizzl Voom: The end result is an image... one second, I will show you.
Newmanizzl Voom: That image on the side of that box is the chair you see in front of the desk.
Mir Benelli: It doesn't look anything like it -- just like colors.
Newmanizzl Voom: Second life uses the different colors to tell different vertices, or points, where to place themselves. The texture sort of 'wraps' around and points go inward or outward depending on their color.
Newmanizzl Voom: It's somewhat hard to explain, does that make sense?
I'm sort of a terrible teacher
Mir Benelli: That's pretty cool. Haha. I don't think I'd be able to make one, but I think I know what you mean.
Mir Benelli: So are there any other rooms beyond the 3D room, the Computer Lab and the Music Room?
Newmanizzl Voom: Yes.
Newmanizzl Voom: This way, please.
Newmanizzl Voom: This room , or hallway, whatever you wish to call it, is for gaming.
Newmanizzl Voom: You can borrow any game for the newest systems and test them out here via the projectors on these very comfy couches.






Newmanizzl Voom: We will be taking short clips from top video games and placing them on the screens. Probably each screen representing a specific console.
Mir Benelli: So you can actually watch game clips or can you actually play little bits?
Newmanizzl Voom: I wish they could play them, but unfortunately Second Life doesn't support playing the newest and best games.
Newmanizzl Voom: So what we are going to do is make models of all the controllers, and have the avatars using the controllers as they sit and watch clips.
Newmanizzl Voom: So their avatar would appear to be playing, but it wouldn't really be interactive.
Mir Benelli: Nice.
Mir Benelli: Do the cones and boxes on the floor have a purpose?
Newmanizzl Voom: That's something Ian is working on at the moment.
Newmanizzl Voom: It has to do with the hovercraft and the tour. Newmanizzl Voom: Click on the box a few times, if you'd like. It represents the hovercraft, and will move from checkpoint to checkpoint when clicked in a certain area.
Mir Benelli: Oh cool.
Mir Benelli: Hm. Do you guys have anything else planned once you finish the tour?
Newmanizzl Voom: Well, not within Second Life really.
Newmanizzl Voom: There has been some talk about additional projects at Case, but nothing has been set in stone yet.
Mir Benelli: Ah. Right on.
Newmanizzl Voom: But school is back in session soon, and that takes priority. :)
Mir Benelli: Agreed.
Mir Benelli: So have you actually seen the facilities you're creating or just photos?
Mir Benelli: Like the lab and all.
Newmanizzl Voom: I've seen and interacted with this Lab a few times, and also have photos.
Newmanizzl Voom: Also, this is a representation, so the structure and equipment should be dead on, but a lot of it is left to our imaginations.
Mir Benelli: Of course. =) Well it all looks very spiffy.
Newmanizzl Voom: Thank you very much.
Mir Benelli: Thank you for the interview.
Newmanizzl Voom: Alright, thank you as well, I hope you got the information you needed, and enjoyed yourself as well.
Mir Benelli: =) I did, it was very enlightening. Thanks again.
Newmanizzl Voom: Not a problem. :)

Next is Ian, who did the programming side of things.

Mir Benelli: How would you explain what you do here?
Hye Binder: Well...
Hye Binder: I would say I add interactivity and behaviors to the many objects that Logan creates.
Hye Binder: Many times, I've sort of been an advisor as to what's possible and impossible with the scripting language.
Hye Binder: Have you played with LSL at all?
Mir Benelli: I don't think so. What does LSL stand for?
Hye Binder: Linden Scripting Language.
Hye Binder: It's the code that the Lindens created for user programming in Second Life.
Hye Binder: It's probably the easiest language to learn that I've experienced this far. Yet, not exactly the easiest to read up on or debug. It's been a fun learning experience.
Mir Benelli: So what's your favorite script that you've made so far?
Hye Binder: Haha. I like my exploding box because it's the only time I've used multiple particle effects and because it's the only thing I've coded that turned out to be completely useless. It was supposed to be for a demonstration but Sue and I didn't connect in time for her to demonstrate.
Hye Binder: Would you like to see it?
Mir Benelli: Sure!
Hye Binder: There are three effects in the explosion and then the table, pc, monitor and chair shoot up and land behind the black smoke screen.
Hye Binder: It resets itself.
Hye Binder: click it :)
Mir Benelli: That's really nifty.
Hye Binder: Haha, thanks.
Mir Benelli: Have you come upon any big problems so far?
Hye Binder: I would say communication between Logan and I and our bosses.
Hye Binder: As far as coding goes, though... video is giving me the run around. Prof. Buchner wants the tour to have streaming video... but, as far as I've been able to tell, video streams based on the property and who owns it.
Hye Binder: You can't just have objects with videos everywhere. It's a whole association of video with a segment of land I think they call it deeding.
Hye Binder: I'm not sure exactly how to handle this but we'll probably have to pull some strings to get video in the lab.
Hye Binder: It may also conflict with the video screens right outside in that "amphitheater" I'll call it.
Hye Binder: Otherwise, no :).
Mir Benelli: Haha. Sounds like a bit of a problem though, I hope you get that figured out. =) Is there anything else you think is of interest?
Hye Binder: Did Logan show you the prototype tour?
Hye Binder: The cool part, is it uses checkpoint names instead of fixed locations.
Mir Benelli: So it'll go to the cone no matter where it is?
Hye Binder: Well... it's not smart enough to go around walls... yet :)
Mir Benelli: Haha. I'm sure you'll figure that out with a little work though. =)
Mir Benelli: Logan said after the tour was done you didn't have any upcoming projects, is that true of you as well?
Hye Binder: Not that we've heard about. Professor Buchner said that he did have some things we might be able to do for him.
Hye Binder: Not necessarily in Second Life. He was unspecific.
Mir Benelli: Haha. Well that's fun.
Mir Benelli: Alright. I don't think I need anything else from you.
Thanks a lot for the interview.
Hye Binder: Sure.

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Here are some short tidbits that might be helpful or interesting:

1) The Virtual Worlds Lab in Second Life is located on the 2nd floor of the Kelvin Smith Library. http://slurl.com/secondlife/ClevelandPlus/181/150/37

2) If you click on any of the 18 Alienware PCs in the computer lab, they will actually give you the option to teleport to a different location in Second Life which corresponds with what is being shown on the respective screen.






3) The Virtual Worlds Lab in Second Life is a 100% recreation of the actual Virtual Worlds Lab in real life. The only limitation holding back an identical experience is the complete interaction you would actually have if you were to visit the lab in person (ie. playing a video game on one of the many consoles)