Second Life Group - Villamood

Second Life Brief June 17, 2008

Posted by James in : SL Introduction , add a comment

So far the membership of Second Life is over fourteen million and it’s increasing fast.

January 2007, began from England and USA, eBay had announced that it is cracking down on the virtual goods sales such as currency, clothes and weapons from online games and virtual worlds except Second Life.. “Second Life”, a 3D interactive platform published in July, 2003, was developed by Linden Lab. The reason we call it 3D interactive platform is we really can not to consider Second Life simply as a game. To the people who gets used to playing online games, I think they would be at a loss as to what to do when they first face Second Life. In Second Life you don’t have to waste time upgrading, and there is no target and mission inworld too. It’s great for you to “game” your second life, but more and more people nourish a dream with entrepreneurial attitude to do efforts to Second Life. Some people even expand their Second Life’s fruition to their career in real life.

A resident named Kermitt Quirk earned a great deal of money by creating a simple game called “Tringo” in Second Life, even Tringo was moved to real world to keep on making money. A person of Chinese descent named Anshe Chung is the most famous estate developer in this virtual world. Anshe is not her real name, she teaches in Germany in real world. Because of the fast expanding of business, Anshe also grouped a team for estate design of Second Life in China in real world. She made 250 thousand dollars one year and that made her become the magazine cover of “Fortune” and “business”.

Besides, many well-known enterprises including Reuters and IBM, they all station in Second Life 3D interactive platform. On one side they provided employees for cross-area randimg interaction and video environment, on the other side they expanded their virtual route. Even Dior, before their new-season products published, first displayed in the Second Life, followed up by a “real-life” show at the Orangerie Museum. And the group “Starwood”, who owned well-known hotels like Sheraton and so on, also moved a hotel from real world to Secomd Life. In fact this Aloft hotel willl be completed in 2008, Starwood wished to make use of this virtual hotel in advance to observe avatars how to use the facilities, at the same time collect the appreciation about Aloft.

“Second Life” just like real life, there is no any scenery and story known and planed in advance, Linden Lab just provide a 3D platform for residents. All the people, matters, places and stuff were created, built, developed by residents themselves. If you definitely wanna ask me what’s the limits in Second Life? I think that might be your imagination.

randimg If you still hope that Second Life were a kind of online game you can play for fun, in that case what Second Life can provide for you is the same as real world. The recreation service and products created and developed by players themselves are various. You could accouter yourself and go to battle-area for a fight. If you tire of those fighting games, besides recreation ground, you can go dancing, encountering, parachuting, surfing,
skiing, boating, vehicle-speeding or just drive a helicopter and fighter into the sky. As long as you have money, even Transformers could be your own. There are also people buying lands, building airports, gardens, villas in Second Life in order to atone the unsatisfied creature comforts in real world. It is also rife with many adult places here just like our real world, um.. that might make you lose your mind so let’s not pay too much attention to this part.

As a matter of fact, so far some area’s people who concentrates on Second Life is as little as you see. I think the most important reason might be it’s English environment. Although Linden Lab has provided language-selection, but some are still used in English(like the names of object and item), however it’s easier. Communication in mother tongue is common between friends and relatives(actually every language is ok as long as you both understand). Besides as a result of not knowing the opposite too much, so general conversation is mainly English. It’s great that conversation by “chat” needs no listening and speaking ability and you can make use of your electronic dictionary spontaneously. Sometimes you don’t focus to each other but never mind, that’s what always happened on me..

Whether English operation or conversation with foreigners might not cause any problem. But in the beginning, I think you may confuse with how to get clear of Second Life from those different words on secondlife.com. To know what’s this? How to start? What’s the fun? Otherwise who would be so silly to crazy about it(in face I’ m one of them..)? That’s the most important reason why I seted up villamood.com(for Taiwanese..). Alone in Second Life, I barely chated with people and made some friends, but still something lack when I get along with these foreigners. If you need Chinese explanation about Second Life, you can go around my blog. I will continue increasing the contents, if you have any question you can use the discussion area or reply the post, I will answer you as soon as possible.

http://blog.ttnet.net/secondlife/2008/06/16/second-life-brief/

Second Life Nissan X-Trail Ski Resort

Posted by James in : Sightseeing , add a comment

Not long ago because of shopping, I visited Japanese Nissan X-trail Island in Second Life. Not only commodities here are high quality, but also buildings and facilities are planed and designed carefully. Especially the eminent ski resort in the center of island, it’s really incredible.

Buildings on the island are so attractive that you can’t help going inside. The white gleaming peak in the distance is exactly the ski resort.

randimg

High quality internal decoration

randimg

This pond makes me feel good. There happened to be an artificial lake in Villamood, so I bought old trees and small wooden boat home.

randimg

When you close to ski resort, you can experience it’s high elevation.

randimg

It must be exciting when you ski? You can have a try if you’re interested in skiing and shopping.

randimg

- End -

http://blog.ttnet.net/secondlife/2008/06/11/second-life-nissan-x-trail-ski-resort/

Second Life Galveston Island, Texas, USA

Posted by James in : Sightseeing , add a comment

Galveston is an island in Texas. On http://www.galveston.com this official website, you can get many imformation about Galveston such as historical, political, economic and education, future prospection, life and scenic spots, traffic and hotel lodgings, realtime images and weather conditions and so on. What special is that from (http://galveston.com/secondlife) this website I noted about they built a Galveston in Second Life,too. Since in real life we can’t immediately flight there for a trip, it’s a great idea to have a look at the virtual Galveston island.

When you arrive the island the first sight you will see is Galveston Historical Center.

randimg

Many old pictures and writing introductions are preserved in this center.

srandimg

The structure introductions of Galveston breakwater.

You can choose any video podcasts whatever you want.

Then we arrive at Galveston Welcome Center.

randimg

There are also some related introduction videos inside.

After leaving Welcome Center you will easy to see three arresting building TX-Moody Garden

This building is about marine animals, if you take a look at inside from outside, you will see a tunnel formed with enormous aquarium, just enjoy the pleasure of being surrounded by fishes.

randimg

Then you walk into another building, there are two IMAX 3D rooms and some program lists, you can watch them by your time.

When you walk out of TX-Moody Garden, to see Hilton hotel on the sea.

You should relax yourself after you check in, you can have a walk on the breakwater where we just introduced, and discretionally enjoy the scenery of island. If you distantly overlook the island, there are still many distinctive buildings there and you should flip through it if you have time.

randimg

- End -

http://blog.ttnet.net/secondlife/2008/06/11/second-life-galveston-island-texas-usa/

Second House of Sweden

Posted by James in : Sightseeing , add a comment

Second House of Sweden was established by 400 thousand SEK(63 thousand USD) to introduce Swedish culture and attract players to visit Sweden. Although it’s not allowed to issue passports and visas, the embassy not only tells visitors how to get these papers in real life, but also be a portal of Sweden in Second Life. In the embassy you can look around many culture and arts relate to Sweden, meanwhile it also shows many website imformation relate to Sweden to visitors. Besides, it even let visitors teleport to other related Second Life stores or service places. Now let’s make a visit to Second House of Sweden..

1. Second House of Sweden is located in two group islands “Swedish institute” and “Swedish Orientation”.
randimg

2. The airscape of Swedish islands, the first sight you see is sauna facilities. The embassy is in the most distance, total area is “65,536 + 58,352 + 6,992 m2″, available prims “15,000 x 2″, Swedish institute is mainly divided into two parts. First part is main building, it used 9129 prims / 58352 m2, the outdoor concert hall which is in front left of the embassy used 1441 prims, occupied 6992 m2. As to Swedish Orientation, total area is 65536 m2, contains sauna facilities and guide signs totally used 5556 prims.

3. Enter sauna room, you will see signs that tell Swedish sauna culture in brief.

4. Here provides free bath towels and swimsuits for visitors.

5. Before you officially look round this place, how about a sauna equipments for relax? randimg

6. New members who sign up from Second House of Sweden’s website will be leaded here. The embassy thoughtfully provides guides for new avatars to tell them how to keep going.

7. The starting point indicates four steps. Step 1 Welcome speech, Step 2, 3 Use the arrow keys to follow the path, Step 4 Enter the embassy when you reach terminal.
randimg

8. Look toward the first stage.

9. Stage 1 Use “alt” key for better view angle.

10. Stage 2 How to chat with people and send messages.

11. Stage 3 You will get a Swedish flag shirt and taught how to wear.

12. Goal ! How to customize your look.

13. Walk or click the sign that you will be directly teleport to front of the embassy.

14. The teleportation of Swedish embassy.
randimg

15. Great lordly gate
randimg

16. Second House of Sweden is inspired by the real-life House of Sweden in Washington.
randimg

17. The reception seperately indicates the embassy(SL)’s service time and the real-life’s

18. Click the sign and see what’s coming soon from the screen.

19. They hope you provide valued opinions.

20. Hire new staff

21. Second House of Sweden construct team.

22. How to participate in groups to get news and events.

23. Click the sign and you will enter an airtight space like globe, it indicates the location of every Swedish embassy and consulate in the real world.

24. Inside the sphere

25. Click the indication then you can run through all related websites

26. They introduce other Second Life places relate to Sweden in Second Life, Click it and you will be teleported there.

27. Vacancies available.

28. Three changing rooms here, They might provide some Swedish traditional costumes.

29. This bookshelf is just like website banner that introduces website information relates to Sweden.
randimg

30. Swedish famous IKEA, you can get some free virtual furniture here.

31. Sweden paint in the vestibule, click it and you will see related introductions and websites.

32. Photo exhibition room, the embassy bought 60 copyright of Sweden life photography works, click to Flickr and it’s free to use.
randimg
randimg
randimg

33. Raoul Wallenberg (1912-?), As a Swedish diplomat, in the later period of World War II, passed making false diplomatic passports, and successfully saved thousands Jews who will be jailed to Nazi concentration camps in Budapest. 1945 he was arrested to jail by Soviets, from that moment on he disappeared..? Click and you can enter his office.

34. Raoul Wallenberg, photographed in his office, 1944.
randimg

35. The entrance of his office, it looks dark inside.

36. It seems that you walk into a time tunnel.

37. The date on calendar stays on Jan 16, 1945, the day Raoul Wallenberg been arrested.

38. The spot out of window is 3D image, too.

39. The other corners in the embassy.

40. This picture announces there will be a restaurant opened here.

41. Click the sign and you will be sent to the roof of coffee shop.

42. Food here all free. You can take away the food you like and also can get the recipe of food for real world.

43. The roof is also used to introduce website information relates to Sweden.

44. To see the embassy from another angle.

45. Outside view

46. The embassy’s outdoor concert.

47. After you seat yourself, you can switch your view to full screen.

48. You also can switch left/middle/right three stage viewpoints. No matter where you sit, that would be a top table for you, it’s very different from real world.

The end … I hope that I could see a concert when I came here next time.