Category: News-Opinion

Second Life & COVID-19: a Digital Cultures study – call for participants

Posted on by Inara Pey
Tom Boellstorff and his digital alter ego, Tom Bukowski (image: Steve Zylius / UCI): launching a new study in Second Life

Tom Boellstorff (Tom Bukowski in Second Life) is a name that frequently pops-up in these pages. A Professor of anthropology at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Tom has a long association Second Life as a part of his research – which has in the past produced two books – Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human, (Princeton University Press, 2008), and Ethnography and Virtual Worlds: A Handbook of Method (Princeton University Press, 2012). Most recently, I covered the transfer of his classes at UCI from the physical classroom to Second Life (see Tom Boellstorff: teaching digital culture in Second Life) and the result of that effort (see: Studying digital cultures in Second Life).

On Thursday, July 9th, 2020, Tom will be initiating a new round of weekly discussions on the subject of digital interactions and the impact of the SARS-CoV-2  / Covid-19 pandemic – and he is seeking the input of Second Life residents.

These discussion sessions form the core of a new study Tom is running, supported by the National Science Foundation, and which he explains thus:

The title of the study is The Role of Emerging Virtual Cultures in the Prevention of COVID-19 Transmission, and it is intended to examine the role of virtual cultures in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission.

As we know, this pandemic has been reshaping on-line interaction; as many have noted, what we call “social distancing” is really physical distancing, and because of it, an unprecedented number of people have been socialising on-line, in new ways and for new purposes. A better understanding of these new digital cultures will have consequences for COVID prevention: successful physical distancing will rely on new forms of social closeness on-line. It will also have consequences for everything from work and education to climate change.

– Professor Tom Boellstorff

Anteater Island: landing point

Central to the project is the examination of the implications of virtual worlds for new digital cultures, and a drive to answer questions such as how do such shared spaces using directed interactions through avatars transform things like intimacy, collaboration, the formation and extension of friendships, and help to expand cultural and social understanding / engagement.

Answers to questions like these might provide innovative strategies for preventing viral transmission, by forging new forms of social closeness in the context of physical distancing. It will also help us better respond to the transformed social lives we are all destined to encounter in the wake of COVID-19.

– Professor Tom Boellstorff

Sessions will be held every Thursday (unless otherwise stated) starting at 10:00am SLT at Anteater Commons, the central social area within Anteater Island. The series will open with a discussion on the subject of distance itself, with the session’s introductory notes stating:

One phrase we have learned since the beginning of the pandemic is “social distancing.” But as many have noted, this really means “physical distancing”; new social intimacies are forming on-line. How are they different from our on-line interactions before COVID-19?

And what does “distance” mean anyway? From its beginnings, the internet has been a technology to reduce distance. How is “distance” in Second Life different from “distance” on Facebook, Zoom, or email? How do we experience distance and closeness in Second Life, and how might this transform what we mean by “social distancing?”

Second life residents who would like to participate in the study are invited to join Tom and his research assistants on Anteater Island. Those attending should note:

  • Session are planned to last one hour, and will be held in Voice and local chat.
    • There is no requirement for attendees to use Voice if they do wish to, comments in local chat are acceptable.
    • However, attendee should have Voice enabled so they can hear all that is being said.
  • As this is part of a formal study, sessions will be recorded and text transcripts saved to help with the production of notes, etc., after each session. Screen shots may also be taken during sessions.
  • If any names, etc., of attendees are to be subsequently used in publication, permission to use names (avatar or personal name) will be sought. Those who are quoted will have the option of reviewing any statements they made  to ensure they are happy with their use.
  • The usual Second Life Community Standards / Terms of Service rules apply regarding use of language, avoidance of harassment, rudeness, etc.

I hope to be at least least some of the discussions, and may also be reporting on them and other aspects of the study through these pages.

Links to Tom Boellstorff in this Blog

SLurl Details

Name Changes update: new last name options released

Posted on by Inara Pey
© Linden Lab

On June 16th, I reported on the announcement that the first set of last names for the Premium Names Changes capability would be “retired” (i.e. removed from the list of options) at the end of Wednesday, June 24th, 2020.

Those names: Alpaca, Covfefe, Damballar, Float, Jazzhands, Mainsail, Nimble, Piggins, Plumday, and Yeetly – have all now gone from list of available last names.

They have, as of Thursday, June 25th, 2020, been replaced by a new set of names that have been added to the list of available last names. These are:

Vortex – Fluffpaw – Sassypants – Amethyst – Bloodrose – Aurelia – Starlight

In addition, and as announced by Linden Lab at the launch of the above last name options, there are three additional last names added to the list to mark Second Life’s 17th anniversary theme. These are:

Wayfarer – Rover – Wanderer

These three names will only remain available through until the name round of updates, at which time they will be retired.

Name Changes was introduced in April 2020, providing Second Life Premium subscribers with a fee-based ability to change both the first name and last name for their avatar / account.  If you are unfamiliar with the capability, you can read more here: Second Life: the return of last names, and some notes.

 

Indie pop musician showcases Second Life music video

Posted on by Inara Pey
Katie Dey (l) released Dancing, a track from her new album myData on June 24th, 2020, which uses a machinima recorded in Second Life, filmed by Devi McCallion (r)

Katie Dey, an Australian indie pop musician whose music covers the genres of experimental pop, psychedelia, and bedroom pop, is set to release her fourth album on July 24th.

Announced by Fader magazine, myData is described as:

An album-length exploration of a long-distance relationship that unravels into an epic about love, connection, and all the strange, unruly factors that surround those things, from capitalism to sex to internet servers. 

– Shaad D’Souza, writing in Fader

However, what is particularly interesting about the album is that the first track to be released from it on June 24th, 2020, and entitled Dancing, features a music video shot entirely in Second Life.

The video has been written and directed by another indie pop singer, songwriter and producer, Devi McCallion – perhaps most famous for her association with Black Dresses – with the assistance of Sofa (yogurt 200). Both the song – seen as something of a “striking new sound” for Dey – and the the video, are already garnering a positive response.

I’ve no idea if Katie Dey is a regular Second Life user, but she certainly appears familiar with some of the technical challenges in producing a video of this kind, commenting to D’Souza that:

This video was made entirely in Second Life, and I hope when people watch it they think about just how much work it would take to do that. If you’ve ever played that game you know how difficult it is to even control the camera, let alone create a whole world, with such incredible characters, such breathtaking cinematography.

Created remotely, across countries, in a pandemic, on a dying laptop, their lives in utter chaos, the world in chaos… I hope people cry about these beautiful characters, and then cry about the beautiful humans that put so much love and care into creating them. Anyway, the song is about dancing. Like, metaphysical dancing, I guess.

– Katie Dey to Shaad D’Souza for Fader

Video maker Devi McCallion, however, does appear to be something of a Second Life user. In May 2020 she hosted her own first-ever DJ set in-world, which can be seen on her You Tube channel, and some of her other videos contain elements that may have been filmed in-world as well.

I reached out to Brett Linden to enquire if Linden Lab were in any way involved in the video’s development – but it was apparently produced entirely independently.

I would love to say that we were involved, but we weren’t! It was completely organic and a pleasant surprise to us.

– Brett Linden, Senior Director, Marketing, Linden Lab

Catch the video below – my thanks to Lab CEO Ebbe Altberg for the pointer.

 

Summer Sailstice in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Summer Sailstice in Second Lfe

We’re used to hearing news about physical world events being cancelled – and some attempting to relocate to virtual spaces, including Second Life (see: Balticon 54: a real world sci-fi convention using Second Life, and MuseWeb: utilising Second Life in support of a global conference as two examples in these pages, for example).

One real-world event is still going ahead this year – one that can make fairly good use of social / physical distancing – is the annual Summer Sailstice, which marks its 20th anniversary in 2020. However, because the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic can sill have an impact on sailing in the physical world – particularly for crews who may not all be in the same household – a special partner event is also being held in Second Life.

Coordinated by Second Life resident and sailor in both the physical and virtual realms, Dale Irata, and involving the Second Life sailing community, under the banner of Sailors in Second Life, the in-world event has offered physical world sailors an open invitation to come in to Second Life and share a weekend’s sailing and events at marinas across the grid and within popular sailing areas such as North Sea and Blake Sea – and the Second Life sailing community can get involved as well.

The Sailstice Expo Centre

To help engage sailing enthusiasts from the physical world to both understand Second Life and potential get involved in the virtual event, a number of on-line resources have been made available over the last couple of months, including:

The core event  – as with the physical world one – takes place on Saturday, June 20th. However, supporting it in-world an in-world exhibition celebrating 15 years of sailing and boating in Second Life, featuring trade stands by some of the platform’s top marine designers and brands. Having opened on June 13th, the expo run through until Sunday, June 21st.

Folkboat racing: one of the many forms of sailing in Second Life

The events scheduled for Saturday, June 20th comprises (all times SLT):

Time Event
 Location
24-hours Camping event – rez your boat for free all weekend

Malolo Island Marina
05:00

Cruise

 Rainbow Sails Yacht Club
07:00

Cruise – More info

 Flying Manta Yacht Club
09:00 DJ Dance Party Flying Manta Yacht Club
10:00

Bandit 25R racing

 Triumphal Yacht Club
Corona Cup SRV210 motorboat racing Starboards Yacht Club
11:00 Nacra 17 Race Nantucket Yacht Club
Noon

Queen Tribute Concert and Second Sailstice Novice Regatta Kickoff Party

 North Sea (Merfolk TP)
Shields Class Racing Triumphal Yacht Club
13:00 Bandit race preparation time North Sea

Party at Wicked Good Beach

 Nantucket Yacht Club (Merfolk TP)
14:00 Second Sailstice Novice Regatta – see below for more North Sea
16:00

Second Sailstice Novice Regatta Afterparty

 North Sea
17:00 Sails and Tails Party (all sailors and merfolk invited) with DJ Night Nantucket Park (Merfolk TP)

Note also that all events are Merfolk friendly!

The Novice Regatta is especially for new SL sailors, and a free boat – the brand new Bandit 22 LTE – will be provided for eligible sailors! You won’t be on the course with folks who’ve been here before, so come out and have a really fun time! More details can be found in the SL Novice Regatta web page.

Follow the links above the event schedule for more information.

Name Changes: first set of last name “retirements” announced

Posted on by Inara Pey
© Linden Lab

Names Changes, launched in April 2020, as most user know, is the ability for Premium users to select a first name / last name combination that’s to their liking and use it as their avatar / account name.

Under the system, first names are free-form, whilst last names are selected from a list – as used to be the case when first name / last name combinations were a basic part of the Second life sign-up process through until mid-2010.

Since the introduction of this Premium option (which you can read about in Second Life: the return of last names, and some notes) users have been asking when and how frequently the list of last name will be updated.

Linden Lab have remained somewhat vague on this latter point, although they have noted that names are liable to swapped out on the basis of how popular / unpopular they prove to be. That is, if a name is so popular it reaches a certain level of use or fails to reach a certain level of use within a given time period defined by the Lab, they would be “retired”.

On Tuesday, June 16th, the Lab announced that some of the last names made available in the first batch made available at the time the capability was launched have been determined to fall with one or other of these two limits, and so will be “retired” from use as from Thursday, June 25th, 2020.

The names to be retired are:

Alpaca – Covfefe – Damballar – Float – Jazzhands – Mainsail – Nimble – Piggins – Plumday – Yeetly

Anyway wishing to make use of these names should now do so before the end of Wednesday, June 24th. Those who have already opted to  use any of these names will obviously retain them. I assume replacement names will be made available / announced either at the time these names are retired, or shortly thereafter.

You can read the official announcement in Last Call for These Last Names – Get ‘Em While You Can!

In terms of how popular the capability has been, the official blog post notes only that the response thus far has been “mostly positive”, although feedback at various meetings has suggested the response has been more poplar than the blog may suggest.

It’s Junebilation in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Junebilation

For many of us, the arrival of June bring with it the start of summer, and while we may not be able to get out and have the kind of summer fun we’re accustomed to, there are lots of opportunities in-world to get together and enjoy one another’s company.

In recognition of this, Vaneeesa Blaylock and her friends are co-ordinating a series of events every weekend in June. Unfortunately, so much was going on last weekend, I missed getting a notice out then, so hopefully this will help get the word out – and apologies to Vaneeesa for my tardiness.

Twisted Love – Saturday, June 13th, 10:00-13:00 SLT

Location: Good Life Creations Sandbox

A giant frame formed the word LOVE will be raised at the Good Life Creations Sandbox and everyone is invited to drop by and make a twisted prim to add to the mosaic. Those who do can optionally:

  • Add a giver script to hand out a a note card on what love means to them, and how they like to see a greater expression of love in-world.
  • Add more than one prim, providing they are not overly big, so the finished result looks like a mosaic.
  • Experienced builders will be on-hand to help those who may never have previously twisted a prim, so everyone can join the fun.

All avatars are welcome at this event, including child avatars, in the spirit of fun and friendship.

Avatar Pride Parade

Saturday, June 20th, starting at 10:00 SLT

A 16-region, 4-kilometre walk along the historic Route 66. The walk will commence at the west end of West End of the route in Truro, and proceed to the Welcome Area at Dore where there well be a dance party. Keep in mind this is as walk – so no cheating by riding the Bay City Trolley service!

Part of the fun will be taking pride in avatar diversity on the walk, as Vaneeesa notes:

When you live on a grid as old as SL there are so many avatars! The latest Easy-Baked-on-Sushi-Roll-Heads, the ancient System Avatars, the DEMO avatars, and everything in between. There are so many ways to wear an invisiprim wrong. Let’s celebrate all of it.

  • How “good” can you look?
  • How “bad” can you look?
  • How “you” can you look?

Oh heck, why don’t you just rez an alt and you can show off New & Old Avi’s at the same time! (hint: everybody already knows you have an alt #secretToNoOne)

Notes on Slurls:

  • Start point: a temporary lighthouse alongside temple Beth Chayei Olam.
  • End point / Dance: if you can’t make the walk but wish to be part of the party.

More Is Never Enough – The Avatar Diet Day

Saturday, June 27th, starting at 14:00 SLT

Location: Good Life Creations Sandbox

We live is an age of consumerism and an age of growing concern as to what all that consumerism is doing to our planet. But what about our virtual world? How many items do you have in your inventory that you don’t actually use – and is now so old, you wouldn’t ever want to wear / use it again? Or is your inventory simply in need of a general tidy-up?

Vaneeesa and her friends have planned a day of fun to help people sort and tidy their inventories and have fun doing so!

  • Inventory Weigh-In 10:00-noon SLT: A board will be available for people to list the total number of items in their inventory. Once people have “weighed-in” everyone can hang-out together and go through inventory and delete everything that’s No Transfer they no longer use / will never use again. At the end, the avatar shedding the most items will get a special prize!
  • Swap Meet: When sorting through inventory, people may come across Transfer items they no longer need – so why not rez them and let others see if there is something they’d like, and either pass it to them or swap it for something else?
  • Frog Fight and Dance: end the day with the fun of a dance and a frog fight!

Note: further events may be added to this Saturday’s activities.