Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Second Life Tools
atmosphere. In one simulation visitors see the ef-
fects of oil spill, as shown in Figure 3 in another
the effects of a tsunami can be demonstrated and
in yet another a coral reef is explored.
Putting all three of these concepts together,
3D representation, movement/interaction and
environments that otherwise couldn't be created
for training creates a solid educational experience.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) takes advantage
of this fact in Second Life as well. In 2007 the
WWF launched Conservation Island which allows
visitors to move through various habitats that
WWF works within while interacting with some
animals and other items to learn about the WWF's
mission, purpose and practices. In real life such
training loses something when seen in flat, static
images or even on a web site; however, when
presented in Second Life visitors have a highly
visual, interactive, and immersive experience
which could lead to a better, deeper understanding
of the WWF.
The second major affordance of Second Life is
the sheer number of items that have been cre-
ated by educators and other residents that would
benefit corporate training programs. The number
of available artifacts are far too numerous to be
addressed in adequate measures in this one chapter.
For the past two to three years, during what has
been Second Life's most news garnering period
to date, residents have been busily working on
items too numerous to list. Items, such as mov-
ing vehicles, news boards gathering information
from sites external to Second Life, items that
contain scripts to move an avatar in certain ways,
interactive question and answer desks, polling sta-
tions and much more is available for immediate
use. For the purposes of this chapter, I will call
out three items that I believe currently have the
most potential to significantly impact corporate
training programs; these are media screens, bots
and holodecks.
Figure 3. NOAA simulated oil spill
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