Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
1.4.4 d
esigners
, s
eT
d
esigners
, i
nTerior
d
esigners
Richard Finkelstein, (http://www.rfdesigns.org/), a professional set designer and set design teacher, uses
virtual worlds for prototyping real scenery, teaching set design principles, and designing scenery for virtual
performances. Other set and interior designers use virtual worlds for space planning and color studies.
1.4.5
s
CienTisTs
and
m
aThemaTiCians
Scientists like Andrew Lang (http://journal.chemistrycentral.com/content/3/1/14) have used virtual worlds
like Second Life to demonstrate the structure of molecules for chemical models. J. Gregory Moxness
(http://theoryofeverything.org/MyToE/) uses virtual worlds to demonstrate models of E8 math, making the
conceptual visible and beautiful.
1.4.6 T
eaChers
in
p
rimary
, s
eCondary
,
and
g
raduaTe
s
Chools
Teachers in primary, secondary, and graduate schools quickly recognized the value of virtual worlds. Jokay
Wollongong (http://www.jokaydiagrid.com/about/) started with Second Life and now has branches of her
educational virtual worlds in OpenSim and Minecraft. Jokaydia, her grid in OpenSim, is made for teachers
and their classes in grades K-20 and shares resources across the grid. Since 2009, Kenneth Y. T. Lim (http://
voyager.blogs.com/about.html) has developed the Six Learnings curricular design framework, which has
been used to inform the conceptualization, design, and development of a series of lessons that leverage the
affordances for learning with the use of immersive environments in the Singapore school system. Teachers
use this “Six Learnings” program in Singapore with virtual worlds to help students deepen their knowledge
of and to examine their intuitions about local environments, as well as to prototype their creative works and
to plan the productions and staging of dramatic performances.
1.4.7 T
rainers
and
T
herapisTs
Virtual worlds are invaluable for training, simulations, and therapy. Silicon Valley Media Group's First
Responders Simulator utilizes them to create training and practice scenarios for disaster workers and emer-
gency response teams. SVMG, headed by Cynthia Stagner, also develops simulation environments for
hazardous occupations, in ields such as utilities, law enforcement, and industrial manufacturing. Other
trainers use them to teach languages, practice acculturation for military deployment, and teach military
strategy. The therapists working in virtual worlds ind that the results are comparable to or better than a
real-life meeting with their clients, as they counsel them on motherhood, post-traumatic stress disorders
(PTSDs), and even weight loss. Patti Abshier works in Second Life to assist counseling professionals who
provide counseling using virtual worlds. Other uses are role-playing for cognitive therapy, technical systems
training, and medical training.
1.5 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS FROM A DESIGNER'S POINT OF VIEW
What are the challenges to a designer on a virtual environment project? In some ways, they are exactly the
same challenges of a designer in the physical world.
The primary challenge is to keep the client happy by helping deine and present his or her message and
supporting those efforts within a positive working environment including you and your team. A happy client
is a lexible client, and a lexible client will give you the design latitude you need to be creative.
