Second Life - A Web 2.0 App
- 2. What is Second Life? Second Life is an online game grouped in with the genre of massively multiplayer online games, but has it’s own unique style of gameplay. In short, Second Life is a persistent, virtual universe, where players can create avatars and even their own worlds to share with other users. It is a world entirely defined by the content created by its users, and as a result, makes it the most open source online game on the planet.
- 3. What makes Second Life Web 2.0 Content? Although not explicitly a widget or web-based application, Second Life is unique in that it is an entertainment program that is founded on the principles of Web 2.0 criteria. The game focuses on user and community created content to fuel its in- game experiences. In the tradition of most MMOs, Second Life has no ‘end’ and no preset objective, allowing the users instead to evolve the content of the game as they see fit.
- 4. Residents ‘Resident’ is the name given to a player of Second Life, as they are perceived as an individual who literally resides and lives within the many worlds of the game. While one person can only have one ‘resident’ at a time, they can change that resident’s appearance as many times as they wish, choosing from a wide variety of options such as animals, vegetables, and even minerals.
- 6. Virtual Property All residents in Second Life have the option to create and own property. Property types vary between categories such as mainland and private, where mainland property is part of one continuous landmass and private property is individually owned islands. All property created is copyrighted to its original creator.
- 7. Second Life’s Economy Second Life is unique in that it features its own self sustaining economy, complete with actual US currency trade value. This is to say that currency in Second Life (known as ‘lindens’) has a direct dollar value in the real world. Property too has a direct US dollar value in-game. There are even a number of individuals and businesses who see substantial profits from Second Life, reporting to earn even more than $1m annually.
- 8. Events in Second Life One of the most Web 2.0 features of Second Life is its ability to host a wide array of events and information in an online game format. Many businesses hold press events and meetings within Second Life’s walls. Concerts and other forms of entertainment are also a frequent occurrences in Second Life, allowing users and entertainers alike to share content with one another.
- 9. Wimbledon
- 10. Wimbledon cont. “In 2006 I did a proof of concept privately to show that we were able to bring much of the web data into Second Life and render it in various ways allowing people to consume and enjoy the content together, also to provide the ability to get involved through being able to talk to people working the event and leave wearing free t-shirts. In 2007 we made this a more public and approved build. I manned the build for 12 hours a day for 2 weeks. The centrepiece was bringing the Hawkeye ball tracking data into a prim based court, playing near-live rallies in real time.” -Ian Hughes Project Designer
- 11. Wimbledon cont. IBM’s use of Second Life to stream real-time data on the Wimbledon event is a primary example of SL’s capacity as an interactive Web 2.0 application. It allows its users to create a variety of worlds in their own image and likeness to provide information to other users: merging form, content, and data together as one.
- 12. Additional Examples of Second Life Content - HBO hosts the Virtually Funny Comedy Festival to "help build awareness for Comic Relief, Red Nose Day 2009 and of course, comedy in Second Life.” - UK band Redzone announces they will only release their new 2008 life album online in Second Life. - Languagelab.com offers language learnings services in Second Life, being one of the first education resources in a trend of many in Second Life’s worlds.
- 13. Swedish Embassy
- 14. Second Life and Beyond… Every day, Second Life becomes less and less of a ‘game’ and more of an online outlet for users to create and share with. Focusing more on the experience of a shared community rather than individual gameplay, Second Life has begun a new trend of Web 2.0 content, fusing elements of gaming with many of the online services we know and love today, and even some that are exclusive to SL’s worlds.