The BBC has an excellent video (I could only get the Real Player version to work however) of virtual worlds, what people are making and how they’re making -real- money – “When it comes down to it, avatars – online characters – project your ideals and fantasies before you’ve had time to think of them. Which is what’s making online virtual worlds one of the hottest business propositions of dotcom boom Mark II.” Link.
Wow, great news – now I can keep track of the stuff I want to do in the virtual world – “Web-based event-management service Eventful has opened a public portal to the strange goings-on inside virtual world Second Life. The Second Life Event calendar, formerly hidden from non-residents, is now indexed regularly by Eventful, which listed over 1600 searchable virtual happenings last month alone and expects to index about 400 events daily. Virtual-world residents can travel directly to event locations via Eventful by clicking an embedded link in each entry containing exact coordinates. Event-listings, which are updated regularly, can be subscribed to in iCal and RSS format.” [via] Link.
Cory Linden with some details on the Linux version of Second Life previewed at 22C3, the Chaos Communications Congress hosted by Germany’s Chaos Computer Club in Berlin. “What made this talk especially exciting was that it was the first public showing of the Second Life client on Linux. On a laptop that arrived the day before leaving. With a version of the client that Icculus’ finished while I was waiting to board my flight our of SFO. With an ATI card.” Link. One step closer to having an embedded /appliance like VR device. And lastly, don’t forget to visit our area in world and try out a 3D version of MAKE.
Dave writes “Steve runs a kayak-building company but his spare-time project is designing a velomobile, that is, a human-powered, closed vehicle; technically a recumbent trike with a full body. There are a few commercial velomobile products in Europe, see links at the top of Steve’s page. His current design is just gorgeous (be sure to look at all the pictures) and makes clever, sophisticated use of hi-tech materials, and is very close to commercially practical.” Link.
Pat writes “Since all will be watching their clocks tonight, (except in Australia where the Blogger’s Apprentice has already rung in the New Year), here’s a fitting video, we thought, of how clocks are made.” Link. Stay tuned for some info about a MAKE meet up online for New Years!
There’s a new google-maps-style API for the virtual world Second Life. It’s in beta, but we made an example of what’s possible – you can click the arrows and see snap shots of the virtual edition of MAKE, our theater and the tree house. Click the navigation arrows as well as the zoom in/zoom out controls to see the rest of the virtual world. The cool thing about this is that it’s a “real” view into another world. Link.
For any of you Second Life makers who have been itching to create the ultimate virtual home there are a couple of bidding wars over on Ebay. Both Linden Lab and Anshe Chung (largest virtual land owner) are holding auctions for your very own island, which includes 120 hours of in world consulting and building. Also, special thanks to everyone who came out to the virtual MAKE meet up on Friday write up here.
