Unique international collaboration commemorates Remembrance Day in a virtual world

The First World War Poetry Digital Archive in Second Life

An unusual worldwide collaboration is taking place to commemorate this Remembrance Day, involving high-tech TV crews in Australia, a production team spread across the United States, and interviewers and folk singers in the UK.

They are coming together to create an internet video production about the launch of an exciting new project from Oxford University’s First World War Poetry Digital Archive (http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/), which draws together the resources and expertise of the University along with the possibilities for immersion and interactivity offered by the virtual world of Second Life.

Designing Worlds is a new type of TV show, created within a ‘virtual world’, and shown to an enthusiastic audience that either watches live “in-world”, or follows the show on the web. It is one of a number of weekly programmes created by Treet.TV, a production company based in Australia, who are lifting the possibilities of ‘new’ media to remarkable levels.

Designing Worlds will this week be focusing on a very special – and timely – project. The First World War Poetry Digital Archive and the Learning Technologies Group at the University of Oxford have collaborated to bring a wealth of First World War poetry and information together in an environment that allows this powerful material to be explored and experienced in a radically new way.

The First World War Poetry Digital Archive has imported a range of digitised archival materials from the major poets of the First World War (including poetry manuscripts, letters and diaries) along with contextual primary source materials, into the Second Life environment. These have been located within a presentation modelled to represent areas of the Western Front, 1914 – 1918.

Poppies in the Trenches: Photograph by PJ Trenton

“The aim of the initiative is to place the poetry of the Great War in context,” explains Stuart Lee, Lecturer in English at the University of Oxford. “It allows the visitors to the exhibition to visualise archival materials in an environment that fosters deeper understanding. Visitors also have the opportunity to take advantage of the social and interactive aspects that the environment offers.”

The materials have been supplemented with new interpretative content and a spectrum of interactive tools and tutorials, streaming video and audio effects to create a vivid immersive experience that is, according to visitors, deeply moving.

In the programme, Designing Worlds presenters Saffia Widdershins (in real life Pauline Woolley) and Elrik Merlin (in real life Richard Elen) will trace the route followed by so many soldiers, from the bewildering brutalisation of the training camps through to the grim realities of the trenches and finally to the horror of No Man’s Land.

The poignant closing sequence of the show will be accompanied by the haunting music of the folk trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson, noted for bringing to life songs associated with the First World War, who have been pleased to be involved in this unusual project.

“This is a remarkable environment,” says Pauline Woolley, “with an important story to tell. We hope that we are able to bring it to people in a unique way.”

“It’s a very powerful presentation,” says Richard Elen. “It really brings home the potential of virtual environments for education. We have only begun to scratch the surface of what this kind of presentation can offer. Involving, immersive experiences like this – in which the visitor can interact with information within the recreation, add their own contributions and experience “accidental learning” – are just a part of the wealth of educational capabilities that virtual worlds can offer. This is perhaps one of the most advanced projects of its kind, and Oxford University is at the forefront of exploring these new worlds.”

The programme on the First World War Poetry Digital Archive’s exhibition in Second Life will be aired live at 22:00 GMT (2pm Second Life Time) on the Treet TV live channel, http://streams.treet.tv/live.mov. Thereafter it will be available on the Treet Archive web site at http://archive.treet.tv/programs/meta-makeover

Entering the Training Camp: Image by PJ Trenton

For more information, contact: designingworlds@gmail.com

About Designing Worlds
Designing Worlds is a TV show featuring design and designers in virtual worlds. It has presented shows on the works of artists in 3-D environments, ranging from the Second Life re-creation of the world-famous Dresden Art Museum to the work of individual artists, such as Glyph Graves’ IBM-sponsored exhibition; designers creating virtual homes and communities – with some stunningly beautiful results; special projects such as a vivid imagining of the Middle Passage – the transportation of Africans to the Americas – and the creation of ‘camp Darfur’, which highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Sudan; and discussion shows that highlight issues of intellectual property rights in these new virtual environments. And there are also fun shows where the hosts, Saffia Widdershins and Elrik Merlin, explore virtual world phenomena such as fireworks and fishing!
Designing Worlds is a co-production of Prim Perfect Publications and Treet.TV
http://designingworlds.wordpress.com/

About Treet
Treet TV is an entertainment network that serves virtual worlds viewers and producers. Established in March 2007, Treet TV uses a collaborative production model which has resulted in more than 3000 hours of broadcast quality content, all targeting the emerging phenomenon of virtual living.

Shows are broadcast live to audiences inworld on Treet TV-enabled television screens, as well as live on the world wide web. Large-scale live events in the past include the Transformers press event, Philip Rosedale’s Second Life 6th Birthday Opening Ceremony and the Best Practices in Education conference. Popular shows include Metanomics, The First Question, Fabulous Fashion and Tonight Live! with Paisley Beebe.
http://www.treet.tv

About Prim Perfect Publications
Prim Perfect Publications is the company behind a number of world publications and the Designing Worlds TV programme. The company also produces Prim Perfect magazine, the virtual worlds magazine for homes and gardens, and The Primgraph, the magazine for steampunk and vintage regions within the Second Life environment, which hosts the popular web comic, The Quest for the Golden Prim.
http://www.primperfect.net/
http://www.primgraph.com/
http://goldenprim.blogspot.com/

Step UP! Day – did it achieve anything?

Step UP! Bear from Sway Creations

So, Step UP! Day has gone.

Did it make a difference?

Well, anyone who woke up on the morning of the 6th November expecting to see a whole bright shiny new Second Life would have been severely disappointed. And, of course, there were a few blog posts only too eager to point out gleefully that nothing had changed.

Well, actually, it had.

For the first time a wide group of Second Life residents had come together: builders, designers, artists, musicians, scripters, machinima-makers, media people, bloggers and people who simply enjoy the immersive world of Second Life. They had shared their concerns, they had learned things they hadn’t known before, they had participated in a protest and they had joined in celebrations.

Sky banners on Planet Mongo

And that is the first step up we have taken in our long term bid to end the menace of content theft.

Other steps have been taken too. Some were taken earlier – by groups like the Content Creators Association, which has Ideas have been brought forward, and shared, and discussed – sometimes argued. But there are certainly things to explore as we move forward.

There’s also a wealth of educational material and information that has been gathered, that we now need to disseminate in the most effective ways.

And people are more aware of the issues. There have been question and answer sessions on the Ning and in the inworld group. I’ve talked people through what to do when they spot what they think is content theft, and what to do when they encounter some really gross violation on XStreetSL. People are becoming aware, and they are hungry to know more.

Step UP!

It’s often said, by the pessimistic, the cynical and the despairing, that people will steal if it’s there for them to steal. Actually, in my experience, people would rather NOT steal, once they realise exactly what it is that they are doing. In fact, they derive more fun from tracking and catching thieves than they do from stealing themselves – the problem then can become over-enthusiasm rather than lack of it! One of the key things that we need to make people aware of is that you DON’T confront thieves directly; they will simply pack up their shops and move on, before the creators can get in there, gather evidence and file DMCAs.

The thieves are still out there, and their tricks get dirtier. I’ve had reports of them hanging around Public Help Islands using a Groups exploit to pose as Mentors and then tricking newbies not just into accepting stolen goods, but into taking part in some exploits themselves, in the belief that they are helping.

And Linden Lab, who could be engaging in dialogue, seem more concerned with pushing SLEnterprise and looking after the interests of a small number of creators who will be invited into the Marketplace – a topic on which I’ll be sharing my thoughts soon.

But we, the creators of the content of Second Life, are here, together, and working together. And each step we take will make us stronger, more knowledgeable … and more prepared for what the future holds.

So we took the first step. Now we need to build on that – and over the next few days, we shall.

Last chance to apply for a design job with Prim Perfect!

Please note that the deadline has been slightly extended.

Magazine display

Prim Perfect is looking for a Graphic Designer to join an amazing team!

This is a rare opportunity to work with one of the most highly regarded and fastest growing media groups within Second Life. Prim Perfect Publications consists of three distinct productions: Prim Perfect magazine (Second Life’s premier home and gardens magazine), Designing Worlds (the Treet TV show for design and designers in virtual worlds), and The Primgraph (Second Life vintage and steampunk magazine).

We wish to hire an energetic, enthusiastic, and proactive individual who can be part of the team responsible for designing and laying out Prim Perfect to create new editions of this stunning magazine, which is scheduled to appear every six weeks.

The successful candidate will have attitude, aptitude, and appetite. A proven ability to meet deadlines is essential.

You will be a creative person with a flair for magazine design. You will have the flexibility to work with different writers and photographers, and the organisation skills to work to a set schedule.

You will work both independently and with the various production and editorial teams, so good communication skills are a must.

Job responsibilities include: laying out the magazine using an high-end DTP package*; assigning photographers to stories; taking the odd photograph yourself when needed; assigning different level of advertising space throughout the magazine and integrating it within the layout.

* we would strongly prefer the successful candidate to use Adobe InDesign.

Knowledge of DTP and Photoshop are essentials, as is experience in RL print and/or online rich content design. A passion for virtual world design would be an advantage.

Applicants should have at least six months experience in Second Life. Applicants should have real life experience of the design process and key issues affecting designers.

Payment will be on a profit share basis.

Applicants should apply in writing to primperfect@gmail.com, giving:
Avatar Name:
Rezz Date:
Employment experience in Second Life:
Any real life experience you believe may be relevant:
Why you believe you are a suitable candidate for this position:
The names and contact details of two SL references:

CLOSING DATE: November 10th. Successful applicants will be asked to complete a design task and to attend an interview.

For more information about Prime Perfect Publications see:
http://www.primperfect.net/

StepUP Gallery Art and Education Gallery Reception

Making Connections by Gracie Kendal

The Step UP! Art and Education gallery is in full swing! As of this morning, a quick (and probably not totally accurate) count tallied 30 artists exhibiting! They are all over the place: in the gallery, on the surface, hanging off the side of the mountains, in the sea …

Some of the artists have created work specifically for the StepUP! Campaign with the theme of content theft, even sharing their own experiences with having their work stolen.

Tricia Aferdita is the curator, and she has assembled a really awesome collection of Second life Art for the occasion.

Step UP! Art Gallery on Toor

And to celebrate this accomplishment by the StepUP! Art Community, please join us for a reception at the Step UP! Gallery, on Wednesday November 4, from 3-5 pm SLT in the lovely sim donated for a special Step UP! art exhibition, featuring Second Life artists passionate about creating and protecting the work they create. Wander through the sim-wide exhibition of some of SL’s finest artists; enjoy live music from Eio Tuqiri and tunes from IndieSpectrum Radio. Learn about copyright and public domain, and experience beautiful and thought-provoking work. Help us celebrate art in Second Life!

Step up to – and on – Designing Worlds

Step UP! HQ on Planet Mongo

Join us today at 2pm at the Step UP! headquarters on Planet Mongo for a Designing Worlds show all about the Step UP! against intellectual property violation and content theft.

We’ll be exploring the beautiful sim, created by Lumiere Noir and CaSimone Aquitaine, which has been kindly donated by Lumiere for the duration of the campaign, and viewing a special video showing some of the ways that content theft can happen, created by Toxic Menges. Then we’ll be talking to Dijodi Dubratt who – with her partner Ironwolf Taurog – has loaned the use of their sim Toor to stage an amazing art exhibition by top SL artists, curated by Tricia Afterdita, in support of Step UP!

And we’ll be talking about the Step UP! parties that people are planning for November 5th – as well as giving a sneak preview of the awesome Step UP! firework display created by Freddie Bleac (and available for free on XStreetSL).

Step UP! Fireworks at the Step UP! HQ on Planet Mongo

And, so that our live audience can enjoy the spectacular fireworks, we have a special Viewing Party. We won’t be gathering in the studio today, but at the beautiful headquarters of the Step UP! campaign on Planet Mongo, where the show is being filmed.

And, of course, as usual, there are gifts for everyone who attends the show!

The show starts at 2pm SLT, but you should be at our viewing party by 1.30pm to make sure of getting a seat. Or you can watch on the Treet live stream.

The First World War Poetry Digital Archive in Second Life

The First World War Poetry Digital Archive

An exciting new project in interactive education launches today, drawing together the resources and expertise of the University of Oxford, and the possibilities for immersion and interactivity offered by the virtual world environment of Second Life.

The First World War Poetry Digital Archive and the Learning Technologies Group at the University of Oxford have collaborated to bring together a wealth of digitised archival material from the First World War into an environment that allows this powerful material to be explored and experienced in a radically new way.

“The aim of the initiative is to place the poetry of the Great War in context, allowing the visitors to the exhibition to visualise archival materials in an environment that generates deeper understandings and to take advantage of the social and interactive aspects that the environment offers,” explains Stuart Lee, Lecturer of English at the University of Oxford.

The project has imported into the Second Life environment a range of digitised archival materials from the major poets of the First World War (poetry manuscripts, letters, diaries etc.) along with contextual primary source materials.  This have been positioned within an environment which has been modelled to simulate areas of the Western Front 1914 – 1918.  These materials have been supplemented with new interpretative content and a spectrum interactive tools and tutorials, streaming video and audio effects to create a vivid immersive experience that is, according to visitors, deeply moving.

I had, of course, read about the First World War, and seen archive news footage too.  But to have the feeling of walking along narrow trenches on duckboards half covered in mud, to see the dugouts, or to stand in a dressing station, hearing the voices of people who had been there describing their own experiences – this is all incredibly powerful.

There will be a Second Life Press Launch at 4.30am SLT (12.30pm UK time) and again at 2pm SLT on Monday 2nd November. Come to the landing point at:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Frideswide/219/199/646/.

The sim is now open for exploration from 2am Monday 2nd November 2009.  The organisers ask visitors to preserve the atmosphere of this environment by wearing the clothing provided at the landing area.

See Designing Worlds’ amazing steampunk ghost story on the web!

New Babbage

Our special Halloween Designing Worlds was unlike any other show that we have done before – and you can now see it on the Treet Archive web-site – available in both standard and hi-def. And you can also download the show from the iTunes store (just search on Designing Worlds) to watch at your leisure. You can even put it on your iPod to carry around with you!

The cast for this week’s show were as follows:

Mr Aeolus Cleanslate … Himself
Mrs Bridewell, the housekeeper … Ceejay Writer
Mr Biggins, the sandhog … PJ Trenton
Mr Mossebeno Tenk, Mayor and Clockwinder … Himself
Miss Ceejay Writer … Herself
and the parts of Saffi and Elrik were, of course, played by Themselves.

Thanks to Miss Breezy Carver for hosting an awesome viewing party at Piermont Landing in Wheatstone Waterways, to Mr Victor1 Mornington for the loan of his room in Brunel Hall, and to Mr Aeolus Cleanslate and Mr Rip Wirefly who built the awesome underground sets in an equally awesome short space of time!

And thank you to all the good people of New Babbage for their assistance, curiousity, and sense of adventure!

Remember Burning Life

Prim Perfect's Images of Burning Life

… with a beautiful volume of photographs edited by Raven Haalan and with a foreword by Dusty Linden.

There are over nearly one hundred and twenty photographs by some of the best photographers in Second Life in this collection, all celebrating the amazing event that was Burning Life 2009.  You can see their pictures of the incredible builds and some of the events that made this such a fantastic and memorable event.

So how can I get the book?
If you prefer to read the magazine online but not inworld, there are choices. Firstly, there’s the wonderful Calaméo system, which allows you to moves smoothly through the pages, giving you the feeling of reading a real coffee table book. You’ll find Images of Burning Life here – and please do leave a comment!

But, if you like to download your magazines to read as you commute to work, or in the bath, or wherever, you can also obtain a standard pdf for downloading and printing.

It is also available through XStreet (just search on the site for Prim Perfect). This will deliver you a copy in the form of a Thinc book that you can rez and read inworld.

Join Us Today – for a spooky Designing Worlds in New Babbage!

Babbage Clocktower

Join us today at 2pm at Piermont Landing for a VERY unusual Designing Worlds show!

We will be in New Babbage to inspect some of the fascinating new engineering works deep beneath this most steampunk of cities and – as the people of Babbage say – What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

For we won’t be deterred by the fact that there are all sorts of strange legends and rumours about the oldest parts of the city … nor will we be put off by the fact fact that this is, actually, our closest show to Halloween.

New Babbage

No, we will be having a nice, calm, peaceful show.

Really.

Well, at all events, it will be a show unlike any other Designing Worlds, that we can promise you!

And, to mark this special Halloween edition, we have a special Viewing Party. We won’t be gathering in the studio today, but at a beautiful location in New Babbage – at Piermont Landing in Wheatstone Waterways, where Miss Breezy Carter will be hosting the unique viewing party.

And, of course, as usual, there are gifts for everyone who attends the show!

The show starts at 2pm SLT, but you should be at our viewing party by 1.30pm to make sure of getting a seat.  Or you can watch on the Treet live stream.

~~~~~~~~~~

Photographs by Mr PJ Trenton

Prim Perfect is looking for a New Designer!

Magazine display

Prim Perfect is looking for a Graphic Designer to join an amazing team!

This is a rare opportunity to work with one of the most highly regarded and fastest growing media groups within Second Life. Prim Perfect Publications consists of three distinct productions: Prim Perfect magazine (Second Life’s premier home and gardens magazine), Designing Worlds (the Treet TV show for design and designers in virtual worlds), and The Primgraph (Second Life vintage and steampunk magazine).

We wish to hire an energetic, enthusiastic, and proactive individual who can be part of the team responsible for designing and laying out Prim Perfect to create new editions of this stunning magazine, which is scheduled to appear every six weeks.

The successful candidate will have attitude, aptitude, and appetite. A proven ability to meet deadlines is essential.

You will be a creative person with a flair for magazine design. You will have the flexibility to work with different writers and photographers, and the organisation skills to work to a set schedule.

You will work both independently and with the various production and editorial teams, so good communication skills are a must.

Job responsibilities include: laying out the magazine using an high-end DTP package*; assigning photographers to stories; taking the odd photograph yourself when needed; assigning different level of advertising space throughout the magazine and integrating it within the layout.

* we would strongly prefer the successful candidate to use Adobe InDesign.

Knowledge of DTP and Photoshop are essentials, as is experience in RL print and/or online rich content design. A passion for virtual world design would be an advantage.

Applicants should have at least six months experience in Second Life. Applicants should have real life experience of the design process and key issues affecting designers.

Payment will be on a profit share basis.

Applicants should apply in writing to primperfect@gmail.com, giving:
Avatar Name:
Rezz Date:
Employment experience in Second Life:
Any real life experience you believe may be relevant:
Why you believe you are a suitable candidate for this position:
The names and contact details of two SL references:

CLOSING DATE: November 7th. Successful applicants will be asked to complete a design task and to attend an interview.

For more information about Prime Perfect Publications see:
http://www.primperfect.net/