Building in Second Life

Building in Second Life

Nikki Price

Engl 197

Professor Raley

3/9/12

Helpful Links for Building in Second Life

• http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/SecondLife/HowToBuildInSecondLife.html

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szAbCGbqYEI • http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Building_Tools • http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Script • http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki

/Weapons_in_Second_Life • http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Gun_Script

Upon my arrival in the virtual world, many strangers immediately started instant messaging me. Some offer help, whereas others chat obnoxiously with each other.**Note the sign in the image: it specifically warns against the use of weapons. Many different locations in Second Life have similar signs.

The first sandbox where I began building. I found this location simply by typing “sandbox” into the search engine in SL.

A sign displaying a series of rules and regulations. Again note the specific ban of weapons within this area.

My avatar beginning construction of a house.

Stretching cubes to form a floor and a wall.

Adding a “brick” texture to the cubes, creating a wall like appearance.

Adding a roof on top of my semi-completed structure. I stretched a pyramid shaped prim to form the roof.

Unable to link the parts together!

Trying to gain more insight on the building process. There are many tutorials within the virtual world of SL. In my perspective, these virtual tutorials did not differ much from the ones I viewed on youtube.

My avatar visiting “The Ivory Tower Library of Prims,” a popular location in SL that has several tutorials demonstrating how to build a variety of different items.

An example of a demonstration within the Ivory Tower of Prims.

Visiting a new sandbox. This particular sandbox invites me to join a group, forming a specific community in relation to this space. Also note the “notifications” that have appeared on the right hand corner of my screen. The prims I left in the last sandbox have been returned to my inventory.

My avatar struggling with the prims that are supposed to make up a house. I give up on this construction and decide to build something new.

Successfully linking cynlinder-shaped prims together to form a gun.

Putting the finishing touches on my gun…

…but I can’t figure out script! Note the website behind the SL viewer. I found many online tutorials to script writing, but they were all very complex—too much for a beginner in SL to learn!

After giving up on building a gun, I decide to build a couch. I stretch two cubes and successfully link them together to form a modern looking couch/lounge chair.

I give my couch a “zebra skin” texture, and name it “Zebra Couch.”Next, I modify the object so that when an avatar clicks on it, he or she has the option of sitting on it.

My avatar sitting on my new couch.

Here, I am trying to “rez” my couch, but it will not work in this particular region. The owner “does not allow it.” Different regions have different rules and regulations.

I return to “Sandbox Ferox,” where I originally created the couch.

Other avatars immediately come sit on it.

Other avatars engaging with my couch and with each other.

Left: Chatting with my new friend “Sakura.”

Making an official new “friend” in the virtual space as a result of interacting with the object together.