2/10/2009

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Getting Started in Second Life

Patricia F. Anderson

Sharon K. Grayden

© 2007 Regents of the University of Michigan. All rights reserved.

Naming Your Avatar

• You select from a list of last names SL provides

• You choose your first name

• Names are case-sensitive

• Do not use numbers or punctuation in your name

• Think about how you will be nicknamed, and what your initials will be

• Privacy issues-your RL (real life) name vs your SL (second life) name

About Orientation Island

• First place you land

• Where you learn the basics

• Plan to spend some time here

Orientation Island: The Stars

Orientation Island: Appearance Orientation Island: Edit Appearance

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Orientation Island: Communicating

• Chatting

• History

• Instant Message

• Gestures

• Voice / First

Look

Orientation Island: Communicating:

Instant Message & Chat

• IM: For private

or remote

conversations

• Chat: For

public

conversations

Orientation Island: Communicating:

Gestures Orientation Island: Communication

• Voice is coming

– Not as easy to

capture

transcripts

– Captures tonal

subtleties and

interpretation

Orientation Island: Walking,

flying, driving

• Practice makes perfect

Orientation Island: Searching

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Orientation Island: SearchingOrientation Island: Leaving

About Help IslandHelp Island: Freebies &

Sandbox & Tutorials, Oh My!

Where is Home?

• When you leave Help Island …

• … the very first place you land

is automatically set to be

your “Home”.

• This is true even if it is

someone else’s private space.

• You can change the location

of your “Home” when you own

land or are considered a resident of a sim.

• To change your “Home”, log in, and under the World

menu, choose “Set Home to Here”.

Like the Way You Look

• You don’t always want to look like

newbie!

Skin, hair, clothes,

bling bling . . .

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Free Stuff

• GNUbie Store & Yadni’s

Free Stuff

• Freebie Dungeon

• Freebie Warehouse

More Places to Get Free Stuff

• Places:– Free Dove - Gallii (115, 58, 32)

– Live Action Roleplayers Association - Midge (230, 38, 140)

– Landing Spot - Wagaland (110, 120, 31)

• FreebieDeeBee (Freebie’s Database) at SLBoutique: http://www.slboutique.com/

• Educational Freebies:– Open SLEdware (Group)

– ISTE Idea Library (Place)

– SL Boutique (Out-World)

Unpacking Your Goodies 1

• Open

inventory.

• Find box of

goodies.

• Drag box from

inventory onto

the ground.

Unpacking Your Goodies 2

• Right-click on box, choose “Open” from pop-up menu.

• Choose “Copy to Inventory”.

• Items now appear in your personal inventory as items you may wear.

• Right-click again on the box on the ground, choose “Take.”

Is Anyone Around? Check the Mini-map

Oops!

Someone is

right in front of me,

I better not change

my clothes

here.

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Changing Clothes• First, find a private place.

• Open inventory.

• Find item you want to wear.• Then either:

– 1. Drag item onto your avatar.

OR

– 2. Right-click on item in the inventory list, and choose “Wear” from the pop-up menu.

Make Outfit

• TIP: Take a good look - did you remember your underwear & shoes?

All Finished - New LookCulture & Community Ethics

The BIG 6!

• Intolerance

• Harassment

• Assault

• Disclosure

• Indecency

• Disturbing the

Peace

Finding Interesting Groups & Places Joining Groups

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Group Messages Your Mother Always Warned You

• Zones: PG, Mature,

Damage-enabled

• Griefing

– First Say “Please don’t”

• Document, take pics, report

– Sit Down

– Go Home!

– Logout

• Antigriefing tools & tips (vehicles, scripts, etc.)

Stay in Safe Places Until You

Are Ready– Find safe places:

• Search for Shelter

• Search for Refuge

• Search for Safe

• Pay attention to the

zone rating

– Educational &

science sims

– Libraries & museums

Lag - It Oughtta Be A 4-Letter

Word• Just a few tips:

– Clear cache

– Check your hardware to make sure it meets recommended specifications

– Check client-side preferences (reduce texture and graphic options, turn off audio, increase cache)

• Resources:– http://secondlife.com/tiki/tiki-

index.php?page=TechLag

– http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php

Teaching? Read the FAQ• 2.1 What are the rules on ethics and behavior?

• 2.2 Who is it for?

• 2.3 How does it work?

• 2.4 What are the computer hardware and networking requirements?

• 2.5 Are there any age restrictions?

• 2.6 What does it cost to bring my students and faculty into Second Life?

• 2.7 Can I set up a large permanent private classroom in Second Life and restrict access to just my own students and faculty?

• 2.8 I participated in the Campus: Second Life program previously, and now I'd love to have additional classes in Second Life! How can I go about setting up another class without buying a private island?

• 2.9 How do I connect with other educators currently working on projects in Second Life?

• 2.10 Is there a way for students in my class to communicate with each other using voice chat?

Links for “Newbies”

• Second Life Newbies Tips 2007: http://www.slideshare.net/jokay/newbie-slides/

• Hit the Ground Running in Second Life: http://www.slideshare.net/trottahe/hit-the-ground-running-in-second-life

• How to Leave Orientation Island: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6wVRloSc4k

• Taking on a Second Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygc95U4fT3Y

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Outworld Tutorials

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Video_Tutorials

Outworld Tutorials

• Curriculum, Technology & Education Reform (CTER) (UIUC): Second Life Tutorials: http://cterport.ed.uiuc.edu/technologies_folder/SL/

• Robin Wood Second Life Tutorials: http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Technical/SL-Tuts/SLTutSet.html

• Second Life Wiki: Torley Linden’s List of Video Tutorials: https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Video_Tutorials

• Also, try searching for specific skills in Second Life in Google Video and YouTube.

Inworld Tutorials & Learning

Groups• Places:

– Ivory Tower Library of Primitives, Natoma (207, 170, 25)

– Rockliffe University, Rockcliffe I (198, 87, 40)

– Second Life Library, Info Island (184, 105, 33)

– TeaZer Isle (218, 40, 300)

• Groups:

– Academy of Second Learning

– New Citizens Inc.

Most Important Tip! Find a

Friend (or Several)• Thanks from Lexi to my friends who

answered questions, were generous with tips (functional & teaching), shared animations / clothes / landmarks / etc., and otherwise helped me learn about Second Life:

– Marisa Naheed

– Desideria Stockton

– Eloise Pasteur

– JJ Drinkwater

– Max Chatnoir

– Prijian Toland

– Shoshana Epsilon

– Cyndi Uriza

– Dreamingen Writer

– Eloise Pasteur

– Geoelder Clary

– Hodjazz Edman

– Jokay Wollangong

– Lludmila Mirrikh

– Memetic Projects

– Ollie Kubrick

– Sinitta Shepherd

– Thumbs Beck

– Thursday Xu

– Zazen Manbi

Getting Started in Second Life

Perplexity Peccable

(Patricia F. Anderson)

pfa@umich.edu

© 2007 Regents of the University of Michigan. All rights reserved.

Vitesse Vella

(Sharon K. Grayden)

grayden@umich.edu