Second Life StorytellersSecond Life Storytellers(and other games for avatars)(and other games for avatars)

Projects in Second LifeProjects in Second Life

By Pete WardleBy Pete Wardle

BackgroundBackground Lecturer in Multimedia at Trafford CollegeLecturer in Multimedia at Trafford College MA in Creative Technologies at Salford MA in Creative Technologies at Salford

UniversityUniversity Recently commenced PhD studying Recently commenced PhD studying

Identity in Virtual WorldsIdentity in Virtual Worlds Producing work in Producing work in Second Life based around Second Life based around

the observation that, while the conventions of the observation that, while the conventions of computer games have largely replaced those of computer games have largely replaced those of traditional storytelling and games, Second Life traditional storytelling and games, Second Life opens up opportunities for traditional style opens up opportunities for traditional style storytelling and play within its virtual storytelling and play within its virtual environment. environment.

Second Life – Experiments in Second Life – Experiments in Embodiment Embodiment (with Alan Hook)(with Alan Hook)

I’VE LOST MY VOICE I’VE LOST MY VOICE Two avatars swap voice channels and try Two avatars swap voice channels and try

to find each other by talking to to find each other by talking to bystanders.bystanders.

LOSING CONTROLLOSING CONTROL One avatar hijacks and takes One avatar hijacks and takes

control of another avatars control of another avatars movements and both share movements and both share the ability to communicate the ability to communicate with bystanderswith bystanders

Second Life – Experiments in Second Life – Experiments in Embodiment Embodiment (with Alan Hook)(with Alan Hook)

CROSSED LINESCROSSED LINES Two players in remote locations each Two players in remote locations each

hold a conversations with third parties. hold a conversations with third parties. What is said to one player comes out of What is said to one player comes out of the mouth of the second player and vice the mouth of the second player and vice verca, allowing the players to act as a verca, allowing the players to act as a conduit for a long distance conversation.conduit for a long distance conversation.

Connecting Points Connecting Points (with Alan Hook (with Alan Hook for the Tech Museum, San for the Tech Museum, San

JoseJose )) A physical space is A physical space is

linked to a second life linked to a second life location through screens location through screens in each environment. in each environment. Participants on one side Participants on one side of the screen control of the screen control Second Life avatars who Second Life avatars who interact with participants interact with participants on the other side of the on the other side of the screen.screen.

http://creativetechnology.salford.ac.ukhttp://creativetechnology.salford.ac.uk/students03_04/mact06_07/Pete_War/students03_04/mact06_07/Pete_Wardle/ConnectingPoint.wmvdle/ConnectingPoint.wmv

rrEMOTICONEMOTICONtrol trol (work in progress)(work in progress)

In the Connecting Point In the Connecting Point installation users controlled installation users controlled the the actionsactions of the avatars. of the avatars.

In In rrEMOTICONEMOTICONtroltrol users will users will control the perceived control the perceived emotional state of the emotional state of the avatar as it simulates avatar as it simulates happiness, pain and anger. happiness, pain and anger. (Which will they choose (Which will they choose most often?)most often?)

Inspired by Bruce Inspired by Bruce Charlesworth’s Love Charlesworth’s Love Disorder.Disorder.

Second Life Storyteller 1Second Life Storyteller 1 The storytelling tradition The storytelling tradition

is perhaps the earliest is perhaps the earliest and most enduring form and most enduring form of entertainment. The of entertainment. The Second Life Storyteller Second Life Storyteller presents a number of presents a number of ‘talking head’ video ‘talking head’ video pieces of storytellers pieces of storytellers projected onto wearable projected onto wearable masks which are user masks which are user changeable via a HUDchangeable via a HUD

Second Life Storyteller 2Second Life Storyteller 2 (work in progress)(work in progress)

As a central avatar tells As a central avatar tells the children’s story of the children’s story of the Billy Goats Gruff to the Billy Goats Gruff to the audience, the the audience, the physicality of the avatar physicality of the avatar changes in line with the changes in line with the story content to perform story content to perform the roles of the narrator, the roles of the narrator, the troll and the three the troll and the three goats. goats.

In development as a In development as a performance piece.performance piece.