iDMAa 2009

[ Concurrent Session :: Design at the Edge :: Panel B ]

Collaboration and Design in Virtual Worlds

Anachronistic Juxtaposition

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~ The Las Americas Virtual Design Studio Populates in Second Life ~

Guillermo Vasquez de Velasco, Antonieta Angulo, and John Fillwalk :: Ball State University

Antonieta Angulo describes the Las Americas Virtual Design Studio, from conception through implementation. One of the key components was the work of students from ARCH 501 :: Graduate Design Studio at Ball State University. Graduate students were designers for the project, while the IDIAA Immersion Seminar in Virtual Worlds at BSU, a course of undergraduate students, built the environment and carried out the design initiatives.

Angulo notes that “virtual worlds provide a platform in which we construct very compelling experiences,” and she argues that such worlds engage a community of learners by virtue of multiple tools for the exchange of ideas. Innovation through student immersion results in a memorable experience for students that leads to tangible and measurable learning outcomes.

~ Project Lifewerx ~

Dolores Zage, Wayne Zage, Ben Johnston :: Ball State University

Lifewerx is an “immersive virtual collaborative environment” :: Johnston discusses the client-side demands of virtual worlds development as well as the server-side demands of running Lifewerx.

One of the keys is that they can place this environment completely behind a corporate firewall, similar to the recently announced SL Enterprise, but at a drastically reduced cost. Really interesting software and security improvements in the most recent version of Lifewerx which allowed them to focus on their “killer app,” which was desktop sharing. There’s a challenge in integrating the desktop sharing app with the virtual world. Now the desktop appears in the world, just like a firefox or OO window. Fantastic recursion! Desktop in desktop in desktop. Floating desktops living inside the virtual world…

~ Interactive Archaeology ~

Michele A. Chiuni :: Ball State University

Chiuni discusses “Santa Maria Antiqua,” and argues that in archaeology, you often see things you don’t understand, hence the need to attempt to see differently–to shift the field and/or phenomenological perspective. The goal for the virtual world that Chiuni describes is giving visitors to a place like the Roman Forum something more interactive, something besides the standard visual tools (signage, etc). With the application Chiuni has developed, one can actually view a virtual model of historical excavation of the site, for example. Fly-through visualization gives one a sense of the original configuration of the site, the early excavation of the site, etc. One can move between 3 different stages of existence at the site, adding to one’s concomitant material experience.

It’s important to connect documentation to the visualizations, indicating–through the same interface–how credible documentation (photographic :: discursive :: survey drawings, etc) supports the claims made by the visual presentation. The entire site is surveyed with a laser scanner, and there are hopes for incorporating wearable computing devices eventually for folks navigating the material environment.

~ Why Art in Virtual Worlds? e-Happenings, Relational Milieux and “Second Sculpture” ~

Patrick Lichty :: Columbia College, Chicago

Patrick Lichty @ iDMAa 2009

Lichty discussed the semiotic qualities of contemporary art in Second Life. He described several compelling examples of digital art in SL, discussing the ways in which art meets and/or confronts the subject in virtual worlds. He discussed a transgressive approach (for example, one becomes trapped in a tornado if one uses the phrase “new media” :: release is predicated upon an apology). These projects are from Gazira Babeli, who suggests that “body of code is body of work”

Lichty discussed the work of Cao Fei, another artist trying to engage both the high art community and the virtual worlds community. Lichty moved on to discuss the idea of the “the Happening” as manifest through “Second Front” on SL.

He argues for “Affect and Engagement” :: “In the end, arguments can be made for formalism, avant-ism, etc.” :: “What is important is that there are elements of affect and social engagement that translate between worlds, genres” :: “social media demands social art”