Celebrating Second Life's 20th Birthday.
We’re celebrating Second Life's 20th Birthday (also known as #SL20B) by taking part in their grand Exhibitor Showcase. It's an honor to be part of this milestone event and to join a multitude of residents and communities in showcasing our shared passion for Second Life’s innovative two-decade history. In this post, we will not only delve into the details of our own exhibit but also highlight some of the others we have visited and enjoyed so far during SL20B.
The SL20B celebrations commenced on June 22nd 2023 and will continue until July 11th, providing over two and half weeks of exhibitions, live music, DJ sets, and much more. This year's theme is "Our Fantastic Future” and it encapsulates the essence of eco-futurism, sustainability, and the next generation of the metaverse.
Members of the UniVirtual team gathered on SL20B’s opening day to explore the regions.
We invite you to visit our exhibit in the Spectacular Region (here’s a direct link), "Building Dreams, Changing Realities", which shares 20 years of Second Life's influence on Education and Business.
We have built an interactive trail that takes you through UniVirtual’s journey. As you explore, you’ll encounter projects we have developed on the Second Life platform, have the chance to try out some of our educational and business activities, and discover unique facts about Second Life history.
A sign from the first stop of our exhibit, explaining the sustainable benefits of virtual worlds.
What you might uncover as you follow the UniVirtual trail:
Who hosted one of the earliest conferences in the virtual world?
What are the benefits of training in Second Life?
How did Bailey the virtual dog help veterinarians practice their skills?
What animation techniques have been used throughout Second Life history?
What was the first two-year degree completed entirely in Second Life?
What are some examples of virtual safe spaces?
How did the pandemic affect the world of virtual conferences and meetings?
What’s next for UniVirtual?
Ben, UniVirtual’s CEO, makes the final checks on our DNA activity before SL20B’s opening night.
When you enter our exhibit, you’ll be invited to follow a serene, magical pathway leading you from Univirtual’s earliest Second Life projects to what’s on the horizon for us. We recommend attaching the UniVirtual HUD so you can more easily read the signs that guide you through each area and activity. There will be instructions on how to do so when you arrive.
In most areas, there are UniVirtual activities and features you can try out, such as getting a comprehensive presenter view of a virtual conference, completing chemistry and biology experiments, trying your hand at virtual DJ-ing, or simply relaxing in our social space and grabbing a snack to take with you on the rest of your SL20B journey.
Bailey the virtual dog can’t wait to meet you.
Anyone who visits our exhibit will receive a free gift. There’s also a chance to pet Bailey, the virtual dog who has helped veterinarians continue their education and who has a special place in our team’s hearts – how could you resist!
As avid explorers of SL20B, we couldn't resist the allure of the 300+ exhibits that have made this celebration so special. Here are some exhibits that have left a lasting impression on us so far.
#1 AADORF Hydroponic Laboratory.
Visit here in the Glamorous Region.
Carolyn, our Marketing Coordinator, is intrigued by the plant species in one of AADORF’s biodomes.
AADORF Hydroponic Laboratory, created by Alecio Mavendorf and August West, is set within a futuristic, apocalyptic ice age that has occurred in the year 2525. As glaciers move closer to earth's equator, AADORF’s lab hopes to develop a new universe where plant life thrives and produces heat to warm our atmosphere.
We love this concept, and our team found the science fiction style and setting fascinating. It reminded us of our Mars habitat, where every object you encounter must reflect the unique theme or appear out of place. The attention to detail in AADORF’s lab, from the overgrown floors to the choice of lighting, made for a truly immersive experience. There’s a wide variety of futuristic trees, grasses, and vegetation to discover in their biodomes as you explore. The narrative really made us want to save this virtual world too!
#2 Nonprofit Commons Oasis.
Visit here in the Beguile Region.
The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life, now in its 16th year, has consistently served as a hub for nonprofit advocates and educators. Their mission is to connect communities for social good through education, networking, and collaboration. Being part of the Nonprofit Commons community means nonprofits, educators, humanitarians, scientists, and artists can learn about virtual worlds together and discover ways to utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions.
It was thanks to SL20B that we discovered the Nonprofit Commons. Their beautiful exhibit is a lush, climbable oasis that leads visitors to a relaxing pool to sit around and share with your peers. The word prompts scattered around the seating area were a great reminder of just how effective Second Life can be for online collaboration and all the benefits it can offer. This exhibit is definitely worth a look!
#3 Everwinter: Storytelling Through AI in the Metaverse.
Visit here in the Glamorous Region.
Carolyn soaks up Glowhaven’s cyberpunk atmosphere.
This exhibit, set in a cyberpunk future, demonstrates the power of generative AI in storytelling.
From the Everwinter website: “The year is 2053. The world has long been cloaked in the shroud of 'Everwinter', a lingering nuclear twilight born from a cataclysmic event that scarred the face of the planet. The once radiant sun barely musters a spectral light, dimmed by the veil of fallout that pervades the atmosphere. Yet, amidst this somber tapestry of twilight and shadows, a city continues to thrive – Glowhaven.”
From the moment we arrived, on-screen text prompts helped guide us through the lore of Glowhaven, teaching us how to interact with its non-player characters and discover everything its cyberpunk-inspired streets had to offer. Our whole team was captivated! We were surprised and impressed with how effortlessly the generative AI interweaved with Glowhaven’s world and how fun it was to interact with its NPCs. You won’t want to leave any corner unexplored!
#4 VWEC Fantasy Future for Education in Second Life.
Visit here in the Beguile Region.
The Virtual World Education Consortium (VWEC) aims to bring educators together across virtual platforms to enhance innovative education. Their exhibit showcases the bright future of education and highlights the pivotal role Second Life plays in this endeavour.
It was exciting to discover the VWEC Eduverse exhibit through SL20B and learn how they are looking toward the future of education in Second Life. Their exhibit took the form of giant books and digital devices interspersed within a natural setting, which we thought was an interesting way to display their wide variety of information to visitors. We learned about their projects and events and the part we can all play in offering students an innovative virtual education. We can’t wait to get involved!
Learn more about VWEC at their website: https://www.vweconsortium.org
#5 Doodletown.
Visit here at the Fabulous Region.
Adam, our Creative Team Lead, Ben, and Carolyn explore the inventive environment at Doodletown.
We were immediately drawn to the innovative world of Doodletown, a custom-built venue from the team at Drama Libre. Drama Libre is a Second Life club made entirely of volunteers that creates weekly builds on different themes. They have been active in Second Life since 2006, and Doodletown was their 679th venue! Their venues also provide music by talented Second Life DJs.
The style of Doodletown felt so unique and the methods the team at Drama Libre have employed to make the space feel both 2D and 3D fascinated us. What a great idea! Don’t miss the posters at the entrance to Doodletown – they show examples of other venues the club has created over the years. (We would happily visit them all if they’re as absorbing and fun as Doodletown!)
These are just a few examples of the exhibits that await you at SL20B. Remember to explore the SL20B category on the Second Life Destination Guide to discover the full range of exhibits available. Additionally, the SL20B Official Guide Magazine provides detailed information about the exhibitor regions.
We would like to take this occasion to thank Second Life for including UniVirtual in their celebrations and all who visit our exhibit over the coming days. Happy Birthday, Second Life!