Project Description:
A collaborative proposal for The Tech by Artists Pete Wardle (Guido Vandyke) and Alan Hook (Alan Regent) “Connecting Point” is a first life/second life live camera feed system that links a first life physical space to a Second Life location through two screens, one in second life and one in first life. The live camera feeds are set up to link the participants to complete goals and play games in and across the two areas. Tasks and games will be set up on both sides of the interface so that the visitors to the exhibit must work together across the two spaces to complete shared goals or compete in game senarios. The screens work as a static meeting point in the two worlds so that the participants can relay the answers and information to one another and participate in real time. The screens are a conduit between the real and virtual environments and the project will demonstrate how technology can bridge the gap between the real and virtual worlds for the purpose of entertainment by using both performance and filmic techniques. In doing so it will demonstrate the core principle of video streaming and elevate simple childrens games to create a dynamic exhibit. First Life Screen – Within a first life exhibition area (A) a screen is wall mounted and shows the “mouse look” of a fixed (alt) avatar or the artists that is always logged on (working as a camera in this situation) to view the corresponding second life area. There is no keyboard or mice attached to the interface so that the first life participant can not change the camera angle or activate any of the controls. The voice channel is locked open and there are speakers and a microphone attached to the screen to create an open communication between the two spaces. There is a web camera fixed to the interface that creates a live feed to the Second Life screen. The screen is ideally a large back projection screen that is floor to ceiling to greater enhance the experience of the link between the two spaces. Second Life Screen – Situated within a corresponding second life location there is a live camera feed from the web camera in the first life space. The interface, in terms of layout and design should mirror the first life screen to insure a visual continuity between the two spaces. (In case of streaming lag, when the performance element of the exhibit is taking place the artist/s controlling the avatar/s will have a second screen showing the direct webcast of the First Life participants, i.e. not streamed through SL.) Tasks - Next to the screen in the second life exhibit are a series of buttons with attached note cards which contain suggested tasks to complete, some in first life and some in Second Life. In the First Life exhibition space there are corresponding tasks to complete and games to play. Within the first life exhibition space (B) there is also a computer to log into second life and access the screen so that visitors to the museum can experience either sides of the exhibit and groups of visitors could split into two teams and work together and compete through the interface. However some consideration has to be given to the age of participants and care will need to be taken to ensure young people are not at risk of interfacing with unknown adults in Second Life. To facilitate this an invisible room in Second Life will link to an accompanying room in First Life with a station allowing Tech Staff, parents, teachers, etc, to control the avatar. Preliminary ideas of tasks * Simon Says * Head Shoulders Knees and Toes * Hang Man * Charades * Pictionary (but through building on the SL interface) * Noughts and crosses * Mime competitions * Follow the leader (can you do as I do) * Second Life vs. First Life races to build a simple object from blocks provided - Free Animation Hubs will be developed with gestures for the Second Life participating Avatars to enable inexperienced SL users to interact at a higher level. An interesting aspect of this project will be to contrast the capabilities of the physical body with that of the avatar. As this idea has developed, particularly in respect of access concerns to the age range involved, it has become evident that much of the installation may rely upon performance to get avatars to interact with groups at particular times. Between these times the screen would show a movie of the two artists avatars setting up the space, creating building blocks, etc, and talking to anyone watching telling them to look out for a card with performance times or contact a Tech member for school/family access. The movie would also feature the two artists themselves interacting with their own avatars using chroma screen techniques which would serve to demonstrate a core principle of 'what is chroma screening.'

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