Working Relationships Training Town

I am constantly amazed by what is being done in Second Life. Working Relationships Training Town has developed a world where one can truly get lost in. They have an "Elven Lift" that can take you to different destinations, a Helicopter Tour, a Baseball Stadium, even an underwater Aquarium where you can literally walk with the fish!

Check it out for yourself, a picture is definitely worth a thousand words...

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Second Life

Today's weekly Gronstedt Group meeting was a tour of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It was quite an amazing experience! It is definitely an example of how powerful a 3D immersive environment could be. Every aspect of the virtual world is completely thought out and reflective. The ceilings, shadowing and testimonials provide a chilling experience. The attention to every detail is astonishing! What is even more impressive is the project was a collaboration between the Museum and Washington DC schools. The brainstorming and designing was about 6 weeks and the actual building in Second Life took about 3 months.

The Second Life experience focuses on a single event – Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass). Here, you will take the role of a journalist, recalling the testimony of eyewitnesses as you investigate what happened during the November 1938 pogroms.

The experience walking into the Museum in Second Life was similar to the audio guided tour at Alcatraz. Listening to the testimonials from survivors while walking around the buildings were so vivid, it literally teleports visitors into their shoes. You can hide in a tiny attic similar to Anne Frank, walk through a looted synagogue or sit in a classroom the day after the raid.

You can follow them on twitter or Facebook. Feel free to contact them for more information or a guided tour. If you want an unofficial tour, I can be of service also...

Virtual Edge Summit 2010 - Feb 22-23

The Virtual Edge Summit opened my eyes to a whole new world out there! I've been in Second Life for a while now, though still not an expert by any means. The learning curve and barrier to entry is real for 3D immersive environments. But there is another side out there with 2D -- virtual and engaging, all the benefits of 3D minus the clumsy movement.

Virtual Events and Meetings are a growing industry still in its infancy. With the current economic climate, large and small companies alike are looking to save costs For people who are skeptical or hesitant to make the leap directly into 3D, 2D allows people to test out the water without making the investment. Just as 2D is a platform into 3D, many are using hybrid meetings versus exclusively all virtual or all in-person events.

Virtual and hybrid meetings allow participants to attend without investing the time and costs traveling requires. Savings on travel and hotel are obvious ROI, but lost personal time with family, friends and productivity recuperating from business travel is just as important, if not more. Virtual and hybrid meetings will never replace in-person meetings completely, there will always be a need for them. However, alternatives and out-of-the box solutions should always be welcomed and explored. There are many 2D and 3D solutions already, challenge yourself and the status quo.

Check out the on demand sessions http://www.stream57.com/vesummit2010/