Fancy having a Second Life in NUS?
14 03 2008Hoang Thi Minh Ngoc | hoang_thi_minh_ngoc@nus.edu.sg
the ridge news
A NUSSU Publication
12 Mar 2008
Story Highlights:
- NUS Second Life launched in both worlds — real and virtual
- Launch is spread over a three day period
- In Second Life, NUS identity is to be constructed
- NUS community to be built by student users over three phases
- Students get to experience virtual money management
“NUS Second Life”, the National University of Singapore’s virtual campus in 3-D cyberspace will be launched over three days on Mar. 12-14 outside the Central Library with a theme of “Discover Your Second Life”.
There would be two daily orientations at 11am and 3pm respectively at the Central Library Theatrette that aims to provide users the experience of the thrills and spills of your Second Life.
An equally exciting in-world road show awaits in Second Life itself.
On these three nights, you can join the Second Life campus with your newfound avatar and enjoy many interesting events.
According to John Yap, who is in charge of the project, there are three phases of completing NUS Second Life.
The first phase including University Hall and Hangout has been finished at the end of January.
Just like the real world, there are cafés, meeting rooms, exhibition areas and display boards in University Hall.
The Hangout provides students with gaming grounds, dormitories, cool pool and dance floor.
Phase two of NUS Second Life would be completing the Teaching and Learning Centre, Computer Centre, Students and Alumni Clubhouse.
After logging in, students can also use the Map and Search Menu to explore more the NUS Island as well as other territories.
In NUS Second Life, students can fly, meet and interact with other users. They can also experience and participate in either individual or group activities.
In the virtual world, students can spend money to buy islands.
Owning land in Second Life allows players to build, display, and store their virtual creations, as well as hold events and manage businesses.
Yap said that the objective of NUS Second Life is to make use of the virtual world as a platform for academic instruction and student activities.
The organizers hope that the formation of knowledge-based communities and services on NUS Second Life will help create a rich social web of knowledge interaction amongst users.
As the building and development of the landscape falls largely on its ‘residents’, NUS Second Life cultivates a “design by students for students” model.
The organizers also expect to gain students’ feedback for improving academic and campus life.
Dieu Chi, a first-year student in the Communications and New Media programme said, “I have tried flying and the experience is cool.”
“NUS Second Life is just at its first stage so there are not many students on board yet on NUS Island. However, I like to go to the International Orientation Island and get acquainted with the people there,” said Chi.
The future of NUS Second Life is to enhance the “NUS Spirit” and its “identity” among other universities that have also launched Second life, such as Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and Duke.
Students who are interested in this initiative can check it out at the website: NUS Second Life
[...] you know that NUS recently entered Second Life? Currently, there is an island called NUS island and some of the school’s buildings can be found there. CompCentre had been promoting [...]
I like NUS second life because our university is really big there with excellent facilities, modern rooms, great campus view. However, my avatar is not as pretty as I want to. I hope NUS students can spend more time to enjoy our second life! By the way, the information in this article is very relevant! =))