This morning I happened across an interesting though not unexpected bit of advertising (Link): a poster showing a Second Life avatar decked out in virtual clothing (the boots being the advertised item) but formatted as a comic book page.

What’s interesting to me isn’t this particular mash up; there are more interesting things to come which I believe will really catch everyone’s attention. It wasn’t the use of videogame characters in comics; videogame screencaps converted to comic book pages has been around for a while. It didn’t even strike me as new that a real person could – as suggested by these images – create a “fictional” avatar/character, use that character in a different media format, fund that effort through embedded advertising (of virtual goods, no less) and eventually ship tangible goods. It doesn’t stop there. Continue reading →

Rather than repeat previous observations (like this one – reLink), I’ll let this forum posting over on Map-Center (Link) – a once-thriving level development forum – speak for me:

I was looking at the list of maps on lvlworld waiting to be reviewed I couldnt help wondering what on earth is happening to the mapping scene. The maps there are in the main so poor that I couldnt be bothered to write reviews. Newbs need a chance to learn….no problem with that, I can remember being there. Obvious mistakes, mising textures etc. The difference these days is that there seems to be no experienced mapper producing anything.

What on earth is going on!
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As someone who grew up reading classic science fiction and mythology, this vinyl effort by Doktor A is especially fun. And with all the serious posts here lately, it’s also welcome relief.

via Plastic and Plush

{Image source: Plastic and Plush}

A week or so back I read a post over on the Cybergate9 blog (Link) and was tempted to jump in with a comment. But I was busy. Soon after I happened across a post on 3pointD (Link) and got off a short comment, but didn’t have time to follow it up because it was really the same thing as the other comment, which was actually an extension of a comment I’d previously made on Cybergate9 (Link) and have also brought up somewhere on here before (probably around the time of the Multiverse announcement). Confused yet?

Well, here’s the thought I’ve been recently incubating: Linden Lab is already planning another virtual platform {or rather an upgrade version of their current platform}. Here’s why I’m thinking this:
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Here’s one of those things I’ve always wanted to try: a video camera-equipped RC model airplane. But this goes one better by using VR goggles and a gyroscopically-mounted lens that moves in sync to the goggles. Sweet. Imagine this with a HUD that included Google Earth information overlaid on top of landmarks (real or imagined).

Now it just needs some water balloons…

via Gizmodo