Vue Regional Planning Authority (VRPA)
Meeting 4 - 25-Sep-2007
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Attendees:
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Aghlab Al-Attili (Edinburgh Stanford Link & Entrepreneurship MSc)
Sian Bayne (E-Learning, Higher & Community Education)
Mike Clouser (Edinburgh Stanford Link & Entrepreneurship MSc)
Ian Graham (Management School)
Fiona Littleton (E-Learning, Higher & Community Education)
Naomi Nunn (Development & Alumni)
Jessie Paterson (Divinity)
David Richardson (Informatics)
James Stewart (Research Centre for Social Sciences)
Austin Tate (Informatics & AIAI)
Apologies:
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Hamish Macleod (Centre for Teaching, Learning & Assessment, Education)
Morag Watson (Information Services)
Minutes of meeting on 6-Jul-2007
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Available at http://vue.ed.ac.uk/sl/vrpa/vrpa-meeting-2007-07-06-minutes.txt
Approved.
New member of VRPA
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Jessie Paterson, to represent Divinity interests, was welcomed as a
new member of the VRPA.
Current Status
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The current regional plan as adopted at the meeting on 6-Jul-2007 is
available at:
http://vue.ed.ac.uk/sl/plan/vue-2007-07-06-region-plan.jpg
The renaming of Vue East to Edinburgh University was done.
All islands in this plan have now been ordered and delivered. Each has
funding commitments for 3 years, i.e. to April 2010 through September
2010.
Shared University islands have been provided by a number of funders:
Vue was paid for by Information Services
Edinburgh University by Development & Alumni
Edinburgh Uplands and four open space regions (Vue North, Vue South,
Edinburgh North and Edinburgh East) by Informatics
In addition for their own School uses:
School of Management has funded Vue NW (B2)
Informatics has funded Informatics (D4)
Plans for Edinburgh University and Edinburgh Uplands
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A paper outlining the development for Edinburgh University and
Edinburgh Uplands regions was presented by Naomi Nunn:
http://vue.ed.ac.uk/sl/vrpa/Edinburgh-University-on-Second-Life-Brief-2007-09-20.pdf
The concept of the 45 degree angle "High Street" and buildings
suggestive of Edinburgh and University landmarks, while still being of
practical use in Second Life was welcomed. A version of the design
sketch at a higher resolution is at:
http://vue.ed.ac.uk/sl/plan/vue-high-street-sketch-a-2007-09-16.jpg
The next step is for Naomi Nunn to provide the brief to a range of
possible developers to get quotes, and thus to seek the project
finance. The brief will go to:
a) Edinburgh architects involved with the University, possibly the
Informatics Forum designers.
b) Semi-professional in-world Second life designers or builders.
c) Departments or Schools who might have students who could be
interested in getting involved.
Plans for Contextual Theology Island
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Marcella Althaus-Reid had ascked to place an island for the
University's Centre for Contextual Theology close to Vue, and a
preference had been expressed for it to go close to areas already in
use by the School of Education. Square B4 was approved for use, and the
adjacent region owners (Fiona Littleton and Austin Tate) will arrange
for the Linden Lab support tickets to be raised to approve this on
behalf of the VRPA when asked to do so.
The VRPA agreed that there was no reason to limit to name of square B4
to "Vue SW". The Centre for Contextual Theology should suggest the
name they wish to use to the VRPA for comment prior to island order.
Austin Tate noted that depending on the space required for this
project, there was plenty of space currently on Edinburgh University
island for experimenation and initial setup if that was helpful.
Marcella Althaus-Reid was asked to confirm that the commitment will be
for 3 years in the initial instance for maintaining the island, and
that if the island is not then requied it will be offered to Vue
members at no capital cost if they can take over the maintenance.
Terraforming, height and plant type controls
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As suggested and prototyped by Ian Graham, a standard set of terrain
textures has been adopted for use across Vue micro-continent. This
gives a greener middle level and avoids the mottled scorched earth
look of the default textures. The scheme also allows for variation of
heights in a consistent way across regions to allow for beach effects
or not. The highest level one can be change without impact on
neighbouring regions, or discontinuities of colour on region
boundaries.
Terrain Textures -> Beach Sand
Terrain Textures -> Default Set -> Default Set Grass
Terrain Textures -> NW Coastal -> NW Coastal Grass Clumpy
Terrain Textures -> Default Set -> Default Set -> Default Mountain Rock
The highest level should be able to be set to anything for each island.
All are 512x512 textures.
The default heights are low 8, high 40, but they can be varied so long
as all the meeting corners are set to be the same.
Names of Regions close to Vue and Edinburgh University
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Currently only the following square has predetermined naming:
B3 to be Vue West
Other region names should be discussed with the VRPA before being used.
Vue Sandbox
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It was agreed to create a Sandbox area in the SE corner of Edinburgh East.
Next Steps
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Terraform Edinburgh East Sandbox island - Ian Graham
Terraform Edinburgh Uplands when available - Austin Tate and Ian Graham
Improve planting and garden areas. Initially in Vue Pond area on
Vue/Edinburgh University boundary - Fiona Littleton
Vue region map, reference grid overlay and label text layer to be
created in Photoshop - David Richardson
Initial High Street buildings to be created by VRPA members or their students:
Old College (50mx50m) and adjacent U-shaped annex (50mx30m) -
James Stewart and Ian Graham
Potential home to galleries, collections, library, Vue Store (see below)
McEwan Hall (30mx30m round) - David Richardson
Great Hall @ Castle Rock - Ian Graham
Textures - George Square Cobbles already provided by James
Stewart. Others requested include Castle/Calton Tower style rough
stone with small square windows, and Georgian style wall and windows
as in Old College - James Stewart
Vue Store - Create a space where Vue resources and freebies can be
made available to builders and the public - David Richardson.
Arrange meeting of whole Vue mailing list interest group - proposed
for early December - Sian Bayne and Fiona Littleton.
Arrange a photo shoot of Vue related avatars on Vue to get publicity
shots - James Stewart.
Date of Next Meeting
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To be arranged by e-mail in late November or early December.