A real service for a virtual world... (project summary)

Do avatars dream? This project stems from research into 3D online game worlds and their communities. Most of my research has focused on the virtual online world of Second Life. I became interested in the blurring of boundaries between the player's real and virtual life experiences. The research was later extended to include the "dream life" of Second Life residents.

My project is a dream recording and sharing service for Second Life avatars. The service can only be accessed by avatars (via dream recorders I designed) from within the Second Life world. Although my work exists is an entirely virtual and intangible space, the service itself (running live within Second Life) is real. Real people control the avatars that populate this virtual space, and hence the dreams that my service receives are the dreams of real people from all over the globe.

See the posts below, which outline the progression of my project...

"Dreamcatcher" at the RCA show

My Dreamcatcher project was exhibited at the RCA graduate show.

My presentation consisted of a diagram illustrating how my dream service operates and integrates with the Second Life world. Arranged around this diagram were the dreams and 'dream discussions' that my service had recorded, printed out on Post-It notes. I also produced a small booklet, an "Avatar's User Manual", which explained how an avatar would use their personal dream recorder from within the Second Life world.
(Diagram and User Manual graphics produced by Sohui Won )

My project was covered by We-Make-Money-Not-Art, read the article here.

(see previous posts for more info on Dreamcatcher)

"Dreamcatcher" - a service for 'Second Life' avatars

I am currently trying to develop an in-world Dream Archiving & Sharing Service. I have built a prototype in-world Dream Recorder (see pic) which connects to my service. My service relays dream recordings to and from an SQL database, which functions as a Second Life dream repository.

The Dream Recorder/Service currently offers the following functions:

• Record a dream
• Retrieve a previously recorded dream
• Share your dreams - Your dreams can be sent to another user's device
  anonymously. The user will then have the option of sending a response
  to your dream.

I have been running the service "in-world" with some Second Life residents, as a first iteration of my design. I have given each participating avatar their own personal Dream Recorder. The avatar can then use their Dream Recorder to connect to my service.

Do Avatars Dream? - A Short Questionnaire

You can either post your replies directly here, or to this forum post. I am particularly interested in images.
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Your Second Life character name is:

Where are you logging in from? (country/state/city)

1) How do you generally experience dreams? (e.g. as emotion, a series of events, visually…)
2) Has Second Life ever invaded your dreams? (if so, tell me about it)
3) Mark where you would place your “self” within this triangle

4) Do you ever have Recurring Dreams? (If so, describe one. Draw me a quick sketch which reflects/symbolises this dream)
5) Do you ever have Nightmares? (If so, describe one. Draw me a quick sketch which reflects/symbolises this dream)
6) Do you ever have Lucid Dreams? (If so, describe one. Draw me a quick sketch which reflects/symbolises this dream)
7) Describe Second Life as if it was a dream that you had just woken up from.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!

Second Life Research

Can any of you kind people in SL possibly help me with the below request please?!

I have been set a design project at college in which we have to research a specific community/group. I have decided to look at MMORPG communities, focusing on Second Life. If anyone would be prepared to answer the following questions, I would be very grateful! . You don’t necessarily have to answer every question; any feedback will be of help. I am particularly interested in images.

You can either post directly here, or to this forum post.
---------------------------------
Your Second Life character name is:

Where are you logging in from? (country/state/city)

1) What kind of a place is Second Life
2) What kind of place would you like it to be?
3) Where do you feel most at home? (could be either a real life or Second Life location)
4) Which object would you most like to take from Second Life into your real life (send me a screen grab of the object if possible)?
5) Conversely, which object would you most like to take from real life into Second Life?
6) Name someone important to you (either real life or Second Life)
7) Send me a photo of an object on or near your computer terminal.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!