Second Life

We caught up with Johnny Ming, one of our Second Life designers from the Electric Sheep Company. Here are some photos and a brief description of the design process of the Sundance Channel island.



Building in Second Life is somewhat analogous to the real world, except for the fact that designers are not constrained by the laws of physics, safety, weather, etc. However, we follow a similar path, compromising between form and function to create a compelling but usable space.

In our case, we start with our design direction, create a blueprint, and then build some scale models. Color and texture choices for every surface are made by testing combinations on the scale models.

To prepare the island for breaking ground, we mold the land in a process called terra-forming. We use elevation and texture tools to create land forms such as hills, valleys, and bodies of water. As you can see in the pics (attached), we are creating a mountainous environment on the island.

Once the land is prepped, we begin testing placement of the structures and build and apply colors, textures, and lighting. Lastly, fixtures of the screening room such as video screens and seats will be installed and tested.

- Johnny