Wednesday, December 5, 2007

More Living Creatures from Myth






The holiday season now has been inextricably bound to the magic of Narnia for many children and adults alike. The faun in particular is a popular character in Narnian lore. In Second Life, artists have created faun outfits that allow a human avatar to take on the attributes of a faun.

Darks Adria was kind enough to send me some photographs of her avatar as a faun. The other faun is one of my own avatars posed in a magical place in Botanical at Straylight, a perfectly wonderful nature preserve in Second Life.

For those who may believe Second Life to be no different from any other video game, I am attempting to show how it can be a conduit for ANY kind of human experience. There is no plot in Second Life apart from the plot that the participants create. Most of the incredible landscapes created by artists through the years are open to the public and thus can be experienced freely. If it is possible to take on the attributes of a faun, the potential is limited only by human ingenuity and creative powers.

In Second Life, one must create a plot for oneself. It is the ultimate form of interactive art, but if the mind of the player cannot draw upon a rich tapestry of literature, history and myth, the experience may be limited. Video games in general provide a player with a plot and a number of quests. In Second Life, the player must bring his/her own memories and quests with him/her. Perhaps the fact that classic education no longer is mandatory is why so few players comprehend the limitless potential of the universe unveiled in Second Life. It is not sufficient to spend time in Second Life... One must continue the exploration on every level by continuing to read and immerse oneself in literature and history in this world in order to bring new visions and depth to Second Life.

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