Avatar Training
Video – Basics for Using Second Life - http://mtsu32.mtsu.edu:11669/basics.htm
Creating a New Second Life Account
With the introduction of display names
http://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2010/11/17/viewer-23-launches-with-display-names
all new lastnames are resident.
Create an Account in a Safe Education Environment (Option 1)
1. (Best Option) Create an Account via the New Media Consortium Campus (NMC)
Creating your Second Life account through this portable will allow your students to get used to Second Life in a safe
education environment. (Note: You will still need to download the Second Life Viewer from www.secondlife.com)
Create an account and get acclimated to the new Second Life Viewer 2 environment -
http://sl.nmc.org/create.php?v=2 – (Best choice)
Create an account and get acclimated to Second Life via the old Viewer 1 environment
http://sl.nmc.org/create.php
2. Create an Account via Second Life (Open to the World)
1. Go to www.secondlife.com and create an account.
2. Download the Second Life viewer and go through Avatar Training.
3. Go back to the Second Life website and sign in. Click on the What Next? Heading.
4. Work through The Basics Categories; 1) How to customize your appearance? 2) How to meet people 3) How
to invite friends 4) How to find places to go? 5) How to get Linden dollars? 6) How to shop and use things? 7)
How to create a home? 8) How to get help?
5. Check out the remainder of the What Next Page.
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Orientation
Keyboard shortcuts (old viewer) - http://static-secondlife-
com.s3.amazonaws.com/downloads/Second_Life_Quickstart.pdf
Additional orientation is available on the MTSU Second Life Island in the Orientation Building.
Outline of the posters in the Orientation Building
1. Environmental light > World Menu > Sun > Choose a setting.
2. How to view yourself from the front.
Remember to go back to rear view to walk.
3. Moving Avatar with arrows (up, down, right, left + add shift with right or left arrow to move sideways)
4. Mouse Look: Zooming in on an object (read chart on far wall) (Alt + mouse scroll to zoom in and
out…or use arrow keys to move closer and farther away.)
5. Public Chat - type in field at lower left hand corner. Press enter to submit the text your typed.
6. Private Chat – Right click on person’s name.
7. Doors
1. left click to open
2. close door - left click open door to close
3. door doesn't open(see chat for locked)
4. phantom doors – walk through these doors
5. permanently open
8. MTSU island etiquette
1. Dress appropriately
2. G-rated animations
3. Do not disturb classes
4. Use private chat during class unless answering an instructor’s question.
5. If you wouldn’t do it in the University Center on campus, don’t do it here!
9. Teleporting
1. Teleporters have many forms. You can identify a teleporter when you move your cursor over the
object. The cursor will become a chair.
2. Click on the teleporter to teleport.
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10. Flying
1. Press Pgup key for a few seconds to begin.
2. Press the Pgdn key until your reach the ground to stop flying.
3. Use arrow keys to move.
11. Sitting
1. Right click and choose to “sit here” to sit on the object.
2. Use arrows to look around while sitting
3. Use the alt+mouse scroll ball or arrow keys to look at something closely.
12. Animations
1. Touching certain objects will animate your avatar. Usually there will be directions nearby, but
not always.
2. MTSU Student Lounge – zoom in on games to use them. You might want to set your view to
look at the game from up above it and then zoom in.
13. Gestures
1.
Adding things to Your Inventory
14. Putting things in your inventory (MTSU Landmarks and MTSU stuff)
1. Right click and choose to buy
2. Locate the menu at the right of the Second Life viewer screen it has icons on it (globe, people,
suitcase, etc. )
3. Click the suitcase and the menu will open.
4. Click the recent objects tab and then open the objects folder.
5. An orange cube with the name of the item you bought will appear in the folder.
6. Drag the cube (MTSU landmarks or MTSU Stuff) to the ground.
7. Right click and open the cube. A dialog window will appear.
8. Click the button that copies the items to your inventory. You will see the new items appear in a
folder in the recent tab.
9. Delete the cube/box that you dragged to the ground. (Always clean up after yourself).
Right click the object, choose Remove from the menu and then Delete.
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Finding others when you arrive at your destination
Choose World and then Mini Map to find other and move toward them. A triangle of light will emanate from your
avatar’s location. Use your arrow keys to turn you avatar in the direction of other avatars you want to meet with.
Introduction to Second Life Skills
Communicate
There are three modes of communication in Second Life, instant messaging (IM), chat, and voice. When you
want to chat with others, you type text into the text box at the bottom of the screen. Chat messages can be read
by all of the avatars
Viewing Objects
Alt + Left click and then use arrows (or mouse) to zoom in and out on an object
Alt + ctrl + left click and then use mouse trackball to zoom in and out and the mouse to tilt the angle.
Learning to Use the Second Life Viewer 2
http://secondlife.com/support/quickstart/basic/Interface_overview
Introduction to the Second Life Island
MTSU Stuff
You will find cubes situated around the island that contain MTSU items. Xxxxx t-shirt,
Inventory
Note: In Viewer 2 you can do Ctrl-Shift-i to open an inventory window at any time. Also, once in the inventory
window you can do File - New Window to open as many inventory windows as you like.
Buildings
KOM replica
Orientation Center
Amphitheatre
Classrooms
Classroom #1: Near the beach
Media board: change the URL that it accesses by just typing in a new URL in the address bar. To make
the board display the original home page click the home button on the address bar.
13 mushroom chairs.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MTSU%20Island/56/57/26
Classroom #2: Amphitheatre
60 seats
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The Zebra presenter is used to display your presentation on the screen.
Classroom #3: Located on the roof of the KOM replica.
Media board: pop ups when touched. To touch the board right click on it and choose “touch” from the
menu that displays.
24 camp chairs: to sit on the chairs right click on the chair and choose to “sit”.
An extra row can be added by editing a row. Hold shift key down and drag a copy off from another set.
The area should be able to fit 36 seats if needed.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MTSU%20Island/120/87/41
Student Lounges
Student Lounge #1: Game room: Located in the2nd floor of the orientation center.
The game room is located on the second floor of the MTSU island orientation building. Games located in this
room allow you to practice skills you learned on the SL orientation island or in the MTSU island orientation
building. You may play any of three games Mahjong, chess, or tic-tac-toe or just sit and chat with other avatars.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MTSU%20Island/210/114/33
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To Edit Your Avatar’s Shape (Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose Mouth, Chin, Torso, or Legs)
1. Right click on your avatar and choose Edit 2. You’re my Appearance window will display.
My Shape from the menu. You can choose the body part you which to
change and move the sliders until you find the
look you want.
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To Change your Avatar’s Outfit
1. Right click on your avatar and choose Change 2. The outfits that are currently in your inventory
Outfit from the menu that displays. will display.
3. Save your current outfit if before your start 4. Right click your avatar and choose to “Take Off
changing clothing so that you can easily get back > Clothes> and the specific item you wish to
to your original look. remove.
5. Locate an item in your inventory that you wish
to wear, right click on it, and choose to wear it.
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