“How big should the TRex head be, relative to the plants?  What kinds of plants should I use?  What textures?  Were they waxy?  Was it humid or dry?  Would there have been fog?”

The beauty of Second Life is that users create their own environments.  Sure, I can enter a simulation, experience the sounds, the sights, the ambiance, but I will never learn as much as the artist who created the simulation.  Like the difference between Minecraft and World of WarCraft, the first being user created, learners are more vested because they are both users and authors, designers. In this photo, my avatar, Roselle, is visiting a prehistoric simulation in progress at Dreams in Second Life.  Here, there is a builder’s contest; artists are immersing themselves in popular themes and famous art, and recreating them three dimensionally.  The area is filled with builders helping each other:  sharing tips, ideas, criticisms and friendships.  They are busy at work, preparing for the public vote on Sunday, March 13th.

This location is also host to a strong social group of individuals with autism, who also participate in the contests.  You can see me sitting on top of an unfinished Warhol peice,beneath it I found this open invitation.