New Collaborations Initiative

February 23, 2010 - February 25, 2010
in the virtual world of Second Life® - and sponsored by Linden Lab®

The premier conference for Second Life content creators

The NMC has been contracted to provide logistical support for SL Pro!, an exciting new conference sponsored by Linden Lab^®, that will bring together serious content creators to expand their professional capabilities via two days of high-level seminars, creativity, and critique within the virtual world of Second Life^®. This site provides proposal submission and registration services. For the most up-to-date and official conference news, see the Second Life blogs.

SL Pro! will provide a forum to join in conversations with Lindens like T and Babbage, artists such as AM Radio and Stella Costello, innovative builder/scripters such as CJ Carnot, full service developers like Kim Anubis and the NMC, business innovators like Jonty Glaser of Stiletto Moody, talented scripters like Vex Streeter and Seifert Surface, and many other well-known professionals as they share hard-won secrets and tips.

You won't want to miss this opportunity for a firsthand look at what makes these pros as good as they are, not only as content creators but as successful business owners. Expert content creators will take you along as they explore the ins and outs of making everything from landscapes and buildings to engaging interactivity, immersive environments, social settings, and all that goes with that -- virtual fashion, architecture, landscaping, art, and design. As part of this journey, learn business practices of the pros. In and around the exciting and informative conference sessions, you and your fellow participants will be encouraged to take part in a series of Content Creation Challenges where you can win cash prizes and have seasoned pros comment and give feedback on your technique. Have a special build that you're proud of? Consider hosting a Project Tour, and strut your stuff for other attendees.

Conference Speakers

The SL Pro! conference will include keynote presenters T Linden speaking on the Linden Lab roadmap and Jonty Glaser of Stiletto Moody sharing experiences from being one of the biggest sellers of fashion items in Second Life.

Other confirmed speakers include AM Radio, Babbage Linden, Catherine Omega, CJ Carnot, Kim Anubis, Pink Linden, Seifert Surface, Stella Costello, and You... if you submit a proposal for SL Pro!

 

Conference Themes

The conference will focus on the twin themes of building and scripting, the two core skillsets that all successful virtual world enterprises have. In the hands of the top developers, these skills are both critical to successfully designing engaging and interactive content. Speakers have been selected based on their expertise not only in one or both of these skills, but also for their business acumen. Each theme will be thoroughly explored in a series of eight engaging sessions -- 16 in all -- and participants will also have the chance for hands-on mentoring in the sandboxes that are part of conference venue.

• Content Creation, in virtual world terms, is the act of creating virtual objects of any scale, from the smallest piece of jewelry to the largest architectural complex. Anyone familiar with Second Life knows that pro builders use the same tools embedded in the Second Life client that residents use to create -- or "rez" -- simple geometric or organic forms, connecting them in myriad ways to form more complex structures. In this track, learn how the pros do this hyper-efficiently, along with tips on visual trickery, use of textures, organizing large jobs, using external tools, along with special tips about animations, gestures, media, architecture, clothing, skins, vehicles, jewelry, and much more.

• Scripting is the companion activity to building that enables visitors to interact with objects. As those who use Second Life know well, the scripting system, Linden Scripting Language (LSL), is roughly comparable to Java, C++ or other scripting languages and enables the development of highly creative custom animations and interactions. This track is intended for good scripters that want to take their code to the next level, and will cover tips for writing efficient code, using outside data and media to power sophisticated apps, and even hacking and other creative applications of LSL -- and how scripting also makes it possible to create a variety of exciting custom effects.

In addition to conference sessions devoted to building or scripting, SL Pro! will include keynotes on the long term vision for Second Life and its toolsets, and building successful businesses. A range of other special activities will provide time for informal interaction, and hands on mentoring. Content Creation Challenges will provide a forum for attendees to pit their building and scripting skills against one another. Challengers will be mentored and/or critiqued by recognized experts. Attendees and speakers may also sign up to host Project Tours, giving them a chance to take a group of attendees offsite to show special builds or activities and share their own content creation experiences.

The Content Creation Challenges

Put what you learn at the conference to good use -- right away! Attendees can sign up to take part in one of the Content Creation Challenges, displaying their best work on a small or large scale. The 1,000 Prim Challenge is for entries comprised of up to 1,000 prims, while the Full Build Challenge is a chance to show off an entire custom sim. Both challenges will be juried by a panel of experts, and special mentoring sessions will be offered to contestants. Spaces are limited, so sign up early!

Find out more...

NOTICE: The NMC has been contracted to provide logistical support for SL Pro! This site provides proposal submission and registration services. Linden Lab is the official conference sponsor. For the most up-to-date and official conference news, see the Second Life blog.

Registration

Online registration is available January 11, 2010 - February 19, 2010, closing at 11:59 PM Pacific Time of the end date. Late registration fees apply thereafter.

Registration Category	Regular Member	Non-Member
Regular	$99	$99
Late	$149	$149