csi posts

According to CSI fan website CSI Files, April 2nd will see the second part of the 2-part CSI:NY/Second Life adventure, previously reported. The site gives a plot description based on script drafts, and cautions that the details could change at any time, but the investigation of the murder that began in 'Down the Rabbit Hole' will continue.

From the plot synopsis, however, it doesn't sound like the show's characters will return to SL itself necessarily, but given that the assassin's identity was taken from a resident, there has to be some sort of connection. 'Down the Rabbit Hole' will re-air on March 26th, presumably to let viewers revisit the plot to avoid confusion.

[Thanks, Elle!]

People who remember back to Second Life Insider days will remember the coverage of CSI:NY as it came into Second Life in one of the episodes. There is, hopefully, a conclusion about to be broadcast soon in the US, writers strike permitting.

If you are one of the good people who didn't download a copy from somewhere and live in the UK, or somewhere that receives UK TV, Channel 5 is carrying that episode tonight (in about an hour).

The UK hasn't been subjected to the media frenzy that CBS launched in the US about Second Life, so don't expect a massive rush to the new sims, but if you see things go really south about 2:30 SL time you'll know why!

It looks like Anthony Zuiker and the Electric Sheep Company have made good on their promise to deliver fresh mysteries in the CSI sims of Second Life. Last month's episode revolved around an unidentified man that was murdered by one of three potential suspects. SL's most famous contract killer, Venus, may have been the culprit.

This month could get interesting, as Chris Carella, of ESC, blogged that the Venus storyline that aired in October will air again on February 27th. They will be temporarily increasing the amount of CSI sims in anticipation of new signups. In addition, they have a new Valentine's mystery for you to check out, as well as two new mysteries on the 27th.

However, I'm really curious as to when the conclusion will air. Was it affected by the Writers Guild strike? Don't leave us hanging, CBS!

When the CSI:NY episode featuring Second Life came out in October, Second Life Insider offered extensive coverage of not only the commercials, but also the mystery games. Now, CBS is releasing their own teaser trailer for one of the mysteries. Having scaled down their islands due to lowered traffic, one wonders if they're trying to milk one last visit out of you.

However, with that said, the Machinima is thoroughly entertaining. They offer up snippets of clues to reel you in, as well as highlight a bit of the process. If you haven't checked out the four-sim clusters of CSI:NY goodness, now would be the time!

Anyone who has watched the various attempts by big businesses to come into Second Life knows that some of the succeed, some fail. The ones that succeed tend to try things that are a little bit different, building a corporate headquarters and expecting the people to come to you doesn't work. Creating things that mimic your RL clothes lines fall even flatter.

But this week I came across a tool for RL marketing a new product that would, and indeed does, work a treat in Second Life. The premise is simple - try our software on a 15 day fully functional trial and then pay to register it. Don't fancy paying? Write a good blog review, send your link and get a free license key. Does this work in SL too? You bet: how many people that are in any way associated with the SLogosphere don't know about CSI:NY coming into SL and the tie to the OnRez viewer? The trick, of course, is working out how to get talked about - look at how quiet we all were about The Office in SL -but free products is always a good notion as long as you have something that will get the good reviews, no?

Metaverse developers, Electric Sheep Company have released an optional update to their custom Second Life viewer, the OnRez viewer, which was developed in conjunction with the recent CSI:NY launch in Second Life.

The optional update has two minor ease-of-use tweaks, relating to voice calls and the integrated Web browser, plus a number of bug-fixes including (thankfully) adjustments to the color scheme for improved readability, and the ability to use the search system for two-letter region names.

The OnRez Second Life viewer can be downloaded from the usual place.

Reuters has reported that there will be a collaboration between the popular CBS show CSI and the game Second Life. There will be two episodes of the series (airing October 24th and November 6th) that prompt viewers to continue the investigation themselves by jumping into a virtual world designed around CSI:NY. This isn't the first time that Second Life has been linked with a TV crime series, but this occasion casts a more positive light on the game.

The news came from the creator of CSI , Anthony Zuiker, at the Virtual Worlds Conference and Expo. TechCrunch has since updated the facts, adding that a link from the CBS website will give three options for CSI fans to participate in. The first option for viewers is a series of forensic puzzles to solve. The second involves players visiting a crime scene in Second Life and then attempting to solve a murder. This second option is called "Murder by Zuiker", and Zuiker himself will judge participants solutions to the mystery and award in-game prizes to the top entrants. The last option will be to follow up on the TV episode's murder case as a crime scene investigator, with all their famous gadgetry at your disposal.

Also noted in the TechCrunch article is that the airing of the episode coincides with the launching of an independant client for Second Life, OnRez, by the Electric Sheep Company. This is the first independant viewer that has been given the official nod by Second Life creator Linden Labs. Secondlifeinsider.com also has a ton of posts on CSI in Second Life, and the new client, so visit them for some detailed information and on-going coverage.

One of the more recognizable names among metaverse development companies (MDCs) is Reuben Steiger's Millions of Us. Steiger's MoU has done work in Second Life, Gaia Online and Zwinky. Omnicom, reported by Reuters to be the world's largest advertising services company, has bought a stake in the company. A majority stake, or just a share - nobody's saying.

Inevitably, the sale is being compared to CBS's investment in rival MDC, Electric Sheep Company - a partnership which is leading to the joint release of a CSI:NY episode revolving around Second Life, and a customized, user-friendly Second Life client.

What Omnicom and Millions of Us have planned at this stage is anyone's guess - advertising is where the smart money is, of course. Could MoU be becoming the general virtual worlds arm of Omnicom? Could be.