Here’s a crazy idea I had while talking to Amy the other day: Organize a virtual marathon in Second Life. OK, so there’s an embedded problem with transferring the training, motivation and competetive aspects to a virtual world where all of the pretty avatars have essentially the same skills. So? There’s method someplace in my madness, and I’m very excited about the idea of trying to pull this off.
First and foremost, the primary reason one might want to have a marathon in Second Life is exposure. Exposure to a new medium and to new information. Imagine, for example, the following scenario …
Jane teleports into the staging area for the Virtual Marathon. Several hundred avatars are all around, sporting running gear with the event logo and logos for sponsoring groups. A few days before, Jane had created her free avatar and spent a few of her initial Linden Dollars on some marathon gear (running pants, shoes, fanny pack) and her entry fee. She puts on her own event tee-shirt and starts to mingle with the other runners before finding a group of her friends who plan to run with her.
When the race finally begins, Jane plods ahead with her avatar at the same pace as everyone else. She allows a little distance from the pack so she can see the scenery, too. The 26.2 virtual-mile course will take her around a new island, a sponsor of the event, where she will be exposed to in-world service centers, shops, resources and artistic efforts. As she passes nearby special markers, she is offered information cards about a variety of thing. Jane and her friends take turns collecting the more useful cards to share later. Gathered along the way are water stations with cheering residents offering encouragement. She makes some new friends along the way and makes note of places to return.
Even though this is just a virtual race, it is a long time to be moving a mouse or holding down keys. It is especially interesting to see the new short patterns of conversation as people type quickly and work to catch up to the pack. The more talkative runners fall back in the pace, while others keep moving steadily and silently forward. Some technical innovations cropped up, too. Special running scripts hacked into characters allow some to pull ahead. Others make use of microphones to communicate without typing. The costumes are also a gas, with people dressed in special marathon outfits … Firemen, waiters, ducks, dragons. One man wore a shirt with “Hi, Joe” printed on it, to encourage onlookers to greet him by name. Still others flew overhead, tired of running but wanting to see the sights. They’ll get done quicker, Jane thinks, but miss out on the conversation.
At the end of the long race, mylar wraps and water bottles away. The official time is recorded automatically, not that it matters. Jane gets a medal and a welcome packet with coupons and calendars for future events on the island. There is also plenty of information on health, exercise and off-world marathons.
Maybe this is nothing more than an excuse to get a bunch of people to mob in a forum, but I think the idea has some legs. Throw in a political angle, with our without the tourism part, and there is a great potential to generate awareness.