Berlin in Second Life
Berlin – with the graffiti, but without the dog poo!
Everyone knows that New York was “so good they named it twice”, so what can you say about a city that is being built for the second time? This is exactly what’s happening to Berlin, Germany, in the form of •newBERLIN – a virtual, life-size reconstruction being created within the environs of •Second Life™.
Led by Jan Northoff and Tobias Neisecke, a team of twelve Berliners has been using street maps, photos and city plans to build a virtual Berlin from the ground up (or from Alexanderplatz out). They aim to eventually recreate Berlin in its entirety, a process that may take up to 10 years, having started by building a number of separate islands which they will ultimately join together to allow visitors to stroll, fly or drive seamlessly around Germany’s virtual capital.
You can already base-jump from the top of the TV Tower at Alexanderplatz, have R2D2 bring you a Berliner Weisse mit Schuß or visit Berlin’s smallest gay bar, Besenkammer under the S-bahn bridge. There’s graffiti on the walls (how old Berlin!), groups of avatars hanging around outside Kaufhof and even fierce looking riot vans (and it’s a long time until May 1st). The only thing that’s missing is the dog poo. Wouldn’t it be great if that could be achieved in the real world Berlin too!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Berlin+newBERLIN/89/167/31