The SLENZ Project

An Introduction to the SLENZ Builds available on the Second Life sim Koru. Further information on the construction and scripts used in these builds can be found on the F/Xual Education Services Blog.

Aaron Griffiths – SL: Isa Goodman
Lead Developer for the SLENZ Builds

    The second of the SLENZ Project builds, Midwifery Studies Build Version 1.0, has now been made available free to the general public.  Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) as the fund holders for the SLENZ project are making this build available under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike License 3.0.   The build can be accessed on the NMIT island of Kowhai at the SLENZ Project central landing point [ http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kowhai/146/115/32 ].

The Provided Build
    This build provides all the items required for the Normal Birth Scenario developed by the SLENZ team for the Midwifery Studies part of the SLENZ Project.  This includes the birthing room, midwives office, treatment room and outdoor courtyard.  The rooms provided constitute a portion of the complete Birthing Unit, Te Wāhi Whānau – The Birth Place, the full build able to be viewed on the NMIT sim Kowhai (link provided above).  Ceilings on the rooms have been removed to facilitate camera access.   The SLENZ Midwifery Studies Resource Pack is also included in the build package delivered to your Inventory and contains all other resources and instructions required for completing the Normal Birth Scenario.  All build items are full permissions, i.e. Modify Copy and Transfer.   This includes textures, animations and scripts.

    The build items are provided inside a 24 x 40 metre megaprim base (SLENZ Midwifery Studies Rez Base) and can be rezzed from this base once it is positioned.  The base top forms the natural ground level for correct build placement and is removed once the build is rezzed.  The build is rezzed by the owner clicking on the positioned base and receiving the rezzing menu.

The Birthing Room
    The Birthing Room contains a large number of scripted objects used in the Normal Birth scenario.  The majority are interacted with directly through a left click and are designed to display variable results (in chat) throughout the birth or indications that a certain object or proceedure has been used, e.g. taking the mothers temperature or using sterile gloves.  Three items, the birthing pool, the chair and the bed, contain multiple poses and use the SLENZ Mother Controller (HUDs created by Toddles Lightworker, SLENZ Developer) found in the Resource Pack to change poses.  Other items such as the bench or the mantlepiece are single left click poses.  The SLENZ Midwife Contoller is used to control or reset the scenario, changing the scenes as the they progress.  It also interacts with various items in the birthing room and with the mother through local chat.

The Treatment Room
    This contains a medications fridge and IV unit which are incorporated into the scenario.  Medications are displayed in the birthing room. 

The Midwives Office
    The Midwives Office contains a filing cabinet used as a dropbox for midwife notes (notecards) written at the end of each scenario scene.  Retrieval from the filing cabinet is assigned to specific tutors through a configurable notecard.

The Courtyard
    The Courtyard is an integral part of the birthing room having been part of the building design formulated out of research on the ideal birthing unit.  It is however its own linked group and may be deleted if prim counts are a problem.  It has not been supplied with plants, just the paving, seating and mulched beds.

Look out for…
    the first of the technical discussions which will focus on a users first interaction with the Foundation Studies and Midwifery Builds.  It will look at the scripts used to welcome users and offer them introductory information.

    Please contact me (see details below or use Comments in this blog) for any help required in accessing or rezzing this second build should any complications arise.  Feedback on the Build package would be most appreciated so that it can be better adapted to users needs.

    It is also hoped that enhancements to the current builds and any adaptations produced by users will be fed back to myself by emailing Aaron Griffiths offworld [ debnaar@clear.net.nz ] or IMing Isa Goodman inworld, in the spirit of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license, so that all may benefit from such improvements.

    The first of the SLENZ Project builds, Foundation Studies Build Version 1.0, has now been made available free to the general public.  Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology as the fund holders for the SLENZ project are making this build available under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike License 3.0.   The build can be accessed on the island of Kowhai at the SLENZ Project central landing point [ http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kowhai/146/115/32 ].

The Provided Build
    The provided build includes the Skill Mastery Hyperdome with all rezzable scenes available (includes the Stairway of Learning) and the Private Interview Room Teleporters.  With the exception of the majority of the clothes and hair provided for the Hyperdome shop and a few seating animations all build items are full permissions, i.e. Modify Copy and Transfer.   This includes textures, animations and scripts.

    The build items are provided inside a 60 x 80 metre megaprim base (SLENZ Foundation Studies Rez Base) and can be rezzed from this base once it is positioned.  The base top forms the natural level for correct build placement but can be removed once the build is rezzed.

The Skill Mastery Hyperdome
    The Skill Mastery Hyperdome, which takes the form of a holodeck, contains a number of rezzable scenes relevant to training students in interview techniques.  Each scene is rezzed inside the Hyperdome using the Hyperdome console.  The console buttons have been configured for each scene (these reside in the Hyperdome base) and use a specific chat channel command to rez them.  The console is lockable by individually approved users through an editable notecard.

The Stairway of Learning
    The Stairway of Learning is a dual staircase surrounding the Hyperdome and is used to deliver individual pieces of learning around preparation for an interview.  The stairway is designed so that each piece of information is displayed as a user mounts (or descends) each step so as to actively engage the learner in seeking the knowledge.  As this function is collision based each step is rezzed individually when the build is first rezzed from the SLENZ Foundation Studies Rez Base.

Private Interview Room Teleporters
    The interview room teleporters, situated near the front of the Hyperdome, provide for rezzing of individual interview rooms for student interview practice.  The rooms are rezzed on demand, each situated above the chosen teleporter platform and spaced approximately 70m apart to prevent the crossover of voice if used in the interview process.  The rooms have been designed specifically for the SLENZ Foundation Studies project and reflect a number of interview rooms likely to be encountered by the students involved.  The room types made available are fully configurable through an editable notecard and individual rooms, with their full permissions, can be adapted to any number of interview situations.

Look out for…
    the second build, Midwifery Studies, to be released shortly.  Also for a much more indepth discussion of all aspects of both builds that will facilitate adaptations.

    Please contact me (see details below or use Comments in this blog) for any help required in accessing or rezzing this first build should any complications arise.  Feedback on the Build package would be most appreciated so that it can be better adapted to users needs.

    It is also hoped that enhancements to the current builds and any adaptations produced by users will be fed back to myself by emailing Aaron Griffiths offworld [ debnaar@clear.net.nz ] or IMing Isa Goodman inworld, in the spirit of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license, so that all may benefit from such improvements.