The goal of this work was to implement a virtual worlds server (OpenSimulator) with voice functionality in the context of the internal network of a company (allowing external access when desired). It was therefore necessary to consider several issues surrounding the presence of a company in a virtual world, such as enabling the use of voice calls between OpenSimulator users or automatically forwarding calls to places other than OpenSimulator, using software technologies such as GTalk or softphones, in case a voice call is not answered within the virtual world. It is also possible for users to use their OpenSimulator accounts on softphones and make calls to users who are in the virtual world. Other aspects that were relevant to the company’s operations were also addressed, such as the need to perform daily backups to allow recovery of all server data in case of software or hardware failure, or the need for streamlined daily procedures. To accomplish these objectives, tools were developed that allow the creation and maintenance of user accounts and the management of the OpenSimulator server through a website.

Este trabalho teve como objectivo a implementação de um servidor de mundos virtuais (OpenSimulator), com funcionalidade de voz no contexto da rede interna de uma empresa (podendo eventualmente permitir acesso a partir do exterior se pretendido). Assim, foi necessário ter em conta vários aspectos que rodeiam a presença de uma empresa num mundo virtual, tal como, possibilitar o uso de voz entre utilizadores OpenSimulator ou automaticamente reencaminhar chamadas para outros locais que não OpenSimulator, recorrendo a tecnologias por software como o GTalk ou softphones, caso a chamada por voz não fosse atendida dentro do mundo virtual. É ainda possível aos utilizadores usarem as suas contas OpenSimulator em softphones, ou seja, efectuarem chamadas para utilizadores que se encontrem no mundo virtual. Também se teve em conta aspectos relevantes em meio empresarial tais como a realização de cópias de segurança diárias, para permitir a recuperação de todos os dados do servidor em caso de falhas de software ou hardware; ou a necessidade de agilização de procedimentos quotidianos, tendo para o efeito sido desenvolvidas ferramentas que permitem a criação e manutenção de contas de utilizadores, bem como a gestão do servidor OpenSimulator através de um website.

Help Desk and Second Life?

The following comments were made at the time of its acceptance in the VS-GAMES'09 conference:

OVERALL RATING: 3 (strong accept) Originality and novelty: 5 (excellent) Importance, utility: 5 (excellent) Completeness of references: 5 (excellent) Suitability for the event: 4 (good)	This is a convincing paper that proposes a novel messaging method whereby users of information desks in second life (SL) can relay messages to real information providers in the non-SL ('real') organisation through 'SL Bots', or SL avatars which are not being actively controlled or attended to by their real-life users/counterparts.  This means that these avatars do not need to be continuously 'manned', which can be uneconomic. The paper is excellently written and illustrated and is technically very strong. It is weaker on testing (on which much more could have been said) but the concept stands by itself. This is very nice material on the interaction of virtual with real spaces that offers one kind of innovative solution for such interaction. It is not directly about serious games as such but it is easy to imagine the application and I have no hesitation in recommending this for acceptance. The authors should be prepared to say something in their talk about the application to serious games.
OVERALL RATING: 1 (weak accept) Clasification: 2 (practice and experience (case studies, applications)) Originality and novelty: 3 (fair) Importance, utility: 4 (good) Completeness of references: 4 (good) Suitability for the event: 3 (fair)	The authors present a system for distributing chat and instant messages from clients to staff members from a bot at an organisation's help desk. This allows staff members not to have to wait at their terminals or log in to SL, but still provide quick response. Sessions can also be distributed to other staff members to lighten the load and prevent queueing. If the staffs are offine, then SMS is used. The idea is not very new. However, to my knowledge, there exists no solid application for this. This research could be a starting point for such application. Its potential for actual helpdesk usage is good. But the paper lacks details. How does an algorithm for selecting a staff member work? The authors did not discuss how the staff priority was updated (surely one person cannot have the highest priority all the = time?). Does the system distribute the session evenly or wait for one staff member to exceed his/her service capacity before selecting another staff member? If so, why? These are questions to be answered in order to  clarify the effectiveness of the system. The lack of actual field tests does not help. Nevertheless, I believe the work shows good promise.
OVERALL RATING: 3 (strong accept) =20 Clasification: 1 (research paper) Originality and novelty: 4 (good) Importance, utility: 4 (good) Completeness of references: 3 (fair) Suitability for the event: 4 (good)	This paper is an interesting contribution and shows originality. The paper outlines the architecture for delivering SMS and IM facilities from Second Life for an information desk, and for using bots as a vehicle for this process. The research includes testing of the system, although no empirical test results are given in the paper due presumably to a small sample. The paper should be included in the conference, as it outlines an original research and development approach using social software applications with a virtual world. The paper does align with the conference themes and provides original research findings. The paper would however benefit from a fine proof as ther are some grammatical errors and typos included. I would include the mention of the tests of the system in the main body of the paper instead of in the conclusions and broader out the conclusion section to include more discussion about the project findings and next steps for the research.

Scientific Paper / Artigo Cientifico

SMS and Second Life?

This work presents a system that provides Second Life® users a way of interaction and communication with cellphones within the outer world using short messages. An application was developed that allows users to send and receive texts using the Short Message Service in a bidirectional way, that is, from Second Life to the cellphone and vice-versa. This application allows an in-world user to access Short Message Service capabilities as he/she would with a physical mobile device.  You can see the paper presented at the conference Comunicação, Educação e Formação no Second Life® held on 26 and 28 June 2008 at the University of Aveiro through the following link.

Este trabalho apresenta um sistema para dotar o Second Life® de comunicação e interacção com telemóveis no mundo exterior através de mensagens escritas curtas. Foi desenvolvida uma aplicação que permite o envio/recepção de texto através do Short Message Service de uma forma bidireccional, isto é, do Second Life para o telemóvel e vice-versa. Esta aplicação permite ao utilizador in-world aceder às capacidades Short Message Service tal como acontece no uso de um dispositivo móvel físico.  Poderá consultar o artigo apresentado na conferência Comunicação, Educação e Formação no Second Life® que decorreu a 26 e 28 de Junho de 2008 na Universidade de Aveiro através do seguinte link.

Scientific Paper / Artigo Cientifico