Watching CSI

Next week Mac Taylor is headed into virtual reality thanks to CSI creator Anthony Zuiker. Zuiker asked writers to create a Second Life storyline involving a young woman who looks like an avatar brought to life. In Second Life, avatars are characters people create to live in an online world. The character has green hair, outrageous clothes and she’s the most popular um-person in this virtual world. Zuiker refers to her as the Paris Hilton of Second Life. She’s being targeted by a jealous competitor that wants to take over her ID.

Mr. Zuiker said the plot would have Mac Taylor introduced to this new world by the younger members of his crime team. But then Taylor, using electronic clues to track the killer, would enter Second Life to chase the avatar. The tougher part was finding a way to extend the experience for the many viewers who, Mr. Zuiker knew from his work on several previous episodes, would be willing to follow the episode with some kind of interactivity online.

This is the cool part. We can investigate in conjunction with the episodes(they’ll be another in February). There will be three levels of participation depending on your level of expertise and how involved you wish to be. From what I understand, even those with limited computer experience will be able to participate.

Zuiker stressed that the “CSI: NY” virtual world in Second Life will be geared for the “CSI” fan rather than the early adopter, with shorter download times and an avatar of Zuiker to walk visitors through the virtual Manhattan.

If you’re reading this blog you should be able to do at least level one.

Mr. Zuiker said the first level of participation, the simplest, will allow viewers to walk around the representations of New York buildings and then visit a CSI lab, where they can play basic forensic games, like facial recognition.

The second level is much more elaborate. It consists of a game called “Murder by Zuiker,” based on a murder plot that Mr. Zuiker created and the Electric Sheep engineers have transformed into a scene in Second Life. Mr. Zuiker will leave clues around the murder scene. He will post and rank the 100 people who come closest to his explanation of the murder, and, he said, the winner will “get a virtual gift for his or her avatar.”

The final stage of game play will allow “CSI” fans to become CSI investigators. They will receive a field kit and tools, get a chance to interview suspects and be given the opportunity to solve the murder featured in the episode. The final gimmick of that episode is that it will end in a cliffhanger: it will not be resolved until an episode in February.

This sounds so cool. I’m definately in.

Check out the CSI:NY Second Life promo and episode promo below.

Second Life Promo

Episode Promo

Above picture: Gary Sinise in a scene that features Second Life.

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gary sinise, csi new york, csi ny, csi:ny, second life, virtual reality