Ball State University Aquires Rights to Blue Mars Virtual World Platform.

IDIA Lab Blue Mars Virtualization of the 1915 San Francisco World's Faior

Blue Mars, which has been "on hold" since January, 2011 has a new home.

Ball State University, an institution in Muncie, Indiana in the United States has announced that it has acquired the rights to the Blue Mars virtual world platform from Avatar Reality Inc. The University said that it would concentrate on non-profit commercial applications for the platform.  Ball State's IDIA Lab has a major development on Blue Mars showcasing advanced virtual technology, including a reconstruction of the 1915 San Francisco Worlds Fair.  The move should put this relatively unknown American University into the forefront of virtual world development and education.

It is unclear what Ball State University paid, if anything, for the Blue Mars virtual world platform, or if it will keep the current virtual world open for visitation -- something I still like to do when I want to revisit some excellent virtual builds such as New Venice. Avatar Reality has not announced if it will continue to develop mobile applications, such as its Blue Mars lite platform which integrates with Google Earth (you can see my video on this application here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CgfG7ulGys)

I show two machinima showing Ball State's IDIA Llab applications in Blue Mars with my avatar, Roger. In the meantime, if you have not yet visited Blue Mars, you can still do so by opening an account and touring this still interesting virtual world -- and imagine what could have been if Avatar Reality were able to gain venture capital funding.

Ball State Announcement :  http://www.bsu.edu/news/article/0,1370,7273-850-65594,00.html

For more information:  http://dwellonit.taterunino.net/2012/02/26/ball-state-university-buys-rights-to-blue-mars-platform/