The Poultry Report

Looking Glass Revisited

2012-01-27T11:55:00.000-05:00

Several times last year I visited Horizon Dreams, a beautiful region that is home to The Looking Glass Store, but never really explored the place despite writing about it (here). It is part timeworn village and part fantasy landscape and completely gorgeous. I watched over my brother's shoulder (we share a computer) as he explored several of the prefab structures he was considering to replace the treehouse on our land. The landscape is fabulous, truly. Magnificently shaped and textured then filled with stunning plants in such a fashion you'd think it all just grew that way.

The meadow outside the tree trunk house is perfect for pixies.

Later, when I could get my hands on the computer, I returned with my adventurer pixy, Zyx Resident, and she landed just outside a perfect place for pixies, a tree trunk house (SLurl). Surrounding the house is an abundant meadow (where Zyx gorged herself on pollen and other delectable treats) with a nice garden table and chairs. Cross the stream via the fallen log and you'll find little hollows with more meadows.

Meadows, meadows everywhere, just what a creature of nature needs.

As you explore, watch for little details and eventually you'll find a cave entrance (very cleverly done ... it looks so natural that you might miss it). Inside you'll follow a dark, winding tunnel (take off your face lights!) and eventually end up at ...

A very elegant and tastefully simple ruins.

I can only imagine the backstory the builder had in mind when working on ruins within the cavern. It is easy to sit in this chamber and picture what it must have looked like in it's heyday, with bold tapestries, dutiful courtiers attending the court, and a buzz of life typical of a thriving kingdom. Or maybe, a darker theme filled the space during it's peak, with demons and sacrifices and ... *shudder*

Traveling on through more tunnels, a magical cavern appears ...

Impressed? The picture doesn't show the life in the cavern's lights.

You must see this cavern to believe it. The maker, Marcus Inkpen, sells a copy of the pool (in-world one on the Web) but the installation goes well beyond what you can buy. The execution is simply stunning. Gather with friends (there are four single poses in the pool) and savor the effect. You won't regret it.

Actually, you won't regret visiting any part of Horizon Dreams. Whether you stick to the village and the shops or hit the trails to see the forest and meadows or explore deep within the mountain, your time will be well spent.

Fursday & Community

2012-01-26T23:33:00.000-05:00

Today was to have been Fursday, a unilaterally-delcared (by me) semi-holiday in Second Life dedicated to celebrating the Furries. At one time I tried with some seriousness to be a Furry, this cat avie being my first attempt (later I added the paws and the extra boobies) but found it wasn't for me. I still have quite a few Furry avies, some of which have been noted on this blog, but more so, I still have an appreciation for the Furry community. One of my oldest friends in Our World is a super Furry, enjoying the lifestyle even in Real Life. Her virtual self and suited-real self could almost be twins, right down to the lavender hair. Clearly she gets more out it than I did.

I think it is a sense of community. Sure, there is whimsey, but all the die-hard furries I've met go beyond the dress-up to bond via "common characteristics or interests [to perceive] itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists" (source). The community of Tinies in Second Life is very similar and I'm sure both groups share memberships (yes, I have several Tiny avies, too), though I imagine it is rather difficult to "go Tiny" RL compared to being Furry RL.

Both groups make me smile, though, and I'm glad I have lots of Tiny and Furry friends, but the latter has an allure to it that ... hard to describe. In any case, just as I celebrate Caturday by wearing neko bits in SL and RL, I'm going to start celebrating Fursday, at least in Second Life. Join me?

Gratuitous Pixy Pix

2012-01-24T14:24:00.000-05:00

Some "just because I can" pix of my wee pixy.

Zaara - A lovely little town

2012-01-23T21:09:00.003-05:00

When I need a bit of peace with a hint of excitement I think of Zaara (SLurl), a lovely little town with a shop that sells traditional and inspired Indian clothing of the highest quality.

The entrance to the shop shows hints at the high-quality textures of the clothing, such as you see on my model. Xandah is wearing a patterned orange kurta and blood-orange churida. She has the "Bollywood" hair that is in your basic Linden inventory. I didn't ask about the shoes. Note the arches on the windows and the door. Very cleverly done.

Relaxing by the water at sunset. At times the surrounding buildings have shops, but today they were empty. Each is beautiful and evokes a distinct feel yet blend to make a cohesive environment. Zaara Kohime, the builder, seems to understand architecture at least as well as she does fashion.

Too many people fly into a shop or a mall, look for what they want (sometimes using viewer-based search tools so they can get back to mindless scripted dancing more quickly), then simply leave. Zaara is a place to be savored. This alleyway of mock-shops is a delightful addition, immensely adding to the region's character. When I see this level of passion in a build I have little trouble paying the shop owner whatever they want for the goods I want. They certainly deserve it.

Same alley, different direction. I love the shadows. In this shot and the previous one is a model's pose stand languishing on the pavements. Not sure why. The critter, I can understand.

Most any build has wee errors, like this slightly airborne elephant outside a temple for Ganesha. A near by corner has some clearly airborne trees, but you have to work to get to them. But a scene like this certainly makes up for any trivial "ooops" or two that one might find. Goodness knows I spend lots of time at my builds looking for prims that have drifted or been mis-placed and textures that are poorly done.

Zaara has a blog if you'd like to keep up with new releases. It updates more than the in-world group. But her clothes are only one reason to visit. The region is several reasons to visit, unto itself.

Prescient? [Updated]

2012-01-22T20:19:00.004-05:00

Several weeks ago, shortly after the big remodeling at Lesbos, I added two neon signs -- New England Patriots & San Francisco 49ers -- to The Airstrip, the Isle's seedy strip bar and airport, without even thinking about the Superbowl, let alone the playoffs. My bestie in SL is a Niners fan. I put it up for her.

Well, my boys the Pats beat the Baltimore Ravens (sweeter because I grew up in Ravens-Steelers-Eagles-Redskins territory) so they are in the big game and as I write this, the Niners are locked in battle for a spot at the dance. Gooooo Niners! And not just because I have a friend that is a Giants fan and was forced to contribute money to his Christmas gift, a warm jacket with that team's logo.

Shoulda got him a Pats coat.

Ayuh, New England is wicked hawt!!!

[Update: 10:34pm local] Apparently I'm not terribly prescient. The 49ers lost. Well, it should be easy pickings for the Patriots, at least.

Wistful Sigh

2012-01-21T11:59:00.000-05:00

I wonder when we'll be able to enter a virtual world where the avatars are this good.

Jaco Herbst is an amazing artist. Check his homepage for renders of other figures or here for more of Catwoman.

Imagine the hardware that would be needed, especially the data connection.

Too Busy Being a Pixy

2012-01-19T20:48:00.000-05:00

Cripes, I had to spend 90% of my day in Real Life today, getting my first manicure and pedicure, amongst other things, when I really wanted to be in Second Life being a pixy!

Fallen Gods has a new mesh fantasy avatar, a micro-sized girl -- elf, demoness, or fae (L$1500; SLurl). Of course, I got the fae and a full set of hair from Wasabi Pills (L$500; SLurl), and one rather girly outfit (L$400). Immediately I began fitting the clothes I had for my other micro pixy avie, one composed of comparatively primitive (pun intended) sculpts, and adapting my regular pixy's eyes for this teeny form. And here is the result!

Wee Zyx is even more wee-sized but a bazillion times cuter!

Photo Contest?

2012-01-17T17:29:00.000-05:00

My friend, Lesbos Security Officer, and rather talented creator Kaelin Westland proposed that the Isle of Lesbos have a photo contest to promote the wonderful beach that came with our most recent remodeling. I'd be a judge, but look at the photo below and tell me if I would have had a chance.

Normally you'd find a pixy in this bottle.

I've always liked pics where the water surface birfucates the image but it isn't easy in Second Life. I had to render this in Acorn on the desktop. The undersea area in the image needs some fishies and the transition could be more realistic. There would actually be a magnification and image shift on the bottom side. The dividing line would have more ripples, too, I feel, despite the calmness of the ocean as they are closer to the focal plane of the "camera." And the way the Snapshot tool UI is configured I pretty nearly gave up at the start. I'm going to have to start taking screen caps and going from there.

But look away from the boobs ... think I'd have a chance with this shot?

Crimarizon

2012-01-14T17:48:00.000-05:00

This picture, which I ran across earlier today (Web), shows all the trees in the United States. As a forest girl, it makes me weep. Fortunately, I live in a darker-shaded part of the Northeast. I can walk 10 minutes in one direction and put my feet in the North Atlantic ocean or have someone drive me 45 minutes in the opposite direction and I'm in a hush-quiet forest, green even in Winter thanks to the abundance of pine trees.

And I can also escape to Second Life, where generous people have graced the landscape with tropical jungles, deep deciduous forests, and other lush landscapes. Crimarizon (SLurl) is one such place. Immediately upon entering the region one can almost feel the humidity rise, hear the buzz of numerous but unknown insects, and smell the abundant fertile ecosystem.

A birds-eye view at sunset. You'd have to look very close to see my adult pixy alt near the top of the spectacular set of falls, just under the fairy statue.

You quickly notice the fantasy elements, from amazing plants to inspired statuary to other-worldly creatures always lurking in the corner of your eye. Everything is fabulous to see, I believe, but the cave is the best part for me.

Many interesting things live inside the cave, one of the best I've seen in all Second Life in terms of beauty and geologic plausibility, fantasy creatures aside. Zyx is hovering in safety over a vine above the ground.

Beware when you use one of the cave's exits for it is guarded. There's a reason Zyx's blade is bloodied.

These pictures really don't do justice to the build for a couple reasons. One, I couldn't shoot everything. There is just too much to see and too much detail. Secondly, I spent so much time making this last one. I have nearly a dozen variations and at least that many more planned, once I can make a couple props and play with a few other Windlight settings.

Clearly I'll be spending more time at Crimarizon. If you see a pixy named Zyx, say "Hi" ... if she's not busy in battle with some fierce creature.

Fabulous Hair

2012-01-13T17:37:00.000-05:00

Late last night when my wee pixy alt was wrapping up a purchase of a freebie item on the SL Marketplace, the site suggested several other items in hopes to wring some cash out of her. Interestingly, one of the items was a free demo hair from Wasabi Pills (in-world at SLurl), pretty much obviating the attempt at bringing the checkout total above Zero Lindens. But she quickly grabbed that, too, and grabbed demos of other styles including the one pictured here, Sebastianne. Everyone who saw it the next day agreed that this mesh hair was far too adult for such a child-like pixy. But not for her bigger "sister," another pixy alt of mine ... the adult one. And, my goodness, she makes it very, very adult, indeed.

Several shades of one color for L$250 or a complete set of all colors is just L$1500 (if I recall correctly). This shade is Night Shadow, part of the pack of all blacks.

Yes, you saw the word mesh up there. This is new tech hair that anchors to the body thus moving naturally. Those tresses draped over the pixy's modest assets won't "fall" into her body as her pose changes. Nor will they stiffly stick out into space as sculpted and non-sculpted prims both do. The hair stays put. Add some strategically placed flexi prims (none in evidence here) to simulate fly-aways and the look could be oh so natural. In any case, I think the hair looks great and even mesh detractors likely will, too. Sure, there are some drawbacks. Like a special hair base and a hair-specific alpha layer are required. And there is a rendering error common to invisi-prims with some of the space between the hair and the body. I'm not sure why. If this big pixy were bustier, the gap would close and no one would be the wiser, despite their increased propensity to stare at the increased bounty.

But I am thoroughly pleased, indeed. In fact, I made this style her standard hair, the one saved with a dressable nude avatar. It even looks good with her usual blue skin ... but I'm too thrilled with this effect to change skins just yet. Her wee "sister" pixy has some money and the names of a couple more youthful styles available at Wasabi Pill and plans on ducking in tomorrow to shop. If, that is, her big "sister" is done playing.

Don't Tell My Boss!

2012-01-11T21:45:00.000-05:00

Somewhere along the line when planning to remodel the Isle of Lesbos, I told my boss, Threshin, that I wouldn't do an elaborate undersea mermaid spot as I had at the time. I merely wanted a corner to do an undersea cave with a couple fancy building tricks to make it look huge. She agreed with "I like caves" and away I went. I tried several different landscaping schemes and wasn't happy. Eventually I went with a prefab full-mod cave I had in my inventory with which I took advantage of being able to resize prims beyond 10-meters. I had to fake a sea surface landscape, but it worked out pretty nicely. Threshin said she liked it and all was done.

Until I got some free time.

Soooooo ... I expanded a cave wall a bit and changed the landscape a bit.

Then I added an undersea habitat that I made for the fun of it (okies, half thinking to using that instead of a cave) and put in some beds and chairs.

After that I added some plants. But plants need critters, so I adopted a turtle from my inventory and bought some sea anemone and a giant clam ....

Anyway, it doesn't take too many prims and it looks nice and I can clear it in no time. Until then, here it is:

Terri the Turtle knows to avoid the anemone ... shhhh .. secret!

Oh, crap. I think she reads this blog 0.0

Me, Naked

2012-01-10T20:31:00.000-05:00

A friend recently shot some nice pix of me posin' in the buff and it looks like one of the shots was good enough for a place on his gallery wall! Come checkout Sidharta Philo's work (SLurl). If you wind up in his store, head to the roof.

Nope. No pic here *giggle* You'll have to go to the gallery.

Official Viewer Update

2012-01-10T14:53:00.001-05:00

Second Life 3.2.5 (247236) is here! As usual, I had to uninstall the old viewer before installing the update. For some reason, incremental updating stopped with the Official Viewer some time ago, but I can live with that. That also means any Windilight settings I add go away, but I've become adept at copy/pasting them after any install.

Normally I don't comment on updates or new releases, but this iteration has some changes worth noting (read the full list here):

The Recent Speakers list now pauses when the mouse hovers over it. This makes life easier when trying to adjust Voice chat volume for individuals or for grabbing profiles.
All UI floaters are now available via menus. This also means that items buried in sub-menus are also faster to access, such as Region controls, which are now two clicks, not four.
For some reason, "Edit Terrain" has been removed from the Options tab in About Land. As a land owner, I rather liked that feature. I was able to quickly set the land so non-group members could help with the terrain. No, I didn't do that frequently, but often enough that it was handy.
The "Move" toolbar button has been renamed "Walk/Run/Fly" which should make life easier for noobs. That's just one of several name tweaks you'll notice though out the UI.
Emoting in Main Chat now longer shows names twice.
"Ocean" water elevation now matches the elevation of region water, so when you visit places with"sea levels" higher or lower than the standard 20 meters, the
horizon is continuous. You can see this at JDC Dive Charters (SLurl), where the sea level is 51 meters.
Moving the Main Chat entry bar to the bottom left, where it traditionally can be found, no longer covers the chat read out. With v3.0 the proliferation of window panes like we had in the v1.x viewers this concession to simplicity is welcome.

Since I can't seem to write a blog post without a picture and I didn't feel like making one specific to any of these points, here's a gratuitous shot of the Mouse Club, one of the many "rezzer" clubs that the Lesbos Event staff can call up depending on the event theme.

Sappho's Point @ Lesbos

2012-01-08T19:27:00.000-05:00

Coming up on six years ago, the Isle of Lesbos Manager, Threshin Barnett, got tired of me pestering her about building things for the Isle. She had me create a custom sand texture and then she took my idea for naming the newly expanded beach: Sappho's Point. Then I was allowed to make a distinctive rock, etched with the new name, and place on the beach -- my first build, all of one prim. From there I was given larger and larger assignments at the Isle, to the point where I was allowed to create the main buildings for the current remodeling. Tonight, I set the rock back out, not that anyone will notice, and slipped behind the new bar I didn't make to relax. One major project to go ...

The view is spectacular from here. I think I found my new favorite spot on the beach.

The Lesbos Memorial Park

2012-01-08T13:05:00.000-05:00

Grief-stricken, I took a little corner of Lesbos a few years ago and set up a memorial for a Second Life friend and lover who died suddenly in Real Life. Eventually it grew to be a memorial for all our lost friends and loves and sisters. With each Isle remodeling, a memorial has always been included in one form or another and each time a small part is dedicated to the first honoree, Parker Koolhoven.

With the current remodeling of the Isle, the Memorial Park has a new form, as well. The last version was cobbled together and I was never really, really happy with it. Sure, it had some clever bits, but it wasn't quite right. This time, I got it right ... I let my wife, Angela Seale, make it. Well, sort of. She took an idea of mine and ran with it. In the process, I chimed in with design suggestions and requirements, lent some textures and trees, and re-imagined an older idea. She poured her passion and several clever tricks into great design taste and now we have the new Memorial Park.

The Memorial Park again is behind the University building and facing west, pretty much at my insistence. I've always thought of sunsets as symbols for the ending of a life. The Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami memorial Torii gate is back to lend a bit to the Asian inspiration that started this whole incarnation. The one cherry tree from the last memorial has been joined by a second.

I told Angela that I wanted mostly very shallow water. Originally, I had thought to make something like a Zen garden -- a large area semi-submerged with memorial stones scattered about. Angela thought of an amphitheater. I wanted more water so I added some falls to her back wall and some fountains. The Diana statue is off-sim, as is the Torii gate in the other pictures.

Candles, one for each remembrance, are still a part of the memorial, as is the large piece with a rose and flame for Parker. Fortunately, we haven't added too many candles.

The westward view. The original Torii gate (also made by Angela) was mated with some simple rocks, but this time around I paired it with some new rocks and an off-sim lighthouse from TUFF. The sky here was highly manipulated but I love the effect.

The Memorial Park is a very special place. And now I'm too choked up to write any more.

The Lesbos University

2012-01-07T13:56:00.000-05:00

The second major build I completed for the 2012 Isle of Lesbos remodeling was the University building. For a couple generations of remodeling, the Isle has had a "University," the first with actual classrooms. I'm not clear on the original intent behind having a Uni, but over time it simply became a big building with a room for table games and fencing, a living room, photo studios, and various other amenities. Once we even had a combat room. The latest incarnation has added a Great Room for sitting and socializing plus three dorm-style bedrooms and a dorm-style bath. A dining room was also added while the area for photo studios was greatly expanded. The courtyard is now the main entrance to the Isle and has already proven to be a great place to meet others.

The Uni at sunrise.
To the left and up the hill is Menagerie Isle, the sister sim with breedable pets. Under the glassed roof of the Uni is the Great Room while the main section houses all the other amenities. The courtyard is a unique spot and my "office," where I keep my laptop and cats and lunch. The water tower up top is a big empty ... or is it?

The courtyard with me in my "office" with Isle Security Officer JoyJoyJenny in her mermaid bowl. That's the Norwegian flag as the Isle's owner, Miss Jane, is from Norway. We keep the reindeer elsewhere *giggle*

I love the Great Room, though I'm looking for some really nice pillows for by the fire. My original intent was to have this sort of greenhouse-like with the game tables, but Isle Manager Threshin's idea of a sitting area is just as nice. I still might sneak in lots of plants, though (shhh ... don't tell her).

This is the Game Room. Behind the wall to the right is the dining room and a nice picture window is to the right. There is lots of room all over the Uni for expansion and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Maybe my favorite room in the Uni, the Bath Room. A couple really great showers and a handful of tubs, all with cuddles and intimate poses, is a soft, inviting space. Nearly ever time I visited since finishing it last night, it's been filled with women. The purpleness wasn't exactly intended, nor was the room itself.

When I started the Uni my only mandate from Threshin was to put in dorm rooms. So I planned four generous ones and bought four tubs, recommended furniture to Threshin, and built away without care. Once the building was installed, however, I was told the three of the rooms would be bedrooms and one should have all the bath items. Second Life is a funny place, though, as I hadn't expected communal intimacy rooms would be at all popular. For example, the large treehouse we've had for a couple years had a "group sex" room that attracted enough visitors, but seldom more than two at a time. Visitors would see it occupied by a couple women and leave or avoid it. Same with the hot tub ... "I'll leave you two alone" was the mantra. But the bath room has already had groups of women tubbing' and showering' away already.

The Lesbos Bath House

2012-01-06T23:15:00.003-05:00

One of my first builds for the 2012 remodeling of The Isle of Lesbos was the bath house. For about a year, our little corner of Second Life was without one and everyone missed it. From the beginning some six years ago, Lesbos had a castle, a beach, and a bath house. It was high time the latter made a come back.

The main structure is round, as bath houses often are. Round buildings are "softer" than rectangular ones and more inviting. The large windows let in a lot of light while their placement up high allows privacy for the visitors inside. An extended deck replaced a shorter one after the structure was placed so visitors could relax sea side and enjoy the sunset, rez an inner tube bumper boat, or fish. Behind and on the hill is the Lesbos University building, the Isle's main structure. Westward and off the coast is a nice light house from TUFF and a Torii gate made by Angela Seale, originally set out as a memorial shortly after the 2011 Japan earthquake/tsunami. A future post will cover the Isle's memorial area in more detail.

This birdseye view shows the open roof. At one point I had thought of planting a tropical topiary in the center pool you see and let bits stick up through the roof. I rather fancied the bath house to be part greenhouse, what with the big windows and all, but that didn't work out. As I rather fancied the roof idea, though, I created a nice scuplty to save prims and ran with the design anyway. Yes, at one point I thought of enhancing the feminine symbolism by making the building ovoid.

Inside I was stuck for an idea to have flowing water seem reasonably plausible. Ewers weren't quite right for the semi-Medieval theme and then I thought of barrels. The windows are "alpha textures" from a Prefabrica texture pack. I have an all-prim set I can put in, more than trebling the number of prims in the whole build. I can live with the conflicts these have with the alpha-texutred trees outside to keep the prim count low. I figure most women will be too busy concentrating on the mulit-pose pillows and other pose sets to notice. Not shown are the two massage tables. I thought of adding steam, but it would have interfered with the animated water. Oh, if you are an engineer and you notice the 'oops' I made, s'okies. There are no real physics to worry about here. I promise to eventually redesign it.

If I had more scripting skill I might have done a few things differently. Sinking the structure into Linden water would have been cool rather than using prim water, but the whole building would be totally different. And if prim count wasn't important I'd like to see the higher-detail windows. All-in-all, I'm rather pleased with the build. It didn't take great technical skill (just some experienced-builder tricks), but attention to details in prim alignment and texturing sets it above some similar ideas I've seen, if I do say so myself. I hope the ladies enjoy it.

What I've been doing

2012-01-05T15:53:00.001-05:00

The Airstrip Club offers a full flight schedule, hang gliding, sky diving, and strippers.

Just before the Old Year ended I started picking up my prims from the Isle of Lesbos because just after the New Year started a complete remodel of The Isle of Lesbos started. Here is a wee section of it. I'll post more pix soon, but I'm so busy getting things done.

Billion with a B

2012-01-03T12:35:00.002-05:00

Or do they just mean WoW-type games?

Happy ...

2011-12-31T13:41:00.001-05:00

Today is not just New Year's Eve, but its the Rez Day of the one I love Angela Seale. She came into Second Life in 2006 and we got together not quite a year after that. She's my friend, partner, wife, and mistress ... all that and more. Here are just a few of my favorite Safe-For-Work pictures of the two of us.

This was a piece I cobbled together from stuff I found on the Interwebs to decorate our home. She's the blonde.

Angela (top) likes to prank, like landing on people upside down.

Who doesn't like shopping with their best friend? Tell you a secret, though ... Angela doesn't like to look funny.

Cuddling with Ange at the Lesbos Memorial Park. She's fond of purple, btw, and a very good cuddlier.

She's a very, very good cuddler. When she holds me in-world its like we are really together.

Happy Rez Day, Baby! And Happy New Year to everyone. I hope your 2012 is as special as my Angela is to me ... warm, loving, and full of fun.

Role Play with Benefits (NSFW)

2011-12-27T18:58:00.000-05:00

For many reasons, Second Life (SL) has been my social life for some time now. At present, I help care for my step-mother 24/7/365 and prior to that I practiced hard at being invisible. Anthrophobia (fear of people), Androphobia (fear of men), and a touch of Agoraphobia (fear of outdoors), and other therapy-required issues have kept me very alone, family notwithstanding. Today I have almost no problem going outside, being near people is well-handled by the occasional tranquilizer, and I don't leave the house unarmed (legally ... I have a concealed weapon permit because although I know that I won't ever be held against my will again, it could happen ... gotta love paranoia, right?).

One avatar here is me and one is an alt. Looong story.

So, let's put one and one and one and one together: SL is my social life. I have a "wife" in SL. This blog often has pictures of my avatar's bare backside. The Isle of Lesbos, where I "work" in SL, is well-known as a nookie center for lesbians. Yes, I have sex in Second Life.

Never having had phone sex, I can't verify what folks tell me -- that SL sex is like phone sex with pictures, but I get the idea. Essentially, its two people helping each other masturbate long-distance over an electronic medium, but instead of a phone, they use avatars in a virtual world. Its role play with benefits.

I won't document here what my SL sex life is like beyond saying it is rich, varied, and better than satisfactory. Once every Blue Moon I manage to have Real Life (RL) sex and if could do that regularly I'd probably give up SL sex. There are people who document their SL sex lives, though, and in great detail, often in their profiles. And I'm afraid to look at the "feeds" in many an avatar's profile for fear of what I might see (Scaredaothershankypankyaphobia). And others go even further.

For example: Janet Waverider (as seen on Boobpedia; very NSFW). Holy Crepes! I don't exactly hide what I do or who I do in SL, stopping way short of putting details in my profile, but I can't imagine putting myself on a site like Boobpedia (it is voluntary; I checked). Don't ask me how I came across Janet's page on that site (porn happens). I've never seen SL mixed in with RL in this fashion. Sure, there are SL sex blogs (I've never intentionally looked at one) and its hard to travel Mainland SL without finding a public sex place.* But in my many years traveling Our World, this was a first for me. Usually, SL sex isn't quite like that despite Voice availability and external Web cam services.

Could it be the anonymity that SL sex offers? Probably not in Janet's instance as her Boobpedia page links to detailed RL information. But I think the idea of being able to behave as you wish in a virtual world, with drama being the only consequence, lures people into forms of SL sex they'd never consider otherwise especially since they are as anonymous as they want to be. Others, consciously or not, use anonymity to express feelings, urges, and desires they could never hitherto express. I see a very high number of "Rezbians," for example, women who tire of the male/female relationship and find it more comfortable to be with other women, with or without sex. You may have heard one woman tell another "I'm so lesbian for you." In SL, its easier to have a Womance** ... one woman comfortably loving another woman for who they are inside.

Certainly there are be other examples of how blindfolded relationships play out in Second Life, but back to how it is documented ... do you have a secret stash of pictures? Do you blog about it? Does your Real Life significant other (or others) know about it? Or are you open about it at all? And how likely are you to reply to this post?

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*Really, SL public sex places are usually just public statue gardens since most folks mere stand around as noobs bump and hump them. But that's another blog post I've been thinking about.

** I couldn't find what a female "bromance" is called so, I came up with that. I think I'm the first to use it.

Things Honour Didn't Tell You

2011-12-27T11:40:00.003-05:00

This morning I've had a bit of quiet time that I could use to catch up on things, like visiting the wonderful places that Honour McMillan recommends on her blog. It has also been a time to remember how sneaky she is and that as a former* CIA (Canadian Intelligence Agency) agent, she keeps secrets. For example, in her post "On Dragons, Puzzles & Former Friends in Second Life" she completely fails to mention -- probably intentionally since it might provide valuable intelligence -- that one should look at the map for an overview or to fly up really, really (really, really, really) high to look down upon the landscaping.

Mighty impressive, these Linden Moles, huh? Oh, and she could have mentioned that reading the book upon landing in Cape Ekim (SLurl) might be handy. And did she mention the eggs at all? No. Makes ya wonder, huh? Huh? Huh, I say! (Well, ask, really, since it is an interrogative.)

Visit and visit soon, but remember, I might not tell you all there is to know, either. Just look about very carefully.

-------------------------------------

*Are agents ever really (really, really) former?

What's In My Closet: Latex for Christmas

2011-12-26T15:58:00.000-05:00

Normally one thinks of wool, fur, and natural fibers during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere. For my wife, Angela, she thinks of latex, it seems. She bought two outfits from Graves (SLurl) for me and a promise of more when we can go together. This the the G204 Enigma Cat Suit with Alpha Boots and its my have of the two. Here are the other particulars of the outfit for those who care:

Hair: Magika PCF Red Aina (SLurl) special Hug Japan edition
Weapon (on my back, not in view): Sexadoll ingram M-11 back holster from LPP (SLurl)
Jewelry: The G204 collar modified with Open Collar Scripts; custom-made wedding ring; PrimOptic Finesse glasses (SLurl)
Location: Little Mos Eisley (SLurl)

She also bought for me the Graves G203 Enigma Body Suit. Each has variations that either leave some skin exposed or cover it with a semi-transparent latex/mesh mix (as shown above).

I hope you got some fine things for Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) like I did, but I also hope you that you stayed safe and were able to enjoy good company.

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-23T17:48:00.000-05:00

Many folks seem to be disappearing early because the holiday is on a Sunday and the idea of taking a four-day weekend is too tempting, so here are my holiday wishes a bit early.

Beyond presents, which I admit can be lots of fun despite that I'm not good at receiving ('tis better to give, so it goes), I hope everyone has a safe and loving Christmas. Enjoy your family if you can be with them or find a family and join them instead (ask permission, first, if they be complete strangers in a home you've never seen, of course). Give of yourself and you'll receive far more in return.

Lost the Feelin'

2011-12-22T19:58:00.002-05:00

Nope. I haven't felt like blogging. Haven't felt like doing much of anything. Christmas sort of does that to me since my father passed away many years ago. Then, just in the last few weeks, the father of a friend passed on, too, and I was treated like I was part of their family at the funeral.

This is a bad time of year for my mom (whom I take care of), too, and that just worsens my mood. She goes from depressed to hyper manic in a heart beat. Example: "We aren't going to decorate!" was the mantra for a month then one afternoon "You have to get things decorated; we have only a few days!!" That was on top of trying to get several other things all deemed to be ultra-high priority to her done at the same time.

To top it all off, there is frakin' snow on The Isle of Lesbos. SNOW! I hate snow. My boss lives in Key West so she things this is marvelous. And her boss is Norwegian. They have snow 366 days a year.

Did I mention that I hate snow?

The Abranimations Advent Gifts (available here) cheer me up, though. Like this penguin avatar from today pictured below. It is so cute and it comes with a fishie to slap folks with!

Slapping the Meeroos at Lesbos with this fish cheers me up.

Normally I don't like to get presents, but Advent gifts in SL are something different. Lots of places have them and many are featured on freebie blogs. I don't go to many, but the Abranimations one is always fun and they are always so generous.

Really, there's no reason to be depressed. Life is actually rather good, I suppose. And Second Life is certainly a highlight. I'll buck up soon, probably after the holiday and after the Isle goes green again. That will be exciting because of some surprises. I'll post pix. In the mean time, I'll just slap people with my fishie and make the best of it.

Now Tell Me That Mesh SUCKS

2011-12-15T19:05:00.002-05:00

"Mesh Sucks!"

Seems to be that's all I hear. I think it is because too many people are invested in hating the Official Viewer, for one, so they stick with non-compatible viewers. But I also think it is because too many people focus on clothing. Sure, clothes and avatars made with the mesh feature have some limitations, but other things can be made with mesh ... something too many people forget. Check out this statue:

Large lawn ornament, small statue w/2 cute Animations, or teeny tabletop-size: L$280 each.

To think that statue is but four prims worth (it acts like one prim, but all mesh objects have a "weight" that is the workload their resolution requires and can be equated to a number of prims). Even in scultpies I bet it would be at least double that value and it wouldn't rez nearly as quickly.

Hatzfeld Runo, of Tiki Lounge & Tiki Tattoo, has an entire branch of his store devoted to mesh creations if you'd like to see what a real artist can do with Second Life's latest feature. Maybe like this drinks giver ...

Two Prims! It's only Two Prims!! OMGsh that's fabulous. L$280 and it offers a choice of two different drinks on touch.

Virtual People are Real People

2011-12-15T15:56:00.000-05:00

Go look at "Portraits of Online Gamers Next to Their Alter Egos" on PetaPixel now. 'nuff said.

This has kept me from blogging

2011-12-14T18:49:00.000-05:00

THE AIRSTRIP, a new club (of sorts) I've been working on instead of blogging.

Aside from Real Life monopolizing my time, I've been working on a new build (shhh ... mostly secret!) and having a blast, especially now that I've finished the custom, blinky neon sign.. When it's done, there will be an air strip for WarBug mini-planes, kyoot little flyers that you can rez on demand then blast friends out of the sky ... or hope they don't do the same to you. Federal Aeronautic Administration regulations state that for every X-number of hours you spend in the air, you must spend Y-number of hours at rest. So where to weary pilots go? Strip clubs! Every airport I've seen has at least one near by so I thought, "Why not?" and made one. Still a few bits to go, then link everything up, deliver it to the client, and take flight when it is installed. Or dance on the pole some more *grin*

Privacy Concern?

2011-12-11T19:47:00.002-05:00

Just a few minutes ago I popped into Welcome Island Public3 (SLurl) where I was looking to see what changes might have been made based on the most current viewer. Soon, I have to start work on a Welcome Area for someone and I figure I might as well borrow from The Source. Upon exit, though, Main Chat showed that I might have had my privacy violated ...

[16:32] Teleport completed from Welcome Island Public3 (43,140,24)
[16:32] To teleport to locations like 'F R O S T', click on the Places button, then select the Landmarks tab in the window that opens. Click on any landmark to select it, then click 'Teleport' at the bottom of the window. (You can also double-click on the landmark, or right-click it and choose 'Teleport'.)
[16:32] To contact Residents like 'CC Columbo', click on the People button , select a Resident from the window that opens, then click 'IM' at the bottom of the window. (You can also double-click on their name in the list, or right-click and choose 'IM').

Some God-endowed script looked into my Landmarks list and grabbed a random site (Frost, which I featured on this blog last April) to recommend that I visit and then peeked into my Friends list and picked out a name (my brother, in this instance) of someone for me to contact. Which leads to a couple questions:

1. If I was a new resident, what picks would the script have made?
2. Isn't this a sort of privacy violation? Who I know and where I go shouldn't be open to the perusal of others.

If The Lab can do this, I'm guessing that someone else might be able to create a script that can do the same thing. Does anyone know what sort of security The Lab has on a Resident's stored information?

New Premium Gift! [Updated]

2011-12-08T22:50:00.007-05:00

Months after announcing a monthly gift for Premium Residents in Second Life, The Lab has finally gotten around to putting out a second one out at the various kiosks (click here for a location list). It is a fine-looking sailing boat, as you can see in the pic below. Hopefully it will encourage Residents to try the rather nice vehicle sandboxes available to Premium Residents (click here for a list of Premium Sandboxes).

If you are a Premium Resident, you probably received an email about the new gift so you can click the "A Sailor's Guide" links for other places to sail. The gift also comes with several landmarks for sailing locations. I'll try to find the nice sailing tutorial my friend Dusty came up with and post it here so you can get the most fun out of your boat if the included instructions aren't enough (just leave a comment).

The boat is very, very nice. A HUD lets you customize some textures as well as gives you control of how the boat is operated (wind vs. motor, for example), and other aspects of your experience. It appears to be well made by the Linden Moles (of course ... the Moles rock!). One really cool bit is that after you sit, simply click the boat and your avie moves from pose to pose to pose, one of which is perfect if you get seasick. Is the boat worth the membership fee? Probably not, but if you are a Premium Resident, then you should certainly take advantage of this freebie.

[Update] My friend Dusty contacted me with more info:

The Linden boat seats up to 11 avies at a time.
The Wind mode is "dumbed down a bit" so you have no real control over how the sails interact with the wind. So it's sort of like an Auto Pilot.
Sailing classes or tutorials aren't really needed, but they might be if you upgrade to another boat, like the FREE Nemo 2 at Dusty's place (and other locations).

I've sailed the Nemo 2 that Dusty recommends and it is more fun because you have to read the winds and make decisions. If I just want to party with folks, then the Linden boat would be great.

Behold, the Power of Boobies

2011-12-07T21:54:00.002-05:00

Just the other day, my friend Honour McMillan wrote a nice piece about how a skin can dramatically change your look even if you don't touch the sliders for body part size. I searched long and hard for my skin so I would look like "me" but I still had to adjust my nose as it became too thin (see this for my first pic with the skin).

Other body parts can make a huge difference, too, especially the often mocked but enormously (see the puns?) prim boobs usually called "implants." I have a couple sets myself, for a few reasons, one of which is that with them I can go beyond the slider maximum to have the same size boobs in Second Life that I have in Real Life (no, you can't see the RL ones unless you are really, really clever enough to figure out where they are online).

But I don't normally wear the implants. Maybe it's me, but I can't get them to look as real on me as other girls manage and clothing has been impossible to figure out. But when I heard about the Prim Boob Clothing Hunt (start here), I thought I'd take a bit of my free time and give it a whirl. If I got one good outfit from it and learned more about how these things work, then I'd be ahead of the game.

The third outfit (Viper Overalls from Vooh Designs; SLurl) is fabulous! Take a look ...

That's pretty much my RL size there. Maybe a bit bigger. Hard to judge, but they are close to "right."
I'm in the hangar at WarBug Headquarters (SLurl), a fun place to fly mini-planes and get some great bargains on unusual things. You can also buy the planes or try the prize chair to win one.

Can't get away with this at all in Real Life. Well, maybe a bit. I have a shirt like this from the garage my big brother owns and I wear it kinda like this when I'm there helping out now and then ... the one place I play the tease.

Yes, "the girls" are hard to fit in either life, but in "meatspace" I don't dress like this. In public I wear bulky hoodies, dark clothes, and whatever I can to de-emphasize my figure because the attention I usually get has not been positive. In the media, it may look like lots of fun to be a really busty lass, but anonymous gropes, hostility from less-blessed women, and other problems often outweigh the benefits (I think they look fabulous!).

But in Second Life, I can flaunt "the twins" with fewer of the negative consequences. Sure, men still verbally "grope" and the scorn for big breasts (via sliders or implants) can still be strong, but Our World generally seems safer. Why? Perhaps because most of the people I hang out with know me there is are fewer problems. Who knows? It just works, so get whatever body parts are "you" and enjoy.

Tis (nearly) the Season

2011-12-05T21:37:00.000-05:00

Visiting the Team at The North Pole Sleigh Ride (SLurl).

Clueless Again

2011-12-04T20:56:00.000-05:00

Real Life is ...

Well, it is being creative (close HTML Sarcasm tag) thus my in-world time has been minimal. But I helped winterize the Isle of Lesbos (putting up Christmas decorations, mostly), completed a major build, and then starting/finishing a minor build. No idea what it is. You tell me.

It is not a spaceship, though the thingy in the middle made me keep thinking of the bridge of the Enterprise.

My intent was to build an underwater habitat. Last year I made a start on a fairly realistic tube design with a moon pool and everything as if working divers would use it. But I got bored and wanted something more along the lines of this picture to the left (click for a larger view) but without the glass roof. So I started with a torus and my love of symmetry took over. I started with support beam concepts, trying a half dozen before setting on the first one I tried. Then I eyed the torus hole in the middle and I thought "Aha! A platform of sorts!" without extending the thought to "Why a platform?" and I was off. After that a new idea for making stairs grabbed me ...

The Platorm, AKA "Uccie's Vexation" is done.

And now it is done. I think. The numbers are right. The maths are correct. The symmetry "on paper" is unquestioned. So why is the one side off by what would be a centimeter or two in the Real World? Don't look too closely at some of the seams on what is my right side in this picture above. Sure. I'm one of the few people that looks that closely at seams. After all, I'm the one who textures unseen prim faces. I'm that picky.

But after throwing in some steampunk-y textures/colors, I still have no idea what this is supposed to be. It could be an undersea habitat (with no means of getting in since it has no Moon Pool nor a submersible dock). It is maybe large enough for a club of sorts, with a space for a DJ or small band in the middle (or a stripper pole and lounge seats). I dunno. But even as I write this I've had like three or four new ideas. Who knows what I'm going to be doing next week.

Sekret Spy Cam!

2011-11-27T11:22:00.001-05:00

I've been fighting Real Life to cram in some Second Life time for the my current build projects so I haven't been blogging lately, but an envelope filled with pictures was on my desk when I woke up today -- pictures from sort of Sekret Spy Cam that must have been following me while I was building late last night. Well, rather than succumb to potential blackmail, I'm going to proactively publish the PG-rated shots (no, you can't see the other ones!) here thus diluting the chances of anyone trying to get my last L$47 through nefarious means. I have nothing to hide, but I think I'll wear clothes while I build from now on (safety first, girls!).

Looking past my tushie, you'll see there is at least one reddish room inside the build.

That appears to be a ladder over my shoulder? What kind of structure uses ladders?

Hey! That looks like hay! Could this be some sort of barn-like structure?

If it is a barn, why does it have a nice spiral staircase around a stone column and a nicely-glazed fancy window?

This build is almost done anyway -- end of the month, I think -- and I'll get started on another. I've already finished a prior build and I think there is a third one on the list. I don't remember. I wish my would-be blackmailer had left a reminder.

_____________________________

Blackmail: 1550s, from black + M.E. male "rent, tribute," from O.E. mal "lawsuit, terms, bargaining, agreement," from O.N. mal "speech, agreement;" related to O.E. mæðel "meeting, council," mæl "speech," Goth. maþl "meeting place," from P.Gmc. *mathla-, from PIE *mod- "to meet, assemble." From the practice of freebooting clan chieftains who ran protection rackets against Scottish farmers. Black from the evil of the practice. Expanded c.1826 to any type of extortion money (source).

Premium Membership Discount

2011-11-21T17:39:00.000-05:00

If you want this discount, click here.

Our friends at Linden Lab want more folks on Premium Memberships, something I've often recommended if you have an economic stake in "the game" (see this post) though I have found no benefit when it comes to technical issues (see this post for an example) so when I saw a blurb at the sign-in screen about a 50% discount I leaped in to get one for an alt ... and stopped.

Of course I read the fine print. It looks like a savings of some three U.S. dollars or there abouts. So really, now is that a worthwhile savings?

New Damian Fate Avatars Updated

2011-11-21T00:00:00.001-05:00

Now in your basic Inventory (Inventory > Clothing > Initial Outfits) are some werewolf avies made by Damian Fate (read about them here). They are "mesh" so you will need a modern viewer (i.e., not most 3rd Party Viewers).

The vampires are from Lorac Farella at Pulse (SLurl). I hope to have a detailed post on each of these soon.

Time Flies

2011-11-20T14:33:00.002-05:00

Time flies when you are having fun, the saying goes, but it also flies as the holidays grow closer and you need more time to get things done. I've got a billion mostly pleasant Real Life things to do and like an idiot I agreed to build stuff in SL for an upcoming project. The latter should be pleasant, but a while ago The Lab separated a sub-pane some important tools from the Edit/Build pane and now building can be a downright laborious.

Click the Options button in the Edit/Build pane to pop out the Grid Options sub-pane.

Like many, I often switch between World mode in building, where the movement of a prim is along the X, Y, Z axes of the region you are in, to the Local mode where prim movement is along the X, Y, Z axes of the prim based on it's rotation in relation to the region's axes. With the option setting in a separate pane more time is needed to do the switch -- sure, just moments, but it adds up -- and the object remains selected as long as that sub-pane is open, even if the Edit/Build pane is closed. Sloppy, sloppy.

Fae Dragon

2011-11-17T20:03:00.001-05:00

At the Isle of Lesbos "Dungeons and Dragons" event today, someone admired my Anubis Dragon Hatchling from the Isle of Wyrms. I tried to find it on the SL Marketplace for them to get some specs but the only "hatchie" there was the Fae Dragon ... and I fell in love. So I had to splurge and get one for my wee pixy alt, Zyx Flux. My goodness, is it cute!

Zyx, surveying her domain, the Secret Garden at the Isle of Lesbos.

The flying animation is awesome! The legs retract unlike the Anubis hatchie that my "regular" avie wears.

It took a while to get the coloring right ... my pixies are usually a certain shade of blue. I love the wings as leaves rather than the dragonfly-style the humanoid pixies have. There is no manual in the box so I'm going to have to guess what a few of the HUD items do. It should be fun experimenting.

Maybe I'll get my "young adult" pixy Zyx Resident the next size up, the Wyrmling .... hmmm.

New Attachment Points

2011-11-15T23:55:00.000-05:00

While reading through the Release Notes for today's update of the Official Viewer (see them here), an enhancement to add two new attach points on the avatar -- the Neck and the Root -- is listed. Hooray! Read more about the enhancement here.

Now, if I could install the update without first deleting the old install, I'd be happy.

Projected Light

2011-11-13T14:35:00.002-05:00

The other day I ran across "How to Light Second Life Photos the Graphic Dix Way" posted on New World Notes which directed me to a great tutorial on Second Life lighting (direct link here). I had long forgotten about the projected light function of the light prim feature and had get to a sandbox to try it again.

Adding graffiti via Projected Light emphasizes boobies (erm ... s'what the graffiti says)

Since the tutorial is so complete and you are going to read it anyway, I won't go into detail here about how to use projected light, but I would like to make a add a few points, not the least of which is that if you include avatars in the shot your subject(s) needs to have prim eyes. The Lighting and Shadows feature in the Graphics preferences renders texture-only eyes as milky white orbs and that is not attractive to most folks. Additionally, don't be discouraged if the texture picker box in the Edit pane looks X'd out as if you can't choose it. Go ahead and click. Don't like the texture you chose? Then try another one, but I found, however, you have to close the Edit pane for your change to take effect. Also keep in mind that the prim will no longer act as a radiated source so you'll have to rez others to light the rest of the build -- keeping in mind that they also light the projected image and may wash it out. Finally, a legitimate use for Facelights (assuming you don't have more than six light sources in view at the time as Second Life can only show that many at once). While you are on Features tab in the Edit pane, note the FOV function for later and the Focus function. The latter can give your projected image a blurring at the edges. Ambiance has no affect that I can detect. Lastly, if you are trying to project onto a prim that is set to Full Bright, give up. It won't work. Same with Glow.

Last point is about the mechanics of the source prim influence the size and shape of the final projection. Check out this info graphic:

Aside from the position of the prim along it's Z-Axis, rotation is key, too. If you don't rotate the prim at all, it will project on the floor. Setting the Y-Axis to 90 degrees projects the image to the west (thus 270 degrees would be eastward, and so on) and another 90 degrees on the Z-Axis makes text read left-to-right.

So those are my helpful tips. Now get out there and build! Feel free to post links to your pix in the Comments of this post. I'd love to see them.

St. Illuminatious Cathedral

2011-11-11T15:37:00.000-05:00

For several days I've been aching to write about St. Illuminatious Cathedral (SLurl) by Abel Dreamscape but have been thwarted by Real Life and other in-world projects. Today I made the time and I hope you make the time after reading about it here to visit this amazing site.

Let's get the basics out of the way. St. Illuminatious Cathedral is some 4075 prims without furniture and easily fills an 64 meter by 120 meter area with a height that almost strains draw distances, just over 102 meters. Like the real world edifices that inspired this structure, it is mind-blowingly big. And the beauty of the build is equal to or greater than it's size. You must see this to believe it. Here is the gratuitous, specially lighted and composed picture you'd expect.

Look very closely and you'll see a nun clad in all white in the main entrance. That is my 1.88m (6.16 ft) avatar. Take a breath and think about the scale here.

I could have taken more beauty shots like that with different Windlight settings and various tweaks and ... frankly, none showed the real beauty. Here are some detail views, with comments, that I hope give a better idea of how gorgeous this build really is.

This could have been a simple texture as it is about 15m above ground level and most folks wouldn't look that closely, but it is all prim. Looking from ground level as you move left-to-right it makes a difference as the block wall shows through the details making the depth real, not implied.

Look at the little "spires" ... they are all over the place. To me, this just shows the builder's love of being faithful to the source. There is a lot of love in this building.

Very skillful use of sculpts. Mr Dreamscape sells the parts in a Builder's Pack, by the way. Not like I'd have the skill to use them. *sigh*

Flying buttresses. Flying Buttresses! Holy Canoli, they are even faithful to Real Life architecture. Sadly, though, there is no "real" rainwater drainage system, gargoyles aside, but adding the little tunnels and all that would raise the prim count horrendously, I imagine.

The towers are stunning inside and outside. Look at the spires and the windows and the slats and the ... I'm having an Architecture-gasm. If you ever see some 'idiot' with binoculars outside a cathedral or other such structure in RL, it might be me. I love looking at all the little details.

One of the towers has bells. Big Bells. When you visit, look closely at the support arms. The clappers are odd, but not something I haven't seen.

Right. You have to climb into the bell tower, stand in a certain place, then cam in to see this detail of the ropes. Builders who bother with this level of detail are really passionate about their craft.

The staircase to the bell tower. There might not be any furniture included with the cathedral if you buy a copy, but the building is not bereft of decorations. Look for all the candles and you'll see what I mean.

Wonderous vaulted ceilings plus fabulous columns equal amazing beauty.

Above the altar space. Impressed yet?

An arcade beside the altar space, true to Real Life architecture again. And there is one outside under the flying buttresses on what is traditionally called The East End.

More beautiful stained glass in the transepts.

Again, this could have been a flat texture, but detail is important in a build of this majesty.

This staircase leads to a walk above the choir area.

Details are important, of course, but when you mind turns to mush you'll go back to saying "wow" as you focus again on the scale of the cathedral

If you are like me and you really need your own copy of this magnificent build, it is available in-world or on the SL Marketplace for a mere L$45,000 ... about L$44,600 more than I have right now.

V3 is Here

2011-11-08T14:02:00.000-05:00

What looked like a simple update to the Official Viewer turned out to be a full update to v3 and the new GUI.

If you like v2 and hate v1, don't upgrade.

It is out of Beta and is running live. Here's the Release Notes with no mention of the GUI change.

Skin Burn!

2011-11-07T20:18:00.000-05:00

Following is a Press Release (italics and links added) from Burn2 for the "Skin Burn" -- the last celebration for Burn2 this year and a chance to be naked (if you wish) with a lot of other people.

Burn2 is still going. Don't think it is over.

Burning Man’s Ten Principles calls for Radical Self Expression. As part of that Self Expression, Burning Culture includes nudity and decorated nudity. For BURN2 we see it as an opportunity to celebrate Burning Culture while watching The Man burn under low lag conditions! We do this by showing up with Avatars in just a skin, no prim attachments or scripts at all, so we have minimal Avatar Rendering Cost (ARC) slowing down the Virtual Playa server. First tried in 2010, this event was an instant hit. We're bringing it back again to the Virtual Playa with the Skin Burn on November 12th! ! Below you will find the information for this years skin burn. To get to Silver Seed one must be in the Skinburn Group and have activated the tag. Hope to see you all there. If you have any questions please contact Ladyslipper Constantine or Gemma Cleanslate.

Date: November 12, 2011

Times: DJ music will be playing from 11am - 3pm SLT. The Man will burn at 12:30 pm, slt.

Place: Silver Seed sim

Details: Everyone must be checked in first for low ARC and low script count at a place off sim. Once they pass the checks, they will be invited to the skin group and given the LM to Silver Seed. Check-ins will be from 10:30am - Noon SLT and will then close. Free art skins will be available at the check in for those who don't have one.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sonyo/36/240/401

An Open Secret

2011-11-07T19:22:00.001-05:00

A couple times now I've posted about Las Arenas Rosadas (SLurl), one of the most beautiful tropical regions in all Second Life, but what I've been keeping secret is that it is part of an archipelago of islands that are just as beautiful. The secret seems to be out, though, as each time I visit more people seem to be there, especially on a wee-sized sand islet that I love for relaxing or cuddling with my wife, Angela.

That would be Las Olas Azules (SLurl), a teeny little bit of sand and rocks and a few trees, but truly fabulous. You can sit in the trees or there is a nice set of couples cuddles (sometimes more than one).

Looking Northeast toward Las Arenas Rosadas, just over the horizon if you have more than a 128m draw distance. Keeping that low when I visit adds to the sense of isolation.

The South-Southwest view here shows part of Las Rocas and Las Islas (to the right).

Las Rocas (SLurl), less isolated due to it's situation between two commerce regions but still gorgeous, is more of a hub for folks to gather with it's enormous natural rock formations and plenty of places to poke around.

Part of the rock formations on Las Rocas with several platforms with seating and the beach has a cuddle bed under a cabana. It's hard to find a bad view no matter where you are at.

My only disappointment? No seascaping. If you scuba or mermaid (yes, it can be a verb) there is nothing to see. And if you just want to swim you have to bring your own AO. Still, one would visit these regions for the views above sea level, not for what you might find below.

Las Lagunas (SLurl; not pictured), one of the two regions with shops, is also beautiful. The shops are lovely and if I had some money I'm sure I would soon be without money. Visit there with a friend and make a day of it then head out to one of the remote islands for some quiet time. You might see me there.

Graphics maxed, I'm resting in the tree on Las Olas Azules.

Blackspot Shipyard

2011-11-03T19:28:00.001-04:00

For various reasons a few folks know but that I won't mention here yet (though I am willing to tease, it seems), I'm shopping for a Tall Ship in Second Life. During my search I came across a group of fabulous sims centered on the Blackspot Shipyard (SLurl). The ships I found are fabulous, but I found myself busy exploring the landscape and infrastructure, clearly amongst the finest anywhere in Our World. Teeny nitpicks aside (like the occasional mismatched texture or a prim face with poorly set repeats), the build is fantastic. This isn't just a nice landscape with structures set out and some furniture plopped down. This is an adapted ecosystem.

The structures are organic as if the builders had to contend with an intractable landscape, suiting the construction to the terrain. It really looks like a 18th century pirate outpost. Well, like the way I imagine one to look as I've never actually seen one. The rich, dark textures lend extra authenticity to the build, but you really need to see it in person to see what I mean. Until you go, here are some pictures.

You may have noticed the pirate in these pix. It's me in my Grendels Pirate Boxbot Avie.

Lots of scenic views from the ships. Each is for sale, costing upwards of L$9000 each but are highly detailed and wonderfully laid out. Arrrgghh ... I'm a fierce sea-farin' soul. Fear my paper cuts!

There's a shop with wonderful pre-fabs in that thar castle, which itself is also for sale.

This looks like a wonderful place for role play, but every time I've visited I was pretty much the only person there. The About Land stats showed very little traffic, which is a shame.

Guy Fawkes Day

2011-11-02T16:57:00.001-04:00

Angela, my loving wife, found this great Guy Fawkes mask on the SL Marketplace for FREE (Web)! You can also get it at Sirius Solo's store (SLurl or check his Profile Picks). Get ready now for your celebration of Guy Fawkes Day.

What? You haven't heard of it? There's a whole history to it (check here on the Web, to start), but essentially it is the story of a man fed up with what he believed to be an intolerant and unjust government so he tried to destroy it with spectacular violence. He failed, but since then he has come to represent oppressed people everywhere. Or so those who adopt him as an icon believe. Read about it and make up your own mind.

But really ... you haven't seen the excellent movie V for Vendetta (Web)? Well, you have time.

Haunted House Adieu

2011-11-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

Until Next Year

The Menagerie Isle 2011 Haunted House was swallowed up in a mystical vortex today, an eerie voice in the wind saying "Until Next Year!!!!"

Many thanks to the hundreds of folks who visited this year. I hope you had a fabulous time. Since many were first day residents I don't think they'll see this blog just yet, but I hope they know that they are appreciated. Also, thanks to Angela Seale (my wife) for spot checking the build and helping with security. Threshin Barnett lent the big sea dragon to me for the pirate area. Lots of folks IMd with comments, all positive, thank goodness, and I give them my thanks, too.

Tons of thanks to Janeforyou Barbara, Menagerie Isle's owner and Head Ranchero. Stupid me, it never occurred to me in all the years I've used her land for my project that I should have had her put out a tip jar. Well, with any luck she sold some horses or whatever critters she is raising now (Robots? Come see them here). She's an absolute dear and one of the most generous people in all Second Life. She deserves good things.

Soon I'll sort through the 40-something photos I took before the tear down and post the best on this blog. But I'm already thinking about next year and saving my L$ for what could be my best Halloween attraction yet. I hope to see you then :)

Death of the Desktop Part II

2011-11-01T11:21:00.004-04:00

After a brief visit with my Neopets on the desktop computer this morning, I went to sit with Mom as she's having a rough morning (I'm her home care aide) and grabbed my iPad to finish my morning Web reading. So, here I am writing this post after checking all the blogs I follow and hitting the news apps, all on the iPad.

Sure, the Blogger experience sucks on this browser, but if I used another service I would have an app for that. Or I'd I could remember all that HTML I once learned I could add graphics. This is more a limit of my blog host/tools choice than of the device.

So do I really need a desktop?

Yes for the convenience if not the utility. I like having an iPad or iPod Touch handy to use as a second (or third) screen when I'm on the desktop. Sure, my big computer runs multiple apps, but window panes stack up and task switching gets cumbersome when working with intensive programs like Acorn or Photoshop Elements.

One day the desktop will go away. I think it might be soon.

Death of the Desktop

2011-10-30T22:52:00.001-04:00

It has occurred to me more than once over the years that the main reason I have a traditional computer is for Second Life. I could get the news and weather from TV and plenty of entertainment, too, especially when I had a DVR. The daily newspaper was interesting, though not as much as the radio. And I love to read. Books, magazines, packages in the grocery store. Anything.

But what do I do with the computer? Well, I read. Play solitaire. And I visit Second Life. Because of the latter, I also have several graphics programs so I can create textures. Sure, there are things I do on the Web like Netflix and Neopets. But except for Neopets, everything I do on the desktop other than Second Life I can do on my iPod Touch or my iPad or on AppleTV, especially now that Cloud storage is here.

So what is the point here? Not entirely sure. But I spent most of my day mucking about the house doing various things with my iDevices in tow. I watched a recipe and took out my iPod Touch to make entries on the grocery list app while cooking then ate my meal while watching Netflix and waiting for the other meals to cook (it's like a restaurant here ... no two people want the same thing). Then I looked up things for my mom (she's figuring out her iPad) for Christmas shopping and was able to hand the screen to her.

Tomorrow when I'm out shopping I'll use the iPad to talk to people instead of the chalk slate I used growing up. When I save up about $190 I'll get an app that will be my voice. And I'll hook up to the WiFi at McDonalds to update my mail and check the weather and ... well, whatever. I certainly won't have to drag my desktop computer with me, though it has been done.

Very handy things, these portables. And I really wonder if I'd use a traditional computer if it weren't for Second Life.

Second Life's Most Popular Attraction!

2011-10-29T18:54:00.000-04:00

Well, I wish that were true, but dozens of people a day visit The Menagerie Isle 2011 Haunted House. Have you seen it? Plenty of frights in those sights and a gift if you survive the dark ride in the basement. Use the SLurl below to visit soon because when Halloween is gone, so is the House.

Madam Jane's Fortune Telling Parlour attracts some interesting clients.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Menagerie%20Island/46/56/47

I Love Lesbos

2011-10-28T23:28:00.000-04:00

When writing or reading or just generally trying to veg out, one of my favorite places to be is the Infinity Pool at the Pride Club on the Isle of Lesbos. Recently I put in some new floaties like this one for couples.

Blogging & Foruming Today

2011-10-28T12:09:00.001-04:00

Hay, y'all! I'm going to be spending much of today replying to comments on my Official Second Life Blog post from last Wednesday (see it here) and threading through the forums (starting here) monitoring and replying to Halloween posts there, too. Stop by and leave a comment or two or three or more.

Image shot in Second Life and edited with iMut8r for my iPod Touch.

Coming to an SL Shop Soon?

2011-10-26T19:05:00.000-04:00

Beta Viewer Part III

2011-10-26T14:15:00.001-04:00

As noted in an earlier post, I liked that notifications in the current Beta viewer from The Lab have been moved to the upper-right corner. It makes sense, but in practice it may not be a good idea. Take a look at this picture:

Transparency and size may be issues.

The notifications tend to be semi-transparent and whether they are on a dark background or a light one, they are hard to read. The icons are also hard so see because of their small size. I know that folks will want to see the v1.x blue background on notices. That would be great for high-priority messages like region restarts and such, simply making the other notice windows opaque would be sufficient. I'd like to see the icons for group chats, IMs, and the like moved into the same bar as the Favorites buttons so they could be more easily seen. Some of us have visual impairments (I'm due for trifocals this year) and I don't see much effort on The Lab's part to accommodate folks with special needs.

A nice touch, and obviously one coordinated with the Shop button in the menu bar, is an addition to the Inventory pane: Received Items.

One can argue that having an area just for your Marketplace purchases (and notice that they didn't give it the proper capitalization it requires under standard grammar rules) in your Inventory pane (though items still appear in the Objects folder) is another attempt by The Lab to kill in-world commerce, you have to admit that even without the increasing number of merchants going Marketplace-only, this is a convenient way to keep track on incoming inventory. Now if only all inventory offers could be shown here this would go from a good idea to a great idea. Then have all the accepted offers drop into an "Objects: Received" folder rather like the user-created "Objects: Storage" folder in the pic above. If The Lab did that, it would be one of the protected, un-deleteable folders (like Animations, Body Parts, et al) and we'd know just where to look.

Clearly this is a Beta feature, though, as it doesn't work. I made some test purchases and there is no log of activity in the new section.

Honestly, if I thought JIRA was looked at or acted upon, I'd make these suggestions directly. Hopefully if any Linden who reads this blog likes the idea well enough they'll bring it up at the water cooler or lunch room.

Friday Blog! [UPDATE]

2011-10-25T10:30:00.001-04:00

This Friday I'll have a post on the Official Linden Blog as part of a Best of SL Halloween Event (Web)! I'll be joining several other residents in an open conversation on the blog and in the forum so be sure to drop by and check us out!

[9:39AM SLT] Looks like my blog post is LIVE now. Check it out here.

The Beta Viewer Part II

2011-10-23T10:35:00.000-04:00

As I continue to use the Beta Viewer from The Lab, I might occasionally post a suggestion or so here. The first is for the Inventory Pane: Add tabs or drop-down menu as shown in the picture below.

Zyx Flux gets ready for Halloween with the new Inventory Pane.

A suggestion for all panes: Let us select the slider pane behavior introduced in v2 if we should choose to use it or not. It greatly reduced clutter and I always knew where to look. Perhaps that can be accomplished via the Skins function.

The Beta Viewer

2011-10-22T13:56:00.004-04:00

Thanks to New World Notes (Web), I was reminded that a new Official Viewer is in the works and that Daniel Voyager took a look (Web) at the beta (available here) as did Inara Pey (Web). Their reviews are pretty thorough so rather than rush my look to press I thought I'd try it for a couple days.

First Impressions

If you don't l like the GUI on v2 or v3, you won't like this one.
Moving from v3 to this viewer should be very easy.
Customizers rejoice!
Noobies beware!

Much of this is familiar to v3 users.

Gone is the much hated (though not by me) sliding panel that currently graces the Official Viewer's right side, but the buttons are not gone. They've simply been moved to the left. Sort of. You can move them back one-by-one, not as a set, but clicking them brings up individual panes, much like the v1.x viewers of yore. This should make many folks happy, but it doesn't answer the argument that the sliding panel took up too much room. As you can see in a later picture, your screen can get very full very fast. But back to the buttons ... I like the flexibility The Lab gives here. I won't use all the choices and it will be nice to keep them where I like them. And the Reset to Defaults option is going to be great when I help new Residents ... *pop* my screen will look like theirs and I can easily point out things. Well, then I have to customize mine again. Third Party Viewer (TPV) coders might want to consider adding options for presets -- like Buttons That Show When I'm Role Playing and Buttons That Show When I'm Building or Buttons That Show When I'm Hosting an Event. Lastly, you can customize the top bar a bit, too. See that green oval? Slide the grabber left/right for sizing or right click to select a partial hide option.

The usual menus are there with the usual features, even the hidden-by-default Advanced and Develop menus. Aside from the slider pane being taken away and the custom buttons, much of the interface is unchanged. Mini-Map, People, Groups, etc., all look familiar. I didn't see anything new in Preferences, either. Don't expect the lack of changes to continue, however, as I imagine that more tweaks are coming as evidenced by some subtle name changes buried in the menus and panes. The effort to make the viewer much more noobie-friendly has just begun. Dare we expect colorful skins that might be easier for those with visual impairments to read? For me, I just wish it was easier to change the Windlight settings. They are still overly complicated and discouraging. By the way, the standard button arrangement on the side takes up a fair bit of real estate when the labels are active, as you see here.

Notifications and IM windows have been moved, but not materially changed. You'll now find them in the upper-right corner. This makes sense for a couple reasons: For one, many Animation Overrides and other HUDs like to live in the bottom-right corner. IMs and Notifications often interfered with using them. For another, these are information items so keeping them with other information such as your L$ balance (see my pathetic balance?) at the top. Photographers will tell you that most folks like that corner, too, and tend to look there almost as often as they do the upper-left corner. Draw a big, imaginary Z with your finger over your screen. That pattern you made that tends to be the scan pattern most people use, particularly those who learned to read in the West. However, I use bifocals so text at the bottom of the screen is clearer for me. Like any change, this will take some time to get used to, but since I like v2/v3 already, it shouldn't be too hard.

Whoaaaaa! I'm gonna miss the slide out side pane and how it kept the window nice and tidy.

If you've tried the current Basic viewer settings some of what you see above will be familiar. These ideas were first tried when The Lab beta-tested a Web browser interface and I can see how they might apply to a light-featured client aimed at tablet computers. Such as (A), the Avatar Picker. You can flick back and forth after choosing an avatar type then click an avatar image to be instantly changed (depending on lag, your Internet connection, the speed/memory of your computer, and the will of various deities). The complete avatar is dropped into your Clothing folder. Wanna be a car? Do it! But please don't use the Avatar Picker to go back to your previous look -- a second (or third or fourth or ...) copy of that avatar appears with the first. The How to pane is also aimed at noobies and is danged easy to use. I'm very happy to see it here. The Outfits pane (B) is back. I love this feature introduced with v2, though there have been issues. It is one of the first things I teach noobs if I go beyond the basics. The Destinations pane (C), like the Avatar Picker, was found in the Basic mode and deserves a good look over by experienced Residents. Like map hopping, it is a fun way to discover parts of Our World that you might not otherwise have seen. Other windows are open here, too, so you can see how open windows are indicated by the button highlights. As you can see, the window can become quite cluttered so the button highlights are handy. Also, see the chat bar? It, too, can be moved. Open it with the button or just tap the Enter key on your keyboard before you start typing, just like in v2/v3. The Escape key changes the focus back away from Chat.

Nitpicks

As I've mentioned, the Windlight settings are still cumbersome to use, and I'm being polite when I write that.
Apple Mac trackpad gestures for scrolling, moving, and camera controls don't work, but I'm sure they'll say that this viewer isn't recommended for OSX/Lion, either.
The buttons automatically center themselves in a cluster at the side or on the bottom. I'd like to be able to have them not dock with each other and stay where I put them.

Despite this release being a Beta, the viewer seems to be very stable despite some teleport crashes. Likely there is little monkeying under the hood at this point, just a bit of body work and some new paint. Should you give it a try, feel free to drop some comments here. I'd be interested in hearing what you think.

Clueless in My Prattle

2011-10-20T19:06:00.000-04:00

It can only be my fault, I guess, but I've gotten myself into a pickle. Either a Linden who reads my blog recommended me or my Haunted House (SLurl) got noticed this year or someone ... well, I just don't know. But on October 31st I'll have a post about celebrating Halloween in Second Life on the official Linden Blog and I'll be replying to folks who comment as well as trolling the forums talking about ... what?

I need a topic.

I don't know. Maybe if I knew why the Lindens contacted me or how how I came to their notice I'd know what I should write about. In fact, I really need like 10 topics as Zed Linden told me that I should have several at hand in case things go pear-shaped and I need to resuscitate the threads.

For some reason, Zed Linden picked a boxing ring in which to hold our in-world meeting about my participation.

And it is recommended that I leap into my social networking resources for assistance. No, I don't Facebook, Tweet, Plurk (though I still have an account), use Flickr much, or even know anything about Orkut except how to spell it (I read that in a helpful notecard from Zed).

The initial contact asked that I fill out an application if I wanted to be considered to participate and on same I was asked to cite URLs for Forum replies or other bits of my participation in such venues. I knew of none. Search found none. Well, there goes the opportunity. Then I got an IM back ...

Maybe they are desperate. Really. I mean, I've seen who else is going to be doing what I'm supposed to be doing on October 31st and November 1st and if I've heard of them, then they must be SLebrities. Who? I shouldn't say yet, but think "SL's oldest Halloween attraction" and "famous October hunt" for a couple.

What have I got myself into? More to the point, now that I'm into it, what should I write about?

Viewer Thoughts

2011-10-19T14:04:00.002-04:00

Regular readers of this blog know that I often write about the Viewer and that I like the UI introduced with Viewer2. In fact, I guess I'm something of an evangelist or even an apologist for v2/v3 from The Lab. So the other day when Rod Linden mentioned that some changes were coming up (and are now here in v3.1) I was rather non-plussed. Now Tateru Nino writes on her blog that she heard from Rhett Linden that the Sidebar I like is going away and then she points to a post on Nalates Urriah's blog that has pix of the new UI.

While I'm not happy with a number of ways v3 works (such as changing environment settings) or how the Basic mode has been partly folded into the Advanced mode (I'll have to get used to think about where I click as I look about since one-click-navigate now kicks in), I keep coming back to what I tell folks who complain about the Official Viewer: Try it.

When v2 arrived I didn't like it at all. I tried every alternative viewer available and recommended them to others as I found that aside from the UI being familiar, they often offered interesting and sometimes useful features. But as I help new Residents (okay, noobs), I felt that it would be best that I became familiar with v2 so I could be a better guide.

So for two weeks I used only v2, even uninstalling other viewers so I could avoid temptation. What I found at the end was that most of my objections stemmed simply from the idea of change. Someone moved my cheese and I reacted viscerally. On the whole, v2 was no better or no worse that any other viewer. It had it's quirks, as did they all, and I knew that if I needed a special feature I could fire up another viewer to use them.

So what about vX (whatever it's designation is going to be)? I have to admit that there were bits in Nalates' pix that I didn't care for at first glance. But I'm willing to wait and to give the new iteration a chance. How about you?

Premium Content Update

2011-10-18T18:58:00.001-04:00

Actually, there is no update. The nice furniture that The Lab set out for Premium Account members to grab for free in several places (such as Sandbox Mirificatio; SLurl) is still available, well past the 30 day mark that I expected the content to change.

The original announcement was made September 1st so I was rather hoping there would be something new to grab a couple weeks ago. Stopping by one gift site today, however, I found the first items offered still in the giver. I guess if you still want them, you can get them. Before I (unilaterally) declare (as is my won't, at times) that this benefit is dead ("bereft of life," to quote the usually inimitable Mr Praline), I'd like to hear from some official (preferably Linden) source. Got one?

The Waiting Game

2011-10-17T21:03:00.000-04:00

This is one of those "nothing is happening" posts so feel free to skip the text, merely glance at the picture, then move along to more important things. But today I was flying about in a parrot avatar on Las Olas Azules (SLurl), one of several regions that make up one of the most gorgeous tropical archipelagos in all of Second Life. It was so nice and the owner has a couple sets of cuddle pose balls out that I said to myself "Self? Bring your lovely wife here later for cuddles!" Then I answered "Why, yes, I will. Thank you for your kind suggestion."

So, here I sit, waiting for her. She had logged in but went offline without explanation ... probably a crash ... and I haven't heard from her since. Thank goodness I have my L$10 wearable beach furniture set from the fine folks who brought us WarBug aeroplanes on their bargain island (SLurl).

Reminder! Haunted House

2011-10-17T15:22:00.000-04:00

I just took a look at the visitor logs for the 2011 Menagerie Isle Haunted House and ... whoaaaa! Althought attendance is slightly down over last year's figures to date we've still had a few hundred people visit! Maybe it's late placement in the Destination Guide explains the numbers, but I'm still happy that so many folks have visited. Someone even IMd last night to go on and on about the spiders (not where you expect them). I hope you get a chance to visit. It's free and it is a good place to bring a date.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Menagerie%20Island/46/56/47

Happy Wings!

2011-10-16T12:40:00.001-04:00

Those dancing penguins have nuthin' on me, 'cause I gots Happy Wings! My ultra-talented friend Kaelin Westland asked me to try her MICRO Flappy Iridescent Wasp Wings, a new version of her full-sized wings and they sooooooo rock! Check 'em out!

I'm at Forest Floor (SLurl) again, a gorgeous place to be a pixy.

This picture doesn't do them justice as there is no motion, but when I launch into flight they go all flappy (hence the name, I'm presuming) and look so real. But what I really like is that they fold down when I'm at rest. I love my Material Squirrel dragonfly wings, but they are always sticking out (unless I hide them). It's much better to have the wings fold down.

You can try the demo for yourself free. Just go to the Marketplace on the Web here. If you see other wings you like, contact Kaelin to ask about having them made in MICRO size. Me? I've upgraded my full-sized pixy to her wings already but for now I'm gonna fly around some more! See ya!

Getting Back Some Sanity

2011-10-13T17:10:00.001-04:00

Even with all the excitement of Burn2 it wasn't easy to over look that I was spending hour after hour in a flat, dry desert. I like green and blue; forests and waters. So I'm taking some time to get back to my comfort zone by spending as much time as I can in my favorite places before I start tackling tasks again.

To start, I bought a Great White Shark avatar from R&Ms (SLurl) then swam about the various sims of the Blake Sea (like here: SLurl) and, of course, the bay at the Isle of Lesbos.

Cue the theme from Jaws. Calimari is on the menu!

Later, I teleported to the Calas Galadhon regions (SLurl) and flew around in the magnificent Fall foliage with my wonderful raven avie from Grendels Children.

This raven is the harbinger of fun.

Then I lay in the pond at Memorial Park (SLurl), enjoying the cool waters and springtime greenery.

This little park is my brother's land. We share the treehouse next door. I love this place.

Lastly, I ended up at the Isle of Lesbos again, dancing on the pole at the Mayan Club in my UK Punk finery (it was a Hats event).

The Isle of Lesbos has some great events and I hope to attend more now that Burn2 is over.

Soon Winter will decend upon my little town in Southern Maine and snow will cover everything. All the pine trees mean there will still be some greenery so the beauty won't be all gone, but when I need to refresh the woodland sprite within me, I know where to go in Second Life.

Burn2: Regrets

2011-10-11T22:19:00.000-04:00

With all the time I was able to spend at Burn2 before it opened to the public and after, I was able to see every installation at least twice. I kept going back to many, over and over again, and featuring some on this blog (click the Burn2 tag below to see all my entries), but one I regret not featuring while it was available to the public was Trill Zapatero's GrailQuest. Simply stated, it was sumptuously textured, rather skillfully constructed, and makes-you-tingle exiting. Each step along the path to find the Grail was an interactive joy, deeply rooted in philosophy.

Buddha: “Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”

If you clicked about (and nearly everything was clickably interactive) you'd hear special sounds, be treated to fun visuals, or be given special quotes like that above. Every part of this installation was important unto itself, but they all blended together to form an experience unlike any at Burn2. And I failed to blog about it. I take some comfort in knowing that some 600 people visited, but I don't know how many thought to climb the ladder or even complete the Quest.

More's the pity.

Here are some images I captured today to help me remember. I hope you enjoy them.

It was hard to miss the grail. If you came to Burn2, you saw it. But did you experience it?

The textures are simply amazing.

A fabulous meditative garden ...

... with a view to the goal.

Lots of fun interactivity!

Plenty of places to sit and think and look upon the Playa.

The books are trying to tell me something as they flap their leaves at me.

Does a Grail Quest every really end?

Friends, Romans, Countrymen

2011-10-10T11:09:00.001-04:00

As Burn2 ends and the cleanup begins, I look at all the names I added to my Friends list during the last month ...

Sorry, but some of you gotta go. If I don't work with you or sleep with you regularly, then you are probably gonna be dropped. Nothing personal.

I've long advocated that The Lab revise the Friends system into a Contacts system that lets us organize and set permission on groups. I have friends, business colleagues, staff in various places, bosses in others, acquaintances, and more. With the popularity of Facebook, Google+, and the like why can't The Lab direct their efforts to turn Second Life into a social network into a drive to have a decent address book?

Maybe this is another reason Google should buy The Lab ... SL Circles, anyone?

Honour McMillan stays on my Friends list. Check out her blog post about the Temple at Burn2 last night.

Burn2: Shower Time

2011-10-08T09:28:00.000-04:00

I rolled out of bed rather late this morning and almost didn't make my scheduled Ranger shift at Burn2, but I did miss my shower. So while munching some Pop-Tarts®, I headed to The Joker's Wild (SLurl) for a quick virtual shower and some fresh panties.

Thanks for letting me use the facilities, Herbie Haven.

The exhibit out front is a bit more serious: "World power, its a fools game nobody wins." A giant mechanoid uses a deck of "Most Wanted Iraqi" playing cards in a game of high-stakes oil, cash, and lives. A rather thought-provoking piece to say the least.

Joker's Wild

Just a couple days left to see this installation and all the other wonderful builds at Burn2. Hurry on down!

Burn2: The Actual Burn

2011-10-07T23:44:00.002-04:00

I was called away for Ranger duty before I could grab a pic, but Inner Child Camp burned the Mini-Man tonight. It was a great party so I expect Saturday's and Sunday's burn of the big man to be at least as good. Here's the schedule, in Second Life Time:

Man - Saturday 11:30am & 7:30pm; Sunday 3:30am

Temple - Sunday 11:30am & 7:30pm; Monday 3:30am

The sims will be forced to Midnight and all who attend are requested to reduce their Avatar Rendering Cost by as much as possible. Basically, strip off as many prims as you can, especially flex and sculpty prims. Maybe get some body paint? Be tastefully naked?

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Silver%20Seed/3/61/25

Can't get to the region? Try the Live Stream at http://burn2.org/live_stream

Here's to the Crazy Ones.

2011-10-06T18:24:00.000-04:00

Burn2: Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T16:29:00.001-04:00

While visiting Inner Child Camp at Burn2 last night, I heard the news about Steve Jobs.

I almost wrote "Apple's Steve Jobs," but really, he belonged to everyone. This corporate and technology innovator passed away late yesterday. His impact has been felt and will continue to be felt for decades by everyone, whether they be users of Apple products or not.

Elsewhere on the Web and other media are more eloquent summaries of Steve's legacy and more moving tributes than I could write. Open any news site if you don't want to do a search. You'll find them.

But you can also visit Burn2. At least one camper I've found has put in a memorial (SLurl). Thank you, Molly Montale.

Up until the time I heard the news I had been thinking about a message that I wanted to put into the Burn2 Temple (SLurl). Then I had it. Simple. Short. You'll see it floating with dozens of other messages, some in memorial for other special people, if you visit this spectacular build.

The Temple will burn, too, not just the Man. October 9th and 10. The schedule is here. At that time, all the messages will be read during one of Burn2's most moving ceremonies.

The sometimes-tech blog Gizmodo has a moving post about "where where you when you learned about Steve?" I was at Burn2 with friends. Where were you?

Haunted House!

2011-10-05T18:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, after my wife told me she loved me, she told me that Gabrielle Linden had visited my Haunted House on Menagerie Isle (SLurl). I had written to the general address for the Second Life Destination Guide wondering what happened to my placement request and she had popped in to check out the house. Another email later and a days wait then ...

On page 4 of the DG last I looked! (Web)

Thank you, Gabrielle!

Burn2: AFK Games

2011-10-05T11:46:00.000-04:00

Right. I may have started it, but Honour (at right in the pic) finished it! Poor Jefke. Going AFK when I'm around. There is always fun at Burn2 Center Camp (SLurl).

Burn2: Mutant Vehicles!

2011-10-04T16:00:00.000-04:00

Art cars and playa bikes hold a big place in everyone's memory who has gone to Burning Man or watched the live stream.

Well, Burn2 has playa bikes and art cars, too. And the best part is YOU get to drive them around.

There's an egg shell car, a floating inflatable elephant, a canoe (with its own piece of the playa), coffin cars, a drivable teapot. Try them all.

There are nine cars for tinies too.

And playa bikes..old school bikes, rocket bikes.

One of the many bike razzers can be found at
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Hualapai/254/150/25.

Once you stand up, they derez so you don't have to worry about MOOP...and you can get another one whenever you want. So rev up your engines and motor down to the DMV or the bike rez stations scattered around the playa and ...get your motor running! Get your friends together and have a parade - we'll all stop and watch!

One of the many car razzers can be found at
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/81/158/25

This post is a Press Release from the Burn2 organization.

Artificial People!

2011-10-04T08:43:00.000-04:00

Linden Lab CEO CEO Rodvik Humble posted this on the official blog yesterday: "Over the next few months (with testing most likely starting in December), we will be rolling out a series of more advanced features. These will make the creation of artificial life and artificial people much smoother" (Web).

Maybe my wish to have a true Meeroo pet -- one that will follow and interact with me much like a Real Life pet -- will come true. Sure, I can attach one of the lithe buggers to me but eventually they want to be put back down. Or I can sit with them, but they bounce about pointlessly. Having one as a companion would be cool.

How about a "human" guide? The Isle of Lesbos has Elspeth, a pseudo-bot from XD Fusion that greets arrivals, offers gifts, and takes comments. If I had the resources, I could get a more sophisticated chat bot (the dear, departed Mysteria region used one), but like Elspeth, she'd remain in one place. A moving chat bot could lead visitors to near by destinations like the dance area. Despite signs, arrows, chat directions, and more, folks still seem to get lost. If they could follow a person, they are less likely to get lost (I say "less likely" because even when I lean folks around, they sometimes get lost).

I really look forward to seeing this feature. A few builds I've seen -- like a venue that used a bot for the boatman on The River Styx and bots in a torture area in Tartarus -- have used bots to enhance the role play, but I bet advanced forms would be even more fantastic.

Burn2: The Sacrifice

2011-10-03T19:06:00.000-04:00

The words to describe The Sacrifice, Claudia222 Jewell's contribution to Burn2 (SLurl) almost completely fail me, so here are her words along with my picture that barely captures even a tenth of this installation's impact:

"Facing death to prove braveness and to gain enlightenment are Rites of Passage."

Let me be clear about my taste in art ... I prefer Renaissance, photojournalism, nature, and realism. I'm not a fan of Op Art, Modern Art, or anything that feels it must describe itself as art in it's name. Van Gogh confuses me. da Vinci excites me. And I'm not (not, I say) a fan of the macabre or grotesque styles.

But Claudia's art is a smack in the face. It grabs me and makes me look at every detail, every nuance. Her art has a splendor (the word keeps repeating in my head when I see The Sacrifice) with its characteristically lush textures and opulent use of organic forms. As I stand at the site to write this post and listen to the visitors (there are usually quite a few at most any time), I hear others echo my thoughts.

There is nothing about this build that follows the "everything was brought to the desert in a truck" motif as it is the height of Not Possible in Real Life and it is truly gorgeous. Put this on your Burn2 "must see" list.

SL Viewer Not for Apple OS

2011-10-03T17:18:00.001-04:00

It is no secret that the current (and a couple previous) Second Life Official Viewers are not recommended for use with Apple's Current OS, "Lion":

But you have to navigate a circuitous route to find that notice.

I think tech pundit Andy Ihnatko might have nailed the reason for the incompatibility in today's Macworld column:

And! Beginning in November, all apps submitted to the Store must be sandboxed. Sandboxing (one of Lion’s star features) is a pain in the butt for developers but its practical benefits for users are crystal-clear: ideally, in a sandboxed world, no running process can interfere with any other running process, no matter how naughtily it’s behaving.

It seems to work for me, though when the viewer misbehaves, it does so spectacularly. For example, it fights with the Safari Web browser. Running both can be dicey at times as the Official Viewer is such a resource hog.

Hopefully we'll see a compatible browser by November. I'd like to think that The Lab is proactively working on the sandboxing requirement. Probably not. I doubt the viewer would be available via the App Store. It would make far too much sense to expose one's product to such a huge audience. It might upset the current decline in population by having more folks install your product to try your service.

Burn2: Tutu Tuesday Tomorrow

2011-10-03T10:13:00.000-04:00

Imagine it
......tutus floating and shimmering in the sun
.................clouds of playa dust being kicked up with each turn

What could it be?

No! It's not the Black Rock Ballet Company

No! October 4, 2011 is Tutu Tuesday at Burn2

Really!

And since not everyone has a tutu in their inventory and we want everyone to be able to participate, there are free tutus. Trill Zapatero, one of the invited artists, created them and gifted them to the Burn2 community. There are even matching tights. And the best part is the tutus fit all size avies from micro avatars to giant dragons.

PS if anyone sees a dragon in a tutu....PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take a picture and forward it to Kim Chihuly so we can preserve the moment.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/98/69/24

This post is a Press Release from the Burn2 organization.

Burn2: Alex Craft, Noobie

2011-10-02T15:50:00.000-04:00

One day during the build phase of Burn2, my friend Honour invited me over to meet a new resident, Alex Craft (alexcraftandrews Resident) and announced that Alex was going to build something across from the Ranger headquarters despite being but three weeks old in Second Life. Here's what she did:

Definitely not possible in real life, her untitled work is some 211 prims, all coordinated by about 5-6 scripts (total!) so they flip about in patterns and change colors. It is fun to watch from any angle.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Silver%20Seed/143/5/24

Burn2: Fashion

2011-10-02T10:21:00.001-04:00

The Burn2 event has a lot of amazing artists and a fully packed schedule of live music and DJs. There are strange wonderful builds to tour. Parties break out spontaneously.

And through all the music and particles and glowy prims and careening playa bikes, burners put together outfits that show off their personalities.

There are two fashion shows scheduled for the burn this year. These aren't your typical SL fashion show.
* No designer names.
* No runways and strobe lights.

Just a stage in Center camp & an assortment of burner fashions. Burn volunteers and campers are the models. Probably going to be some fire involved. And tie dyed tights. And lots of playa dust.

Come see what the well dressed burner is wearing this year.

October 5 - 2:00pm SLT
October 6 - 4:30pm SLT

Join us at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/54/32/25

You can see pictures of past Burn2 fashion events on Flickr here.

This post is a Press Release from the Burn2 organization.

Burn2: The Insolence of Nature

2011-10-02T09:57:00.001-04:00

The night before Burn2 opened, Garvie Garzo IMd me to inquire about more build time. It seems RL hadn't been treating him well so he had no prims down and time was very, very short. I suggested that if "push comes to shove? Put up a tent, set out a cooler of beverages, and dance naked." Then I sent him a tent I made, a nice cooler I had bought but wasn't using, and some stuff to make a fire. Ro Carver, a "boss Ranger," sent him a burn barrel and some box chairs. All that would have made a nice camp. But here is what he managed to "put together" at the last minute:

The Insolence of Nature by Garvie Garzo at Burn2 (SLurl)

Sometimes in a pretty garden ... the spring and the green of things have so humbled my heart, that I punished a flower for the Insolence of Nature. This is Garvie Garzo's first Burn exhibit.

I'm impressed. The stone figure seems a natural fit amongst the poppies and the well-cared for shrubbery. The installation description (above) is a bit depressing ... maybe that's just me ... but I find the build to be quite serene. There are many nice places to visit at Burn2, but I hope you make this one of your stops.

Burn2: Inner Child Camp

2011-10-01T21:03:00.002-04:00

Of the many wonderful Burn2 builds, some spectacular and some simple, I tend to favor the ones that look like someone drove to the Playa with all the materials they needed and built their camp from scratch. In another year, that idea was actually a requirement, but its optional now. The builders that follow it, though, really have to stretch their imaginations because of the design limitations.

Marianne McCann, Pygar Bu, and crew* have excelled at this task with Inner Child Camp 2011. It is not just a "camp" with a tent or a trailer with the Burn2 theme "Rites of Passage" painted on the side, rather it is a fun (danger-filled?) teaching experience that takes one through the various stages of growth from youth to adulthood. Sure, Mari and Pygar make it fun with trampolines and a camp out spot and other fun, all beautifully textured and skillfully constructed. Knowing Mari, she has some surprises in store, too, particularly after sunset (fireworks?).

Marianne outside the sleep out hut.

This is me having fun on the trampoline! You can see part of the "skills course" below, including the death-defying slide over fire! The little pads are trampolines, too.

A close up of the "death-defying" fire and in the background, some fabulous freebies!

So with all the beautiful builds and amazing artists on the Playa this year, why did I start here for my posts? Quite simply, I think this build above all really gets the ideas behind Burning Man and Burn2: Play, educate, share, celebrate, learn, family. My hats off to to the whole crew*.

* Pygar, Mari, Nat Merit, and Robin Howe, assisted by Loki Eliot, Lorin Tone, and Robin Sojourner

Burn2: 30 Minutes to Go

2011-10-01T14:41:00.001-04:00

The staff just had their last meeting (and I barged in) and is off to get their picture taken with just 30 minutes to go before Burn2 (SLurl) opens.

Waiting with Radiaactive Rosca at Ranger HQ.

If you can't make the opening but still want to enjoy the scene, check out the Live Feed from the Playa that Honour McMillan and so many others worked hard on creating. Her blog gives some details about the work behind it and gives more information about today's opening. Also, keep in mind that when you do visit (not if ... we expect you here), there is a chance you'll be on the live stream, so smile.

UPDATE: check out Radioactive's version on Flickr!

Burn2: Gifts

2011-09-30T18:35:00.002-04:00

Burn2: The Storm Approacheth

2011-09-30T13:33:00.001-04:00

Honour McMillan and Me

The day before Burn2 opens to the public seems like a quiet day, but as I sit next to my friend Honour, there is a tension as folks scramble to get everything ready. Unsurprisingly, not all the builds are done so campers are here. The Rangers are checking every little detail. The Greeters are rehearsing (which involves throwing around fireballs and generally being insane). The Lamplighters had a little parade last night -- more fireballs but with drums this time. Plus, lots and lots of folks are stocking ready-to-heat-and-eat foods in Real Life so they can have meals on the go. It sounds like they are laying in for a siege, but if I understand right, Burning Man is really like that, too, for the staff -- lots of staying awake, fast meals, and few showers.

And blog coverage has already started. Honour's post about the temple is wonderful (Web). The ubiquitous Daniel Voyager has had a few posts lately (Web). Kara Trapdoor has a great post (Web) from yesterday while Quan Lavender's post from today (Web) features lots of pictures from the some of the featured artists.

Today's big event? Rangers from Real Life's Burning Man grab some SL accounts and come visit our playa. That should be interesting. After today if you don't see many posts from me, that just means I'm very busy at Burn2 and you should come visit (SLurl).

Burn2: Get Ready, Get Set ...

2011-09-29T18:19:00.000-04:00

A composite map I made for Burn2. Deep Hole is where you'll enter the event. The "burning man" is in Silverseed. The Temple is a not-to-be-missed site in Black Rock. And, yes, I misspelled the Hualapai sim name, but it has some cool builds.

Press Day at Burn 2 was held today so tons of bloggers and other journalists zipped about to see the various builds and to meet with the artists/campers/builders/staff. When you arrive in Deep Hole (SLurl) anytime after Noon (SLT) on October 1st, head up the dirt road toward the entrance where some wonderful Greeters will welcome you Home and help those who have never been to a Burning Man event, virtual or not, get started.

Burn2: Ranger Pup

2011-09-28T21:13:00.002-04:00

Every Ranger at Burn2 is encouraged to adopt a unique look so they stand out, are memorable, and promote the idea that "everyone is invited to play," an important part of the Ten Principles of Burning Man philosophy. I tried a number of looks including a baby T-Rex dinosaur, various furries, and numerous iterations of my human form, including a rainbow tutu (for Tutu Tuesday, of course). I wanted to look like I was out in the desert and to keep the Ranger hat (it's one of our not-so-secret devices) but I just wasn't satisfied with any of my looks, particularly the human ones. I kept gravitating to anything that showed my cleavage and lots of khaki.

Then I looked through the Linden avatars when I was trying to reduce my Avatar Rendering Cost (ARC) and remembered the Damian Fate-designed doggie. The hat looked good on her and the belt fit reasonably well and the ARC was down to 900. That is way low which means I wouldn't contribute much to lag at all. After modifying the Ranger belt so it fit better and had bits that I liked, my ARC was even lower. I'm now at 830! By the way, I swapped in green eyes from another critter avie so I look extra kyoot.

I might not be able to photograph all the Rangers, but I'll do my best to post as many pix of them here as well as focus on the Greeters and other staff members of Burn2. The coming days will see lots of posts about the exhibits and exhibitors, but I hope to help you learn more about the people of Burn2.

Come meet us October 1st at Noon SLT!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/242/60/24

Trying a new blog look

2011-09-28T20:16:00.002-04:00

I had intended to write a nice post about something, but I've been stuck in Real Life all day, there is nothing much going on at Lesbos, my Haunted House, Burn2, or other places I frequent, so I thought I'd try a new look for my blog. Blogger suggested a Dynamic View option that had a layout I liked, but the reader could change that view. Sorry. No. My blog. Let me choose the look. I can be autocratic. And I wanted a larger font for those of us with eyeglasses. If the width is too much, I can adjust that.

Anyway, I hope you like it. Maybe I'll change the colors come Winter. Or when I get bored. In any case, let me know what you think. I'll be off to some other place on the Web for a bit. That pic inspired me ...

A Linden Halloween

2011-09-26T10:23:00.000-04:00

Looks like I'm not the only one to have opened their haunted house early this year. The Official Blog from the Lindens has a post with tons of other Halloween venues listed in Comments. Of course, be sure to come see the Menagerie Isle Haunted House first (SLurl).

Haunted House is OPEN!

2011-09-24T23:53:00.000-04:00

The unbiased preview crowd gave the Thumbs Up so the Menagerie Isle Haunted House is now open for your thrills and chills. Well, if you experience problems with flashy lights and hypnotic patterns, might not wanna go, but if you like skeletons, evil clowns, and ghosts, this is the place to be (SLurl).

Burn2: AFK Games

2011-09-24T17:09:00.000-04:00

Honour McMillan has been doing a fabulous job as Community lead for Burn2, but that didn't protect her when she went AFK today. I was in a good mood after customizing the Ranger belt for my patrol pup avie so I dipped her in Jell-O. No one is safe. I went AFK the other day and got caged. We have a lot of fun at Burn2 and it hasn't even opened yet. I think there is still time to volunteer. Look here if you are interested in joining the few, the proud, the very silly. Remember, every Tuesday is Tutu Tuesday at Burn2!

Burn2: Press Day

2011-09-23T19:38:00.000-04:00

Burn2, an officially recognized regional Burning Man event, opens to the public on October 1st.

The Playa will be open to press and bloggers on September 29 from 8:30 am slt to 8:00pm SLT.

You may view all the fantastic builds, take photos, try out the cars and bikes and hot air balloons and other interactive pieces.

How do you get to the Playa? Apply for a press pass at http://burn2.org/presspass

Scheduled Events
9:00 to 10:00 SLT Welcome Coffee: Center Camp
Meet BURN2 Core Team Leads, Builders, and Artists
10:00 - 11:00 SLT Art Tours
Jump on an Art Tour bus!
12:00 - 1:00 SLT Department of Mutant Vehicles tour
See DMV’s latest rides along with those of past years.
1:00-4:00 SLT Roam the Playa
Many builds to see.
4:00 - 5:00 SLT Art Tours
Jump on an Art Tour bus!
5:00 - 6:00 SLT Party Center Camp, Hosted by the BURN2 Art Department
Meet Artists and BURN2 Builders
6:30 - 7:00 SLT Lamplighters Procession
Drum with the LampLighters

Playa closes at 8:00pm SLT

We'd like to encourage you to use the following labels and hashtags when you write about the event: Burn2, #burn2 . We will promote those tags to make it easier for people to find your content

We hope to see you all on the playa that day and during the festival from October 1-9.

Landing SLURL/LM: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/113/84/24
Center Camp SLURL/LM: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Silver%20Seed/38/5/24

Want more information? Check out these resources:
- Website: http://burn2.org
- Media Relations: http://burn2.org/media_relations
- Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/burn2/
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/BURN_two
- Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/burn2/ (must have Facebook account)

Contact people:
Emcee Widget
Ronon Carver
Budster Bashley
Ladyslipper Constantine
Diana Renoir
Dmom2k Darwin

More information will be passed through the Burn2 Press Pass group

Burn2: Freebies

2011-09-22T20:22:00.000-04:00

Burn2, the extension of Burning Man into Second Life, starts up soon and one of the things I'm doing while helping to get things going is finding the freebies that will be offered so I can publish a list on the Lucky Kitty Crew blog. This is an outfit from Maya Paris's Skelly Mer installation. You'll be able to see more of this fantastic piece and grab the unique avatar when the sims open to the public October 1st.

Thinking about Second Life

2011-09-21T14:09:00.001-04:00

Outside the the pharmacy today I was struck that this person advertised that they are from In Real Life. Then I blinked and realized they meant Ireland. Maybe a little too much Second Life on my mind?

Why the Fuss about Mesh?

2011-09-19T18:08:00.000-04:00

With all the emphasis across the Second Life portion of the blogosphere about the problems with clothes and avatars made from the new Mesh feature, I think people forget that more can be done with the feature. For example, 101 sculpty, Mesh, and standard prims take the place of 443 "regular" prims to make up this tableau of a dragon admiring a mystical girl at Mesh Mellows (SLurl). That is a considerable savings for builders on a prim allowance. Something this complex can actually fit on the typical 16m x 32m "starter" parcel that supports just 117 prims.

So where are the other builders and artists using Mesh? There seems to be very little at Burn2, the Burning Man festival in Second Life, so far. I don't see them on the blogs and very, very little shows up on the SL Marketplace despite detailed searches. Sure, Mesh is new, but the the volume and variety of clothes available tells me that folks have certainly had the time to create something.

No, I haven't used anything with Mesh in my builds yet. Partly because I can't make anything from scratch for now and partly because I still know a considerable number of folks not using a Mesh-capable viewer. The Mesh dolphin avatar I bought yesterday was acclaimed by several but not visible to just as many. Maybe other builders are waiting, like me, until there are more folks who can appreciate their work.

Haunted House

2011-09-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

Nestled in the simple farm town of Menagerie Isle is Madame Jane's Fortune Parlor, an eerie building that at seems to be abandoned yet ... something is inside. Dare you see what it might be?

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Menagerie%20Island/46/55/47

Formerly the Menagerie Isle Haunted Farmhouse, this year's haunted house has a new theme at the last minute. I hope you enjoy this early preview. The house officially opens soon, but I'm eager to get some feedback so feel free to leave comments. If spiders, ghosts, blood, witchcraft, or dinosaurs scare you ... come on down!

More Adjustments

2011-09-17T20:45:00.000-04:00

After grabbing the really cool free 'mesh' Minotaur avie from Creative Lab (SLurl) I couldn't wait to try it on. Since I'm volunteering at Burn2 I sat at the bar in the center tent ... and found the Animation Override (AO) I had was totally inadequate. Well, it was a freebie male AO, but it was still wrong for the size and limb proportions of the minotaur.

I"ve got a sinking feeling ...

I wonder if someone out there is working on scalable animations ... ones that automatically adjust to the avatar's proportions? One of my pixy alts uses an AO meant for a man, so the sitting anims are totally wrong. She sinks into the ground, for example, and folding her arms looks funny. But I like the "attitude" of the various stands and most of the other anims. If only it would suit her stature.

Since mesh clothes and avies are 'rigged' to the avatar skeleton, I'd think there would be something in the physics that would allow animations to be so fitted.

Fanboys tend to be Haters

2011-09-16T14:21:00.002-04:00

Thank you, Airborne Gamer blog.

Weariness of fanboys led met to drop my membership in a certain Second Life Third Party Viewer (TPV) in-world group some time ago. The utility of the group for assistance with problems was inversely proportional to the size of the membership. "That viewer sucks so bad it makes me throw up." "I can't believe the sh*t they put out. No wonder Second Life is dying." "My dog can code better than that."

A few days ago I started being as vehemently nasty about a certain TPV after trying to help a frustrated noob that was talked into using it a few really horrible incidents of my own -- like not being able to detach anything, particularly viewer-required attachments and a documented inventory loss -- just to see how it felt. "They put in so many bloatfeatures trying to show how clever they are that they forgot that non-basment dwellers use SL, too!" "If its about choice, why do I have to let the viewer do (fill-in-the-blank)?" "So many noobs I meet have been told to use this viewer to learn SL that they get confused and leave."

((sigh))

I didn't like it. I can't be that sort of person, a fanboy. To me, fanboys (or fangirls) are usually haters at heart. Curmudgeonly haters.

If you want to use a viewer other than the Official Viewer, fine. But don't unfairly criticize my choice to disagree. Don't spread vitriol based on your preference over verifiable facts. Most of the arguments I hear are from people that are afraid of change or too set in their ways to change. Sorry, but Change Happens. Deal with it. Adapt or leave. Found your own company or your own world or code your own viewer. Stop whining. Stop hating. You aren't being productive.

Mat Honan of Gizmodo (a site that I feel feature fanboys not journalists, actually), put it rather nicely in a post about the backlash against the Windows 8 OS:

If you're not intrigued by Windows 8 and Metro, if you can't recognize that it's a big leap forward, if you're not excited about what it means for you, personally then you don't really care about technology; you care about brands. You care about platforms. You care about politics. You're a fanboy.

Look, we all lean certain ways. I have my own set of preferences. I tend to vote for Democrats and buy Apple products. But that's because they tend to support my priorities, not vice-versa. If the Democrats suddenly turned their backs on science, or Apple began pushing out products with buggy cluttered interfaces, I'd look elsewhere. I don't really get those who treat brands like sports teams, offering blind allegiance over self-interest. That's just zealotry. God bless that file system; my platform, right or wrong.

After considerable problems with Windows machines I tried an Apple and found it works with far fewer problems. Sure, I've blown more hard drives in Apple products than I have Windows machines, but generally, things are better. I haven't had to reinstall the OS once in 5-something years. The only Death Beachballs (the Apple equivalent of the Microsoft Blue Screen of Death) have occurred when I've done something stupid or various Second Life viewers have killed the system. I'm very happy with my iMac (and iPad and iPod Touch). But I don't consider myself a fangirl (Fact Check: I do have Apple t-shirts in Second Life but not in Real Life). I'm just someone who found something that works for her and found someone else to pony up the bucks to buy it (I love my brother!). I don't hate Windows and, by extension, Windows users.

As fond as I am of the Official Viewer for Second Life, I don't hate the other viewers (one in particular comes close, though) nor their users as others seem to hate me and/or my choice. Their hate makes me tired.

The Calm in a Storm

2011-09-14T17:50:00.000-04:00

Real Life has been rather busy, activity at Burn2 has been picking up, and I've been rushing to finish this year's Haunted House, all while trying to find some time to blog. So today I took a few moments when Second Life wouldn't let me log in my usual avie to spend some time with one of my pixy alts in a favorite spot at Forest Floor (SLurl) and share the view.

So many wonderful places are disappearing from Our World lately (Hamlet Au writing about yet another just today) that I really want to treasure the ones special to me. Some of the few landmarks I keep are for landscapes that celebrate nature and mystical settings and wonderful, lush forests. The people that create these spaces are truly artists, at least as much as those that use their skills for works you'd be more likely to run across in a museum. Do you have a favorite natural environment you like to explore? Feel free to share an SLurl in the Comments.

Burn2: The Builds Are Starting

2011-09-10T23:23:00.000-04:00

The Second Life Burn2 builders have started work and some of the parcels are already spectacular. As a Ranger I get to see everything I can get to and I'm mightily impressed so far. One I've kept coming back to is a series of pipes to wander through and contemplate various deep messages and questions. There is no title on the parcel yet (SLurl) so I'm guessing it isn't done yet so I'll keep coming back to see it.

Burn2 Build by Haveit Neox and Lila Artis

Burn2: Par-tayyy!

2011-09-09T21:58:00.000-04:00

As builders scramble to get stuff together for Burn2 in Second Life, the Rangers had a ceremony to welcome new members and then a party.

A Mole's-Eye View. I'm in the Pikashoes.

The Poultry Report

Looking Glass Revisited

Fursday & Community

Gratuitous Pixy Pix

Zaara - A lovely little town

Prescient? [Updated]

Wistful Sigh

Too Busy Being a Pixy

Photo Contest?

Crimarizon

Fabulous Hair

Don't Tell My Boss!

Me, Naked

Official Viewer Update

Sappho's Point @ Lesbos

The Lesbos Memorial Park

The Lesbos University

The Lesbos Bath House

What I've been doing

Billion with a B

Happy ...

Role Play with Benefits (NSFW)

Things Honour Didn't Tell You

What's In My Closet: Latex for Christmas

Merry Christmas!!

Lost the Feelin'

Now Tell Me That Mesh SUCKS

Virtual People are Real People

This has kept me from blogging

Privacy Concern?

New Premium Gift! [Updated]

Behold, the Power of Boobies

Tis (nearly) the Season

Clueless Again

Sekret Spy Cam!

Premium Membership Discount

New Damian Fate Avatars *Updated*

Time Flies

Fae Dragon

New Attachment Points

Projected Light

St. Illuminatious Cathedral

V3 is Here

Skin Burn!

An Open Secret

Blackspot Shipyard

Guy Fawkes Day

Haunted House Adieu

Death of the Desktop Part II

Death of the Desktop

Second Life's Most Popular Attraction!

I Love Lesbos

Blogging & Foruming Today

Coming to an SL Shop Soon?

Beta Viewer Part III

Friday Blog! [UPDATE]

The Beta Viewer Part II

The Beta Viewer

Clueless in My Prattle

Viewer Thoughts

Premium Content Update

The Waiting Game

Reminder! Haunted House

Happy Wings!

Getting Back Some Sanity

Burn2: Regrets

Friends, Romans, Countrymen

Burn2: Shower Time

Burn2: The Actual Burn

Here's to the Crazy Ones.

Burn2: Steve Jobs

Haunted House!

Burn2: AFK Games

Burn2: Mutant Vehicles!

Artificial People!

Burn2: The Sacrifice

SL Viewer Not for Apple OS

Burn2: Tutu Tuesday Tomorrow

Burn2: Alex Craft, Noobie

Burn2: Fashion

New Damian Fate Avatars Updated