Tuesday, June 9, 2009

The Disappearing Grid

Standing security watch at the Isle of Lesbos means I get to see plenty of pretty girls but I also see plenty of Tester bots (Web). When one appears it is a sure sign to check the Grid Status Reports (Web). Many recent reports are about region visibility issues, something that the Isle has long complained about with little attention and no remedy. From the main entrance of Lesbos three of the six regions can easily be seen so when they "turn off" it is very obvious. What is really happening is that it is the Isle itself, more often than not, that disconnects. The Minimap flickers red indicating a change and in an instant the other regions disappear or appear from view. Teleports work to them but teleports back are hit or miss.

The other night I teleported to the mall region to check on it while it was gone from view then teleported back. I could see the Isle from the mall so thought nothing was wrong. But once again my avie got stuck (Web). I saw myself on the Isle but I couldn't stand on the ground without sinking. And while others could see my chat as if I was on the Isle, I saw chat as if I was on the mall. In effect, my camera moved to the Isle with my body but my actual presence was still in the mall. Eventually my two halves snapped back together, but it was annoying.

And I imagine it is playing havoc with traffic numbers and in-world commerce. Despite assurances that teleports aren't affected, I often hear from others that they couldn't directly access the Isle but had to pass through an adjacent region. While grid stability is vastly improved over the last two years it is clear that more work is needed.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

SL6B: Opinions, please


If you've seen my SL6B Flickr stream you may have seen panels in build that were textured with images of attractive models and celebs. These are being replaced with images of the Isle properties (as shown above on the right side panel), informational graphics about the LGBT culture, and portraits of people connected to the Isle. Each will cycle textures (probably) and the LGBT panels will be clickable for further information. I need opinions, however, on whether the portraits should be full-color or black & white. A sort of compromise could be met, too, by toning the latter style, probably "selenium" to contrast all the orange in the build.

Please leave a comment on this post or Plurk users can reach me here.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

"nekkid but tasteful butt pics"

Blogger Hamlet Au's recent post "The Strength of the SL Blogosphere, As Seen From Behind" (Web) about some "nekkid but tasteful butt pics" inspired me to get naked. Like I need an excuse. So off to Las Arenas Rosadas (SLurl) I went and off went the clothes.

Normally I'm a fan of my bust. Actually, I'm a fan of just about any woman's bust. This exercise, though, gave me new appreciation for my backside. Like everyone inSL® I spend my days staring at my behind so it is not something I often give a lot of thought. Quite the contrast to First Life. How often do you see your own fanny? Not often for me. I'm not one of those women who usually check themselves in mirrors or ask "does this outfit make my butt look big?" In a pinch, my bum always has my back, so to speak, being there when I need to sit or to close the fridge when my hands are full or to keep my pants from sliding right off my hips.

Our bottoms do a lot for us so perhaps this is the time to celebrate our friends with the permanent vertical smiles. Give your fanny a pat (or enlist others to as that is a nice way to meet new folks) and tell it "good work, chum!"

Friday, June 5, 2009

Lesbos@SL6B: The Beginning


The start of my SL6B exhibit (SLurl) is the decorative core from a club that I built for the Isle. The faces will be replaced with pix from the Isle and seating will be placed through out. I don't think I'll keep the DJ booth as I don't plan to have dance events. I would like for this to be a gathering place for women to discuss the future of virtual worlds.

More photos on my Flickr stream in the Lesbos@SL6B group.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Isle of Lesbos @ SL6B

Just got word that the Isle of Lesbos has a reserved spot at Second Life's Sixth Birthday (SL6B) celebration (Web). I hope the site will be as successful as last year's build (see above and this Flickr stream) when the theme was a basic introduction to the Isle. This year I want to focus on the Isle as a common grounds for LGBT Pride (with an emphasis on the "L") and as a place for women around the world to meet and share ideas.