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| Click the sign for an informative tour booklet for Bay City (SLurl). |
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Not Blogging Today
Well, other than to say that this won't be a typical blog post. There was a death in the family today so I spent what time I had escaping in Second Life ... I zipped about Bay City and posted things to my Profile Feed (Web).
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Towel Day Freebie
I always get excited about Towel Day, May 25th each year, and even though I seldom leave the house, I always have my towel with me that day. This year I created a special towel for women in Second Life to enjoy (though I'm sure quite a few guys will enjoy seeing women wearing it) and you can get yours FREE on the Marketplace here.
Towel Day is an international and annual celebration of the life and work of the late Douglas Adams, author of such classics as the five book trilogy starting with The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the two book trillogy starting with Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. All-in-all it evens out so Don't Panic!!
Learn about special events in your area and why you shouldn't be without your towel on the 25th of May (or ever!) at http://towelday.org/
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| "Towel Day 2012" is embroidered on the front. |
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| With a strategic placement, a custom-designed logo adorns the towel shows your holiday pride. |
Learn about special events in your area and why you shouldn't be without your towel on the 25th of May (or ever!) at http://towelday.org/
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The Consequences of Mesh
Upgrading a mobile phone once meant a complete change of hardware and re-entering your entire phone book. SIM cards came along and one could easily swap phone books and other settings from one piece of hardware to another. With so-called Smartphones the need for software upgrades enters the picture even if a hardware upgrade isn't required. I, for one, miss the days of a simple hardware upgrade. Now refrigerators, automobiles, televisions, and more have gone "smart" and require various upgrades.
Avatars in Second Life have become comparable with the advent of Mesh. Particularly, the "Petite" avatar system developed by Yabusaka Loon. You've seen them, the wee tiny fairies and elves and pixies and the like. My Zyx Flux "character" bought the Fallen Gods version on Day One, thrilled to finally be the size that I initially envisioned her to be. Then almost immediately there was a change that allowed the basic shape to have digi-grade hooves so owners could be fauns or demons or whatever. This meant that the clothing templates had to change. Then a whole new version arrived, v1.2, that required replacing the body so make-up options could be applied. That meant that all the Saved Outfits I created had to be changed. Not too big of an issue as I had but four at the time, but it was a bit of a nuisance as I had to recolor all the bodies as the originals had been customized.
Yesterday, v1.3 was released. The avatar's heads are now interchangeable —pointy ears, human ears, or no ears are all options — and all my Saved Outfits have to be upgraded once again. This time, I have a dozen to change. When I modified the shape of my Uccello "character" I knew I'd have to make some clothing adjustments as well but I developed a strategy: put on the "old" outfit then swap out the outdated shape for the new version. A couple attachments needed to be tweaked, but the whole process was quick enough that I could easily update all my couple dozen Saved Outfits.
This is more complicated with the Petites update. I found it faster to start with a saved nude version with all the HUDS and mods (like my custom eyes) and then add the bits from a previously Saved Outfit: clothes, shoes (if any), hair, jewely, etc.. Nearly the same process and not quite as fast, but fairly workable.
By workable, I mean "as long as the upgrades aren't frequent its workable." Completing some updates today reminded me why I hadn't changed Uccello's shape in so long. Changing an avatar can be time consuming and Mesh avatars mean even more work. It really makes me wonder if I should try to adjust my SLink pixy ears from Zyx's "regular" sized avatar to fit Zyx's Petite avatar now that an earless head is an option. Maybe, but it would mean more work come any future upgrades. Ahhh, the consequences of Mesh.
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| Zyx doesn't look very different after completing the upgrade. She looks like she's has 10 fingers on her left hand, but that's an illusion that relogging fixed. And if I want to change her ears, now I can. |
Avatars in Second Life have become comparable with the advent of Mesh. Particularly, the "Petite" avatar system developed by Yabusaka Loon. You've seen them, the wee tiny fairies and elves and pixies and the like. My Zyx Flux "character" bought the Fallen Gods version on Day One, thrilled to finally be the size that I initially envisioned her to be. Then almost immediately there was a change that allowed the basic shape to have digi-grade hooves so owners could be fauns or demons or whatever. This meant that the clothing templates had to change. Then a whole new version arrived, v1.2, that required replacing the body so make-up options could be applied. That meant that all the Saved Outfits I created had to be changed. Not too big of an issue as I had but four at the time, but it was a bit of a nuisance as I had to recolor all the bodies as the originals had been customized.
Yesterday, v1.3 was released. The avatar's heads are now interchangeable —pointy ears, human ears, or no ears are all options — and all my Saved Outfits have to be upgraded once again. This time, I have a dozen to change. When I modified the shape of my Uccello "character" I knew I'd have to make some clothing adjustments as well but I developed a strategy: put on the "old" outfit then swap out the outdated shape for the new version. A couple attachments needed to be tweaked, but the whole process was quick enough that I could easily update all my couple dozen Saved Outfits.
This is more complicated with the Petites update. I found it faster to start with a saved nude version with all the HUDS and mods (like my custom eyes) and then add the bits from a previously Saved Outfit: clothes, shoes (if any), hair, jewely, etc.. Nearly the same process and not quite as fast, but fairly workable.
By workable, I mean "as long as the upgrades aren't frequent its workable." Completing some updates today reminded me why I hadn't changed Uccello's shape in so long. Changing an avatar can be time consuming and Mesh avatars mean even more work. It really makes me wonder if I should try to adjust my SLink pixy ears from Zyx's "regular" sized avatar to fit Zyx's Petite avatar now that an earless head is an option. Maybe, but it would mean more work come any future upgrades. Ahhh, the consequences of Mesh.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Choices
Since deciding to have my "big pixy" alt wear her dark colors almost full time now (Web; previously, she used them for role play as a "feral" pixy) it has been interesting to choose her clothes and she's gotten some interesting reactions. Most of her clothes were chosen and coordinated when here skin was usually light blue so they don't really go well with the dark midnight blue skin she now favors. Of her five or six swim suits she owns, only the black/white striped set shown below works well, for example.
Similarly, reactions from others to her new hue have changed — her social fit isn't the same. Usually Zyx logs in and someone at Lesbos flirts with her right away. Similarly, her visits to naturist sites earned many an "Hey, Baby" IM from interested parties. Even when shopping the propositions came frequently. I don't know how I did it, but she was a drop-dead hottie, it seems.
Not since going dark. As an experiment I even took her to some spots known for, well ... okay, I took her to free sex places. Places where just having the right shape to your not-rezzed-yet-cloud attract lewd IMs. And nothing. Not even a peep from the other fantasy-themes avatars you sometimes find in those places.
Is Zyx intimidating? Is this not a drop-dead sexy look? Should she get some huge fake boobs?
No, I don't let her date anyway. My main character is happily married to a wonderful SL wife and Zyx exists for other reasons. But it is interesting that simply changing her hue has changed her life.
Similarly, reactions from others to her new hue have changed — her social fit isn't the same. Usually Zyx logs in and someone at Lesbos flirts with her right away. Similarly, her visits to naturist sites earned many an "Hey, Baby" IM from interested parties. Even when shopping the propositions came frequently. I don't know how I did it, but she was a drop-dead hottie, it seems.
Not since going dark. As an experiment I even took her to some spots known for, well ... okay, I took her to free sex places. Places where just having the right shape to your not-rezzed-yet-cloud attract lewd IMs. And nothing. Not even a peep from the other fantasy-themes avatars you sometimes find in those places.
Is Zyx intimidating? Is this not a drop-dead sexy look? Should she get some huge fake boobs?
No, I don't let her date anyway. My main character is happily married to a wonderful SL wife and Zyx exists for other reasons. But it is interesting that simply changing her hue has changed her life.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Alt Game Life
If you think of Second Life as a game, then its a given that SL Residents are probably playing other games, too. Except for Solitaire, almost all my gaming is off the desktop computer and on my iPad. Lately, when I can get my hands on the iPad (we really need a third one in our house) I've been playing Words With Friends with my SL wife, Angela, and playing LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7.
It has also come to my attention that except for Second Life, everything I do on the desktop computer can just as easily be done on the iPad. In fact, if it weren't for Second Life, I probably wouldn't need the image editing software I own or the system maintenance software I've purchased or the desk and chair that make my bedroom oh-so crowded. All the Web browsing I do is often more easily done on the iPad, the one desktop game I play is also on the iPad — Full Deck Solitaire. I could even ditch Blogger and use Word Press for my blog.
Additionally, most of the games that I play on the iPad are far more expensive if purchased for the desktop, if they are available. The Harry Potter game, for example is $4.99 USD for the iPad while the desktop version is $29.99 USD. Sure, there are differences. The latter one is far richer in graphics and gives more options, but weigh that against being able to sit in the living room or kitchen or even the back deck while playing and I think the iPad version is a bigger WIN.
So why isn't Second Life on the iPad yet? The click-to-navigate viewer interface works. Various windows like the Inventory could be tweaked to allow easier tap-to-use access. Saved outfits makes changing clothes or whole avatars speedy and easy without having to use your Inventory. And the attach-on-demand HUDs feature (used for Linden Realms) would be a huge boon to making "Tablet Life" much easier.
Doesn't The Lab want Second Life to be a social platform anyway? What could be more social than being able to easily take The Grid with you from room to room in your house or place to place in your travels? And here is how they should start: Create a mobile app for using the My Second Life Feed/Notifications features. Then residents wouldn't need to use Twitter (I don't) or Plurk (my account is on 'vacation') or other services to talk about SL. The middle man is out of the picture. Then I could be running around as the adorable Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter game and quickly four-finger swipe to the My Second Life app to respond to a notification that someone has messaged me.
It has also come to my attention that except for Second Life, everything I do on the desktop computer can just as easily be done on the iPad. In fact, if it weren't for Second Life, I probably wouldn't need the image editing software I own or the system maintenance software I've purchased or the desk and chair that make my bedroom oh-so crowded. All the Web browsing I do is often more easily done on the iPad, the one desktop game I play is also on the iPad — Full Deck Solitaire. I could even ditch Blogger and use Word Press for my blog.
Additionally, most of the games that I play on the iPad are far more expensive if purchased for the desktop, if they are available. The Harry Potter game, for example is $4.99 USD for the iPad while the desktop version is $29.99 USD. Sure, there are differences. The latter one is far richer in graphics and gives more options, but weigh that against being able to sit in the living room or kitchen or even the back deck while playing and I think the iPad version is a bigger WIN.
So why isn't Second Life on the iPad yet? The click-to-navigate viewer interface works. Various windows like the Inventory could be tweaked to allow easier tap-to-use access. Saved outfits makes changing clothes or whole avatars speedy and easy without having to use your Inventory. And the attach-on-demand HUDs feature (used for Linden Realms) would be a huge boon to making "Tablet Life" much easier.
Doesn't The Lab want Second Life to be a social platform anyway? What could be more social than being able to easily take The Grid with you from room to room in your house or place to place in your travels? And here is how they should start: Create a mobile app for using the My Second Life Feed/Notifications features. Then residents wouldn't need to use Twitter (I don't) or Plurk (my account is on 'vacation') or other services to talk about SL. The middle man is out of the picture. Then I could be running around as the adorable Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter game and quickly four-finger swipe to the My Second Life app to respond to a notification that someone has messaged me.
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