Month: March 2013

SL10BCC: the Community Celebration is coming!

Posted on by Inara Pey

From the SL10B Community Celebration Event Team

SL10B-CC_WordPress

It’s that time of year when we celebrate the anniversary of Second Life – and this year, the tenth anniversary of the founding of Second Life, will be very special.

This year we will have 20 sims for builds and stages and fun and freebies, and we invite you to be part of the festivities.

The theme of the Celebration will be: Looking Forward, Looking Back.

Key Dates for Your Calendar

  • April 15 Volunteer/Performer, Exhibitor Applications open
  • May 20 Volunteer/Performer, Exhibitor Applications close
  • May 27 Sims open to builders
  • June 16 Grand Opening
  • June 23 Official Birthday day and final day of performances
  • June 29 Sims close to the public
  • July 1 All builds to be dismantled – sims go offline

SL10B-CC LOGO_1024x700Many of your classic favourites will be back. There will be a cake. There will be a main stage, and other stage venues. There will be gifts to take away – which may well include a (non-Linden) souvenir bear. There will be an auditorium for talks and presentations. And finally, there will be a time capsule into which you can put your past year’s best creations.

How YOU Can be a part of the Celebration

  • You can volunteer to create your own celebratory plot, as Exhibitors are invited to show off their community and its special nature to others
  • You might prefer to join the team of Hosts welcoming all the visitors and handing out gifts, helping find locations, mentoring any newcomers who might need extra help and making the party happen.
  • Maybe you’d rather join the rock concert atmosphere and be a Stage Manager or you are a DJ or Live Performer and would like to share your talent from one of our stages. Or perhaps you want to share your passion and knowledge as a Presenter through a lecture or roundtable discussion in our Auditorium.
  • Others of you might be interested in Security or Public Relations. We’re looking for your energetic participation in all of these roles.

You are invited to sign up for one or more of these areas (yes, you can volunteer for everything if you like). Orientation and Training will be provided for many of the roles. Expect that some time will be required prior to the event for that purpose.

Make Sure You Stay Informed

We also have an information group inworld – “The SLB Community” (without the “”)  it’s free to join so sign up inworld to hear announcements there before you hear them anywhere else.

SL10B on Designing Worlds 14:00 SLT, March 25th

You can see more information about the Community Celebration on the Designing Worlds TV show at 2pm SLT on Monday 25th March – watch it at: http://treet.tv/shows/designingworlds/episodes/sl10b-launch or http://youtu.be/POfi8sOZzvg (it will go live at 2pm SLT).

Meanwhile, the Boys in The Back Room are Already Planning…

Community Celebration coverage in this blog

Viewer release summary 2013: week 12

Posted on by Inara Pey

This summary is published every Monday and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:

  • It is based on my Viewer Round-up Page, a list of  all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware) and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy
  • By its nature, this summary will always be in arrears
  • The Viewer Round-up Page is updated as soon as I’m aware of any releases / changes to viewers & clients, and should be referred to for more up-to-date information as the week progresses
  • The Viewer Round-up Page also includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog.  

Updates for the week ending: March 24th, 2013

Discontinued Viewers

  • Phoenix officially reached end-of-line for SL on December 31st – read more here
  • Zen viewer was withdrawn from the SL TPV directory and all repositories shutdown on January 27th, 2013.

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Flying high in SL

Posted on by Inara Pey

Update March 26th: Erick has sent me a copy of the “full” version of the Spitfire’s Hud, which does include a comprehensive set of control switches.

As regular readers know, I was bitten by the flying bug towards the back-end of 2012. I started out humbly enough with a couple of “freebie” aircraft (although the term doesn’t do them justice at all) a Terra Stingray by Steve “Cubey Terra” Cavers and a Pitts S2C by Michie Yokosuka. As noted back then, I’d had some flying vehicles prior to these two, but they marked my “real” entry into the world of flying in SL.

Since then, my aircraft collection has expanded somewhat, with several more from the Cubey Terra range entering my ownership, and even Warbugs getting my attention. If I’m totally honest, the Stingray has remained my out-and-away favourite – it handles beautifully and is equally at home whether in the air or on (and even under!) the water – which is really handy when out on Blake Sea.

However, my collection of aircraft gained a massive boost recently when I unexpectedly came into ownership of an aeroplane I have, like anyone remotely connected to or interested in RL flying, loved from afar: A Supermarine Spitfire. Specifically a Mark IX as made by Erick Gregan.

Just a gal and her Mark IX
Just a gal and her Mark IX

The “Spit” came my way while Erick and I were visiting the Magnum Sandbox regions in order to poke sticks at the region crossing bug fix deployed this week by LL in an attempt to cure much of the misery surrounding vehicle region crossings resulting from the recent roll-out of interest list code.

Those who are familiar with Erick’s work know this his aircraft are all exquisitely put together and detailed – and the Spitfire is no exception. A mesh construction, It is perhaps one of the most detailed SL aircraft I’ve seen, and it is clear that he has poured an enormous amount of creative talent into it. I confess that it was love at first sight when he rezzed it in front of us.

Fabulous detail
Fabulous detail

It is also fabulously scripted – the one aircraft having four flight modes:  an “easy fly”, a “realistic fly” (handling pretty much as a “real” aeroplane would, and requiring as much care and respect), and both an “easy combat”, and a “realistic combat” version for those who feel a little more bloodthirsty.

All four variants come in a single Mark IX rezzer which itself is pretty neat. Pull it out of inventory, let it rez and then click to select which variant of the aircraft you’d like. The “flyable” version then replaces the rezzing version, which self-deletes, leaving the flyable version occupying the same space.  Also included in the box is a low-impact (non-flying) “display” version, suitable for parking in a hanger, a full set of instructions and a parachute – just in case.

In the air
In the air

The Spitfire uses the usual flight controls: Page Up / Down for throttle, the arrow keys for climb / descend / banking, together with a huge range of chat commands  – there is no active HUD for flight settings, although you can display an instrument HUD on your screen.

In terms of capabilities and control, Erick has packed a lot in, and sought to make the aircraft as real to fly as possible, particularly in the “realistic” modes. In the latter, a correct start-up process needs to be followed in order to get the big Merlin engine turning over; there’s a battery to turn on, fuel pumps and mixture to set, throttle to open, etc., before attempting start-up. When the engine does start to turn over, you’re treated to unburnt fuel “flaming” in the Merlin’s exhaust pipes as well as getting the life-life sound of the engine coughing and roaring into life. All-in-all an aviation enthusiast’s dream.

"Contact!" The Mark IX's Merlins starts ...
“Contact!” The Mark IX’s Merlins starts …

Once in the air, the Spitfire is a delight to fly, and is very responsive to keyboard inputs, with flap, ailerons and rudder all visibly moving in response to inputs. I can say that aerobatics, are a joy – providing you have a good sense of spatial awareness :). I had a lot of fun barrel-rolling and looping around the sky once I’d got settled.

Care does need to be taken when flying the plane in “realistic” modes, however. Get things out of shape on landing, for example, and you’re liable to tip the nose into the ground … as I found out *cough*cough*. Oh, and don’t forget to refuel between flights :).

There is a HUD to go with the Spitfire, but it is “passive” in the sense that while it records airspeed, altitude, heading, etc., there are no switches or options to click; all commands outside of the flying controls are given via chat. The commands themselves are simple enough, with many abbreviated for ease of use (“cc” to close / open the canopy, “ch” to remove / place the wheel chocks, “br” for brakes, etc).

I’ve not actually tried my hand in combat, as that is not something which particularly draws me (Warbugs notwithstanding!), bot the Spitfire comes with an impressive array of weapon options using the VCE combat system for those who are combat enthusiasts.

As to region crossings? While, these have been an issue of late, as I’ve been covering in my weekly SL project updates. However, and while it has, at the time of writing, yet to be deployed to the entire grid – which should happen in week 13 (commencing Monday 25th March), the fix for BUG-1814 works. Neither Erick nor I encountered any issues crossing between regions in the Magnum Sandbox area. Hopefully this will be the majority finding for everyone who enjoys flying / driving / sailing in SL once the fix has been fully rolled-out.

And the Spitfire? Well, suffice it to say, I’m well and truly flying high.

Spit-7_001

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A festival of tales, and stories from time and space

Posted on by Inara Pey

It’s another special week for storytelling in voice this week, both at the Seanchai Library SL and with Storyfest 2013, taking place on Sunday 24th March at Bran.

As always, all times SLT, and unless otherwise stated, events will be held on the Seanchai Library’s home on Imagination Island.

Sunday March 24th, 09:00-17:00: Storyfest 2013 at Bran

storyfest-3Storyfest 2013 arrives a Bran on Sunday, March 24th, and with it comes a host of storytellers with tales to delight and enthrall.

This year marks the third anniversary for this one-day event, presented by Branwen Arts and Stories Unlimited.

Feturing a host of stories from many of SL’s top Voice performers, Storyfest 2013 kicks-of at the Story Circle in Bran at 09:00, running through until 17:00 and includes a special performance of ACCEPT by the independent Ballet Company, staged at the Branwen Arts Center Theater with music and story on stream.

Find out more here, or by visiting the Storyfest SL blog.

Monday March 25th, 19:00: Reflections from the Golden Wheel

Join Caledonia Skytower, as she reads from her about-to-be-released RL publication, Reflections from The Golden Wheel.

Tuesday, March 26th, 19:00: Fairies! Fairies! Fairies with Faerie!!!

With Faerie Maven-Pralou.

Wednesday 27th March, 19:00: A Newbery Zoo

Martin Greenberg brings together a dozen stories by Newbery Award-winning authors.

Animals — enter their magic kingdom. From cuddly puppies to ferocious lions and every beast in between, children are forever drawn to animals and to stories about their adventures. And who better to tell these stories than authors who have won the John Newbery Medal for distinguished contributions to literature for children, as read by Gina Pralou-Maven.

Thursday March 28th, 19:00: Hilo Tales

TimegatesEdited by Gardner R. Dozois and Jack Dann, Timesgates is an anthology of twelve dimension-shattering tales of time travel.

Featuring John Varley, Ursula K. LeGuin, Joe Haldeman, Avram Davidson, Damon Knight, Nancy Kress, R.A. Lafferty, Jack McDevitt, Bridget McKenna, Richard McKenna, Charles Sheffield, and James Tiptree, Jr. These stories take readers from everyday reality into the infinite vistas of time and space — as far as the man can reach.

Join Shandon Loring as he brings these tales to life.

Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and additions to the week’s schedule.

In March and April Seanchai are inviting library guests to join them in supporting their featured real world charity Project Children! Have questions? IM or notecard Caledonia Skytower.

Related Links

Firestorm re-opens their preview group

Posted on by Inara Pey

firestorm-logoThe Firestorm team have announced the re-opening of their Second Life release preview group, for those who are interested in assisting the team with identifying potential issues / bugs with new releases of the Firestorm viewer.

The announcement, entitled “Feeling Brave?” from Jessica Lyon, reads in part:

“The perfect understanding of an event after it has happened, often when you realize too late what you could have done to avoid it.” We had one of those moments shortly after our last Firestorm release when we discovered that quite a few users were experiencing a bug that made their screens pink. This bug had slipped past our Quality Assurance team and went out in the official release. The hindsight is that we could have offered a pre-release to a larger number of users than what we have in our beta group. Chances are they would have discovered the bug, we would have fixed it and it would not have been released with that bug.

Jessica Lyon: call to the brave - and those willing to follow the rules!
Jessica Lyon: call to the brave – and those willing to follow the rules!

With this in mind, the Preview group has been re-opened in order to try to ensure potentially obvious bugs don’t slip through the net in future and, as with all Firestorm groups, is on open membership. However, as Jessica notes, there are some rules those joining are asked to abide by:

  1. We need your feedback. Please do not just grab the pre-release and run away. That would defeat the purpose of what we are doing, and we will not do it again. Remain in the group and report issues you’ve found. It’s especially important that you report them to our JIRA. Not familiar with or comfortable using the JIRA? We have a wiki page and a Reporting Bugs class to get you acquainted with it.
  2. Do not give the viewer download link out to anyone outside the group. That kind of thing goes viral very quickly, and if we discover during the pre-release test phase that there are some major bugs or worse — exploits — we will have already lost control of the build. If your friends want to use the viewer, the preview group is open to them, as well. The rules apply to them, too.
  3. Re-read rules #1 and #2.

So, if you have an interest in test-driving viewers, and are willing to abide by the stated rules, the Firestorm Preview group might be a group to consider.

Related Links

It’s a feast of stories at Storyfest!

Posted on by Inara Pey

storyfest-3Storyfest 2013 arrives a Bran on Sunday, March 24th, and with it comes a host of storytellers with tales to delight and enthrall.

This year marks the third anniversary for this one-day event, presented by Branwen Arts and Stories Unlimited.

“Stories help us feel connect and unique all at the same time.  They can provide both the questions you want, and the answers you seek,” Says Caledonia Skytower, one of the organisers of the event, “At their very core, they delight and inspire.  There’s a mushroom or a rustic bench waiting for you!”

The even will kick-off at the Story Circle in Bran at 09:00 SLT, and all donations made during the course of the day’s events will benefit War Child North America.

Event Schedule

Please refer to the Storyfests SL blog for any last-minute revisions. All times SLT.

09:00 – Lycanthia Wolfhunter

Lycanthia-WolfhunterLycanthia will be presenting her own original works, some of which may comprise Adult content.

“Once you have heard one of Lycanthia Wolfhunter’s original stories, you never quite forget it.  They are gruesome, sensual, and posses a righteous sense of justice that is delightfully unique. Today she will be presenting mixture of Gothic, humorous, and slightly off the wall erotica.”

10:00 – Dubhna Rhiadra & Caledonia Skytower

Dubhna-CaleDubhna and Cale present Granny Weatherwax ~ Equal Rites.

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld is soaked in magic – but even with magic there are rules. The most fundamental rule is that women can’t be wizards. They can be witches, but that’s different. When a dying wizard seeks out what he thinks is the birth of an eighth son of an eighth son to pass on his wizard’s staff, this rule is broken, and his staff passes to a girl, Eskarina. Granny Weatherwax has the job of helping her find her way in the world of magic.

11:00 – Em Jannings

Em-JanningsEm reads from James Joyce’s Araby &  Ernest Hemingway’s Soldier’s Home.

“Joyce’s Araby, written in 1914, immerses the reader  in the drab life that people live on North Richmond Street, which seems to be illuminated only by the verve and imagination of the children.  Even though the conditions of this neighborhood leave much to be desired, the children’s play is infused with their almost magical way of perceiving the world 

“In Soldier’s Home, Hemingway explores the experience of one veteran of WWI, returning to his Kansas home and trying to express himself to his friends and neighbors who are not of a mind to listen – even to the truth.”

11:30 – Crap Mariner

CrapCrap brings us more of his fabulous 100-word stories.

“Long ago, he swore an oath to write a 100 word story every day until the day he died. He’s not dead yet.Always unpredictable and irreverent, no subject is too sacred, no cow too holy for Crap not to pull it out, examine it, and bang it on the table a few times before putting it back where he found it – albeit slightly crumpled.  He’s a man with a mission!”

Midday – Gyro Muggins

gyroMy Object All Sublime by Poul Anderson (as published in 1961 in Galaxy Magazine)

“Gyro once again brings us another gem from his vast collection of superb classic Science Fiction: One quiet night, two businessmen discuss crime and punishment, as it might have already occurred in some very far future.”

This reading should last approximately 30 minutes and will be followed by a 30-minute intermission.

13:00 – ACCEPT

Accept posterA special presentation of ACCEPT, by the independent Ballet Company, staged at the Branwen Arts Center Theater – Music and Story on Stream.

“In ACCEPT, four young women struggle with their sense of self and their place in the world around them.  They are united by one thing – their love of dance.  ACCEPT follows the journey of these young ladies as they are each uniquely challenged, and as they come together. They learn lessons of tolerance, compassion, and empathy as they come of age as dancers, and as women.”

14:00 – Lani/Kaikalani

laniLani presents Island Tales.

“Lani (Kaikilani) is a native Hawaiian Writer and Storyteller and was among the very first live presenter of stories in Second Life in her first avi, Lehua Lamington in 2005. She will present stories/chant/poetry which will include her native legends, and stories written by others and herself. Her rich voice adds depth and vibrancy to tales rich in her culture’s heritage and traditions.  She has traveled widely, bringing Story to many countries. There is always something new to discover with one of Lani’s stories … they find their way to your soul.”

15:00 – Freda Frostbite

FredaFreda read from her work in progress Adventures of a Fat Lady Who Sings

“Freda Frostbite is Stephanie Mesler in The solid world.  A life long person of size, she will read from her work in progress: Adventures of a Fat Lady Who Sings.   Ms. Mesler has no clue what this work will turn out to be, but the stories here have demanded to be told.  What can an author do but heed the inner voice?”

15:30 – BigRed Coyote

BigredBigRed brings us St Lucy’s School for Girls Raised by Wolves

“From a collection of short stories by author Karen Russell,  we are introduced to the ghostly and magical world of the Florida Everglades.  Here wolf-like girls are reformed nuns, a family makes their living wrestling alligators in a theme park, and little girls sail away on crab shells.

“Big Red presents the title story: The story of one class of wolf girls sent  by their parents to a school run by nuns.”

16:00 – Singh Albatros

singhSelected Original Works

“Join Singh for a feast of his best recent short international fiction from Britain, America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Some titles include:  The Upside Down Cartographer, Tea Cup, Loving the Mustard Goddess, The Boy Who Would be Bird, Welcome to Geekosity, Dinner Party Wars, Wordscape with Ganja, Letters to the Emperor, Heard it Through the Pumpkinvine, Singing the Black Dog, followed by The Nutmeg Saga, the poetic narrative of a lost Javanese king who returns to tell his story. Singh reads, sings, plays music and adds effects to lend more ambience to each unique tale.”

About Storyfest SL

StoryFest Events produces four annual festival events on the Second Life grid: StoryFest (March), Bard on the Virtual Beach (August), BOOFest (October), and recently debuted  The Dickens Project (December) in the hopes of making it an annual event.

ALL Presentations are Live in Voice, unless otherwise noted.

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