Day: March 3, 2015

Firestorm TTT: the clean install

Posted on by Inara Pey

firestorm-logoUpdate, March 10th: In response to feedback following the release of this video, Jessica released a more in-depth video examining clean isntalls, settings back-ups, etc. The new video can be found here.

The Firestorm Tool Tip Tuesday video for March 3rd, 2015, covers what can be a thorny and intimidating issue: that of performing a clean install of the viewer.

In an ideal world, clean installs wouldn’t be needed. However, there are times when installing a newer version of a viewer over an existing version, that things which shouldn’t happen do happen, and things that should have happened don’t happen correctly. And while the frequency with which people are asked to perform clean installs have decreased in recent times for most viewers, they can still be the first step in avoiding later issues.

Where Firestorm is concerned, and given it has so many additionally exposed features with supporting UI elements and so on, the chances of something hiccuping during an install and causing problems later cannot be overlooked. Hence why, when releasing a particularly complex update to the viewer, or when dealing with support requests from users after a complex update being released, Firestorm support will often advise / ask if a clean install has been used with the new release.

Firestorm's settings backup feature can help remove some of the pain involved in a clean install, by allowing you to save many of your preferred global and account setting locally, and then quickly restore them after a clean install of a new version of the viewer
Firestorm’s settings backup feature can help remove some of the pain involved in a clean install, by allowing you to save many of your preferred global and account setting locally, and then quickly restore them after a clean install of a new version of the viewer

To make things easier, the Firestorm team has provided additional capabilities within the viewer which allow you to not only save things like your chat logs, etc., to a dedicated folder to avoid them being lost as a result of a clean install (as is the case with all viewers), but they’ve provided a means to back-up and restore all of your viewer settings. However, even with these capabilities, performing a completely clean install can be a daunting task for many.

So in this video, Jessica takes you through her preferred method of running a clean install on a PC – starting from ensuring all or logs files and setting are safely saved  / backed-up through to launching the viewer after a clean install and restoring all of your settings.

 

In NYC on March 17th? Can you log-in to real life and help Draxtor?

Posted on by Inara Pey

l2l-header

Login2Life is one of the most engaging and inspirational documentaries made about virtual worlds. Almost four years in the making, Daniel Moshel’s film follows people from around the world who spend their time engaged in the virtual worlds of Second Life and World of Warcraft.

Entirely without a direct narrative voice-over, the film’s power lies in both allowing those appearing in it to describe their involvement in the worlds they use entirely in their own words, and in allowing the audience to engage its cognitive processes, rather than trying to lead them by the hand to a pre-determined conclusion.

This means that what is seen in the film might always sit comfortably with people, but it does make them think, and in terms of Second Life, it offer a clear challenge to what might be said to be the stereotypical misconceptions about the platform as a whole, and invite those critical of it to re-think their position.

Login2Life involved many people in its production, including Draxtor Despres, who provided both the music for the film and some of the machinima footage used within it. He has been an ardent supporter of the film, promoting it wherever and whenever he can – and he now needs the assistance of a volunteer to help him do so again.

On Tuesday, March 17th, Login2Life will be shown at the Reel Abilities Film Festival, in what is being billed as its US screen premiere.The film will be screened at 20:30 EDT at the JCC Manhattan. At the same time, the film will also be streamed in-world at Virtual Ability’s Sojourner Auditorium.

After the screening, commencing at around 22:00 EDT, an in-world panel at the Sojourner Auditorium, comprising Drax, Login2Life’s director, Daniel Moshel and film participant and founder of Virtual Ability, Gentle Heron, will take questions from the audience at the JCC Manhattan under the moderation of anthropologist and film-maker Faye Ginsburg.

And it is with this SL / RL cross-over discussion that Drax is seeking assistance.

The open-air Sojourner Auditorium, Virtual Ability Island, will host the in-world showing of Login2Life on Tuesday, March 17th, 2015, and will be the venue for the SL side of the SL / RL post-presentation discussion
The open-air Sojourner Auditorium, Virtual Ability Island, will host the in-world showing of Login2Life on Tuesday, March 17th, 2015, and will be the venue for the SL side of the SL / RL post-presentation discussion

“I need an SL enthusiast in the New York City area,” Drax informed me when discussing the event. “Someone who can not only attend the screening on March 17th, but who can offer their services to the organisers, and help them deal with any audio or video issues which might occur during the discussion panel.”

Obviously, a reasonable knowledge of streaming and audio in relation to Second Life would obviously be of benefit if you would like to offer your support, and Drax further indicated to me that there will be the opportunity for time and expenses to be reimbursed.

So, if you are able to lend an important hand in this event, please contact Drax directly via e-mail at the earliest opportunity.

The event is also an excellent opportunity for those in the NYC area who have not seen Login2Life to do so. Tickets for the screening are  available through the Reel Abilities website for those who might want to pop along.

Finally, if you’re not in NYC to see the film there, you can also hop over to Virtual Ability island, and watch the in-world streaming of the film there, which will start at 17:30 SLT on Tuesday, March 17th, 2015 – but do be aware seating will be limited.

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Art in The Living Room

Posted on by Inara Pey
The Living Room
The Living Room

The Living Room is a new art, performance and social venue  which will officially open its doors on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015, at 12:00 noon SLT.

“Daallee and I have wanted a little comfy place for a while,” Owl Dragonash, one of the two people behind The Living Room says of the venue. “A place to give back to the artists and musicians we love an appreciate.”

Spread across the upper two floors of a tall circular tower, The Living Room offers commanding views out over the region in which it sits. The lower floor offers room for people to sit and chat or, if there is a musician playing, to enjoy the music from the comfort of sofas and armchairs. A small art display area is also on this floor, although the main gallery space is the floor above.

Cica Ghost, Small Worlds, The Living Room
Cica Ghost, Small Worlds, The Living Room

For their début exhibition, Owl and Daallee are excited and pleased to have a small exhibition of pieces by Cica Ghost. And small really is the operative word here, as Cica has provides a set of of seven exquisite little dioramas entitled Small Worlds, and they are an absolute delight.

Each diorama is displayed within its own case, sitting atop a small stone plinth. Four of them represent the seasons of the year, while the remaining three present more general scenes, one of which art lovers may recognise as a miniature reproduction of Cica’s wonderful 2014 exhibition, Little Village, which I wrote about almost exactly a year ago.

Cica Ghost, Small Worlds, The Living Room
Cica Ghost, Small Worlds, The Living Room

And when I say “exquisite”, I do mean just that, these tiny models are beautifully crafted and rich in detail, so much so that they should be seen for themselves, rather then viewed through photographs.Take Little Village for example (see above). Not only has Cica reproduced her lovely and quirky little hilltop houses, when you look closely at them, you’ll see little cats sitting in the windows of some, a familiar Cica touch on several of her installations in the past.

Each of the models is available for sale at L$400 each for those who particularly drawn to having one at their SL home, and copies can be purchased via the little sign alongside each one, which also provides the LI for each piece as well, so you know precisely what you’re getting (the LIs range from 39 through to 135, depending on the complexity of each model).

Cica's models for Small Worlds really are tiny and beautifully detailed - The Living Room
Cica’s models for Small Worlds really are tiny and beautifully detailed – The Living Room

To celebrate the opening of The Living Room, the first live music event will feature The Vinnie Show, and Owl and Daallee have already lined-up further entertainment and events, including:

  • Thursday, March 12th: 17:00 – Mason Thorne; 18:00 – Whirli Placebo
  • Thursday March 26th: 11:00 – Small Worlds closing party, featuring Winston Auckland
  • Sunday March 29th: 17:00 – Rynanne’s Closet fashion show with music by Augusto Napoli.

An in-world group has also been created for those interested in keeping abreast of news on events occurring at the venue, and which can be joined via a subscription board on the lower floor. Owl and Daallee have also created a Flickr group where people can post their images of art and music events at The Living Room.

“We imagine The Living Room to be a welcoming hang out used to share Artists and Musicians creative talents with us our community and The SL community,” Owl and Daallee say of their new venue. “And don’t forget, The Living Room lives on Lagrange Point Spaceport sim, owned By Hippie Bowman, which has a full galaxy to explore, take the space taxi it is fun!”

So why not hop on over to The Living Room and enjoy some good music, wonderful art and friendly company – and take a tour of Lagrange Point while you’re there.

Related Links