Month: March 2015

Reminder – Login2life: screening and discussion, March 17th

Posted on by Inara Pey

Update: As per iSkye Silverweb’s comment below, it appears that plans have changed since I was originally informed of the event, and the film will now not be screened at the Sojourner Auditorium as stated. However, the panel discussion, commencing at approximately 20:00 SLT will be. If you wish to watch the film, Drax will be streaming it.

Login2Life is one of the most engaging and inspirational documentaries made about virtual worlds. Almost four years in the making, and originally released in 2011, 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.

While it has had numerous broadcasts in Europe (notably in Germany), and a number of You Tube encores, it has never “officially” been premiered in the United States. However, as I recently reported, all this will change on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th 2015, when Login2Life is screened at the JCC Manhattan as a part of the 2015 Reel Abilities Film Festival.

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, at 17:30 SLT and will be the venue for the SL side of the SL / RL post-presentation discussion

To mark this event there will be a simultaneous showing of the film at Virtual Ability’s Sojourner Auditorium, set to commence at approximately 17:30 SLT.

Both screenings will be followed by a special cross-over Q&A session, which will seen Login2Life director Daniel Moshel,  film participant and founder of Virtual Ability, Gentle Heron and the film’s soundtrack composer, Draxtor Despres, all in-world at the Sojourner Auditorium, where they will address questions from the audience at the JCC Manhattan, under the moderation of anthropologist and film-maker Faye Ginsburg, assisted by our own Avajean Westland.

If you haven’t seen Login2Life before, this is a most excellent opportunity for you to see one of the most engaging films on the subject of virtual worlds and the people who participate in them yet to have been produced.; a film I cannot commend strongly enough, and which I originally reviewed in 2011. Not to be missed.

VWBPE 2015: meeting at the Crossroads

Posted on by Inara Pey
VWBPE 2015: the main auditorium stands ready
VWBPE 2015: the main auditorium stands ready

Wednesday, March 18th marks the start of the 8th annual Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education (VWBPE) conference, which will be taking place in both Second Life and the OpenSimulator based AvaCon Grid.

The theme for this year’s event is Crossroads, and will include a presentations by keynote and featured speakers, panel discussions, workshops, social events and more, running through until the conference closes on Saturday, March 21st.

Full details on conference events can be found on the VWBPE conference calendar. However, for ease-of-reference, here’s a quick run-down of the keynote and featured speakers, and the main discussion panels. together with other pertinent information. As always, all times are SLT.

The conference includes exhibition and workshop areas
The conference includes exhibition and workshop areas

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015

Thursday, March 19th, 2015

The VWBPE main plaza in SL
The VWBPE main plaza in SL

Friday, March 20th, 2015

  • 07:00: featured speaker, Jeroen Frans: Creating Dinosaurs & Earning Badges, at the VWBPE SL main auditorium
  • 09:00: Virtual Ability panel discussion moderated by Zola Zsun/Linda Lindsey, at the VWBPE SL main auditorium
  • 13:00: Featured speaker, Sensuous Maximus: Bootcamp for Virtual Teachers, at the VWBPE SL main auditorium
  • 14:05: Quadrivium Networking Topic: Educators and the Second Life Viewer facilitated by Oz Linden, at the VWBPE SL main auditorium

Saturday, March 21st, 2015

Notes on Attending

The VWBPE conference is free to attend, although there are donation options available for those wishing to support the conference.  Those wishing to attend all of the conference activities across the four days of the conference will need accounts for both Second Life and AvaCon grid – please refer to Accessing the Conference for further details.

Additional Links

Firestorm seek feedback on “restore to last position”

Posted on by Inara Pey

Restore To Last Position (RTLP) was a joint server / viewer capability that presented uses with the ability to right-click on an object in inventory and return it to its last recorded in-world position, relative to the region in which the user is standing. However, due to an exploit used be griefers to rez objects on regions where they otherwise had no rezzing rights, the Lab made changes to the simulator code, which also impacted how this capability worked. As a result, the viewer-side code was removed from the official viewer.

Restore to Last Position as found in Firestorm's inventory context menu
Restore to Last Position as found in Firestorm’s inventory context menu

Nevertheless, TPVs have continued to provide RTLP to users. Unfortunately, the the capability has been long been known to cause a range of genuine inventory issues, and since the changes made to the simulator code to prevent griefing, the shortfalls with RTLP have been somewhat exacerbated (such as with No Copy items, which is why some TPVs have blocked the capability from being used with No Copy objects).

However, as I reported In my last SL projects update, as a result of the recent survey the issued in respect of inventory loss issues, the Lab is considering deprecating the last of the server-side messaging which allows RTLP to work.

This has understandably given rise to concern among some TPV teams, simply because they are aware many users do find the capability useful, despite its limitations, and communicated this to Oz Linden at the TPV Developer meeting on Friday, March 13th.

As no final decision on the future of simulator-side messaging for RTLP has been made, Oz suggested to TPVs that they provide reasoned arguments as to how and why it, or a function like it, should continue to be supported by the Lab, which can then be considered when the time comes to determined the future of the current capability.

To this end, the Firestorm team have issued a blog post asking users to offer their own clear, concise explanations as to how they use RTLP and why they find it beneficial. The aim is to take  the submitted examples and build them into a reasoned argument that can be presented to the Lab and hopefully encourage them to either reconsider deprecating the RTLP messaging or to provide functionality that might help meet some of the more common use cases supplied to the Lab.

So, if you do have a clear use case for wanting to see RTLP, or some similar type of functionality to continue to be offered, and regardless of whether you are a Firestorm user or not, you should consider helping to build a reasoned argument for retaining RTLP by adding your use case to the comments following the Firestorm post (please do not add them to this post, as I am not directly involved in compiling the information).

This doesn’t men RTLP will be saved, but at least the opportunity to present user feedback to the Lab has been provided; if that feedback is sufficiently constructive and consistent, it may influence future thinking on and around RTLP.

Mistero Hifeng and a tango in Blossom Land

Posted on by Inara Pey
Cammino e Vivo Capovolto: Mistero Hifeng
Cammino e Vivo Capovolto: Mistero Hifeng

Update, October 10th: Cammino e Vivo Capovolto and Ocho Tango have relocated to Retrospect.

As is evident in these pages, I am something of a fan of Mistero Hifeng’s mesh sculptures in Second Life, having written about his work in both in January of this year and in October 2014. So when he contacted me to inform me he has now moved his gallery and shop to a new location, and invited me to pay a visited, I was only too happy to do so.

Now located on one half of Blossom Land, a Homestead region shared with the Ocho Tango dance venue, of which more anon,  Mistero’s new gallery retains the minimalist feel and rich atmosphere of his last location, whilst also offering visitors something new to experience.

Cammino e Vivo Capovolto: Mistero Hifeng
Cammino e Vivo Capovolto: Mistero Hifeng

Gone is the coastal feel, with a partially flooded beach across which Mistero’s works are seemingly scattered at random. Instead, the land is almost entirely flooded, the only relief coming from a number of scattered trees a single stone bridge arching over water, and – of course – Mistero’s art.

The latter have all been carefully placed across this watery landscape in such a way as to stand either as individual pieces, rising from the water or occasional sitting on a little sand bank of their own. Great use is made of the available space, the water surrounding most of the pieces on display tending to direct one’s focus solely on each sculpture, while the trees provide an interesting framing for some of the pieces, and the bridge has allowed Mistero to make a little vignette of his work, focused on what (I believe, at least), is a new piece, E’ Rubero per te la luna (And for you, the Moon, Rubero – seen immediately above), which is a very striking piece.

Cammino e Vivo Capovolto: Mistero Hifeng
Cammino e Vivo Capovolto: Mistero Hifeng

Another piece I don’t recall having seen before is Un vita quasi umana (A life almost human), which can be found towards both the centre of the gallery space and towards the west side. More familiar pieces such as Volare (Fly) are also present, and always pleasing to see, together with Per Te, which I’ve always found evocatively powerful and edged in love / tragedy.

To the north of Mistero’s new space, and linked to it by both a series of paving stones forming a narrow path and the span of another stone bridge, lies Ocoho Tango, sitting atop a broad, flat plateau. This is a place which may well need no introduction to some; but one which I’d wrongly assumed to have vanished from Sl a while ago – so finding it alongside Mistero’s gallery came as a pleasant surprise. It also marks Blossom Land as a place to which I’m liable to be making frequent return visits, both for Mistero’s art and for the opportunity to dance!

Cammino e Vivo Capovolto: Mistero Hifeng
Cammino e Vivo Capovolto: Ocoho Tango

Mistero’s work is, to me at least, deeply evocative, and his original gallery space displayed it well enough. With this new space at Blossom Land, however, he has gone even further, presenting a richly layered environment and atmosphere which allows each piece to come to life before you. As such, if you’ve never seen his works gathered in one place, I do recommend you pay a visit.

While there, don’t forget you can still TP to her store and purchase most of his pieces there, all of which can be resized. The teleport can be found alongside the landing point, and also offer a quick way up to Ocho Tango.

Related Links

2015 viewer release summaries: week 11

Posted on by Inara Pey

Updates for the week ending: Sunday, March 15th, 2015

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 Current Viewer Releases 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. This page 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
  • By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.

Official LL Viewers

  • Current Release version: 3.7.25.299021 February 24th – no change
  • Release channel cohorts (See my notes on manually installing RC viewer versions if you wish to install any release candidate(s) yourself):
    • Avatar Height Hover RC viewer version 3.7.26.299635 released on March 10 – Avatar Hover Height allows you to adjust the vertical position of your avatar within some preset limits. See the wiki page and my overview (download and release notes)
    • Experience Keys RC viewer updated to version 3.8.0.299338 on March 9 – provides support for viewing and managing Experiences and for contributing content for Experiences (download and release notes)
  • Project viewers:
    • No updates

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V3-style

  • Black Dragon updated to version 2.4.1.9 on March 10th – core updates: rendering improvements to horizon, Godray / volumetric light (change log)
  • CtrlAltStudio Alpha for Oculus Rift updated to version 1.2.3.42796 on March 15th – core update – parity with Firestorm release 4.6.7 (download and release notes)
  • Restrained Love Viewer updated to version 2.9.6.8 on  March 10th – core updates: ability to shift camera focus when blindfolded, allowing avatar to “feel” environment around them (release notes)

V1-style

  • Cool VL Viewer
    • Stable branch updated to version 1.26.12.35 – March 14th
    • Experimental branch to 1.26.13.3 – March 14th
    • Legacy branch to 1.26.8.91 – March 14th
    • Release notes

Mobile / Other Clients

  • No updates.

Additional TPV Resources

Related Links

Tugby time!

Posted on by Inara Pey
And they're off! Tugby sees two teams of little tugboats engaged in a rugby-like game
And they’re off! Tugby sees two teams of little tugboats engaged in a rugby-like game

“Ever heard of Tugby?” Nber Medici, co-owner of the Hollywood Estates and keen sailing enthusiast asked me early on a Sunday morning (well, early SL-wise!).

“Tugby? What’s that?” I asked her by way of reply.

Handing me a landmark with a grin, Nber said, “rugby with tugboats, every Sunday, 08:00 SLT! Come along if you’re interested!”

And the Red team gains possession of the puck - not the covering move by one of the reds to block the advancing Greens
And the Red team gains possession of the puck – not the covering move by one of the reds to block the advancing Greens

Well, I’m admittedly not into rugby (no men on bikes or in fast cars!), but the description intrigued me, so come 8:00 am, Maya and I hopped across to Santa Cruz and the Tugby arena (there’s actually a spectator’s stand on the neighbouring region of Dutch Harbor that offers a good view of the playing area) to find out what it is all about.

In sort, Tugby is exactly as Nber describes – a kind of rugby with little tugboats. Players are divided into two teams – Red and Green – and each proceeds to their end of the playing area. When the boats are set (one player per boat), the game float, or puck, is dropped, and then it’s a race to get to it and then push it across the other team’s goal line. Each time a goal is scored, the team return to their respective goal lines, ready for another puck to be dropped into the centre of the arena, and the game resumes until one team scores the required number of points to win.

The Greens mount a strong defence on their goal line!
The Greens mount a strong defence on their goal line!

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well, like rugby, there’s a lot more involved than running with the ball; tactics play a considerable role, making sure you don’t get so far ahead of team-mates  they can’t support you, working with the other tugs on your team to block those with the puck from making headway, forcing “scrums” in which control of the puck can be wrested from the opposition and, when the way is clear, being prepared to make a charge for the goal line while keeping control of the puck with your boat.

The rules to the game are straightforward (the first being to have fun), and anyone is welcome to join a competition, which I think lasts for an hour, and a number of matches, although the nuances of that were lost on me, as I too busy chasing boats and trying to get pictures! Tugboats are free of charge from the arena rezzer, and Nber is on-hand to both organise things and referee games as they are played.

Watching a game from the spectator stand: Maya and I with Wippie and Burt
Watching a game from the spectator stand: Maya and I with Wippie and Burt

Not only is this a team based game, but there are also individual tables as well, based on the number of games played and points earned, with tables and results available at the Tugby section of the Starboards Yacht Club’s website.

Matches have been going on for several years, and the original system was designed by Joepie Korobase (scripting and tug boats), with Yasmine (youaintseenme) more recently having updated the system and automated parts of it, such as the scoring and puck spawning.

A Tugby scrum up close!
A Tugby scrum up close!

Watching the matches was fun, even while trying to grab snapshots. From the commentary and comments, it was clear those taking part were having a lot of fun, and I think it fair to say Maya and enjoyed ourselves as we witnessed the games unfold from our perch atop the spectator tower. Who knows; next time we might even try our hands at driving a boat each, if there’s room on either team!

Related Links

Note that if you’d like to try your hand with a Tugby boat outside of a match, the clubhouse offers a vendor where you can grab a boat any time and try it out. You can also join the Tugby group at the clubhouse and be kept advised of events.