Fantasy Faire 2016 has opened its gates, and will run through until Sunday, May 1st. It brings together everyone with a love of fantasy – enthusiasts, creators, performers and designers – for eleven days of commerce, special events, live music concerts and more, all to help raise funds for Relay for Life of Second Life.
Rather than write a long preview to this years event – which once again offers some of the most fantastic region builds seen in a virtual world to present visitors with a set of connected realms – I decided to put together a preview video. I hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to seeing you in the Fairelands!
Gravity is a Mistake – I get some unusal headgear and accessories, Caitlyn discovers gravity, if not a mistake, might be a myth …
Now open for all to enjoy is the latest installation by Eupalinos Ugajin, Gravity is a Mistake. As one can always expect from Eupa, this is an involved, interactive and above all, fun installation to which additional elements will be added over time.
It’s also a piece that is experience-led, so on arrival, you’ll be asked to join something called – in difference to the title of the installation – “Le Cactus”. Respodning with Yes grants you seamless interaction with the piece, and is a necessary part of Gravity is a Mistake. As with all experiences, remember that the permissions granted on joining will be automatically revoked when you leave the Gravity is a Mistake region, so there is no worry about what might happen elsewhere.
Once you have accepted the experience, you’ll notice a couple of HUDs have attached to your screen on the right. The upper one will detach (if necessary), the other will teleport you back to the start of the ravine you’ll be delivered to on stepping through the doorway of the landing point.
This ravine cuts through a strange island. Objects are littered along and over the ravine (and scattered about the island), leading to a circular opening in the middle of the island. The key here is interaction; as you make your way down the ravine, be prepared to touch objects (and have some touch you!). Exactly what happens on touching an object is open to question. But remember, this is Eupa, so tongue is firmly in cheek, and a sense of humour will carry you forward. You may find yourself in receipt of a gift, doing a mad little dance, or unexpectedly wearing something, being transported to another part of the island, offered web page to look at …
At the far end of the ravine sits a rather unique dragon. He’s determined to guard the circular opening, once a swimming pool, but now a public library. Getting past him may take some figuring out, but look for the door that comes with scales 🙂 .
The library is designed to be the second part of the build, which Eupa hopes will see those invited to join the project to add builds, sounds, and interactive elements of their own which can be enjoyed by visitors who manage to get past the dragon. As it is, entry will see you into a “gravity free” zone, offering me opportunities for fun!
In introducing the piece, Eupa notes the inspiration came from The Centrifuge Brain Project, an equally tongue-in-cheek mockumentary, well worth watching. And after playing in Gravity is a Mistake and watching the video, you’re still in the mood for silliness, hop up to Le Cactus bar, Maya Paris’ celebrated creation from times past, and which Eupa invited her to recreate here. You can reach it via the teleport at the top of the island, and read about it here.
All told – fun and silliness, and worth having local sounds on for as well!
This year, Fantasy Faire once again presents the hunt in an expanded, story-based quest in which visitors to the Fairelands are invited to participate.
As the Bard Queen’s Emissary to the beleaguered races of the realm once called Belfience, but now cast under the darkness of the Unweaver and called Malfience, those joining the quest are tasked with finding the Exiles from that once peaceful land, and with their support undo the evil of the Unweaver and bring healing to the land.
To help you play your role to the fullest, here are some hints and suggestions to start you on your way.
Getting Started
There are two versions of the HUD available through the special RFL of SL vendors, which are prices as follows:
L$250 – provides you with the quest HUD and tools to get you going
L$350 – provides you with the quest HUD and tools to get you going and male and female Emissary costumes so you can be more in character – and it will help you recognise other Emissaries, so you can help and support one another!
You must accept the experience by clicking Yes to participate
When you have purchased your HUD package wear it, and then touch it to unpack the contents to a folder in your Inventory called FF2016 The Tale of Exiles. This contains 3 game elements which must be worn: the Game HUD, and two attachments simply called “Attach Me” and “Attach Me 2”.
On wearing the HUD, a scroll will open on your screen with some important information. – please read it through and then click it to close it.
Your viewer’s World Map will open, together with an invitation for you to join The Tale of Exiles experience (shown right) – you may have to move your world map to one side to see this.
Make sure you click YES to accept the experience, as this will ensure that things behave correctly as you go.
The HUD
As with most HUD-based activities, the HUD tracks your progress, provides hints, and for the quest, provides access to various options, of which Teleport and Inventory at the top let and right are probably going to see the most use – toggle to open / close.
The HUD – tracks your progress, provides hints, etc.
Teleport opens a list of the Fairelands (above left), clicking on the name of one will display the World Map, allowing you to teleport to it. Note that the destinations are not necessarily where the Exiles are – although some might be closer than others!
Inventory records the various items you collect during the quest (above right). You can page through the items using the back and forward buttons and – at the appropriate time in your quest, click on Use to make use of the displayed item.
Click Help to obtain a note card describing the rest of the functions.
Saving Progress
You don’t have to complete the quest in a single go; the HUD will record your progress and items collected, allowing you to leave and do other things, and then return to the quest later. You can remove the HUD (and other attachments) on leaving the Fairelands / breaking off from your quest, and then re-attach them when you return to the Fairelands or want to resume your quest.
However, if you want to be completely assured your progress has been saved before stopping, click Setup > Save.
Reloading Progress
Occasionally, things do go wrong in Second Life. If you find your HUD is misbehaving, or failing to display the right information, click Setup > Reload. This should force the HUD to reload information from the quest database and correct problems.
Game Play Guidelines
Gameplay comprises a number of chapters (indicated by the HUD) which can be divided into four parts: Heed the Bard Queen, Seek the Exiles, Find the Eggs, and Heal the Lands.
Part 1: Heed the Bard Queen
When you start the quest, the HUD will open your World Map so you can teleport to the Bard Queen – or you can use the LM supplied with the HUD package. You will also have to return to the Bard Queen once you have located and spoken to all eight of the Exiles.
When you arrive at the Bard Queen, click on her to converse through dialogue boxes (top right of your screen)
Part of the Bard Queen’s story will be told through videos displayed in your viewer. If the videos do not start automatically, click the screen. If they refuse to run, use the links in local chat to watch them on YouTube (please do not share or embed links to the videos in blogs!)
Will you take the call and join The Interview contest?
Windlight and MadPea Games have teamed up for a new photo competition using MadPea’s latest grid-wide mystery puzzle game, The Interview.
Up for grabs are three cash prizes with the winner also getting a couple of nice bonuse prizes:
1st place – L$2,500, together with a L$1,000 MadPea gift card and a double page ad in Windlight Magazine
2nd Place – L$1,500
3rd Place – L$1,000.
To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is join in with The Interview, and then photograph yourself at any of the locations used by the game.
When you’ve purchased the HUD, await further instructions – and get ready for your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the very secret Goliathus Society, and not only have a chance of winning the prizes in the Windlight Magazine Photo Contest, but also reap the rewards of your successes in surviving taking The Interview!
When posting your photos please use the following naming convention: MadPea Interview Photo Contest – Photo #1-Your SL Name (please do not use display names). Add a #2 if you are submitting a second photo
All photos must:
Include the SLurl of The Interview location that you used (please make sure you obtain the permission of the venue owner to use their location in your submissions, and be respectful of region rules and covenants)
Be new and original, but you can add the photo to other groups
Nudity or adult behaviour is not allowed
Editing via Photoshop, Gimp, or any other graphics tools is permitted.
All entries must be submitted by midnight, Sunday May 15, 2016, and the Flickr date and time stamps will be used to assess whether or not entries meet this criteria, so check your time zones. Winners will be announced on Wednesday May 25th, 2016.
Judges will be independent of the contest and cannot enter this contest. Entries will be judged on the following criteria: creativity, originality, technique, incorporation of the location in your photos and following of submission and guideline rules.
There are no scheduled deployments for week #16. The next deployment should be to the RC channels in week #17 (week commencing Monday, April 25th). This is liable to include at least one fix to help prevent simulator crashes.
SL Viewer Updates
Both of the current RC viewers were updated on Friday, April 15th.
The Maintenance RC, which includes fixes for crashes, memory leaks, input/cursor issues, graphics bugs. invisiprims, formatting, notifications and more, was updated to version 4.0.4.314012. See my notes on the invisiprim tweak here.
The Quick Graphics RC viewer, containing the new Avatar Complexity capabilities and the graphic presets support updated to version 4.0.4.313948.
Depending on the stats gathered on these versions, one of them might be updated to the de facto release viewer later in the week (although I’m guessing there may not be a promotion until week #17).
This leaves the complete list of official viewers as:
Current Release version: 4.0.3.312816 (dated March 23), April 1 – formerly the HTTP / Vixox RC viewer download page, release notes
TC viewers – as indicated above
Project viewers:
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions) updated to version 5.0.0.313876 on April 15 – an updated set of bones for the Bento skeleton.
Oculus Rift project viewer updated to version 3.7.18.295296 on October 13, 2015 – Oculus Rift DK2 support
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
News is once again light at the start of the week. Expect more from the Bento and TPVD meetings at the end of the week 🙂 .
Update April 20th: Xiola has now blogged on this get-together.
Friday April 22nd marks Earth Day, when events are held all over the world in support of environmental protection.
First held in 1970, Earth Day is now marked in 193 countries around the world, and coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network. This year, Earth Day will also be marked by the formal signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change, negotiated earlier in the year, is due to be signed by 120 nations.
I’ve had my little birds flitting around Second Life, and I’ve heard from one of them that to mark Earth Day in-world, the Lab is planning another Meet the Lindens event for Friday, April 22nd.
The get-together will take place, I understand from around 10:00 through until noon SLT at the marvellous Calas Galadhon Park.
For those who haven’t visited Calas Galadhon, it is a stunning vision of the outdoors, covering 10 regions, and as such is the ideal location in which to get together with staff from the Lab (and perhaps a few Moles). I understand – although this is subject to confirmation – the main Calas landing point will be used for the meet-up.
There hasn’t been an official blog post on the meet-up as yet, but I understand that Xiola will be producing one in the near future – so keep an eye on the official blog for the latest on the meet-up. I’ll be updating this article once Xiola has posted 🙂 .
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 