Toru. A land devastated by a major earthquake and underwater volcanic eruption hundreds of years ago, a cataclysmic event so devastating it split the land apart and left it barren for hundreds of years … But all is not lost as this land was rediscovered by an intrepid photographer who stumbled upon it, and its tragic history…
So reads the greeting, at least in part, when you arrive on Toru, a homestead region designed by Waynenz. Openly drawing inspiration from Hazardous, the region is dedicated to Wendy Xeno’s and Mandingo Quan’s work there, and to “all the designers and developers of SL who create content for us to fill this land and allowing us to share this space with residents and visitors of SL.” It’s a beautiful place, one I knew I had to see for myself after coming across it on Ziki’s blog.
There is a windlight preset for the region, but it’s really worthwhile taking the time to play with options and see what works for you – the layout from the cliff tops down to the lower-lying valley floor offers itself to a range of lighting options, and everything is perfectly positioned to offer the SL photographer a huge amount of choice and opportunity for framing many, many shots.
The cliff top area of the island is split into two, a single stone bridge spanning the narrow but deep gorge which separates them. On once side of the divide are signs of life returning to the island; a cafe has been built, as has a store (selling Wayne’s mesh creations), and other wooden building appear to be under construction. How well things are going for the inhabitants is hard to say, however; the cafe looks to be somewhat dilapidated, and there are a couple of rusting hulks of vehicles to be found – including one which looks like it might have been shaken from its parking spot by a more recent earth tremor…
Across the bridge there is the ruin of a stone-built structure, possibly a fortified house of some description given the remnants of two towers. There are signs of recovery here as well, with a stage set having been built, which suggests live gigs might be a thing of the future.
Follow the track away from the wooden buildings and you’ll find a set of stone steps leading you down to a smaller open space with a small cabin and outhouse, with further steps leading the way down to the photographer’s ultra-modern studio / home, which visitors appear to be invited to explore as well.
When adjusting windlight, make sure you give dusk / night settings a go; the island is prone to aurora displays just off the coast, possibly the result of underwater volcanic activity, which give rise to shimmering curtains just above the waves which look like a localised version of the aurora australis.
A fabulous region, beautifully conceived and put together and more than worth a visit. If you do, please considering dropping a contribution or two into the gratuities signs scattered around the buildings.
During my time blogging, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to review various tools developed by Yuzuru Jewell for use with Second Life, notably Rokuro and Tatara, both produced under his Kanae Projects brand, and aimed at supporting content creation.
Yuzuru recently informed me he was working on a new tool, which represents something of a departure from his other apps – a text-to-speech conversion tool which allows chat entered into Second Life (in open chat) to be converted to speech and listened to via headphones / speakers. The tools is now almost ready for release, and Yuzuru kindly allowed me to have preview access to a beta version of the application and take it for a test drive.
The app, Idobata Pro, will be available for both Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit as a ZIP download, containing a Readme file and the program executable. No installation is required; simply drop the EXE file in the folder from which you want to use it & create a shortcut as required. However, it does require Microsoft Speech Platform 11 is installed on the PC.
Idobata: text chat-to-speech
Once “installed”, simply double-click on the EXE / shortcut to launch Idobata.
Options and Set-up
The application runs in a single window, no tabs or anything to fiddle with, and set-up is a simple matter of using the presented options.
Buttons
START/STOP – starts / stops the text-to-speech conversion. Note that settings cannot be altered when conversion is active
Interval – set the delay between text chat and voice conversion
DEFAULTS – reset Idobata to its defaults.
Speech
Comprises three options:
Voice: allows you to select a voice option the application will use for speaking the chat it obtains. The default for this is Microsoft Anna US English
Volume: volume of the voice playback
Rate: the speed at which chat is spoken. Positive numbers mean faster playback, negative numbers means a slower playback.
Chat File
Select whether you wish to have chat converted directly from the viewer (requires you select the viewer and avatar) or from the chat file (requires you provide the chat file location). Currently, only Firestorm and Second Life are recognised by Idobata, so if you’re using another viewer, try using the convert from chat text file option.
Chat Mask
Allows you to define a chat mask:
Secondlife chat – the app will only read back an avatar’s Display Name (if set within SL)
[YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm] – the application will not precede chat with timestamps
Custom(RegEx) – allows you to set regular expressions which will not be read back by Idobata
Speak translated chat – if you use translator within SL, Idobata will only read back the translated text, not the original language text.
Using Idobata
Click the START button to use the application. You’ll get a brief thank you message, which you can use to adjust the rate of playback, if required (click STOP to adjust the settings).
That’s it!
In Use and Feedback
Idobata works well, although the voice can take a little getting used to – adjust the Rate option in settings if you have problems understand what is being said.
The app potentially has a lot of uses, particularly if you’re engaged in something and don’t keep track of button flashes in CHUI or things like console messages , chiclets, etc., or indeed, if you’re off doing other things. For example, I spend a fair amount of time logged-in to SL but working on other windows, and so have the viewer minimised a lot. Idobata has already proven worthwhile for me as it allows me to hear who comes on-line, so I can flick back to the viewer if someone I need to IM comes in-world without my having to constantly flick back and forth with the viewer.
There are a couple of minor irritants – neither of which are Yuzuru’s fault per se. One is that Idobata has no way of determining the origins of what is being entered into chat – it simply converts everything in the channel. This means that in places where there are a lot of spammy objects, it can get a little annoying (I was at a region where a greeter bellows out every single new arrival and how far away from it they arrive; that got particularly old very quickly, both with the announcement appearing in chat and Idobata reading it back). The other is the US Microsoft Anna voice – but that’s purely personal!
Idobata will be available from Monday September 9th via Yuzuru’s Kanae Projects website. The app can be used in a trail version for three days on a “try before your buy” basis, and licences for the full product will be available for L$1250 through Yuzuru’s in-world store.
Ah, the fun fair! The Ferris wheel, carousels, and rocket rides; the roller coaster; the zombies, malevolent-looking giant clowns and staccato gunfire; the ….
Hang on…
…”The zombies, malevolent-looking giant clowns and staccato gunfire” …?
No, I haven’t taken leave of my senses. I’ve decided to drop-in on DeadPool, currently in the Editor’s Picks in the Destination Guide. It’s an amusement park where time seems to have been frozen in the 1970s, or as the Destination Guide description puts it:
Aged elegance is re-animated in DeadPool, a new experience ripe for exploration. Watch as the bygone disco days rise again! Zombies roam the overgrown and wistful spaces of a forgotten amusement park, see the old roller-disco flash and strobe while amazing DJ’s pump dance-worthy beats.
Thematically, this is the place which sort-of picks-up where MadPea’s magnificent Carneval left off, although it is of a different colour and experience, and so shouldn’t be written-off as a variation on the theme; it is as unique as Carneval ever was, and comes with very different risks. At Carneval, for example, the roller coaster was actually ride-worthy (I use “worthy” here in the sense of the ride being in one piece); however, the roller coaster at DeadPool takes the warning, “Patrons ride at their own risk” to a whole new level – and it has some interesting pose positions hidden within it! :).
The amusement park covers the entire region and offers a lot to see; in this I do recommend fiddling with windlight, as while the default is very atmospheric, it does mean you risk missing the smaller details if you’re not careful. There are a lot of opportunities here for the SL photographer to enjoy; although you may need to keep one eye on your surroundings. The aforementioned zombies can be a bit of a pain in the neck … or wherever else they opt to bite you when they find you :).
Which leads me to the gunfire. Some of the zombies are evidently “shootable”, and during my visit several people were availing themselves of this fact …
For my part, I kept myself occupied by dodging the zombies and playing around with windlight to grab shots. I was actually unable to make up my mind as to whether I should keep it light and airy in order to catch the details, or dark and atmospheric, to match the environment; hence the reason some shots may appear to be somewhat removed from my usual fare.
There are some safe areas if you want to avoid the zombies. Standing under the two giant clowns at the entrance to the park is one of them. OK, so some with a specific phobia of clowns might find the definition of “safe” somewhat lacking in this context, admittedly. If this is the case, try the decrepit theatre across the region, up on the hill. It’s also zombie-free and offers something of a place to rest a while, and even to have a sit-down…
The park is the work of the region’s owner, Xjetx Chrome, together with Megan Prumier. It’s an altogether different destination, and one worth checking out if you’re into clubs, photography, amusement parks, a ride on the wild side – oh, and zombies, of course! Now, where exactly did I put my shotgun … ? 🙂
I’ve been flying out of Hollywood Airport on-and-off for a good while now, and frequently putting down at Honah Lee field as well, so you’d think I’d be familiar with the majority of Blake Sea and the vicinity. But it wasn’t until a recent flight that I spotted the huge dome of Palomar Observatory on the horizon (how I’d missed it before is probably down to having draw distance turned down to assist flying – or that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!). It immediately went down on my list of places to visit as and when time allowed.
However, plans changed when I received an IM from MarkTwain White extending an invitation for me to pay a visit to the observatory, based on our common interest in astronomy. So I took advantage of another lull in real life and dropped-in on the Honah Lee group of islands (specifically Honah Lee Point), to the south of Blake Sea and had a little bit of an explore.
Now, it has to be said that these islands are steeped in legend, so when you visit, it’s really worthwhile taking time to follow the trails on foot or horseback – you can obtain a horse at the start of the trails – and avail yourself of the signs along the way; they’ll tell you a lot of about the legend, which may well have been handed down over the years until it reached the ears of Peter, Paul and Mary…
The trail leads around the main island, made up of six regions, taking you first south along one side of the central mountain ridge, offering a chance for the traveller to visit a number of famous and sometimes mysterious landmarks along the way.
The first of these is Puff’s Lagoon, where it is thought that large land and sea creatures may once have been seen, far back in ancient times, giving rise to the legend of the magic dragon referred to in song. Just off the coast of the lagoon is a strange artefact, apparently millenia old, carved in stone, yet strangle unaltered or weathered in the passage of time. Facing out to sea, the Dragon Mother has no identifying tale associated with it and its purpose remains as much a mystery now, as when first discovered; and no-one knows whether it is somehow tied to the legends of the ancient creature said to have once roamed here, or something else entirely…
The Dragon Mother
Further to the south of the island sits the Honah Lee Marine Nursery. Once a major tourist attraction and centre for marine studies, it has over the years become a much smaller facility than in its heyday, and marked by a small church and a wooden pier. Between it and Puff’s Lagoon are a number of places where tourists can rest awhile and watch the boats out on the water – but do be aware that there is also a private house sitting between the lagoon and the nursery.
The nursery is also where the trail divides – you can carry on around the island, or climb up to the plateau above and ride to the observatory. Taking the former option will bring you around to the east side of the island, past a couple more private residences and to Puff’s Meadow, an upland area of long grass again immortalised in song. A gazebo at the headland of the meadow offers a view out over the broad ocean.
On Sunday September 1st, the University of Western Australia, in association with Virtual Ability Inc., and the Centre for ME/CFS and Other Invisible Illnesses announced the launch of The Freedom Project: A 2D/3D Art and Film Event.
This is not a competition per se. Rather this is an opportunity for artists suffering from a disability or chronic illness, or associated with those suffering from either, to demonstrate how virtual life has enabled them to engage in activities and interact with others in ways which may not be possible in the real world.
As such, the organisers are inviting artists and film makers from all over the world who self-identify as having a disability or a chronic illness, to create an artwork or a film/machinima on the theme of ‘Freedom’, showing how virtual worlds have in some way helped them or those around them.
Films and artwork can be submitted any time between the 1st of September 2013 and the 28th of February 2014. Artwork should have no more than 200 prims, and films should be around 3-5 minutes (although no hard limits on film length will be enforced). Artwork will go on display immediately at the UWA Virtual Gallery, and films will be put on the UWA Second Life Blog.
Submissions do not have to be created in isolation or alone; they can be collaborative, so long as the project leader or primary driving force behind the creation is clear. The extent of collaboration and assistance by others should be detailed in the submission note card, and credit given as appropriate.
Submitted pieces will be displayed at the UWA gallery and blog through until the end of the project, when a number will be selected by a panel to appear in a special journal marking the project, which will be made available in print and on the web.
It is hoped that the journal, along with all the artwork, machinima, and stories, will inspire others, and will demonstrate how virtual worlds can be used to help some people who may have had difficulties finding other means of expression to believe in themselves more, or to connect with others. Those artists selected to appear in the journal will each receive a copy, and machinima selections will be represented as stills and a link to their on-line presence. In addition, ten pieces submitted to the project will be selected by the panel to each receive L$10,000.
Commenting on the project during the launch on September 1st, Dianne Elton, representing the Centre for ME/CFS and Other Invisible Illnesses said:
The Freedom Art Project invites people with illness and disabilities not only to showcase their art, but to share how SL may perhaps provide opportunities not available to them in real life. In my own case, being housebound, SL has extended my social world exponentially. I now have many friends right around the world. No longer able to attend art galleries, I was delighted to find I could come to UWA and enjoy stunning innovative art without leaving my bed. My illness has taken away many activities I used to do in real life but as I don’t have to leave my bed, I can do things in SL including attending and facilitating bookclubs. meditation and guided relaxation sessions and I can even go dancing with hubby!
This is how SL gives me “freedom”. Freedom to be active within the limitations of my health. Freedom to interact with others from the confines of my house. I am really looking forward to seeing the artworks produced for this event and to learning how sl might give others “FREEDOM”.
Key Details for Entering the Project
Artwork and film entries should reflect the theme ‘Freedom’, and should attempt to show how the virtual world has helped or how it could help
This event is open to all who identify as having a disability or a chronic illness (of any nature)
A maximum of 2 entries per artist for the art event with a 200 prim limit per artwork
A maximum of 3 entries per artist for film/machinima (preferred length between 3-5 minutes)
Entries will be received beginning 1 September 2013 until 28 February 2014. (Note that the earlier work is submitted, the longer it will be on view.)
Artists are additional invited to add, in 100-300 words, how the virtual world has assisted them and/or those around them, has helped create community, or has helped them to transcend difficulties and challenges real life has posed. This is an optional aspect of the project, but the organisers hope all artists opting to participate will provide such a description.
Entries should be placed Place the artwork in the receiver (drop box) for the Freedom Project at the UWA Art Challenge platform, along with a completed Artist’s Notecard form. (No perms required, but copy is appreciated if possible.) If you have problems with the receiver, you may give artwork directly to FreeWee Ling or Jayjay Zifanwe along with the note card.
For the complete set of rules and technical requirements for the project, please refer to the UWA blog post announcing the project.
About Virtual Ability and the Centre for ME/CFS and Other Invisible Illnesses
Virtual Ability
Many disabilities in the real world can be a barrier to entry into the digital as well. People may have difficulties in dealing with the keyboard due to illness or disability; others many be reliant upon voice recognition software, and so on. Virtual Ability, Inc. helps people with these kind of challenges get into and become successful in virtual worlds like Second Life.
From an individual skills assessment undertaken during a unique intake process, Virtual Ability inc., are able to refer clients for help with assistive hardware and software as appropriate, and provide customised training and orientation. Once clients are in-world, Virtual Ability Inc., helps them integrate into the virtual society, and provides an ongoing community of support. The community offers members information, encouragement, training, companionship, referrals to other online resources and groups, ways to contribute back to the community, and ways to have fun.
The organisation runs a number of in-world centres, which can be read about on their website.
The Centre for ME/CFS and Other Invisible Illnesses
The Centre for ME/CFS and Other Invisible Illnesses provides resources, support and guided relaxation sessions, for people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gulf War Syndrome, and other invisible illnesses. They host general and research discussions once a week on Mondays at 18:00 SLT, and guided relaxation sessions every day, twice a day, at 08:00 and 20:00 SLT, in the Centre to help people manage their illness. This Centre is open to all, and all are welcome, including anyone with an illness, their families and carers to meet here and help each other. The Centre is located in Curtin University in Second Life.
Binemist is a homestead region developed by Bine Rodenberger which has been designed to give something of a Nordic coastal feel for visitors: high cliffs, a narrow beach, windswept grasslands, and more. There’s a lot to see and do here, and the entire layout of the island makes it a photographer’s delight.
From the arrival point on the west of the island, visitors can wander the beach (or grab a bike and take ride), crossing a wooden bridge onto grasslands where sits the ruin of an old industrial-looking building. A track lead on around the east side of the island, where sits a small farm in the south-east corner. If you prefer to stay on the beach, there are views out over the sea, past the tall finger of a light house standing just off the coast, or there is the long climb up the wooden spiral steps to the hill tops, and the single stone church sitting high overhead.
Art plays a prominent, if subtle role here, with a piece by Chica Ghost down at the base of the cliffs on the beach, another by Bryn Oh close to the top of the spiral stairway, and other scattered around and waiting to be found.
There’s a teleport system available as well, cunningly disguised as innocent rocks, flower pots, tree stumps and so on. This can be used to get you around the island, out to the light house (or you can grab a rowing boat for this :)) and up to a couple of sky platforms. One of these is a small skybox, the other a garden with a small cabin to one side, both of which are open to the public as well.
One of the things I love about the island is that there is a juxtaposition of elements which offers up a unique look to the island. The beach and grassland, for example present a modern look and feel – the tall light house, the steel-and-concrete ruins, and so one, while up on the hill stands an old stone church speaking of bygone times. Down on the east side of the island is a comfortable-looking farm with electric lights, while just off the coast from it lies the wreck of an ancient Viking longship, its overall condition suggesting that perhaps it hasn’t been there that long at all, but which clearly speaks of an era long past when compared to the electrical conveniences of the farm. It’s an intriguing, almost eclectic mix, and it works really well.
The 30-minute auto return means that those wanting a location for a photo shoot are well served here when it comes to rezzing accessories. In fact, the entire region is a photographer’s dream; views and angles appear wherever one cams, and the island really does offer itself to extensive playing with windlight and camera options.
For those wanting an intimate setting, the region offers plenty of opportunities for sitting and cuddling, with the skybox and sky garden offering a little more privacy than on the ground. Do keep in mind when visiting that the region is Adult rated, however, and some of the pose system do reflect this!
Binemist is definitely one of those places which has to go on any SL’s explorer’s list of destinations. Whatever you’re looking for when exploring Second Life, you’ll find something here that will more than please your eye, and more than likely bring out the creative urges within the SL photographer, as there really is a lot worth capturing on film here. For those who like a little romance, or who want to simply sit and let the world go by, you find plenty of opportunities for that as well – and to perhaps have a dance or two.
