Tag: My SL

Whirling around the skies of Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 over Blake Sea Half Hitch
Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 over Blake Sea Half Hitch

While visiting RiTai recently, I took time out to fly a helicopter modelled on the Eurocopter EC-135. I’ve never really fussed that much with helicopters in SL (one has been sitting in my inventory forever but it is so old, a Havoc update way beck in … 2009? 2010? broke it and as I’d already stopped using it, I never really bothered with the updated version). As such, I was a little curious to see if my attitude had changed.

Well, flying the machine, even on the one region, proved to be a lot of fun; so much so that I got, well, hooked. Since then, and as time has allowed, I’ve been shuffling around SL looking at various makes and models of helicopter with a view to getting one, and repeatedly found myself drawn back to the EC-135 design as being particularly attractive. My poking around led me to Spijkers Aviation & Marine where, after much mmming and ahhing (and not a few flights in  the demo aircraft there) I picked up Tig’s civilian version of the EC-135.

Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 - passing the Fastnet light
Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 – passing the Fastnet light

I’ve barely put it down since.

Weighing-in with a land impact of 27, the helicopter is well made and looks good. Seating the pilot and up to five passengers, it offers plenty of opportunities for flying with friends – but that’s just the icing on the cake.

For a start, the pack itself contains not one, but three variants of the helicopter: flyable, static (unscripted), and “desktop” (which is small and beautifully formed), each of which is offered in three basic colours: red, white and blue. As the full-size versions are MOD, also included in the pack are additional texture sets allowing the purchaser to mix and match the three finishes to produce a very individual aircraft – and if that is not enough, Tigs and Amy offer to produce  custom textures upon enquiry.

As well as the various models of the helicopter and the texture options, the pack includes two sets of instructions and two HUDS – “full” or “light” depending on your preference. Neither is absolutely required for flying, and each has a number of buttons not applicable to the civilian version of the EC-135.

The texture packs made customising one of the default versions a breeze. As I have a thing for red and white (witness Lady of Calas and Lady of Calas 2),  I wanted my new toy to be ranged in the same colours, and it took me less than 3 minutes to have a two-tone EC-135 ready to fly. And flying this little helicopter is fun.

Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 - original red (r) and my 3-minute "custom" finish (l)
Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 – original red (r) and my 3-minute “custom” finish (l)

Page Up and Page Down act as the collective, the arrow keys function as the cyclic for forward / reverse and turning / banking. Other commands are accessed via typing (“s” to start / stop the engine, “l” for lights, “ld” for opening / closing the left door, etc.), or via the HUDs, if used, if used. Handling-wise, the EC-135 is very responsive, and once one has got the hang of using the controls, staying airborne and enjoying oneself is a breeze.

One of the reasons I opted for this model compared to others are the range of additional options. FlySafe, for example turns the aircraft and passengers phantom – handy if you’re flying over mainland only to find someone has parked their skyhome on your flight path and evasive flying might not be that easy due to other buildings, etc., also hanging in the sky.

More importantly (from my viewpoint, at least) is the fact that – like many of Tig’s aircraft – the EC-135 can be configured so that a co-pilot can take the controls (a copy of either HUD can even be given to them). Having been a passenger on flights myself more than a few times, I know how boring sitting and letting someone else pilot you around can get be. so being able to turn over control to a friend and let them experience flying the helicopter for a while, strikes me as a neat idea and helps share the flying experience.

Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 - the controls are ideal for my avatar's height
Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 – the controls are ideal for my avatar’s height

I also like the optional floats that come with this model. While these can only be activated / deactivated when the engine is off, they’re a handy addition for someone like me, who lives on the edge of Blake Sea and is surrounded by water 🙂 .

There a lot more I could say about this helicopter, but I’m not going to – just take it from me, if you’re looking for a helo for yourself and you’ve not tried Spijkers Aviation & Marine, then I thoroughly recommend you hop over to their in-world headquarters and give their demonstrators a go. I doubt you’ll be at all disappointed.

Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 - making an inspection pass near the Second Norway airport tower
Spijkers Aviation & Marine EC-135 – making an inspection pass near the Second Norway airport tower

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Skipping across the waves on a Silverstone

Posted on by Inara Pey
The E-Tech Silverstone in the red finish - my "Lady of Calas 2"
The E-Tech Silverstone in the red finish – my “Lady of Calas 2”, passing the Fastnet Rock light on Blake Sea

My conversion to SL sailing / boating enthusiast is well-documented, at least within these pages. Admittedly, I have yet to get myself sorted with a sailboat other than my premium gift Exotix, but that’s largely because I’ve yet to find something I really like.

Instead, I’ve been motoring about Blake Sea and elsewhere aboard my E-Tech Sparrow 4, which I re-named Lady of Calas. At the time I purchased the boat, it was on a special offer at L$399. The reason for the offer was that Envy Melody, E-Tech’s founder and creator, has just overhauled the build and improved upon the original. Even so, the price represented remarkable value – and I have to thank Spikey (again) for pointing it out to me.

E-Tech Silverstone Cabin
E-Tech Silverstone Cabin

Now Envy has another boat on promotional offer – at 70% off the list price (L$650). The model in question is the Silverstone, a name which is sure to get my attention, given I am a Formula 1 fan 🙂 . Like the Sparrow, this has been extensively overhauled and is now at version 4.0 which sees the total LI for the vessel substantially reduced from 256 to 132. This actually undercuts the Sparrow by some 25 LI; not bad for a vessel which is roughly twice the length of the Sparrow.

Like the Sparrow, the Silverstone comes in a choice of hull colours (although 5 are on offer here), these being charcoal, royal blue, red, white and pink. As I opted for red for Lady of Calas, I decided to stick with the same for the Silverstone, which I’ve also re-christened Lady of Calas 2, given it is unlikely I’ll have both rezzed at the same time.

Unlike the Sparrow, the Silverstone has a fully enclosed cabin / cockpit which offers plenty of room for seating  up to eight passengers. The aft deck offers additional seating and a trio of sun loungers located above the fantail. Forward of the main cabin is a further sun lounger atop what appears to be a forward cabin, but which is in fact unused space.

Heading back past Fastnet on the way home
Heading back past Fastnet on the way home

As the driver, I’d have liked somewhere to sit down when piloting the boat, but like the Sparrow, the owner has to stand and steer. A minor niggle, admittedly, but my little feet tire easily…

In terms of handling, I have to say I found the Silverstone a bit of a handful at times. While not overly large compared to some other boats, it is sufficiently long enough and the default  camera position located far enough back that it is not given to making fine adjustments to turns, which is particularly noticeable when trying to dock. There’s also no HUD with this model, which might make it a little hard to judge comparative speeds when working up through the gears and running with the throttle open. Fortunately, if you have an E-Tech HUD, it should work with Silverstone as well as any other vessel.

Once at sea, the boat handled well. As with the Sparrow, region crossings were handled reasonably well given the vagaries involved, and in an outing which took me from east the west and back across Blake Sea, I encountered few issues, although these could be as much down to tweaks to the server code as much as anything intrinsic to the boat’s scripting.

Extras with the Silverstone are not as extensive as with the Sparrow, and from my perspective this is fine, as I never actually rezzed any of the Sparrow’s extras beyond demonstrating them. There is, however, some very nice interior lighting effects which let the Silverstone look very attractive and cosy at night.

If there is one thing  with the new boat that is going to take a bit of getting used to, it is its size; the revised terrace / quay at home was more than adequate for the Sparrow, but it is completely overwhelmed by the Silverstone! Nevertheless, Lady of Calas 2 is going to remain rezzed yet a while. Big she may well be, comparatively speaking, but I’m already growing accustomed to her lines 🙂 .

Sizing things up. My E-tach Sparrow (left) with me on the prow; and the E-Tech Silverstone
Sizing things up. My E-tech Sparrow (left) with me on the prow; and the E-Tech Silverstone

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Happy 2014 to all!

Posted on by Inara Pey

newyearimages

Wishing everyone all the very best for 2014. Thank you for taking the time to come read this blog, give feedback and comments, and for all your retweets, replurks, loves and support throughout 2013. It has been and is, deeply appreciated.

A joyful Second Life from a collection of little wonders

Posted on by Inara Pey

When I was reworking my little corner of Second life recently (and driving people up-the-wall with blog posts on it), I wanted to add a little more life to the place.

I’ve always used sounds a lot in my private region homes; usually in the form of scripted recordings of birdsong, night-time owls and crickets etc., and have also tended to use the sound of splashing / running water if I’ve had a stream or waterfall in the build (although confess I have yet to do that with the “new” garden design).

GCB-1_001
Click to see full size

However, with the “new” house, I wanted something more; I just wasn’t sure what that “more” should be. While I love having Kayle Matzerath’s butterflies flittering and circling the flower beds and adding more colour as well as movement to the place, butterflies aren’t exactly known for being songful or chatty. And while I have things like ducks and squirrels and rabbits sitting in inventory, they also weren’t entirely what I was looking for.

Thus I set off to trawl the SL Marketplace for suitable ideas – and in doing so, I discovered Morgan Garret’s stunning range of garden birds. Or perhaps I should say “rediscovered”, as I first came across them in-world around mid-year, then lost track of them after his in-world store seemed to vanish shortly afterwards.

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If you’ve not seen Morgan’s birds, then you’ve missed out. Seriously. They are the most amazing creations you could have to bring added depth to your garden or region; hence why I’m yakking about them now -I’ve hard-pushed not to since adding them to my garden earlier in the month!

There are around 24 varieties of bird in the range at the time of writing, most on sale in COPY packs at around L$350 a go. The birds cover a spread from North America through Europe into Asia and northern Africa, so offering a good range from which to choose. Each pack offers a given bird in a number of variants – standing, perching, “24 hour” and even wearable; and most include a high-res version for photography.

All are beautifully scripted, so once positioned, they bob, look around, cock their heads as if listening, and seem to react to noise and movement in an incredibly real way. And of course, they sing – but not just any song. Each sings in a voice that has been recorded from its real-life counterparts, and like real birds they’ll happily sing from dawn until dusk, before keeping quiet through the night – unless you want them to keep right on singing, which is why there is a “24 hour” variant or two in each pack.

GCB-2_001
Click to see full size

The detail in terms of textures and the sheer natural movement Morgan’s birds possess has to be seen to be believed; I was totally blown away when I first encountered them, and even now I’m hard pushed not to splurge on adding more to my land. And with a LI of just three apiece, it’s possible to get a fair few into even a relatively small space, perched here and there or gathered at a feeding table, and so on without over-burdening a parcel. Each pack even includes a “perching branch” you can plant in or beside trees to sit your birds.

At the moment I have three varieties of Morgan’s little birds scattered around the garden and I’m sorely tempted by at least two more. Those already in the garden have a distinctly North American bias, so being from the other side of the Atlantic, so I feel a pressing need to balance things up a little 🙂 .

If you’re interested in getting Morgan’s birds for your own place, you can find them on SLM under the Grizzly Creek brand, which is managed by Dryfly (Julia Garret – Morgan’s real-life sister), along with the rest of their unique range of goods.

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One of Morgan's little birds keeps an eye on Stitch, my in-world cat

I’m in Prim Perfect!

Posted on by Inara Pey

Sorry, but I’m a-tooting my little horn here.

Back in June, Saffia Widdershins tackled me to the ground and persuaded me to attempt an interview with Rod Humble.

While I dithered a bit with the result that the interview didn’t entirely go as planned (although it did eventually appear in issue #49, the delay no fault of Saffia’s or mine), Saffia was nevertheless undeterred by my fiddle-farting, and asked me if I’d consider helping-out with the Christmas issue of the magazine, and provide a piece about Calas Galadhon, selected as Prim Perfect’s Region of the month. Given she did ask so nicely, and the subject-matter of the article is so close to my heart, how could I refuse? 🙂

Prim Perfect #50 - December 2013
Prim Perfect #50 – December 2013

Issue #50 of Prim Perfect is now out, so if you’re so minded, you can read my thoughts on Calas for yourself there. More to the point, you can find out lots more as well, particularly if you’re in a post-Christmas / pre-New Year mood for Doing Things. So why not grab a copy on-line or from an in-world vendor and:

  • Join Honour McMillan in discovering 11 amazing regions to visit
  • Read about Eliza Wierwight’s moving campaign to help 35 elephants
  • Immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Jenne Dibou (just like Honour has!)
  • Catch-up with Designing World’s year
  • and more!

Or, if you prefer, and as a special treat for the cold winter nights, grab a mug of hot chocolate and huddle down somewhere cosy to read a series of special seasonal stories penned by some of SL’s top writers.

All-in-all a great read!

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Home and garden … again

Posted on by Inara Pey
The house and revised garden paving
The house and revised garden paving

I recently blogged about changes to my parcel on Blake Sea and doing more to landscape it decently. Turns out that post was a little premature; at the time I wrote it, I still wasn’t really happy with things, but the creative muse had decided to the take a few days off, leaving me bereft of ideas.

Since then, I’ve had time to play and re-work things a little more – which is part of the reason blog posts have been a little sporadic of late (the other being RL and sorting out things for Christmas and New Year with family and all). The place still isn’t entirely finished, but I’m approaching a point where I’ll be reasonably comfortable with it and happy to let the rest fall into place over time.

The main bits of additional work have been to add a decent mesh river course (from a kit by Flea Yatsenko), move the bridge and wooden deck, and lay some new paths which in turn allowed me to do more with the flower beds.

From the far side of the grounds
From the far side of the grounds

The river now more naturally splits the parcel into two – or at least, that’s the way I look at it 🙂 – which has allowed me to improve the look and feel of the river bank alongside the house with new paths and flowerbeds. The far side of the river is a little less organised, with trees and few ruined walls. It’s not quite as I’d like it to be, and could benefit from ferns or long grass, but I’ve yet to find anything that has sufficient caught my eye.

With a total land capacity of 800 prims, I set myself a ceiling of 500 for the work, of which some 246 was already accounted for by the house, furnishings and decor and also by my cruiser, Lady of Calas (157 prims on its own), leaving me 254 with which to play. Right now, the total count stands ay 491, so I’m feeling a little pleased with myself. A couple of things which have really helped along the way: the convex hull physics shape and mesh, both of which can help greatly reduce the land impact of a build.

I’ve written in the past about the ability of convex hull physics to help reduce LI / prim count by up to a half, depending on the complexity of the build in  question. Coincidentally, when I wrote that piece, I was using convex hull on the house I have now, reducing part of the structure from a LI of 32 to just 18.

From the side of the bridge
From the side of the bridge

Continue reading “Home and garden … again” →