Lindens Remain Clueless

Written 26 September, 2012

Lindens Remain Clueless

I suppose this is what happens when you put a game god in charge of a virtual world.

Above the Lindens aren't just announcing one of their dumbass games. Note the header: "Take a second look at Second Life: A Game with a Goal."

Second. Life. Is. Not. A. Game. It. Is. A. Virtual. World.

Games have externally-imposed goals, dammit.

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When Chickens Come Home to Roost

Written 23 September, 2012

When Chickens Come Home to Roost.

Awhile back I took a poke at someone who misspelled a sign at their shop.

And now look at me!

I have absolutely no excuse!

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Alphonse is a Poseur

Written 18 September, 2012

Alphonse is a Poseur

I lived in France for four years. I didn't learn to speak the language much, but I do know phony French when I hear it, and Alphonse, our supposed-to-be-Gallic descentbot, just doesn't sound authentic. He says, for instance, his favorite food is es-car-got, pronounced with an audible t. Alphonse is just wrong.

He says he's cousin to Gaston, our Parisian liftbot...

.. but Gaston sneers and calls him Quebecois trash. "I am superior," he says."I take people upwards. Alphonse carries them downward."

Gaston has a bit of an attitude himself, but Alphonse has an unfortunate personality for a public servant. Just today I saw he had put up a sign that reads...

I'm Alphonse-- your ridebot. Let me just say right up front: I like tips. Tips protect against unfortunate incidents at 4000 meters. Not that that's a threat...

Alphonse is an extortionist. He's taking advantage of his scary route.

On tip of those chairs and riders would have a long way to fall.

I have Alphonse moving (just sit in a chair and touch him), but I've not yet built in logic to summon him for a ride to the top. Still, you should try him out. Jump here.

I'm holding off on completing the task. I'm afraid it will make Alphonse more insufferable than he already is.

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My Store Finally Reopens: Part III

Written 17 September, 2012

My Store Finally Reopens: Part III

With the space mostly complete it was time to start adding products.

Over the years I've made lots of things, and many of them are for sale in the Second Life Marketplace-- but they've not been in world for a couple of years. I decided to ditch my hippo vendors and sell from signs-- no scripts, no lag-- but I needed to create new images of the products.

In the past I used the layout program Quark XPress to make signs, but this time I am using the free photo program GIMP. I am using existing photos and my favorite font, Garamond. I created the Copy/Mod/No Transfer icons in GIMP.

Here's my first sign:

I love that belt. I would give anything to have one like it in real life.

Here's the store's entry area:

Things are still being moved about, but it's taking shape. Store policies and pointers to my blogs will be nearby. That's Alphonse the Descentbot on the left. He's Gaston's cousin and much more of a smartass. And his French accent is phony.More on Alphonse in the next post.

I really like the way the signs look along the walls.

I smell a grand re-opening some time in October.

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My Store Finally Reopens: Part II

Written 17 September, 2012

My Store Finally Reopens: Part II

Our space is not yet complete-- witness the big telescope above.

We're happy with the open design of the scope...

.. but struggling with the mount.

Mostly things are finished, and I've started to put up some items for sale (they're in the next post; for now here are some more photos of our sky build.

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My Store Finally Reopens: Part I

Written 17 September, 2012

My Store Finally Reopens

A long time ago Sweetie and I created a huge build in the sky high over Whimsy.

It happened organically, as it always does with us. I had taken down my Flights of Fancy store (which no one was visiting) and we were thinking about a new home for it.

Sweetie had the idea that the structure should feature some sort of gap or open space, like say a semi-circle. Why? To provide a vista. It's a Sweetie thing.

We tried several things, none of which pleased us, and then one day I pulled a huge 100 x 100 x 100 meter prim from my inventory, turned it into a torus, and proceeded to torture it. When I called it a day it provided a level surface for standing and walking and  looked like this:

I'm visible in the first photo as a speck. I can be seen more clearly in the second; it should give you an idea of the size of the prim.

Sweetie liked my efforts and added walls, partial roofs, and massive rocks, creating a lower level. Pretty soon the structure looked like this:

Here's a picture taken inside the asteroid:

There's not much down there yet...

... except this hollow tube, which is a particle accelerator in the making.

Sweetie added a blimp docking tower...

...with a snooty French robot lift operator.

...  

... and my mahjong game at the top.

A rail car transports avatars up to our PG Den of Iniquity...

... to a beautiful airship built by Johnnytreadlightly Nightfire...

... where we house our amazing assortment of games...

... including a bowling alley!

Note my first attempt at making footwear:

So-- from a single huge flat twisted torus prim we've managed to create a hollow asteroid, a dirigible docking tower, two stuck-up French robot lift operators, a railway, a giant telescope (more on that later), and a floating den of iniquity that houses our many games-- and oh, yes, space for a store!

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In March 2009 I wrote a blogpost celebrating the fix of a once-annoying bug-- the disappearance of local water.  that used to randomly happen back in 2006 and 2007.

Guess what's been happening again of late? 

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Prim Litterers

Written 21 August, 2012

Prim Litterers

I leave build enabled for the convenience of guests to Whimsy. Most respect that by picking up their prims when they leave--- but some don't.

When I see 200 prims left on the land I know someone has either mislaid their hair or been presumptuous enough to build a castle in the air or has rezzed every stupid item in their Objects folder. I just sigh and hit RETURN.

There are a few people who repeatedly leave one or two prims on the land. I know they've probably been unpacking boxes, and I don't mind that, but I do wish they would pick up their prims when they're finished with them. I imagine they're used to land with auto-return and don't even think about it.

Occasionally I send repeat offenders an e-mail telling them I'm glad they're enjoying Whimsy and we're happy to have visitors, but please pick up their prims when they leave. Most are careful from then on, but a few just keep on doing it-- unthinkingly, I'm sure.

Once or twice I've temporarily banned offenders to get their attention. I hate to do that, but sometimes it's just necessary.

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Asteroid Impact on Mars

Written 4 September, 2012

Asteroid Impact on Mars

It was a nice day on the Hellas Plain on Mars.

But what's that in the sky?

I don't know, but it seems to be getting closer.

OMG! It hit!

Uh-oh! Shock wave coming!

Cough! Cough!

Oh, no! The picnic spot I picked out is gone! Gone!

Gotta love the SciLands!

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