Month: February 2015

High Fidelity VW Advertising

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Our virtual worlds require computers and electricity. Both of those cost money. So, if we are to run a virtual world we have to have some way to pay the bills. The crew at High Fidelity is figuring out how to make money.

Hamlet gets into the details: High Fidelity Virtual World to Monetize with Names, Content Sales & Ads (Including Virtual Billboards)

Billboard Study #10
Image by: David Evers – Flickr

A novel, sort of, idea is selling avatar names. I suppose this would be like getting domain names for a web site. But, what happens when your name expires? What is the grace period? And what happens to your market place entries if someone else buys your name?

Hamlet also points to the idea coming from Hi-Fi that they will use billboards. That has possibilities…. Good and ridiculous…

I suppose we will get answers as things move forward.

 

AvaStar Feedback Request 2015 Week 09

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Gaia is asking for feedback regarding what changes to make in AvatStar during 2015. See: Avastar 2015 where to go? You can pick 3 items:

  • Implement: “The Mesh machine” (for easier fitting mesh attachments)
  • Make basic video(s): “Blender for SL Noobies”
  • Make Video: Fitted Mesh (basics)
  • Add Sample Models
  • Make basic video: “Create Attachment”
  • Update existing Reference Videos
  • Help Blender to improve the http://blender.org/manual
  • Implement function: “Import SL animation to Avastar”
  • Implement: Avastar Update check in Blender’s splash screen

Click over to Machinimatrix and put in your two-cents.

As of 12 noon 2/26 the Mesh Machine was winning.

Second Life Fitted Mesh Doesn’t Fit

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Yeah, we know… ‘Fitted’ does not necessarily mean it fits. But, Astrid Kaufmat has an interesting post in the forum about the problem. She is on about figuring out how to work with the SL avatar in 3DMax/Blender/Maya modeling programs without having to have a plugin. Well… good luck with that. I finally gave up, bought AvaStar, and started having fun.

She goes into great detail about the problem. But I’m pretty sure she hasn’t figured it out. She certainly seems to have missed the problem some of us have recognized. Explained here: Second Life Shape Export.

Astrid has been around since 2011. But, she seems to have missed the discussions on the ‘deformer’ and the problems with changing the system avatar. She goes on to recommend a new avatar for SL. I believe that is a losing battle.