General News

SL11B Prize

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SL11B Contest Poster - 2014
SL11B Contest Poster – 2014

Most of the blogs are writing about Linden Lab’s photo contest with a L$10,000 (US40±) prize. You can find the official announcement here: Second Life’s 11th Birthday: Celebrating Your Second Life L$10,000 Contest.

There is, however, a gotcha. You enter the contest by posting on Facebook in Linden Lab’s SL page. Ciaran and Inara are pointing out how this blocks many SL users from participating. You can at least get the SL11B commemorative robot for free (Market Place).

You can view the entries here: SL11B Contest Entries. So, far it appears there are 19 entries… I am not impressed. I think as Ciaran and Inara think, using Facebook was a mistake. A quick look at the Second Life images on Flickr shows the level of talent possessed by SL users and their prolific nature. I am not seeing that show up on Facebook. 

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Ebbe Visits Server-Scripting UG

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We haven’t heard much about what is in the works at the Lab. I suspect that Lindens are somewhat conditioned to not say anything about things that have not been officially cleared for release. But, today Ebbe Linden, Ebbe Altberg – Linden Lab CEO, was at the UG meeting. Since he is the last word on what can be released for public consumption, he can speak more freely. I’ll provide news updates then get to Ebbe’s comments.

SS2014-24_003
Ebbe Linden – 6/2014

Servers

There is nothing more to say than I reported yesterday. See: Second Life News 2014-24.

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Second Life Bits 2014-23

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Mesh Clothes

It isn’t common to see people making all four LoD (Level of Detail) levels.  But, we can do the polygon reduction thing for making a lower poly model for use with a normal map. The challenge is in making the lower poly models. Now Mixamo has a ‘decimator’ online that we can use. It is free to use until July 12, 2014.

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You’ll find it here: Optimize Your Polycount the Fast and Easy Way. 

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Second Life Avatars & Clothes

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Bits of News

The new ‘fitted mesh’ avatars for new users were initially released as no-mod. It appears that has been corrected and the new mesh bodies are now mod-ok. Linden Lab announced the change: Updated Mesh Starter Avatars Are Now Available.

Update: Dagger Faulkwing finds that ONLY the shape of the avatars is mod-ok. So, these avatars still really suck.

Mesh 'People' Starter Avatars
Mesh ‘People’ Starter Avatars

There were also problems with some avatars’ feet sinking into the ground. They say that is fixed too.

Slink is rumored to be preparing a mesh body for release. A picture of it leaked. I am using the Slink hands and feet now, flat and high. The hands I love. The feet are OK. All the appliers for various things make both way too fun. I love the gloves and nails I can use. 

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Second Life Bits 2014-23 #2

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Groups

Ciaran Laval has an article up that covers the history of Second Life™ groups and his suggestion that things change to break a pattern present in SL since it started. See: Second Life Group System Still Needs An Overhaul.

SL users always want more groups. We are limited to 42 now. Originally it was 10, before my time. I started with the 25 limit.

MOLiCHiNO - Fifty Linden Friday
MOLiCHiNO – Fifty Linden Friday

A major part of groups is chat. Adding more groups increases the server load exponentially. Chat lag and not being able to post to a group are common problems we all deal with now as we use groups. I have no idea how many times I have had to send an IM to someone in the group because I could not get a comment into a group chat, connection fail…

Ciaran is suggesting that we shift from the chat we have now to something web based. I suppose something more like IRC, but with more persistence.

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Drax Files Radio #21

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Dxax announced in this show that this is the last live show of the first season. Shows will continue each Friday but, they will apparently be pre-recorded and are cued for the summer. Live shows will return mid August. We’ll have to see if they sound much different. I suspect the real difference will be a looser tie to current events.

Also, Drax and Jo are looking for funding. We can subscribe to the show for L$100/month (US$0.41 or about $0.10/show). The plan is a bit trick. To subscribe IM Drax and request a ‘subscription device’, in this case an on-air sign and microphone. They will apparently work like a land, house, or shop rental box. You pay the box. The on-air sign lights up. A month later it turns off and sends you a couple of notices presumably reminding you to pay the monthly support. The money raised will go toward supporting the show.

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