Microsoft VR Headset

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Yeah, you knew this was coming, right? Well, there were two versions announced on April 1st  about Microsoft putting out home and enterprise version VR headsets. The enterprise version would be named:  Microsoft Office© Oculu 2014 Enterprise Edition™, yeah… that is a name the MS people would come up with. The home or consumer version is named Project Neo. OK, that is a bit more user friendly.

What supposedly leaked about Project Neo is:

  • 640×480 LCD Screen
  • 37 degrees Field of View
  • Custom 2DOF Tracking System called “DOF Mode”.
  • Exclusive to the Xbox One
  • Minesweeper VR to be launch title

I suspect using a Project Neo headset with specs like these would be like looking through a tube.

The enterprise version Oculu would be more Oculus Rift like. But, they tell of some nutty idea that looking at a flat Excel spreadsheet in a virtual environment is going to get an accountant’s panties…  er… heart throbbing. It’s not gonna happen. OutlookVR 2014… I don’t think so.

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Penny Patton on Land Cost

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I like to think I am well informed and think about issues related to the subjects that interest me, Second Life™ being one of them. However, Penny Patton often points out things I completely miss. She has a new article out on land cost and Land Impact costs on tier. It is well worth reading. See: The Cost of Second Life Land vs. The Perception of Value OR Land in SL is Cheap! I took a little liberty with the title.

Image by Penny Patton – Can you find her in both images?

Penny says her avatar is in both images. I found her in the top image. Click, it enlarges. But, have yet to find her in the bottom image. 

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AvaStar 1.1-1039 Video

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Early in Week 14 Gaia Clairy put a new video on YouTube. This is a bit of a revision to an earlier one and I think a clarification of the note card she sent to group members of Blender Avastar in-world. I reviewed that and published my understanding of her instructions in: AvaStar 1.1-1039 Released. AvaStar 1.1-1039 is still a release candidate and not a final version. The latest test RC is: avastar-1-1-1045 blender-2-65. The 2.65 is misleading, I think 1045 will only install in Blender 2.70 and up.

The point of the video is to show AvaStar users how to convert previous mesh clothes made for the standard sizes into Fitted Mesh. In other words, how to take mBone weighting and move it over to collision bone weighting. Plus what adjustments one needs to make for the new bones so the items work with the shape sliders.

[youtube QPMZrszi5rw]

In a discussion over on SLUniverse I was pointing out the similarities between Liquid and Fitted mesh. There was concern because some people were finding what was supposed to be Fitted Mesh being sold with multiple sizes included. I think Gaia’s video shows that multiple sizes may well be necessary for close fitting clothes. It seems many think Fitted Mesh eliminates the need for multiple sizes. We are learning that it may not.

Just as we have problems with RL clothes and size designations, I suspect we will see the same thing happen with Second Life clothes. It is a matter of time and someone figuring out a sizing scheme that works and is as easily understood as possible.

The video shows how to create basic weights from scratch and move them to the collision bones. There are many possibilities for how to weight a new item using AvaStar. The video show a simple ‘from bones’ example. But, it should suffice for figuring out the basic idea. The challenge is in explaining what all is possible and still keeping it simple.

Drax Files Radio Hour #13

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Drax Files Radio
Drax Files Radio

 Another show is out and I have time to listen and write about it. Ciaran and Daniel both have written about the latest show. I’ll try to add some more information to the topics.

SL Go

This week’s show gets into SL Go and its recent price changes, US$9.95 per month for unlimited use. That is a pretty good deal. SL Go also connects to Steam. So, you can play high-end games on Steam using your tablets and other low end computers.

I think many OnLive users are very happy with the service. I am certainly impressed with it. A number of SL users have commented positively about it too.

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Prim Perfect on A Petrovsky Flux

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OK so what’s a Petrovsky Flux? It is an in-world art build. That’s nice. The interesting part of this story is the awesome build may vanish from the Second Life world. Ziki’s blog is pointed to as she revisited Petrovsky  recently and what Prin Perfect has to say about it.

A Petrovsky Flux - 2014 April
A Petrovsky Flux – 2014 April

This is a fun place to explore…

It would not be impossible for a group of concerned residents to form a trust, perhaps each paying 5 dollars a month towards the cost of the sim. Or donating an article to be sold on Marketplace in support of the sim. Or organizing an event once a month that would raise money towards keeping the sim going.

Keeping sims like A Petrovsky Flux alive is NOT Linden Lab’s’ responsibility. It is ours.

That will likely upset some. But, I believe this is as real as it gets. Yeah, Prim Perfect.

See: Spencer Museum of Art. SLURL:  A Petrovsky Flux

 

Second Life Bug

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We get them from time to time. We have one that is annoying for those of us using the Preview Grid.

BUG-5563 – My Password and Inventory don’t update on Beta Grid (aditi).

The idea on the Preview Grid is that it updates your inventory to be what you have on the main grid when you change your password. This bug means that is not happening.

It is a bit confusing but the report is the Preview Grid does not get your new password. So, if your main and preview grid password was fred and you change it to Sue111, you will use Sue111 on the main grid and have to use fred on the Preview Grid.

Some find that both passwords will work on the Preview Grid for a time.

If you are confused, so are others.