Marketplace Billing Engine Changes And Materials Project Viewer Arrives

A rather bizarre blog post appeared yesterday: Marketplace to Move to Second Life Billing Engine. I say the post is rather bizarre because I’m bemused as to what other billing engine The Marketplace was previously using. This is probably because I’ve only ever purchased items from The Marketplace using Linden Dollars from my account balance, which were merged with Marketplace accounts quite some time ago.

I can only assume that when people purchased Linden Dollars for use on The Marketplace, they made the purchase via some sort of legacy system, if that was the case it certainly makes sense to update the system to use the same system the rest of Second Life uses. I guess we’ll see if there are any issues in the future, but off the top off my head I can’t think why there would be.

In other, and rather less bizarre news, The Materials Viewer Has Been Released! I haven’t yet looked at this, although I hope to shortly but the blurb tells us:

This Viewer will allow content creators to build objects using normal and specular maps and will allow users to view the effects of this new feature set. The end result is photorealistic textured objects inworld, such as the SL10B Bear Avatar, which will look even better with this Viewer.

There’s a video, which I will embed in traditional style at the bottom of this post … well it’s traditional for me to do that! There are some important things to note regarding materials, one is that you need to be using a viewer that supports Materials, which obviously the Linden Lab Materials Viewer will do and secondly, you need to have a system that can handle advanced lighting, unfortunately not all systems will support this option.

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Magellan Needs Help But Where On Earth Is Salazar Jack?


Magellan’s Grid Scavenger Hunt

Welcome, brave explorers and adventurers! Magellan Linden uncovered an evil scheme by the mad Doctor Talpa to build mind-controlling machines and take over the world. While Magellan builds a machine to counter this scheme, you are needed to gather materials and components — and to destroy every one of Talpa’s machines you find. Magellan has established workshops, a laboratory (even a bar) on the Isles of Ice; travel there to learn more, get equipped and start the hunt!

Visit in Second Life

Magellan Linden needs you! Well if you’re a Premium member he does anyway. Why does he need Premium members? I have no idea, but you can’t help if you’re not a Premium member, maybe Magellan is partying with basic accounts and hitting on girls, he has a reputation for booze and bawdiness. Wait a minute that would mean us Premium members doing all the work!

In the past Magellan used to write chronicles, but they ended around 2005. Magellan hasn’t been doing much since October 2008 when the infamous Nautilus City Investigation took place, you’ll find lots of links about the legend of Magellan Linden there. There you will also get some insight into the nature of Magellan Linden, as exemplified by one of the last known chat logs of the intrepid explorer:

Resident: Excuse me, but could I ask you please to move?

Resident: I mean, with that huge suit you’re wearing, it’s hard for people to walk around you in here.

Resident: Please?

Magellan: Hush, woman! I’m in three different IMs and they’re all more important than you.

Resident: But this is my art gallery. People are here for the opening party.

Magellan: Just tow it out to Weiland or Shenning. I’ll board it there, head south.

Resident: What?

Magellan: Damn it!

Resident: What did I do? Tow what?

Magellan: No, some arty-farty cow is making noise and confusing me.

Magellan: Damn it again!

Resident: Hey, wait, are you talking about me?

They gave Magellan a Mole Tank! I mean, letting Magellan loose in something like that!

Continue reading “Magellan Needs Help But Where On Earth Is Salazar Jack?”

The Flickr FIC?

The greatest trick the FIC ever pulled was convincing the world they didn’t exist.

The controversy over the Flickr redesign has revealed some very FIC like behaviour, that is if you believe the FIC exist. A discussion on what exactly the Feted Inner Core means can be found here at SLUniverse.

One of the feedback threads on the new redesign got a bit messy with accusations of paid shills and Flickr staff alts posting supportive feedback, you see this sort of thing happens on all forums and Flickr and Second Life forums are rather tame compared to other places, but wild conspiracy theories can rear their heads on both forums. As things got heated, Flickr staff updated the main post with:

Since a select few in this thread seem to be having a tinfoil hat day, I want to emphasize that all posts by Flickr staff are clearly identified as such by a gray background and the staff tag underneath the buddy icon.

 Flickr staff does not use alter egos to post. Even if there are many knowledgeable Flickr members that are willing to help by responding to questions and feedback, none of them are “Flickr staff in disguise”. Please treat each other respectfully.

Some took umbrage at the tinfoil hat swipe, personally I found it amusing and if people are going to give Flickr stick over the redesign it’s only fair that Flickr staff can poke back at times. That should have been that, but a twist emerged when pictures emerged from a Flickr meetup in San Francisco, just prior to the rollout of the new site. Some of the most vociferous supporters of the changes are seen in the pictures….. oooh!

However that’s not all, some of them were certainly there by invitation from Flickr, although there’s no suggestion that Flickr paid for the trip.

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SL10B – The Shatoetry Project

SL Shatoetry Project At SL10B

You know how it goes, there’s a big event, you ramp up your graphics card settings, get ready for snapshots and watch in horror as you run out of texture memory, or the viewer crashes whilst playing about with windlight settings and then you forget all about the windlight setting you like. This is when you remind yourself that you’re living in denial about the capabilities of your graphics card and settle on looking at the parcel itself, which is what I did as I found myself at Crap Mariner’s SL10BCC Shatoetry Project.

The notecard informs us:

The Second Life SL10BCC Shatoetry Project

by Crap Mariner

(UPDATED June 9, 2013)

 Shatoetry is a smartphone app that lets you create magnetic poetry with William Shatner’s voice.

 “Second” and “Life” are available in the word packs, and that inspired this project.

 I created a bunch of Shatisms about Second Life which explore the past, present, future, and quirks of this virtual world. Then, I embedded the sounds in this build.

When you arrive on the parcel you can listen to the Shatisms Crap has created, as well as user contributed ones. Details on how to add your own Shatism to the build are included in the notecard on the parcel, I’m not going to provide all the details here as that would not be fair on the exhibit, if this sounds interesting to you, go and visit the parcel:

SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/SL10B%20Electrify/31/104/21

SL Shatoetry Project At SL10B

The build itself is nicely done and the Shatisms are very amusing as you hear William Shatner style speech with phrases associated with Second Life and virtual worlds.

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St Vitus Day Festival In Progress Now

An Image Should Be Here
Isle Of Dee St Vitus Festival

My chief Elf poked me asking me why I hadn’t blogged about the festival on my sim where she’s the admin……. erm I was playing Diablo III and forgot isn’t a good excuse, so I tried to perform magic on her but she just glared and handed me some notes. Now first thing, this is on a roleplaying sim and medieval or mythical attire is required for this event, it’s not required for all events but it is for this one, however if you fancy popping along free avatars are provided. Now for some blurb.

Hear ye Hear ye!

Traditionally, the Isle of Dee Citizens celebrate St Vitus Day with a Festival of games, shows, competitions, wondrous wonders, surprising surprises!

 WITH:

SILENT THE MENTALIST – GYPSIE FORTUNE TELLING – CALI SINGS SILENT SONGS – FERRIS WHEEL – TUG OF WAR – PLAY GAMES – WIN PRIZES – SHOOTING – FENCING – FISHING – ISLE OF DEE MARATHON – FOOD- DRINKS – MUSIC – WONDERS

So one of the surprises could be me forgetting to blog about it? Umm The Elf just shakes her head and tells me that’s no surprise. Ok so time to blog about what is happening. but first here’s what happened yesterday:

FRIDAY, 14th June, Opening Day

All the day: Games Carnivale Circus

 All day on request – Madame Can Gypsy fortune telling

 10 AM slt – Circus Tent Stage – The Mentalist

And here’s what you’ve missed so far today:

SATURDAY , 15th June

9 AM slt – 3 PM slt – Bath House Opening Party

 11 AM slt – Silent Poems

However all is not lost, because there’s still stuff to come! Which I’ll list below the cut.

Continue reading “St Vitus Day Festival In Progress Now”

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