Life to Life Magazine SECOND LIFE‌ Because One Life Is Not Enough JULY 2009
Streaming Fishing for L$ Theater Fashion Photography Only a Newbie Once
Learn at the Ivory Tower Fantasy vs. Reality
3D Web Marketing
Contents
Second Life’s a Beach..................................................................................................... 3 New Professional Photo Studio Opens in Second Life .................................................... 7 3D Web Marketing Is Now............................................................................................. 12 Ignoring the Chair .......................................................................................................... 16 Ivory Tower Library of Primitives ................................................................................... 20 Theater: I Gave at the Office ........................................................................................ 22 Fishing for Linden Dollars in Second Life ...................................................................... 23 Streaming Into Second Life ........................................................................................... 27 You're Only a Newbie Once .......................................................................................... 30 Fashion and the Current State of Our Economy ........................................................... 32
Note from the Editor: Hello! We hope that you enjoy reading Life to Life Magazine. Our free magazine is published monthly on the 15th of each month. If you would like to submit an article for publication, please see our website for details or contact me at jlerner@lifetolife.co.cc. To place advertisements in Life to Life Magazine please IM Advertising Manager, Haych Goldshark, in-world or at hgoldshark@lifetolife.co.cc. Please visit our website http://lifetolife.co.cc. Please join our subscriber group Life to Life Subscriber Group. Thanks, Jasmine Lerner Editor jlerner@lifetolife.co.cc 2|P ag e
Second Life’s a Beach By Bethany Baguier
Ah, I draw a deep breath in... hold... release in a sigh. Drawn to the ocean’s edge by the sound of rolling waves, my gaze follows the ripples across the endless blue expanse where evening sunlight spills over the horizon in a crimson glow. The palm trees’ sway is soothing and constant while the song of sea birds floats on a wave like a beach national anthem. (Okay, so I’m no poet, but hopefully, you get the picture.) I can almost feel the salt breeze cooling the sun’s tropical heat from my skin… almost. After all, this is a virtual beach. To feel the sun requires a good imagination, but to feel relaxed, stress-free, even a touch of serenity doesn’t seem to require anything other than my presence on this virtual beach chair. For a Canadian, spending time in Second Life where the sun always shines, is like a dose of well-being on a chilling real-life winter day. I experienced this phenomenon during my first weekend in Second Life. My curiosity was piqued after The Fifth Estate ran a documentary on this cyber world. My intent was for a cursory look around, so I quickly chose an avatar and soon materialized at Shengri La. I spent the first few hours laughing, as my avatar walked into walls, lakes, mountains, every vertical surface. Amusing as this all was, I didn’t see how the entertainment would continue once I mastered walking. By the time I’d explored Shengri La, I was dismayed. Now what? Hadn’t I seen a marker that said something close to 70,000 people were online? Where were they all? I knew I must have read that wrong. Then I learned about search and teleporting. Oh. Apparently, there was more to SL than Shengri La. Since walking my avatar in anything but a straight line was sketchy, I welcomed the opportunity to stand still and have a conversation. My first SL friend lived in Malaysia. Malaysia! Imagine. We stood by the ocean’s edge as waves brushed back and forth against the shore. Time slipped away (I know it moves faster in SL) as we discussed cultures, geography, family, religion, our commonalities and differences. Was it dinnertime already? With a reluctant goodbye, I logged off and headed for my kitchen. 3|P ag e
That’s when I noticed that my face was relaxed in a dreamy smile, which was more than skin deep. I was at rest, peaceful, happy, still hearing those waves rolling in, as if I’d truly been at the beach all day instead of holed up waiting out a snowstorm. Thinking back to my university psychology courses, I realized that the human body responds to stimuli whether it’s real or imagined in much the same way. Recall those childhood nights where a noise in the dark was a monster under the bed that gave you a rush of adrenaline to set your heart racing. So, why can’t the sights and sounds of a virtual beach be interpreted in your brain as real enough to release a nice dose of endorphins (chemicals that produce a sense of well-being) that not only promote health, but make us more resilient to stress? To take it a step further, SL beaches could be good for your immune system. This is my theory anyway, brought to mind by a study on the effects of television on the immune system. Briefly, the results revealed that when subjects watched violence, specifically the local news, they suffered a diminished immune response. However, watching comedy had a positive effect on the immune system. So, I propose that SL beaches paired with good conversation will also elicit a positive effect on well-being. You know where this leads, of course. It wasn’t long before I was searching out beaches where the sights and sounds evoked that feel-good affect, and, I’m happy to recommend a few. I found what I sought at Dragon Moon (127, 124, 546) — my favorite beach. It’s a quiet haven watched over by steadfast dragons with a sweeping shoreline, a tropical lagoon, and an everlasting sunset. If the sound of rolling waves makes you sleepy, turn on the music, which in my opinion is the best In SL. For water sports, there’s paragliding, jet skis and bumper boats, but try not to be too noisy. Treasure Island (209, 34, 21) is another beach of solitude where pirate ships float at anchor, amongst bright tropical flowers, swaying palm trees, and crashing surf. For entertainment, there are all things pirate-like and a tree-house village.
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Beach Life (130, 93, 21) is the place to go for some action, although this social sim can get a bit laggy. It has the feel of a beachside town, with volleyball, beach blankets, campfires and an outdoor mall where bamboo shops with thatched roofs line laneways lit by flaming torches.
Although I’ve just discovered Isola nel Sole, (222, 244, 21) I like the layout. Gazebos, spaced out at varying levels, are connected by roped walkways that give a tree-house feel. Cozy pockets of sandy beach are surrounded by aquamarine life that looks promising for a scuba dive. Now I’ve established that I’m not just wasting time when I take a break to meet friends on a virtual beach. I’m investing in good health and well-being. No? Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
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http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nightscape/126/166/22
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New Professional Photo Studio Opens in Second Life By Haych Goldshark and Sandi Radek Hi folks, There’s a new Professional Photo Studio in town. It’s called Tubble Studio and it is owned by Tony Ubble and Tia Ryba, Tubble Studio, Plush Genesis (64, 58, 24). We visited Tubble Studios to interview Tony and Tia, at their Professional Photo Studio, where a fashion show had been organized for their grand Opening. With a full house of spectators, including male and female models, fashion designers, clients, and guests, the fashion show was full to capacity. L.A. Modeling Agency put on the fashion show with some great works by two of Second Life’s premier designers. Tia was wearing Tempting, from the Distraction series, the perfect look for a lady… a beautiful black dress with two skirt options, adding versatility to the outfit. The redpatterned detailing on the bodice and bottom trim, create an interesting and unique dress, that is both elegant and charming. For the evening, take off a few layers to find a provocative lingerie set in sizzling red. This strapless bra and panties set, features bows at the hips. Tawny was wearing Zoee, shown in toast… a golden-colored top with sculpted sleeves, a flexi tie, and cute denim mini skirt, with an adorable brown sculpted belt. Also included, are a stylish pair of wedge sandals with denim detail and a flower attachment. Tesan was in a SF Designs Celestial Tuxedo. This tuxedo comes with a mid-length flexi coat and a long-length flexi coat in red velvet. The matching pants have prim leg attachments, and a prim attachment adds depth to the tie. The celestial patterned vest/waistcoat comes either with, or without, sleeve fillers. Matching shoes are available in medium and large sizes. Jvizzle showed off his biker edge in suede chaps and vest. The vest has tassel details at the chest and shoelace ties at the front. The black pants have a black leather chap overlay for a bad-boy look. Put on these clothes and hop on a Harley, because you'll certainly be ready to ride! 7|P ag e
What a great way to open a Professional Photo studio, with a fashion show full of stylish and attractive people filling the building. We met up with Tia after the fashion show and asked her if she could give us some background information on how she began. Tia replied by saying "Well, Tia is actually an alt account for me to model and play on SL. My main avatar is over 4 years old. Tia began, like many girls in SL, as a dancer in clubs, etc, but I've always wanted to model. I ran into Lucy from L.A. Modeling Agency at the tryouts of Celebrity, and got involved with L.A. Modeling. “I have not officially modeled for anyone but L.A. Modeling and Bolero. I am in some other agencies but it’s rough out here. Tony found me and asked me to do some shots for his new photo studio, I did, and well; now we're partners in this business, 50/50 owners. “I've done three fashion shows so far, my L.A. graduation, and I just did the Bolero show yesterday, where I was chosen for a spot, from a group of 50 models. For the Bolero show, I entered a photo contest, wearing one of the Bolero outfits. They picked twelve of us, then, narrowed it to seven. We did a great show yesterday. “With L.A., I went through seven classes, including adjusting prims, walking, presenting yourself, etc. Then I graduated, and along with the boss’ staff, we showed off her clothing line in a fashion show/graduation. “I also did one show for L.A. Modeling for a safari challenge. I was runner up with Tawny and another L.A. model. We had to go around SL and find safari outfits, mix and match to come up with an outfit. Then we all “strutted our stuff” for the judges, and they chose three winners. We did a print ad layout for the June 1st edition of Icon magazine.” We asked, “Where do you see yourself 3 years from now?” "Well, I've already been in SL over 4 years, and never saw myself here this long, but I would love to stay in modeling and grow our business, then, eventually start a modeling agency *ducks from
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Lilley*. We aren't an agency yet, just a photography studio, but that's our goal, to open an Agency/School. We're very busy with photos right now. “I love L.A. Modeling and everyone over there; they helped me get started and they are good friends. Lucy Eberhart is another story. She built this stage area. Lucy is L.A.'s Master Builder amongst other things. “For our photo studio, I'm the business and networking end. I'm working to get some club business. We've developed a package for clubs, where we'll go in and take their staff photos with their logos, and keep the photos updated as staff comes and goes. I meet many people, so I network and invite folks to see our services. Tony does the work. I'm a good subject, but a lousy photographer. We work well as a team. “We're very pleased at our turnout here today and would love to do some other shows here in the near future. Tony just bought us a new studio that is larger, as we've outgrown the old one already. There is lots of room in it to display sample pictures and to make a nice environment for everyone when they come in for photos. It's up higher, so less lag, less neighbors, etc, and much more needed space. It's still this same parcel of land. We plan to add some additional prims for builds etc., but no more land at this time. Tony can build to some extent, when needed. It'll be a prefab. It will be a nice area with some trees, flowers, the studio, etc. “Our models did a fabulous job today, as L.A. Modeling always does. Thank you to the designers SF Designs and Digital Knickers for some fabulous designs. And, most of all thank you, Tony, for asking me to join you in this adventure. I look forward to many more fabulous shows and if anyone would like to hire me, feel free to IM me." We then spoke to Tia's business partner and professional photographer, Tony Ubble, who added, "Well I have been a photographer in RL for 15 years. I enjoy creating lasting memories that only an image can truly capture. It is, basically, the same here in SL when you really sit and think about it. To create the lasting moments is great. I am also a graphic designer. I do get out and play as well. It’s not all work – work – work. I tend to spend about half of my time doing studio work here in SL. I just want to enjoy my SL, and create wonderful images that people can hang onto. As you may know, I am rather new to SL. But I can tell you this, come see me in six 9|P ag e
months and see how much we have grown. Within six weeks, I had to buy a bigger studio as we are growing by leaps. Photography is the main reason I am here. I like to keep RL separate from SL. I do not want people to come to me just because of what I have done in RL, if you follow me. “I make a great living in RL, doing Photography, but in SL, I want to start fresh. Hey, everyone has to start somewhere. And I plan to do that. Here you go around and look at some of the work from photographers. Do you know what they do? They put all the work into the backgrounds, which makes them too busy. True photography is the subject, and, that is what you need to expose. The subject is the best background, because without your subject, all you have is a blank canvas. “A basic photo will run you L$250. If you want the works it is L$350 with Photoshop work. See, that is the thing, if you love what you're doing, why charge lots for 2 minutes of work? If you look at my work, it's crisp and fresh. I get not only “wows,” but, “great work.” They will come back again. My prices are good, and they may go up depending on how busy I get, but for the most part, it's going to stay the way it is. I want to be the one most people go to for great photography, and in time, it will show. “Hey, we started on a 512 plot with just a blank prim with green screen on it. I will not hire anyone to do my job. That is photography. I will do all images myself. That way it keeps the same look. See, in RL you do not have what we call lag, and lag can affect a great image to make it just so-so. The lighting is not the way RL is. Not to mention, with my Nikon I can do some amazing things. Here we are limited. Many will tell you that you get the best studio with Photo Life. Now, to be honest with you, many studios in SL are just props, to look cool. So let’s step aside from that, and look at someone who has that high-priced studio and see what the photographer has to offer… not much more than I can do with just a simple studio. I allow my work to show, not props. I am here for the love of photography." We also spoke to Top Male Model Tesan Lane. "I'm French. I was born in the USA but I have lived in France since I was three years old. I've been working as a male model for 17 months. It's my second job here. Yesterday, I won the contest of Mr. SL International. I'm so glad. I actually train models too. I charge L$1500 for a complete formation. “I'd like to thank my brother, Toky Raymaker, for reshaping my shape, which is what has also allowed me to gain this title. I would also like to thank the designer, Damiani, for its fabulous skins.
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“My brother’s company is called YAYI Image Consulting. “YAYI” stands for Your Avatar, Your Identity. The Directors are Toky Raymaker and Tesan Lane.” So there you have it, folks, a fabulous fashion show presentation and event, two very nice people, Tony Ubble and Tia Ryba, and their professional photo studio, Tubble Studio. We have had a remarkable crowd present here today, from fashion models, designers, and organizers, to guests and spectators… a marvelous day of events.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gallinas/160/57/60
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3D Web Marketing Is Now By Pooky Amsterdam Sit back and relax has become lean forward and engage. Streaming video and music will generate more than $78 billion in network-derived and contentderived revenue over the next six years in the United States. According to a recent study by The Insight Research Corp, Streaming media refers to the transmission of digital audio and video files over an IP network or wireless network in real time, or ondemand, while prohibiting users from storing the files locally.
The study also estimated the revenue from the various types of content-derived revenues, along with associated advertising revenue. The streaming market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 27 percent over the next five years, driven by on-demand audio, on-demand video and the accompanying advertising revenue. "Over the past seven years, as we've tracked the developments in streaming, it has evolved from an esoteric niche to a mainstream market," said Robert Rosenberg, Insight Research President. "What we predicted way back when is coming to fruition. The advertising revenue that long supported traditional TV, is gravitating to this new medium, putting downward pressure on traditional TV distribution schemes.� While ad spending has been affected by the recession, this figure below is of great interest to note; Spending on in-game advertising will reach $1 billion by 2014, media analysis group, Screen Digest, said in a new report. For me, there is not much of a jump from in-game to in-world, and the 3D immersive one Second Life is. “The ever-changing landscape of new platforms and technologies that enriches interactive advertising, guarantees this growth trend will continue,� IAB President and CEO, Randall Rothenberg, mentioned a few years ago. What PookyMedia is doing, encompasses fully, the new media platform and technology, such as Second Life. PookyMedia is creating digital products, and delivering engaging and targeted video, which is dynamic and extremely cost effective. Entertainment, which captures either a live show, where the audience is literally at the edge of their seats, or in meaningful video, that has the look and feel of something new, special and beautiful. Plus, real people can take advantage of the local destination, known as their home, to log into 12 | P a g e
Second Life. It becomes relevant, easy to access, and fun. This is a remarkable combination to offer people. The flat 2D web is rapidly becoming passé. The new 3D immersive environment is where consumers, and thus advertisers, are moving. We have a unique opportunity to offer people something special, to make this kind of community really resound. We must know the best way to do this. A recent study from Forrester research found that 57 percent of advertisers plan to spend less on TV and more on web advertising, such as online video and visually, socially, and interactively-rich media. With more and more money transitioning from offline channels like television, online marketers have an opportunity to show how online video can provide measurable results. The public wants to do more than just “watch.” They are going where they are involved, evolved and in control. The more of this you offer, the more likely the public is to return. We must tap into the zenith of usergenerated involvement, and we can do that in Second Life. A few years ago, Bob Jeffrey, CEO for JWT (J. Walter Thompson Worldwide), was quoted as saying “Time is the new currency; our job is to ensure that more people spend more time with our clients’ brands. We need to create ideas that people want to spend time with. The better the idea, the more time people spend with it.” Media content and distribution companies realize that the one thing that seems to matter the most in the 21st century media environment, where attention is sliced at near atomic levels, is association with a brand. However, we are at saturation level for images. How can commercials or marketing messages be edited any tighter? How do we tap into marketing here without being clicked off, avoided or negatively portrayed for leaving no vestige ad-free? One way is by involving people in the product itself, while giving a reward for that involvement. Rewards can be defined in many ways even beyond entertainment. Tapping into meaningful dialogue, relevant social issues, charity, group activity and yes, of course, traditional laughs are all possible. It is what PookyMedia is doing. Being able to do this in a 5-minute video extends the depth of a 60-second commercial. Being able to do this in a 30-minute game show is memorable fun, and having a community built up for a cause or focus brings hours of engagement. Plus, the costs of doing these things are lower by many factors of 10. Worth it? You bet. The drive to monetize social media is something that everyone is very interested in. According to a very recent Nielsen Report, social media has overtaken email as the
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most popular online consumer activity, giving it exceptional reach — increasingly among users between age 35 and 64. Relationship-wise, social media enables a broader array of personal connections and peer contact, giving users reason to visit such sites regularly and over an extended period of time. Finally, the content and desirable connections compose social media's personal relevance to consumers — making it ideal for advertisers who know how to target their markets. People go to a social media site and offer themselves to some extent as the “brand." Let’s face it – it is their own lives and the lives of their friends, or people who appear interesting, that they are involved with. The internet is a tricky place to advertise, though. Facebook isn’t making any money, really, and MySpace just laid off 30% of its workforce; but it does support the view that social media type places – the gathering wells, the online destinations, are a good place to reach people. Not so much water cooler, as watering hole, where people go for some refreshment, and can spend hours of their time in a socially stimulating environment that also offers opportunities for advertisers and consumers alike to interact and be enriched. Social media is not spliced at the near atomic level. Social media gives the consumer, the person after all, a chance to interact with the people, information and page displays they want, at their own pace. They can control it. In a world of increasingly less personal power, being able to leisurely flick through others’ profiles and information is a very compelling function. Being able to turn off the increasingly chaotic stream of messages which barrel through the TV and now outside in Outernet, advertising has become the last refuge from being treated like consumers. We might have gotten to a point where we have just been oversold, and we aren’t going to buy it anymore. Coupled with an increasingly dire economic outlook, advertisers are going to have to seek meaning once again with their, dare I say it - “constituents.” When you view the people who are going to cast their increasingly valuable economic vote for you, as constituents, you must look at them differently. I believe it is time for the world of marketing, which is fueled by advertising and products, to take a deeper look at these trends. Second Life provides a perfect opportunity for this, because people are able to get there - for free, from anywhere in the world, any time they want to enjoy the social experience of real time interaction. What the marketing community must realize is that Second Life is a social media platform, and that in order to tap into this, they must offer something to spend time with. This is what PookyMedia does, with the original shows, which are produced and broadcast, into which branded content, product placement and audience involvement 14 | P a g e
can take place. We also create series’ of shows and commercials which companies can brand as their own again serving as a vital way to engage targeted customers. PookyMedia can also craft a branded community on Second Life around an event or series of events which enables and records people actively engaged with the product. This becomes part of peoples' lives and reflects back onto that with which they are involved. Personal interaction extends the branding identity, and grows the community, which sponsored it. The 3D web is the future of audience interaction. Viewer log- in entertainment, being a part of a community, and identification with it, is what will work in this century. It’s right here, right now, and PookyMedia is able to deliver this to you with a wealth of experience in production. We are surfing the zeitgeist. Catch this wave.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Jonathan/168/64/2
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Ignoring the Chair By Uriel Wheeler At first, I had a penguin riding on my shoulder. Now, it’s a smart-aleck talking raven. Occasionally, a flying fish circles my top hat. Sometimes, I’m a bear. Once you're used to the possibilities in Second Life, it's easy to forget how strange they seem to outsiders. I had originally signed up for Second Life in 2006, but my account lay dormant until I began to explore in world again at the beginning of 2009. Less than a month after re-entering Second Life, my sociology professor gave us an interesting assignment. We had to observe how people’s interactions changed when one person had an "icebreaker." Would people speak differently to you if you were holding a goldfish bowl in the middle of the street? How would people behave if you wore pajamas into the home improvement store? Choose a place, she told us, and make your observations. The opportunity was obvious. What would happen, I thought, in a world where the extraordinary could be commonplace? Limitations on self-expression are nearly completely gone – I could present myself as any gender, race, or even something completely imaginary. What would serve as an “icebreaker” in that kind of a world? I would observe in Second Life. I created a basic male alt (alternate avatar) and observed people at the center of Help Island. Over the course of three days, in March, I just watched. I did not start any conversations, though I would respond to people speaking directly to me. I decided on Help Island, because everyone passes through it - at least briefly. There was also a constant flow of traffic – and not just from people sitting in camping chairs. I was surprised to find that many of the people I saw were not new. There was a wide variety of avatars present, rather similar to the groups you can find in any populated 16 | P a g e
area of Second Life. They fell into four rough categories: idealized (and sexualized) humans, furs of various types, cartoon characters, and default “newbie” skins. None of these types elicited any particular comments from other people in world. It was rare to hear comments about anyone's avatar at all. The main exceptions were when someone needed technical help, they were actively flirting, or when discussing someone else's reaction to an unusual avatar elsewhere in Second Life. My plain newbie avatar was never approached by another person – not even the mentors. Then, for about half the time I was observing, my avatar was sitting in a wheelchair. Things changed when I wore the chair. Each time that my avatar appeared in the chair, one or more residents spontaneously interacted with me. One person, rezzed a wheelchair of their own, and asked good-naturedly if I wanted to race. Another time, a woman started a long and friendly conversation about starting out in Second Life. A third time, a group of residents through both voice and text chat, remarked on my avatar. They weren't directly teasing - but they weren't kind, either. Voice 1: Voice 2: Text 3: Text 4:
"Look at that poor guy in the wheelchair." "…Probably ran into some cyber-bullies." “LOL” “Probably broke a pixel.”
I knew that this change in behavior was not just because there were different people on Help Island right then. I knew that, because just beside me, a giant futuristic spider the size of a house was completely ignored. Even though I'd expected some change in behavior, I was surprised at how big of a difference the wheelchair made. It really surprised me how much more notice a basic freebie wheelchair got than some of the 17 | P a g e
more flamboyant and extreme avatars in the area. So, I went to Wheelies http://slurl.com/secondlife/Taupo/168/91/23 - to try to understand. “Wheelies” is a club and resource center for differently abled persons. The causeway leading up to the club is lined with informational kiosks for all sorts of disabilities and groups of people working to help the differently abled. Autism, blindness, deafness - you name it, and there was a kiosk there. I found Martin outside the club, and spoke with him. I was uncomfortably aware that my standing avatar towered above him. I explained who I was, and what I was doing, and asked them about their experiences in Second Life. Then I asked my big question. "Why do you choose to wear the chair here?" In some ways, I did not understand, because it was so different from an earlier experience. For another assignment, I spoke to people at the Transsexual Resource Center -http://slurl.com/secondlife/Aloft%20Nonprofit%20Commons/173/167/39. When talking to the people there, it was obvious that they were not trying to represent themselves as they were in the real world. Instead, they crafted their avatars as their target gender. Second Life was a place where they could "pass" without a second glance. Here, Martin was in a wheelchair just like the one he told me that he had in real life. Martin could have appeared any way he wanted to, but he was in a wheelchair… and, he was visibly upset by my question. He rolled forward, back, to the side. He faced away from me. It was nearly a minute before he responded. "Identity," he said. Even as he responded, I heard the assumptions in my own words, and realized what he meant. In a world where nearly every strange appearance is meaningless, my words, my viewing the wheelchair as a problem, insisted on framing his real life as being less meaningful than mine. The flying fish around my top hat, the raven on my shoulder - I had placed these in a different category than Martin's chair. I hadn't seen it as just another attachment, but as a defect. In many ways, Second Life lets us get past our assumptions of who we are, and what things are important about ourselves. Sometimes it does more than that, and lets us see the assumptions we never even knew we had. 18 | P a g e
slurl.com/secondlife/Castlederg/126/117/102
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Ivory Tower Library of Primitives By Kitania Writer If you are wondering how to get started building and creating in Second Life, the Ivory Tower Library of Primitives can be your first stop to help you understand the basics. A self-guided tutorial with note cards and visual examples covers prims and their features in multiple languages. The best part – it’s all free! Location: Natoma (210, 163, 27) The Ivory Tower is an ongoing educational project created by resident, Lumiere Noir, and is supported by the Lindens. There are four main areas set up on different floors in the tower: Module 1: The basics of building Module 2: Prim editing Module 3: Prim features: Flexi prims and light Module 4: Building techniques The basics of building modules are offered in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Danish. Not all the modules are available in all the languages other than English, so for that reason these lessons are perhaps best for native English speakers. If you are a self-starter, working at your own pace can be a great way to begin. Next to the tower is the Ivory Tower Library of Primitives Sandbox, - location: Natoma (180, 118, 25) - where you can practice your building skills from the examples suggested in the note cards. The caveat; you have to go through a lot of reading, and then actually apply the knowledge to your building projects on your own. If you become stuck or need to ask a question, there may be no one readily available to give you a hand. But for absolute beginners who prefer to go at their own pace, this can be a great first step to understanding the basics of primitives in Second Life. If you complete all the learning modules, you will know whether you want to continue learning how to create and build in Second Life. And, there are several advertisements for other tutorials and instructor-led classes just outside the tower. In Module 4, you can build your very own chair from scratch with visual examples and a detailed note card to guide you every step of the way. 20 | P a g e
Start here:
And you’ll end up with something like this:
Even if you don’t decide to become the next in world Mies van der Rohe furniture designer, you can learn enough in the Ivory Tower to change the cushions in your skybox lounge set, or make the lamppost on your dock taller or brighter. You may even be able to fix the flexi skirt that currently refuses to do more than fan out like a cone behind you as you stroll through the educational exhibits. The information contained in the note cards does tend to sound complex and complicated at times, but if you take the note cards next door to the sandbox, you'll find that once you practice with what you are reading about, the fundamentals of building and creating in Second Life will become much clearer to you. Between the Ivory Tower and the sandbox, you may run across avatars of all ages and experience levels. Many are new, but a significant number of older and more experienced avatars bring their newer friends to the Ivory Tower, or can be observed next door in the sandbox building some really amazing things. You may see everything being built from simple one-primitive experiments to complex moving machinery, and buildings or sculptures that contain hundreds of prims. Since you can take each lesson with you on the note cards, this is a learning experience you can pursue whenever you have the time and inclination to do so. The Ivory Tower is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can return at any time to review the visual examples, or see if there have been updates to the resources and materials. You can also have fun exploring the Ivory Tower beyond the exhibits and modules. Rumor has it that there are secret rooms hidden away inside the tower, and visitors are welcome to search for them. So enjoy, and here’s to all the future builders and designers. The fundamentals can give you a solid foundation to build your future in Second Life. And, the Ivory Tower Library of Primitives is the place to start. 21 | P a g e
Theater: I Gave at the Office By Jasmine Lerner, Editor On June 30, 2009, Life to Life Magazine Owner, John Flieg, and I, had our first experience in theater in Second Life! Sonia
The play, I Gave at the Office, presented by Valley Spirit and the Sanity Patrol Players, was extremely well written and directed by Lailu Loon, and equally well-performed by the talented cast: CallieDel Boa, Moxy Barracuda, Marin Mielziner, Rowan Shamroy, Lauren Weyland, Candi Zephaniah, and Lailu Loon. I Gave at the Office is a funny, fast-paced story involving office politics, and a nightmare that ensues when the pressures of the job and an upcoming class reunion become too much for poor Sonia (CallieDel Boa), pictured at left. The show was a complete success! If you would like to experience theater at its best in Second Life, visit Virtual Theater in SL, and their website: www:thesanitypatrol.com. Enjoy the show!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nessie/66/234/322
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Fishing for Linden Dollars in Second Life By Kitania Writer Do you have an extra hour or so to play a game within a game? You can earn anywhere from a few Lindens, to hundreds of Lindens, by fishing in Second Life. Of the four main fishing games within Second Life, two, 7Seas, and Neo-Realms, involve investing money in a rod or bait, paying entry fees, or waiting for scheduled tournament times. The other two, which I will cover, Gone Fishing and Match Fishing, both made by Splash Aquatics, do not require you to purchase anything, and everything you need to play is already in the game. Most of the Gone Fishing and Match Fishing games are set to Linden cash prizes, and some give gift boxes or other non-cash prizes. The game is simple to play, and does not require skill. You find a Gone Fishing or Match Fishing game; try a search in world under places or events; sit on a pose-ball or chair, and when the game tells you that you have a bite, you type the word “strike” in your chat window and press enter. Gone Fishing Game
The Gone Fishing game pictured above has two parts: the blue poseballs with fishing rods, and the trophy stand, which is usually placed nearby. Left click on one of the blue fishing poseballs and you will automatically sit. Or right click on a poseball and select FISH! A notecard will pop up with directions called “Gone Fishing v1.0 - Tournament Info.” You can keep or discard as you choose. Your chat window also displays the game’s instructions and notices. When you first sit down, a message similar to the following will be displayed: 23 | P a g e
"Gone Fishing, v1.0 GAME whispers: When you get a bite type 'strike' to hook your fish and reel him in. If you take too long he'll get away, so be ready! “Gone Fishing v1.0 GAME whispers: You are now automatically entered into the fishing tournament! Happy fishin’ and GOOD LUCK!" Wait until the game gives you a message similar to this: Gone Fishing v1.0 GAME whispers: Ooh! (Your avatar name) has a bite! Type only the word “strike” in your chat window and press enter. The game will tell you if you caught a fish or not. When you catch one, the blue information window pops up, and offers you an object called a “Roach.” According to “Wipedia, fish called roaches are members of the carp and minnow family (Cyprinidae).” You can either keep or discard it; it does not affect the game. The trophy stand displays the current leaders. Most Gone Fishing tournaments end and begin once a day, and are ongoing. You can hold all three places on the trophy stand, and you can come and go any time throughout the tournament. Match Fishing Game
The Match Fishing game, pictured above, is similar to Gone Fishing, but with the following differences: Your score on the trophy stand is the accumulated total weight of twenty fish caught. The trophy stand usually displays how many hours are left in the current tournament. The L$ prize amounts can be displayed as well. It may take some time to accumulate 20 fish, so if you don't have a while, try Gone Fishing instead. If you do have an hour or so, Match Fishing $ amounts are generally higher than Gone Fishing. 24 | P a g e
The chairs for the Match Fishing game do not have the blue poseballs. There are either lounge chairs with a bait box attached, and/or tree stumps with a fishing pole. You don't need to do anything but sit down to enter the tournament. Bait and rod are included. In Match Fishing, you can change the tackle and bait on your rod. Left click the bait box, attached to the chair, or the base of the tree stump, to bring up a blue information window, which allows you to select your tackle and bait. Tackle can be light or heavy, and bait can be maggot, corn or bread. Using heavy tackle with either corn or bread may take longer to catch fish, but you can catch larger fish that way. The largest fish you can catch in Match Fishing is 29.9 pounds. Both Gone Fishing and Match Fishing play the sound of a whirring fishing reel when you have a strike. However, if you set your avatar to busy or away, you may not hear the reel or see the chat notices when a fish is biting. When the current tournament is over, the game will automatically send out the cash prizes to the top three avatars on the stand. You do not need to be online to get your Lindens. When you are in world you will receive a notice in chat, and a blue information window will pop up, similar to this: “Match Fishing Trophy Stand: You have won the SILVER TROPHY in the FISHING MATCH! You win L$50 in prize money. Well done!” Currently, one of the quirks of both games is that the message you get in world when you win does not specify which exact fishing game is paying you. It may say that (avatar name) is paying you $50 Lindens for the Bronze Trophy in the Match Fishing game, but if you fish in many locations, you may not know or recall which avatar is playing which fishing game. After you win, in later SL viewers, click on where it says Match or Gone Fishing Trophy Stand in your chat window. A window with the SLURL location and the owner of the fishing game, who paid you, will pop up. There are free strike gestures available in world, so don’t pay for these! Strike gestures eliminate manually typing “strike” continuously. Have fun, and catch the big ones!
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slurl.com/secondlife/Castlederg/74/47/113
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Streaming Into Second Life By Jinny Jonesford
What is Streaming? If you have spent much time in Second Life, you have most likely noticed the Live Music scene; if you haven't, you are truly missing out on one of the best parts about Second Life. You can find live music events in the search tab in your Second Life viewer under the events tab. You will find great Second Life musicians such as Tallguy Kidd, Lyn Carlbrg, Kitzie Lane, Reggie Fouroux, and hundreds more! They “stream” their voices and music into Second Life for everyone to enjoy. It is much clearer than voice chat, much like radio. Some use it for DJing music into Second Life, but there are legal conditions you have to meet in order to do that. I'll speak more on that later. But, if you are a musician and want to try your hand at fame in Second Life, using your musical talent, streaming is the way to go. Streaming into Second Life doesn't have to be difficult or costly. The first step is renting a stream. There are several places to rent a stream in SL and they all have different prices. I recommend digiSTREAM for their great customer service and their reasonable prices. From experience, I can tell you that they answer every question quickly and honestly, and there is always someone to help you. They offer streams for any budget. You can rent a stream for three days, weekly, or monthly. Renting a stream is immediate. You will have the information you need to begin streaming into SL. They can be found at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Montauk%20Beach/13/207/22. The next step is to get a streaming program. There are many available, and any that offer the option to stream Shoutcast servers will work. Popular ones for SL are WinAmp, VirtualDJ, Nicecast, Sam, and Edcast. Personally, I use Edcast. It's free and works well in SL. For this demo, we will use Edcast. You can download it free here: http://www.oddsock.org/tools/edcast/ (standalone version). While downloading, it will show you “components to install.” Scroll down the list and check the box for the MP3 Lame encoder, then, continue with the install. It will tell you that you need to open a new window to download and install the Lame encoder separately, and to install it. You can download it here http://www.rarewares.org/mp3-lame-libraries.php (lame_enc.dll). 27 | P a g e
Once downloaded, just move it into your Edcast folder. You will find it in my computer/programs/Edcast. You are now all set to put in the stream information and begin streaming music into Second Life. When you rented your stream, you were given a notecard with your stream information in it. It will look like this... Streaming Server Details Address/Server IP: xxx.xxx.xxxx.com Port: 5555 Encoder Password: password URL to place in media tab: http://xxx.xxx.xxxx.com:5555 With Edcast opened, you will see a button for “add encoder.” Click it, and you will see a new encoder added to your list. Right clicking on the encoder will give you two options, one for connect, one for configure. Select configure, and a new window will appear. Fill out the information as shown in this demo photo, then, click Ok. Now you can click connect. If it says connected, you have done it right. If not recheck your settings. For this tutorial, I am assuming you have land and access to the land media settings in Second Life. In the land media settings, you will place the media tab URL given to you by your stream provider. With this in place and your Edcast connected, you are now able to stream either live or recorded music into SL. When you open Edcast under “live recording,” there are several options to choose from; you will use Microphone to stream live music, and Wave to stream recorded things such as MP3's.
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Take note that if you are DJing in Second Life, there are legal issues you should be aware of. Just like DJing for a radio station, you have to have licenses to play other peoples’ music. This is not the case if you are playing your own music. When you rent a stream, you are agreeing to release them from all liability of your use of the stream. This is almost certainly in the agreement you make with any stream rental. You agree that you have “acquired all necessary licensing and royalty permissions for your country of residence and country of stream origination.” This pertains to people who play other peoples’ music, such as when DJing in SL (for specific rules, contact the appropriate agency in your country).
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Flint/162/93/331
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You're Only a Newbie Once By Stoney Diavolo People sign up and embark upon their Second Life journey for many different reasons... curiosity, relationships, entertainment, healing, education, role play, making money, gaming, interacting with friends, escape from RL, and so on... the list is a long one. Regardless of the reasons for joining, however, every one of us shares the wonderful, traumatic, and incredibly humorous experience of being a newbie. Do you remember what it was like to be completely new to SL, knowing very little if anything about what this strange new world was all about, and how to find your way through it all? Remember going "Huh?" when you first heard the foreign terms LM, TP, RL, SL(!), Prim, Rez, Sim? Well, I certainly do, and it makes me chuckle when I think about it. One of the most wonderful things about SL is discovering your way through this amazing world amid uncertainty of what might happen next. My first day in SL I remember noticing all the other avatars, in amazing variety, and wondering why they looked so much better than I did! Others looked EXACTLY like me! HAHAHA. In my wanderings, I saw some people gathered around some chairs with letters on them. I figured it was some sort of a game so I hung around. Fortunately, for me, I talked with one of the people and mentioned my need for a better wardrobe. She was so helpful and took me freebie shopping. Thank you! Oh, and we've all done this one... you get that first new outfit, anxious to try it out. You wear it, and suddenly, you have this box stuck to your body! And you quickly realize this Style de Box is doing nothing to improve how you look...LOL. Photo: courtesy of Seeky Lowenhart As I would suspect is the case with most of us, the more experience I get in SL the more I tend to forget exactly what it was like to be a Second Life baby. Those initial “Aha!� moments are too easily swept away in the flood of experience, as the astonishing becomes commonplace. After my first few weeks in SL, I had the inspiration to write down some of the things about my Second Life experience that took me completely by surprise. Things that I never expected, yet now seem so common and natural. As you 30 | P a g e
read along, think back to your own first few days in SL, and imagine how you felt as you experienced this foreign world for the first time. So, in the spirit of late night television, I would like to share with you (drum roll please)... Stoney's Top 10 Most Unexpected Things About Second Life. #10. #9. #8.
#7.
#6. #5.
#4. #3. #2.
#1.
There's an unlimited supply of land here ... but you still have to pay for it! Okay, honestly, that's what I call Greeeeedy! Some people here actually have JOBS! Sounds too much like RL to me. I have a real job; this is my playtime. I am Homeless. It's a good thing I never need to sleep ... or use the bathroom. Can someone point me to the nearest overpass please? Was sup with all the Vampires? Aren't we ALL immortal here? I don't need to *eat* to survive ... why should they? I must be missing something, obviously. Unlike RL, most of the hot, beautiful women here are NOT stuck-up and full of themselves :))) YAY!!!! Camping has absolutely nothing to do with the great outdoors, and it’s a damn slow way to earn money. My best advice to fellow noobs, skip an RL lunch and put the money toward some L$. There are actually some guys here who are NOT looking for sex. Seriously, I've counted seven. They have a HOSPITAL here; and it has a maternity ward...!!?? Maybe SL sex isn't as safe as people think it is. I was "born" without all the standard body parts Yep, this can be very embarrassing. Oh, and a little hint to the guys, wear some underwear, in case of an unexpected (newbie!) wardrobe malfunction. =P And finally, my: Most unexpected thing about SL is: I am an ABSOLUTELY -- INCREDIBLE ‌ Dancer
Only in SL, baby! WooooHoooo!!! Haha, what a strangely wonderful experience Second Life is! Glad we can share it together. Help the newbies, and don't forget what it was like to be new to SL yourself, because you're only a newbie once...thank heaven! Be who you are. Stoney 31 | P a g e
Fashion and the Current State of Our Economy By Lucy Eberhart
I am always being approached for advice on different subjects. Recently I was approached by a new fashion designer full of hopes and aspirations of becoming RL wealthy from her SL designs. That dream has become a reality for so many talented content creators. However, with our rapidly declining economy and the decrease in value of the US dollar, those hopes stand a much less chance of becoming a reality. This isn't what a new hopeful wants to hear, but it is a sad truth. People are losing their jobs every day with no possibility of a new one to replace it. I am seeing so many wonderful and extremely talented clothing designers closing up shop or lowering prices drastically just to hold on to the threads of business they have left. I have seen them resorting to levels they would never think of doing in good times, such as freebies, hunts and the latest “Midnight Madness” craze. These can be helpful tools in the industry when used in moderation, but the overuse is driving down the value of the Linden dollar. I have seen a gorgeous gown that I originally paid L$800 for (and it was well worth the price) drastically reduced to L$99 along with the rest of the store's merchandise, just so the owner could make her monthly tiers and advertising costs. Sadly, she was unable to do so. She had to withdraw from her personal bank account. This was something that she had never had to do the entire three years that she has been in business. Another question I am asked frequently is “How much should I charge for my items?” That used to be a simple question to answer, but in today's market, it's anyone's guess. There are various calculators for sale on xstreet that claim to be able to tell you, but in today's market, they are useless. While your merchandise may be worth L$500 or better in good times, in the current state of things, you may be lucky to get L$75. For the countless hours you spend toiling away in Photoshop on your latest design, it hardly seems worth it to sell for a mere 35 cents in US currency. I see so many talented Japanese creators doing just that, selling their works for mere pennies, when they are worth so much more. I finally realized that it's because the L$ is based on the US$ and that's not worth much these days. The Japanese yen is worth more, so they are able to sell for less and make a better return. 32 | P a g e
If you want to enter the industry of fashion design, be prepared for slow development and rough times in the beginning... it may be costly at the start, but if it's what you really desire, hang in there and make something unique. Eventually you will develop a following and make a name for yourself. The economy can't get much worse, just hold on tight, and eventually, it will pick up. Just stick to your values and ethical business practices. That will take you farther in the end. Just look at some of the more successful stores in SL as an example. They have been around for years. Don't let advertising ploys like grid wide hunts and midnight mania turn SL into a used car lot with 'Crazy Larry' at the helm. Most importantly, relax, and have fun. This is SL after all. You don't need the stress here to carry over into your first life. If you must work, work only one third of the time you are in world. Explore, connect and just have fun with the rest of your time. Networking is the best business tool there is, word of mouth is the best advertising.
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