Maverick Schism, owner of Good Mojo, and I have collaborated on a few projects now and continue to work together. Our 16 man tournament board has proven to be a popular item, and we were often asked if we had a 32 man version of the board available.
We are pleased to release a 32 Man Tournament and Prize Board.
– up to 32 entrants
– boards designed to handle byes in fairest way possible
– board rezzed for the correct number of entrants from 8 to 32 (less than 8 on 8 man board)
– board can be reopened after closing without entrants having to re-enter
– admins can easily remove entrants or add entrants by name
– admins configured easily by notecard
Prize boards can be rezzed to display sponsors and calculate prize break down for one prize, two prizes (60/40), or three prizes (50/30/20).
This ceremonial outfit was inspired by the idea of evil queen meets Gorean free woman on planet Vulcan. How is that for an inspirational mishmash? The result makes for a truly intimidating appearance for that high caste or wealthy, high and mighty woman. She is not to be trifled with!
It can be worn with or without hair, which is not included. There is in the package a hood on the new tattoo layer. However, this hood will be visible only to those using a Viewer 2 compatible viewer which supports the tattoo layer feature.
It includes platform shoes and comes in 8 colors: black, blue, brown, gold, green, purple, red and white.
I took a look today at Google SketchUp, which will export to collada. Collada is the format for files to be imported as mesh into Second Life once that feature becomes available. SketchUp is a tool that was created by Google to make buildings for use in Google Earth. It is a 3D modelling program specifically made to make buildings. You can download version 7 free. There is a SketchUp 7 Pro version at a price of $495 US, but from what I can see this would be of interest only to those involved in building in the real world for it would permit saving floor plans with text and diagrams that would be of interest to real life builders. The free version will be quite satisfactory to build using mesh import for Second Life.
I watched a couple and saw immediately how much easier and more intuitive it will be to build using SketchUp than it is to build using prims in Second Life. I have heard some builders in Second Life voice worries that when mesh import goes live, it will render them unable to compete because 3D modeling programs are expensive and generally difficult and time intensive to learn. I would encourage these people to look at the SketchUp video tutorials to set their minds at ease. I would go so far as to predict that the introduction of mesh import, the ease of use and short learning curve of the free program Google SketchUp, and the ability to port buildings made in SketchUp to Second Life, will render building with Second Life primitives obsolete and rarely used.
SketchUp does have some limitations. It will not make organic shapes and so will not be the tool of choice to make animals or clothing meshes. However, for hard geometry it is excellent. It can make not only buildings, but furniture as well.
Linden Labs, please give us mesh import soon!! At least take it to open beta to let us learn and play with it!
Mesh import is not the only thing in closed beta at the moment. Improved lighting and shadows are in closed beta as well, and hopefully will come soon to either open beta or to the main viewer.
Take a look at some photos by Runitai Linden at the site below. Go into full screen and slideshow for the best view.
On June 18, 2010 Runitai Linden told participants in a closed beta test of mesh import that the NDA (Non-disclosure Agreement) had been lifted, and they could start blogging about their experience with mesh. A very short 5 minutes later, they were told not to disclose any more until they were given more information about what could and could not be disclosed. In that brief 5 minutes, some basic information got out to the rest of us.
The chat log of what was said is available on SLOG at the following URL. Read it for yourself if you like and draw what conclusions you will.
There has since been much speculation about what the impact of all this will be. I have read that prim size limit will become meaningless and that meshes can be full sim sized. Some speculate that one will be able to upload animations for meshes. I don’t know for sure what the full impact will be or what we can and cannot do with meshes once we get them.
From the 5 minute information spill all that we know for sure is this:
the import format will be collada;
meshes can have an unlimited number of vertices;
a mesh will not count as just one prim as a sculpty does, and prim count will be determined according to the number of vertices, but we do not yet know how many vertices will equal one prim;
someone in the beta test did rez a mesh representation of the Titanic that covered two sims but we don’t know what the final limitations to size will be or if there will be any size limitation;
we will be able to create custom UV maps for meshes;
you will be able to define “sides” that you can access through scripting to change textures;
the collision mesh will match the shape of the mesh object, which means no invisible spheres as with sculpties that you bang into;
There was mention that meshes can be rigged, which is usually done to animate a mesh, but the conclusion was about clothing and I found that a bit confusing.
<gridinterop> (grid:agni) lonetorus Habilis: rex, but with collada we can rig too
<gridinterop> (grid:agni) lonetorus Habilis: and sl support s it
<gridinterop> (grid:agni) lonetorus Habilis: so you can have wearable clothing
The Lindens had announced that they expected to release at least an open beta of mesh import by the end of the second quarter of 2010, which would be the end of June. The temporary and premature lifting of the NDA suggests to me that this is indeed imminent. I know I can’t wait!
Here is a blurry video of a mesh building and mesh ship from the test grid:
There are a couple of videos of an alien dancing and playing violin circulating that are said to be an avatar wearing a mesh. However, the creator of the video and creature had him on display at SL7B and revealed that the creature avatar is made of sculpties, not mesh.
Here are some links to more articles on this topic:
If you are wondering why I have not put out anything new for a little while, it is because Maverick and I are hard at work on a hunting system. It is a large project. The animals are sculpted, animated and move about, with animations for various states such as idle, walking, running, attack, sleeping and dying. The system will give you experience points, which move you up in level. There will be reward items given at various levels, and there will be occasional loot dropped by animals you kill as well. Here is a sneak peek at some of the animals. We are working towards a goal release date in the early fall.
In addition to making clothing, I make miscellaneous scripted gadgetry. Recently I have been collaborating with Maverick Schism whose store name is Good Mojo. Whenever you see the two logos together, Black Rose and Good Mojo, you will know that two minds have meshed to create that product. Here are some of the gadgets produced by myself and with Maverick. Check out my main store in world to see more.
For this round of 25L Tuesday, I decided to put out my sim alarm bell and gate bell. Both bells are modify and copy, but no transfer.
Put out as many sim alarm bells as you wish. When you touch one, it sends an to all the other alarm bells anywhere on the sim, causing them to play a bell ringing sound and announce who rang the alarm bells. (Note: it does not work across sim borders.)
When a visitor touches the gate bell, it plays a bell ringing sound and shouts up to a 96 meter range, announcing the name of the visitor at the gate who rang the bell.
These bells normally sell for 150L each, but for today only, 25L!
I have been attending the SLPro Conference in Second Life, a conference focusing on content creators. It has been an amazing experience, and I have picked up many useful tips in the areas of marketing, creation process, and scripting. I entered the Limited Prim Challenge, where I was given a lot with 850 prims to build on. I decided to enter my Victorian Town Hall. It can be seen in world at my main store on the building rezzer.
This conference had a fee of $99 US dollars to attend. For a serious content creator in Second Life, I must say it has been well worth it.
The show was absolutely fantastic. The showing of designer fashions was encased within a small play based on a fantasy theme. A wizard who had let his appearance and relationship go comes to see the error of his ways. Through the help of his Queen and a fashion makeover he is able to win back the sorceress he loves. There will be no Oscar nominations come of it, but it was creative, well done, well organized and very enjoyable. The set was beautiful.
