Otenth Paderborn's virtual existence
Jay Lake (author of Mainspring) has proposed creating a steampunk abecedary:
Let’s play a bloggy game. Per the above, put your suggestions for a steampunk abecedary in comments — next week I’ll distill them out, and we’ll have a poll for the coolest/funniest, with hardback copies of Escapement [ Powell’s | Amazon ] as prizes.
Only two suggestions up as of this evening, but hurry on over, I’m not sure how long he’ll be waiting.
Virtual worlds have the potential to create real and deep connections across many boundaries. Please consider voting to add Arabic language to SL.
Part of the expansion of Orcadia was made possible by a partnership between nox Pinion and I: Muckle Green Holm will house nox’s building efforts in the sky, while the ground level will provide an experimental and sales space for my terrain files.
The current maze in Muckle Green Holm has gotten enough positive comments that I’ve started work on other maze and labyrinth terrains. It’s still somewhat of an experimental process, however, as these photos will attest:
After an afternoon of being helped by Mr Elrik Merlin, I have, I think, mastered the technical difficulties of being able to broadcast my voice as well as my music!
And that will make my debut as a live DJ tonight ever so much easier. I owe a debt of gratitude to Rik.
If you’ve always desperately wondered what I sound like, or what madness I can find in my music library, come on over to Steelhead Harborside tonight from 6-8pm SLT for a “mad science” party celebrating Frau Annechen Lowey’s motivating spirit’s birthday and Melanippe Karas’s first rezday. Or listen in at http://music2.radioriel.org (you may need to listen at http://66.186.45.115:9012/live or http://snow.slserver.com:9012/live.m3u depending on how you are listening in).
Madcow Cosmos has another high-prim temporary installation! This time it’s his 3D interpretations of tarot cards. Check it out! It will be up for a few weeks.
Every once in a while, I get a conference IM from Beth Odets, sent to all her online contacts, inviting us to drop by for music or other fun. Last night I decided to do the same, and I invited people to join Bromo Ivory and I in Muckle Green Holm, where we were playing with my elven drum set. What fun it turned out to be! Thank you to all who joined us and created such a great time.
Luckily, I had just taken up the gamelan set that I put out in Shapinsay last weekend, because we ended up needing those as well.
On Saturday, 7 June, we celebrated the second annual Værð, or Warming Day, in Orcadia with a dance and amusements. Wyre is just over a year old, and has been joined by Hoy, Shapinsay, and Muckle Green Holm!
Edwina Heron, the Countess of Swoonsbury, set out amusements in Hoy, including two kinds of bumper vehicles and swan boats. Jameson Despres, the Thane of Shapinsay, arranged romantic settings throughout that island and below the waves. Muckle Green Holm was transformed into a sim-sized maze, a recreation of the maze created by the utopian community of New Harmony, Indiana, in 1814. And Soliel Snook, the Marchioness of Giggleford, entertained an assembled party with ’80s pop and music. (Wings turned out to be the order of the day. Below the group shot are photos of me and of nox Pinion.)
I tagged myself with this amusing little meme in order to introduce it to my virtual world friends:
My title: “He’s the Duke with the Horns”
And my tags:
Torley Linden rides to the defense of potential shadows in Linden Research, Inc.’s virtual world: Debunking mindjunk about the cost of [Linden Research’s virtual world]’s visual quality
Mindjunk is exactly what it sounds like: mental clutter that sits in your head and makes you more anxious and fearful, taking up space without doing anything effective for your life
The only trouble is that his post is mostly, well, junk.
A computer that exceeds [Linden Research’s virtual world]’s System Recommendations can be bought for under US$500.
Torley provides a link, but it goes to a forum that gives you leads on pieces of computers. FAIL. Computer pieces do not equal a computer.
“Balkanization” is also grossly inaccurate. Even though I appreciate colorful analogies, it isn’t as easy to unite countries involved in political bloodshed as it is to click your mouse and toggle graphics options.
Torley, never dis someone else for overdoing it. Pot, meet kettle? And while you have a point about toggling off graphics options, people can barely handle doing that right now, and you just recommended that they buy the pieces of a computer? Get out of the hothouse. Seriously. 3D web? It better be plug and play. And it better work on a year-old consumer computer. If it doesn’t, Linden Research’s vision will be stuck off in the corner for all time.
And as an active user—and a customer—I don’t want that. I’ll return to this point later.
“Frustrating builders” is entirely speculative at this point
Yes, like nearly everything about virtual worlds. And your point? Sadly, it’s this:
If you’ve got an opportunity to speak up and make a difference about ongoing issues, no matter how controversial — or protroversial they may be: don’t be a community bleeder, be a community leader.
Excuse me while I throw up a little in the back of my mouth.
I’m active in several communities, as a leader. And as a community leader, let me say that Linden Research’s product shortcomings are wearing a bit thin. Linden Research doesn’t need its users to bleed away enthusiasm; it seems to be doing it all on its own.
I also pay Linden Research, Inc., several hundred dollars a month. And I get a product that doesn’t work right. How many days now of asset server problems? Don’t give me any shit about being cheerful about the next glittery gewgaw to appear on the horizon.
And to my readers (all three of you): be sure to go to Torley’s post and check out the comments, as well as the New World Notes post he is responding to, and its comments.
You are most cordially invited to join the residents and friends of Orcadia (Wyre, Hoy, Shapinsay, and Muckle Green Holm sims) for our national holiday, Værð, or Warming Day, on Saturday, 7 June, 2008. This holiday celebrates the first anniversary of the settlement of Wyre, and the recent addition of Hoy, Shapinsay, and Muckle Green Holm.
For your entertainment and pleasure: