I wonder what is next ? Will the elves be forced to chop their trees and the mermaids to move into tiny pools ? Will spellfire and DCS2 be forbidden because too expensive for the servers ?
We will wait and see. Or many will not wait ?
Monday, November 10, 2008
sunken and shut down
So, yesterday it was the a significant portion of the flying community that decided to give up and implement a contingency plan, as announced in the Royal Caledon Air Force Page and discussed today in Capt. O'Toole's Blog. Today many fears about the sailing community have been made official by the SL Sailing Blog and by another post by Capt. O'Toole.
I wonder what is next ? Will the elves be forced to chop their trees and the mermaids to move into tiny pools ? Will spellfire and DCS2 be forbidden because too expensive for the servers ?
We will wait and see. Or many will not wait ?
I wonder what is next ? Will the elves be forced to chop their trees and the mermaids to move into tiny pools ? Will spellfire and DCS2 be forbidden because too expensive for the servers ?
We will wait and see. Or many will not wait ?
Sunday, November 9, 2008
news of the day
I did not wake up badly this morning. Today I have to turn in my blog assignment for the Mix'n Match initiative, and, despite not being a masterpiece, I think it may meet some minimum requirements not to shame myself. A couple of final readings and I'll be ready.
My blog got its fifth follower this morning (thank you, Rhett :) ). Not many, I know, but that is why every one counts. By the way, Rhett is following other pretty interesting blogs that I did not know and I will add them in my aggregator. And I found out that my technoraty authority is in double digits ! Silly, I know, but it still a measure that someone likes to read here :)
Not a bad morning it was ... then ... I read news like this (found on Vintfalkens.com) and I am suddenly sad again.
Shall I forget my boats and get a snorkling equipment ?
*sigh*
W
Thursday, November 6, 2008
it is the people, not the platform
yesterday's announcement from M. Linden improved very little the scenario of what I call the Openspace Crisis. The new Homestead sims, functionally equivalent to the current openspaces, will still cost 125 USD, even if that will be in July '09 after 6 month at an intermediate price of 95 USD. They will have new limitations, though, like a 20 avies limit and probably scripting limits as well. So, we can say that their functionality will be reduced respect to the current openspaces.
The new openspaces, the actual new product being released, will be little more than backdrop sims. They will be priced at 75 USD, like the current openspaces but very little will be possible there. A limit of 750 prims and 10 avies will make it impossible to use them for any serious activity. So, even if they are intended to host sea and forests, sea races, naval battles and drum circle dances will be probably too much for them.
Neither product addresses the issues many themed communities have risen, pointing out the potentially killing impact the new prices can have to thier regions. Homesteads still are going to cost 66% more than the old openspaces and the new openspace will not allow many activities characterizing the communities.
I must therefore stick to my concerns and be afraid that so many beauty is in jeopardy and will be probably lost. Capt. Hotspur O'Tool 's blog very clearly addresses some of his concerns about the dangers themed communities have to face.
I live on a plot on a regular sim of the estate of Winterfell. I am not going to be personally impacted by the costs in the short run, but I still have become very sad about the last weeks events because I am afraid that many regions will collapse and the people making them will disband.
Yet earlier today I listened to a chat between Miss Serra and Miss Hypatia and they made me look at the issue also from a different point of view. Miss Hypatia mentioned a group of people who lost their game on line and migrated partly in SL, partly in There and partly in IMVU. That made me think.
Communities are made of people. That is the key assets, not prims, not square meters. We all love out experience in SL because of the interactions with other human beings. If it was just to dress funny or wear pointed ears or pilot a plane or make guns fire, I am sure there are hundreds of games out there with better graphics, better performances and less crashes.
It is the people we value. It is the feelings we exchange, the interests we share that keep us hooked to the game.
And the people does not have to disband. Even if they are dissatisfied by the platform they do not have to be dissatisfied one another. Any community will survive as long as the members stick together. And if the community is together, should we face a worst case scenario, the world can be recreated. Elsewhere if necessary. I love SL and I do not want it to go away, but SL is a platform that allow us to get together and share a dream. But a layer above the basic infrastruture, the added value is all made by the people sharing that dream. And why that should not be portable. There are other platforms out there. It will require work, it will require flexibility, it will require changing some habits, but I am sure it can be done. It has been done already.
Sure, we may miss sailing and firing guns, playing drums or dancing, building or doing business as we know them now. But they will come back soon. The technology is evolving and despite the noise in mainstream press about virtual world being no longer fashionable, more and more start-ups are entering the game.
The experience is not going to die, it is just changing, evolving, coming to age. SL may be remembered as the Netscape of the virtual worlds ten years from now, but we can be sure than we will have a firefox by then.
Isn't it a fascinating idea to think about a Caledon or a Winterfell with colonies in more than one virtual world? or an Elf Circle, or a Sailing Community ... and all the others one may care for. Spread among many worlds, where they experience different sides of what the technology is offering and yet part of a single commutity.
Maybe a dream but I think I play with that dream for a while :)
W
P.S. I suggested the Queene to create a social network page with NING to have community page for the Faeria exiles, and she did : http://faeria.ning.com :)
The new openspaces, the actual new product being released, will be little more than backdrop sims. They will be priced at 75 USD, like the current openspaces but very little will be possible there. A limit of 750 prims and 10 avies will make it impossible to use them for any serious activity. So, even if they are intended to host sea and forests, sea races, naval battles and drum circle dances will be probably too much for them.
Neither product addresses the issues many themed communities have risen, pointing out the potentially killing impact the new prices can have to thier regions. Homesteads still are going to cost 66% more than the old openspaces and the new openspace will not allow many activities characterizing the communities.
I must therefore stick to my concerns and be afraid that so many beauty is in jeopardy and will be probably lost. Capt. Hotspur O'Tool 's blog very clearly addresses some of his concerns about the dangers themed communities have to face.
I live on a plot on a regular sim of the estate of Winterfell. I am not going to be personally impacted by the costs in the short run, but I still have become very sad about the last weeks events because I am afraid that many regions will collapse and the people making them will disband.
Yet earlier today I listened to a chat between Miss Serra and Miss Hypatia and they made me look at the issue also from a different point of view. Miss Hypatia mentioned a group of people who lost their game on line and migrated partly in SL, partly in There and partly in IMVU. That made me think.
Communities are made of people. That is the key assets, not prims, not square meters. We all love out experience in SL because of the interactions with other human beings. If it was just to dress funny or wear pointed ears or pilot a plane or make guns fire, I am sure there are hundreds of games out there with better graphics, better performances and less crashes.
It is the people we value. It is the feelings we exchange, the interests we share that keep us hooked to the game.
And the people does not have to disband. Even if they are dissatisfied by the platform they do not have to be dissatisfied one another. Any community will survive as long as the members stick together. And if the community is together, should we face a worst case scenario, the world can be recreated. Elsewhere if necessary. I love SL and I do not want it to go away, but SL is a platform that allow us to get together and share a dream. But a layer above the basic infrastruture, the added value is all made by the people sharing that dream. And why that should not be portable. There are other platforms out there. It will require work, it will require flexibility, it will require changing some habits, but I am sure it can be done. It has been done already.
Sure, we may miss sailing and firing guns, playing drums or dancing, building or doing business as we know them now. But they will come back soon. The technology is evolving and despite the noise in mainstream press about virtual world being no longer fashionable, more and more start-ups are entering the game.
The experience is not going to die, it is just changing, evolving, coming to age. SL may be remembered as the Netscape of the virtual worlds ten years from now, but we can be sure than we will have a firefox by then.
Isn't it a fascinating idea to think about a Caledon or a Winterfell with colonies in more than one virtual world? or an Elf Circle, or a Sailing Community ... and all the others one may care for. Spread among many worlds, where they experience different sides of what the technology is offering and yet part of a single commutity.
Maybe a dream but I think I play with that dream for a while :)
W
P.S. I suggested the Queene to create a social network page with NING to have community page for the Faeria exiles, and she did : http://faeria.ning.com :)
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
the power of SL
yesterday, before going to sleep, I briefly joined Princess Ivory who was following the US elections results from the Capitol Hill sim and invited me there. It was very late for me already (almost 3 am) and, altough regretting it, I had to go to sleep after a few minutes, yet once more SL gave me a proof of its power. I was no longer alone watching the event on CNN or CNBC on satellite TV. I was among other people who were passionate, worried, excited. I was living the event rather than watching it.
Not being American my interest in the election was indirect, but it was very difficult not to have the feeling that I was personally living a moment that will be remembered in history. And maybe not only for the election of an African American, but also for the way the technology is evolving to make us part of something bigger than what we were used to experience.
I am just sorry that I was already too sleepy to think to take a picture, but you can see one in the New World Note Blog, where you can also find a statement from Princess herself :)
W
P.S. I do hope that a certain announcement later today is not going to spoil my current enthusiasm
Not being American my interest in the election was indirect, but it was very difficult not to have the feeling that I was personally living a moment that will be remembered in history. And maybe not only for the election of an African American, but also for the way the technology is evolving to make us part of something bigger than what we were used to experience.
I am just sorry that I was already too sleepy to think to take a picture, but you can see one in the New World Note Blog, where you can also find a statement from Princess herself :)
W
P.S. I do hope that a certain announcement later today is not going to spoil my current enthusiasm
Monday, November 3, 2008
mix'n match - update
the Mix'n Match assignments are out !
I get to write about Alts in Second Life - necessary evil, fun diversion or an easy way to be dishonest ?
Sounds cool enough, does it not ? Not as bad as some other subjects I could have picked and about which I would have had nothing to say.
The entry is going to be published on Meara Deschanel's One Girl | Two Worlds blog.
In turn I am going to host a piece by Rik Riel, about Biggest life lessons (first or second life) learned in SL.
At the moments I am excited about the assignments. :)
Wish good luck to me and to all the fellow bloggers involved in this cool initiative. I think some good stuff will come out of it
W
Sunday, November 2, 2008
beek haven
Beek Haven is a pirate and mermaid RP area. One of the best I have seen. It is a set of nine sims, eight of which are openspaces. Six more sims were planned to expand the area into a 4x4 sims region. Those openspaces are almost full open water. Ships fight battles with a lot of space to manouver and play hide and seek with a number of fighting events scheduled each weeks. The underwater landscape is perfect for mermaids to swim and be happy. The piers see several ships of different types docked there, and the view is really spectacular.
The people are friendly there and it is quite easy to be drafted as crew for some battle :)
The sim is also home to the shop of Chase Speculaas, great builder of fantastic scripted ships and it is there that I got my Fighting Star and I did some training in sailing and fighting.
The eight openspaces of Beek Haven are used in exactly as openspaces are supposed to be used, according to the latest Lindens statements. Yet, this wonderful place will be soon lost.
I was there this morning and I briefly chatted with Dutch Hoorenbeek, the owner and the soul of the region. He told me that the new cost policy was unsusteinable and if there will be no change they will have to close down soon.
Another great place in jeopardy and potentially lost
Saturday, November 1, 2008
fire in Caledon
it gave me a big emotion to see this cottage on fire while I was sailing in the Firth of Caledon. I wonder if this is the destruction starting because of the current OS crisis and we are going to see more and more of this
Live update : here is another one in Caledon Cay
Live update : here is another one in Caledon Cay
Happy Anniversary, Winterfell !
Two years ago today Winterfell was born.
I wish all the Winterfallens a Happy Anniversary and I wish to thank Miss Serra whose vision and dedication have given many of us a fantastic place to call home.
I rise a toast to Winterfell and Miss Serra!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)