Ebbe Linden, Let Me Tell You A Story

DQ Darwin · February 25, 2014

I just tripped over this on the net while seeking something else and thought it fits well here. I'll just plop it down and viewers can take it how they wish.

Thanks to the Drax Files ♥

Enjoy..........I did :smileyhappy:

Wooja · February 25, 2014

I just tripped over this on the net while seeking something else and thought it fits well here. I'll just plop it down and viewers can take it how they wish.

Thanks to Friedrich Hayek and the Austrian School

Enjoy..........I did

The story MUST have been inspired by SL: theft, unempathic anti-heroes, bad role-playing, misogynistic attitudes, strippers in a club full of mostly silent people, vampires, dolcett and gratuitous violence.

Wooja...thinktarantinohasanavatarnotgeorgethough

Treasure Ballinger · February 25, 2014

Fran's getting to be a classic! I always love seeing this vid. She was a hitmaker at the disability conference in Denver too, last year, people's jaws dropped, and they admitted, they never realized just what effect virtual worlds (in this case, SL) could have on someone. That conference wasn't specific to SL, or virtual worlds, was a general disability related conference, so that light coming on moment, for many folks there, was Sweet!

DQ Darwin · February 25, 2014

Treasure I do believe there is more to this than meets the eye. Where I work I have recommended SL for it's therapeutic qualities to many.

As technology advances it will be interesting to see where this road takes us, right?

Cheers

Blu Sparkle · February 26, 2014

Hi, Ebbe. I'm glad to hear that you have joined the leadership of Linden Lab and that you plan to actually be a presence in Second Life. Frankly, there is no way to understand that Second Life is not a "game," but is actually a world unless you "live" in it.

I could tell so many stories about being a noob and wearing all manner of items on my head (the default attachment point when I was new) or losing great pieces of my house when I was learning about using the building and editing tools. There is definitely a sharp learning curve to SL and one either gets it, is fascinated, and stays; or one doesn't "get it," and gives up on what I consider to be one of the most incredible experiences that can be had. I got it, and I stayed. I think I would rather tell you a different kind of story - one of personal development and growth and of a broadened view of myself and others.

I had only been in SL two weeks. I had already sold my "first land" and had gone back to the little place to see who had bought it. There, standing on the parcel, was a lady all dressed in black, with cool red hair, and we began to chat. She was a wonderful lady from the UK. I was so much in awe of her abilities -- I mean she knew all about dressing herself, wearing shoes WITH the shoebase, how to wear clothes without wearing their boxes on your head first, and everything! We became friends and, in very short order, business partners. We have been so ever since, but our "business" has changed quite a bit.

Several months after our arrival, we were taken to a sim called Caledon where we were first introduced to the Virtual Kennel Club ("VKC") and the VKC Dogs. I remember my friend and I peering over the fence and watching while the creator of the dogs, Enrico Genosse, commanded the dogs in chat and they would actually DO what he told them. We were both blown away and our Second Life changed forever.

In RL, I have always been a bit shy at first (though my friends would never use that term to describe me), but I was not shy about contacting the dogs' creator and bugging him at every occasion I could think of to tell him how great his creations were or to explain what I considered to be some grievous error I had made while playing with them. I think the poor man became friends with me and my friend because we were constantly IMing him the second we would see him come on.

One day, the three of us sat down in the first VKC Dog Park (Calendon) in a gazebo to talk. Enrico was trying to come up with the best way to market his dogs and was thinking of selling them from vendors. Vendors??? Seriously??? NO WAY! I wouldn't hear of it! I said, "You can't put them in boxes. These are like RL dogs! They learn! They respond to praise! They become your friends and companions! Vendors are simply out of the question. The dogs must be shown in a place where they can be free to roam around and let people see them for what they are."

It was soon thereafter that the three of us bought an island where my friend and I would sell our creations, and Enrico would have room to show off his dogs in the best light. As soon as the island was open to the public and people started coming by, I found myself jumping in with both feet to talk to each one of them. I wanted to greet them and show them the dogs. I wasn't shy at all! I loved it. I spoke with as many people as I could, telling them all about the VKC Dogs, what they could do, and how wonderful they were. And I listened too. I cannot begin to tell you all the stories of dog owners whose RL dogs had passed, or who were unable to have dogs in RL, and how the VKC Dogs healed their broken hearts.

It was not too long before my friend's and my business magically became being Enrico's and the VKC's face to the world of SL and his ears for comments, good and bad, about his creations. In that way, the VKC has grown exponentially and so have I over the years. I have learned that I am not as shy as I had thought, that speaking to a stranger with an inner smile that translates warmly into a virtual world is something I am good at, that I really DO have a creative bone in my body, and that I am capable of making lasting friendships with people from all walks of life and from all over the world.

Recently, both my friend and I celebrated our 8th Rez Day in SL. I never tire of it. There is something new every day. And the VKC Dogs? They still amaze me and make me laugh every single time I see them.

Thanks for listening, and welcome to what I hope you find is a wonderful life to have - Second Life.

DQ Darwin · February 26, 2014

Thanks for the smile, Blu :matte-motes-grin:

qwerty Qork · February 27, 2014

Hello,
please let me
try and let you see with my words how much SL ( Second Life) means to
me, or how the VKC animal's have brought a love into my Second Life.

My journey began when I met this wonderful lady named, Peg Nightfire.
She invited me to her home, and it was here I fell in love with her
and the VKC (Virtual Kennel Club), animals. As we sat there swinging on a swinging seat, the
dogs would be like, "What's over here" in their own lil mind... Yes,
their Mind...

I am now a proven trainer to help other's to be able to talk to their
SL VKC animal. If spoke to in the right way, the animals will become
alive!!! In active mode they choose what they want to do and then do
it on their own, but much like real life pets we can make them obey,
or teach them tricks. It is inspiring when I am helping a patron of
the VKC and they finally understand how special these pets are.
greer,fuzzy,wuzzy.png
I have been active with these animals since I was four months old in
SL, and I have been around a lot of these pets as well. I personally
own over 20 here in SL, and if I were to Rezz them all, they would all
do different things at times and some things at the same time, you
never know for sure what they will do next... unless of course you
command them.
chrismas 2013.png
I never would have met these animals if it had not been for SL... I am
almost six years old now in SL and I still find amazing things almost
every day. I could go on and on about how amazing SL is, it is Second
Life and I live it and enjoy it... oop's real life is calling me... I hope I see ya around.

Medhue Simoni · February 27, 2014

Great story qwerty Qork!

I find AI very interesting. Do the animals use pathfinding? Oh, imagine if LL finally implemented custom rigged meshes for objects. Those guys could have their own skeletons and custom animations. Fully animated too, with every part moving, like ears, tail, tongue. I know they do alot of this now, but they would use far less code, and cause alot less lag. I made some animals for the Unity game engine, but I really wish I could bring them into SL and add pathfinding and a simple brain.

Ebbe! Get on it! Please! Custom bones for rezzed objects. You know! NPCs with their own skeletons! We(I) have been for years, and am now, begging.

qwerty Qork · February 27, 2014

yes, most of the Animals at the VKC are Pathfinding enabled now, and because some land owners THINK, PF causes lag,,, you may also switch the pathfinding off ,, but far more real like if pathfinding is on.

Czari Zenovka · February 27, 2014

Thank you for sharing that story, Blu. I have quite a few of the VKC dogs, several of the rabbits (that rabbit hunt was challenging!!!) and most recently a VKC cat that looks exactly like my beloved RL cat I lost years ago; I took the training classes offered back in 2007-2008, and have shopped at your store but never knew the "back story."

What a great thread...thank you for starting it, Medhue.

Medhue Simoni · February 27, 2014

qwerty Qork wrote:

yes, most of the Animals at the VKC are Pathfinding enabled now, and because some land owners THINK, PF causes lag,,, you may also switch the pathfinding off ,, but far more real like if pathfinding is on.

Well, I don't have access to tests on whether pathfinding actually causes lag, but IMHO, I think that pathfinding just shows them the lag, and they think it's the pathfinding. What I think is more likely, is that all the scripts that it takes to run the animals creates the lag, and it's just most obvious when animals are moving around. This is why I'm advocating for custom skeletons, as all the movements would be much smoother, and eliminate a whole portion of coding. It is amazing what they have done with these animals with just coding tho. I have animals for my combat system that move around with coding only, but I have tested them with pathfinding and want to implement it, but I'd rather wait until we get custom skeletons.

Wooja · February 27, 2014

Medhue Simoni wrote:

Great story qwerty Qork!

Ebbe!

Get on it! Please! Custom bones for rezzed objects. You know! NPCs with their own skeletons! We(I) have been for years, and am now, begging.

I think augmentation of avatars with internal organs is much more of a priority.

It needn't cost much either; certain non-Lindens could have working brains transplanted in, and their current ones would fetch very high resale prices - after all, they haven't been used.

Wooja...buyasecondhandbrainfromamod

Venus Petrov · February 27, 2014

Wooja wrote:

Medhue Simoni wrote:

Great story qwerty Qork!

Ebbe!

Get on it! Please! Custom bones for rezzed objects. You know! NPCs with their own skeletons! We(I) have been for years, and am now, begging.

I think augmentation of avatars with internal organs is much more of a priority.

It needn't cost much either; certain non-Lindens could have working brains transplanted in, and their current ones would fetch very high resale prices - after all, they haven't been used.

Wooja...buyasecondhandbrainfromamod

Dooya...reallythinkamodmightreadandunderstandthisorshrugandgiveup

Rosanna Himmel · February 27, 2014

All VKC Pets released since September 2012 are pathfinding-enabled. Gradually, the creator is re-releasing older pets with the new pathfinding skills but balancing this effort with creating new pets and updating the scripts to ensure that the VKC Pets are the best that they can be.

Medhue, it would be a thrill if they were able to have skeletons that allowed them to move more naturally and with even less lag. As it is, the VKC Pets place pretty light demands on the region's resources, especially with pathfinding enabled.

As it is today, in addition to the animations for basic movements, both overt and subtle, the VKC animals offer petting animations that are unique to each animal with many animals offering 3 or 4 petting animations. The smaller pets offer animations that allow the animal to jump into the arms of its owner in order to be carried around.

I first met the VKC Pets in 2007 as a newcomer to SL. In fact, the VKC Australian Shepherd was my very first purchase in SL, ahead of skin, hair, home and other common things one imagines that someone new might choose. I still enjoy my girl Pixel as much today as I did then because she is able to grow along with me as each of us learns new skills. Indeed, it is the VKC Pets that keep me coming back to SL after all these years.

One reason why I hang out with the VKC is that on a daily basis I hear from people who respond to the pets on a visceral level. They talk about how life-like the pets are and how they love them just as they would a pet in RL. Some have VKC Pets because they cannot have pets in RL. Some adopt a VKC Pet who reminds them of a pet who has crossed the rainbow bridge and view their VKC Pet as a surrogate for the lost loved one. Some adopt a VKC Pet in SL and come to appreciate it so much that they go out and adopt a pet in RL.

Another reason is that it is just so much fun to hear people express amazement when they see all the features the VKC Pets offer. There are so many ways to interact with the pets and they offer so much in the way of basic skills. People thrill when their pets come unbidden to greet them when they login. They are pleased when their pets respond to commands from their friends in local chat. They enjoy playing with their pets and how their pets are able to play with toys.

Added to this is the fact that the VKC Pets can learn new skills, and they can learn to behave using one set of skills in one location and a different set of skills in another.

I could go on (and on and on, ask anyone who knows me), but I am afraid this might start to seem like an advertisement. But what I have to say about these pets comes from my heart. They are, without a doubt, among the best of what SL has to offer. For those who would like to meet the VKC Pets, I invite you to stop by one of our several VKC Parks. Play with the pets, talk to a trainer, relax and have fun. You can find the SLURLs to the parks and more information about the pets on the VKC Website.

VKC Pets

Czari Zenovka · February 28, 2014

Rosanna Himmel wrote:

I first met the VKC Pets in 2007 as a newcomer to SL. In fact, the VKC Australian Shepherd was my very first purchase in SL, ahead of skin, hair, home and other common things one imagines that someone new might choose. I still enjoy my girl Pixel as much today as I did then because she is able to grow along with me as each of us learns new skills. Indeed, it is the VKC Pets that keep me coming back to SL after all these years.

I remember Pixel! You helped me a lot in some of the first training classes I took, Rosanna. Learning what the VKC dogs could learn back in 2007 was awesome...almost 7 years later I continue to be amazed at the creativity Enrico builds into each pet. Although I now own some of the newer pets, my "first" VKC was my Chow, Aiko, and she is still one of my very favorites. I always wanted one of the Dobies but never got around to purchasing one so awhile back I went to the Rehoming Center and adopted an old Dobie, Rottweiler...ummmm, I think a few others as well.

When the subject of "Does anyone use pathfinding" comes up occasionally on the forums (and I was not a fan of pathfinding), I thought (and sometimes posted) that VKC is the only place, to my knowledge, where pathfinding is used regularly. (I really need to come to the pathfinding classes...heh.)

Does anyone know if pathfinding is used regularly anyplace else on the grid?

Perrie Juran · February 28, 2014

Czari Zenovka wrote:

Rosanna Himmel wrote:

I first met the VKC Pets in 2007 as a newcomer to SL. In fact, the VKC Australian Shepherd was my very first purchase in SL, ahead of skin, hair, home and other common things one imagines that someone new might choose. I still enjoy my girl Pixel as much today as I did then because she is able to grow along with me as each of us learns new skills. Indeed, it is the VKC Pets that keep me coming back to SL after all these years.

I remember Pixel! You helped me a lot in some of the first training classes I took, Rosanna. Learning what the VKC dogs could learn back in 2007 was awesome...almost 7 years later I continue to be amazed at the creativity Enrico builds into each pet. Although I now own some of the newer pets, my "first" VKC was my Chow, Aiko, and she is still one of my very favorites. I always wanted one of the Dobies but never got around to purchasing one so awhile back I went to the Rehoming Center and adopted an old Dobie, Rottweiler...ummmm, I think a few others as well.

When the subject of "Does anyone use pathfinding" comes up occasionally on the forums (and I was not a fan of pathfinding), I thought (and sometimes posted) that VKC is the only place, to my knowledge, where pathfinding is used regularly. (I really need to come to the pathfinding classes...heh.)

Does anyone know if pathfinding is used regularly anyplace else on the grid?

I've never to the best of my knowledge seen a SIM where path finding is in use since its implementation.

I did love my Australian Sheperd but he looks kind of old school now compared to the new puppies.

I did go recently to look at getting a new puppy but was a bit surprised they had doubled in cost. When I commented on this the helper at the Park gave me a long explanation on how they were path finding enabled now and the benefits of no collisions on my SIM as the reason for the price.

I guess if you own a lot of animals the collisions could be an issue but I doubt seriously if one or two of them are going to bring a SIM to its knees. Plus part of the fun to me was sometimes having to figure out where Gapskratter was hiding when I logged in. Never knew where he was going to turn up.

Czari Zenovka · February 28, 2014

Perrie Juran wrote: