Seeking an old optical illusion thing I found in SL

[Rick Nightingale]

Years back I happened upan a free optical illusion, not sure if it was on the MP or a freebie from a hunt (my faulty memory says both)...

It's a door-ish-sized thing you can rez, that when you look through the opening, gives the appearance of there being a corridor down it with a door at the end. The corridor appears 'real', you can move about looking into it and see either side of its walls, just as if it was really there. But it isn't. There is no corridor, the thing isn't that long, and you can walk around it but not into the optical illusion corridor.

Despite searching the inventory of all my alts, I can't find it and, of course, cannot remember what it might be called. Nor can I remember at all how the trick was done, although I did figure it out by taking the thing apart. It was years ago though and I've forgotten and cannot recreate it, which I want to do in a build if I can replicate the way it was done.

Anyone have any idea what I'm talking about? It might not be as good or useful as I remember... or it might.

[Lindal Kidd]

Search for "infinity mirror" on the Marketplace, you'll get several results.

You can probably make this illusion yourself. In real life an infinity mirror consists of a front pane that is a two way mirror...partially transparent and partially reflective, and a back pane that is a fully reflective mirror. These are mounted in a deep frame a short distance apart, and a light source, usually a strip of LEDs, is placed between them.

[KT Kingsley]

This could also be a projector mirror. Inara Pey's instructions on making one yourself: https://modemworld.me/2018/05/12/projectors-as-mirrors-in-second-life/.

[Ceka Cianci]

We supposed to be able to make mirrors soon in second life.. From the last meeting  it sounded like pretty soon too.

[Sid Nagy]

Why a mirror in SL?
Just cam around your avatar if you want to see how pretty you are or if hair is peeking trough at the wrong spots.

[Rick Nightingale]

Thank you for the replies. Nothing on the MP looks like what I had (it was a 'doorway' to an illusionary corridor) but it's probably the same technique.

The idea of using a projector like that though... that might do it. Hadn't thought of that but I get how that works. Hmm.

Oh, and yes... reflection probes in SL. Would be nice to be able to do a mirrored floor without duplicating the entire build below a translucent floor.

 

[Ceka Cianci]

3 hours ago, Rick Daylight said:

Thank you for the replies. Nothing on the MP looks like what I had (it was a 'doorway' to an illusionary corridor) but it's probably the same technique.

The idea of using a projector like that though... that might do it. Hadn't thought of that but I get how that works. Hmm.

Oh, and yes... reflection probes in SL. Would be nice to be able to do a mirrored floor without duplicating the entire build below a translucent floor.

 

Every bedroom in SL other than in General areas is gonna have mirrors over the beds and couches and showers and anywhere else they gonna be slexin.. hehehehe

[Hecate Copperfield]

3 hours ago, Sid Nagy said:

Why a mirror in SL?
Just cam around your avatar if you want to see how pretty you are or if hair is peeking trough at the wrong spots.

That's all you really need. I use a 3d Space Navigator to view in 360 degrees.

[Ardy Lay]

7 hours ago, Rick Daylight said:

Years back I happened upan a free optical illusion, not sure if it was on the MP or a freebie from a hunt (my faulty memory says both)...

It's a door-ish-sized thing you can rez, that when you look through the opening, gives the appearance of there being a corridor down it with a door at the end. The corridor appears 'real', you can move about looking into it and see either side of its walls, just as if it was really there. But it isn't. There is no corridor, the thing isn't that long, and you can walk around it but not into the optical illusion corridor.

Despite searching the inventory of all my alts, I can't find it and, of course, cannot remember what it might be called. Nor can I remember at all how the trick was done, although I did figure it out by taking the thing apart. It was years ago though and I've forgotten and cannot recreate it, which I want to do in a build if I can replicate the way it was done.

Anyone have any idea what I'm talking about? It might not be as good or useful as I remember... or it might.

I have a thing like this.  It is called "Portal Effect".  I was going to show you where I found it on Marketplace but the store is now empty.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Ardy Lay

[Artorius Constantine]

2 hours ago, Ardy Lay said:

I have a thing like this.  It is called "Portal Effect".  I was going to show you where I found it on Marketplace but the store is now empty.

I just came here to say this. I don't remember if it's transferable or not though. It's definitely what the OP is looking for.

[Rick Nightingale]

Yes - that's it! Portal Effect - and I found it in my inventory in an old hunt folder (really helps knowing the name). Thank you!

@Ardy Lay I just realized you gave it to me as well... spotted it in my objects folder (I have auto accept on so didn't notice it arrive). Thank you very much indeed!

5 hours ago, Hecate Copperfield said:

That's all you really need. I use a 3d Space Navigator to view in 360 degrees.

Me too - Fantastic devices for camming around in SL. Got mine (SpaceMouse Wireless) years back for use in Blender (don't know how folks manage to navigate in that with the keyboard!)

I sit with my right hand on the mouse and left on the SpaceMouse when in SL. Click a button on the Space to enter flycam mode, and another to return to avatar view and move.

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Rick Daylight

[Rick Nightingale]

For those wondering what it is... here's a video:

 

And yes... it's done with projectors.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Rick Daylight

[Maryanne Solo]

Noooo nooo noooo!!! 😭
I wanna real mirror!! 😱
This simply can't be true....

Waaaaaah!!!......... *bottom lip trembling....

[Hecate Copperfield]

4 hours ago, Rick Daylight said:

Yes - that's it! Portal Effect - and I found it in my inventory in an old hunt folder (really helps knowing the name). Thank you!

@Ardy Lay I just realized you gave it to me as well... spotted it in my objects folder (I have auto accept on so didn't notice it arrive). Thank you very much indeed!

Me too - Fantastic devices for camming around in SL. Got mine (SpaceMouse Wireless) years back for use in Blender (don't know how folks manage to navigate in that with the keyboard!)

I sit with my right hand on the mouse and left on the SpaceMouse when in SL. Click a button on the Space to enter flycam mode, and another to return to avatar view and move.

 

That's exactly how I use mine. I now use the second one I bought almost ten years ago and it is a wired version. Still works perfectly. Like you, I can't imagine how folk get by in SL without one. You might be able to pick up a secondhand one cheap on Ebay or invest in a new one.

[Wulfie Reanimator]

14 hours ago, Rick Daylight said:

Thank you for the replies. Nothing on the MP looks like what I had (it was a 'doorway' to an illusionary corridor) but it's probably the same technique.

The idea of using a projector like that though... that might do it. Hadn't thought of that but I get how that works. Hmm.

I probably know which object you mean, I have it somewhere in my inventory but can't look up the creator right now. (They have it on MP for free and full perm, and it uses 5 projectors (one for each wall/floor/ceiling) to create a square hallway from the game Portal. The back wall has a circular door on it.)

It's pretty easy to make from scratch, you just need a surface with Shininess, and point a projector at it.

Edit: nvm lol I'm 5 hours late.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Wulfie Reanimator

[Rick Nightingale]

It's OK Wulfie - check a couple of posts up

[SarahKB7 Koskinen]

According to legend, the Portal was originally created by it's creator as a puzzle or test for a friend to try to work out how the effect was achieved. It has since been passed around and has achieved a much wider audience that continues to mystify and please people in SL.

On closer examination, it's done with a collection of tiny hidden light projectors projecting a series of textures onto an oval shaped screen to create the illusion of a three-dimensional corridor or room. Some creative types have since recreated the Portal with their own versions, some even improving or expanding on the original version.

Due to it's nature as an optical illusion achieved with lights, the Portal only works with Advanced Lighting Model (ALM) enabled, otherwise the Portal appears only as a flat black panel to those with ALM switched off.

Edited November 3, 2022 by SarahKB7 Koskinen

[Wulfie Reanimator]

1 minute ago, SarahKB7 Koskinen said:

According to legend, the Portal was originally created by it's creator as a puzzle or test for a friend to try to work out how the effect was achieved.

The legend is true. 🙂

[Rick Nightingale]

Back when I first had it I changed the oval to a rectangle (just change the prim shape) and got rid of the outer, bright ring. Then put it in a proper door frame in a wall.

Yeah, there are a set of projectors with parts of the image on them arranged in front and hidden. Not so mysterious to me as it was five years ago, lol. (I knew what projectors were, but had no idea you could do a trick like that with them)

Edited November 3, 2022 by Rick Daylight