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Lanas Criss

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Everything posted by Lanas Criss

  1. My best advice would be to find a distinctive focus or theme for your efforts, especially if you're 'new' to everyone. I have several successful and a few not so successful friends and collaborators, and without doubt those who have a particularly unique look or style that is consistent throughout their work are most successful in my experience. More often than not, more unrelated variety has not proven to be better for sales or brand recognition, especially early on when you're building a name for yourself. I, and I suspect you and most everyone else, have a favorite this or that shop (casual, formal, lace, latex, springtime fluffy, hippie colors, indoor furniture, outdoor furniture, clocks, birds, frisky toys etc). These are the places that stick in your mind and that keep you coming back for more. They're also the places you recommend to others which is obviously good for business. The short of it is try not to just put up a smattering of nice but unrelated things. I've been surprised over and over that some of the wildest most out there products I've collaborated on have done well because they appealed to a group of folks who shared an enthusiasm for that special niche of the market. Think about where you shop and why then try to understand and how they present themselves and use that to guide your 'branding' (do they use consistent colors, shape, textures, design, vendor, billboard themes etc). Lyra and Blaze are so right when they talk about the time and expense of doing it well and successfully so don't get discouraged early, but also don't dilute your brand with anything and everything in an attempt to succeed (adding rubber ducks to your airplane shop probably won't improve sales of either). Just some thoughts from observations over the years... Enjoy your entrepreneurship! Lanas
  2. If you've found one you really like you could IM the creator and ask if the open mouth yelling is part of a script you that you don't have to use. Most of those expressions are done with some sort of a HUD or script because if you tuck an expression into an animation it only works for a second or two at the beginning unless you do some special tricks. It's worth asking anyway. Lanas
  3. Ms Furse, that has to be the happiest bunch of ladies being frisky on a beautiful morning that I've seen... its not pictures this time, but you're still putting up pleasantly distracting posts... good grief, I have yard work to do, but I'll be humming this little tune right out the door into the back yard... I'll try not to spin around or do any little look over the shoulder on tip toes for the neighbors. Thanks again for this one I'd never heard or seen before... Lanas
  4. Thanks Mr. Ceriano, I VOTED! (Not trying to be all formal using your last name and all... but since you actually HAVE a last name I took pride in thanking you while using it) It's up over 1400 now PeeWee (I was 1453)... Fingers crossed... (although expectations are low ) Funny thing was I tried to boink the vote button a bunch of times just to make my point, but it took my vote back with every other click. The Lindens aren't playing with voter fraud that's for sure. (Now if they'd just get serious about putting the names back in good order...) Thanks again Dres Lanas
  5. Sadly, proper names like they used to be would avoid all this monkeybusiness... alas, no hope on the horizon that I'm aware of... Did I miss somewhere to vote for first and last names to comeback? (I'll beg in humiliating fashion if it will help) Lanas
  6. I tried making faces, but I got sent to the corner to put my nose on the wall... I've learned my lesson... well, I told them I learned my lesson... anywho Lanas
  7. This catchy tune was on at the gym the other day while I was doing my thing... whhhaachhaaa. I hate to admit that I really like it because its actually a very mean song if you take in the lyrics, but it just makes me move, shake and wiggle... so what can I do... I have to admit I like it cause it moves me Enjoy the wiggle! Lanas
  8. I'll add another vote for cool nights sleeping under thick fluffy quilts... aahhhhh.
  9. Oh, the exciting Noob days of camping... oh ohhhh... 1...2.......3... oh ohhh I just need a few more... just a few... mmmmm... oohhhh I can't wait... 8..9........10! L$10!! now that beautiful dress will be mine! (noob standards apply regarding the beauty of the awfully colored and worsely detailed L$10 dress of course) Enjoy your Noobie memories! Lanas
  10. The most amazing thing that ridiculously improved all the avatars I see was a new big box computer that my husband plugged into the TV. Now I get to sit in a comfy chair with a wireless keyboard and mouse while watching SL come to life in way more beautiful ways than I could have ever expected. I know that's not where you were going with this thread, but since I'm stuck on a work trip away from home with my laptop I'm seeing the sad old SL I was used to and just had to comment (sharp edges, awkward shapes etc). The great news is that there's something you can personally do to improve things without waiting for LL. Perhaps LL thinks they've already done a good job and they're just waiting for all of us to get computers that bring it to life? I'll keep my fingers crossed for the mesharoni and plenty of polygons, but in the meantime I'm thankful for what a new computer did for me and might be able to do for you. Lanas
  11. Miyo, Thanks for the vote of confidence regarding the Joys of Sandboxing... it is true, and it has always been enjoyable time well spent! Maybe I'll see you with your toes in the sand one of these days Enjoy all the creativity and inspiration you can find! Lanas
  12. Probably far to simple an answer, but you're here and I'm here so we are the target audience. I'm little bits and crumbs of plenty of these posts, but I'm also full of contradictions to many of the stereotypes and descriptions of the typical resident. I suspect most of us are very unique and have very personal reasons for being here since SL is not a win, lose, chase, dodge, puzzle, suspense, roleplay, live, die, collect, build, fantasy, romance, sci-fi 'game' all by itself and on it's own. It takes all sorts of us to turn SL into all of the things it is for reasons and motivations that are all our own. The fun for me has been watching dreams, wishes and 'communities' come, go, and grow into completely unexpected things. For a few cherished quite hours a week I get to play, visit, and share in a world that expects nothing of me other than what I'm comfortable contributing. Enjoy being part of the Target Audience Lanas
  13. I've been lucky enough to shake them loose a couple times by TPing out of the skybox I was in to a shop or sandbox that I knew was on the ground. If that didn't do it then I was stuck with your frustrating relog solution. Not that it helps, but I've noticed it happening more to me and one other friend when we were in a ridiculously high skybox... so avoid being too high unless of course that's where the fun is. Good Luck! Lanas
  14. Where do we plead to get last names back?... I know that's an old worn out argument... but it's so sad seeing so many strange combinations of letters and numbers floating around out there as 'names'... just doesn't feel neighborly... I'll quite whining and go quietly into my corner and shed a tear or two.
  15. Absolutely L$10 is not irrelevant!... although it's not too much of a bother for me now, so I really shouldn't toss fuel on Josh's fire and simply stay comfortably in Chelsea's quiet resignation camp... but I can remember way back to when camping to reach L$10, one single linden at a time, really made that L$10 all sorts of relevant Sorry to poke... but I kinda sorta felt Josh's pain Enjoy and fight to protect your precious $Ls everyone! Lanas
  16. I'd be all sorts of interested in learning some magic to fix what you're talking about, but alas I'm not sure there is a perfect solution. Fortunately there's some easy scripts for furniture, and anything for pure poseballs is no problem, but even if a hug script compared avatar height you'd still have dangly different arms to deal with (although it would be a great start I suppose). The best I've come up with is if you're doing something for a particular community of giants for example I've simply had them send me an example of their shape and through trial and error on the 'Beta Grid' I've made their 'pick up and choke the little guy' animation sets specifically for them. The problem with making specialized animations like that is that you have to sell them to giants who want to pick up and choke little fellows... less L$'s for you of course but its still all fun and creative therapy. It is just impossible from what I've experienced to begin to predict how some of the arm, height, shape combinations will connect in a handshake, kiss, or hug but I'll share what I do to try my best. For animations for 'normal' sizes and situations I actually have three male and three female shapes that I try them on just to see how bad they sink in the floor or where the hands end up on the hips or where the lips meet in a kiss and I try my best to get a happy medium where the animations looks great on all of them, but honestly it's reallly realllly hard if not impossible. Usually I end up with a great animation set for the middle 'average' pair of shapes and then the bigger and small sizes end up at least not looking ridiculous, and that's when I call them done. Perhaps a pro like Medhue or someone else will chime in and I'll be all ears, but short of a miracle from them those compromise tips are the best I can offer. Enjoy your animating! Lanas
  17. Glad you liked it Muffin, seemed like you might. @Tristizia, I'd so like to be into the In-World SL shop right now, but alas I'm on the road and MarketPlace is all that can scratch the itch at the moment If you're ever on a sad slow laptop that just won't take you on an SL trip then MarketPlace can be a tasty distraction... try it, you'll like it! Enjoy Lanas
  18. https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/19MC-COVERALL-02-KhakiLadies/1700899 This is still on my 'favorite' list because I've only been window shopping until I can actually get back 'In-World' after a trip I'm on, but it may work for you. There's a gentleman's style and various colors as well. Looked well done to me. Enjoy your shopping! Lanas
  19. I have to second Marianne's suggestion to use Nam's skin Windlight monkeybusiness. I'm not on right now and can't remember how many Nam's variations there are, but there's three or four if I remember correctly. You'll likely enjoy one of them and you'll just end up using it most of the time since it makes everyone look a smidgen better in my opinion. You may have all your sliders happy already and it's just the light that's doing you wrong. Like yourself I used to be frustrated with bad shadows and a completely different look when I finished with the 'Appearance' work so I started carrying around this botched sculty attempt of a Magic Light Wand in the picture. I tucked a little soft light in the top so it acted like a face light most of the time but without the otherworldly glow from nowhere that I didn't really enjoy if I was using a proper face light. That Wand light made me look almost as good as when I was adjusting things in the 'Appearance' just like you'd mentioned. With the Nam's Windlight fun I really don't need the Wand anymore, but I'm so used to carrying it I just still do for fun... Its somewhat of a conversation piece now anyway. I know I give up some of the more subtle shades and shadows with the Nam Windlight, but I'm so much happier overall its worth it for me. The almost strange Nam glow makes for a somewhat 'Heavenly' Second Life. Good luck playing with your Windlight... its painless and fun! Lanas
  20. http://www.youtube.com/user/phoenixviewersl This is a tutorial video demonstrating how to easily set up your Firestorm viewer to look and behave more like Phoenix and other V1 viewers. ______________________________________________________________________________ Merkin, this may be an early Christmas present just for you... You didn't mention playing with Phoenix or Firestorm (or I missed it), but this may be your easy answer... I looooove it! I even played with Linden's Snowglobe forever just because it 'felt' right even though the 'Official' viewer had moved on... and on... and on... Jessica, the project manager, clearly had you in mind since she mentions working hard to make Firestorm "very V1~able". Clearly there's hope for you and so many others like us. Get all the Mesharoni support you need and all the V2/3 features you want while feeling like you never left V1 (that's a little but not too much overboard... anywho) Try it, you'll enjoy the refreshing V1~ish favors! Lanas
  21. The title says it all... I was just working on some animations with a funny prop that had these sort of spiral horn things on it and I had a flashback to Harbinger's Haven Sandbox. Quite a while ago I remember sitting hypnotized watching this MadCow fellow craft the wildest things with effortless ease. I finally got up the nerve to ask how in the world he made those horns since I couldn't see any instructions for them on all the helpful boards on the walls. I'd already tried just about everything with no luck. His answer was quick and clear and next thing I knew I had several of my own giant wooden horns sitting around with no possible use other than the pride of creation but I was so very happy and proud. Eventually I found uses for that wacky building trick, but most importantly my flashback made me remember how fun it was to get help from a genius and how friendly the folks seemed while we all played in the 'Sandbox'. Which brings me to the question to see if anyone else has fond memories of places where your creativity blossomed or you were taught that skill or trick that changed your Second Life for the better~~~ Where'd you learn to do that?
  22. As I read this OP I'd just left a Freebie Free For All place helping out a friend. That was the first time I'd seen plenty of Newbs in a while and given what I just saw and Giadda's comments all that stuck in my head was~ Mine, mine mine.... mine.... MINE Mine... :smileysurprised: The experience was just like being caught in a huge flock of those silly seagulls from that Nemo fish movie... sadly hilarious OP Giadda. p.s. I escaped with only a half dozen friend requests, and surprisingly I didn't get the 'hyye beby where do the sexts wit me?'... although it was only a four minute 'exposure' so they may have simply been waiting for me to do the friend acceptance. Ohh, to be a Newb again... Enjoy the Newbs, you were them once (although maybe not quite so Newbish) 
  23. Ishy, I know I think differently from others... or was I just hoping I did... maybe I don't... but wait everybody does, right? What was the question again? Sorry Mr Bekes, not trying to mock the question it's just that I always get a snicker out of Ishy's comments. Maybe Willow will even show up to make me smile. Amazing, skilled, and inspiring characters are all over SL. If you don't have any luck in the forums just hike around some sandboxes for a while. Enjoy your endeavors!
  24. Mid 20's... 'Me' before responsibilities... Although no longer in my 20's I'm still having plenty of fun because isn't the saying "You're as young as you feel"? 
  25. Took a minute to snap a photo of the other 'accessory' I'd mentioned that follows my formal outfits routinely. I have others that sparkle more, are bigger, brighter, any number of more conspicuous features, but this one is comfortable and never disappoints. I should have gotten a close up, but I've already 'played' too much today... you'll simply have to imagine the wonderful snowflake shapes.  
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