Codex Alpha

Dunno, hope she gets back to us about these replies...

Computer specs are not the problem, and are not the sole reason people come and leave Second Life. If the user wants to play the latest Battlefield game, and lacks the specs, they will go out and upgrade their computer to do so. I've never had much problem running SL, at any point, and I am slow to upgrade and run a just-above average computer (though I know how to optimize it). If they want to 'play', they will facilitate themselves to do so. If they're lost, confused, unsure, and bored, they're just going to close SL and uninstall - its that simple. Freya Mokusei wrote: I feel like I should add that I flippin' love Second Life - the negatives in this scenario would be caused by incredibly poor knowledge of what encourages users to come here rather than specific issues with the platform on its own. Second Life does well when people can seek it out because they are interested in the concepts and community that's already here. Yes, whenever the subject of SL's success, decline or plateau comes up in conversation, the community generally takes to blaming the user's computer specs as being the issue, rather than the usabilty, UI, tutorials, search engines, or even the practices of land owners and creators in contributing to usability issues, lag, etc. "Blame the user" is actually common. It excuses all discussions of how LL can improve the situation. Now they're off putting their eggs in a VR system....

All I know is I want to make the highest quality, most efficient models for Second Life as possible, from LODs to textures, so LI bonuses or not will not change my approach. I learned mesh just from the thrill of packing more details into an object than I could do with prims. I haven't rebuilt any of my building projects in mesh yet (still working up to that in mesh). The one thing I hate is LOD4 (Lowest?). It doesn't matter what I do to make the model, if it's anythingmore than a 1-plane billboard, I am punished astronomically for it. Nothing make crumples down to that, without looking like anything anyway. Perthaps I am missing something using too many materials (for functionality, buttons, effects,etc), or I'm missing some trick on keeping the texture on straight on lower LODs.. Other than the posts on the forums here, there isn't much specifics on how to optimize or even organize your decimation down, so I do my best. So now I just do LOD1, optimize my LOD2, destroy (but try to maintain silouhette) of LOD3, and let LOD4 be damned. Try crumpling down a multipart piece into 3 triangles so you dont get charged 20Li for having 64 verts....

Yes, they could use an update. Style is subjective so I won't agree or disagree on that. What makes them feel small or big are the discrepancy in avatar sizes and realistic scale. I've never had a problem with avatar size in said homes because I have an average/default scaled avatar that I've had from day one. I'm probably still to tall, still coming in at 6 feet (but if I shrink my avatar any smaller than default, i look like a child) - especially standing next to an 'average man' in SL who seems to be 8 foot tall for some reason. Next, the actual texture size in the homes is crazy. Change the textures to a scale size (tiles at least 0.25m each), suddenly you would notice the walls are 16 feet. It goes on and on and the debate rages on. I make my products with the default avatar size in mind, from gadgets to furniture and future products. As you can see, I can fit a living room set in a fraction of the 'available living room' in this LInden Home.. In fact I could fit a small cafe or restaurant, complete with lounge area and bathrooms (and outdoor diner's patio) if I the Li allowed me to.  Space is not an issue - rather the scale is an issue. Also, I dont care if my Linden Home was meant to be temporary, for all intents and purposes it has been my base, my workspace, my lab, w/e I've used it for (with premium sandboxes). I too, would like them to be updated (at the least), freshened up with new and optimized and scaled textures, etc. Nothing wrong with updating something that works, and can still work for years to come - a fresh coat of paint never hurt anyone or anything. But most of all? I hate that fireplace. Too big, too 70's and is an eyesore (I cover it up)

Why am I not surprised that you consistently post like this because it is a sock account for you. If you don't want to help op, why bother posting. You just make the forums more hostile.

Many of you think people come and leave SL because of their computers? Those weren't the main complaints from all the people I knew that have all left, maybe to never come back. Their issues were not knowing what to do, where to go, how to do it, and wondering what there is to do anyway after they figure that out. The complaints weren't about lag, or the price of things - it was figuring out what to do other than rent a house an run a 3d Virtual chat room in it's living room. If SL was bundled with WIndows, it would perform fine on any modern machine easily from this point on. It would also get great exposure and a new influx of new and eager members... that will leave again because of aforementioned reasons.

Yes, not sure why I get this result, as I am following the node setup in the tutorial, which seems to make sense, but the resultant image is not what I expected (please refer to images in the article). Thanks for the tip though, I will watch for that in other instances.

Thank you for asking this question, as I was seeking to do the same thing myself, as I am using more Cycles now getting out of the Blender Render realm finally. I found this article on Blender Stack Exchange that answers the question nicely, with node setups. VanillaSunsets wrote: I would like to bake a simple normal map from a procedural material. Nothing fancy, just metal with some rust spots on it. I want to upload that to SL like I did my normal maps that I baked in Internal. It bakes a flat normal map when I try to do this. "When you bake the normal map, you are converting the XYZ component of each surface's point normal vector into the correspective RGB color (according to the type of calculation: object, tangent..) It is something that is not related with textures or shading, just geometry. The result is correct, every point of your surface has a normal pointing out (local Z axis). That's where the blueish color is coming from (XYZ=>RGB)." - Normal Pass Is Generated From Face's Normal Vector VanillaSunsets wrote: To me it seems you can only bake normals from high to low poly in Cycles? I did not create a high poly coz I simply do not need one. It is a simple object, no small details that would need a high poly version. I want to fake the little detail it has (the rust) with some displacement and bake that to a normal map. I know I can make a normal map in other software, like Crazybump or Gimp, but that would give me less control to fine tune it. Am I missing something, is there a way around this? "What you probably are trying to bake is the Color of the Normal Map. Maybe you have combined several maps or some of them are a procedural textures converted with the bump node... What you need to do is to bake the Emission Pass (one of the fastest to bake you'll need just 1 sample, as with SSS Color, Glossy Color, Diffuse Color...) of an Emission shader with Strength=1 that has the color you want in input" - Example of baking the Normal from procedural textures I followed this setup myself baking out an Emit instead, though my colors were not the same blue-shaded result (I'll have to figure out why that is);  It still works inworld on a default cube, however. The cube on the left is bump only, the right has default Specular applied;  Hope that helps, as it certainly has helped me. I could use Crazybump, or GIMP as well, but I'm trying to learn Blender inside and out, and keep it all 'in-house' if possible. If you find any new information on this, or find a better way, please get back to me. Good luck!

Welcome to the Second Life Marketplace. Much like Yelp and other online review sites, there are only 2 kinds of reviewers. 5 star reviewers who are the friends of the business, or fanatical about their muffins. or the 1 star angry customer who posts a completely opposite point of view. "The muffins are disgusting and rotten!" Most people don't leave reviews if they are satisfied with your product. Most people won't give you any feedback of any sort, because most people are shy about criticism, or feel they would be rude by pointing out what could be improved. The other side are pissed off enough to bother, and always go 1-star. This is why Youtube and other sites eliminated the 5 star system. People either 1 starred or 5 starred videos, and didn't explain or give context to a 2-4 star anyway. So now we only have thumbs up and thumbs down, like or dislike. I personally think the review system is pointless. Much like it is pointless on every other shopping site on the internet, from Amazon to Walmart, its all 1 star or 5 star... 'amazing' or '**bleep** product'. I can't make any decisions with such opposing reviews. When I leave an actual constructive review myself (I don't bother leaving a review unless it is helpful or it is very bad), all I get is threats to report me to LL, hostility in my PMs, other problems. WHy? Because people don't want honest reviews or feedback, really. You either worship their work, or keep quiet - that's what they really want. So in the end, it's pointless. I get more reviews, if any from what is missing, or should be in a product, or what the buyer would have rather had... nothing related to the product itself - and I am open to constructive feedback, for learning and improvement. Other customers use it to blackmail you into a refund - when it is not the shortcoming of your product is at issue, but rather their ability to read, understand and implement the use of your product, or understand what it actually is and does. So now I don't care. I can't change the system, the reviews will continue to be unrelated to the product itself, and either be 1 star or 5 star, and I won't be held hostage by faulty reviews. So now I just respond to their review, productive or not, and use it to make another sale. Let me shed a tear for someone who paid 20 cents for one of my products, that I probably spend 20 hours learning how to make, who wants to use a review system to try to manipulate me and others. That being said, many customers do contact me inworld, not usually with complaints but with individual need requests, and I'm more than happy to oblige if possible - because I want to improve and make people happy ffs. That's the internet for you. An amazing place but filled with vitriol that can (and has) eat(en) me alive.

paulinetaylor2015 wrote: Im 35 f Scotland uk looking for a sl class that can teach me like drawing, painting, sketching, I have all the materials I need if I need it for digital wise Im sure I can look for free downloads. SL is inefficient and inworld classes are slow. You may be held back by the speed and/or knowledge of the instructors, and your classmates who ask questions about the simplest of things. YouTube is a great resource for learning anything you want to know. Google or other search engines can point you to more information. 99% of the things I have learned have been through the internet, which is a world library at your fingertips. What I would find valuable though, that does lack because I do not attend a school or program, is a mentor. Mentors can save you time when you get stuck, or give you a tip that can accelerate your learning. Also, techniques are good to learn, but you will find out quickly that it is the WORKFLOW everyone keeps secret. How you go about solving a problem is more valuable than technique. So finding a mentor or guide for yourself in SL or otherwise might help you more than direct instruction. After all, in the end, you will be doing the drawing, sketching, painting, etc yourself, through hours and hours of applied practice. Go for it and good luck.

#1: No matter what your art, hobby or activity you want to do, it must be on hand and ready to go. This means that if you are music enthusiast, that keyboard/piano/DAW must be set up in the corner and ready to go at a moments notice. The guitar cable is plugged in. The speakers are on standby. That amp is out of the closet and ready to be played through. If you are an illustrator, painter your easel is up and ready to go. Your paints are out and ready to go (of course with the caps on). The pencils and crayons are there in the tray to grab at a moment's notice. There is a canvas up, or paper to draw on. Nothing is packed away. If your spouse makes you clean up your stuff, dump your spouse and marry the hobby equipment instead. Nothing must stop or distract you. #2: You must do it every day, come hell or high water, good and bad, brilliant and garbage. You will not paint a masterpiece, you will not create your opus, etc without doing anything towards it. Whether it be a new technique, following a tutorial, doing random stuff.. DO something. As I have always said. Want to do art? Do art. Want to make music? Make music, make noise, make crap. Just do it. Not every day will be inspiring. This is why you must paint something, sing something, play something, write something - It may be crap, but you must get through crap to get to the gold. #3 Screw everyone else, they're subjective Don't worry about what others think about your art, they're too subjective or have ulterior motives to flatter or degrade your art. If you want feedback go to a professional for the honest truth. Hoard your stuff and show noone if you have to. #4 Proper sleep, get some exercise like walking, eat what's good for you. Bad sleep? Don't exercise? Don't eat well? This is not good for a brain that wants to be high-functioning, creative and alive. Go for a walk, go to work for 4 hours a day, eat foods your body loves and gives you energy back. Most of all, in all of these points, just do it. Mental blocks rarely exist. If I have a mental block regarding music, 3D, drawing, painting, or w/e, then I'll just go replicate something, learn a technique, watch a tutorial, etc. Oh did I say. Just do it? And don't let anyone or anything stand in your way.

Clearly advertising of a product by a sock account trying to bypass forum rules. Hey guys, anyone seen this cube? Oh it's me.

I've noticed this too on some products. They claim to be 'modify or copy' but it's only the box it came prepackaged in (which obscures the permissions on the actual product on the Marketplace). You open/copy the box into your inventory, and the product is actually no modify. Not sure if the merchant would do this on purpose, or was just listing the permissions on the box. Kind of a gray area, and open to mistakes (or in extreme cases fraud) and hard to report. Best thing to do is contact the merchant.

Ha, for some reason I may have got your concerns backwards. Of course its always cheaper going annual... I don't know anymore.. oh well I was trying to help, lol

I don't need bigger Linden Home, because look, I can fit an entire living room set (and a whole restaurant or club at scale) inside my Linden home.  The 'bedroom' in this house I can park 2 cars in. The 'living room' on the ground floor you can run a coffee shop with approximately 10 tables and chairs in, complete with a stage for open mics, and even room for a kitchen and bathrooms. More LI is actually good, because it's hard enough to fill this space as is. The answer is to make default scale furniture, textures and houses, and get people to zoom in on their cameras more (like WoW over the shoulder is closer) or even 1st person. A birds eye view is exaggerated (I dont even like it personally). Of course, using less land is a threat to land ownership and rentals, but those of us who are not fooled into making Beanstalk-Giant sized avatars and Big Comfy Couches that are 10feet high know the truth.

Hahaha I can just see that. Yes, you can use AO or Animation Overrides. Don't know where you can find them in SL though. Try the animation merchants, and if they don't have any in stock, ask them to make some. Not sure if you can do the same using Gestures, as I rarely use them, if ever. Can't wait to see your avatar tripping all over themselves ha.

I've always been a bit skeptical on VR, since it returns every 7 years or so, in some new hype-filled manner, but then fails to truly take off, because many of the issues and obstacles still remain. I post this for information purposes, to also caution about anyone or corporations putting all their eggs into the VR basket, and to encourage also (regardless of Sansar) for Linden Lab to give more love, updates, UI, engine optimizations, beginner tutorials, creator tools, etc into existing Second Life - because there is still more that can be done. Here is a good link I came across that details why VR still sucks. My personal opinion? VR is a nice gimmick, until you get seasick using it, your neck hurts because of all the weight on your head, also the heat produced that makes it unusable in warmer climes... and the overexaggeration about 'immersion' that constantly accompanies this tech. In a nutshell: VR will take off if Sansar includes POV sex, with vibrational devices strapped on the right areas.(Sorry, I had to be crude, but its true). VR tennis? Who cares. VR Second Life sim with pretentious art? Who cares. Much like waving your arms around at a giant screen ala Minority Report (giving RL users rotator cuff injuries), rather than a more efficient wrist move using a mouse, these are examples of practicality vs experience. Maybe you have your own opinions. VR a gimmick? Will Sansar take off on a gimmick?

Nalytha wrote: Premium for one year: $72 Premium for one year paying monthly WITH the $5 discount: $109.25 Both methods get you a weekly stipend plus the 45 day bonus (for new memberships) but one costs significantly more. For reference: Premium Account Plans Premium Account Paid Monthly: $109.25 ( $4.75 first month only + ( $9.50 monthly x 11) ) - $4 (Bonus stipend) - $57.60 (monthly stipend) = $48(rounded annual) / 12 = $4 / mnth. Special Note: You do not recieve the $1000L bonus stipend until you have been a member for 45 days. Premium Account Annual: $72 (annual) - $4 (Bonus stipend) - $57.60 (monthly stipend) = $10.40 (annual) / 12 = $0.87 / mnth. My Current Premium Annual Account: (no bonus stipend for returning members) $72 (annual) - (bonus n/a) - $57.60 ( monthly stipend) = $14.40 (annual) / 12 = $1.20 / mnth

Never use Auto-Renewal on anything - across the internet. In SL, LL will first check your Account Balance in USD, and take what they need out of that. If you have banking information on file, it will then deduct any shortcomings from that. If your bank account is linked somehow (perhaps through a linked PayPal account), any shortcomings will be taken out of your personal bank account (through Paypal).

Teddythepervert wrote: I'm thinking about upgrade. From phenom II to fx 6300. Will it make any difference in second life performance ? Since AMD FX6300 is only $125, yes upgrade if it fits the socket on your current motherboard. However, a new graphics card will increase your ability to run and enjoy Second Life more. This will also have to fit your motherboard. Next, because of your increased video card, you may need more power, so now you may also have to consider a new PSU for your system.

No need to be confused, they explain each point clearly. "Premium members are entitled to a Linden Home and can own parcels on the Mainland." As a Premium Member you have the ability to purchase and own Mainleand parcels. A freemium member cannot. As far as I know this is not any different. Read their policies for more details. You get Linden Home for free, but you must purchase/pay monthly rent/tier on a mainland parcel. "Now, we're raising the limit on the number of prims you can use in those spaces" As far as I understand, Li counts go up across the board. The only difference is that freemium members cannot own land nor get a free Linden Home, so are subject to whatever landowners want to do - how many prims they get. I would assume they would stick to simliar counts as always eg. 175 (instead of 117) for a starter parcel. What really counts is something to celebrate is having more Li/Prims available to build with. Linden Homes and small mainland parcels were very hard to do anything with because the LI was so low. This, along with optimized mesh models, should open up some options for even small parcel owners. " select monthly (every one month) billing for your SL account. The fifty percent (50%) discount will be applied to your first month's bill and future months will be billed at the standard Premium Membership price (currently US$9.50 per month)." You forgot that you may recieve a $300L or up stipend, which effectively is cash back (in USD dollars) to your account each month. So eg. Pay $72 for 12 months, but recieve 12 X 1200L(permonth) back (approx $24). So your monthly cost is more like $48, divide that by 12, and you're really only paying $4 a month. If you can generate Linden $ inworld, you can reduce, even eliminate that cost - and in many cases make a profit. Just do the math, read the details. If anything, Premium needs MORE benefits, for long time users such as myself in some ways its not really a benefit (other than a Linden Home base) and weekly stipend back.

Frankly I have found few mesh clothing that doesn't simply make me look frumpy, or that I'm wearing a hand-me down. I've bought some nice jackets and pants and stuff, but don't wear them because in the end they look oversized and stiff when compared to my outdated (but sleek) avatar-based clothing designs. I'm still wearing "Average Male Shape" default from the day I joined SL. Perhaps it is not me who is outdated but designers who need to rig or design better fitting mesh wear for me

Brota Kornfeld wrote: Doesn't seem like it, since my other animated textures aren't being flagged Moderate You can thank me for my attention to detail. The product you quoted as being flagged 'moderate' is the only animated texture product listing in which you have used; "animated,textures,freebie,free,sci-fi,science fiction,screens,terminals,monitors,alien,**bleep**ysis" in the keyword list. See? Even the forum bleeps out a portion of a word that it thinks is 'mature'.

Item and listing flaggers don't necessarily have to be stalkers. They can be just average shoppers like myself frustrated with unrelated listings popping up in categories the don't belong, or items listed as freebies when they are $5L, or a host of other things. Using accurate product titles, descriptions and keywords goes a long way to not only keeping the Marketplace an efficient way to search for things, but also to have people find your stuff more easily (or at least in the ballpark of what they are looking for). LL makes up the final decision on the flagged item anyway, and if someone is flagging you incorrectly, it will be them that gets in hot water, not you. REQUEST: I understand you must be into branding yourself, but is it necessary to put your store title first in every product listing?

I don't see any parameter in the LSL documentation under prim_point_light, to assign the light as a spotlight, nor the ability to set its spotlight texture. Am I missing something? Never noticed until now that I would like to use some scripting to change these features. Or can this only be set on the prim/mesh on rez and use inworld? Thanks.