New World Notes

Here's What the Designers of SL 2's Avatars Can Learn from Second Life's Own Dreadful Defaults

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

A few days ago, Hamlet and I were discussing Second Life's avatars and, more specifically, how SL 2 could do potentially do better. Second Life's current avatar is so unpleasant that players have been working against it and its limitations almost from the very beginning, so there must certainly be lessons to learn from it, right? A key to how Linden Lab might "get it right" this time?

Well there is, and it's surprisingly simple...

How to Confirm RL Lawyers in Second Life are RL Lawyers

The SL Bar Association has an Attorney Credentialing Process to confirm that a designated member and Second Life user is, in fact, a real life lawyer offline. Costs L$2,750 to do, so a pretty good deal; however, as the site adds, "The SLBA does NOT guarantee that the information provided is correct... the Credential Check is made in reliance on information supplied by the person, his/her firm or employer, and the bar association." Then again, this is true in real life too, so when talking with someone in Second Life claiming to be an RL lawyer, do your due diligence. I learned about this service after some questions were raised about the credentials of real life lawyer and SL Bar Association member Agenda Faromet, who I often cite here, and who often comments on this blog through her SL alt, Vaki. But as she answers those questions:

Where's the Coverage of Second Life Vehicle Communities? (Comment of the Week)

Last week (well technically, almost two weeks ago), Iris posted this lovely SL flying machinima above, and reader Phadrus Karu responded with an angry comment:

The breadth and scope of vehicles in virtual worlds is vast; Second Life is no exception. Consider this, everyone in Second Life possess at least one vehicle in their inventory. Yet, how often is this topic featured by major publications whose sole focus is Second Life itself? Indeed, the few individuals who dedicate their efforts on producing such material via social media find themselves consistently marginalized and sidelined in favor of fashion designer #523, gardener #394, interior designer #483, architect #604, breedable maker #271 and abstract artist #893.

Fair points, to which I have some replies, but first let's let Phadrus Karu unleash just a little bit more:

Graphics Pioneer Ken Perlin on Valve's VR System: "A threshold has been crossed, and I have seen another world."

Ken Perlin recently got a demo of Valve's VR system, and because Ken's a computer graphics/VR/avatar development pioneer (Valve used his software as a reference for the character animations in Half-Life 2), I'm inclined to take his assessment seriously. And he assesses spectacularly:

What is different about this demo is that they have all the little details right, and this is an area in which all the little details really matter. As you move your head, the world moves around you as though you are really there, with none of those little delays that tell your subconscious that what you are seeing is fake.

Here's a look at the demo he was seeing in full VR, and his final takeaway:

What Second Life Thing Are You? (Warning: You Might Not Want to Know!)

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

There's yet another online quiz making the rounds... At least it's making the rounds in Second Life's narrow little slice of the internet. "What Second Life Thing Are You?" is not a quiz for the faint of heart or the fragile of ego, and you should only venture down its dimly-lit corridor of questions if you have an extremely healthy sense of humor about yourself and your hobbies.

Even so, it's a brief hit of nostalgia and a couple bitter chuckles (at your own expense) to brighten up your afternoon, so give it a shot. 

As for my results...

No Skin Thick Enough: Don't Miss This Eye-Opening Article About Online Harassment in Gaming

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

An interesting piece about gender and harassment in the gaming industry was posted in Polygon's opinion section today. Written by game developer Brianna Wu, the piece cuts right to the quick with a series of case studies from other women in the industry, each one debunking a specific myth about online harassment. If you've ever caught yourself saying "everyone gets harassed online" or "you just need to grow a thicker skin," please carve a few minutes out of your day to read it. 

It's a phenomenal piece, but one quote included from games journalist Carolyn Petit really resonates:

VR Expert Explains Max-Planck's "Holodeck" -- and How Poor FPS Plagues Second Life for Oculus Rift

Here's an interesting look at the virtual reality "holodeck" of the Max Planck Institute -- yes, they have one:

That's interesting in itself, and then at around 8 minutes in, the Max-Planck VR expert mentions he's tried the Second Life for Oculus Rift viewer, but couldn't use it, because the low framerate made him nauseous:

If You Like AM Radio's SL Art, You'll Probably Love Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven (UPDATE from AM Radio)

In my Polygon profile of AM Radio, I compared his Second Life art to Terrence Malick’s 1978 classic Days of Heaven, and in case you haven't seen that film (you really should), this still above is an example of what I mean.

In the Least Surprising News of the Day, The Sims 4 Will Have Premium Memberships

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

Sims fans have caught sight of something alarming in a recent 20-minute Sims 4 gameplay demo posted to the series' official YouTube channel. A banner advertising "The Sims 4 Premium" popped on screen while the hosts were en-route to check out community content sharing features, promising discounts, early access, and exclusive items. The comparison is being made to the premium memberships offered for the Battlefield series, in essence a subscription fee that provides a good deal for players who plan to buy all or nearly all of the DLC content released -- and a good deal for EA if subscribers who planned to buy decide to abstain. 

But when it comes to this particular community and this particular franchise, I don't think the issue is quite that simple...

No Flossing Required: Here's How to Get A Perfect, Picture-Ready Pixel Smile

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

Here's a tip I'd never even considered from SL user Jessica Pixel's Plurk: If you're the kind of person who likes an expressive avatar, you might want to make yourself a special shape to get the most out of a toothy smile emote. Jessica's own animated gif, shown above, illustrates the differences between her typical shape and a smile-ready shape pretty well. Depending on the dimensions and features of your facial shape, Second Life's built-in grins might look compressed, or just not quite as nice as they could. Not every shape will need it (and not every player will want it) but for those that are interested few tiny tweaks to the mouth area are all you'll need.

As most fashion-minded SL users know, multiple subtle tweaks of the same avatar shape can be a pretty crucial part of your wardrobe, especially if you want to fit perfectly into your favorite mesh attire and accessories. Likewise, shape tweaks can help make your avatar look more consistent across a variety of skins. So if showing your avatar's pearly whites is a priority, try this out for yourself.