Second Life ™

Do you wonder how you can keep your avatar from slumping over mid-conversation (not polite) or use your camera tool to view what’s on the second floor without going actually going up there? Do you know how close someone needs to be to hear “chat” conversation? Or when to “whisper” or “shout”? Do you want to put on a new outfit without worrying about an essential piece not “showing up” and feeling like the Emperor in his “new clothes”?

Join us on Wednesday, October 21, at the DEN (2DP) to brush up your SL skills. Bring questions on these or any topics you need help with, and we will be glad to smooth out the rough spots in your SL experience.

Sessions begins at 5 p.m. SLT (8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Central)

See you in-world!

DATE: SUNDAY September 7, 2008
WORKSHOP:Wild and Wonderful Second Life Photos
PRESENTER: Riptide Furse
DESCRIPTION: This is not a beginners workshop. Meet right on time so you can be whisked away to a place to show off your SL picture-taking skills. During this time you will learn how to easily get the best colors and even some really cool different looks for your photos. You won’t believe how easy this. Having said that it’s easy, you should keep in mind this is not a beginning photo class. You should already know how to take SL pictures. This workshop is offered 3 different times on Sunday. We leave for our photo adventure from DEN HQ right at the top of the hour so don’t be late.
SLT TIME: 10AM 11AM 12PM SLT (1PM 2PM 3PM EST or 12PM 1PM 2PM CST)
Here is a sample of what you will be able to do after this workshop.

The new DEN HQ tower was home to tonight’s workshop featuring QAvimator, the free app that allows you to create animations for your avatar. Around 30 avatars sat around the circle as Celestia Cazalet (cough, cough - ME) walked them through the very basics of using the program. Celestia warned everyone that working with this program may mean hours and hours of attention if the animation is detailed. Participants learned how to move the parts of their avatar’s body and form an animation. They also learned how to upload it, play it, and place it in a pose ball or other prim.

I personally enjoyed when I showed everyone the animation the presentation outlined - Lor Fredriksson came up with the perfect name for it - “the diva”. Although I’m going to have to work on it a little more, I have to agree - it does look perfect for the diva look!

After the workshop, many of the participants vowed to work on new animations and show them off at the DEN. Emmo Wei already made a “yes” animation that nods an avatars head when used - great job! Emmo then changed into a tiny avatar and became Lor’s new little friend.

As promised, you may download the presentation (sleasier.pdf). It is just pictures, but still it gives you an idea). I’m also listing a few good tutorials for you to visit in case you missed the workshop. One very important thing I mentioned in the workshop that you must remember, save your file as a .bvh file or else it will not upload for you!

Mermaid Diaries - Creating Poses Part 1 - this is the first tutorial I used when learning

Torley Linden always has great video tutorials and is much better at explaining QAvimator than I - check this out:

Take a bite out of Shark Week. Don’t miss an episode! We are very excited about Shark Week and have planned several activities at the DEN in SL.

http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/sharkweek/sharkweek.html

What do Whale Sharks, Hammerheads, Mako Sharks and teachers have in common? They can all be seen at the DEN in Second Life “Swim with Sharks Underwater Scuba Adventure” on Monday July 28th at 5 pm SLT (5pm PST, 7 pm CST and 8pm EST)! Everyone who pre-registers will receive a complete Scuba Diving outfit with equipment for free. (If you miss the pre-registration you can still participate however you will not get the free equipment.)

Yes, you heard it here, the DEN in Second Life will be journeying to the depths of the ocean with “http://www.padi.com/padi/default.aspx” PADI (Prof. Association of Diving Instructors) as our guides. Our underwater adventure will begin with a fun scavenger hunt on the Dive World Sim (complete with prizes of course), continue with our journey to the ocean depths with our capable and knowledgeable guides from PADI and then end with celebratory dancing at the Tiki Bar. It’s going to a be a wonderfully fun learning experience and we want you to join us!

Even if you have never set foot in Second Life we can help you! Please sign up for a dive time “http://densl-sharkdive.wikispaces.com/“. (If you need additional help getting on the island please indicate that on the wiki and we will contact you for a time.)This is a great opportunity for you to get involved with the DEN in SL and see just what kinds of things are possible in Second Life. We hope to see you all there soon!

Event: Swim with the Sharks Underwater Scuba Adventure
When: Mon July 28
Time: 5 pm SLT (5pm, PST, 7 pm CST and 8pm EST)
RSVP: Pre-register by Sat July 26th http://densl-sharkdive.wikispaces.com/

Remember Shark Week begins on the Discovery Channel at 9PM EST on July 27.

Blog reading this a.m. and came across a series of fabulous video tutorials on Voice so I thought I’d share out with everyone:

All of these have to do with voice chat and were created by Torley Linden:

Getting Started

Etiquette

Who’s Speaking

Improving Your Hearing

Private Calls

Speech Gestures

Disabling Chat for Yourself and On Your Land

The heads up for these videos came from the blog, The Grid Live.

You may or may not be familiar with Torley Linden. Not only does he have hundreds of free textures available at his web site http://www.torley.com but he also makes some very good tutorial videos about Second Life. He came out this week with some QuickTip videos that you can see here http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/03/05/13-fresh-video-tutorials-for-your-enjoyment/

I’m including one that had some brand new things about chat that I hadn’t known about before.

 As you get ready for the upcoming Costume Party at DEN in SL on October 28th, I thought I’d post some costume shopping information.  Mind you, this information comes from our very own LC Chair, Riptide Furse, who posted this info on the Google Groups page (see why you need to sign up to belong?!?)

MIA mall has costumes designed by Ayla Holt at very good prices. Look for the stores 

Men in Action and White Lilly at opposites ends of the mall. Both have the same 

costumes. http://slurl.com/secondlife/MIA/69/13/30

Heroes Unlimited has superhero costumes and more including Star Trek. 

Many of the costumes come with gadgets and animation overriders 

so your avatar really does look and act like the person. 

Both male and female versions are available in many cases. 

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gotham%20City/120/181/36

Vindi Vindaloo has period costumes at her stores. 

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Kappa/47/50/22

Nicky Ree has superhero to astronaut costumes. The orange astronaut costume at the front of the store is a freebie.

 http://slurl.com/secondlife/Deimos/175/145/28

Grendel’s Children doesn’t sell costumes but avatars. Non Human avatars! You can be a butterfly,

 scorpion, spider, robotic werewolf and many more. The store is beautifully designed and huge. 

Most of the avatars are pennies. I’m talking L$5-L$50. 

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Avaria%20Tor/204/240/252

Second Life Heroes contains super hero costumes and AVs from the hit TV show Heroes!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gotham%20City/120/129/56

Adam & Eve

http://slurl.com/secondlife/genesis/35/145/23/

Touch of Ireland

http://slurl.com/secondlife/doolin%20point/146/153/28/

Liquid Velvet Studios

http://slurl.com/secondlife/cassiopeia%20isle/202/172/22/

Bare Rose

http://slurl.com/secondlife/bare%20rose/146/11/38/

Calico

http://slurl.com/secondlife/calico%20kitty/129/120/26/

P.S. - you may be surprised to find some costume-like things in the library that 

you were born into SL with — check out the library in your inventory 

and see!

Want an easy way to return to DEN in SL Headquarters?  Anything beats flying around the EduIsland II sim looking for DEN in SL (now was it near the castle?  maybe next to the self-guided tour car?).  Remember, DEN in SL is on EduIsland II at 69, 99, 21.  Get yourself there and you’ll never need to wander around SL again!

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to creating a Landmark in SL.  Remember, you can use these directions to create any number of landmarks so you can easily return to your favorite places.  Just be sure to change the labels in the directions!

Get yourself to DEN in SL Headquarters (I promise this will be the last time you have to wander around!), then:

1.  Click on ^World^ in the top menu bar.

2.  Select ^Create Landmark Here^.

3.  The landmark will automatically appear in your ^Inventory^ in the ^Landmarks^ folder. 

If you wish to rename your landmark:

1.  Right-click on the landmark and select ^Rename^.

2.  The landmark is high-lighted and you can type in a new title (you might want to type in ‘DEN in SL’).

Note:  A window also opens up with the landmark on your screen, for now just click ^X^ to close out of it.

So you’ve been exploring a bit on your own.  You’ve noticed these boxes (or in some cases, other objects) that say something along the lines of:  ‘Drop Your Notecard Here’.  You’d love to, but you have NO CLUE as to how to do so.

I’m here to guide you step-by-step.  It’s really quite easy.  In fact, why don’t you log into Second Life, head over to the DEN in SL Headquarters on EduIsland II (69, 99, 21) and try it out.  The dropbox is located on the Information Desk on the Main Floor.

Directions to Create a Notecard:

1.  Click on ^Inventory^ on the bottom menu.

2.  Click on the ^Create^ tab.

3.  Select ^New Notecard^.

4.  In the window that appears, type a message.

5.  When you’re done, click on the ^Save^ button.

6.  Look in your Inventory in the ^Notecards^ folder.  You now have a notecard titled ^New Notecard^.

7.  Right-click on ^New Notecard^ and select ^Rename^.

8.  The words ^New Notecard^ are high-lighted and you can type in a new title.  Make sure that it’s something that you can easily recognize.

9.  With your Inventory window still open, left-click and drag the ^[whatever you named it]^ notecard into the dropbox on the information desk. 

That’s it!  You’ve just created your first notecard and successfully given it out.

Want an easy way to return to DEN in SL Headquarters?  Anything beats flying around the EduIsland II sim looking for DEN in SL (now was it near the castle?  maybe next to the self-guided tour car?).  Remember, DEN in SL is on EduIsland II at 69, 99, 21.  Get yourself there and you’ll never need to wander around SL again!

Simple step-by-step guide to creating a Landmark in SL.  Remember, you can use these directions to create any number of landmarks so you can easily return to your favorite places.  Just be sure to change the labels in the directions!

Get yourself to DEN in SL Headquarters (I promise this will be the last time you have to wander around!), then:

1.  Click on ^World^ in the top menu bar.

2.  Select ^Create Landmark Here^.

3.  The landmark will automatically appear in your ^Inventory^ in the ^Landmarks^ folder. 

If you wish to rename your landmark:

1.  Right-click on the landmark and select ^Rename^.

2.  The landmark is high-lighted and you can type in a new title (you might want to type in ‘DEN in SL’).

Note:  A window also opens up with the landmark on your screen, for now just close ^X^ out of it.