Burniversity Second Life - May 30th,2010
Well as many of you know I do enjoy participating in the world of creating and especially building be it an architectural or artistic format. So it is with great pleasure that I would like to announce that I have been asked and have accepted the position of Dean of Burniversity (I think of it more as the janitor).
My predecessor White Lebed is expanding her virtual world to new and exciting opportunities. But, White will still be assisting me as I transition into the position, so yes we will still have to genuflect as she passes by. I would like to thank all the members of the board who showed a vote of confidence at the meeting and I look forward to assisting and help the Burn world grow and become one of the premier locations and events (which there are many) in Second Life.
As I told the board when I was asked what I saw Burniversity and its relationship with the Second Life community.
Burniversity is the ongoing connection to the Second Life community during the course of the year when the main events are not under way. I see it as the outreach portion of the Burning Life experience where any individual can learn, participate and experience the creative and entertaining portion of Burning Life in a supportive, constructive learning and competency developing environment. Where experienced individuals from all faucets of the Burning Life world mentor, share and enrich all who participate.
I want to state that experience is solely based on the performance that an individual has demonstrated, it is not based on accumulated time or who knows who or what group they belong to.
As for my individual experience I had very limited in world or building skills before I rezzed into Second Life. Yet there was a natural affinity for the competencies required and I was able to transition into this process quickly. So I believe that any one can learn and grow in this medium. So that stated the Mission of Burniversity is too built upon what has been done and expanded it so that it will encompass all aspects of the Burning Life experience. So I will be asking each of you no matter what skill sets or experience levels you have attained to date to participate and share some of the experiences, challenges and expertise you have in your own fields during the course of the upcoming year.
One of the first courses of action I will be undertaking is to look at ways to increase an interactive relationship with Burniversity and the members of the group. There will be an “Idea Box” placed on the Burn U lands in a new Information Center that will be developed for up and coming events and procuring of knowledge, tools and information. I am asking anyone who has an idea or concept to please drop it in the box; it will be looked at and considered.
Second, I will be updating all the Burniversity Wiki info this will become a repository for knowledge and skill sets that will increase an individual’s experience in Second Life.
Finally, for now, I will be continuing the Artist and Builder forums that White had started on a monthly basis so if anyone has an interest in being a presenter please forward a note card on the topic and format you would like to present to the group. The more information included in the card explaining it will be helpful.
Again I look forward to the upcoming events SLB 7 – Burning Man and the many upcoming Burn World interactions in the future. Along with the time we will spend as a group at Burniversity.
As always good building and have a good time in your Second Life.
Nyx Breen
Burniversity
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Things that make you go Hmmm
As with all things in life there are the things we take for granted and there are things that make you go Hmmm. This often happens in Second Life to an extent that it may be a little more common than real life. When I first rezzed into SL and began to explore and see this truly strange, amazing, bland and boring world it slowly dawned on me that things that are common are usually taken as the norm, be it RL or SL. It gets to the point where individuals accept them as the standard. Then there seems to be a comparison based on this baseline that has been set by the collective. So the middle of the road, the common, the, it’s ok it will pass is the standard from which all things are based on in a virtual world. This seems perplexing to me, a place where flights of fancy and creativity can be let loose and nurtured to the tenth degree. Yet individuals want the common more than not, when it comes to many things that are created in virtual worlds.
My indoctrination into SL was I'm sure no different than anyone else's, I rezzed in world, was asked if I wanted to be bitten and made a vampire. Then I flew to the zyngo/gambling clubs then off to a stripper bar while visiting all the welcome places to hear 20 year olds insult everyone and think they are cool as spammers plastered the screen with visual spam. All seemed normal for a video game to me.
But slowly and surely I did discover there were other places in SL, lots of other places that had been created by individuals who saw this so called video game as something different. Not an extension of RL as a copy of the norm, the expected, the same old, same old. But, individuals who had a vision that was different. You can tell when someone has a passion for a vision and they work at it, it may not be the most technically correct build, it may have a flaw here and there, but there is a feeling that one gets when you experience it. A shared experience that this is something special, it’s different, it was from someone who took the time to find what was in them and share it with others.
To those individuals the ones who take the time to make it right, go out on the limb, out of the box and make your eyes open and your mind expand when you share their vision, I salute you. This is not limited to just a builder of buildings, the art of artist or a creator of textures or pictures. Be it a scripter or animator, the noob who’s done their first build or a gifted creator of machinima it is recognized and appreciated when it is seen. Hopefully as more and more individuals learn and master and expand their abilities in virtual world creations. We can collectively raise the bar and the norm from the real world will not be accepted as the baseline for a virtual world.
So the challenge I place in front of all the creators in virtual worlds is try it a little different take the step to expand your vision and share it with others. You may find that the shoebox build or same old same old may not be what every wants, there may be an audience waiting to share with you.
Good Building
Nyx
My indoctrination into SL was I'm sure no different than anyone else's, I rezzed in world, was asked if I wanted to be bitten and made a vampire. Then I flew to the zyngo/gambling clubs then off to a stripper bar while visiting all the welcome places to hear 20 year olds insult everyone and think they are cool as spammers plastered the screen with visual spam. All seemed normal for a video game to me.
But slowly and surely I did discover there were other places in SL, lots of other places that had been created by individuals who saw this so called video game as something different. Not an extension of RL as a copy of the norm, the expected, the same old, same old. But, individuals who had a vision that was different. You can tell when someone has a passion for a vision and they work at it, it may not be the most technically correct build, it may have a flaw here and there, but there is a feeling that one gets when you experience it. A shared experience that this is something special, it’s different, it was from someone who took the time to find what was in them and share it with others.
To those individuals the ones who take the time to make it right, go out on the limb, out of the box and make your eyes open and your mind expand when you share their vision, I salute you. This is not limited to just a builder of buildings, the art of artist or a creator of textures or pictures. Be it a scripter or animator, the noob who’s done their first build or a gifted creator of machinima it is recognized and appreciated when it is seen. Hopefully as more and more individuals learn and master and expand their abilities in virtual world creations. We can collectively raise the bar and the norm from the real world will not be accepted as the baseline for a virtual world.
So the challenge I place in front of all the creators in virtual worlds is try it a little different take the step to expand your vision and share it with others. You may find that the shoebox build or same old same old may not be what every wants, there may be an audience waiting to share with you.
Good Building
Nyx
Monday, May 17, 2010
Can You See the Light?
One of my favorite builds in the UWA flagship Challenge was the design I made in January of this year. Besides the winning design the part I enjoyed the most was the use of lights and lighting/shadow effects throughout the build. From outside lighting of the build to shadows and sunbeams streaming through the upper floor windows,
The use of lights and lighting/shadow effects can take a build to an other level of complexity. Using the settings in the build/edit box in SL allows for many different effects. As with all things less is more with lighting effects.
There is nothing worse than a build that is over exposed with lights or even worse GLOW set to a maximum brightness effect. It looks like crap plain and simple to any one who has a good graphics card and their shaders turned on. GLOW IS NOT GOOD set to max bright, please all glow whores read this and understand we do talk about how bad your art and builds looked with the over kill of glow on them!
In the edit/build menu the "features" tab allows you to set the effects for light on prims, You can control the intensity, radius and fall off along with the color you want the prim to be. This will allow you to have a multitude of light effects from color to distance and brightness a light can be seen in world. The "texture" tab also allows you to make a prim full bright and finally the glow setting can be found here.
One of the best ways to get a good feel of how lights are working in a build is to walk through it and see how they look as you pass by them. I have always been an advocate of walking the build and getting a feel for how it flows over just camming it.
So take your time and make sure it feels and looks right and remember less is more when using lights in your build.
Good Building
Nyx
The use of lights and lighting/shadow effects can take a build to an other level of complexity. Using the settings in the build/edit box in SL allows for many different effects. As with all things less is more with lighting effects.
There is nothing worse than a build that is over exposed with lights or even worse GLOW set to a maximum brightness effect. It looks like crap plain and simple to any one who has a good graphics card and their shaders turned on. GLOW IS NOT GOOD set to max bright, please all glow whores read this and understand we do talk about how bad your art and builds looked with the over kill of glow on them!
In the edit/build menu the "features" tab allows you to set the effects for light on prims, You can control the intensity, radius and fall off along with the color you want the prim to be. This will allow you to have a multitude of light effects from color to distance and brightness a light can be seen in world. The "texture" tab also allows you to make a prim full bright and finally the glow setting can be found here.
One of the best ways to get a good feel of how lights are working in a build is to walk through it and see how they look as you pass by them. I have always been an advocate of walking the build and getting a feel for how it flows over just camming it.
So take your time and make sure it feels and looks right and remember less is more when using lights in your build.
Good Building
Nyx
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Is it really what we see?
Lots of time what one envisions and what comes out in the final version while building in Second Life can be either a gift or a challenge to say the least. I for one am the type of builder that tends to do a lot of research and planning of the build before I begin. This does help me do the actual construction of the build in a fairly fast period of time. Yet, along the way even the best laid plans of mice and builders often go asunder. The one thing you want to do has to be changed to fit right and a new factor comes into play.
Often a new take or direction in a build design can work out if it is not allowed to change the over all concept to much. Often a new twist to the plot adds a new and exciting element into a construction.
I'll be honest as a less experienced builder, I have had a change in a build cover the whole gambit from minor tweaks in the build to total redo of concept and design. But as time and experience came into play it makes more sense to accept the small change as that alone. Let it be a small change and continue with the build as planned originally.
But, as with all things unexpected it is fun to look at it in a different light and see where it can take you if you have the time to give it a little room to develop.
I do know some builders who claim they never plan or know what they are going to build or do, Sadly most of them it appears exactly like that, not a well laid out design or concept, That's not to say that spontaneity isn't a good thing. It's a great thing, just not every one pulls it off as well as they imagine they have.
So make a plan and use it to guide you when you hit the bumps in the build and see where they may go when adding a positive element to your build.
Good Building
Nyx
Often a new take or direction in a build design can work out if it is not allowed to change the over all concept to much. Often a new twist to the plot adds a new and exciting element into a construction.
I'll be honest as a less experienced builder, I have had a change in a build cover the whole gambit from minor tweaks in the build to total redo of concept and design. But as time and experience came into play it makes more sense to accept the small change as that alone. Let it be a small change and continue with the build as planned originally.
But, as with all things unexpected it is fun to look at it in a different light and see where it can take you if you have the time to give it a little room to develop.
I do know some builders who claim they never plan or know what they are going to build or do, Sadly most of them it appears exactly like that, not a well laid out design or concept, That's not to say that spontaneity isn't a good thing. It's a great thing, just not every one pulls it off as well as they imagine they have.
So make a plan and use it to guide you when you hit the bumps in the build and see where they may go when adding a positive element to your build.
Good Building
Nyx
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