Celebrate Void Sim Freedom!

Everyone is welcome as we celebrate our Openspace (Void) sims and SL Aviation on Sunday the 2nd of November 2008 at the Connolly Aerodrome....

Start time:

2:00 PM on Sunday November 2nd

If you would like to contribute as a DJ or offer free commemorative items or signs for the celebration, please contact me via notecard or email * zoeconnolly [at] gmail [dot] com *

We party 'til we drop


My previous posts:

"Avoid the Voids" - Lessons in Lindenomics
"Avoid the Voids" - Lindenomics (Part 2)
Openspace Sims and the Future of SL Aviation
"Avoid the Voids" - The Void Sim Creativity Tax Act of 2008

Vint Falken's Openspace Sim Roundup Report

Air Combat and Celebrations for November 1st and 2nd

Everyone is welcome as we celebrate our Openspace (Void) sims and SL Aviation on Sunday the 2nd of November 2008....



On October 24th the Royal Caledon Air Force celebrated our first anniversary. RCAF was created prior to the Opening of the Caledon Penzance sim and The Connolly Aerodrome on November 4th, 2007.

Please note: November 1st and 2nd is a special weekend. On Saturday we have 2 scheduled dogfights. On Sunday we celebrate the past year and look forward to a happy and fun-filled future (In spite of the recent Openspace Sims Civil War).

The Schedule....

This weekends scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the First of November at 9:00 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia, followed by another dogfight later on Saturday the First at 10 PM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

No official Dogfight on Sunday the 2nd of November, instead....

On Sunday the 2nd of November, instead of our official air combat, we celebrate RCAF, the Connolly Aerodrome, the Opening of Caledon Penzance, and in light of recent news about Openspace sims. We celebrate our Void Sims.

Location: Connolly Aerodrome in Caledon Penzance

If you would like to contribute as a DJ or offer free items for the celebration, please contact me via notecard or email * zoeconnolly [at] gmail [dot] com *

Many thanks to all the pilots and supporters of the RCAF, the aerodrome, and openspace sims.


~ Zoe Connolly

"Avoid the Voids" - The Void Sim Creativity Tax Act of 2008

My previous posts:

"Avoid the Voids" - Lessons in Lindenomics
"Avoid the Voids" - Lindenomics (Part 2)
Openspace Sims and the Future of SL Aviation

Vint Falken's Openspace Sim Roundup Report

back to the post....

The Lindenomics Spin Machine

I opened Google Reader and read Tateru Nino's article on Massively. She highlights Jack Lindens response to the Openspace sims furor.

Jack implies that the type of usage is a more important factor in the pricing changes than the actual cost of usage, though to be fair, it's an ambiguous pair of sentences, 'We are saying that the use has changed, and continues to do so as people find more creative ways to use them. So the revised pricing is about recognising that change of use and the additional costs and value associated with it.'

The Void Sim Creativity Tax Act of 2008

So....no mention of some people abusing the original intent of the Void Sims.

Now LL recognizes your creative use of them...and taxes it.

See? It's all good!

The greatest BDSM Master/Mistress roleplayers in SL are the folks at LL, and we're merely their submissives.

Openspace Sims and the Future of SL Aviation

Perhaps in the new SL, the only public events allowed will be those that allow sitting at meetings and hopping on danceballs....

In the Royal Caledon Air Force Ning Group, Cornelius Fanshaw writes:

"I'm sure everyone's aware of LL's new pricing policy regarding openspace sims as it's being debated to death everywhere, so I'm not going to go over all that here.
One aspect though that might have a big effect on where we can fly and I've not really seen discussed in relation to aviation is this paragraph:-

"Lastly we will begin to proactively discuss overloaded Openspaces with their owners. This is important because as with abuse of region resources, a heavily overloaded Openspace can adversely affect other Openspaces sharing the same machine which is clearly unfair to residents who are using them responsibly. We have listened to your feedback on this, and agree that we need to make changes to better support our Openspace users by actively working to keep the performance levels as high as possible. We will also provide some detailed guidance about what ‘overuse’ looks like and how to prevent it."

Now does that mean that if we gather in an openspace sim for a dogfight, it will "overload" that sim?

Will our dogfights become something that bring down the wrath of LL on the owners heads?

Openspaces are where we mostly meet, yet we know a lot of aircraft in one sim cause masses of lag. Is this going to effect Naval battles and motor racing or any big event on and openspace sim?

Are openspaces going to become no-go zones for events?"

"Avoid the Voids" - Lindenomics (Part 2)

In my post yesterday I wrote some initial thoughts on the openspace sim pricing and policy change controversy and there is an excellent roundup of reactions from Vint Falken.

I'd like to share some further thoughts today. As I said previously, LL can and will do whatever it pleases. But there are consequences to actions that go too far. Most notably, the loss of content and community cohesion.

Linden Labs: "Are they stupid or something?"

I don't think they're stupid at all. I think this is part of a deliberate strategy and it's about more than just the Void Sims.

I think the new people in charge of LL care little or nothing about hobbyists and social networkers on the grid. I wonder if they would rather see a grid community full of corporate reps and tech journalists chatting endlessly about server capacities and new ways to increase usage of virtual worlds. Well duh! LL seeks to destroy the very things that bring a wide range of people into virtual worlds in the first place! If that's what you really want, use a video-phone and chat with each other all frakking day. Roleplayers of any type/degree are in the way of their vision. I believe they may be thinking "If you care so much about your little RP/hobby, then put-up or shut-up"

Void Sims: Raise prices on all to punish the few

Why would they do this? Because they don't care what's destroyed in the process. Not their problem. If a few beautiful or interesting places are decimated in order to kill whatever is causing server-strain (or whatever the excuse is), so be it. This is their nuclear option, folks.

The Opening Salvo

These actions are all part of the new SL. We either adapt or we leave. For now I'll adapt and live with these changes until such time as my friends are gone from the grid or it no longer interests me to login.

I see a bleak future for SL. What was once a beautiful, compelling, raucous, sensuous, erotic, fantastic, intellectual, geeky, wondrous place....will make the long march toward a Disney-fied blandness. A place acceptable to businesses and political activists. A place where LL will not be embarrassed by media attention. A place where those left behind must hire people to create content, because no one will do it on their own. A grid where the residents who remain are concerned about building community after they've chased the community-builders away.

I'm not suggesting this will happen next week. I see this happening over the next 18-24 months. I hope I'm wrong.

Yesterday I ended my post with this:

The Big Question:

Is LL still friendly toward hobbyists within the grid? Will aviation in SL be encouraged?

Or perhaps it's their intention that the only aviation-related activity allowed to flourish will be Boeing and Airbus business meetings?

My interests are obviously aviation-related, but insert whatever passion you have to replace mine and create your own question and answer.

But if things go the way I see them going, perhaps the avatar of Zoe Connolly can persuade Boeing to setup a few sims for business meetings. Zoe can be the hostess, and maybe...perhaps maybe, we can still fly our lovely machines through Windlight skies.

"Avoid the Voids" - Lessons in Lindenomics

I shook my head when I read news of Linden Labs Openspace Pricing and Policy Changes (and a few reactions I've read)....

Most people know I do NOT like to discuss politics or economics openly. In RL I have a particular worldview that was once shaped by family (Democrat), then college (Republican), then work experience (Libertarian), as well as a circle of friends, books, periodicals, podcasts (the list goes on and on).

I love history, political science, and economics. I consider myself a liberal in a classical sense. To put it another way, I'm a libertarian with a small "l" ... not affiliated with the Libertarian Party, yet sharing in political and economic philosophy. So in the interest of full-disclosure, I look at this announcement with a certain "free-minds and free markets" worldview.

A few points as I see it...

First, on a real world level, LL is a private company and can raise prices as they see fit. LL must spend USD on wages/salaries, electricity, and infrastructure, so that we may all enjoy using Second Life. LL like any RL company, faces increased costs, economic uncertainty, and must act accordingly.

Second, as a RL worker and consumer, I also face economic uncertainty and must make economic choices based on my own needs and wants. My work salary has a certain amount of disposable income that - although not a fixed amount, is only elastic at the margins. My discretionary income can only go so far until I hit the wall of fixed RL expenses. Other than a few generous tips I receive from 2 tip jars and 20 % receipts from aviation-related vendors placed at my aerodrome, I don't make much money from SL, and although I'm very interested in business within the metaverse, I consider myself a hobbyist and social networker. Unless hired by a company doing business here, I'll remain so throughout my time on the grid.

Obviously, all spending within SL must be far behind RL shelter, food, transportation, utilities, medicines, savings for retirement, etc. Personally, I've cut back on certain things (some RL entertainment spending and a 2nd VoIP line) in order to pay for other RL and SL expenses. It's very likely more family budget cuts are in store in the near future.

Avoid The Voids!

My hope was to obtain land-rights to an Openspace sim during the very month that this increase is to take effect. Obviously, that's shot to hell. How many others will "avoid the voids?"

Costs (Taxes) and Discretionary Income

If you consider us all citizens of this virtual world, what is happening is a virtual property tax increase. Uncle M will raise your property values (and taxes)!

Higher costs for land-rights and higher tier fees. Just like a tax.

But remember that taxes control market incentives. And as you raise costs on already burdened individuals and families, only the wealthier among us can afford such things within our ever tightening discretionary income. I don't think the federal government will enact a bailout plan for Void sims. Heehee!

Like many taxes, the likely effect of this will slow down the inworld economy. For many like me who were strongly considering the acquisition of one or more Openspace sims for SL aviation, the decision has now been made. Avoid the Voids!

I do hope that others have enough discretionary income to continue. As an aviatrix in SL, I would hate to see a decline in Openspace sims, but I definitely understand their hardships.

The Big Question:

Is LL still friendly toward hobbyists within the grid? Will aviation in SL be encouraged?

Or perhaps it's their intention that the only aviation-related activity allowed to flourish will be Boeing and Airbus business meetings?

UPDATE: Vint Falken has an excellent roundup of the SLBlogosphere reaction.

Dogfights Past (Part 2)

Catching up on some air combat photographs from earlier this month....

The Mighty Eighth (parts 1, 2, and 3)

Lighthouses in stormy weather

RCAF celebrates 1 year!

I'm proud to announce that the Royal Caledon Air Force celebrates our first anniversary today, October 24th. A year ago it all began!

RCAF was created prior to the Opening of the Caledon Penzance sim and The Connolly Aerodrome on November 4th, 2007.

An official celebration for both anniversaries is currently in the planning stages.

Many thanks to all the pilots and supporters of the RCAF and the aerodrome.

You make logging into SL a pleasure ;)

~ Zoe Connolly

Air Combat for Weekend of October 25th and 26th

Please note: This weekend we expand from 2 scheduled dogfights to 3. Two TCS dogfights on Saturdays and 1 VICE Dogfight on Sunday morning.

This weekends scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 25th of October at 9:00 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia, followed by another dogfight later on Saturday the 25th at 10 PM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

Our dogfight on Sunday the 26th of October at 9 AM SL time will use the VICE Combat System, Location: Aeronautica Sea Base.

Mifune Thibaud's response to my VICE vs TCS post

The following is a comment from Mifune Thibaud in response to my TCS vs VICE (conclusions from recent engagements) post of October 19th.

I'm happy to present his thoughtful response and wish to make very clear to him and my readers that I am very supportive of VICE as a combat system. I believe it's the best and most dynamic system in Second Life. I will continue to use it personally and with others who also enjoy a more realistic inworld battle experience.

VICE combat will continue to be scheduled for my aviation groups, although less often than our TCS dogfight furballs that most of our more casual pilots are accustomed.

Mifune writes....

"VICE is a more realistic, free combat system that uses real bullets and gives builders many many options in the way they engage in combat (numerous types of units: infantry, air, sea, land, various armors, weapons, and bombs) and the freedom to choose the way their scripted object reacts to damage, being destroyed, etc...multitudes of possibilities in configuring it. It is vastly different from TCS and CCC which are sensor based combat systems, with a single type of damage model, limited to virtually only planes, and have an instant-hit cone/area of 23.5 x 23.5 @ 80m. TCS/CCC are better suited for very casual SL users and for sims that have 'no build'. VICE includes TCS/CCC compatibility for those areas.

The scripter's level of knowledge for thorough implementation and installation only requires that the scripter know how link messages (sending and receiving) work. We even include many working examples of various vehicles and weapons for people to dissect and learn from.

We are constantly updating the system and improving documentation to make it easier and in understandable in layman's terms. We are available and online to give advice and support on how to implement certain functions.

I don't want to sound like an elitist, but people who are selling scripted objects should obligate themselves to understand, to an extent, how the scripts in their very own products work. VICE doesnt use any new technology for configuration and installation, it simply uses link messages.

Zoe, I personally feel that this blog post might be giving the wrong impression to your readers; from the title "VICE vs TCS" and statements and wording such as "frustration", "issues", and "difficulty" it makes it seem like VICE is a flawed system, where it really is not. TCS and CCC have not been updated since late 2006, support and configurability...very limited.

VICE is a combat system that we are developing for free. It expands and pushes SL's technological boundaries, and we are hoping will change people's perceptions of what is possible in SL. It is freeing combat from being exclusive to only planes, only boats, or only infantry, and allowing all of these units to intermingle.

This kind of technology and technological advancement in SL should be promoted, especially by bloggers who are heavily involved in the SL community...builders and scripters should be encouraged to push their own limits and understanding of things in SL. Rather than encouraging them to be content with the status quo, with no explanation of what exactly the issues were, or seeking to clear up any misconceptions and educate people on an issue, open discussion and suggestions should be made and questions asked to see how it can be made to fit for your group.

With that said, I do believe RCAF would be better off staying with TCS, as one of the users mentioned that the majority of RCAF members are very casual users, and making things "easier to hit" is actually a plus, since most of their time is spent doing RP and not combat.

If anyone has questions about VICE, feel free to IM me inworld."

-Mifune Thibaud

Girls with Guns Party (Cancelled)

UPDATE: The Party is cancelled until a new date is set sometime in November or December 2008.

Virtual Girls with Guns Party (Cancelled)

Sunday 26th October 2008

2:00 PM Second Life Time (14:00 Hours SLT)



Virtual Girls with Guns in various form of dress and weaponry!

Oooooo!
Mmmmmm!

You know you want to see this!

We're having a party at SinSity in the second floor dance room. If you're a Girls and Guns inworld member or a Virtual Girls with Guns Ning group member, you're invited. If you're a Second Life Blogger, you're invited. If you're a pilot in the EDF or RCAF, you're invited. If you like Girls with Guns, you're invited!

SLurl to the party location: http://slurl.com/secondlife/EROTICA/128/39/48

Maximize Second Life Settings for Flight

This video illustrates the Second Life Client Graphics settings I use for better flight across sims. These settings lower graphics detail and increase draw-distance. I also recommend using the heads-up mini-map.

As in RL flying, you need as much visual information as possible while navigating in 3 dimensions.

Please note: Depending on your computer and graphics card, your mileage may vary.

TCS vs VICE (conclusions from recent engagements)

I schedule regular weekend air combat for pilots of the Extropia Defense Force and Royal Caledon Air Force. For several months we've tried both TCS and VICE Combat systems in a few sims.

We gave VICE Combat System a shot in our weekend dogfights, but next week (October 25th and 26th) we'll return to TCS as our primary combat system.

Individual pilots can always enjoy a 1-on-1 dogfight using VICE combat system, but our regular weekend air combat furball will use TCS.

A few thoughts....

As stated in the original RCAF mission statement on the CaledonWiki, EDF and RCAF as groups are all about flying and having fun. The EDF sister-group follows the same course as RCAF. Official motto: Altitude with Attitude. Unofficial motto: FSFP (Flying, Shooting, Fencing, Partying).

Recently, I've noticed a decline in participation among my regular pilots after using VICE. I understand their frustrations with VICE and will respond accordingly.

I've heard frustrations from builders on converting their aircraft to VICE. It takes alot of tweaking to make it all work. I greatly admire builders and scripters and respect their expertise and opinions.

As I stated before, individual pilots can always enjoy a 1-on-1 dogfight using VICE combat system if they require a more realistic air combat experience, but our regular weekend EDF/RCAF official air combat furball will use TCS.

Machinima from the EDF/RCAF Dogfight of October 5th 2008

EDF/RCAF Dogfight of October 5th 2008. Pilots of the Extropia Defense Force and Royal Caledon Air Force engage in Air Combat exercises in Extropia.

Pre-Production, Camera, and Video Capture by Zoe Connolly.

Post-Production by Phineas Messmer

RCAF Incident Report - Pirate Activity by Congalach MacMoragh

To Marshal Connolly
From: Group Captain Sumie Kawashima

========================================
Incident Report on Congalach MacMoragh
========================================
Date: 15th of October 2008 SL time, 2:30 PM

I was flight testing a prototype heavy-lift VTOL craft above Caledon Middlesea when I noticed a small airship circling below me. I made a mental note and continued my flight testing. As part of the flight, I wanted to take the craft to Caledon Highlands and get some engineering input from SimplyAmy Iwish.

I noted that this airship was headed on a similar flight path, seeming to shadow my movements. I turned my craft to face it, and was fired upon and then the airship fled across the Firth. The prototype is well armored and sustained only superficial damage. I pursued the craft and called for support. I chased the airship to the Lionsgate runway, where it had landed. I landed my ship and demanded to know why I was attacked. The pilot had dismounted his craft and commenced small-arms fire against my ship. Upon further demands from me as to why I was fired upon, the pilot stated that I had been following him. As I was discussing this matter with him, Wing Commander Cornelius Fanshaw arrived in support. Upon his arrival, the airship pilot boarded his craft and took off. Wing Commander Fanshaw engaged the airship in combat over the Firth, but the enemy craft eluded him at that time.

Thinking the danger had passed, I took my ship back to Middlesea, when I saw the airship pilot was now piloting a small boat across the Firth. I took a Yokokaze to do an overflight and was fired upon as I pursued him through the straits in Morgaine. A lucky shot disabled my plane's engine, requiring that I ditch it in the Firth. I swam to safety and managed to return again to Middlesea.

I next found the boat's pliot running on foot through Morgaine and into Brigadoon. I met up with Wing Commander Fanshaw (now with a jet-pack) along the western coast of Brigadoon. We cornered the enemy in a cave and I asked for his surrender. He promptly transmorgrified into a magpie of some kind before our eyes and flew out of the cave.

Seeing that we were dealing with a paranormal situation, I morphed into my Risen Demon form and attempted a pursuit. Fanshaw and I split up and tried to find the individul we know suspected as a pirate.

Thinking he had fled for good, Fanshaw put out another call that he was coming across the Firth in a small boat again. I sank this with a combination of demon fire and ice. The pilot then swam to a waiting mini-submarine and made a run into a small cavern in Caledon Wellsian. We exchanged rifle fire in the cave, but he escaped over the Firth again (flying).

I spied him running (in human form) in Penzance and pursued him through the commercial district and into the Gaiety Theatre. Gunfire was exchanged and we pursued him out into the streets once more. On several occasions I used some of my demon powers to hold him, but we could never quite capture him. He seemed to have the ability to break my power after several minutes.

Eventually he fled and I could not locate him again. I left the Firth after a brief talk with Elrik Merlin, who was patrolling the Firth by airship. I was later sent a photograph by the pirate that depicted a pirate flag planted on the runway of Lionsgate airfield.

END OF REPORT

Further Reading here at RCAF Ning Group

Air Combat for Weekend of October 18th and 19th

This weekends scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 18th of October at 9:00 AM SL time, followed by another dogfight on Sunday the 19th of October at 9 AM SL time.

Combat System: VICE

Location: Aeronautica Sea Base.

Dogfights Past

While looking through the most recent Air Combat photographs from Sunday October 12th, I realized I had totally spaced and forgotten these from a September VICE Combat dogfight....

Air Combat News....Combat Systems and Locations

Location: Aeronautica.

Combat System for Aeronautica: VICE

Location: Extropia.

Combat System for Extropia: TCS (Or if a 1-on-1 dogfight VICE is okay)

Location: Crimson Rose.

Combat System for Crimson Rose: Combatants will choose TCS or VICE for 1-on-1 dogfights.

Air Combat for Weekend of October 11th and 12th

This weekends scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 11th of October at 9:00 AM SL time, followed by another dogfight on Sunday the 12th of October at 9 AM SL time.

Combat System: Combatants have their choice of using TCS or VICE

Location: Aeronautica Sea Base.

Fuzznutz - That's Not My Name

chaffonline writes: "Fuzznutz, Second Life's leading tiny cover band, perform The Ting Tings 'That's Not My Name'

Fuzznutz are Minea Auer (vocals), Awor Blabbermouth (guitar, bass, backing vocals), Sedona Sparrow (keyboards), Zayn Till (drums, backing vocals) and Chaffro Schoonmaker (guitar, backing vocals)

In addition to performing shows of their own, Fuzznutz have played as back-up musicians for numerous SL artists including Robie Bloch, Ganjo Mokeev and MichelleD Ecksol

Also featured in the video are AlohaLani Heron, Josephine Planer, Karmagirl Avro, Kitti Dumpling, Lulee Babenco, Morticia Uram, Mutley Latte, Panacea Pangaea and Peaches Latrell

Particle chamber effects by Summer Seale

Filmed entirely in Second Life

'That's Not My Name' by The Ting Tings, taken from the album We Started Nothing released by Columbia Records...."



Thanks to Eladrienne Laval for the tip.

Remembering World War Two Airmen: Dan Farnham Finds WWII History under the Sea

Remembering World War Two Airmen: Dan Farnham Finds WWII History under the Sea

R Morris' post features photographs of WW2 warbird underwater graves at Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific....

Quote from Dan Farnham: "....A PBJ-1H 'Mitchell'. The PBJ's were Navy versions of the B-25 series. This is one of eight in the aircraft graveyard. I've seen and photographed four, so I have to get back up there and photograph the other four as well...."

Remembering World War Two Airmen: Dan Farnham Finds WWII History under the Sea

Reposting :: Air Combat for Weekend of October 4th and 5th

This weekends scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 4th of October at 9:00 AM SL time, followed by another dogfight on Sunday the 5th of October at 9 AM SL time.

Combat System: VICE

Location: Skies of Tomorrow.

Air Combat for Weekend of October 4th and 5th

This weekends scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 4th of October at 9:00 AM SL time, followed by another dogfight on Sunday the 5th of October at 9 AM SL time.

Combat System: VICE

Location: Skies of Tomorrow.

AH-64D Apache Helicopter in Second Life® (2nd Video)

*ACTUAL* 24 Season 7 Promotional Video