Sunday, November 30, 2008

IL2 Machinima - Blitzerg

a machinima from oddeo77

SL Bloggers Christmas Party 2008


(Zoe and Phin on Christmas Day 2007)

Like last year, I'll be holding our Christmas Party in Caledon.

This year it will take place Saturday December 14th.

I'll have more details about the start time and exact location as it becomes available.

Also invited are EDF, RCAF, and members of Girls with Guns.

EDF/RCAF Dogfights - Our final scheduled weeks




Please read my previous post "RCAF is here to stay."


Our Organized Dogfighting Days will come to a close in January 2009.
Come out and celebrate our last few weeks of air combat. We will still engage in one-on-one dogfights and with the growing number of super-villains, our roleplay within Caledon will most certainly increase ;)

The following list is our remaining scheduled dogfights for 2008. Times and locations are subject to change....

********************************************

For Sunday November 30th:

Our next dogfight will take place on Sunday the 30th of November at 9 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.



********************************************

For the weekend of December 6th and 7th:

Our scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 6th of December at 9:00 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia, followed by another dogfight later on Saturday the 6th at 6:00 PM (18:00) SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

Our dogfight on Sunday the 7th of December at 9 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

**********************************************

For the weekend of December 13th and 14th:

Our scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 13th of December at 9:00 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia, followed by another dogfight later on Saturday the 13th at 6:00 PM (18:00) SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

Our dogfight on Sunday the 14th of December at 9 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

**********************************************

For the weekend of December 20th and 21th:

Our scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 20th of December at 9:00 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia, followed by another dogfight later on Saturday the 20th at 6:00 PM (18:00) SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

Our dogfight on Sunday the 21th of December at 9 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

**********************************************

For the final weekend of scheduled dogfights December 27th and 28th:

Our scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 27th of December at 9:00 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia, followed by another dogfight later on Saturday the 27th at 6:00 PM (18:00) SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

Our last scheduled dogfight will take place on Sunday the 28th of December at 9 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

Please read my previous post "RCAF is here to stay."

A few reminders....

1) We will no longer schedule multi-aircraft air combat (known as dogfight furballs) in SL after the New Year. This is the biggest change in what RCAF does, but please note that the change is only in SCHEDULING MORE THAN TWO AIRCRAFT to dogfight. Let me repeat a keyword in this....Scheduling Scheduling Scheduling...whew!

2) Pilots are always welcome to use group chat to find one another for a dogfight anywhere they wish, so long as it's allowed by the sim owner(s)/manager(s).

3) Air Combat will still be a viable option for the foreseeable future in Aeronautica owned by Mifune Thibaud.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

IL-2 Test Machinima 1

An experimental machinima from Zoe Connolly and Phineas Messmer using IL-2 Sturmovik 1946. Zoe and Phin are Second Life avatars venturing in the alternate gaming platform of IL-2 for the Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF) and Extropia Defense Force (EDF).

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Heliograph: Airship Races in Antiquity this weekend!

Passing this news along (curtsy to Rafael Fabre)

The Heliograph: Airship Races in Antiquity this weekend!



('My Airship', by Shawn Kun, Deviant Art)

Received this message during my efforts to construct an edifice..

Welcome to the second Antiquity airship race! This year, there are two classes, physical engines and non-physical engines.

Again, these crafts must be steampowered, whether that be or prop or steam jet (as long as it is steam). The first race starts at 12:30 SLT in Antiquity, on Saturday, the 22nd of November.

1st prize in both races is L$5000.

The 'Physical Engine' class will run first, followed by the 'Non-Physical Engine'.

The course will be available prior to the race start.

Good luck to all!

For more information, please contact Sion Tendaze in-world.

The Heliograph: Airship Races in Antiquity this weekend!

Royal Flying Corp

Some aircraft used by the Royal Flying Corp during World War 1

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

TV Mashup - "Enterprise" with theme "From The Earth To The Moon"

Just some fun stuff I found on YouTube



Original From the Earth to the Moon



Original Enterprise intro



Star Trek Enterprise: In A Mirror Darkly Intro Theme - Original Music



Fun Extra! Destination Moon ~ Dinah Washington

The League of Virtual Vixens Teaser 2

from Botgirl Questi....

5 Days of Fact and Fiction

Originally posted on Boned Wednesday 12 November 2008 for the SLBloggers Mix&Match Scheme ;)

A week ago I was given a TPS Report without courtesy of a cover sheet. Ignoring this little oversight, I read further. In this case the acronym TPS stood for "The Post Switch" as in the SLBloggers Mix & Match Challenge.

My assignment: Write about my 5 days away from SL and any SL related social media. I was not to login or post anything to Twitter, Plurk, etc. This was definitely cruel and unusual punishment, deviously outlined and insitigated by the infamous Botgirl Questi.

It was Sunday evening and my 5 days away from SL would begin after I logged off that night. I decided to make the most of it by having as much virtual sex with as many avatars as I could. Once several parcels were strewn with dozens of avatars with ambulatory issues, I logged off...dreaming of a new era for me in the real world. I've heard so much about it lately.

Day One: Worked RL Job. Read RL Blogs and various sites for US Election news. Dreamed about flying. Tormented my brother.

Day Two: Election Day. Voted. Went to work. Read more crap about the election.

Day Three: President-Elect Obama calls and asks if I would join his cabinet as Defense Secretary. Obama says he needs a diverse Cabinet and thinks a kick-ass virtual girl with guns who runs a virtual air force sends the right message of diversity and an alternative low-carbon footprint defense posture. I graciously accept as the first virtual world avatar to fill a Presidential Cabinet position. Huzzah!

Day Four: I get my affairs in order for relocation to Virginia and my new job at the Pentagon.

Day Five: Was very thankful for my week free from SL.

So there you have my week.

Huh? What?.... You don't believe this happened?

Perhaps you'll believe this one....


Day One: So far so good. Okay. I can get through this.

Day Two: Biting my nails. Irritable. Snapping at co-workers.

Day Three: Still irritable. Anger issues surface. After work I buy wine. I get home, watch TV, drink several glasses, and sob quietly at my keyboard.

Day Four: My hair is a mess today. No make-up. I'm all about the wine today. Can't wait to get home.

Day Five: I call in sick (hungover). I stay in bed most of the day.

Hah! Well this didn't happen either.

The truth of my 5 Day Experiment....

Days One Through Five:
I was inworld everyday. I even thought of cheating and using an alt, but still... I popped inworld for at least 10 minutes as Zoe.

Truth is....

Although I spend far less time in SL as I once did, I would miss my friends if I was away too long, and 5 days is too long.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Botgirl's Second Life Diary: Expose' on Real Cause of Second Life Affairs and Divorces

Our diabolical scheme!

Botgirl's Second Life Diary: Expose' on Real Cause of Second Life Affairs and Divorces

Mwah hah hah!

RCAF is here to stay!

Some clarification is in order as rumors seem to spin out of control like a Biplane in a stall ....



The Royal Caledon Air Force is NOT...I repeat....RCAF is NOT leaving Second Life or our beloved Caledon.

We will continue our role among the leaders within SL Aviation and related Caledon roleplay.

RCAF is changing only a few things we do within SL.

1) We will no longer schedule multi-aircraft air combat (known as dogfight furballs) in SL after the New Year. This is the biggest change in what RCAF does, but please note that the change is only in SCHEDULING MORE THAN TWO AIRCRAFT to dogfight. Let me repeat a keyword in this....Scheduling Scheduling Scheduling...whew!

2) Pilots are always welcome to use group chat to find one another for a dogfight anywhere they wish, so long as it's allowed by the sim owner(s)/manager(s).



3) Air Combat will still be a viable option for the foreseeable future in Aeronautica owned by Mifune Thibaud.



4) Hard-Core flight simulator pilots interested in a different air combat experience may join us using IL-2 Sturmovik 1946, but this is NOT a requirement.



5) Many of our pilots are content to roleplay or do scouting missions in balloons or airships, never participating in our weekend dogfights anyway. This is all part of a dynamic and inclusive group as I've always intended. We're not ALL about dogfighting ONLY. We love to do many things within Caledon and SL.

6) When I began RCAF in conjunction with starting Connolly Aerodrome in Caledon Penzance, I could only dream of flying the planes I fly now. My previous computer would not allow me the luxury of the flying experience I enjoy today. I made adjustments then.... and I'll make adjustments in the future as my flight experiences decline thanks to the loss of Openspace (VOID) sims. Do I like it? Hell no! But whining and complaining won't do a frakking thing.

7) We will get through this together. We are a creative bunch of pilots and SL residents. I'm sure we'll all take stock in what we have here in SL and what we can do in the future (both within SL and using other platforms). Most things will remain in SL. Only a handful of things will move to other virtual worlds or gaming platforms.

8) As angry and sad as many of us are, Linden Labs will do whatever it does regardless of any of our noisy selves. I agree with Eladrienne. Caledon may change but we WILL survive as a nation. And Caledon WILL have the Royal Caledon Air Force as part of her protection and defense.

9) Whether this Openspace fiasco was a conspiracy or some messy accident, I have little trust in Linden Labs. Perhaps this will change over time.

10) As I've stated before.... my activities in SL are a hobby.... and I can take my money elsewhere if and when the time comes. For now, I remain.... And if I choose to leave SL forever, there are people I trust who will carry on RCAF and my vision for as long as SL remains a viable virtual world.

~ Zoe Connolly, RCAF

The Death Of Vinnie Linden

isfullofcrap writes: "Never heard of Vinnie Linden? Maybe it's best you never did."

Saturday, November 15, 2008

RCAF Pilot Briefing - Changes in January 2009

Attention all Royal Caledon Air Force pilots:

I will hold a pilots meeting at the Connolly Aerodrome following Sundays Dogfight (November 16th). All concerned SL residents are welcome to attend.

Reason for the meeting:
Due to upcoming changes to OpenSpace (VOID) Sims, our Organized Dogfighting Days will come to a close in January 2009. Come out and celebrate our last few weeks of multi-aircraft combat in November and December. I plan to capture as much video of our dogfights as possible between now and the end of the year.

We will still engage in one-on-one dogfights -- and with the growing number of super-villains, our roleplay within Caledon will most certainly increase ;)

We will also discuss our plans to use IL-2 as an offGrid air combat game platform for our dogfighting.

Air Combat for November 15th and 16th



Please note: Our Organized Dogfighting Days will come to a close in January 2009. Come out and celebrate our last few weeks of air combat. We will still engage in one-on-one dogfights and
with the growing number of super-villains, our roleplay within Caledon will most certainly increase ;)

This weekends scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 15th 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 15th at 6:00 PM (18:00) SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

Our dogfight on Sunday the 16th of November at 9 AM SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

5 Days of Fact and Fiction « Boned

My SLBloggers Mix & Match blog post ;)

5 Days of Fact and Fiction « Boned

IL2 Sturmovik Forgotten Battles 99th Pursuit Squadron

In the combat flight simulation of IL-2, I've discovered a whole new subculture of friendly and spirited pilots. Just as there are helpful folks in Second Life, I'm finding great people in IL-2 such as WTE_Wombat who joined RCAF recently and stated in a comment "On behalf of the Wedge Tailed Eagles (an Australian IL2 group using the tag WTE ) I would like to offer a hand of friendship and welcome to the RCAF...."




IL2 appears to be a thriving community on the web. I just stumbled across a very interesting squadron - the IL2 Sturmovik Forgotten Battles 99th Pursuit Squadron - they fly in memory of the fighting men of the 332nd Fighter Group known to the world as The Tuskegee Airmen.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Sunday, November 9, 2008

"How Real is SL?" by guest blogger Harper Beresford

I have the distinct honor and pleasure of having Harper Beresford as the guest blogger on my tiny little corner of the SLBlogosphere. How did this happen? This delightful happenstance occurred via Arminasx's and Vint Falken's Crazy Scheme Mix and Match challenge.

And now ladies and gentlemen.... Here's the lovely and gracious Harper....


"How Real is SL?" - Is SL a game or is it another reality? If it is another reality, how close is it to The Actual World in which we live?

Subtitled: "Sanity is a madness put to good uses; waking life is a dream controlled." ~ George Santanaya

Let me start off by saying what an honor it is to have landed myself on the blog of the doyenne of SL bloggers, Zoe Connolly's. I am not sure how that randomizer worked that Arminasx and Vint cooked up, but it sure landed me in a sweet spot--or rather, a precarious spot as I have been thinking about this blog all week, terrified I will come off as a blog mess.

That being said, the topic given to me first seemed like a softball. I mean, EVERYONE writes about the "reality" of SL. NPR did a story about the real money in SL. Cybergrrl investigates "RL" businesses in SL. A guy at Stanford found out that our behavior as an avatar changes how we deal with things offline and another woman at Queensland found out it improves our real-life social skills. Isn't Botgirl's whole blog a study of the reality vs. unreality of existing in Second Life?

So I subtitled the blog with my own chosen quote, because I think SL is a sort of waking dream. Anyone who has read my blog (all five of you), know that I fall deeply on the side of thinking Second Life is a reality. I have not changed my mind in the six months since I wrote my blog about that--this is not a game; this is my life and this is your lives.

So much of what I do on SL has very real consequences. I have personally felt the goodness of my interactions on SL come to fruition. I have personally taken money OUT of SL and put it into my own bank account to buy the computer that allows me to make more money. I had a darn good time going to Tampa and Berlin and meeting SL friends. And I felt real joy doing the flamenco all night with my friends, discussing art, music and where glow does and doesn't belong.



Right now, Second Life takes up a lot of our time, readers. We are forerunners, obsessed with its possibilities. We're a little nuts, but in a good way. We are putting our madness to good uses ;)

Not everyone will live their lives using this tool/media/means of communicating the way we will, but I feel in the future, everyone will have some sort of experience with a "virtual reality" and an "avatar," just as people all over the world now feel the lightness of being untethered to a phone line in the wall with their cell phones.

We just need to stretch our minds around that possibility a little farther than the local land auction. We need to acknowledge the power of this kind of virtuality to become a part of human existence just as storytelling, music, art, etc., are all parts of our cultures. This "waking dream" we live in for our Second Lives is quite "real" (whatever that means).

This avatar existence will translate to new, real life applications and possibilities. We ALL know that. Gosh, why do I need to reiterate this? (I hate being cliched.) We are taking this Rubic's cube of a reality and twisting and turning it in our hands, all in our ways, trying to find the right patterns in it to discover powerful tools and to absorb its potentially profound lessons. And doing this takes time. Let's cut Linden Labs and ourselves all some slack. This virtual stuff has been around a long time and it needs to evolve in its own time.

So that being said, I am going to go back in-world, dress up in my monkey avatar, and help a few newbies on Help Island, making this new world happen one newbie at a time.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Zoe Connolly's Live Blog Test

RCAF Ning Group discussions




The Royal Caledon Air Force Ning Group has come to life today as our pilot members ponder what to do next in light of the Openspace (void) sims mess....

Openspace and the future of SL aviation

TEOTGAWKI

IL-2 Sturmovik 1946

Air Combat for November 8th and 9th

TEOTGAWKI

TEOTGAWKI = The End Of The Grid As We Know It

We have a few weeks left to enjoy some of the beautiful Openspace sims in SL.

Changes related to SL Aviation....

As long as present Openspace sims exist, I'll continue to schedule air combat dogfights until the end of 2008. There will no longer be any organized dogfights for us beginning in January 2009.

Although our main events will obviously change, EDF and RCAF will still exist.

Our communities live on in both the EDF and RCAF Nings, and for those of us who wish for an air combat experience there is a discussion on the RCAF Ning on how we may continue to dogfight on the web. There is still hope for us die-hard pilots, but SL is no longer a friendly place for our activities.

My own outlook....

I am profoundly saddened with the news from Linden Labs.

I will make some subtle changes to the Connolly Aerodrome in Caledon Penzance as we move away from traditional flight scripted aircraft to hovering-scripted craft. No need for a runway.

Far less spending on aircraft for Zoe and her alts. Good for Zoe's purse. Not so good for aircraft builders.

I imagine a less-active pilot Zoe after the New Year. But Zoe does so many other things and really enjoys machinima production. So I imagine Zoe and her alts accomplishing great things in 2009 and beyond.

I'll make a purchase of IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 in the near future. I've been chatting with Cornelius Fanshaw and Phineas Messmer about how we could create an active online EDF/RCAF presence in a combat flight sim away from SL. IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 seems to be a good combination of historic and alternate history aircraft that appeals to so many of us.

IL2-Sturmovik : Retribution

Air Combat for November 8th and 9th



Please note: Our Dogfighting Days will come to a close in January 2009. Come out and celebrate our last few weeks of air combat.


This weekends scheduled EDF and RCAF Air Combat will be Saturday the 8th 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 8th at 6:00 PM (18:00) SL time, Combat system TCS, Location: Skies of Tomorrow in Extropia.

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

Monday, November 3, 2008

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Today we celebrate RCAF, Connolly Aerodrome, Caledon Penzance, and OpenSpace Sims in Caledon and across the Grid



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

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

Our DJ's...

2:00 PM to 4:00 PM SL Diamanda Gustafson (Duchess of Caledon Sound and RCAF Squadron Leader)

4:00 PM to 6:00 PM SL Samantha Poindexter (First Church of Rosedale in Caledon Penzance and RCAF Pastor)

If you would like to contribute 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

IL2 Sturmovik : 1946 edition trailer

"Captured sequences from edition named "IL2 Sturmovik : 1946" IL-2 Sturmovik is a combat flight simulator video game, focused on the air battles of the Eastern Front during World War II. It is named for the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack fighter, which played a prominent role in this theatre. Along with its sequels, it is considered one of the leading WWII flight simulators. The game was developed by 1C: Maddox Games and published by 1C in Russia and Ubisoft in the rest of the world, for the PC on November 18, 2001. The game has been updated frequently, the latest version that includes all sequels and patches being 4.08m. The flight simulator IL-2: Sturmovik and the sequels Forgotten Battles, Forgotten Battles Ace expansion pack, Pacific Fighters, Pe-2 add-on, Manchuria and 1946 now contain 347 aircraft, 256 are flyable. The aircraft covers most major aircraft deployed during World War II as well as some which did not leave the prototype stage. The original version of the game featured 31 playable Russian, German, British, French and American planes and an additional 40 non-flyable planes...."

Saturday, November 1, 2008

"Avoid the Voids" - Accepting the things I cannot change (Part 2)

Adaptation: The change in living organisms that allow them to live successfully in an environment....

As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7

Jaques:
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts....


I haven't felt like Logging into SL lately.

I'm thinking about what's next for Zoe Connolly. I'm approaching 2 years in Zoe's skin since January 21, 2007.

I've played many parts on the Grid....As a pole-dancer, Mistress, Girl with Guns, Steampunk Explorer, and of course SL Aviatrix for most of that time. Perhaps it's time for another avatar personae?

"Avoid the Voids" - Accepting the things I cannot change

It's been a few days since the initial shock of the Openspace (VOID) Sims Controversy.

Linden Labs will do as they please. It's their company and they have every right to raise prices as they see fit.

I cannot fight political and economic battles both in SL and in RL. I simply do not have the energy or funds to do either of them well. One of them must take precedence. I choose RL.

For every ailment under the sun
There is a remedy, or there is none;
If there be one, try to find it;
If there be none, never mind it.

Life goes on, even Second Life goes on.... after all... as LL continuously reminds us....

We're not really residents in a virtual world as they once claimed....we're just players in an elaborate game.