Building Avatar Appearance : Skin

Skin is again a very important part of an avatar. And they can come in many types. There are fantasy skins, realistic skins, and just about whatever kind of look you can imagine. This post is NOT an advertisement for any specific skin maker. It is intended to offer a sampling of some of the skins that can be found in second life to use as a character base. So with that in mind feel free to keep reading.

There are many different skin makers and each one has it's own appeal for those creating a 'look'. We all want to be eccentric and be special. Check out the skins below, and feel free to look up the stores in world if there's a style that you like. Remember these skins are just a sampling of the ones available in world, and there's some AMAZING skins in there.

Fallen Gods

[Void]

Aeva/Heartsick

TLB (The Little Bat)

Nomine

cStar Limited

Modish

Skinthesis

As stated above, these are only some of the skins that can be found in world. Feel free to explore and find skins that allow you to express yourself. You do NOT have to settle for just one skin, you can have as many as you want and switch between them if it suits you. Please keep in mind that skins will appear different on different shapes.

Avatar Appearance : Building an AO

I know this post may seem like we're jumping ahead when it comes to building your Second Life Avatar (and I promise we're covering skins and hairs soon) but this is an important topic that I feel I should cover. It's going to be easier to explain now while I'm working on an ao than it will be later when I'm not constructing.

What exactly is an AO, also known as animation override? An AO is a series of animations loaded into an item we will call a hud. The hud houses a script or series of scripts that will read a note card that lists the animations loaded into the hud. I know for a fact that some of the second life viewers have AO capabilities built right into them, unfortunately I don't use a viewer like that so we will be looking at a easier to access way to construct an AO in world.

For this demonstration I am going to be showing you how to build a mixed animation AO in a ZHAO II hud. For those of you worried about script count, this is a favorable option because it only houses 2 scripts. For those of you with more experience in Second Life, I'm sure by now you know that there are a large number of variations of AO huds available for use. My preferred one is the Alchemy 4 Hud available from Sinful Needs. But in all honesty, for a beginning character this may be a bit difficult to process. But what we are going through today is applicable to most if not all AO's.

First thing you want to do is collect a variety of animations that you enjoy in world. I have a fairly large collection of animations, as you can see in this picture, some are dances and some are full ao's. A pre-made ao is not a bad thing. You can use one if you like it, but I find  that mixing together animations makes for a more interesting character to watch in world. I have a soft spot for an in world animation store called Creative Insanity, and I also enjoy Tuty's. Oracul AO's get a lot of good talk up as well so remember to look around. Collect animations from different places, and don't be afraid to get more than one AO at  a store to pull the animations from, it can be cheaper this route if you like a number of animations in a set.

A default note card is what you're going to find when you put down your Zhao II and open it up. It looks like this.

This listing shows the type of overrides that are available, as well as shows you the type of classifications you're going to find when you look at animations to create your unique AO. There is also a card labeled "READ ME", do. If you don't have a simple Zhao, this note card will explain how to make sure your ao will be configured correctly.

Why does it have so many classifications? To be blunt, avatars just don't walk and sit and stand still. People like to see them do other things, like wiggle and skip, fly and run. Some avatars are even expected to be able to swim!

If you look at the list here you can see some of the animation names in the Bunny Girl AO that I bought at Tuty's.

If you notice there's a large number of animations with similar names. It's advisable to go through each one and preview it in world. by doing an in world preview you can decide if it's an animation that you'd like to have in your AO or not. Many AO's also come with a variety of sits designed for avatars of different heights. In the case of my avatar I use the tall animations.

My default card ends up looking like this by the time I am done.

As you can see there are a large number of animations on my card. What is nice with the Zhao II hud is that it has a random choice button for the stands, so you don't need to hand organize them. Make sure that you put copies of your animations listed on your card into your Zhao before trying to wear it, or it won't work. Check your list multiple times to make sure that your animations are loaded and then reset the script. You should be ready to use your customized AO now. So attach, make sure the button is green, if it is you should be moving now, or pulling a pose if that's what your animations call for your avatar to do.

Hopefully this short look at AO's is helpful for you. It's not a hard thing to do, it's just time consuming. Retyping animation names into the note card needs to be done carefully, because even a difference in the capitalization of a letter can render something un-found by the hud.

Thank you for your attention, and have fun in SL! Hope to see you around.
~Tia~

Special Event : Halloween Pumpkin Hunt at Dream

In the past I mentioned a place called Club Dream. But they also have a multi-level sim, and happen to be running a seasonal hunt currently as well. Their hunt has 12 pumpkins hidden around the sim, and in this case you actually smash them open when you claim the prize. In order to find them though you need to explore the open section of the sim. There's even an aquatic area for mer-folk to go through!

There's a variety of different prizes in this hunt. There's some adorable jewelry pieces, perfect for the season. There's 3 different sets of stockings that can be used year round depending on the kind of outfits you tend to wear. There's stunning cat eyes in a variety of colors. For those of you interested in the world of SL Dollies, there's a wonderful Doll Joint tattoo layer. The variety of gifts is wonderful, because there's something for everyone.

Check for more information and see previews of their prizes on their blog: Club Dream

Special Event : Halloween Pumpkin Hunt at The Village

 The Village is having yet another seasonal hunt on sim! For those of you who were here in the spring and remember the Easter egg hunt, you're well prepared for this. But for those who are new to the Village and to scavenger hunting this could be more of a difficult adventure. But it is bound to be a lot of fun regardless as to the amount of time you have spent on the sim.

So what are we looking for? Well that's easy enough to explain, we're looking for pumpkins! The Village Pumpkin Hunt is a challenge, because they're going to be adding one pumpkin each day until Halloween. Currently, I've been informed that there are 2 pumpkins hidden about. As to the types of prizes you can expect to find, they're planned as unisex. Ladies, this means feel free to involve the menfolk in the hunt!

Example Pumpkin & One of the Prizes

The Village Pumpkin Hunt is at ground level. Which means dear pumpkin hunters, these pumpkins are hidden in the active hunting grounds. That said I am going to advise you, from my personal opinion and experience to do this hunt in pairs if you don't want to be interrupted. Or find a hunter to act as your group leader, that could work too. The objects will not be hidden in a safe zone, but they may be hidden in the water chase.

Fair warning : cheater huds are not likely to work in this hunt. Reports have been coming in from people that have tried using them to locate the prizes, and so far they have been unsuccessful. That said, it's time to open your eyes and actually hunt for those pumpkins!

Special Event : Fallen Gods 5th Year Celebration

In Second Life there are some stores that have been around for years. There's a lot of stores that close, and some of the ones that I remember fondly from various times in sl, I miss dearly. Fallen Gods Inc is a store that has been around since October 2007. They have a beautiful sim, and also have an amazing line of skins, and accessories. Fallen Gods also has the Petite Avatars available. If you've never been there I do highly recommend them.

If you're interested in checking them out follow this slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Selidor/240/133/21

They're currently doing a hunt on their sim for their group, and the gifts are amazing. Please read the note Alia sent out If you're interested. The hunt is only on for a limited time so if something catches your eye head on over and check it out. (And look over the products available, they're beautiful.)

_________________________________________________

A number, a word. Five, to dream and keep dreaming.

Now that the Dream is whole you can dream on the Islands at the Temple Entrance or simply play your clues inside. Complete the Journey to Our 5th Anniversary.
(You can get some of the Islands still in past notices)

The Hunt will last till the 21st of October. When the Dream word will be complete, all Island will be already given trough group notices and present on the Island as their relative hidden visions.
Use the diapason to play the tunes and get clues.

Collect the visions and merge dreams on October 20 1 pm slt,
I see you there,
Yours,
Alia

Shopping VS Hunting

In Second Life there are a variety of ways to dress your avatar. You can be just about anything that you want to be, as am sure you've realized by now. Today we're going to look at the pro's and con's of two different ways in which to outfit your avatar. Shopping and Hunting. I know that it sounds a bit peculiar to think of hunting as a way to outfit your avatar, but it'll be explained well enough for you to understand.

Second Life clothing and avatars can get to be a fairly expensive hobby if you're not ready to be a content creator yourself. We're not all creative art talents, some of us are writers, and others are scriptwriters. While a large number of us wish nothing more than to rp and pay dress up. Playing dress up can get costly, and it can be daunting. How can you look different without spending so much?

This is where scavenger hunts and store events come in. There are a number of grid wide hunts that happen in Second Life, and the prizes vary. They can be everything from a pose, to a whole avatar. Unlike shopping though, there is no guarantee that you will like everything that you receive in a  hunt. But you're not spending nearly as much by doing a hunt as you would by shopping. The biggest thing you're likely to spend during a hunt is time.

You will find out that there are stores that you shop at, that do participate in hunts. This is  a good way to slowly decide if scavenger hunts are for you. Some of them are very difficult, and I personally recommend hunting with a friend, or even in a group. Why? Because it can be more fun and you'll cover more ground that way.

This is just some food for thought. Shopping is by far the more reliable method to get exactly what you want. But a hunt, will usually add some unique pieces to your wardrobe, that over time are generally unavailable.  So here's to happy hunting, whether it's for a deal or for an item.

Some Village Footage

 

If you have been to the village enough, you'll note in the first half of the footage that it's more or less the village as it was. The second half shows some of the changes that have been put in on this corner of the sim. Admittedly the footage may not be as crisp as you see Second Life, but you can kind of see it the way I do.

It is most definitely good to be home again.

A few thoughts on Perspective

A place where we are able to escape the reality of aging and express oneself as one would love to be. That's part of what second life has offered us. A world in which we never have to grow old, where there's not really anything bad unless we want it to be bad. We get to choose our existence, and the way we want to look. We each get to choose things that appeal to us.

Perspective is thus a very important factor when it comes to SL. Why? Well first of all Perspective is the way that we see the world around us. It is what aids us in making our decisions. It is also what helps us move through the digital world and create ourselves.

While the relationships we make in SL can be very real to us, at the end of the day SL is a game. People log out and go back to their real lives. People have husbands and wives, jobs, and functions that they need to spend time with. We can't expect them to be in SL all the time, it is unpractical and unfair. So although we may miss someone, it is inappropriate to try and make them feel guilty about not being around.

Remember that not everyone will see SL the same as you do, and reality should and will come first. Perspective is something that is very important to remember. It will help keep you from getting hurt, and it can help keep you from worrying about what if. There is no right or wrong way to see things, just many different ways to do so. Just don't force your opinions on to someone else.

The Village Planetarium

The Village has a new planetarium, and I simply adore it! It's a wonderful place to sit and relax, and so far it is a fairly private place to do so. It's in the back corner of the sim where the lighthouse used to be. I admit, my graphics may not be the best, but I still want to share some of the wonderful things on the sim with you. So if you bear with me, am sure you will see things you know (or may want to know). ^_^

Digital Relationships and Truth

We have a lot of run ins with people from all over the world while we explore Second Life. Heck the same can be said for just about any video game. People sometimes, lie to others in order to gain something. What they're trying to get, is not always clear. We have recently learned that we were told something that was untrue. Not only were we told this, but we shared this with all of you. Because we believed the source would not give us false information.

But it seems that is not true. In this case, it is a bit of a blessing to find out that someone we love dearly is going to be back with us. But it's reopening the wound of believing they were gone. And it makes us question who it is that we are able to trust. We have found out that, much to our shock and surprise, Sangrelle is very much still alive. It's surreal, and feels like something out of a movie or soap opera. When someone is reported to have passed on, you generally don't expect to see them again. Making it a bit of a shock for those who felt the loss.

The truth is a huge component when it comes to being able to trust someone. Relationships, as I've pointed out in the past, are built on many things. But honesty is one of the most important things that a relationship is built on.

That all being said I want to ask you to do something. When you think about lying to someone, please think very hard about it. Because while you may think it can't hurt anyone, sometimes they will become more than what you intended. Death is not something to toy with, and heartstrings are not to be played with like a harp. People should always be treated with the same decency and courtesy that you would expect them to treat you.

Thoughts on Fifty Shades Of Grey

I never planned to read this book. I agreed to because opinions were asked for on the matter, and the only way to form an opinion and understanding about a book is to read it. After reading the first book to this three part series I am left understanding why it is that people might find it both appealing and offensive. On a whole the piece is complex, but written in a manner that pulls a reader in. We want to know what is happening to our characters, and we want to see them go through their actions. So before we even get into my thoughts on this first book, I am going to say that yes. Yes I think I will read the next book. Perhaps it will give a fuller reflection on things.

Fifty Shades Of Grey
EL James
356 pages

First off, I am going to say that the main characters shine. Each of them are presented not as flat, but as vibrant creatures with a deeper existence. They each have their reasons to hesitate, and they each have their reason to want to move forward in the relationship that is the focus of the book. Ana is our lead female character. Christian is our lead male character. The other characters are also very vibrant and I personally felt drawn into the book because of this.

The book itself though is best described as a harlequin romance novel on crack. It has the feel of a modern fairytale. In all honesty, it isn't a realistic situation. But it is a fiction piece so that is to be expected.  The thing that I can see having upset some people is the romanticized feel. It is written from the perspective of Ana, and at times it feels like a diary. We are never issued the perspectives or thoughts from other characters, other than what they may have said, or how she viewed them. It is very one sided in that respect.

I really think that having a copy of the supposed contract smack dab in the middle of the book was a bit annoying, and gives a false lead  to those who might be interested in this kind of situation. It is a whirlwind of activity in this book, and things move far to quickly. It is very unrealistic, and that said readers should be wary of what they think of parts of the book. There are a lot of things that are far from normal when it comes to BDSM, and there is no reason that this book should be used as a way to measure a relationship. In fact, if you're actually interested in BDSM as more than just something to read about for giggles, this book is  NOT for you.

Why do I say that? Well, it's not meant to be educational. It's meant to entice the imagination and give some of us  fluffy fuzzy thoughts. Of course, the situation would not seem fluffy to most people, but there are some of us to which this kind of book and parts of the situation are appealing. And I feel like I'm chasing my tail now.

In all honesty, after finishing the book. There's a few points I would like to express. Fans will likely disagree with me, but I already said that I do plan to read book two, to see how this may pan out. My first point is this, if you take out the contract and the proposed "room of pain", you are left with the kind of relationship many of us would call a high school stalker relationship. It's very high school-esque, but that makes it an easy read.

The book is definitely aimed at mature readers. But the unfortunate reality is that there are dozens of teens and tweens that are going to get a hold of this because of the hype, and parents not being discerning. If you are thinking about letting your teenager read this book, or see them doing so PLEASE read it, and feel free to explain to them that it is a work of fiction. It is not fact in the slightest.