Happy birthday to me :)

Probably some of you noticed that the number on the About me widget has changed from 24 to 25. Yes, I turned a quarter on May 23rd. Happy birthday to me! I probably should have posted it on Friday... I was too busy celebrating though ;)

SL'ang Life video ad :) [UPDATE]

[UPDATE: March 29, 2010] I removed all SL'ang Life links - they don't lead to SL'ang Life website anymore (since it doesn't exist), but to one you wouldn't want to go to ;)

I've just finished creating SL'ang Life video ad, check it out:



You can also watch it on Koinup if you prefer. Tell me if you like it! Send the link around the grid! :D And of course if you haven't done so yet, visit our website and subscribe, it's free :)

PS. In the ad you can notice a prototype of my speaking simulator for avatars I talked about some time ago. Let me know what you think about it :)

Finding Magellan Linden

Today I joined a growing list of SL residents looking for Magellan Linden. If you don't know what I'm talking about, start with this blog post: The Search for Magellan Linden Starts Now!, this forum thread: Where In The World Is Magellan Linden? and a movie by Osprey Therian:



So today I went to see Magellan's camp site at the new continent, Gaeta, and to spot Magellan in-world if possible.



I've been teleporting to the green dots appearing on the map, but all these were other explorers in search of Magellan. The region itself isn't really helpful. It is often producing green dots where there are no avatars. Sometimes your dot stays in the place you teleported from and in result many explorers keep chasing their own ghost dots.

So many green dots, and none of them was Magellan. Where could he be?



I noticed his ship wreck under water, and more metal pieces under the beach nearby, but there were no clues.



I wonder if all the explorers are missing something... After all, Magellan asked the brave ones to follow him. There must be a clue somewhere.



As I sat at the dock to think, more explorers came. And so I met HeadBurro Antfarm and Teetah Beck. We quickly became friends, being on the same mission. Discussing together, we found some new information but it was nothing that would move us forward. At some point Dee and Guy Linden appeared. We asked them about Magellan, but they didn't see him around. Or so they say.



As we've been trying to discover some new trace, more and more explorers were joining us, including Natacha Chernov, who said she saw Magellan just yesterday!



Our findings:

• There's a new addition to the camp - a FIC badge. It wasn't there yesterday, and I think it wasn't there in the morning today. It must have fallen out of Magellan's pocket, which means he was there very recently. And probably too busy to notice the lack of the badge.
• There are two parcels belonging to Magellan. One, with the camp site, and land description: "Let those follow me who can!" and the other one, with the ship wreck under water, and description: "Follow me who dares!". A challenge, definitely a challenge.
• Just recently a "no-fly" restriction was added to Magellan's parcel. Why?
  
• As you look at the mini-map, you can notice a weird square object where the dock is. We flew very high using various devices to see if there's any platform in the sky, but there's nothing there. So we started to look under the dock, but nothing there as well. Does it have anything to do with Osprey's letter to Magellan? There's a part saying: "It's all water under the bridge now. I hope you understand". Is it really a coincidence?
• We tried to create an online indicator to see when Magellan is online and we noticed the script can't retrieve Magellan's name from his key. This might have something to do with his profile, that is showing up only in newer Second Life All tab search. Just in case, we retrieved Magellan's key from his tent and we can confirm it is the same one as posted in SL forums.
  

That's all we found, and mostly these are new questions, not the answers - but maybe this will inspire someone else to find the right track?

In the meanwhile, I created an aparatus checking whether Magellan is online (provided that the key we have is really the one). The aparatus should start emiting particles, say that Magellan is online every few seconds and stream a continuous sound alarm as soon as Magellan logs in.



I was going to give the aparatus for free, but I realised it could be used as a griefing tool. It is designed to be quite noisy, so that I can notice Magellan's presence even when switched to another application. But you'll probably get to see it, as I'll be taking it with me to Gaeta now.

If you notice anything new, I'll be very happy to know. Also, don't forget to contact Salazar Jack who leads the group of explorers - sharing information will help us all find Magellan faster. Good luck on your search!

Waiting waiting waiting hippos waiting...

My friends list recently:



Just something to smile at ;)

Did you know there's only one smile that makes us happy?
Dr. Ekman, who developed a widely used system for reading people's emotions from small changes in facial muscles, has identified 18 kinds of smiles, each using slightly different combinations of muscles and signaling different messages. He said that the one smile that activates the brain centers for enjoyment is the same grin that spontaneously crinkles the eyes into crow's feet during a chuckle.
Source: One Smile (Only One) Can Lift A Mood (by Daniel Goleman)

So, if you're smiling now, I hope that's the one!

Relay For Life Toothbrushes

I'm happy to announce I created RFL versions of my toothbrushes. They work the same as the regular ones but they have RFL colours and "Relay For Life Edition" inscription (both the toothbrush and the toothpaste). Here are the pictures:







You'll find the vendors at my store. All proceeds will go to American Cancer Society. So come on over, get yourself a toothbrush and support a good cause.

llFunny

I've been a member of the Scripters of Second Life group for quite a long time now and I think it's my favourite SL group so far. Not only are they very helpful but being in the group is sometimes really entertaining too. I couldn't stop myself from posting some of the funny situations, though I'm pretty sure they will be funny to scripters only. So if you're a scripter and want some laugh, read on. If you're not a scripter, you're welcome too, but it might not be funny for you at all. If you're a member of the Scripters of Second Life group, this may bring back memories :)

GG: is there anything i can do if i have something that's now missing from database?
TD: Clear Cache, Relog, and prepare to cry
GG: tissues please? =/
TD: *hands you the box*

JR: w00t got soap working with LSL :)
GW: good to see someone finally cleaned it up
TP: llScheduleBath()?

IC: how can i add passion to my scripts?
HC: llPassion() :p
SM: print it out, take it out to dinner

HD: wow, you guys are good... I see a reply posted at 11:52 to a question asked at 11:53

RP: hi everyone, looking for 30.000,30.000,0.010 hudge prim anyone have that size :P
JR: no but i do have a crude duck for your pond if you want it

IS: How can I sit inside a rotating object without falling out?
SG: glue

MX: i made a following prim and it wont fllow anyone but me
MK: great, you wont ever lose it
TR: Perhaps it just likes you?

SC: hey guys
SC: why is that making the object say its name twice
SC: llSay(0, llGetObjectName() + " tacos are cool");
SC: lol woops
SC: never mind
SC: i see why
HG: lol
JF: Because you told it to?
SC: duh
JF: Nothing says humility like announcing your mistakes to a group of your peers.

VH: baby u so sweet
PM: awww
GG: O.o
DD: aaaw
SO: O_o
AC: awww :)
EE: you can raise my z axis anytime baby

On Talk Like A Pirate Day:
SJ: Is there an llParseString2Pirate function call?
TP: llShiverMeTimbers()

AC: a quick question: you can't detect avatar gender through script, can you?
CM: Nope.
WU: llGetSex(Key)
WU: .. soory it's a joke
YK: I don't believe there is an actual avatar gender, is there?
HS: Some avatars you can't tell by just looking either.
AC: llGetSex sounds like something else hahah
WU: lol
VS: llNoneForYou(noKeyRequired)
AC: lol
SS: lol llgetsex(now)
WU: integer size = llGetSex(key);
VS: llNothingLikeTheRealThing()
YK: integer exaggeration = llGetSex(male);
WU: float dream = llGetSex(Key)
YK contemplates the effect on the grid of llGetSubmissive(gorean);
AC: haha, I so love this group
TT: llUseProtection(TRUE);

SA: Meaning, "We have no clue what our own functions actually do." jk LoL <{;o)~
TP: llWeArentSure()

BM: Anyone have that smiling thing that makes you smile now and then? ^^
LB: fig newtons and a glass of milk?
DD: ;ppl at the new bug

JH: guys. do you know how can i disallow the entrance of people with vehicles to a region? PushObject doesn't seem to work when teh avatar is sitting on it
TA: try a fence. :)

SM: on the local axis, curl you hand around one axis, with the thumb pointing in the direction of the arrow...then any positive rotational value will be going around your fingers to the tips
MZ: S..you make rotations sound so sexy :)

Have a good day everyone :)

xkcd.com

I kissed a Linden

There's an old Second Life proverb saying: If you can kiss a Linden, you will have good luck all year. Nah, I'm joking, but it's a nice one, don't you think? :) If you choose to believe it though (who said you can't?) rush to the Isle Of View and kiss one (or more Lindens!) and celebrate Valentine's Day 2008. I've been there, I've kissed them and I'm telling you: it's fun :D



I got to kiss Jeremy Linden who works on Knowledge Base and I kissed Socrates Linden who is a liaison and a member of the gov team. I even got to meet Cupid Linden - a cute little love Linden :) He was sweet, gave me some Valentine goodies and we took a picture together.





The Lindens will be back at the island at 5PM, so you still got a chance to kiss one and win some luck :)

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

PS. To those who doesn't know why the island name is Isle Of View. Read it aloud :) Hey, did I hear I love you?