I always lament when I don't have enough visuals in my blog. The last two entries made me feel this way. Blessfully, better than buses, something always comes along in SL. Here are a couple.
Awhile back, Ben Linden made a video demo of FollowCam, a relatively recent collection of script functions which allow you to control the camera in a number of cinematic ways. And this is the part where I squawk and go "BRING IT ON!" because I've seen great usages of it in some vehicles: but I expect a lot more! Where are the shaky amateur camcorder simulations, the wide angle tracking shots for when you're running in the desert, or even a camera which simulates the "You can't see the adults's heads!" a la Muppet Babies? Come on now, I know there's good juice in here, just gotta squeeeeze it out.
This is what Kyrah Abattoir did. Best seen in motion, but the first three piccies are automatic angles set up by her CamSys. It's a free attachment—she doesn't have a box to distro, so IM me for one—and click the red light so it goes green. Then, walk into the house. It's her mansion-in-progress, and is separated into zones. Triggers, like tripwires, will detect when you cross, and automatically switch angles. Think of Resident Evil or Alone in the Dark or uh, other survival horror games. It gets difficult at points to navigate depending on how your avatar is oriented (e.g. on a certain perspective, pushing up arrow will make you walk left on the screen), but wholesomely rewarding. Kyrah explained it is "curious". I agree.
I've made it a point to attend more events. Looks like Mera Pixel's building class is up next, and I recently went to Zonax Delorean's show and tell, he of the very fun model trains. He also knows how to make an entrance. Sure puts the "show" into it—he hides under the stage, and then slabs of the stage move, red arrows reconfiguring themself into new formations as he rises in a cloud of smoke. A lot like Las Vegas, and more dramatic than the Stage 4 (anyone remember that?) S&Ts I once attended.
Got to see Patch Lamington showing off his "doodle draw" for the first time. Coming closer to effective sketching in SL! You can even save pictures. Yes, to this day I find it quaint discombulated how we have mastered three-dimensionality within SL, but not so much as an integrated whiteboard. It's like someone who can fly but can't walk (?).
Lethe Naumova showed off her new plane too, I really like the tone of teal and yellow—think it's like one of the presets for Huns Valen's F-11 Slipstream. Aesthetically, the vehicles are very different, but I wonder what their children would be like. Update: see more details on Dolmere Talamasca's blog.
Osgeld Barmy made a trippy dancefloor which he just sent me—it's recolorable, of course, so I will be watermelonizing it.
Chance Takashi presented a really unique av, a hybrid sort of plane-tank with a brain in a bubble, not to mention a bumper sticker saying "MY OTHER AVATAR IS A HOT CHICK". This elicited amusement.
And then Shawk Pertwee, dressed up as the grim reaper himself, pulled out a really large tree, bringing to mind the culmination of death and life.
Alas I had to leave early to fix some things up.
Nevertheless, I had a great time, and the adventures continue!