tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70898053848716934132024-03-13T09:53:14.523-07:00Refined WildKhyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-76605871124171547002014-06-22T18:20:00.001-07:002014-06-22T18:24:37.539-07:00~ Refined Wild ~ at Second Life's 11th Birthday Celebration!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Second Life is almost a teenager!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I remember the first time I heard about Second Life. I can't quite recall where on the internet I'd heard about it, but it was someone's personal website where they talked about having a virtual persona in a virtual world on the internet. As an individual who had grown up MUCKing and MUDding </span></span>their way through highschool, this was very intriguing to me. Social virtual environments, heavily cruxed on the lifeblood of imagination have always fascinated me. This was no exception.</div>
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Alas, I had to wait a year to join because I did not yet own a credit card (yes, this was back in "ye olde SL daes of yore" when you were still required to have a credit card to join), but as soon as I had that little piece of plastic between my fingers, I created my account on August 31, 2005, logged in, and <i>never looked back</i>.</div>
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I won't soon forget my initial experience, stepping into the Welcome Area after visiting Orientation Island. This was before Mesh. Before Sculpts. Before Flexi Prims. Before Animated AO's. Everything was built with a mish-mash of spheres and cubes and cones and cylinders and toruses (torii?). Second Life was (and likely always will be) a culture shock for the newly-indoctrinated. I stood there as I watched a tiny hyena in a dress converse with a seductive-looking demon, while Kirby and Bowser and Master Chief flew through the sky overhead. There was someone with pink flamingos attached to themselves every-which way as newbies wandered, rezzing cubes and immediately attaching them to their heads.</div>
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I wasted no time IMing everyone I knew to tell them about this phenomenon I'd just discovered. I think my actual words were:</div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>"This is !@#$%^& <i>awesome</i>."</b></span><br />
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I dove obsessively into this new virtual environment. Within a week, I'd already gotten a handle on how to build. Within two weeks, I'd created my first head of hair. Within one month, I'd created my first sellable product -- and Refined Wild was born.</div>
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But enough about my life story! Time to talk about <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Somniatis</b></span>.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-503Bzm0n3fk/U6d8rQiS7UI/AAAAAAAAAb4/z7yQxBi9xVk/s1600/somniatis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-503Bzm0n3fk/U6d8rQiS7UI/AAAAAAAAAb4/z7yQxBi9xVk/s1600/somniatis.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">:: Somniatis :: Ascension of the Digital Consciousness</span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span style="color: #d9ead3;"> "Somniatis" (sohm-nee-ah-tis); Latin for 'to dream'.</span><br /> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Somniatis is a meditation piece -- something of</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>travel, contemplation and beauty. It flows upward,</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>towards a higher state of digital consciousness</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>via surreal imaginings and dream-imagery. Things</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>become more solid, complex and advanced as</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>individuals travel to the apex of the spiral -- the</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>end of their journey -- going from the state of </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>"idea" to the state of "completion". <br /> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>On the way back down, the traveler re-connects</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>with the primal technological state -- the formation </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>of the idea. The code. The data. Which works to</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>operate the abstract core of the completed</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">thought.</span><br /> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Second Life is to live within a collective</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>consciousness. We journey through these vast</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>terrains of ever-expanding, ever-changing worlds</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>-- worlds that are mirrors of our inner thoughts </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>and inner selves.<br /> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Second Life is a pocket dimension of digital</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>existence, where dreams are realized in a very </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>tangible manner. We weave the thread between the</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>realms of reality and that of our psyche - which</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>is endless, infinite and ever-growing upward and</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">outward.</span><br /> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #d9ead3;"><b>We are a generation of digital shamans. </b></span></div>
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<a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL11B%20Pizzazz/230/72/21" target="_blank"><img alt="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL11B%20Pizzazz/230/72/21" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ks1Ll99jJ_g/U6d90Cm1uOI/AAAAAAAAAcI/KPFr1IrYneM/s1600/Somniatis_Graphic.jpg" height="238" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Click the image above to visit "Somniatis"</span></div>
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Somniatis was developed by myself, once again featuring the motion art of Methias Kira from <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/65813" target="_blank">[-Abstract Soul-]</a>. It was assisted in assembly by Saikatsu Epsilon and Kaelis Ember.</div>
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Methias and I both have Somniatis-related items you can obtain for FREE by clicking our respective signs at the exhibit! They will only be free for the week of the SL11B celebration, so get those freebies while you can! </div>
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There is also a SLtography contest going on, where you could win <b>$10,000L</b>! <a href="http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Featured-News/Second-Life-s-11th-Birthday-Celebrating-Your-Second-Life-L-10/ba-p/2750536" target="_blank">Click here for details.</a></div>
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<b><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL11B%20Pizzazz/230/72/21" target="_blank">Click here for a direct SLurl to Somniatis!</a></b></div>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-86288171855970183762014-05-03T00:36:00.002-07:002014-05-03T00:38:03.320-07:00One Way, Or Another ...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Js0042ODlcM/U2STTTAb9qI/AAAAAAAAAaE/Khw_1rMqK20/s1600/ticketthing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Js0042ODlcM/U2STTTAb9qI/AAAAAAAAAaE/Khw_1rMqK20/s1600/ticketthing.png" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
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... I'm gonna Gacha, Gacha, Gacha, Gacha!</div>
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Now that I've successfully embedded a 90's pop song into your subdermal thinking apparatus, I'm going to take a moment to introduce you to my first set of Gacha items (<i>ever!</i>) for the <a href="http://fantasygacha.wix.com/carnival" target="_blank">Fantasy Gacha Carnival</a> event opening this <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Sunday, May 4th</b></span>.<br />
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Since this FGC's theme was '"F" for Fashion', naturally, I made <b><i>FANS</i></b>!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox70D5sIz_A/U2SU2o2W6tI/AAAAAAAAAas/UuIPd0K5aMo/s1600/-+FANtastic!+-+(01)+A+MESH+Product+by+Khyle+Sion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox70D5sIz_A/U2SU2o2W6tI/AAAAAAAAAas/UuIPd0K5aMo/s1600/-+FANtastic!+-+(01)+A+MESH+Product+by+Khyle+Sion.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Classic" fan style.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ri76MLyvNek/U2SU5glZo4I/AAAAAAAAAa0/0XDk15ObHE4/s1600/-+FANtastic!+-+(02)+A+MESH+Product+by+Khyle+Sion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ri76MLyvNek/U2SU5glZo4I/AAAAAAAAAa0/0XDk15ObHE4/s1600/-+FANtastic!+-+(02)+A+MESH+Product+by+Khyle+Sion.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Paddle" fan style.</span></div>
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Not only are these fans <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>100% Original Mesh</b></span>, they are also <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">fully animated</span> </b>(on touch) and are <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Mod/Copy Tradable</b></span>. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Details included for Mod/Copy Trade.)</span> At a staggeringly reasonable <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>$25L Per Play</b></span>, the only winning move for this FANtastic Gacha is to refrain from thinking twice and play anyway!</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Remember to stop by the sim <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Acerbus%20Silva/44/66/53" target="_blank">Acerbus Silva</a> on or after Sunday, May 4th to grab your very own Fantastic Fantasy Fan!</span></div>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-4562186495579939362014-04-20T06:48:00.000-07:002014-06-22T16:18:45.081-07:00~ Refined Wild ~ at the World Goth Fair 2014<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-et_CpGCseho/U2Sd-KXleHI/AAAAAAAAAbM/sAJ2zcF_fss/s1600/wgficon2014_1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-et_CpGCseho/U2Sd-KXleHI/AAAAAAAAAbM/sAJ2zcF_fss/s1600/wgficon2014_1024x1024.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The World Goth Fair supports the <a href="http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/" target="_blank">Sophie Lancaster Foundation</a></span></div>
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Refined Wild will be filling out a nice sponsor booth at the <a href="http://worldgothfair.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">World Goth Fair</a> starting next month, running from <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>May 15th to June 1st, 2014</b></span>.</div>
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This is a charity event, so all donations will go to the <a href="http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/" target="_blank">Sophie Lancaster Foundation</a>, to benefit those who have been victims of, and to raise awareness of, subculture-related hate crimes.</div>
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This will be my first strictly Gothic-oriented event -- so I'm going to make something special to appease the dark elegance of SL's Gothic crowd<span style="font-size: x-small;">!</span><br />
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-5857367347716710792014-02-09T03:58:00.000-08:002014-05-03T00:59:08.124-07:00~ Refined Wild ~ is Gonna Fantasy Gacha!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7vO4zSF8LQ/UvoPGEFcPII/AAAAAAAAAZg/jwh8o7MaE_M/s1600/ticketthing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7vO4zSF8LQ/UvoPGEFcPII/AAAAAAAAAZg/jwh8o7MaE_M/s1600/ticketthing.png" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*laughs maniacally*</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">SOON.</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seriously, though. "Soon" as in: I'll be a part of the next one.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"> If you want to check out the <i>current</i></span> <a href="http://fantasygacha.wix.com/carnival" target="_blank">Fantasy Gacha Carnival</a><span style="color: #cccccc;">, go</span> <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Acerbus%20Silva/44/66/53" target="_blank">HERE</a><span style="color: #cccccc;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></b></span></span></div>
Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-47784897103381579372014-02-02T03:30:00.000-08:002014-02-06T03:50:19.290-08:00.enchantment. - Now Open! Exclusive ~ Refined Wild ~ Items Available Until February 28th!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQ0OrY0BeoI/UvNfr98pSiI/AAAAAAAAAYg/Cg6iNs3vZTM/s1600/RRH_en_OnThePath_RW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQ0OrY0BeoI/UvNfr98pSiI/AAAAAAAAAYg/Cg6iNs3vZTM/s1600/RRH_en_OnThePath_RW.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"You go this way, I'll go that," said the Bzou. "And
we'll see who gets there first."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enchantment is now open to the general public, providing everything you could ever want for all of your Red Riding Hood related needs. As usual, all items are exclusive to this round of Enchantment - including two of my very own products, each up for sale at <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>$200L</b></span> apiece.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am one of the very few (read: <i>excruciatingly</i> few) creators that have made something that is specifically male-centric; however, even at that, I've seen more than one female avatar sporting the <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Big Bad Bloody Bzou</b></span> mask since the event opened on <b>February 1st</b>. One of the bloggers told me the Big Bad Bloody Bzou stole the show - and perhaps that's sheer flattery - but it's flattery my ego accepts without hesitation.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jowad4LLoSg/UvNfdq1iNeI/AAAAAAAAAYY/CXhd8oVPHsU/s1600/RRH_en_Masks_RW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jowad4LLoSg/UvNfdq1iNeI/AAAAAAAAAYY/CXhd8oVPHsU/s1600/RRH_en_Masks_RW.jpg" height="233" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Especially considering the work that went into that thing.) </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The mask that looks amazing with a bit of red lipstick applied is called <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>A Little Bit Red</b></span>. It's been utilized quite a bit more than the formerly mentioned Bzou mask in the awesome SLtography plastered all over <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/2389078@N22/" target="_blank">Enchantment's Flickr Page</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I took the above two images myself. I'm not exactly sure how my SLtography stacks up compared to others. I'm far more used to taking product photos, and displaying true-to-form images as to how the objects appear in-world - not making them look all fancy and frilly and filtered in Photoshop. I'm actually surprised how little post-processing I did on the 2nd above image, now that Second Life supports Normal and Specular maps<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (oh god finally why did that take so long oh good god why)</span> - I only adjusted the contrast on that one.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">And now for some SLtography from other bloggers (in the order in which they were shown to me):</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay, I'm putting <a href="http://elysiumhynes.com/" target="_blank">Elysium's</a> first for <i>obvious reasons</i>. She even used my "Pins & Needles" display for her background. Gorgeous composition and a wonderful means of showing off the product. I saw this one and went <i>"Wow."</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://tekilaunplugged.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Tekila</a> used <b>Big Bad Bloody Bzou</b> in droves. I don't think she used <b>A Little Bit Red</b>. At all. Which is amazing. I'm so happy and pleased that she loved this mask. She took many pictures, and wrote a little story revolving around the wolf-head. She used it as a literal wolf-head - which possibly makes her usage of it <i>even better</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think this is one of <a href="http://classytrashynfree.com/2014/01/27/enchantment-2/" target="_blank">Anika Bellissimo's</a> better usages of color in her set of photos. She's definitely showing off the products how they should be seen, in the right set of tones. I like how the bright blue dress and tan boots go with the red in the mask, even though it's a quirky combination.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://leyendasurbanassl.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/what-is-happening-under-moon.html" target="_blank">Natsumi Kanjon</a> is another blogger that created an image that made my eyebrows bounce. She totally "got" how I wanted the mask to look under the hood of the cloak. The "placed" eyes in the Bzou mask is a bit freaky (which is fine - the wolf should be freaky!), as the eye holes will fall on your avatar's eyes, but I understand that there would've been <i>major clipping issues</i> if she hadn't moved it upward, to get that position to work - so good problem solving on her part!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As mentioned before, these items will only be available (at least in their current size, shape and color) until the end of the event. Fill your wolf-sized Red Riding Hood appetite <a href="http://enchantmentinsl.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">while you can</a>!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">[ Enchantment ] SLurl:</span> <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sium/97/149/2024" target="_blank">CLICK HERE!</a></span></span><br />
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-53242194613880433852014-01-05T16:50:00.000-08:002014-01-13T19:04:10.880-08:00~ Refined Wild ~ at .enchantment. - Opens February 1st<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8uHoiHIz3E/UtMyr-ZDpII/AAAAAAAAAWo/TzWmMqcuyHs/s1600/Enchantment+Poster-Lil+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8uHoiHIz3E/UtMyr-ZDpII/AAAAAAAAAWo/TzWmMqcuyHs/s320/Enchantment+Poster-Lil+Red.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">If you can guess what the theme of the event is this month, you win!</span></div>
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So I'm going to be sponsoring (and partaking in) in the 2nd Enchantment Fair event, which is going to have a distinct <b>Little Red Riding Hood</b> flavor. There will be exclusive items created and sold at this event.</div>
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I likely would've taken part in the last Enchantment event, which revolved around <b>Snow White</b>, but my dear friend <a href="http://elysiumhynes.com/" target="_blank">Elysium Hynes</a> didn't give me the heads up until the event was about to start, and admissions had been closed.</div>
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This is actually pretty exciting for me. Let's just say I know a <i>little too much</i> about the history behind this fairy tale - it's one of the oldest in existence and definitely one of my top favorites.</div>
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It seems like most of the creators are pretty wise about the origins of the story, and how the fairy tale actually goes. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone selling content displaying the gorier and scarier parts of this famous horror tale.</div>
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While the event opens early for bloggers (it's a very blog-centric event), it won't be open to the public until February 1st. After that, I believe the event goes for about a month.</div>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-38832899828558830152013-11-21T09:04:00.001-08:002014-02-06T01:59:15.746-08:00~Refined Wild~ at the 3rd Annual Relay for Life Christmas Expo!<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7089805384871693413" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Yearly Relay for Life Events: <i>You can never attend just one!</i></span></div>
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Yes, yes, yes, I know what you're
thinking.</div>
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Hey, Khyle, yo' crazy. You already did
a Relay for Life event this year. A big one. <a href="http://refinedwild.blogspot.ca/2013/05/the-dragonspire-fantasy-faire-2013-wrap.html" target="_blank">You built an entire sim.</a>
Don't you think you've had enough?</div>
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Well, buddy. <i>I'll tell you when I've
had enough.</i></div>
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So, yeah! <b>Refined Wild</b> will be at the
<a href="http://slchristmasexpo.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">3<sup>rd</sup> Annual Relay for Life Christmas Expo</a>. My good friend (and motion artist) Methias
Kira from <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/65813?id=65813" target="_blank">[-Abstract Soul-]</a> is going to be selling in his very own booth this time around!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(*wipes away tear* They grow up so fast.</span>)</div>
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Unfortunately, I won't be doing
anything too extra-super-duper-special for this event. No art
installations. No sim-wide builds.</div>
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However!</div>
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I will be selling a couple of new
products, will have something nice in the raffle and I will be
displaying a themed Christmas Tree!</div>
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See you there!</div>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-32193905022803142702013-09-01T23:30:00.000-07:002013-11-21T00:28:19.576-08:00There Will Always be Someone who Hates Your Art - A Tutorial on Criticism and How to Deal With It (Part 2)<br />
Boy, I didn't think this post would end up as long as it did - so I've split it into two parts.<br />
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In <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Part 1</b></span> of this tutorial, I explained about traits of Good Criticism, Poor Criticism and how to tell the subtle differences between them.<br />
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In <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Part 2</b></span> of this tutorial, I'm going to take some time to explain what to do with the Good Criticism once you've got it. Receiving a decent critique is one thing - what you do with that decent critique is an entirely different story.<br />
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I find that no matter what, the <b>Good Criticism</b> will always and absolutely take presidence over the <b>Poor</b> or <b>Bad Criticism</b>. As explained before, it's the only real criticism that matters - even if the criticism has a negative connotation. While listening to Good Criticism may not guarantee you success in your chosen field - as that is up to you, the artist - paying attention to what people have to say and building on that will guarantee that you will become <span style="color: #93c47d;"><i>better at what you do</i></span>.<br />
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Let's keep it simple, in 5 steps. <b>BLAIR</b>:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>1. Be polite.</b></span></span></h3>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>Not only should you be asking for feedback from others, you should be saying "please" and "thank you."</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc;">An artist should always make sure they're showing appreciation for criticism. The more unresponsive you are to <i>good criticism</i>, the more people will respond with <i>bad criticism</i>. People don't - and shouldn't - expect all of their opinions about your personal work to come to fruition; however, they don't like to be ignored or brushed off, either.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">When working under an employer, you should never expect them to instigate feedback. Part of your job is to request critique to ensure you're delivering what's been requested.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>2. Listen.</b></span></h3>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>When I say 'listen', I don't necessarily mean just sitting and paying attention. When I say 'listen', there is some grey-matter osmosis going on.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Take a Good Critique to heart. Most of the time, people just want to help you, and help to improve your product. They don't want to hurt your feelings. They don't want to personally attack you. You want to analyze what they are saying with objective seriousness. Like I said in my last post - sometimes the greatest improvements of my work occur because of a Good Critique. The individual giving the critique might not have the qualifications to produce such work themselves - but sometimes, now and again, someone will say something useful. Something extraordinary - and if you're not listening? You'll miss it.</span><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span> </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>3. Act on it.</b></span></h3>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>If you're working under an employer, you want to implement changes in your work as soon as possible. Act on the feedback until you get it right.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /></span><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Be honest with yourself. If you
are directly in control of any component of your work that people are
suggesting you change? You have the power to change it. With your personal work, you can vouch not to act on the suggestion - but at your own discretion (after all, you can't please all the people all the time - just some, some of the time). You don't know if it will make your work look better or worse unless you implement it. In the digital age, in digital mediums, it's easier than ever to try new things. Save a spare copy, and experiment.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>4. Improve.</b></span></h3>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>The only thing you have to lose is time. You'll likely gain a lot more than that in the long-run, anyway.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">No one is ever a perfect artist. Always strive to improve through your critiques. If you hear that people think your 3D model uses too many polygons? Work on making great models with lower polygon counts. People keep telling you you need to improve the look of your portraits? Grab your sketchbook and fill the pages with faces. Don't know how to use Photoshop or Blender? Crack open a web browser, pull up Google or YouTube and start hunting for tutorials. Practice more.</span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>5. Retain</b>.</span></h3>
<b>At bare minimum, express that you will keep the suggestions and critiques in mind for future projects.</b> <b>At most - do your best to retain aspects of your critiques, all of the time.</b><br />
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When I say "retain aspects of your critiques, all of the time", I don't mean try to remember every critique you've ever been given - just the good bits. The important bits. The things that stood out for you. The stuff you really know you need to improve on - the stuff you really, <i>really</i> know you need to improve on. Aspects of the critique that really had an impact on you. When you finally feel as though you've changed and improved in response to one critique, focus on another for awhile - gauge your audience's response. They'll let you know if you're on the right track.<br />
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That about sums it up for the second part of this tutorial. As long as you - as an artist and creative individual - maintain an objective distance from your art, are constantly seeking to improve your work and always strive to learn new techniques, you're generally not going to have a problem when someone tosses a critique in your general direction. Stick to these 5 rules when handling and responding to your feedback, and always remember:<br />
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<i>"Make good art." - Neil Gaiman</i></h3>
<br />Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-61839166941217303012013-07-17T16:13:00.000-07:002013-08-30T16:22:04.256-07:00There Will Always be Someone who Hates Your Art - A Tutorial on Criticism and How to Deal With It (Part 1)<br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>If you can't handle criticism, don't become an artist.</b></span><br />
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I've said this more than once in my life, and will likely say it more in the future. A lot of people who delve into this field cannot take a lick of criticism, whether good or bad. In the context of Second Life, I've seen merchants who would rather shut down their businesses and remove themselves from the grid entirely, than taking criticism gracefully and working to improve. Many simply <i>ignore</i> the criticism and do not improve, nor change <span style="font-size: x-small;">(and then complain about the fact that they don't sell anything)</span>. Others cannot come to grips with the idea that <i>no matter what they do</i>, there will be <i>someone, somewhere</i>, who will dislike their work.<br />
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These two particular facts can be spread like Vegemite across all mediums:<br />
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<li><b>There will always be someone who does better work than you.</b></li>
<li><b>There will always be someone who hates your art. </b></li>
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The only useful thing "Art School" ever taught me was how to deal with criticism - the good kind, and the bad kind. How to identify meaningful critiques and how to deal with the useless criticisms that make you want to curl up under a rock until the universe comes to an end.<br />
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We've all been there. You've worked hard on a project - whether it be a painting, a 3D model, a piece of writing, a business pitch, a store display, or a new shed in your backyard - that you feel nothing but immense pride for. You've been "in the zone" for days now, working as hard as you can, perfecting and tweaking and doing everything you can to make this <i>the best work you've ever done</i>, to the absolute best of your ability. Quite frankly, it's taken you so long that you're surprised you finally finished it. It's been a work-in-progress for such a long time that you thought it might never get done; but, you took your time. You didn't cut corners. You spent precious effort and creativity on something you - perhaps, inadvertently - stuck a piece of your very soul into.<br />
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You stand back, admiring your finished work. You absolutely cannot find a single thing wrong with it - we'll come back to this later - and you absolutely cannot wait to show it off to your friends, call over your supervisor or get it up on the market. You're absolutely sure this will be a hit. People will <i>love</i> it. You'll be <i>rich</i>!<br />
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And then, <i>it</i> happens. Some <i>person</i> (whoever they think they are) comes up behind you, takes <i>one look</i> at your precious paragon piece of perpetual perfection, and goes:<br />
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"Wow. What a piece of crap."<br />
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"Looks stupid. Do it over."<br />
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"This looks half-assed." <br />
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"Boring."<br />
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The downward spiral of self-loathing begins. Suddenly, what you were so immensely proud of before becomes little to nothing of importance. It's no longer "perfect", or "good" or even "acceptable". It's bad. You're bad, and you should <i>feel bad</i>.<br />
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That little piece of your soul - you know, the one you so carefully placed in your work - has been completely obliterated. Ashes to ashes; dust to dust.<br />
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Suddenly, nothing you've ever done is good enough. Your self-esteem has taken a trip over the falls of contention, with no viable way to climb back up. You lick your wounded ego and attempt to put on a brave expression as you face the world as a being of mediocrity. You feel as if you'll never, ever get better.<br />
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People might tell you to ignore criticism, if it hurts your feelings. While this might be good advice in some cases and certainly not the case overall, this mere fact still stands: <span style="color: #93c47d;"><i>you'll never get better at what you do, if you don't listen to criticism.</i></span><br />
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That said, before I get into actually identifying and utilizing <i>good </i>criticism, I'm going to address a more immediate, pressing issue. One that's a far more common, knee-jerk reaction - susceptible to abuse far above and beyond any sense of common humility.<br />
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<b>Bad Criticism</b></h3>
Bad criticism exists, and it exists <i>everywhere</i>. Everyone has been poorly criticized at least once. Everyone has <i>given</i> poor criticism, at least once. I've seen countless people give droves of poor criticism. From industry professionals, to professors, to students, to everyone in between. It is a shameful, shameful thing for both parties involved. In a perfect world, bad criticism would not exist; unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world, and the key to handling all forms of criticism is hidden away in the depths of dealing with bad criticism.<br />
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<b>Traits of Bad Criticism:</b><br />
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<li>The critique is flippant, short and emotionally driven.</li>
<li>It evaluates your work without giving reason for the evaluation.</li>
<li>The statement fails to give a suggestion as to how the work may be fixed, or gives a poor statement on how the work 'should' be fixed.</li>
<li>The criticism itself is targeted inappropriately.<br /> </li>
</ul>
All four critical statements given earlier, by themselves, are perfect examples of bad criticism. They are simply reactive statements, with nothing to support their point of view. They do not help that which they are criticizing. They do not point out any actual problem with the work - just that, the work itself is a problem for some ambiguous, omnipresent reason.<br />
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<b>1. The critique is flippant, short and emotionally driven.</b></h4>
This is fairly self-explanatory<b>. </b>It's obvious that when a trite, short, negative comment is applied to a critique without adequate, meaningful support - it's often to deface, to harm, and to hurt. These are really the comments that should be ignored the most, not because they may hurt your feelings, but because they are the most useless criticisms. You cannot make any use of these criticisms.<br />
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span style="color: #d9ead3;">Example:</span> "This is stupid. I hate it."</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b> <span style="color: #d9ead3;">"Why?"</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b> "Because it's stupid and I hate it."</b></span><br />
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If all an individual can provide is this sort of critique, they should not be taken seriously. Feel free to completely disregard this form of criticism. It's likely the individual who expressed this sort of critique can't articulate why they think your work "sucks", anyway. There is no use asking.<br />
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<b>2. It evaluates your work without giving reason for the evaluation.</b></h4>
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span style="color: #d9ead3;">Example:</span> "This design is so amateur and tasteless."</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b> <span style="color: #d9ead3;">"How is it amateur and tasteless?"</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b> "It just is."</b></span><br />
<br />
A lot of criticism does not make sense without some sort of driving factor for that criticism. Surely, there are plenty of people who may not like your work and they don't know why, but that just makes it another form of useless criticism. Without reasoning behind the criticism, you have no way to gauge how to improve or alter your work in order to make it better. It creates an unstable opinion - you have no grounds on which to support the your work, so that you may view it objectively through the perspective of the viewer.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<b>3. The statement fails to give a suggestion as to how the work may be fixed, or gives a very poor statement on how the work 'should' be fixed.</b></h4>
This sort of critique carries a thin line between what makes it <i>bad </i>and what makes it <i>good</i>.<br />
<br />
While not a requirement in terms of good critique, the
inappropriate addition or subtraction of certain statements can certainly
help with transforming this into bad critique.<br />
<br />
Individuals will often encounter this sort of useless criticism while
working under a clueless or psychotic employer. An artist will finish a
piece to the employer's perceived specifications, hand in the finished
work and get it back with a <i>"Trash this and do it over."</i> note
attached to it. At first, you'd think this was a perfectly reasonable
thing - except they don't give you any information on how they would
like it to be fixed. (Unless you're a mind-reader - of course, it's often assumed you have semi-phenomenal, nearly-cosmic powers in the first place.) <br />
<br />
You can't really blame a clueless employer for not really knowing what they want and not really knowing how to articulate what they want; however, when you're employed under someone who claims to have been in the business for <b>several decades</b>, a critique like this is a sign that you need to find another job. <i>Fast</i>.<br />
<br />
People need to keep in mind that individuals have a limited capacity for creativity.
Something may be amiss, and the creator cannot see it, but someone with
equal ability or a good eye may be able to pick out a detail that needs
fixing. Sometimes an onlooker may just have a good suggestion that could
be added to the work that you'd simply never thought of before.<br />
<br />
Individuals must handle critiques wherein the criticism exemplifies how the work "should" be fixed - as in, being told a work must be like "this" or like "that" to suit an individual's agenda or personal viewpoints/tastes - very carefully.<br />
There is no "should" when an individual critiques your work to the point of hijacking the final vision of your idea - especially without good reason to.<br />
<br />
Here are both <b>Good/Bad</b> examples of this form of critique: <br />
<h4>
Poor Critique:</h4>
<span style="color: #93c47d;">You create a work about apples. An individual comes along, and critiques your work, citing that you should have used oranges instead of apples. When asked why you should have used oranges, instead of apples, the answer sounds something like this: "Oranges are better. I like oranges more."</span><br />
<br />
You don't necessarily want to pay attention to the <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Poor Critique</b></span> in the instance of your <i>personal work</i>.
If someone can't give you a good reason to change the apples to
oranges, outside of personal taste, there is no reason to take it
seriously. <br />
People who critique in this manner may, once in awhile,
be correct as to how to improve your work overall - but don't feel you
need to take their word as law. Keep it in mind for next time. Don't
feel you need to take this sort of critique if you do not feel right
about it. Use your own discretion.<br />
<br />
Now, there is an exception to the <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">Poor Critique</span>. </b>This is the sort of critique you <i>want</i> if you're working on a project beneath an employer. This shows they know what they want, and they are giving you feedback on how to fix it - granted, this doesn't mean their design choice is intrinsically correct, or they aren't being unreasonable <b><span style="font-size: x-small;">(bright pink text on a neon green background, anyone?)</span></b> - it just means that they are giving appropriate feedback. <br />
<h4>
<b>Good Critique:</b></h4>
<span style="color: #93c47d;">You create a work about apples. An individual comes along, and critiques your work, suggesting that perhaps you add a pear. When asked why you should add a pear to the work, the answer sounds something like this: "I think the pear might create an interesting shape contrast beside the apples."</span><br />
<br />
Always take the <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Good Critique</b></span> of this type into consideration. <i>Always.</i> It will help you look at your work in different ways. Many times I've had good critiques of this form that have exceedingly improved my work.<br />
<h4>
4. The criticism itself is targeted inappropriately.</h4>
I can't even count the times I've received poor reviews and feedback that were targeted towards me but focusing on something that was completely beyond my control or disregarding something clearly stated in the advertisement.<br />
<br />
Most Second Life merchants can relate to a bad review on a product because the product delivery system did not deliver all pieces of a product - or didn't deliver the product at all. The customer did not contact you about it and decided to leave a seething review, even though you would have gladly assisted them with redelivery. Sometimes products don't work correctly, due to the platform they are running on. Sometimes things do not rez correctly - not because the product is poor, but because an individual is running an outdated computer system or a simulator is so packed nothing loads right.<br />
<br />
Obviously, the criticism for these sorts of things is largely misguided. You see this form of criticism a lot in general, in the gaming industry. Many times, half-finished and buggy games are released - not due to the lack of skill on the developer's part, or their inability to create a complete game, but because the publisher does not give them the time to appropriately complete the product before launch. <br />
<br />
This sort of criticism is the poorest and most useless of all. Never feel bad about criticism relating to things you cannot directly control.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Now, on to the positive stuff.</i></span><br />
<h3>
Good Criticism</h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">I often find that <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Good Criticism</b></span> gets a bad rap due to the reactions of artists that are sheltered and coddled into thinking everything they create is a gift from the apex of some heavenly kingdom. You know exactly the sort of people I'm talking about. You've all met one - and if you haven't, you probably <i>are </i>one - or maybe you're both!</span><br />
<br />
These artists consider any comment directed at their work that is not compliment or praise to be <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Bad Criticism</b></span>. It doesn't matter if a fellow, much-more-experienced artist is attempting to explain to them how to properly light their scene, or how to properly draw hair, or how to manage composition - it's <i>bad</i>. Incorrect proportions? No way, that's just their "<i>style</i>"! Can't draw the human form? Not like <i>they'd</i> have to draw <i>people</i> as a professional artist!* Never learned realism? Doesn't matter! They're going to draw <i>manga</i>!**<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*I'm looking at you, furry artists.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">**It used to be Disney. Now it's manga/anime.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Good Criticism</b></span> isn't there to harm you. It's there to help you develop your ability as an artist. If you think you don't need to learn anything new, or constructive criticism does not apply to you? <i>You </i>are<i> </i>the individual who needs criticism the most.<br />
<br />
So how does one identify <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Good Criticism</b></span>?<br />
<h4>
Traits of Good Criticism: </h4>
<ul>
<li>The critique is viable within the boundaries of the work.</li>
<li>It is honest, objective or acceptably subjective - it focuses on what can be reasonably fixed.</li>
<li>Well-articulated and self-aware.</li>
</ul>
Any good reader will notice right off the bat that these traits do not indicate any level of positive or negative content to the criticism. Plenty of criticism that sounds like it could be <b>bad</b>, can actually be <b>good</b> - as long as the core of the criticism is <i>constructive</i>. You should be able to <i>use</i> the criticism and apply it to the work. The traits listed above ensure that a piece of criticism is constructive and usable.<br />
<h4>
1. The critique is viable within the boundaries of the work.</h4>
Say you're creating an image of a woman riding a horse. You draw the horse well, and you draw most of the woman well, but you have issues drawing the hands, feet and face. You work on them for hours, and finally come up with a result that you like. You post the image to a website, hoping to get immediate praise and feedback. Here are four critiques you recieve:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>"I like the horse, but you need to work on drawing people. She looks kind of deformed. For this picture, you should erase the girl entirely and keep the horse." </b></li>
<li>"The hands are too big, and the feet are only partially drawn. The foot should be as long as the forearm, and the hand should be about the size of her face. It's no biggie, lots of people have problems with hands and feet. It can get easier if you learn proportions. Let me send you a few tutorials, they really helped me."</li>
<li><b>"If you can't draw hands and feet cover them up with things. Make it so that her head is turned so you only see her hair. Cover her hands with the horse's mane, and give her a long dress to cover her feet."</b></li>
<li>"There isn't anything to establish the foreground. Put some bushes or a tree in front."</li>
</ol>
Now, all of these critiques could 'fix' the work, in some way. Some of these critiques are worse than others, but there is only one critique in this list that is completely appropriate.<br />
<br />
Can you guess?<br />
<br />
That's right. The second one. It's the only critique that works to <b>improve</b> what is <b>already there</b>, instead of trying to alter the artist's vision of the image overall. It's also providing information on how to change it, and (as a bonus!) gives resources on how to do so. By listening to the 2nd critique, the artist can improve their work and get better at it, instead of <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><i>giving up</i></b></span>, <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><i>covering up</i></b></span>, or <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><i>giving in</i></b></span>.<br />
<br />
Certainly, there is a time and place to use techniques expressed in critique 3 & 4, but these should largely be limited to <i>suggestion</i> with a following <i>reason</i>.<br />
<br />
Which brings me to the second trait:<br />
<h4>
2. It is honest, objective or acceptably subjective - it focuses on what can be reasonably fixed.</h4>
There is a large difference between a <i>subjective</i> critique, and an <i>objective</i> critique.<br />
<br />
In the previous section, critique number four would be considered a <i>subjective</i> critique. The image may or may not need more depth - perhaps the artist did not want to put trees and bushes in the way. Subjective critiques often point out things that are of a personal viewpoint or taste, but may or may not be a bad critique in essence.<br />
<br />
Let's make number four a <b>better</b> subjective critique:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;">"Something that I can suggest, if you want to give the image more depth, is to put something in the foreground. Placing a bush or a tree there can make the image look more three-dimensional."</span><br />
<br />
This is all someone needs in terms of suggestively improving a piece, within reason. It's subjective, but still helpful and reasonable. The only problem with a critique like this, is that it is not a critique that focuses on something solid within the work. It only holds merit <br />
<br />
Foremost, the best sort of critique is certainly an <i>objective</i> critique. Let's use critique number 2 again as an example:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;">"The hands are too big, and the feet are only partially drawn. The foot
should be as long as the forearm, and the hand should be about the size
of her face."</span><br />
<br />
This <i>specifically</i> talks about a part of the work that needs to be attended to, instead of simply hinting at something that isn't there.<br />
<br />
Note that both examples are also within applicable <i>reason</i>. These things can be fixed easily. Even the subjective critique is an easy addition to the image. Suggesting the image be altered so that the horse is a grizzly bear and the woman is a gnome wearing a sock for a hat - while awesome in theory - is <i>not</i> within reason.<br />
<h4>
3. Well-articulated and self-aware.</h4>
A good critique is well-thought-out and well-spoken. It is aware that it is a critique, offers different opinions, and ideally encourages as much as it criticizes. When you criticize someone's work, keep in mind that you're speaking to a <i>human being</i>, and applying personal viewpoints to something that is not your own. When you're being criticized, keep in mind that you are listening to a <i>human being</i> - they can only give so much in the way of applicable criticism.<br />
<br />
In other words, the criticism should really know what it's talking about.<br />
<br />
Let's use number 3 from the list as an example this time. This is actually a very poor critique, as it suggests the individual themselves is not a very good artist - instead of sticking with, and learning something new to fix the problem (learning how to draw hands/feet), they give stagnant advice: they suggest that parts of the image should be purposefully 'covered up' and 'hidden'.<br />
<br />
While this is good advice in some situations, it shouldn't be made into a habit. Here's a much better way to word that critique:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;">"A trick some artists use when they're just starting out is using parts of the environment, clothes, and hair to strategically cover parts of the image they can't draw well. They have the face turned away from the image, to keep from drawing faces. They cover the feet with cloth and stick hands in pockets. It's a good temporary solution, and you could use it in this image, here, but you really need to practice and learn how to draw hands and feet properly."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(cont. in Part 2)</i></span><br />
<br />Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-11040863482823424082013-06-11T14:15:00.000-07:002013-08-30T14:38:42.848-07:00:: "The DragonSpire" Items Now Available for Purchase! ::<br />
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/DragonSpire-Build-Kit-A-MESH-Kit-by-Khyle-Sion-Emsdrakkan/5213852" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qBO_eaWAVbE/UiEMJdOW7AI/AAAAAAAAAVk/9TkyDfm383U/s320/DSbuildkit02ad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>"The DragonSpire Build Kit</b>" Contains Cave Structures, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystals, Troll Trees and Color Drops!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-size: small;">Click the product images and be whisked away to the marketplace!</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Magicians-Texts-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion-Emsdrakkan/5213456" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zy0WI0M0yec/UiEMuF6KDrI/AAAAAAAAAV4/C8EUVHvmrgs/s200/magicianstextsad1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/DragonSpire-Stone-Kit-A-MESH-Kit-by-Khyle-Sion-Emsdrakkan/5213914" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MSf0tyBx9ag/UiEMk2d_IDI/AAAAAAAAAVs/7YtZFaeKJOU/s200/DSSTONEkitad.jpg" width="200" /><span id="goog_983276977"></span></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Color-Drop-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion-Emsdrakkan/5213492" target="_blank"><span id="goog_983276978"></span><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lfqBYRg-PIQ/UiENDt-aKRI/AAAAAAAAAV8/AdvAMQyWbls/s200/colordropad1.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Troll-Trees-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion-Emsdrakkan/5213322" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cmkRqd6jzoM/UiENKqcXhPI/AAAAAAAAAWI/CgX1T_XgiQw/s200/trolltreesad1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Just so that people are aware: I <i>will</i> be putting the mesh tunnels up for sale. I have no idea when that will be. Whenever I can devote time to re-purposing them for individual use. Hopefully by the end of summer/early fall. Make sure to check back for updates!</div>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-28111544113600479692013-05-02T10:43:00.000-07:002013-08-30T11:38:20.474-07:00The DragonSpire : Fantasy Faire 2013 Wrap-Up<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-unSySfRjYxg/UiBHHWnAwWI/AAAAAAAAATo/L6xhIh4fyEw/s1600/6a00d8341bf74053ef017ee9ed2568970d-500wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-unSySfRjYxg/UiBHHWnAwWI/AAAAAAAAATo/L6xhIh4fyEw/s400/6a00d8341bf74053ef017ee9ed2568970d-500wi.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">What a long, strange month it's been.</span></div>
<br />
This year's <a href="http://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><b>Relay for Life Fantasy Faire</b></a> is now over - aside from the grand "Key of Hope" hunt, produced by <a href="http://madpeagames.com/" target="_blank">Mad Pea Productions</a> (an incredible in-world artistic group), which I believe goes on until the end of the week.<br />
<br />
This year, the Fantasy Faire blew through the previous year's record of <b>$25,000 US</b> and sailed right over the <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>$30,000 US</b></span> mark. This was an incredible achievement, for everyone involved - the organizers, the merchants, the volunteers, and the sim builders.<br />
<br />
I can really relate to the sim builders. This year, I had the honor of <i>being one of them</i>! So, as you can probably surmise, <i>I'm pretty tired right now</i>. It's been an extensive, tiring and complicated month for me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Want to read about it? Visit <i><a href="http://sl.governormarley.com/?p=3071" target="_blank">Ciaran Laval's Blog</a></i> and read the interview!</b></span></div>
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The entire month of April seems like one large blur, at this point. Fragments of clarity intermingled in a tangled web of creation and hastened teamwork. When all was said and done, I barely had a chance to look around the sims and enjoy the Faire myself!<br />
I feel it is a small price to pay. I got to create something new, different and enjoyed by the thousands of visitors that attend the Faire. My ultimate ambition was to develop something that would stick in peoples' heads for years to come - I think my team and I managed to do that, regardless of the setbacks and challenges brought to light by the nature of what I wanted to do:</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>THE DRAGONSPIRE</b></h2>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eGI6ayKqy_k/UiBNN5pd96I/AAAAAAAAAT8/WmeQPh8VEL8/s1600/DragonSpireTitle-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eGI6ayKqy_k/UiBNN5pd96I/AAAAAAAAAT8/WmeQPh8VEL8/s400/DragonSpireTitle-1.png" width="356" /></a></div>
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<b>The DragonSpire</b> was easily the largest, most ambitious, complex thing I've done in Second Life (so far).<b> </b>It was also a first for the Fantasy Faire, and likely a first for Second Life - a sim containing<i> a series of seamless underground caverns</i>. Like a proverbial cherry on a proverbial sundae, it was topped with a spire that towered over the sim like a massive colossus, hiding within a dragon and its horde of gold and jewels.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When I say the sim was huge, it's a bit of an understatement - I thought I would be able to fit it snug as a bug on ground level, but complications with the sim's water level kept that from happening. The entire mountain was 3 layers thick - forming the catacombs below, the shops in the center, and the spire on the top - and the entrances to the sim had to be reached by climbing a natural stone stairway. It was a great opportunity for me to show off my <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Blacklight-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796941" target="_blank"><b>Blacklight Crystals</b></a>, as well. These things were used <i>everywhere</i>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I spent at least a week or two extensively planning what I was going to do. In hindsight (which is always 20/20), I think I might've been a little <i>too </i>ambitious with this project. A sim-wide build with seamless mesh tunnels and a dozen integrated shops with only a tentative month to finish it? Perfect! <i>Let's do it</i>!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-awJf1OVzdjc/UiBQrLnT5dI/AAAAAAAAAUI/DX8wS46lmhE/s1600/dragonspire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-awJf1OVzdjc/UiBQrLnT5dI/AAAAAAAAAUI/DX8wS46lmhE/s320/dragonspire.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">DragonSpire concept art - mapping out the levels.</span></div>
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Yeah, I'm a little crazy. I know.</div>
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I had also promised Zachh Barkley (owner of <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/3111" target="_blank">The Arcanum</a>) that I would do a bang-up job on his shop, as well. Usually a larger version of the smaller shops are created for the sponsor store, but I wanted to do something a little different, that fit better with the surroundings. I customized the sponsor shop not only to fit his product base, but to showcase his work as effectively as possible.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-arXSvQ-DbCs/UiBVLCHo_BI/AAAAAAAAAUU/fGqEtc03KVA/s1600/arcanum_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-arXSvQ-DbCs/UiBVLCHo_BI/AAAAAAAAAUU/fGqEtc03KVA/s400/arcanum_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"The Arcanum" concept art.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
In fact, I focused a lot on all of the merchant's stores. I really wanted to make sure that people weren't just moving through the sim - I wanted to make sure everyone found their way into all the stores, dropping lindens into whatever donation (and non-donation!) vendors available. I'd noticed that, in years previous, many of the sim creators would design fantastic shops - but they would often hide or obscure the products of the respective merchants.</div>
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<br /></div>
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For <b>The DragonSpire</b>, I created empty cave-spaces to the maximum size specifications. After handing each merchant a package of stones, signs, crystals and stalagmites, I invited them to create their own interiors for their hollow spaces - and boy did they deliver!</div>
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Something I did not expect, however, was how difficult the entirety of the sim would be to <i>photograph</i>. This (aside from the manner in which the caves rendered shadows and the fact that several people (including myself!) got downright <i>lost</i>) seemed to be the main gripe for most people - the fact that they traveled down into the depths of the catacombs, and it was very hard to get a decent picture due to camera positioning in the tight space.</div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>A few SLtographers managed to take some <i>amazing</i> shots, though:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tLo_gCQgHaI/UiBY0Sh431I/AAAAAAAAAUg/oXGLlTw_00Y/s1600/opaldragonspire.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tLo_gCQgHaI/UiBY0Sh431I/AAAAAAAAAUg/oXGLlTw_00Y/s400/opaldragonspire.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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This has to be my favorite. I don't think <i>anyone</i> took a better photo than this. It was taken by <a href="http://www.opallei.com/" target="_blank">Opal Lei</a>. Her blog <a href="http://wheresdimsum.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">"Where's Dim Sum?"</a> is awfully cute, and her SLtography is <i>spectacular</i>. She captured exactly how I <i>wanted</i> The DragonSpire to look.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HrY3S3SWQdw/UiBZ-FtVcMI/AAAAAAAAAUs/zGB5wEOvqng/s1600/dragon-spire-i.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HrY3S3SWQdw/UiBZ-FtVcMI/AAAAAAAAAUs/zGB5wEOvqng/s400/dragon-spire-i.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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This one was taken by <a href="http://caitlintobias.com/" target="_blank">Caitlin Tobias</a>, who wrote an article <a href="http://caitlintobias.com/2013/04/25/fantasy-faire-2013-the-dragonspire/" target="_blank">about the sim</a> on her blog. She, like many others, was one of the individuals challenged by the un-photogenic properties of the sim - but managed to take a few good shots of the spire, anyway!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UjJ6fFfkyQQ/UiBcItx1DQI/AAAAAAAAAU4/Wee7xZwocnM/s1600/dragonspire-crystal-caves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UjJ6fFfkyQQ/UiBcItx1DQI/AAAAAAAAAU4/Wee7xZwocnM/s320/dragonspire-crystal-caves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A great interior photo taken by <a href="http://aman4allseasons.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/fantasy-faire-2013-part-two-relay-for-life/" target="_blank">amanfor4seasons</a>.</div>
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I really enjoy the composition of this photo. It would have been a hard shot to get!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">(I have a full photo album at the bottom of this post, if you'd like to see more.)</span></span></div>
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For those who managed to find their way through the underground caverns, and made their way to the under-grotto, there was a secret gift for all to find!<br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">These pets are considered a Limited Edition item.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f5QJSgDAU4Q/UiDcslBLZFI/AAAAAAAAAVI/3DIVGDVqyTc/s1600/chameleons.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f5QJSgDAU4Q/UiDcslBLZFI/AAAAAAAAAVI/3DIVGDVqyTc/s400/chameleons.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"RFL Purple" and "Key of Hope Cyan" Fairy Chameleon Shoulder Pets</span></div>
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Scattered around the hidden grotto were tiny nests filled with eggs. If
you took an egg from the nest, and wore it for exactly one hour, a baby
Fairy Chameleon would hatch! These Chameleons came in two flavors: <b>RFL Purple</b>, and <b>Key of Hope Cyan</b> (only available via the Key of Hope hunt)! They are 99.9% MESH (aside from the flexi-prim wing fluff), have matching particle effects and will sit lovingly on your shoulder, nose or ear.</div>
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At the end of it all, I'd attempted to get as many collective screenshots of the sim I could get from various people. One of the sadder things about the Faire is that it is not permanent – two months' worth of work is destroyed in a matter of seconds. I suppose that's something I like about it. There is definite beauty in impermanence.</div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;">Here's a gallery of some of the better screenshots:</span></div>
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<div id="PictoBrowser130830113359">
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer</div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"> And now, this is the part where I express my <i>unending gratitude</i>.</span></div>
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<b>The DragonSpire</b> would not have become a reality without my small team of best friends and colleagues. With how utterly chaotic March/April has been for me, this project would have absolutely overwhelmed and buried me if it had not been for the help and encouragement of my team.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1rDejD0JiL8/UiDgi-mXEYI/AAAAAAAAAVU/5Lcbrv5jVy4/s1600/DragonSpire_Gang-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1rDejD0JiL8/UiDgi-mXEYI/AAAAAAAAAVU/5Lcbrv5jVy4/s400/DragonSpire_Gang-copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">From left to right; Viodelic, Elysium Hynes, Saikatsu Epsilon, Khyle Sion, Astrea, Methias Kira.</span></div>
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<b>Saikatsu Epsilon</b> – 3D Modelling Assistance, UV Mapping Assistance,
Sim Setup<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(You pulled through. You did it, and you did <i>so much</i>! You’ve
proved to yourself that you can do anything, and you can take the
praise and admiration that goes with it. You’re my best friend, Drei.)</span><br />
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<b>Elysium Hynes</b> – Blogger, Documentation, Sim Setup<br />
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<b>Astrea</b> – Emotional Support, Sim Setup<br />
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<b>Viodelic</b> – Scripting Master<br />
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<b>Methias Kira</b> – Motion Artist<br />
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I also want to thank Elizabeth Tinsley and Zander Greene, who have
been absolutely and completely supportive throughout this elaborate
venture.</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Everyone really wanted to make this sim a reality. The passion and dedication shown by everyone was astounding. </span>I have had the opportunity to work with the most cooperative and manageable team I could ever ask for.</div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><i><b>Thank You! </b></i></span></h3>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-24133591700678846892012-12-05T13:12:00.003-08:002012-12-05T13:15:06.646-08:00NEW RELEASE! Wylde Style MESH Hair: Sylvan Dojo 2<div style="text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_EHn4yf36_w/UL-zAkZGECI/AAAAAAAAATE/uAxgNykaZ0w/s1600/SDBLO_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_EHn4yf36_w/UL-zAkZGECI/AAAAAAAAATE/uAxgNykaZ0w/s400/SDBLO_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Refined Wild :: Wylde Style<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> :: MESH Hair - Sylvan Dojo 2</span></span></div>
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After several prototypes, I finally managed to churn out a Mesh hair that I hope challenges the quality of many current, rigged Mesh hairs.<br />
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In developing new Mesh hair for Second Life, I've done my best to make the hair as versatile as possible. I've done several things in developing the hair that may actually make Mesh hair an easier experience in terms of fitting their avatar.<br />
The hair is partial-rig, instead of full rig. I've made it so that it deforms quite well when you adjust your shape with the appropriate sliders. It includes a whopping 18 different rig styles for better avatar fit and customization (as it won't deform to things like facial width, forehead slope, and the like).<br />
Giving customers freedom to modify their purchases, while moving forward in terms of quality, low-lag/low ARC hair, has always been of the utmost importance to me - especially in light of the fact that you can't directly modify rigged meshes.<br />
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Lightening the load time and resource consumption of often prim-heavy hair has also been a main concern of mine. Counting in at about 30 PE at rezzed size, Sylvan Dojo 2 is probably one of the lowest-resource-heavy mesh hairs out there right now. This is NOT a mesh hair made out of sculptie shapes, and imported as mesh (like many other mesh hairs currently available). This mesh hair is professionally modeled from scratch, textured by hand, and rigged to the extent that SL's skeleton will allow, in all its imperfections. You really can't expect anything less!<br />
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In ye olde Wylde Style tradition, Sylvan Dojo 2 comes with 3-way wear facial hair (which makes the very fetching mustache/goatee combo you see above when all put together) and a Hat/Hood friendly version of the mesh base. An Alpha layer specifically created for the hair to hide the scalp is also included, as are matching Hair Bases for all the colors in whatever package you choose to buy.<br />
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My Mesh hairs are now also implemented with low-lag, deletable resize/texture change scripts, to offset some of the weight that the overabundance of Rigs will put on your inventory. Simply wear your hair, click on it, and you can resize or change the color on the fly - just remember to make a copy before you play with it!<br />
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Many more colors are now available, each in their own separate pack at $250L apiece. You can also purchase a pack of Natural or Colorful shades for $400, and a whole Fatpack for only $600L. The textures are hand-painted to give the hair a nice, soft realism - colors are picked with just as much care.<br />
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Be sure to try on the DEMO before you buy. They are available for free in both my In-world store and on my SL Marketplace. The available Rigs will look different on all avatars, so it's always best to make sure they work with your 'look'.<br />
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If you like the EYES that they're wearing, be sure to check out my hand-painted Bright Eyes. You can buy them for $150 a pop In-world. Each color comes in 3 iris sizes, and they include prim eyes for glow usage, odd-colored eyes and so on.<br />
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As always, click the ad to get to the corresponding Marketplace page. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-WILDS-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264275" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-itY3EPIShP0/UL-uveAfH2I/AAAAAAAAASo/3RTSA0JrAoY/s200/SD_WIL_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-BROWNS-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264189" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ep4fkMBbaAg/UL-uX91tK8I/AAAAAAAAARk/u2FSaqT496I/s200/SD_BRO_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-WHITES-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264285" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKAp_UXuvMw/UL-usV7bftI/AAAAAAAAASg/l4RysfNPMcg/s200/SD_WHI_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-BLACKS-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ia4TZdJIkvM/UL-uQQI8LhI/AAAAAAAAARU/eNbD7ovSre8/s200/SD_BLK_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-BLONDES-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264178" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tLch2rPx3zQ/UL-uUj04e9I/AAAAAAAAARc/l21SvtNVNW0/s200/SD_BLO_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-COLORFULS-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264289" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XXPhouEt7Ok/UL-ubZePtCI/AAAAAAAAARs/NRr_SlxeZJU/s200/SD_COL_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-FATPACK-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264300" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y4klbOhA6Go/UL-ugoqwfBI/AAAAAAAAAR8/_E6VtbwMFRs/s200/SD_FAT_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-REDS-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264267" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rIiNooVmaFQ/UL-umJaTcHI/AAAAAAAAASQ/NKjPHNArz5A/s200/SD_RED_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-TIPPED-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264255" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zdZzayJP9s/UL-upI5NNaI/AAAAAAAAASY/wOHe4DRbs2w/s200/SD_TIP_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-NATURALS-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264291" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ixO_EBnnpRM/UL-ujXhKqqI/AAAAAAAAASE/bL4jN_sr4Uw/s200/SD_NAT_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sylvan-Dojo-2-DEMO-A-MESH-Wylde-Style-by-Khyle-Sion/4264321" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fcuyu-Zczgg/UL-ud4SZbhI/AAAAAAAAAR0/AO92FxjU1hc/s200/SD_DEMO_AD.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-64567557576573230662012-10-10T03:28:00.000-07:002012-10-25T03:33:59.061-07:00Pewter Totem Necklaces - Raven and Lion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pewter-Totem-Necklace-RAVEN-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/4066674" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cgmhc5IL4JU/UIkS-NuPhNI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/NXwP2RdDZtE/s320/ravenad1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pewter-Totem-Necklace-LION-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/4066698" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dKvNND6Hfss/UIkTAimRDgI/AAAAAAAAARA/WjIrf3em_TI/s320/lionad1.jpg" width="320" /><span id="goog_1065328629"></span></a><span id="goog_1065328630"></span></div>
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Two new <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/1422/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search[category_id]=&search[maturity_level]=GMA&search[keywords]=pewter" target="_blank">Pewter Totem Necklaces</a> released this week: <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pewter-Totem-Necklace-RAVEN-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/4066674" target="_blank">Raven</a> and <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pewter-Totem-Necklace-LION-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/4066698" target="_blank">Lion</a>. I have quite the little assortment of these necklaces now. As usual, click the images above to go to the respective product pages.<br />
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Make sure to check out the rest of my <b>Pewter Totem Necklaces</b> below:</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pewter-Totem-Necklace-WOLF-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/82955" target="_blank">Wolf</a> - <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pewter-Totem-Necklace-BEAR-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/82956" target="_blank">Bear</a> - <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pewter-Totem-Necklace-BUTTERFLY-by-Khyle-Sion-at-RW/1366815" target="_blank">Butterfly</a> - <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pewter-Totem-Necklace-FOX-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/2557316" target="_blank">Fox</a></span></div>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-91252311081421259602012-07-31T03:27:00.003-07:002012-09-29T09:41:08.348-07:00Crystals, Crystals and MORE Crystals! Oh, and Signs.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vi2WY2nu9UU/UDIdIuDSZUI/AAAAAAAAAPw/_I-9fiz9qw8/s1600/Snapshot_020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vi2WY2nu9UU/UDIdIuDSZUI/AAAAAAAAAPw/_I-9fiz9qw8/s400/Snapshot_020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> In-action crystal snapshot from Relay for Life.</span></div>
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As you can probably guess, I had many inquiries about whether or not I'd be putting my new assets from the Relay for Life event up for sale. My simple answer was: <i>Of course!</i><br />
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You can now purchase the Crystals in 4 flavors: <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Classic-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796873" target="_blank">Classic</a>, <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Blacklight-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796941" target="_blank">Blacklight</a>, <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pastel-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796986" target="_blank">Pastel</a> and <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dark-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796953" target="_blank">Dark</a>. 85 colors in all. 6 cluster styles (ranging from a 2-4 Prim Equivalent, depending on the cluster) and 3 single crystal styles (1 Prim Equivalent each at rezzed size).<br />
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That's a total of <b>765</b> separate crystals.<br />
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These things can be sized <span style="font-size: small;">UP</span> <b>HUGE</b> or shrunk down really <span style="font-size: x-small;">really</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">tiny</span>. You can mess with the shine, the glow, and even make your own clusters from the single crystals.<br />
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Click on the one you like to take you to the Marketplace!</div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Blacklight-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796941" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T_avMLcFeqI/UDIdzIKh6PI/AAAAAAAAAP4/pqhCk-6zoeA/s200/BLACKLIGHTAD1.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Classic-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796873" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xUEqLD3fEjQ/UDId9JnpxQI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/gpxiKdjGrpk/s200/CLASSICAD1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dark-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796953" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCDhYLe9B6Y/UDId24ECrGI/AAAAAAAAAQA/i5ffKjs0_mA/s200/DARKAD1.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dark-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796953" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pastel-Crystals-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3796986" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYeq9jX2cvw/UDId588_CeI/AAAAAAAAAQI/PMIsTOdQqgs/s200/PASTELAD1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I've also packaged up a nice healthy grouping of the <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Wooden-Sign-Pack-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3804950" target="_blank">Wooden Signs</a>! </div>
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These things are pretty neat, due to the fact that I've used multiple materials on extra faces I've placed on the front of the signs. This means, by using the <b>included UV map</b>, you can put <i>your own textures</i> on the signs. Whether or not you need them for instructions, to dispense items, simply to keep people off your lawn or to tell people to "Turn Back!" from your haunted forest, these signs probably have over a hundred uses. Since you can customize them, it's <i>your</i> license to be creative!</div>
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<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Wooden-Sign-Pack-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3804950" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9b3YPDuLSgA/UDIg6hva__I/AAAAAAAAAQk/WhUAm9JlInI/s320/Signsad1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stepping stones will be released a bit later. I've decided to spend some time working on <i>Wylde Style</i>. It needs an entire overhaul. Not to mention some stellar new items.</div>
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Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-31429481089776078172012-07-20T07:32:00.003-07:002012-08-20T07:50:28.646-07:00Relay for Life :: Committee Campsite and Year Wrap-Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rHekpW1DTQ4/T_SygNNh0QI/AAAAAAAAAMA/e7jea9gtFeA/s320/TFaC.png" width="320" /><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Click on the banner for the <a href="http://rflofsl.intuitwebsites.com/index.html" target="_blank">Relay for Life Second Life</a> website.</span></div><br />
Relay for Life in Second Life 2012 ended with a <a href="http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY12SL?sid=155645&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=42558" target="_blank">donation total of <b>$348,919</b></a>.<br />
<br />
And no, that's not Lindens.<br />
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I think everyone was pretty happy with the general outcome this year. While this year was quite a bit less than last year, repeating a donation of over a quarter of a million dollars is definitely nothing to sneeze at.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(If you are interested in knowing how many Linden </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">dollars make up <b>$348,919</b>, it's <b>L$87,229,830</b>.)</span></div><br />
To all the donators, coordinators, committee members, organizers, builders and teams:<br />
<br />
<i>Thank you</i>!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYLKCw4nkIM/UDIJC2QUn3I/AAAAAAAAAPU/GjrByXXbG8g/s1600/Snapshot1_027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYLKCw4nkIM/UDIJC2QUn3I/AAAAAAAAAPU/GjrByXXbG8g/s400/Snapshot1_027.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A lovely view of the path into the Second Life Relay For Life Committee campsite.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now, for the Campsite!</div><br />
As I explained in my last blog post, I had been asked to bring back "Paper Boats in a Paper Sea" for the main Relay for Life event in Second Life. I think I under-estimated exactly how much it would take to fill 1/4 of a sim without making it look like my shop and art display exploded all over a parcel. I had decided to create custom content for the event. I also had to display the names of the committee members, somehow.<br />
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Since I had a strange corner parcel that worked best at a diagonal, I had to wait until I actually saw the parcel in-world before I could begin designing my display. I sketched my draft the day the sims came online.<br />
<br />
I had 9 days to complete it.<br />
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Issues began cropping up immediately, importing sand sculpts. The technique I used for the Fantasy Faire display, for some odd and unexplained reason, was no longer functioning. Not that this is a surprise. We're in Second Life, after all. I ended up scrapping the sand and decided to just terraform instead. To make matters worse, the entire week we struggled with crippling lag and repeatedly crashing sims. A few times I had to retreat to my Home sim to complete assets and position objects because I could not do it on location.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R45m4huscbM/UDIBoFd3J5I/AAAAAAAAAOw/AjM5LlUexd8/s1600/GROUP_GOOD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R45m4huscbM/UDIBoFd3J5I/AAAAAAAAAOw/AjM5LlUexd8/s400/GROUP_GOOD.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A group shot of my slav — er, minio — er, <i>helpers</i> and I.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">From left to right: Iloh, myself and Saikatsu Epsilon.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Admittedly, most of the time working on the parcel wasn't creating content for it, or managing out how the interactive display would work. It was setting out all the bleeping <i>grass</i>. Grass, stepping stones, flowers, trees. Landscaping. At one point my two helpers (Iloh and Saikatsu Epsilon) and I did nothing for several hours but set out <i>grass</i>. The lag certainly didn't help. Eventually Iloh shoved me aside and decided to take about 75% of the gardening into her own hands, if not more. Thank goodness, too. She did a <i>stunning</i> job!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cI9Ez-w2FXI/UDIHed1j3bI/AAAAAAAAAPE/mT3s4Ikuwbc/s1600/Snapshot1_030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cI9Ez-w2FXI/UDIHed1j3bI/AAAAAAAAAPE/mT3s4Ikuwbc/s400/Snapshot1_030.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I love making Second Life look not-so-much like Second Life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>While I'd never seen Iloh do any landscaping before in Second Life, it was as if it came second-nature to her. With minimal instruction and critique on my part, she managed to help churn out exactly what I needed. It took a lot of stress off the fact that I was sleeping in 4-hour chunks and working in 8-9 hour intervals.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zl-u2FyhtJw/UDIA-yxmBYI/AAAAAAAAAOo/uuTSxJGYRm8/s1600/Snapshot_017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zl-u2FyhtJw/UDIA-yxmBYI/AAAAAAAAAOo/uuTSxJGYRm8/s400/Snapshot_017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Turned to the most attractive angle.</span></div><br />
I made several clusters of stepping stones, customizable wooden signs and some of the <i>most beautiful</i> crystals in Second Life from scratch. <i>All</i> low-prim and customized Level of Detail for optimal performance. I coordinated the positions a few of my sculptures and my new <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dancers-Triad-A-Mesh-Build-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/3352594" target="_blank">Dancer's Triad</a>. Rocks, plants, particle effects. The finishing touches on the installation itself. We decorated the seating areas with 'chairs' in the form of floating bubbles by <b>HPMD*</b>, and put out some of their wonderful trees and bushes. The crystals were a mad dash (I created them in 8 hours) but they were worth it. They definitely tied everything together.<br />
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The last object was placed at 5:56 AM July 14th. 4 hours shy of the start of the event.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkigGbb7BRA/UDIKLKTSvyI/AAAAAAAAAPc/RnEw9skFb_U/s1600/Snapshot1_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkigGbb7BRA/UDIKLKTSvyI/AAAAAAAAAPc/RnEw9skFb_U/s400/Snapshot1_016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yay! We <b>DID IT</b>!</span></div><br />
Surprisingly, I managed to stay awake and coherent long enough to witness the opening of the event.<br />
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Then I took a 12-hour nap.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>I've now updated with a simple photo gallery for those who want to see more:</b></span></div><br />
<center><div id="PictoBrowser120820035712">Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer</div><script src="http://www.db798.com/pictobrowser/swfobject.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript"> var so = new SWFObject("http://www.db798.com/pictobrowser.swf", "PictoBrowser", "480", "350", "8", "#000000"); so.addVariable("source", "sets"); so.addVariable("names", "Relay For Life Second Life Committee Campsite 2012"); so.addVariable("userName", "Khyle Sion"); so.addVariable("userId", "85343350@N05"); so.addVariable("ids", "72157631155471846"); so.addVariable("titles", "on"); so.addVariable("displayNotes", "on"); so.addVariable("thumbAutoHide", "on"); so.addVariable("imageSize", "medium"); so.addVariable("vAlign", "mid"); so.addVariable("vertOffset", "39"); so.addVariable("colorHexVar", "000000"); so.addVariable("initialScale", "off"); so.addVariable("bgAlpha", "90"); so.write("PictoBrowser120820035712"); </script></center><br />
Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-74028815223844731332012-07-05T15:40:00.011-07:002012-07-05T21:36:37.541-07:00"Paper Boats in a Paper Sea" Returning With Second Life Relay For Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <br />
<a href="http://rflofsl.intuitwebsites.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rHekpW1DTQ4/T_SygNNh0QI/AAAAAAAAAMA/e7jea9gtFeA/s320/TFaC.png" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Click on the banner for the <a href="http://rflofsl.intuitwebsites.com/index.html" target="_blank">Relay for Life Second Life</a> website.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div>I have officially nine days to finish my display for Second Life's major Relay for Life event.<br />
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I have never done this event before, and I am <i>stoked</i>.<br />
<br />
40 sims large (that's a <i>lot</i> of sims) and packed with artistic displays and themed events, users follow a gigantic track that spans through the sims in a large circle. Users continue to raise money and follow the track over a 24 hour period.<br />
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I've been invited to display on one of the major campgrounds along the side of the track. Once more, Kadmon Wytchwood and his incredible scripting talents is making sure "<a href="http://refinedwild.blogspot.ca/2012/05/paper-boats-in-paper-sea-fantasy-faire.html" target="_blank">Paper Boats in a Paper Sea</a>" can return for the 24 hour event!<br />
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As the event only lasts a day, people won't have enough time to customize their own boat textures, so the boats are being limited to a dedication that will broadcast over instant messages.<br />
After you make your donation to the vendor and receive your boat, you'll be able to wear your boat and click on it. This will rez a boat that will go out on the water. Follow the instructions to make your dedication with a chat command, and click on the water to place your boat. The boat will then remain on the water until the end of the event.<br />
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If there is one grid-wide event that I can completely get behind, it's Relay for Life in Second Life. Many donation events in Second Life are questionable in terms of where the donations actually <i>go</i>. There are quite a few individuals who have used donation events in Second Life as a means to scam residents, taking their money for charity and transferring it right into their own bank accounts.<br />
<br />
Relay for Life in Second Life is one of the handful of charity events that are not only backed by the <a href="http://www.cancer.org/Involved/Participate/RelayForLife/second-life" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a>, but use very specific donation vendors that go directly to their custom-legacy-name avatars (in other words, avatars with last names given specifically by Linden Lab), which you can obtain from the American Cancer Society's very own <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society/131/128/52/?title=American+Cancer+Society&img=http%3A%2F%2Flecs-destinations-secondlife-com.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fnew%2Fdestinations%2Fen%2F_img%2Fmidsize%2F2759.jpg&msg=Offering+hope+to+sufferers+of+this+often+fatal+disease%2C+the+ACS+in+Second+Life+offers+education%2Fawareness+programs+and+aims+to+unite+survivors+and+caregivers.+Residents+can+also+visit+Anatomica%2C+which+examines+the+key+player+in+the+body%27s+immune+system%3A+the+white+blood+cell.">in-world sim</a>.<br />
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If you're interested in joining the in-world event on July 14-15th, be sure to check out the <a href="http://rflofsl.intuitwebsites.com/index.html">Relay for Life in Second Life</a> website. It's sure to be a lot of fun, with themed walks every hour and prizes for most outrageous costume or how many times you can lap the track in the 24 hour period.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gfOq_BPlPUQ/T_YY6ppc-JI/AAAAAAAAAMM/FknHsE7KkEk/s320/NIGHT_NET_JPG.jpg" width="320" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Nightly-Netting-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3684230" target="_blank"><b>- Nightly Netting - </b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh, and I almost forgot! The Nightly Netting from my <a href="http://refinedwild.blogspot.ca/2012/05/paper-boats-in-paper-sea-fantasy-faire.html" target="_blank">Relay for Life: Fantasy Faire 2012</a> display is now on sale. I'm not exactly sure when I'm going to get the skybox finished, as it's been giving me 'issues', but we'll see once this current event is over.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hRTJ3mWVU2g/T_ZY8sY0SnI/AAAAAAAAAMY/LmYnba1935Y/s320/Lanterns_AD.jpg" width="320" /></div><br />
<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Hooked-Lanterns-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3684317" target="_blank"><b>- Hooked Lanterns -</b></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">I also released the lanterns from my '<b><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dancers-Triad-A-Mesh-Build-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/3352594" target="_blank">Dancer's Triad</a></b>' separately and seemed to forget about announcing it. They're $30L for a set of 3 sizes. So if you need some cheap mesh hanging lanterns, they're definitely something to pick up.<br />
</div></div>Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-46550765726048629062012-06-30T14:05:00.002-07:002012-07-05T21:22:51.443-07:00"Classic" Is The New "Cheap"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>So I've been doing some re-pricing and marking down of older Refined Wild builds that were created somewhere between 2005 and 2008. These builds were top quality for their time and sold very well over the course of several years, but I think it's about time they get demoted to prices that better reflect their current quality in accordance to the rest of the market.<br />
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Of course, this means good news for the thrifty people out there who like to get quality stuff for a fraction of its original cost!<br />
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Considering that I've been making stuff in Second Life for such a long time, over such a long <i>period</i> of time, the age gaps between pieces can become pretty apparent. At least to me, anyway. I may or may not make more aging pieces 'Classic' as time goes on. I think it will really depend on the quality of the piece and whether or not the price fits the form anymore.<br />
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I <i>will</i> eventually be doing this to a handful of my older <b>Wylde Styles</b>, as well. Which ones and when? Only time will tell.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Mystic-Meditation-Fountain-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/82934" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2Yu8A_JEls/T_QkQiX4xWI/AAAAAAAAALE/HY-BRNa-S2U/s200/MEDITATION_FOUNT.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sleeping-Circle-by-Khyle-Sion-at-RefinedWild/82926" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N03-d7HIM-g/T_QkWlV7AeI/AAAAAAAAALM/VuwRvQpfKrk/s200/SLEEPING_CIRCLE.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Elven-Bistro-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/82930" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQbeBYp3e5g/T_QkyATmdjI/AAAAAAAAALs/p-0kWt6zQIg/s200/ELVEN_BISTRO.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Black-Marble-Lamps-by-Khyle-Sion-at-RefinedWild/82931" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-deKm85n7hPo/T_Qkc7VB84I/AAAAAAAAALU/kyXe0EytSf8/s200/MARBLE_LAMPS_99.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Throne-of-the-Mystic-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/82927" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oMN_F69c8pY/T_QkjzrfUCI/AAAAAAAAALc/GO7LvY_N76Y/s200/THRONE_MYSTIC.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Throne-of-the-Mystic-Lite-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/82928" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UVEReIE-EH4/T_QkqXV0UMI/AAAAAAAAALk/hyXAbe27Za0/s200/THRONE_MYSTIC_LITE.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Home-of-the-Magi-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/82933" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FQA7Uxh-cwU/T_Qk4zh20hI/AAAAAAAAAL0/pwPP9LwSouk/s200/HOME_MAGI.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Click on any of the above advertisements to hop to the <b><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/1422?search[layout]=gallery&search[category_id]=&search[sort]=price_desc&search[per_page]=96&search[keywords]=&search[price_low]=&search[price_high]=&search[prim_count_low]=&search[prim_count_high]=&search[copy_permission]=0&search[modify_permission]=0&search[transfer_permission]=0" target="_blank">Second Life Marketplace</a></b> listing.<br />
</div>Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-59082661439931516132012-05-08T23:30:00.103-07:002012-07-05T21:23:24.930-07:00Blogging ~Refined Wild~ : Elysium Hynes<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9nwMb88tqmQ/T_ZnNOO6zkI/AAAAAAAAANw/4hE9ITV-gaM/s1600/6945596494_93f3bc752f_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9nwMb88tqmQ/T_ZnNOO6zkI/AAAAAAAAANw/4hE9ITV-gaM/s400/6945596494_93f3bc752f_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Elysium finding a <a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/message-in-a-bottle/" target="_blank">message in a bottle</a>.</span></span></div><br />
<a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Elysium Hynes</a> was assigned to be one of my bloggers for the <a href="http://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Relay for Life Fantasy Faire </a>this year. I was quite impressed with her <a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> when I was introduced to it, and I was undoubtedly impressed by the work she put into documenting my project and my items, both for the Faire and otherwise.<br />
You see, last year I wasn't all that impressed with how my items were covered by my assigned blogger. In fact, it was my only qualm with my experience of the Faire. It felt like the blogger was only really doing it to fill up their blog, pad out their content and really didn't want to have any fun with it. Elysium completely re-instilled my faith in the bloggers for the event, and absolutely won me over with her creativity.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not really an individual who's 'into' the Second Life blog scene, but I've seen my share of <i>good</i> Second Life blogs, and <i>really awful</i> Second Life blogs. Elysium is apparently very new to the scene, with her Second Life fashion blog '<a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Sium</a>', but she's already been grabbing quite a bit of attention. I can understand why. She documents well, and her 'SLtographs' are absolutely <i>amazing</i>.<br />
<br />
Take a gander at the beautiful images she created using my Mesh items:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rSlOR19saNo/T_ZnRD-hmJI/AAAAAAAAAOI/d_HVt6F1Vtw/s1600/7143525603_f8f915132a_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rSlOR19saNo/T_ZnRD-hmJI/AAAAAAAAAOI/d_HVt6F1Vtw/s400/7143525603_f8f915132a_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">From her blog post <a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/loki-me-loki-you-loki-three/" target="_blank">here</a>. I am <i>wowed</i> by this image.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It doesn't even look like Second Life anymore!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iQkhxC74s78/T_ZnOm13RwI/AAAAAAAAAN4/phLBMV5yj8I/s1600/7094783921_7414c04770_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iQkhxC74s78/T_ZnOm13RwI/AAAAAAAAAN4/phLBMV5yj8I/s400/7094783921_7414c04770_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elysium really did a <a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/paper-boats-in-a-paper-sea/" target="_blank">wonderful job</a> capturing more of what I hoped the</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">'Paper Boats in a Paper Sea' display would have looked like, in the end. Of course, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was unable to use Second Life's regular water for the display, so even if it </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">had turned out with this many boats, it still would have lacked the beautiful reflections.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYnH8zJm5Bk/T_ZnQMLs7GI/AAAAAAAAAOA/187JzBL1yik/s1600/7097838573_da45485c16_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYnH8zJm5Bk/T_ZnQMLs7GI/AAAAAAAAAOA/187JzBL1yik/s400/7097838573_da45485c16_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">And <a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/fantasy-faire-is-opening-tomorrow-and-here-is-a-small-preview-on-video-and-pictures/" target="_blank">I'm not exactly sure</a> how she sets her shadows and lighting,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">but it makes heavily textured items look <i>intense</i>!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I really think, as a blogger, Elysium went above and beyond anything I had expected for the Faire this year. She took what I had, had a blast with it and turned around with exciting and visually-delicious content. I really hope she'll want to work with more of my stuff in the future, if just for the fantastically lush photos!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Once again, check out her blog: <a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Sium</a>. She's going places. You'll want to be there when she gets to her destination.<br />
</div>Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-1093346266139195842012-05-01T05:50:00.123-07:002012-07-05T21:23:57.341-07:00Paper Boats in a Paper Sea : Fantasy Faire 2012 Wrap-Up<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XirS76wuzwI/T_ZmwglGwHI/AAAAAAAAANo/iZAzHsgdcbg/s1600/fantasy-faire-poster-2-cropped.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XirS76wuzwI/T_ZmwglGwHI/AAAAAAAAANo/iZAzHsgdcbg/s640/fantasy-faire-poster-2-cropped.png" width="425" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> Fantasy Faire 2012 Poster.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The Relay for Life: Fantasy Faire 2012 is now over and everyone must wait a <i>whole year</i> for the fun to begin again! We managed to raise over $25,000 this year, which I believe is at least a couple thousand more than last year, and we certainly broke (and set!) a couple of new records this time around.<br />
<br />
As many of you know, this year I did a public art piece called "Paper Boats in a Paper Sea" that was integrated into my shop's display. I collaborated with <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/65813" target="_blank"><b>Meth Federal</b></a>, a mind-blowing abstract movement artist to create one of the most beautiful features (in my humble opinion) of the Faire this year.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t417/KhyleSion/Assets/boatsinasea1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t417/KhyleSion/Assets/boatsinasea1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Information posters for the art project.</i></span></div><ul><li>The project was featured on the<a href="http://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/a-challenge-paper-boats-in-a-paper-sea/#comments" target="_blank"> </a><b><a href="http://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/a-challenge-paper-boats-in-a-paper-sea/#comments" target="_blank">Fantasy Faire's website blog.</a></b></li>
</ul><ul><li><a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span class="by-author"> <b></b></span></a><span class="by-author"><b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7089805384871693413&postID=109334626613919584">Elysium Hynes</a></b></span><b>, </b>who is this fantastic person and wonderful blogger I've had the chance to meet and chat with over the course of the Faire has blogged my project <b><a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/message-in-a-bottle/" target="_blank">several times</a></b> at <b><a href="http://elyhynes.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/paper-boats-in-a-paper-sea/" target="_blank">different stages</a></b>. She really went above and beyond anything I've seen bloggers do for the Faire.</li>
<li><b><a href="http://prazillolemon.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Prazillo Lemon</a></b> also did a <b><a href="http://prazillolemon.blogspot.ca/2012/04/paper-boat-in-paper-sea-by-khyle-sion.html" target="_blank">fantastic job</a></b> blogging the project.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Even <b>Jackie Mondalimare</b> wrote a <b><a href="http://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/the-fairelands-saga/the-lost-tribes-of-nu-orne/the-lost-tribes-of-nu-orne-the-wizards-tiny-companionship/" target="_blank">short story</a> </b>surrounding the little paper boats, to my absolute amusement! </li>
</ul>The response and feedback for the project was really astounding. I didn't get nearly as many boats back for the display as I had sold, but I certainly got enough boats to fill the pond enough to the point where I was completely satisfied with how it turned out. The boats that <i>did</i> sell raised a good L$30,000 (about $110 USD) and combined with the beautiful abstract art that Meth sold, we raised a really decent amount of cold, hard, cancer-curing cash! Which is always impressive, especially when you're selling a combination of <i>art</i> and <i>Faire-specific</i> items.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t417/KhyleSion/Assets/Snapshot_033.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t417/KhyleSion/Assets/Snapshot_033.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> The tiny Paper Boats in their little Paper Sea.</i></span></div><br />
Everyone who painted their paper boat to take part in the project did so with such admiration, love and care. We had drawings, memorials, and poems; even an advertisement and a public statement about the health of the earth and how to process your trash! I really wish more people had the time to customize their boats and have it take part in the display. I know that a couple of people had a really hard time writing or drawing anything out, as it was so incredibly emotional for them. I admire that they managed to submit anything back to be displayed. It really does take a sense of strength to put a piece of yourself out there for the world to see. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t417/KhyleSion/Assets/Snapshot_019.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t417/KhyleSion/Assets/Snapshot_019.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Bird-eye view of the display. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>It was a little hard to take photos, with the shop's structure getting in the way.</i></span></div><br />
In the near future, I will have parts of the display for sale. It might take a bit longer for the hanging net (as I forgot to take it back into my inventory after I was done taking photos!), but I will also release along with it a skybox (yes, a skybox!) of the sandy display, itself! Unfortunately, it will lack Meth's "<a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/AS-Eclipsing-Ripple/2881168" target="_blank"><b>E</b><b>clipsing Ripple</b></a>". However! You can certainly obtain it from his <b><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/65813" target="_blank">Second Life Marketplace</a></b>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div>Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-65240870500247049312011-11-14T05:44:00.189-08:002012-07-05T21:24:23.430-07:00First Mesh Releases, Workflow of Doom and Pricing of Doom-i-er-ness<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jXqDtbPNdyk/T_ZctZit5oI/AAAAAAAAAM0/wkattT3EU3c/s1600/triadsunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jXqDtbPNdyk/T_ZctZit5oI/AAAAAAAAAM0/wkattT3EU3c/s400/triadsunset.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Dancer's Triad with Sunset lighting.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I won't try to make your monitor drip with sarcasm, but you know what the <i>best thing</i> is about building for Second Life?<br />
<br />
Having to teach yourself a new workflow to suit Second Life's system. <i>Every. Time.</i><br />
<br />
I can't even recall the hours I've spent figuring out new workflow tricks for different projects. Trying to make things easier, trying to make things faster, trying to make things newer, different, more advanced. Working with a shoddy, buggy, forever-in-beta system while catering to its every whim in terms of what works and what doesn't in terms of sculpts, textures and creating new content.<br />
<br />
Sculpties were bad enough, but I think SL Mesh got the new "Hardest Easiest Thing You'll Ever Do In Second Life" award. And when it received that award, the award <i>burst into flames</i>.<br />
Usually things don't work this way. You go from building in Second Life, to actually developing for projects outside of Second Life's workflow, and you <i>freak out</i> because it's <i>too easy</i>! It's too gentle on your sleep-cycle! Where is the laundry list of technical limitations you must follow? You mean I don't have to spend a bazillion hours optimizing something? <i>Why does this work immediately after I import it? </i>Witchcraft! Witchcraft!!<br />
<br />
Maybe I'm overreacting. Second Life Mesh was mostly irritating because it really shouldn't be as difficult as it was to create a larger low-poly object with a reasonable prim count; at least, within the perimeters that have been set. Especially when relating it to the perimeters set for regular prims.<br />
Each prim is built up of about 1024 quads, which works up to 2048 polys. I've always said that prims are excruciatingly wasteful, and the transition to Second Life Mesh only hits that home. Uploading a mesh comprised of what is meant to be exported as a sculpt map will drive your Prim Equivalent up so high you'll begin to wonder how Second Life managed to function by itself all this time.<br />
<br />
A 2048 poly count is fantastic if you're building a very large, complex or detailed model, such as a furnished house or castle with all the structural fixings. Of course, the <i>point</i> of low-poly modelling is to use the fewest number of polygons possible. It is an art form in and of itself.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bt-AotGY3I0/T_Zc-S5xkYI/AAAAAAAAAM8/wFUZpurqXmc/s1600/OBELISK_AD_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bt-AotGY3I0/T_Zc-S5xkYI/AAAAAAAAAM8/wFUZpurqXmc/s400/OBELISK_AD_01.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> Size and Prim comparison for Egyptian Obelisk.</i></span></div><br />
While modeling my Egyptian Obelisk, I discovered that as long as I have a polygon count below 20 on Low Level of Detail and a polygon count below 10 on the Lowest Level of Detail, I could retain the full model on both the High and Medium Level of Detail settings and still have a very decent Prim Equivalent (1 prim at regular size, and 4 prims at 64 meters, which is the largest you can size a Mesh object).<br />
Of course, this is with an object that would only take up about 100-300 polys. Once you breach the 500 poly mark, things start getting a little bit tougher in terms of balancing the Level of Detail quality and low Prim Equivalent at the size you want to use your object.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ypAQMqogx54/T_ZdZKpV2LI/AAAAAAAAANE/K38AVqurcmg/s1600/TRIAD_AD_10-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ypAQMqogx54/T_ZdZKpV2LI/AAAAAAAAANE/K38AVqurcmg/s320/TRIAD_AD_10-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> Close-up view of the Dancer's Triad stage and lanterns.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I experienced this problem several times while building my Dancer's Triad, a stage accented with draped cloth, huge 'giants' and several elegant metal lanterns. I wanted to try my hand at making a very large mesh object, with high quality Level of Detail and a reasonable Prim Equivalent. A reasonable Prim Equivalent, I think, would be to use your imagination to split the object into what would be normal prims, and count them. If your mesh object has a higher "prim count" than a prim object made of the same parts/pieces (sculpt or non-sculpt), then it is no longer a reasonable Prim Equivalent.<br />
<br />
At almost 20 meters and counting in at an 85 Prim Equivalent, I think I beat my reasonable equivalency by about one or two prims. Lucky me! I'll probably use sculpts for cloth pieces next time, though. Second Life Mesh isn't very kind to organic shapes in the way of good Level of Detail and Prim Equivalent.<br />
The entire mesh model comes out to about 3,500 polys, which includes everything except the lantern bulbs, which I had to sculpt to preserve Level of Detail at far distances.<br />
<br />
Another reason for a higher Prim Equivalency would simply be breaking the mesh parts into different pieces and not uploading the entire build as a singular object. As an individual who completely supports build modifications and allowing customers to change and modify my products to suit their individual needs, I try to make my relatively unchangeable mesh builds as modifiable as possible. I want people to be able to break apart the build, use pieces of it, shrink or expand, add or delete.<br />
<br />
While with mesh, the more pieces you upload as one object may create a lower Prim Equivalence (depending on how you've broken down your Level of Detail), but you won't be able to modify the pieces. Doing the opposite may create a slightly higher Prim Equivalence, but it's not enough to justify not allowing individuals to modify a build within the means of working with mesh.<br />
<br />
Pricing these pieces has also become a bit of a bother, considering the mesh market isn't too strong yet. I decided that I wanted to price about half of what I might get on a 3D content site for the Triad, as it's excruciatingly detailed and includes UV maps, and price the other accessory items at normal, every-day accessory-like prices. These items are one prim, come in multiple colors and don't include UV maps.<br />
<br />
Anyway... without further adieu, I give you my three first mesh releases!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gby8jIEw01g/T_ZdhHhNohI/AAAAAAAAANM/gqzFkJFBnJc/s1600/BLOOMS_AD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gby8jIEw01g/T_ZdhHhNohI/AAAAAAAAANM/gqzFkJFBnJc/s320/BLOOMS_AD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Isle-Blooms-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/3352852" target="_blank"><b>- Isle Blooms -</b></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Guinea pig mesh project. These will also be available in my shop's Lucky Chair for a little while. They come in 7 different colors (separate, no script). The textures are entirely hand painted.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qT2lwTj3w9k/T_Zl6-WzgXI/AAAAAAAAANY/RgKR32wl-A8/s1600/OBELISK_AD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qT2lwTj3w9k/T_Zl6-WzgXI/AAAAAAAAANY/RgKR32wl-A8/s320/OBELISK_AD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Egyptian-Obelisk-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3352827" target="_blank"><b>- Egyptian Obelisk -</b></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This was simply a fun day-project. As a copyable object with a maximum Prim Equivalent of 4 (at 64 meters), you can really place these around your sim or plot of land in any size without worry. Includes 7 color options available through a touch-menu script. Script is removable. Nothing less than hand-painted textures and excellent use of Photoshop brushes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HznYYoie8p4/T_Zl9U2ty6I/AAAAAAAAANg/DyXlEV_mhmU/s1600/TRIAD_AD_NEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HznYYoie8p4/T_Zl9U2ty6I/AAAAAAAAANg/DyXlEV_mhmU/s320/TRIAD_AD_NEW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dancers-Triad-A-Mesh-Build-by-Khyle-Sion-at-Refined-Wild/3352594" target="_blank"><b>- Dancer's Triad -</b></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Largest and most complex of all of them. UV Maps are included for optimal modding and customization, and the build itself comes in three sizes: Large, Small and Petite for fairy and petite-sized avatars. The hanging cloth is scripted color-change. 6 colors available, including white for any sort of wedding or anniversary celebration. The Level of Detail is optimized to withhold quality at very large distances, and, of course, the textures are completely hand-painted. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dancers-Triad-Giants-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3352707" target="_blank">The Giants</a></b> and <a href="https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Dancers-Triad-Stage-A-Mesh-Product-by-Khyle-Sion/3352753" target="_blank"><b>The Stage</b></a> are also sold separately.<br />
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</div>Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7089805384871693413.post-78019926115060420162011-08-17T06:00:00.022-07:002012-07-05T21:24:59.942-07:00Mesh in SL: The Good, the Bad and the Downright Ugly<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i> </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rfYo7xP9O0M/T_ZcO2_CjrI/AAAAAAAAAMk/uifqg4Z-PjU/s1600/islebloomstexwire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rfYo7xP9O0M/T_ZcO2_CjrI/AAAAAAAAAMk/uifqg4Z-PjU/s320/islebloomstexwire.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Isle Bloom - My first mesh product for SL and my official pipeline guinea pig. </i></span></div><br />
<b>Finally, <i>that day has come</i>.</b></div><br />
The day when I can throw off the shackles of the rudimentary builder, free my tortured prims for a better life and not have to toil over a hot PC unit for hours trying to get a sculptie to simply <i>do</i> <i>what I want</i>. Proper UV-mapping. Painting worry-free, seamless textures on flat surface maps. <i>Sharp-edged objects</i>.<br />
<br />
That's right, my Linden Lab-born brothers and sisters: Mesh. Mesh has arrived.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
Well. Sort of.<br />
<br />
Mesh has arrived, but with some pretty strict limitations that won't smile upon individuals who aren't familiar with any grass-roots 3D development. Limitations that even <i>I</i> am having trouble with, and I <i>started</i> this art form creating low-polygon models. Limitations that, when mentioned, will drive such terror down your spine you might as well be standing in the ninth realm of the underworld:<br />
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<b>Prim Equivalent</b>.<br />
<br />
I know whoever thought this up must have been doing their best to take into account how people would abuse things like polygon count. They must have known how the servers would cripple under the sheer number of vertices individuals end up with when they're making a 3D model and they have no idea what the heck they're actually <i>doing</i>. They meant well, right? <i>Right?</i><br />
To be fair, I know that the system Second Life runs on is already optimized to use Primitive Objects (you know, the prims we all know and love) within the perimeters that the system has been developed. Second Life is comfortable using those objects, and it has been comfortable using those objects for years (so to speak) and introducing built-from-scratch mesh objects that may-or-may-not jive with the program may-or-may-not cause it to work as well as the prims it's grown up with.<br />
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What makes me a bit miffed, as a developer and builder, is the fact that I absolutely must come up with my own separate Levels of Detail (LOD) in order to keep the Prim Equivalent down. I am often making 3 or 4 separate 'versions' of a single object, because I downright refuse to use the near-useless LOD generator integrated into the Mesh Upload menu. I swear it has a personal vendetta to break down the Level of Detail of everything in the absolute <i>ugliest</i> way possible. Like it's <i>jealous</i> or something.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FXLx9W_DKyw/T_ZcQmlVgOI/AAAAAAAAAMs/vfAKfHHZc30/s1600/islebloomsLOD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FXLx9W_DKyw/T_ZcQmlVgOI/AAAAAAAAAMs/vfAKfHHZc30/s320/islebloomsLOD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Working on the breakdown process for the Isle Blooms. </i></span></div><br />
Basically, in order for me to make a mesh object that works very well LOD-wise, won't bog down the system and won't take up a huge number of prims when I rez it, I need to make 3-4 types of the same object instead of just one. To get a good result, I need to do four times the work. <i>Four times the work. </i>Not that doing '___ x the work' of a <i>normal</i> 3D workflow is anything strange for Second Life, but this time it's particularly daunting, considering that making meshes from scratch is much more liberating.<br />
<br />
Fortunately for myself, I can work around these issues while still maintaining a reasonable prim count at object size and quality. It just takes time.<br />
Unfortunately for others, the freedom they felt being able to create something easily will be replaced by the task of actually learning a professional skill. It really takes all the fun out of it, unless you like the challenge of learning new things and are wicked-good and everything you touch turns to solid gold.<br />
<br />
One of the worst things about this is that it limits the amount of new content coming into Second Life. It will be awhile for a decent assortment of good mesh products (that aren't templates being used over and over again) comes into existence anywhere. Sure, products will slowly leak in, but the really <i>good </i>content will be determined by people who can actually <i>develop good 3D content</i>. Specifically for people who develop good 3D content for games. And this is why:<br />
<br />
<b>They know how to create content for <i>games</i>!</b><br />
<br />
Something that I'd been trying to convince people of for <i>years</i> since sculpts came out was to use their skills to learn how to develop low-poly, industry workflow 3D content. There were a few people who made this transition really naturally, because they were constantly experimenting and are aware of Second Life's limitations. Most didn't. A lot of people seemed to assume sculpts and mesh work <i>exactly the same way</i>, because they both use mesh objects to create a final product.<br />
<br />
I can't even count the number of sculpts-imported-as-mesh objects I've seen floating around. It's almost embarrassing. (And no, don't be telling me you don't understand why your tiny mesh object is over 8 prims when it's not even the size of a potato. It's a mesh-uploaded sculpt. You have 2048 polys on that object. I can see it in wireframe mode.)<br />
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Whether we like it or not, the workflow for Second Life Mesh is basically identical to developing for games. People keep thinking that since Second Life can import mesh, they can throw any model into the system and it'll end up preforming like a 'regular' game, but that's not the case. Many of the tricks and the know-how involved in creating great looking, fast-loading 3D models for video games is largely due to optical illusion, conservative low-poly modeling and a very keen eye for topology.<br />
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And in a future blog post/tutorial, I'll not only explain what that is, but also how to <i>use</i> it to develop your <i>own</i> models.<br />
<br />
Because I'm awesome like that.<br />
Khyle Sionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147515878193550886noreply@blogger.com0