Monday, 29 June 2009
Who broke SL?
‘Some residents may now be able to connect to Second Life however to login process may take a while. If you’re unable to connect, please wait a couple minutes before trying again. For those who are connected, some services may not be working at the moment. These include teleports, the world map, display of L$ balances, search, inventory and purchases made inworld. Some regions may also be inaccessible or showing as offline.’
Update number 2 read ‘Approximately 8,000 regions are currently inaccessible. Our technicians are working to restore service to them and other Second Life services.’
I think that roughly translates as ‘it’s screwed’. Now although things were slow, we did manage to get to the Mystic Fair which was finishing over the weekend. We did quite well too. The sim was there. Things rezzed, and then Mael just vanished while he was following me upstairs. This isn’t unusual – he quite often tps off somewhere to get a landmark, but no sign of him anywhere. I then got an msn – he’d crashed, and couldn’t get in. So he was going to do something in RL for a few minutes. I then made a basic schoolgirl error. I decided to log off for a while!
I had some RL stuff to do but I have downloaded Slim, so anyone who was in World would be able to talk to me. I got a message come through from Mael, Asking if I was in World. I said ‘no’ but I could be in a minute. Yeah. Right.
After several attempts, I read the status, and it told me to try again after a few minutes. Now usually when you can’t log on you get a polite message saying that despite their efforts, they have been unable to log you on (ie tough). This one was telling me it couldn’t find a simulator. After a while I decided that if I ever got back in World, I’d have a whip round to buy LL some new simulators, whatever they are.
Eventually I checked the status again – logins had been re-enabled – for the last half hour. So why was I still out? I linked up to online help and a polite man told me to try again in a few minutes. When I told him I’d been trying to do that for the last half hour, he suggested that my Home was probably unavailable.
I never knew you could change your log in options while off line, so he told me how to change it so I could log in to the last place, and it actually worked. Then came the peril of the tp to get to where Mael was at the fair. Joy of joys - that worked too.
Throughout the day things slowly improved, but we still received notices about sims being down and events cancelled. Now I work on the theory that any one of us will only visit a very small proportion of the grid. So if a place we visit is down, that’s just bad luck. If 8-9 places we visit are down, then that adds up to one serious problem.
Early evening things were sufficiently improved to risk logging off again. Logging on again was a matter of seconds, and the tp to Demented worked just fine. (The sim was one which had taken a little holiday earlier in the afternoon, but it had returned refreshed) Unfortunately we only had 6 of us there, which included the host and the DJ, so we decided to postpone it to the next day, when SL would hopefully be a little easier to negotiate.
So we wandered off to go through various bits and pieces from the fair, and then decided to go to Zoo Bar. We don’t usually get to go because it clashes with Demented, so it was a rare chance to catch up. I went straight there, while Mael was joining me after visiting a sim he couldn’t get to earlier. I then got an msn – he’d crashed. He logged back in and sent me a tp. I had several im’s going on so I couldn’t really concentrate on the trivia so I said my goodbyes and hit the tp button. I then got another msn – he’d crashed and couldn’t get back. I was fine I said. I then realised I was standing about 50 feet in the air above sea. No ground had rezzed. In fact, nothing had rezzed. I just stood there, suspended above sea. I then got everyone’s favourite message. ‘You have been logged out of Second Life’. And I couldn’t get back again.
It seems the problems they’d been working on all day had re-materialised, so they had to start over. And that was it. We were all locked out. After a couple of hours I tried again. I was in! Unfortunately I was in a place with 50 other av’s and it seemed none of us were going anywhere. I attempted to tp and got the best message yet. ‘We have been unable to complete your request. You may need to re-log in to Second Life.’ I’d spent the best part of the day trying to log in – so not way was I logging out again! Then a group im from Chad – trivia at Zoo Bar. He sent me a tp – it worked – I was with human beings again. There were several other trivia ‘refugees’ there too, and thanks to Chad and Shale for providing us with somewhere to go. Apparently their sim had crashed just as I was leaving earlier.
Now, what to do when we are faced with a Saturday night with no Second Life! Well here’s a few tips, so that next time it happens, you’ll be prepared.
1 – Link up with your friends on msn. They have some interesting games you can play to pass the time, including one where you smack each other in the face with a wet fish! Not exactly the most intellectual of games, but it feels good when you whack them. There are a few other more interesting games, as well as some which are run by Linden Labs (ie – they didn’t work)
2 – Go out and but the DVD that you’ve always been meaning to get, and keep it in a drawer in the cellophane. Then, next time, just grab a drink or 2 from the fridge, put your feet up, and away you go.
3 – Sleep through it. Someone had been burning the midnight oil, so they went to sleep early evening, only to wake up late at night. They were completely oblivious to everything that had gone on, and then I told them what had gone on, they were even more happy that they’d missed none of their usual events. This method relies on timing on your part too, but as a way of coping with the loss of SL, it’s probably the best, and certainly provides the least stress.
Now make sure you are prepared – there’s bound to be a next time. Group chat is bad to non existent, and getting worse all the time. Chat lag, and lag in general are getting worse and the lag monster seems to be making more friends by the day. Those little blue boxes seem to flash up even more, as we all experience more crashes. LL are so concerned, that they’re concentrating on getting rid of camping chairs and sploders! The problems aren’t getting any better, and they won’t if that’s how they prioritise things, so be prepared. We could all be faced with another day without Second Life:O
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Bucc Bowl
After the last 2 performances, I have to admit I didn’t have high expectations for this one, but we went along nonetheless. I was a little concerned about my speed as I hadn’t been going to much trivia, and the lag monster had made itself my very special friend over the last couple of days.
The scene of the crime - er event - before I said goodbye to characters
For me though, Bucc Bowl, like most things, isn’t all about winning. It’s about taking part and having a laugh. The last Bucc Bowl event I either looked at the questions and thought ‘huh?’, or I saw the question at the same time as 10 answers, so not much opportunity for me to take part. I figured this time had to be better, and I could only hope that the lag monster would find a few other friends to play with while we were there.
Apologies to all the teams there, but as soon as I get there it’s off with those characters so all I see is odd names and bits of ship. I was greeted though by a very cute player indeed. A little chipmunk called Devin came to greet me. She surely won the prize for cutest player on the day.
Devin attempting to put the opposition off by biting their ankles
Unlike last time, I wasn’t the only one of Trumpton Trivia online at the start, Ana and Mael were also there - sadly no sign of Stiggs. Despite several frantic im’s hoping they would go through to e mail, he never actually made it. So we were down to just 3. And all Brits at that, so any US questions were right out for us.
Trumpton - ready and raring to go
Usually at these events I get 2 right – pretty average. First question – I got 2nd place – good start, it meant I faced the prospect of a pretty boring 2 hours. This however, turned out to be my best Bucc Bowl yet, and I got in the top 3 in 5 questions. I even scored in the question about US Presidents – unheard of!
Unlike last time, I did get to see the questions. I didn’t get to read them – but I got to see them. It was a case of ‘which volcano................’ and off everyone went with volcanoes. ‘Which brand of mustard .....................’ and off everyone went with mustard. I other words, pick out the obvious word and go for it – read the question afterwards. I also knew a few more of the answers, which made it easier to join in. It was nice to be able to do something other than watch text scroll up my screen. Although we only practically score points for coming in the top 3, I personally think it’s an achievement for anyone if they get in to the top 10. The time between the answers is miniscule – so well done anyone who got any answer into chat at all.
I did some post event calculations, and I worked out where my total put me on points for the day. I won’t say where I came but I am a very happy bunny. We pulled together as usual and managed a much better performance than our previous 2 contests. We managed 6th place again, but we did make some decent money this time, and I for one certainly enjoyed the day a lot more. I’d like to thank the lag monster for leaving me alone at least for those 2 hours at the weekend. Unfortunately he more than made up for it after the event, and I ended up re-installing Second Life altogether.
The only problem we seemed to have was the usual Group Chat. This has been particularly dire recently, and a few teams couldn’t even get a group im open. I gave up and opened a conference call, but I don’t think all 3 of us stayed connected. Hopefully for next time Linden Labs will have resolved the chat thing (As I write that last comment, I am surrounded by flying pigs), and that will make things run all the more smoothly.
Lette, Thornton and Lillian did a tremendous job as always, and thanks have to go to them for their time, and also their money.
Despite Lette offering to host Chaos trivia completely naked if anyone toppled the Triviators, they won again. They were tempted to throw the game but their competitive spirit took over. They did get some stiff opposition this time, so maybe next time someone will take their crown. Trumpton have won before – so who knows – maybe we’ll do it again!
Friday, 5 June 2009
Only in SL
It started nice and simply with some inventory sorting. We've all done this - we all hate this, but true to form you usually end up with the most amazing things. As I write this, I'm sitting on a sun lounger in a room filled with assorted rubbish, which includes 2 little aliens, a skateboarding teddy bear, a talking welcome mat, some torches, lots of blue flashing lights, and something that can only be described as a very large dog's bone! I had to take the pogo stick back after it ended up stuck in the ceiling.
I first found some roller skates - which I had to try to see if they were any good. These things were massive! I tried editing them, but they wouldn't reduce, so first of all I have those. Next up I found some clothing, so on went a rather small swimming costume. Quite convenient, because I also found water bombs, and of course before you delete stuff from your inventory, you have to check it. Mael was sitting in his meditation pod, which works as a good shield against water bombs, He decided to rez K-9 - who stunned me. I then found my lemming launcher, and attempted to stun K-9. Unfortunately, I was on roller skates, so every time I fired the thing I shot backwards. Except for the final time, when the lemming bounced back, and I went straight up and through the roof. I initially thought I would land on the roof - which I did. Thanks to the shape of it however, I slid straight off it.
We were at 3500m, so I'm only grateful that we always land with a thud but we're ok. I put my jetpack on but the button to fly was blanked out, so that wasn't much help. So we now have a mad woman in a small swimming costume and over large rolling skates and holding a lemming launcher - plummeting through the sky. I could only hope there was no one underneath. Mael was a great help and commented in im 'oops'. No tp back just -'oops'. I was in stitches as it was, and when I hit my neighbours parcel it got worse. They have these womderful ban lines, and as I hit 150m I hit the ban lines and bounced back up! I then hit them again and back up - just like an invisible trampoline in the sky. Somehow I managed to stop laughing long enough to push myself forwards on the bounce, and ended up on the roof of our balloon house - which I promptly fell off and slid down as well. To make matters worse, when I hit the ground someone was driving a bike round it, and must have witnessed it for themselves.
Me feeling very grateful that a fall of 3500m doesn't do us much harm and somehow wishing I didn't look quite so stupid!
Mael then decided to come down in the tardis, so I let him have it with the Lemming gun. Did I mention I was on roller skates? Mael and the Tardis remained intact - I shot backwards with such force that I went straight through our garden wall, rolled down a bank, and ended up in the middle of a parcel for sale!
Now I'm sure many of you have had some jolly old times with those inventories - but only on SL can a chore which seems so boring, become the thing that has tears of laughter rolling down your cheeks. I've said it before, I'll say it again - SL can bring you down, but it can also put you right back up again. When I resumed my inventory cleaning I was asked ' Why are you wearing a gas mask?' Well - it was in my inventory - why else!
Monday, 1 June 2009
Last time I was just a host, this time I decided to compete too. I chose the Carry On Films as my specialist subject, as I've been watching these since I was a kid.
The tie break between Trai and Pom won't be held until next week, and I know we'll be there to cheer them both on.
I did not expect to win. I wanted to prove to myself that I can compete and that I do have a brain, and to come joint with Mael and Lotus, has proved that to myself. I am even more pleased, as I did not google. For me, the challenge was about what I knew or didn’t, and not about how quickly I can google the capital of Belarus (which I now now is Minsk). With only 5 minutes for 10 questions, and a bad case of nerves, googling just wasn't an option anyway.
I would like to commend anyone who had the guts to have a go. I know I was nervous, and Chad also commented he’d eaten a few too many butterflies for breakfast, but I thoroughly enjoyed he challenge, and I’ll definitely be competing in the next one. I hope a few others will also take part, now that they’ve seen how the competition works.
As a final word - thanks also go to Humm and the hosts for organising the weekend, and for keeping it running smoothly. I know I'm biased, but the hosts did a great job over the weekend. Not only did they give their time to ask the questions, and help organise the event, but they were all there supporting the contestants as well, RL commitments permitting.