NSS in SL: Virtual Space

Prng and Ariel (Bryce and Cheryl) dance in the New Year beside the new Suitable Space Gear outfitters kiosk.  As the new year begins, we’ll be shifting gears and seriously digging into the business of settling our space sim. 

Photo by Rosefirerising Meet Lchaim our guide through Orientation IslandHello, apparently many NSS members seem to have a problem getting through Orientation Island.  SL gives birth to your avatar at this point, and many seem very confused, and at times experience a freezing expierence that most second life people call LAG.   I want to get LAG and Crashing out of the way first because many get frustrated, especially if they do not know what they are experiencing.In simple terms you experience LAG when your computer client software SLOWS DOWN.  Well if it happens, it happens, and you may eventually need to log off.  LAG will impede your navigation of orientation island, and you may need a better computer, or video card to improve your experience.  LAG also occurs because the server software SLOWS DOWN, which of course SLOWS DOWN your computer client software.  Also sometimes the SL server crashes, or has a rolling restart, which will crash your region.  You can crash and not seem to crash, but try talking in chat and see if your words echo in the chat box.  Instant Messages seems to continue to work, so you may need to say “Have I crashed” and look in the chat box.  Do not get mad because no one seems to answer your Instant Messages (IM), because you may have crashed and not know it.Okay back to the main theme, Getting Through Orientation Island.What is Orientation Island?  Well it is your birthplace in Second Life (SL) and it is where you learn the basics of how to control your avitar. What kind of controls?  There are four areas at the entrance hub. 

Hello! You will notice from my slightly greenish skin and pointed ears that I am Vulcan, as in the Star Trek universe. I followed my friend Ariel Miranda into Second Life and started in a Star Trek group here. Currently serving as an ambassador with the Vulcan Diplomatic Corps.

In “real life” I’m a researcher with the Oregon L5 Society, chapter of National Space Society, with my name on several papers of divers topics penned by the Oregon L5 Research Team. For more on that, see http://www.OregonL5.org .

Here in Second Life I have worked on creative geology on the Oregon L5 project at NASA CoLab and at NSS Island. Also generally participated in designs and construction for the Oregon L5 Lavatube Base. In addition, I’m active in the Space Riggers group at CoLab that assists CoLab and affiliated entities with construction and furnishing their Second Life projects. I’m also an Alternate to the SciLands Senate on behalf of NSS Sim after Senator Ariel Miranda.
Peace and Long Life from Prng Flagstaff and your friends from Vulcan.

This piece of Mars sits above JPL’s Explorer Island, two sims to our east. It is made of new ’sculpty prims’ based on actual DEM data and is the site being explored by the rover Opportunity. JPL is hoping to have a model rover moving across the terrain matching the original’s movements in near-realtime very soon.

Our new ‘banking avatar’ Synthetic Jewell looks out on Victoria Crater…a piece of Mars above JPL’s Explorer Island two sims to our east.

Please take a look at this truly remarkable video by Robbie Dingo that says so much more about design and construction in Second Life than an infinite number of words can express:

Watch the World(s)

In order to provide a ’safe’ and comfortable place for people to watch the ongoing activity while we’re still in the process of terrain editing, we’ve set up an observation platform above the main lava trench. This also gives us a place to meet, hang out, and even hold modest events until more permanent infrastructure is in place.

Coffee, anyone?

We are delighted that not only have we been able to participate in NASA CoLab, the sim owned by NASA-Ames, but that CoLab has given NSS in SL an office, Main 6, in its headquarters building. Here we are right in the middle of the space community of Second Life.

Presently the office is overflowing with possible terrain models for the new NSS sim.

When the Oregon L5 Society chapter of NSS learned that NASA-Ames was going to be purchasing a sim in Second Life and looking for people with ideas to demonstrate there, we were among the first in line seeking a parcel for modeling our lavatube lunar base concepts. We soon discovered that the resources available there were insufficient to do justice to the plans we had. Fortunately, NSS HQ stepped in with funding for National Space Society island, where we could complete our project as well as manage the sim for use by other NSS chapters and individuals.

A single photo of the base isn’t very easy to decipher, but it hopefully provides a taste of what we’re doing.

Welcome to NSS in SL, the blog of the National Space Society in Second Life. We’re just getting started here, but watch this space for more to come. Check out the About tab for more information.