Welcome to Katt's infrequent blog covering a whole host of situations, events, anecdotes and gossip picked up across the grid.
Monday, October 16th 2023
A Katt's Krew Update (finally!)I am like the worst blogger in the world. I update this page about twice a year. So today I thought I would give you a stream of consciousness outpouring of some of the things going on at Kimkattia recently.
Couple of weeks ago we celebrated our 100th KattattaK! episode. Yeah, I know there are Second Life events which have been going for hundreds of weeks, I know of at least two that are well over 10 years old. But I am still a little blown away that I've had the staying power to do this week in and week out for over 100 weeks. As many know (and many may not know), where many DJs and event hosts play a playlist of tracks from their stream with little to no internal production, I pre-record my entire 90 sets in advance, fading tracks, inserting jingles and comments and (hopefully) funny segments. I have theme music, DJ intros and shout-outs. This takes work, usually 3-4 hours prior to the event, to get these episodes ready. You can listen to many of them from our Radio page and hear for yourself what goes into them!
The Aurora Girls have been out and about a fair bit lately. We've been a few cyberpunk events and have been updating our outfits accordingly. See here for a good example of Stace rocking hers! We've also seen more of our sister Sia, which has been fun, she's great to be around and despite her good taste she still likes hanging around with us!
The surprising news for many, will be that since about May of this year, I have not changed much at Kimkattia. I know every time Kimmie logs in she half-expects to be standing in the middle of nowhere with a big "under construction" sign hanging over her! That said, there's been some rumblings that I'm going to try to do the "Blade Runner" theme (again?) soon but this time I plan to wait until I've been able to acquire a lot of decent mesh scenery and props to do it right.
There's a fundamental problem with doing themed-builds in Second Life: every vendor and designer has their own vision on what a thing should look like. If you don't buy everything from the same vendor, you can end up with a mishmash of objects that just don't look right together. This has long been the problem when each vendor only makes and sells a certain number of items: you might find a building that works but there might only be one building in their catalog. You might find the best street-decoration props for a theme only to realize there's a lot of things you want but they don't sell.
There is a single solution to this: make everything yourself! I would love to be in a position to make an entire themed-build from my own imagination. The time and energy to learn Blender, sculpting, texturing and the intricacies of mesh manipulation would, I think, literally be a fulltime job. In the meantime I'll try to make it work with what's available so watch this space!
Apparently Linden Labs is working on a thing called PBR. 'What the hell is that?!' I hear you ask, well, according to one blog, PBR graphics in Second Life is an exciting leap towards a more immersive and visually captivating virtual world. With its ability to bring materials to life and create stunning realism, PBR promises to transform how we experience digital environments.
They are calling it Physically Based Rendering (PBR). But again, what is PBR, and why does it matter? Imagine a virtual world where the sunlight glistens off shiny surfaces, fabrics exhibit realistic textures, and materials react naturally to lighting conditions. This is the magic of PBR. Unlike traditional rendering techniques that rely on artistic approximations, PBR simulates how light interacts with different materials in the real world. The result? Stunning visuals that make virtual environments feel tangible and immersive. You can read the full post here: See the Future of Second Life Graphics: Firestorm PBR Alpha
It takes a lot of work to look bad. I asked the AI ChatGPT for its take on what it takes to look truly awful in Second Life, and here's what had to say:
In Second Life, looking bad can be quite an achievement, as it takes a lot of effort and creativity. While it might seem easy to create an attractive avatar, creating an avatar that looks deliberately bad requires a unique set of skills and a lot of attention to detail. In this essay, I will explore the various ways in which looking bad in Second Life takes work.
Firstly, creating an unattractive avatar requires a deep understanding of the software and its features. It is not simply a matter of choosing a few unflattering clothing items or accessories. You need to have a good understanding of the avatar creation process, including the various sliders that control body shape and facial features. By manipulating these sliders to their extreme values, you can create an avatar that looks intentionally bad. However, this requires patience and a lot of experimentation, as even the slightest change can drastically alter the appearance of your avatar.
Secondly, creating an avatar that looks bad requires a lot of creativity. While it is easy to simply choose unattractive clothing or accessories, truly bad avatars require a unique approach. You need to think outside the box and come up with ideas that are truly original. This might involve using unconventional items, such as mismatched clothing or poorly textured accessories. It might also involve taking inspiration from real-life examples of bad fashion and adapting them to the virtual world.
Thirdly, creating an unattractive avatar requires a lot of attention to detail. Every aspect of your avatar's appearance needs to be carefully considered, from the hairstyle to the shoes. You need to pay attention to the colors and patterns you choose, as well as the way your avatar moves and interacts with the environment. It can be easy to overlook small details, but these can make all the difference when it comes to creating a truly bad avatar.
Finally, looking bad in Second Life takes work because it is not something that can be achieved overnight. It requires a lot of time and effort to create an avatar that looks truly terrible. This might involve spending hours searching for the perfect combination of clothing and accessories, or experimenting with different body shapes and facial features. However, for those who are dedicated to the art of looking bad, the rewards can be significant.
In conclusion, looking bad in Second Life takes work. It requires a deep understanding of the software and its features, as well as a lot of creativity and attention to detail. While it might seem counterintuitive to strive for an unattractive avatar, for many users, it is a way to express themselves and stand out from the crowd. For those who are willing to put in the effort, the result can be a truly unique and unforgettable virtual presence.