SL+-+Previous+to+010110

This page contains area construction notes prior to January 1, 2010 in chronological order. Current information is listed on the main page here: http://ucslteam.wikispaces.com/SL+Orientation
Welcome Area and Movement Track**
 * 09/23/09 - LV
 * Starting area and track has been laid out, with plywood blocks as placeholders until proper textures can be created. The track features a finish line that has been scripted to congratulate user upon passing over it, but it doesn't seem to be working at the moment.

TO DO: **
 * 1) A finish podium needs to be created on the stone area at the end of the track
 * 2) Fix script for finish line
 * 3) Create hurdles
 * 4) Make all appropriate signage
 * 5) Create barrier fence around track end area
 * 6) Find scheme and texture for starting area currently made out of plywood

The shouting range has also been created. However, it is currently rough and unfinished. Boxes mark the range of a whisper, say, and shout actions and the floor has been scripted to light up and slowly fade away after the appropriate keyword is spoken by an avatar. The current word is "hello", but it should be changed to something that would be a lot less common. A UC themed word might be appropriate, such as "bearcats".
 * Shouting Range**



TO DO:
 * 1) Edit scripts for new keyword
 * 2) Change box actions to something more dynamic. Perhaps growing in size with the words "Whisper: 10m" as a texture to appear on them. Or maybe already being that size but springing up from the ground.
 * 3) Appropriate signage for "Shouting Range". Maybe a banner across the top?
 * 4) Megaphones/bullhorns on the counter might be a good aesthetic touch detail


 * 09/24/09 - LV**

As of today, the project lead has changed; Josh will be assuming this project while I have been switched over to head the POC-CENT area.


 * 09/24/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 4

// New theme chosen for the orientation space! //

The orientation space theme was changed to the steamboat era in Cincinnati. Central to the theme will be a large riverboat and an historical downtown area adjacent to the river with building functions that serve to orient visitors to second life.

Updates: 1. Fleep bought a boat for L$1000 to use as the centerpiece for the new riverboat theme. 2. Mockup building locations and sizes were positioned on the south side of the river.

Buildings to included in historical downtown Cincinnati: **
 * **Name** || **Function** ||
 * Town Hall || Auditorium/Classroom functions; Video Presentation ||
 * Post Office || Messaging in SL, offline messages, types of messages, etc. ||
 * Bell Tower || Indicate quarter hour increments of time with sound (while on same plot); top can serve as platform for shouting/speaking tutorial with indicators for distance. ||
 * School House || Misc tips and tricks not covered elsewhere ||
 * Clothing Store || Intro to changing appearance and clothing ||
 * Steamboat || Basic navigation, chatting, interacting tutorials; starting/home location for orientation ||
 * Police Station || Griefing information; rules of conduct ||

To Do: 1. Create buildings with a historic theme 2. Add map of boat with labeled stations on each floor 3. Create text textures for signs 4. Add pathway, arrows, and railings for orientation path 5. Create clickable map of orientation space with station indicators on top level of boat 6. Move shouting scripting to bell tower and modify 7. Incorporate flying space for flight orientation


 * 10/1/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 3.5**

A rough mockup of building locations was made, and the remainder of the sports-themed removed and scripts saved to be modified later for fountain game. The bell tower will be replaced with Fountain Square (dedicated in 1870, near the end of the steamboat era). The idea is to activate the fountain with speech (whispering, talking, shouting) to indicate the distances over which these actions transmit information. Walkways textures were explored and, aside from the riverboat deck, the walkways should be brick or cobblestone to be historically accurate.

Added Locations:
 * **Building/Location** || **Function** ||
 * Fountain Square || Speaking distance indicator and downtown centerpiece ||
 * Savings and Loan || Discuss the use of Linden Dollars and ways to make money. ||




 * 10/2/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 5.5**

The building location mockup was improved to include building entrances and exits in relation to the path, which was also mocked up using wood panels. Hovertext scripting on the mockup (not seen in snapshots) indicates the locations of each building.

The exit from the boat was also enhanced with a raised river bank and trees (native to ohio) were placed near the exit to limit the view of features further along on the orientation path. See snapshots below.

New ideas to implement: 1. __Interactive progress through orientation__: The avatar is prevented from progressing by ropes, gates, etc. that are removed or opened by scripts after performing of certain actions (touching objects, saying something specific, etc.) directed by the instructions given along the way. Code words given by each station to allow progress to the next could also be used to better ensure users are completing each station and not skipping.

2. __Finish scenario__: Some special event contingent upon completion of orientation such as the user being given special items (vehicles, scripted items to wear, a congratulatory notecard, etc.) and/or fireworks celebrating his or her work. Some indiction of the reward should be given at the beginning to act as an incentive for completion. The reward items' permissions should be such that only the completing avatar and use it.




 * 10/6/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 5**

The mockup footprint was reduced by half and the buildings rearranged (see snapshot). The school building on the UC campus nearby will be commandeered for use with the orientation center (see snapshot). It will serve as classroom tools orientation as well as provide relevant vocabulary and a surface-level description of how SL works (objects, particles, pushing, scripting, etc.).

The town hall will be arranged with pews facing a raised podium. The town hall will contain a flying exercise where objects are generated that disappear when touched. Maybe facts about the history of Cincinnati in the form of notecards can be presented upon touching each object.






 * 10/8/09 - JB - Hours: 5.5**

Scripts were generated for controlling access to the finish scenario via a keypad. When the correct code is entered, the door turns phantom and vanishes 90% for 10 seconds. The keypad changes from grey to green or red depending on the success of the code once entered. The trigger can be changed to the avatars location or upon touching a trigger pad inside the door. Also, a flashing target indicator in the using Tall Stacks colors was implemented with scripted color changes. This will be used to instruct the avatars where to stand for various position-dependent exercises. The finish scenario entry scripts will need to be added to more historically relevant designs.

New Ideas: Finish scenario could be a state/county fair with a couple of rides and a shooting game for some extra practice interacting with objects, sit balls, projectiles, etc. Fireworks could go off over the river upon reaching the climax of a small ferris wheel. Token objects could be collected from the game to activate the ferris wheel. The ferris wheel is already available for sale.




 * 10/9/09 - JB - Hours: 2.5**

Some challenges still exist in the implementation of the ideas described above. The biggest is obtaining something recognizable as a fountain square fountain or statue about which to animate the water upon activation. SL Exchange does not have the Tyler Davidson statue or anything very similar pre-made. The site does contain fabs of carousels (more size-appropriate than a ferris wheel) of various sizes, one of which should fit in the finish space. The bank and/or savings and loan can be adjusted to make room if necessary. Also a photo was selected to use as the model for the Savings and Loan rather than the town hall (which it is) with plain white columns more recognizable as a lending institution. (see photos below)






 * 10/13/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 6**

The savings and loan building was constructed using the above photo as a model. Handrails, windows, the S&L label on the building and the internal components remain to be implemented. The doors are fully functional and can serve to introduce clickable doors. They will automatically close after a short time for the next user to open. Chris indicated she would provide some victorian buildings from which I could select a clothing/avatar store. The post office will be a partially covered open kiosk design with a service counter with exercises to explain communication methods in SL.

New ideas: Signs outside of the entrance for each station will list the learning goals of the station (flying, messaging, talking, etc). The in-game objectives can be described with notecards received upon entering each station. Arrows and targets can be used to help indicate the next action or location, though special attention must be paid to the face multiple people may be at each station simultaneously when using scripted object appearances. The end scenario can be an optional alternative to entering the one-stop center directly and implemented last for more advanced activities, beginning with the coded start.




 * 10/15/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 4

Little actual building took place today. ** A design was chosen for the town hall. It will be built according to the photo below, except that a dome will replace the pyramidical cap on the very top. It will include a clock tower with chime functionality (triggered by a user completing the simple flying exercise). A message board may be used to present non-critical messages or indicate objectives completed if multiple objectives exist for an area (mainly for the optional advanced training area).




 * 10/21/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 5**

A gazebo-like structure was built to sit atop the town hall. It encloses a bell that will signal the completion of the short flying exercise when the last target is touched by each visitor. Railings were added to the Savings and Loan. A mockup of a visitor center with a service counter was added at the beginning of the downtown path.



10/22/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 5.5

More work was completed on the first floor of the town hall and adjoining sheriff's office. The snapshots show the main entrances for the town hall and sheriff's office. The white sign in the front of the town hall will contain the identifying wording for the building. The star indicates the location of the sheriff's office wording and insignia. The info booth will serve to explain the layout of the town via a notecard and a clickable overhead view map. will be redesigned to take on the feel of the town. A portion of the space allotted to the post office can be reallocated for the town welcome center and manned with scripted cut-outs of workers of that time that provide notecards or initialize orientation-related events. Windows will be added to the front of the sheriff's office to give it a more open feel and encourage users to come inside as they pass.




 * 10/23/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 3.5**

A windowed roof structure was added beneath the bell/clock tower on the town hall. Clocks were also added but will need to be replaced with easier to read clocks that report UC time and not game time. There were many starts and stops figuring out a good way to attach the circular gazebo to the roof at the correct angle with the fewest prims. The town hall will be my main focus until the flying exercise is implemented. Currently, it stands a few meters higher than the school house nearby.

__Town Hall To Do:__ 1. Add entry doorway and first floor windows 2. Improve balcony and add more structural detail to the front as per the town hall photo above. 3. Add doorway to sheriff's office 4. Add internal supporting beams and parallel pews arranged in front of a podium. 5. Use real Cincinnati building textures to replace the generic free textures inside and out. 6. Implement signage and short scripted flying exercise.

__New Ideas__ 1. If space is low near an entrance or other critical location, scripted signage can be used to display information temporarily, triggered and muted either by the user location or an interactive object such as a button labeled info 2. Fountain square statue can be several photos of the Tyler Davidson Fountain downtown arranged as intersecting planes, much like the way some plants are made.




 * 10/27/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 5.5

The town hall is nearly complete, lacking only a few architectural details and the scripted flying exercise. ** Chris provided several building designs to choose from for the remaining buildings (see snapshot). A jail cell was added to the sheriff's office that could host a video along with a text or audio description of what constitutes griefing and how to handle it. The welcome center service counter upon entering the downtown area was mocked-up, but should be replaced by a more elaborate/professional-looking kiosk layout. The focus now will be notecard content and sign textures.



10/29/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 5.5

Spent some time listing orientation-related objectives for each station that will determine sign content and locations:

2. Click scripted objects for color or position change 3. Read a hard-to-read message using the Alt key for camera control 4. Receive and rez an object in a certain location then delete it || 2. Open a web link 3. Whisper to a specific target || 2. Whisper at max whisper distance 3. Shout just past maximum talk distance || 2. Watch a brief video using the media player to play land media. || 2. Touch as many objects at various locations around the town hall as possible before the bell rings || 2. Ride a vehicle on a constrained path (carousel?) 3. Open links to various SL web resources if interested ||
 * Station || Intro/Demo || In-game Objectives ||
 * Steamboat || Basic movement; Inventory; Map; Camera manipulation || 1. Navigate to various rooms on the boat by following arrows
 * Welcome Center || Explain premise and give special instructions for navigating the orientation space || 1. Read introduction notecard ||
 * Post Office || Communication Methods || 1. Send an IM
 * Savings and Loan || Money and purchasing || 1. Buy an object for L$0 ||
 * Fountain Square || Speaking Distances || 1. Talk near maxium distance
 * General Store || Wearing clothes, body parts, and objects || 1. Receive and modify appearance with a sample Victorian costume ||
 * School House || Watching a video in an auditorium setup; sitting and using pose balls || 1. Sit in a classroom seat
 * Town Hall || Flying || 1. Initialize flying exercise at podium
 * Sheriff's Office || Griefing and misconduct || 1. Be faux-griefed inside jail cell ||
 * Finish Area || Intro more advanced tips and tricks || 1. Shoot a target using an equipped gun and mouselook mode

A welcome notecard was started, but will be updated with more information after the rest of the town is finished. It is contained in the candle immediately inside the main entrance. Additionally, several sign holders were assembled for the instructional signs, and a script was begun for the flying exercise.


 * 10/30/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 3.5

I read up on how to optimize images for SL then created a sample image for an instructional sign and uploaded it (located on the boat). I also made an animated arrow to help with course navigation (currently rezed in the jail along with the animated target). The image appears squashed after creation because it is optimized at 512 x 512 pixels for best rendering with the SL graphics engine without sacrificing too much detail. In-world, the images are stretched to the correct proportions. Several buildings and textures were also adjusted/improved (not shown).

**




 * 11/3/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 5**

My main focus was creating a Google spreadsheet for assisting with custom texture workflow for signs, objective lists, building and room labels, and navigation aids. I also improved entrance to the Savings and Loan, created platform for Fountain Square, chose a building (below) for the welcome center, and cleaned up some of the extra buildings and props laying around. The welcome center will probably need to be modified to be more welcoming and accessible at a later time.



11/5/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 3

Played around with Photoshop and created a Welcome Center building label with a Victorian font located on the web. Fixed some prim alignment and script problems throughout the course and removed some unneeded objects. Primary welcome notecard was relocated to the main window. The building and window areas were adjusted to accommodate the small pillar and the building label. Hovertext (not shown) indicates that the users click the candle to begin the course.



11/10/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 3

Created notecards for 2 more buildings (savings and loan, and the shop), which will be updated as the buildings are completed and instructional signs added. Reorganized POC-CENT textures and other unorganized objects into nested folders in my inventory. Began redesigning the front of the S & L, which was not accessible enough. Scripting was updated to open the door when an avatar approaches so it is less confusing, rather than waiting for them to click. Clickable doors/objects will be one of the objectives either in the boat or possibly the Sheriff Office, prior to the mock griefing.

__TO DO__ 1. Take pictures of fountain square from >3 angles and arrange in intersecting plains. 2. Finish more 8 notecards (or more depending on total number of boat stations) 3. Finish front of S & L. 4. Implement coal-shoveling click-and-drag exercise to power the steam engine (indicated by a flash of particles) 5. Place information objects throughout the course containing notecards (decide on a common object to contain the notecards)

11/17/2009 - JB - Hours Spent 4

The front of the Savings and Loan was improved, including a carved building label. An animated "Info" icon was created that will hold each of the informational notecards. One was placed at each station. Once the icon is clicked, it will give a notecard to the user and enable the exercise icon (looks similar to the Info icon, but green instead of blue). Notecards were updated in the shared Google Document. They will be placed in the icon objects once all are completed and revised for course continuity.



11/20/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 5

Today I revised the scripting to open the doors to the Savings and Loan so it is easier to access. They will automatically open when someone comes within 5m of the door and close after 30 seconds unless an avatar is still within 5m someone is still within 5m. This should give the users plenty of time to enter and exit without being restricted by the door or losing the ambiance provided by wooden doors. This will provide more variation in the entryways and hopefully keep the course a little more interesting. Also, a mural was added to the back of the town hall to provide a backdrop for the fountain and to give the course a little more Cincinnati flavor.



The Begin icon and pedestal was also created. The two icon designs are shown below. The Begin icon will start the interactive exercise for each station and will be spawned by clicking the Info icon. The Begin icon and pedestal will remain rezzed for 3 minutes then disappear (or disappear as the icon is clicked) so newcomers are encouraged to read the information before beginning the exercise. The time limit should be plenty of time to read and understand the notecard from the Info icon then click the Begin icon. If no room exists for the new pedestal because of space restrictions or the Info pedestal is centered for aesthetic effect, the Info icon will be moved temporarily until the Begin icon has been clicked or derezzed. A "Cancel Exercise" control can also be implemented to allow users to skip the exercise without leaving the Begin icon active for other users. Text chat instructions will also be provided by the exercise scripts for prompting, but not in nearly as much detail as the instructions in the information notecard.



11/24/2009 - JB -

I searched for free logos related to Cincinnati or Second Life but was unable to locate one to replace the eye-in-hand SL logo. Instead, I created an alternate 'Info' icon to avoid copyright infringement. A generic star shape will be easily recognizable as a point of interest, especially with the rotating animation. More revision based on input from Mary and Chris will be needed before uploading. 512x512 should be sufficient resolution. Additional time was spent reviewing previously written scripts for moving objects in preparation for the coal shoveling exercise on the boat that will give the users an introduction to grabbing and moving objects.



11/25/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 6.5

Today I made several signs for the Town Hall and Sheriff's Office. I also corrected many building misalignments. Much of this time was spent acquiring Victorian flourishes and using Photoshop.



11/28/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 2

Today I made the shop sign in photoshop, piecing together several flourishes and positioning the wording so it looked like it fit with them. A different background may provide better contrast.



12/1/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 4

Created an alternative info icon for the course as well as a sign for the post office. Began work on the signs as per the template provided by Chris. Some masking or color change may be necessary for the icon.



12/3/2009 - JB - Hours Spent: 5

Completed all five boat signs and hung them around the boat with frames and chains as in the snapshot below. Created a Victorian-style arrow for use on the floor/ground for course navigation. The font for the signs is called "Showboat". Took snapshots for use on instructional signs (not shown). They will be uploaded as part of the complete instructional signs when approved. The Template provided by Chris is shown below.



12/5/2008 - JB - Hours Spent: 5.5

Added a parascope to the observation room as one of the two exercises involving camera manipulation. The scripted poseball will position the avatar up against the parascope then move the user's camera outside the ship to the other end of the parascope and allow them to twist their camera from side to side, until they stand. It is intended to demonstrate that the camera location can be modified by other objects. A Poser animation was exported into the animation format supported by Second Life for this purpose, but the hand locations need adjustment.



12/11/09 - JB - Hours Spent: 4

Created a velvet rope for constraining the path on the boat along with an less elaborate arrow. I also placed most of the signs on the boat. (3-4 per room).



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