When new features outclass past inventions

This is not a rant but this is the second time LL has introduced a feature in SL that makes something I invented pretty much obsolete.

First, it was video in 1.6. Vector Linden and some of my friends can vouch for the fact that I invented (the first?) fully functioning TV in Second Life. It played back 10fps video clips with fully synced audio before video was introduced to SL. But once Quicktime support was added, that laggy scripted TV I spent a months tweaking wasn't really all that interesting anymore.

Now with 1.8, they've added (back) P2P teleporting, making the fancy transport pad I'd spent months developing also obsolete. It wasn't just a sit-offset hack. It used landmarks, listen-less super fast non-physical movement to transport you anywhere within a sim (even through walls) up to a height of 700m at blazing speed. Now that landmarks can do that all by themselves, the pad isn't really necessary.

Don't get me wrong, I gladly welcome true video streaming, world-wide point-to-point teleporting and instant in-sim teleporting since they work far better than anything I ever scripted. I guess I just felt like venting about how I had spent so much time trying to be clever and inventive only to have those inventions become useless.

dude, I feel your pain.

as do I.

Yeah. Wouldn't it be neat to have a roadmap? We're completely in the dark on our development efforts.

Maybe you could start a support group.

I am thinking of starting a support group for rippled water watching addicts.

Stuff like that is still useful in private sims and very large parcels. With a landing point set, you still either need alternate transports if you don't want to hoof it the entire way to where you're going in one of those.

Somebody has to say this...Sink or swim!

I realised a long time ago that you should just stick to making fun things that can't be usurped by a new feature in SL. Although you get tons of kudos for doing innovative, far-reaching things that really impact on the day to day experience, really it's not worth the effort because, as Cory has already been quoted as saying, LL look at what's been developed that's really effective and then work out how they can build it into the feature set.

P2P is just the latest, GOM was another. Web-based shopping sites, I bet, will be next in line.

That's why I'm sticking to making skates and things. Fun stuff, but not world changing.

Man, those ice skates changed MY world.

Harris, big time telehub land owners feel they deserve compensation. Maybe you should also start a similiar campaign.

Me, too. I need a rippling-water-watching skater support group.

Nah. I want no part of that battle. Besides, I never got around to really selling my inventions. I do it more to just see if it can be done.

Lately, I've been working on an "Avatar Finder" hud attachment that can quickly scan an entire sim for every avatar and then transport you to any of them. I can see how this is another little invention that may one day be usurped in the client.

Anyone who can have those things happen and not go off on some rant (as we've had plenty of people do - right or wrong) has my respect. That said, I agree with Moopf ( and ditto on the web-based shopping prediction). I would only add that there are probably ways to apply what you've learned to other things that might not be so susceptible to LL upgrades. So it wasn't a waste.

Moopf's skates are one of the coolest things I've ever seen in world. I really miss the Mesede Skate Park. Hours of fun...

Now for realistically bobbing boat scripts and we can have some REAL fun!

It's just annoying that this only happens to scripters.

Come on, LL, make some artwork obsolete too.

Same here. My PTP Teleporter is useless now. But not to worry, I'm going to expand my directory services to provide PTP Teleportation using the HUD directory and capitalize on the new Linden-provided PTP once they implement the proper LSL scripting code. Right LL? Right? ???

I wouldn't hold my breath on it. I'm genuinely irritated Teleport Agent wasn't implemented and we have no roadmap on any features.
And yes, I can't wait for your next shiny HT.
Rig up a version for vehicles and I'll buy the API!

Maybe I'm different - but I love it when that happens.. Especially when its done much slicker and faster.

Like Hank and Francis I had a lil network of Point to Point transit kiosks (not as involved as thier efforts - but fun none the less) that took you to places across the world.

I'll be yanking them down and modding them with the new P2P stuff.

90% of what I like making is filling in gaps in SL - and if LL opts on something that I've been working on - or thinking of working on - I'm simply delighted.

Siggy.