GRAVITY in SECOND LIFE - Artistic expression

*** This thread is up to start a discussion about Gravity in SL.
For the sake of fun discussion let’s step back for a moment and look it’s the implications.

One of the things I noticed about SL when I arrived was the inherent ability to fly at any moment without the use of some vehicle or backpack.

The Human mind is a funny thing…
I still find it eerie when I see an Avi floating past or off in the distance.
At first this felt bazaar and almost 1.5 years later it still does.
I guess when you are born in Gravity and deal with it every moment of your life, you get used to how things look and behave in it.

Building in Zero gravity…
In virtual worlds that have Gravity enabled by default you will find that builders take on an entirely new state of mind.
- Building heights and levels now have significance.
- Elevators and escalators are now useful.
- Streets and roads now produce traffic.
- Air traffic is useful but used as a quick means to travel far distances.
- Your mind gets even more amerced in the virtual world as things behave as you expect.
- SL esthetics will become more organic and friendly to new comers.
- (I can go on about this, but I think your getting the idea)

Now MIND YOU! I am not saying SL should remove AVI flight, but perhaps starting a grassroots level campaign to get us all to consider turning ON that gravity more often.

Those who don’t like it should not shun those that do.
And in fact look upon the use of Gravity on land as Artistic Expression…

I don't find it all that odd, considering many of the sights you can see in SL. And it is possible to turn off flying on land you own. I've seen a lot of 'no flight' sims out there. Many of which are roleplaying sims. For myself, I generally stay on the ground anyway, unless I'm travelling short distances (ie, not teleporting between sims) quickly, going to an area where it's easier to get to by flying, or building.

It's not possible to enforce 'no flight', though. It's so easy to get around, and so onerous to try scripted solutions to, that nobody I'm aware of has really solved the problem.

Another tidbit thought,
Even Matrix the movie respected Gravity…

All of the characters in the matrix walked down streets and on-road in cars while IN the Matrix. Only bending Gravity for short distances… (That is until Neo Flew at the very end)…(Note also I am not mentioning Matrix 2, 3 as they did not exist. lol)

SL as of now is a World of Neos…
If NEO wanted to build a city with all his Power and Zero G,
it would look like most of the places in SL.

And as far as a “work around”, this is my point about it being a grass roots campaign…
TO perhaps gather an ever growing group of “Gravatists”, if you may. (think I just made a catch phrase, lol)

There will always be those that want to be NEO ir-regardless…
Perhaps its in us all.. “A world without restrictions?”

Hmmmm ! no-fly +ban walls=? .............
Arggggg! I have it your a mime.
You'll have us doing that walking into the wind shit next.

huh? lol



-Big

No-Fly zones are quite simply a pain in the butt. I have spent a lot of time exploring in this and previous incarnations, and I've lost track of the number of times I've found myself stuck between ban walls (hence the mime analogy)with no other alternitive but to take to the skys to escape. You can't always rely on teleporting to get you where you need to go(also not something you can do in real life), and in a no-fly zone you would be left with no other alternitive but to relog to escape.
I can understand that you may find it dis-orintating and unrealistic, however if you want "Real" try switching off your computer and going outside for a change.
On a side note, one of the reasons flying is so popular with newbs is that pathetic "Duck Waddle" of an excuse, for the default walk.

In your own simulator you can turn off flight and non-group scripts. That effectively removes anyone's ability to fly except using objects you control

"however if you want "Real" try switching off your computer and going outside for a change."
*In a quick defense, my job has me travel around the world regularly and in fact England is beautiful this time of Year, was just there last week. (now if you meant “you” in general term then please exclude this remark)

---

Your point are valid to an extent, but:

- No “fly zones”, can be flown using some device or vehicle.
- Security walls are a pain and should be limited to a lower height.
- and I do agree, the default SL Avi walk and physics are inexcusable and would need to be completely revamped to make gravity viable. But that said, maybe they (sl) left the customization of that walk (and run for that matter) up to animators to create and share a small profit.

Note also that my point on Gravity is more of a theory based on my use of other worlds that default it and their vastly more organic feel in general. Even the people behave differently when you find yourselves all on the same plane so to speak.
(Much friendlier and less loners I’ve noticed)

If I wanted "organic" I could go out and play in the dirt. To be on the side of the artists here...There is great creative freedom with out gavity. A lot of us use this and many other programs as a type of vacation, and the last thing I want is to have to worry about durring my virtual vacation is walking around...lol

You silly humans and your lack of wings.

I for one am GLAD that there's no enforced gravity otherwise someone would have to script a flight thing for every winged avatar out there, and "so script" is often turned off more than "no fly."

I tend to teleport more than anything because it's faster.
I use the sit-hack to move large distances up (i.e. sit on an object at my destination) becuase it's faster.
I fly more than walk because, again, it's faster.

LOL! yes, we humans are a funny thing that way..


-Rob

SL has very little sense of place, but for me it is the insta-port-anywhere that is the root cause, rather than the ability to fly. I mentioned before how shocked I was one day to walk out behind a store I visit regularly.....and discover that I was only a few steps away from another place I go all the time, never having realized they were within walking distance! I do spend most of my time walking though, so at heart I think I have much in common with the OP.