Kazenojin - wOOt!

The Kazenojin Theme community has made it through the tax crisis, and we've come out stronger and more active than ever! So here's a new thread in celebration, and this is the place to post your ideas, comments, news, threats, whatever.

Several of you have recently asked, "What can I do?". WELL.
Here's a whole list of things that are on the drawing boards, and need people to step up and lend a hand:

Autorezzing System - specifically a set of sensors that are modifyable to different spherical distances and permissions.

I need scripters to help develop a set of sensors, that will allow us to have the details of the station, the store, and other pieces rez into existence when people visit a local area of Gray. This will help us keep the prim count (and taxes) under control.


The center of the air docks.

This area has been deliberately left open, as a space where you can come in and try out different ideas for the centerpiece of the station. We'll swap it out periodically as things evolve. Among the things to consider: Should the station look more structurally sound? What sort of elevators should we have? Should there be a permanent base lobby? An observation deck?

A few things there WILL be: An elevator up the tether into the sky. This needs to be of a type that can ride at least 300m up, hopefully with a relatively smooth ride.
An events platform or two. This will fill in the space inside the dock ring on a temporary basis, and will support air shows, and races, and any other events.

The Starlight Lounge.

This will be an exclusive club, that will only exist when a group member is there, and it will sit high in the sky along the tether.

Monument and visitor's center.

This will sit on a knob, up the hill from the store.

Other items needed:

A working set of sensor gates for air races. These should be capable of handling at least 4 simultaneous racers. Plus a start/finish gate, preferably able to track elapsed time.

Furnishings and helpbots.

TEXTURES!

What (if anything) should go on the peak of the mountain?

And last but not least:

BONUS FOR DESIGNING THE OFFICIAL KAZENOJIN FLIGHT SCRIPT.

$1000 each for the following scripts:

Smoothly operating physical vehicle script, which is capable of crossing sim borders (most of the time).

An aerobatics/stunt plane script.

An easy-to-operate non-physical movement script, suitable for large airships.

A contest will be held for each of these scripts, at which they will be judged for good script practice and for ease of use, in a test vehicle. The winner is expected to make the script available to group members, and a vehicle with the script will be displayed in the prime spot in the atrium of the Kazenojin store, where hopefully it will bring in lots of cash for the scripter.

That's all for now, there's plenty of other ideas too. If you have your own, bring it up with me or Athos!

ooh i'll enter that contest

I've got a simple auto-rezzing system worked up -- IM me for details

Amanda, i said illwork on the lounge, and i will, im justwaiting for you guys to get that elevator up because im not sure the elevation you want it at.

Ryen,

Gosh I'm sorry. I forgot you mentioned that - it would be great to see your work on the Lounge. I recommend going ahead and trying out some ideas - the basic premise is that it will have a streamlined space feeling to it, with lots of pictures of starry skies and storms, and possibly a planetarium ceiling. I have a prototype of the ceiling, and I would like to get you into contact with Kanker Greenacre, as he has some killer ideas for it as well. It should look like it is clinging onto the tether, floating above the world. How high should it be? How high can you get it? At least 300m up, I think, so to work on it maybe you could start out closer to the ground in a secret location and then we'll install the rezzers and raise it up the cable.

Oh, and call me Ana.

Mark,
We have a good rezzer system, although I would certainly be curious to find out if you've come up with an even better solution, especially to the question of getting linked objects to rez in the correct position.

Ok just 1 more question, someone else will claim it after im done correct? Because im already 700 over my stipend.

That would be ok. That reminds me - the KAZENOJIN BUILDING FUND is still in effect. Persons donating their cash and their efforts to complete group projects will be subsidized to the fullest extent of our ability to do so. Several thousand L$ have already been handed out, and more is due. So, if it's a project of definite benefit to the group, come see me and get a grant!

Sounds fun, I am certainly could whip an entry up for the flight scripts.

I just started to play around with an autorezzer for my build and its alot more complicated than I initially thought. There needs to be alot of communication between rezzer and rezzie, with all the linking and linked messaging and dieing. You might find someone just writing a sensor system will not be adequite.

It'll be fun when I get home and try and run this thing.

Thanks Jericho,

This is true, setting up an autorezzer for linked objects is very complicated. Xylor Baysklef came up with a system we used to rez the old station, and it includes:

Use of a notecard to collect coordinates for the objects.

An adjustment line to account for the difference between the coordinates of a linked object and its geometric center.

Use of linking and link perms to set the rezzed objects so they are not public modify.

Movement of the rezzer to the coordinates of the object to be rezzed so large scale projects can be put up with a single script.

A better method of finding the geometric center of a linked object is needed, as it makes setting up the rez into a multi-step process, but otherwise we're set up very well as far as the autorez part of the package is concerned.

What I really need now is a sensor that detects the proximity of avs in both horizontal and vertical directions, which can then command the rezzer to act. The sensor system needs to be able to then derez the objects again, but not until the avs have left the area.

I'd like a version that works on the presence of any av, and one that works only for group members.

It should also have the ability to set a timer and change the timer settings, so the die command can be given after say 15 minutes, and be set for longer times, for special occasions.

I hope this clarifies what I'm after, and if you are interested, contact me IW. I'll provide what you consider to be fair compensation for your work on this.

Wow, notecard to store coords, adjustments for changing center of mass, mobile rezzer, those are cool innovations tht I never thought of, cool work Xylor.

If you are interested in what's going on with the People of the Wind, please IM me this evening, and I'll send you a copy of the Kaz Bulletin.

This first issue goes over a bit of our turbulent history, and has a proposed constitution. It also has pictures from our exciting times!

Great work Ananda,
but in a side note, isn't it fitting that the Kazenojin's past would be turbulent? What a perfect word.

The Kazenojin Store still needs a little detail work, but it is now ready for stocking! If you have any items you'd like to sell here, let me know, and go right ahead and start setting them up inside.

Also, there's still a need for kazenojin to settle the land here! I have several parcels that are still available, that I'd like to get into group hands. If you have a theme-compatible project, come see me and I'll get you a good discount.

A lot is happening in Gray these days.

Please see me inworld for more information, including the new edition of the Kazenojin Bulletin.

Among other things, we've got the following going on:

This weekend we're hosting the SL Physics Workshop, classes in physical principles and their application to objects and scripts.

Next Thursday, the 18th, there will be a contest to determine the official Kazenojin vehicle flight script. This contest will get the winner $500, plus a $1000 bonus for sharing the script with the group.

Soon to follow, we'll be holding contests for a hoverboard and an aircraft for use in air races!

Speaking of air races, I'm looking for people interested in getting a system of gates finally up and running, and available for different people to run events with. If we come up with a fun enough system for this, potentially this could be run every week, and perhaps we could get some side betting and unusual prizes going as well!

Oh, oops, did I forget to tell you? The gates on my race course work perfectly as of a few weeks ago. :)

Auto-rezzers...

I've made one for my own use that will position linked objects correctly, and over a large area. It is fairly simple, and the only thing it lacks that would make it trivial to use is the ability for a script to record data on itself or it's parent object that is retained through a de-rez/rez cycle. The object's name is the only such accessible storage, and that isn't enough (guaranteed) room for what I need to store. With that feature, I could make any pre-linked structure automatically record it's arrangement. Right now it requires human interaction to get the data stored. (Though I've got an idea on a way to speed that up.)

I have it set up on my large beach house in Aqua, but it isn't currently set up to rez except on command. Since with some of the other projects I'm working on, like the Marimball musical instrument (also Aqua), I don't have the cash at the moment to rez it.

( Heh... I gave the assemble command the other day when I knew I didn't have quite enough money on hand to fully rez it. The results were comical, to say the least. )

LOL

Bob, good lord, we need to start leaving IM messages or something! I hadn't realized it was all set now. Let me know when you might be able to get on next - I'd love to cobble together a couple of practice races this weekend and see how things work if we place the gates and the start/finish line in different places around the sim.

It would be neat to take off/land on the runway or from the docks somehow. Also, knowing that the gates are working: time for another piece of the puzzle! Obstacles and hazards! I'll ask a few people if they'd like to design some storms or volcanos or something, add some interest and danger to the course.

Maybe Hiro can come up with a race betting system too.

At the behest of ADM Sandgrain, I've put up a "race yacht" (the term "race barge" is to be avoided, on pain of, uh, pain). Take a look and make suggestions.

The ba ... uh, yacht is to provide a start or finish point in some (most?) races, and to house the announcer (who gets to use the PA system). There'll probably be a separate object, the Scoreboard, which will hover in the air nearby (due to amazing Kazenojin hovering technology discoveries), to give racing names and numbers, odds for gamblers, and results.

Down below in the yacht is a Kazenojin Race Association dining / meeting room, and a trophy case. Hmm, the KRA ranks should probably be "KRA Steward" (for members) and "KRA Judge" (for officers), until a more finely-tiered ranking system is introduced. A race would usually require an announcer, a scorer (to operate the Scoreboard), and hopefully stewards for any waypoints that are out of sight of the yacht (and to report interfering pests).

Various kinds of KRA-sponsored events are envisioned:

-- shows, where beauty and neat animated features are the main goal
-- open racing, where contestants bring their own vehicles, with whatever script
-- class racing, either with a standard script or even a Kaz-supplied "non-modify" vehicle+script (in various colors, though).

Most racing will be of the waypoint-obstacle course variety, as little enjoyment can be had in pure speed contests in Second Life ("And winning by a clock cycle, it's number four!".

ADM Sandgrain no doubt has more ideas on how this is to be organized, when and what kind of racing, etc.

ADM Murphy

I have more ideas?

Heheh, of course there's more

Unfortunately setting up proper racing system is proving very complicated. So, don't expect to see any flying demolition derbies quite yet. We're still collecting the pieces.

Ope, I need to talk to you about your vehicle registry script.

Bob, I need to find out from you how to tone down the announcer system a bit, it turns out not everyone around is interested in hearing that I missed a gate . I'd also like to get a bit of advice on how to get the system to announce results whether or not an official vehicle has run the course. We still need to test whether multiple racers can simultaneously complete the course. I did figure out how to set up a list of authorized race controllers.

After we get the system all geared up, then we can start all kinds of racing hazards! Lightning! Air dock slalom! Tree lagging! And of course the mother of all flight hazards, the sim border cross!

First on the agenda though, is the flight script contest, followed next week by a competition for a standard racing plane and a standard hoverboard.

-Ananda Sandgrain
Admiral of Kazenojin

This all sounds very exciting. Unfortunately, demands in RL will keep me from seeing the the flight script contest. I hope the winning script will be for sale in the store so that us regular types can try it out too!

Congratulations to Garth Fairlight for his most excellent script design! His work definitely deserves the title of Kazenojin Flight Script (unless there's still someone who'd like to challenge?) He has offered to make the script available soon, but he did bring up a good point: Version 1.1 is right around the corner with many promised improvements to object movement and less lag with multiple avatars around, as well. So, patience is in order.

Congrats as well go to Lola Bombay, who showed us her amazing motorcycle script! It also flies! This was enough of a crowd favorite that the contest award got split evenly between her and Garth.

Work continues to get the racing system ready for prime time. Next week, probably the weekend, I'll hold a contest in two parts: An Official Racing Aircraft, and an Official Racing Hoverboard. Just two basic criteria for these: Keep the prim number low, and keep the wingspan under 9 meters, to be sure they fit through the racing hoops.

Once again, I'll be handing out the prize money without strings, and offer a bonus for sharing the craft with the group.

In other news, here's some things I'd like to get your input on, items on the agenda for Kazenojin:

-Vote on the constitution for Gray.

-Decision on how much (if any) group land to make once 1.1 goes live. Specifically, how much is a fair tax rate to share among the group members? $100? $200? (Bear in mind that currently there are group members carrying 10X this load.)

-Should the Gray sim share land to help get the SL University up and running? A couple of group members have already said they'd support this idea. This would help maintain the quality and theme-relatedness of both groups, in the near term.

-It looks like everyone's due for a promotion! Huns has recommended that the member title be switched from Pilot to Captain.

-Ananda Sandgrain
Admiral of Kazenojin

I've heard rumors that near-term (maybe in v1.1, maybe not) groups will be able to have more than two tiers of membership. If that's the case, we might consider: Cadet - Pilot - Captain - Admiral, or some such thing.

ADM Athos Murphy

Things are really jumping in Gray, so much so that we're starting to run out of prims! So I've got a request (it would be a command if we were a real military, but we're not; we're a semi-rational anarchy ):

Get in touch with me or with Xylor or Hiro, and get your builds set up with an autorezzer! We've got the technology - it's time to use it! I'd like to set up a control panel for the sim, which allows push-button switching out of different "sets" for different uses. Plus, many of the more detailed things don't really need to show until you are close to them, so we can set them up on sensors to appear only when someone is nearby.

Picture it if you will - upon entering the sim there is little lag, and hints of what could be there show up in the form of large, less-detailed pieces. There is a little control booth on the peak of the hill, covered in pictographic buttons. Some are set to allow public switching, while others are available only to group members, or admirals, or SLU faculty members. It would also have buttons for individual members to turn their things off and on. You could sit there and press buttons, and watch as things switch in and out:

-First there's the default docks and tether
-Then a garden platform is added
-Then a waterfall starts spilling down the mountain
-Then those go away and a set of classroom platforms appear
-Then those go away and there's a giant floating citadel.
-Then a giant tree grows up out of the center.
-Then far up the tether a space station appears.
-Then it disappears and is replaced by a floating assembly of light wood and canvas sails.
-Etc. etc.
-Then all of it disappears and a set of storm clouds fill the sky and racing hoops are set for planes to dodge through.
-Then the dock ring reappears - only this time built out of bamboo!
-And when you've had your fill of playing with the controls and depart, it all vanishes, waiting for the next person with a curious left click.

What do you think? Hmmm? ^_^

For the use of Kazenojin members ... the SLU ... well, okay, pretty much anyone ... we've got the "pilot training room" in the Gray Terminal. Seats, lectern with decorative microphone, blackboard that textures/snapshots can be dropped on ...

-- ADM Athos Murphy