Skybox Protection

Privacy and security features in SL certainly need work. But for the short term I was wondering what techniques you folks have been using to secure private areas like skyboxes.

I'm not a fan of highly aggressive countermeasures (I don't want to orbit anybody) but it would be nice if security tools could keep people out of a perimeter with a gentle push. I was thinking just enough push to return a user outside the private zone.

Has anybody had success making tools like these? Thanks!

I see no need for such tools. After all, if what you're up to doesn't seem right to be seen by other people, it's quite likely you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.

Besides, by setting something as 'off limits' generally is like a red rag to a bull, and will only push the curiosity more of people who will want to find a way to get past your security. It's almost a game to some, I'm sure.

Lewis

For entertainment you could always put in a visitor counter that IM's you as to who's been poking around in your underwear drawer and sends a greeting to any person who comes in range:

"Hello, Joe Avatar. Peeping in other people's private spaces is a little pervy, doncha think?"

So you are saying there is no legitimate need for privacy in Second Life? Food for thought, but I would have to respectfully disagree.

Um. Take the box down when not in use. EOT.

I know that I had a visitor counter that would IM me when someone showed up when I owned a skybox.

The cam is another point in space that can be calculated easily. As in all 3D software.

For example, the HUD in SL uses it's position vector already.

It is possible, if LL would allow it, to restrict the cam from places.
Just as the avatars can be.
Anything off limits to an av could be off limits to the cam also.

Although, for a skybox, that would be annoying if it was on a Z access. Everyone flying beneth it or above would get frustrated by hitting invisible walls.

But maybe they could put that option to surround a prim instead. That way the actual skybox prims would keep cam's/av's out when it collides with a prim.
Since everyone is so into making more lag with pixle shading and what not. Then that shouldn't be a problem.

Actually I doubt it would produce much more lag than what already exists because the cam location is just one vertex or point of space. Unlike a single prim which has many. A cube has 8 for example.

Just my thoughts.
Although cams do carry a rotation value but that shouldn't be a problem.

Oh well, if only.

You are of course entitled to disagree, and at least you were respectful about it

I guess I don't see anything in my normal gameplay that would require such privacy... could you perhaps elaborate on what people might want to do but hide from the general SL community?

Lewis

I can actually create a script for you that would keep an access list, and if soeone is detected in the vicinity of your protected area, it would just push them away.

If I wanted to elaborate to the SL community I wouldn't need privacy. I may be working on somebody's Christmas present.

Is it possible to create a 'pull' script, so that anyone who happens to fly over my land gets sucked down to ground level so they don't miss all my wonderful creations?

Lewis

It's so people can have hawt pixel sex lmao

Aimee,

My skybox home (note, 'home' not business) in SL uses security script which gives anyone not in group or on a access list, whom comes within a narrow distance of said skybox (aka on or above our land), a polite but firm warning to leave the immediate area of the skybox or they will be TP'd home in thirty seconds. It gives incremental shout warnings till it reaches zero and then tp's said AV home.

The delay allows for those passing through, to pass through, as well as those flying by to fly by.


Lewis?

There are a myriad of reasons to wish for privacy on one's own land; game development, vehicle development, scripting, (or any SL work in general) a quiet spot to think or have a conversation or yes even adult happy fun stuff without worrying about being interrupted. Those are just a few off the top of my head. I'm sure there are hundreds of others not the least of which is one should be able to control whom has access to their land.

Some even like to escape those stalkers whom stalk, but on just this side of violating the TOS.

If you can do this, I am your first buyer.

Push/visitor counter with allowed avatar list:

*Push can be active all the time or can be activated selectively for periods when you want privacy (#privacy on/#privacy off.)
*Push is not aggressive, not TP home or bounce to the edge of sim, just a gentle "you can go no further."
* Counter range is adjustable, push range is set for outside whatever camera distance is for click and zoom (I haven't ever experimented, but suspect the distance is somewhere between 50 and 75m.)
*Counter sends IM to owner and has option for personalized greeting.
*Low prim (1 - 3) and texture modifiable.


I actually don't mind people looking at my sky house from a distance since it is absolutely gorgeous. Wandering around and playing with my pose balls is another matter entirely...

I frightened my stalkers away. Woot.

Pretty much the lamest comment I have ever read o.o.. did you read your post back to yourself before hitting submit o.O

Yep, it's entirely possible to give someone a gentle push away. Like most gentle methods though it can be beaten pretty easily . I suppose that's the whole reason people aren't usually gentle about it.

I'd guess this is for midnight city, so tping people home isn't a wonderful option. hmm... The sucking people to the ground option isn't bad. It would need to be smart enough to unsit people and increase the push if they're using a flight attachment. One of the biggest problems is to do this at any sort of distance you either need an object that follows people so it can push at close range, but that can cause some issues with object coordination and push force consistancy... or you need a central object with a lot of mass. I'd vote for the central object with lots of mass but in order for it to not take up a lot of volume it needs to be 10 or 20 prims overlapped...

So ya Aimee, it's possible to keep people out without orbitting them or tping them home, but there are some tradeoffs/risks. Still want to do that?

hmm... you know... someone should start an island where people can rent skybox space at different levels. It would be all about privacy. The island could be hidden with restricted access, and the residents could be bound by contract not to invade other's space. Make the plots just big enough to handle say 1000 prims, or allow people to rent extra prim space. or share all the prims with everyone. Designate an area and build height range for each person and the island owner can put up a script in the center of that area to monitor who comes too close and have it tp anyone but the skybox renter away. This idea isn't for everyone of course, but I bet there are a lot of people out there who would rent space like that. If any of the island owners out there want to put up an island like this I'll organize, script and maintain the management infrastructure for 10% of the rent .

Sorry Aimee, this is slightly off topic .

I guess your ignorance can be excused since you have only been here since October '05, but there are many reasons a person would want privacy and whether or not they should "be doing it in the first place" is no ones business.


Briana Dawson

the initial investment would be a bugger but you could make about 200-300 a month pure profit probably (above monthly rent). might take 6 months but you'd recoup the cost of the island. Heh, it's definately worth it for those people who really really want private space in sl. All the Benifits of a private island without having to actually buy the private island. Oh... also on landing at the telehub an object could request camera position tracking permission. If it's not granted the person is teleported away. if it's declined the person is teleported away. If that persons camera enters anothers space for more than a second or two they're teleported away.

Hey maybe there can be a mix of some of the features mentioned here?

Intially a perimeter (outside the visual zoom range of the private zone) will warn an unauthorized user that they are getting too close to a private area and that they should turn around. If they continue, then they get teleported home.

Yes, this will be on and island sim and it would be protecting a skybox at around 600 meters up (perhaps in the corner.) Therefor, there is no worry of interfering with casual travellers.

I always use a condom while in a skybox, and I strongly encourage that other's do as well!

This sounds like a cool setup Mem.

My experience is that assholes who want to peep at a person generally have all the counter measures and cannot (ultimately) be stopped, so mostly I dont even try. I rely mostly on haveing decent neighbors and stopped caring about people being in my house when I am not actually home. Living in a private sim helps tremendously though as the same good neighbors tend to keep an eye on your property.

I have detectors so I get IM's or emails when people are in different areas of my property, so I always know who the looky-loos are and can ban them if I feel the need although I dont believe in banning per se.

The most valuable tools to me are the radar (there is no substitute for simply keeping an eye on the min-map and the radar I find), and simple human respect. My neighbors are good people that know if they see two dots at 500 metres that possibly they should not barge in unannounced.

The only problem is nosy visitors (usually immature idiots) with no concept of respect or whatever. Sadly there are too many of these types, but what are you gonna do about it? *shrugs*

Maybe I will ask my GF to script out the stuff you describe though, sounds like it's rather effective.

oh, now that's a good idea... combine it with an unsit and a push script that doesn't push them away in that warning zone but that neutralizes any motion that would bring them closer and you have a sort of virtual wall... or maybe just virtual mollasses

Make it. Make a zillion dollars. I will be your first customer

I can't find the link, it was in someone's sig... but I'm pretty sure I remember a linden saying that if a skybox security system pushes you you should file an abuse report.