Alexia Cournoyer: Alexia in Wonderland

Second Life SL6B – Now We Are Six

23Jun09

With apologies of AA Milne of course

So, Second Life has reached its 6th birthday and once more the residents have come together to provide most of the content. I was invited to the press preview and managed to spend 4 almost lag free hours roving my camera over the builds.

It actually the first time I’ve managed to have a look at the birthday sims, in previous years either I’ve got in and got trapped in the lag warp ( got trapped under a bridge at a sim border!) or could never manage to tp in.

The theme this year is the future of virtual worlds. I must say that had I not known that I would have wondered.

The visual highlights were Brunswick Warburtons piece (ok, didn’t grab names or slurls, my bad) but here’s the youtube taster for it

the birthday cake (you have to see the snowdomes with deckchairs in them.. mindboggling ),

a rather nice pink garden,

a garden where you can be eaten by a venus flytrap (!) although this pic is me sitting on some kind of grasshopper munching on a leaf.

the snails (check out the neon effects and the fluttering eyelashes)

The city of tomorrow (when I first read the sign I thought it said cafe of tomorrow and got all excited lol)

Once you get into the main customer builds you may need to make sure that you twiddle with your environment settings. Night doesn’t do the builds justice.

If you want to see the rest of my pictures, they’re on my SL event flickr stream here. If you do decide to go along for a look, make sure you wear your most low lag clothing and ditch most of the huds. If past years are anything to go by it will be a lagfest and anything you can do to reduce it will make it easier for you to get in and get around.

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Tags: Alexia Cournoyer, picture, second life, secondlife, sl, sl6b

Templum ex Obscurum

11Jun09

Templum ex Obscurum
© Alexia Cournoyer. 2009 All rights reserved.

I went to Templum ex Obscurum. I didn’t realise just how many years it has been since I was last at Relic and it appears it has well and truly gone now

It seems that somewhere on The Nameless Isle is this organ but I couldn’t find it.

Relic Organ
© Alexia Cournoyer. 2007 All rights reserved.

I’ll just have to go back and have another look..

Templum is owned and maintained by someone else now but it is still a joy to wander through. My Flickr site has a selection of a few of the pics I took while I was having a nosey around.

As always, Baron Grayson’s sims are a visual treat to wander around and I can’t wait to see how The Nameless Isle evolves.

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Tags: Alexia Cournoyer, baron grayson, nameless isle, relic, second life, second life art, secondlife, templum ex obscurum

NDC New Release: The Lover’s Alcove

07Jun09

Two releases in less than a month.. scary stuff..

This time it’s a lover’s alcove. Designed for the conservatory or outdoors, it has 10 positions with expressions; 4 solos sits, for those times you just want to enjoy your own company and 6 couples positions, with a talking, a hug, 3 cuddles and a kiss position.

It’s visually a treat, particularly at sunrise, sunset and a night. It’s gently lit so at night it will set the scene perfectly for that romantic interlude.

available inworld or on Xstreet SL

and.. finally I got me a subscribe-o-matic, it’s by the entrance to the shop. Feel free to join and keep up with my new releases. there’s even a freebie sculpture as a joining gift.

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Tags: Alexia Cournoyer, NDC, second life art, second life love, second life romance, secondlife

NDC Big Bear Hug

24May09

He’s designed for those days when only a big bear hug will do.

He’s big at around 4m high but can be resized. There’s nothing nicer than plonking yourself down on his knee and giving him a big hug.

The animation is specially made for this.

buy it inworld or on Xstreet SL

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Tags: Alexia Cournoyer, NDC, second life, second life shopping, secondlife

Just A Random Thought On Art in Second Life And In General

05May09

If your only motivation for making art is to sell it and your main intellectual preoocupation is not the work itself but how to productise it, then you’re not an artist. You’re just a self-stocking shop.

Hazel Dooney: How Not To Sell Your Soul

http://www.homepagedaily.com/Pages/article6793-hazel-dooney-how-not-to-sell-your-soul.aspx

Completely apt.

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Tags: Alexia Cournoyer, art, NDC, second life art, secondlife

Grid Hunt Etiquette Pt 2 – Merchant Etiquette

16Mar09

There are two parts to this guide; Part 1: Hunter Etiquette and Part 2: Merchant Etiquette (this post).

Following on from Part 1, let’s talk about merchant behaviour…

The reality is that for the majority of hunters they’re unlikely to ever remember your shop, what it sells or even upack the item you so carefully created. To most it is some kind of slog to the finish just to accumulate stuff that never even gets unpacked and a lot of them don’t even use their primary account, they’ll use an alt.

There are a small minority who will spend time checking out your store and possibly even buying things. If you think you’re going to crack it big with a hunt you’re mistaken but you’ll meet some lovely people who may become your customers and you can have some fun participating in a community event.

So, onto Part 2: Merchant Behaviour

Do’s

Do: Recognise that a hunt is a two way thing

You spend time over the gift and hide it, people search for it and find it. This isn’t a freebie give away, it’s a hunt and effectively you’re giving a way a prize for people who find your box. So make sure your gift is good quality. If you wouldn’t consider selling it in your shop, you probably shouldn’t be giving it as a gift.

Do: Realise there will be cheaters

I was a merchant in a hunt a couple of years ago and it really galled me that people would tp straight to the box (in this case it was a heart, but you know what I mean). That was just a LM being passed around, these days there’s blogs and cheat sheets galore. With the best will in the world you can’t stop people from cheating. The good thing (?) is that they’re freebie hunters so you’re unlikely to ever see them again.

The biggest problem here is that you spend all that time and effort on preparing the gift and they’re not playing fair. Resist the temptation to make a cheap and nasty gift. It won’t showcase what you can do and you miss out on sales from people who do open their boxes and check out the goods.

Do: Be prepared for unpleasantness

It’s a fact of life in rl and sl. There are always people who are ill mannered and down right rude. They are going to give you attitude and your choice is to either ignore it or take it badly. It’s hard not to be offended and either want to retaliate either by pulling out or hiding the box better or just letting your blood pressure rise.

When it happens, step away. Whether it be your group or your store that are irritating you just leave it and go do something else. It’s easy to forget that there are lots of lovely people out there in huntland when you let the minority spoil it for you.

If you are taking it badly you have to ask yourself if the potential customer in front of you is really worth the aggravation. If not, eject is your friend. Don’t be afraid to use it. The kind of person and their friends are unlikely to ever spend money in your shop so you lose nothing and get the satisfaction of seeing them fly across the sim. Don’t forget to tell them why you gave them a flying lesson, but don’t get dragged into the drama.

Do: Understand hunter’s limitations

You will get some questions that you may think are trollish but it’s just a lack of understanding. If the hunter doesn’t have English as a first language then they may not understand basic words. Google translate is your friend. Newbies will also take part in the hunt so their walking, camming – in fact all basic skills - may be limited. Patience is all.

Do: Hang out in your shop and give clues

Try to hang out in your shop for a short time each day. It will give you a chance to enjoy the hunt, give some clues and meet some lovely potential customers. You can’t ask for more than that

Do: Make sure you have your subscriber group where people can see it.

This is a win for everyone. You get a bigger subscriber base and the hunters have a way of remembering you. Even when they unpack the boxes it’s unlikely they’ll remember where they got it and the LM will just get lost in the inventory.

Do: Make sure the box is out at the appointed hour and actually works.

If you put it out too early then people come through before the official start to grab it and get the slurl. Not in the spirit of the hunt, but that’s people for you. If you put it out after the appointed time you’re going to have people searching high and low and not finding it which is not going to win you customers.

Once you’ve put it out, make sure a friend or alt tests it to confirm it works. You don’t want lots of angry IMs from people who find the box but can’t get into it and therefore can’t get the LM to the next shop.

Do: Particpate in the group chat

Giving hints and being helpful is a good way to make sure the hunt goes well. You’ll also get a taste of what hunters are thinking and it may give you the heads up that something has gone wrong in your shop.

Don’ts

Don’t: sneer at the hunters.

Just because they don’t look, sound, act or dress like you doesn’t mean they’re not as good as you. Yes, they are looking for a freebie and no, they probably won’t spend any money, but that doesn’t give you the right to disrespect them.

Don’t: make getting into the box hard

If the LM to the next shop is packed in a box that is given and you’ve made your land no rez you’re not doing anyone any favours. Some people will know they can wear it and extract the LM but a lot won’t.

Don’t: be greedy

I’ve heard of merchants charging for the contents of the box (!), have made people join their group to get the gift or have hidden the box in another object. All of these are no, no’s and don’t show you in a very good light. If you feel the need to do any of these, then drop out of the hunt before it starts. You’re not doing anyone any favours.

Hiding the box in an object is a particularly sore spot with hunters. It is completely unfair and they will remember you – for all the wrong reasons.

and finally..

Don’t let the small minority of badly behaved hunters put you off. Have a good time, meet lots of new people and remember how social Second Life really is.

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Tags: Alexia Cournoyer, Grid Hunt, second life, second life etiquette, second life freebies, second life hunt behaviour

Grid Hunt Etiquette Pt 1 – Hunter Etiquette

16Mar09

I know, how boring of me. More lecturing and hectoring But for the first time in a couple of years I’ve agreed to be a merchant in a hunt. I’ve been a hunter a few times since then and the same problems seem to keep raising their head. Soooo, my hidden agenda is to try to make huntland a better place for all.

Believe it or not, there is a basic hunt etiquette and if everyone follows the rules of engagement then both sides are happy.

The last few hunts have become almost a standoff sometimes between the hunters and the merchants. In one of the latest hunts to occur some merchants dropped out because they couldn’t stand the aggravation that some hunters were giving them. Other merchants, in response to people they consider cheating, hid their eggs so well that people were spending hours trying to find them and as a result some genuine hunters have been less than complimentary about them.

So, here’s what you need to know…

There’s a difference between a hunt gift and a freebie. If it’s a hunt you’re actually supposed to look for it, not tp in and straight out again. The idea is to have fun.. Think of it as the same as a real life treasure hunt and you can’t go wrong.

The deal is that merchants spend time and effort in creating something for the hunt, in the hope that people will have a look around the shop and like what they see and hopefully either spend some cash or put them on the list to come back to check out later when the lag and crowds have died down. In return, hunters get to see some shops in sl that they may never have heard of and get a quality gift that hopefully they’ll use and enjoy and of course may be tempted to part with some dosh.

and of course both sides have some fun participating. What this isn’t supposed to be is torture for either side. Sometimes you wouldn’t know it though.

There are two parts to this guide; Part 1: Hunter Etiquette (this post) and Part 2: Merchant Etiquette

So, onto Part 1: Hunter Etiquette

Dos

Do: Wear low lag attachments and ditch as many of your huds as you can.

Particularly in the early days/weeks of the hunt there are so many people that the lag can be incredible. If you can’t tp in somewhere, ditch the huds and try again. If you can’t walk when you get there, ditch the jewellery and primmy boots etc. A lot of hunters have a special low lag outfit which gives them the edge.

Do: Try to take your time and take notes.

I know this is a tough one, but pace yourself. Otherwise you’ll get cranky, will miss the real freebies and actually won’t see the shop itself and you’ll never know what you’ll miss Most hunts are long enough that you can take your time and actually enjoy having a nose around. If you like a place, have an open notecard so you can jot down the name and why you liked it. Otherwise I can guarantee a couple of shops later you’ll have forgotten the details.

Do: Join the shop group if you like what you see

Most shops have a subscribe-o-matic these days so you don’t lose a group space. If nothing else it will give you a reminder of the shop after everything is over. Once you done around 10 shops in a session you won’t even remember the barest of details about them no matter how much you liked the shop.

Do: Take a friend

Two pairs of eyes are always better than one and it’s a lot more fun when you’re sharing an experience.

Do: Keep it in proportion

You have no God given right to a freebie, they’re put out by merchants as both a marketing tool and as a thank you. Most of the stuff you get you’ll probably either hate or never use – assuming you get around to opening the box that is. So just enjoy the ride. If you find you’re getting cranky then have a rest or give up for the day. Most hunts run for a month and they won’t run out of gifts, I promise :)

Do: Join the hunt hint group

If it all gets too much, the group will either give you the LM to the next spot or will give you hints to help you find it. A good hunt group is not only fun but will help keep you sane as you search. Giving hints out in the group is always a good way to help others and keep the community groove going when you’re not slogging it around the grid.

Do: Cherry pick your shops

If you know you’ll never make it around to all of them but still want to participate, check out the hunt list and use search to check out the shops. When you see ones you like the sound of, put them on your list and do the hunt that way. Yes, it isn’t quite in the spirit of the hunt but you’ll spend more time looking around the shop and the items, will have a much more relaxing time and will possibly find new shops you’ll go back to again and again.

Do: Say thank you

It won’t kill you to say thanks to the merchant if they’re around. A little niceness makes the world a better place.

Don’ts

Don’t: Open your mouth in chat and look like a fool.

If you don’t like a shop or item then tell your friends in IM. Saying it in chat just shows how stupid and boorish you are. It doesn’t make you look smart, cool or funny. It just makes you look pathetic, particularly since everyone knows you’ll still grab the gift.

Don’t: be rude to the merchant

So what if you’re having problems finding the gift?… Most people won’t have the problem you’re having, so you taking it out on the merchant is unhelpful at best. If you want them to give you a hint, you’ve got more chance if you actually ask nicely. Being rude at them will either earn you a false hint at best or ejection from the shop at worst. If it’s bothering you that much, just ask for the LM to the next shop and move on. You can always try again later if you really want the gift.

Don’t: try blackmail

Anytime you use the “I *was* going to come back later and spend some money but…” or “I *was* going to tell my friends about your shop but..” to try and prise the position of the gift out of the merchant will only identify you as a freebie hunter. Freebie hunters have a reputation for never spending anything so it’s not going to benefit you to tell them that you’re one of the parasites.

Don’t: be greedy

One copy is more than enough.

Don’t: give out the slurl or explicit directions to the hint group or to others.

We all know how cheat sheets are handy but all that happens is the merchant will move the box, so your LM or directions are only valid for a limited period anyway.

Merchants spend a lot of time and effort getting ready for a hunt and the things that tops their lists of reasons for dropping out or making the box almost too hard to find include people giving them grief and that people just tp in and grab the box and leave before they’ve even had a chance to rez.

It’s cheating. These are supposed to be hunts not just freebie giveaways. All that happens is merchants will make a lesser quality gift next time (assuming they ever participate in a hunt again) and will hide the current box better which penalises real participants. Everyone loses.

If you are going to cheat, at least try to go through the motions of pretending you’re hunting and whatever you do, don’t give the merchant any attitude when you discover the box has moved. Displaying your lack of character like that is not going to make you any friends.

and finally…

Have a good time, get some good stuff and enjoy checking out parts of the grid that you probably didn’t even know existed.

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Tags: Alexia Cournoyer, grid hunt etiquette, second life, second life etiquette, second life freebies, second life grid hunt, secondlife

Serenity. A Clock Sculpture with a difference – and a story :)

15Mar09

This is my first release for 2009 and it’s not just any old release, this piece has taken just shy of 2 years from original conception to it finally being finished.

What should have been a simple thing turned out to be a saga of rogue prims, the search for the perfect scripter (think Cinderella here.. only the glass slipper was a set of orbs) and just when I’d abandoned it as an impossible ask, along comes a couple of miracle workers who made it possible to happen.

What does it do? Well, it’s a clock with a difference. You can put it on the floor, a wall or at whatever angle you choose. The orbs will rotate around each other and the edge of the water. It takes a little under 3 hours to complete the circuit, which is the equivalent of 1/2 a sl day (ie 12 hrs in real time – just like a real clock)

Now, you’re going to look at it and go “Is that it?” and the answer is yes. A very simple idea for a sculpture, yet there are very few people in SL who can create the code.

For those of you who are geeky enough to be impressed by the miracle of LSL delivered here, you should be.

Those of you who want a stunning piece of art that you will never see anywhere else or are an avid timepiece collector, you won’t be disappointed.

There’s a potted history of the development of this piece included in the box. When you buy this, you’ll become part of the story.

You can see it inworld here
or you can see the XStreet SL listing here

.. and I’ve also finally released the updated versions of some of my sculptures that were affected by the introduction of Windlight.

The Path, The Light, Capta and Stalique are once more available on XStreet SL and inworld.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click here to view all my PG works on XStreet SL and enable mature content if you wish to view everything including the erotica.

Filed under: NDC/La Vie Items Catalogue, The Art Thing | 2 Comments
Tags: Alexia Cournoyer, la vie gallery, NDC, second life, second life art, second life clocks, second life sculpture, second life time pieces, secondlife, The Art Thing

Spring is in The Air Grid Wide Hunt

02Mar09

Get ready for the best hunt of the year. It’s the Spring is in the air hunt run by Tiea Aeon.

It runs from March 29th to April 12th, 2009 and I’ve signed up to it.. This is where I go “eek!” because it means I have to create something.. No pressure then lol

It should be a fabulous hunt. If you’ve never checked out Tiea’s store you should do so, she sells wonderful trees.

Here’s the blog so you can keep an eye out for it. http://sl-easteregghunt.blogspot.com/ Now I just have to work out what to make.. I had organised the gift weeks ago, then found out that seasonal was frowned upon So no easter snowdome lol

Never mind, I’m sure I’ll think of something.. or not aaargh!!!

If you’re interested in sculpture, I’ve taken over a patch of land and have set up my sculpture garden again.. well sort of.. it’s a temporary spot until the land gets built on, but they’re out. There’s not much of a garden yet.. hmmmm perhaps I need to have a chat to Tiea *winks*.

anyway, here’s the link if you want to check them out. They look a bit better on the ground than they do on the roof of the shop..

I’ve even added a couple of new ones and have finally updated some of my old sculptures that didn’t survive the transition to windlight last year. They don’t look as fabulous as they once did, but unfortunately those days will never come again. *sniff*

None of the new stuff has been put on XStreet SL. Mainly because I haven’t boxed them up yet. So you’ll have to eyeball them first if you want to buy them.