Updates from the lab + Skylight views
Linden Labs Skylight test have been running few weeks now and we’ll recommend everyone to try it out via this link (a lightweight Second Life accessed via webbased cloud rendereing). By now only highspeed connections gets an enter email option bottom of site while running the streaming video.
I tested this several times and must say it’s awesome, fast and an easy way of showing newbies a teaser of what SL have to offer. My good friend Chantal Harvey made a nice post after testing it in our lab and Cyberloom have a good write-up as well. And mentioning Cyberloom please make sure to check out her blog which also featured Bryn Ohs Art Breaker installation lately.
As Skylight test is currently in Beta we’ll have to wait and see how and if Linden Lab wants to develop and expand this service in the future. Judgeing on first few weeks of visitors accessing PAL this way we certainly have to make changes in the way these newbies “meets” our sim. We have seen quite a few stumbling in our cubes which tells us many aren’t familiar navigating using the fly/jump option. Also a noteworthy amount seems to leave as they don’t see an ongoing live event or meet a lot of socializing people. As our lab is pretty much based on auto greeting giving out notecards and chatlines telling what to do we are currently not set to give this type of visitors an optimal arrival. If and as soon as Linden Lab gives us more info on the future plans of Skylight we’ll take steps to improve all this. This can be done by putting up visual signs telling how to access our content. By now testers can’t recieve info through inventory given objects, can’t access our fully lined up 9-12 destinations via teleport centrals (eg. able to see our Art Breaker installations) and can’t see where or when events are happening.
Still though I’ve met very satisfied testers as well and with just a little tweaking we believe PAL can be an awesome landing point for newbies. Let me put in a quote that left me quite optimistic made by Elitär und Spaß dabei (draxtor.despres): “if i show folks the [SL] web version i will either go to Insilico or PAL”.
Ok on to coming actions. We have planned weekly 6 hours events featuring DJs to be hosted down in our club. First of these starts coming Friday November 26 running 12pm-6pm. There’ll be a strong focus on electro, drum’n'bass, dubstep but also touches of indie and underground hiphop.
Have a look below to see location and how last event looked like just before closing.
On coming Pop Vox TV we are currently close getting set up for a December show. More on this as soon artists have confirmed.
As previous mentioned here 2011 will see an increased focus on promotion of Danish artists and music. Few real life meetings with major music orgs have already taken place and two more are confirmed start of December.
When this puzzle is solved expect some serious rockets to hit the grid first Q 2011!
*Update*
Forgot to post full lenghts videos of my speak recently given in Lahti, Finland on “Music and Culture in Second Life”
Also there’s a great panel from there feat. Kenny Hubble, Karl K. Kapp, Bill May, Ian Hughes/Epredator, me and more. Go check it out here!
Both files are Windows so you might have to convert for MAC!
Meanwhile go explore Pop Art Labs 4 streams of constantly changing cool new albums, attend our events or simply have a chill during busy real life of next weeks Thanksgiving and the coming Xmas craze.
Mind-blowing-speech-from-DICE-2010 
