Category: creations

I don’t know how it happens, but even when I try to take a break from Second Life, it somehow pulls me back in and I update another vehicle. This time, I dropped in to do a major upgrade to the Terra Hoverbike. What’s new? Check out this:

• It now carries 2 avatars, so you can take a friend with you.
• It can fly! That’s right, it works like a hovercraft as usual until you switch to “helicraft” mode. Soar above the clouds like a jet-powered birdie.
• I added the Terra Combat System, so now you can duel with other hoverbikes or any vehicle with the Terra Combat System.
• It now changes colour on command. Choose from one of the lovely preset colours or enter your own RGB code. Any colour at all.

Drop by my shop in the northwest corner of Abbotts and have a look.

Having once been a hardened addict of Sierra’s “Red Baron” (the original, not RB2), I’ve had a yearning to add something to let my planes dogfight. A couple of problems stood in my way. First, regular guns require the ability to rez objects (the bullets), and most open spaces in SL are no-build Linden-owned land. Second, I didn’t have the knowledge (or time) to design a way around that.

But this weekend, all the pieces came together and I bashed together what I call the “Terra Combat System”. If a plane has this combat system installed, it can attack and be attacked by any vehicle that also has this system. It uses sensors rather than bullets, so bystanders are completely unaffected.

As of today, only three vehicles have this system installed, each with different hit points, which represents how many direct hits you need to destroy it: the Terra Cormorant (10 hit points), the Terra Airship 3 (30 hit points), and a free plywood demo plane (3 hit points). I’ve seen interesting scenes already, where an Cormorant takes on a passing airship or vice-versa. In that case, the airship usually loses, because it turns like a cow.

If you just want to go sight-seeing, you can just turn off the combat system and you’re invulnerable.

The system is flexible enough to be extended to attachments and gun turrets. I plan to add the Terra Combat System to most of my vehicles, which should lead to some interesting ad-hoc match-ups. Imagine a hoverbike taking on a sub. Or a Futura heli-car taking on a WW1 biplane.

Grab a friend and drop by my shop in Abbotts to try the free demo. It has only 3 hit points, but it should give you a good idea of how it works.

The problem with Second Life is that there’s just too much stuff to do, and not enough time to do it. That’s why my inventory silts up with projects that I start, but put on the back-burner so that I can work on something else. Someone reminded me today that I’d promised a new version of the magic carpet — over a month ago. It’s in my inventory, but needs a few adjustments before it’s ready for general use.

Other things I started and haven’t finished (yet):

• A 2-seat version of the hoverbike
• A high-prim spaceship that’s inspired by Space 1999
• A sailplane
• A transformer (Flyte Xevious beat me to this one. Check out his vehicle in the Flight Shop.)
• A helicopter-style vehicle that’s as big as a whale, code-named “Beluga” (I probably wont’ finish that one)
• A new hot air balloon
• A new airship
• An auto-pilot controlled taxi network
• And, of course, PenguinWorld™ — the antarctic-themed ocean sim where the herring are plentiful and everyone must wear a penguin avatar.

I might finish at least one of them before the year is up.

(Edit: the large, 6-seat magic carpet is now done. You can find it on Level 2 of Abbotts Aerodrome.)

In the last week at Abbotts Aerodrome, things have been quieter than normal. I’m not sure if that’s because of lingering 1.5 doubts or if people were focused on Burning Life (until it closed). I took advantage of the lull to rip down large chunks of the Aerodrome and replace it with some classic 40s/50s style sci-fi buildings.

Well maybe it turned out more like 50s roadside diner, but I like it anyway. Portholes, rivets, and cheesy deco touches finish off a copper-coloured, rounded building — no more sharp corners to stub your toes on.

I still have more work to do. The Aerodrome Club needs touch-ups in the lobby, the Flight Shop needs walkways and doors, and the elevator needs work. Until it’s done, the ‘drome is open as always.