Chic at Ebbe's Place

It's been almost a year since I have written on this blog.

In the beginning I thought it would be good to document the changes in the metasphere, especially those regarding Project Sansar (now Sansar). I also thought that it would be handy to have an existing blog should I want to chronicle my adventures in that new platform and later feature some content from other creators.

It's been fairly quiet on the "what's happening" front this last year and I have been busy with other things -- creating and such. But, Sansar welcomed the first of the beta testers mid month with the opening still slated for the beginning of 2017. That's not too far off.

Meanwhile, mid September promises a new (updated) kid on the block with Space (sinewave.space).   I had forgotten about Space since I applied for early entry last year and found they were in alpha. I am not an alpha gal. Then last week I was contacted again about testing now that they are in beta. I opted out of that after some thinking and remembering that SIMPLE is my key word this year. A trip over to Living in a Modem World added some new info on Sansar and entries in the comments mentioned SPACE again.

Along that journey of exploration I ended up at the older version of SPACE (sine.space) where I managed to change clothes at least. Later I found the high resolution settings and changed my building textures, but somehow those screenshots are wandering around my hard drive, hiding.


It took me awhile to figure out  that I wasn't in the NEW platform, but in its precursor (still open). This is good really and I learned a few things that will likely be helpful AND got a bit of insight that will appear later in this discussion.

MEANWHILE, Opensim folks are talking about breaking away from the SL paradigm.  I can see plenty of problems with this but I will be very happy if the folks in the we want to do our own thing in our own way camp prove me wrong :D. 



All this got me to thinking -- well, of course it did.

I was remembering Cloud Party which I really loved. Both Sansar and SPACE appear to have some similarities to that gone but not forgotten platform. It will be extremely interesting from my point of view to discover the parallels and contrasts. 

The SPACE website has more information than the Sansar website, but then again SPACE is almost open for the masses and Sansar has many months before that happens. Sansar's Flickr photos are beautifully lit and artistically taken, but as a blogger I know that great lighting and snazzy camera shots can make less than stellar items appear awe inspiring. For me, the fairly plain shots with more natural lighting and no depth a field are more welcome.

From the SPACE website, the avatars do not appear to have been upgraded much (or at all) from their sine.space predecessors. Sansar's avatars look better if not up to par with the popular Second Life mesh bodies and garments of today.  That's really OK on both counts ------- as LONG as some talented content creators fill in the gaps.


The first thing I do when I get to a new grid or platform is get myself looking like "myself". Now that can mean quite a few things as each platform is different. Still, I don't want to look like I just came out of the pod -- even if no one else will be seeing me. I do not think I am alone.

There needs to be enough content (free of buyable) available so that perspective citizens can feel good about their looks. There needs to be something for folks to do and places to explore and meet and chat and dance and all that jazz. Quite a ways down the road comes the need for houses, furniture, landscaping and decor.

No one is going to be interested in making a home, if they look like an earlier version of their virtual self. So from a business standpoint, I will be assessing the likelihood of sales and possibly hanging out and doing my own thing and waiting for an opportune time.  Or, I might decide that "now" is just as good as later.

As a content creator I am eagerly awaiting the expansive landmasses that are promised on both platforms. I am looking forward to new and improved tech (although I am quite happy with SL's current abilities). I want to see how my existing products will transfer over -- what new rules will be in effect and how I (we) can work with those rules to make the best products for that platform.

I have to admit that I am still thinking in Cloud Party terms, but I will be very happy to see improvement on that 2013 model. I am wondering if I can use my Cycles skills and still bake glorious textures (I'm not seeing anything in the photos that leads me to believe I can). It would be a shame to abandon those skills.

I will of course be checking out the new platforms, testing and seeing where I might fit in.

I'll keep you apprised.