Second Life Official: Interviews, Video Tutorials, & Machinima

Tip of the Week #48: Custom collision sounds

23 Aug 2008 14:31:13 GMT

Hey, what’s that sound? The answer here is a little-known fact that needs to be spread more: you can customize the collision sound an object makes. That’s right, you can make a falling anvil sound like its cartoon counterpart, a glass can emit a startling "crash!", or you can do something completely different to confound and astound bystanders. You can even silence an object (like thunky stairs). NOTE: This feed is being "frozen" for an indefinite amount of time because of low usage. I apologize for the inconvenience. If you want to be notified of new video tutorials, please see http://secondlife.com/video or subscribe directly at http://lindenlab.blip.tv/ or http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Torley If you have questions, feel free to contact Torley through his profile's Web tab :)

Tip of the Week #47: How to report abuse

16 Aug 2008 14:31:16 GMT

The Governance Team and Torley present an awesome video tutorial which shows you how to file effective abuse reports and deal with griefer problems in Second Life!

Tip of the Week #46: Make a glowing neon sign

9 Aug 2008 14:19:13 GMT

ArtRage, the natural-media painting program, is so easy to use with Second Life. Not only does it have a free version, with use of transparencies (download it @ http://torley.s3.amazonaws.com/transparent-canvases-for-ArtRage.zip ) , you can make glowing graffiti that suspends in the air and dazzles those who gaze upon it!

Tip of the Week #45: Change the default texture

9 Aug 2008 14:15:04 GMT

Every time you click the Default button in the texture picker, it shows you the yellowy plywood which has served us for years. But what if you want to choose your own Default texture? Watch this and find out how!

Tip of the Week #44: A tour of Torley's island!

2 Aug 2008 13:57:25 GMT

There's a region named Here in Second Life, and it's Torley Linden's creative land o' chaos. You can video tutorials inworld, try some of the kewl stuff Torley raves about in-context, and get excited about creative possibilities. After all, the best way to understand Second Life is to experience it.

Tip of the Week #43: What's new in Second Life 1.20!

24 Jul 2008 23:46:12 GMT

After a second lifetime of testing, it's out in the wild as the main viewer! What features await you, and how can you benefit from them? Watch this, and in less than 8 minutes, you'll know!

QUICKTIP: Voice Chat: Customize Speech Gestures

23 Jul 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Harmony Linden got me thinking: I haven’t yet seen a custom speech gesture pack. Has anyone made one? In the meantime, watch this to get started. Do backflips and belly laughs while you enunciate, for all I care.

QUICKTIP: Voice Chat: Turn on Lip Sync

23 Jul 2008 16:00:01 GMT

Make your avatar’s lips move while talking. One of the coolest "hidden" features we have; you’ll need at least version 1.20 (not the existing 1.19 viewer) to play with this. Don’t forget to check out the documentation!

QUICKTIP: Camera Options sliders in action

23 Jul 2008 16:00:02 GMT

What do they do? I'll show you!

QUICKTIP: Boost performance with Graphics Preferences

23 Jul 2008 16:00:03 GMT

With a few clicks, you can make Second Life run faster/smoother. Especially recommended if you’re new to SL and having a tough time.

QUICKTIP: Increase graphics detail beyond Preferences

23 Jul 2008 16:00:04 GMT

On a powerful enough computer? Want to take extra-high-quality snapshots? Maybe you need to do this!

QUICKTIP: Change the viewer's skin

23 Jul 2008 16:00:05 GMT

New in Second Life 1.20 is the easy option to choose how the user interface looks. Don’t forget, more customizability is on the way!

QUICKTIP: Explore with Profile Picks surfing

23 Jul 2008 16:00:06 GMT

I’m crazy about sharing better ways to get around. Here’s an unobvious-but-valuable way to "connect the dots".

QUICKTIP: What are coalesced objects?

23 Jul 2008 16:00:07 GMT

They’re what happens when you take more than one object at the same time. See this to understand why they’re both a pleasure and a pain.

QUICKTIP: Linden trees in coalesced objects

23 Jul 2008 16:00:08 GMT

Got Linden trees in a coalesced/combined object you can’t rez because you don’t have land? Courtesy of our Support Team comes a workaround.

QUICKTIP: Sitting

23 Jul 2008 16:00:09 GMT

You need to know this. But even if you do, did you know these tricks? See inside!

QUICKTIP: Make stuff easier to sit on

23 Jul 2008 16:00:10 GMT

You should also know this. The sit click action lets people sit on your creations (both scripted and not) with one left-click! There’s hardly ever reason to not use it on chairs, poseballs, and so on.

QUICKTIP: Restore your lost Local Chat tab

23 Jul 2008 16:00:11 GMT

If you forgot where it went, don’t panic. Just watch this and you’ll be on your way.

QUICKTIP: See who's looking at you with Show Look At

23 Jul 2008 16:00:12 GMT

By popular request! Know if you’re being watched. Thanx to Richard Linden for info on what the different colors mean.

QUICKTIP: See where you're pointing with Show Point At

23 Jul 2008 16:00:13 GMT

A related feature to Show Look At. Hopefully per VWR-8144 on the Issue Tracker, it’ll be easier to use.

QUICKTIP: Show invisible objects with Highlight Transparent

23 Jul 2008 16:00:14 GMT

Ever run into a wall you couldn’t see? Here’s how to reveal them. Other uses of invisible objects also covered.

QUICKTIP: View webpages with the Media Browser

23 Jul 2008 16:00:15 GMT

Ever wanted to easily pop open an in-viewer web browser? Here’s how!

QUICKTIP: What is that white dot over my head?

23 Jul 2008 16:00:16 GMT

It's your voice chat status indicator. Here's how to turn it off.

QUICKTIP: What is the Library?

23 Jul 2008 16:00:17 GMT

In your Inventory window is a folder with Linden-provided stock content, including avatars, textures, etc.

QUICKTIP: Bookmark Second Life places in your web browser I

23 Jul 2008 16:00:18 GMT

You can use the familiar comfort of Firefox or another browser to store inworld landmarks.

QUICKTIP: Bookmark Second Life places in your web browser II

23 Jul 2008 16:00:19 GMT

Here's more info on SLURLs and how to control where you teleport. By understanding this better, you’ll be closer to mastering inworld exploration as I have.

Tip of the Week #42: Get started scripting with Autoscript

19 Jul 2008 13:10:41 GMT

Second Life scripting is a lot easier with Autoscript, Ann Enigma's simple tool to generate scripts for popular purposes: giving notecards, changing an object's color, and playing sounds are all possible. Enhance your inworld interactions and watch this video tutorial to learn how!

Tip of the Week #41: Make an awesome shirt with ArtRage

12 Jul 2008 18:41:16 GMT

In Second Life, you never have to fear losing your shirt, because you can always make a new one in a just a few minutes! Follow along with Torley as he paints the way forward.

Across the Metaverse: from Second Life to OpenSim

8 Jul 2008 16:03:23 GMT

Researchers from IBM and Linden Lab® gathered in an experimental area of the 3D virtual world, Second Life. Together they prepared to teleport outside Second Life to another virtual world, called OpenSim. It was a journey no avatar had taken before. More info @ http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/07/08/ibm-linden-lab-interoperability-announcement/

SL5B: Mitch Kapor's Closing Keynote (VIDEO)

7 Jul 2008 19:26:22 GMT

Mitch Kapor, on Linden Lab's Board of Directors, and Robin Harper, VP of Marketing & Community Development, wrap up the Second Life 5th's Birthday festivities with a keynote address. You can find more info @ https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/SL5B

SL5B: Mitch Kapor's Closing Keynote (AUDIO-only)

7 Jul 2008 19:26:21 GMT

Tip of the Week #40: Make seamless textures with Wood Workshop

28 Jun 2008 15:28:34 GMT

Torley shows you how easy it can be to make great, realistic (or surrealistic) textures which seamlessly tile (no ugly gaps between repeats) in a matter of minutes. Discover, experiment, and enjoying Wood Workshop with Second Life!

SL5B: Philip & M's Opening Keynote (AUDIO-only)

23 Jun 2008 22:05:40 GMT

Chairman of the Board Philip and CEO M Linden of Linden Lab kick off the celebration of Second Life 5th's Birthday with a keynote address. You can find more info @ https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/SL5B

SL5B: Philip & M's Opening Keynote (VIDEO)

23 Jun 2008 22:05:40 GMT

Tip of the Week #39: Record voice chat and sounds

21 Jun 2008 17:31:39 GMT

Torley walks you through recording voice chat (and other sounds) in Second Life. Whether you want to capture a public event (like a meeting or class) or do a podcast, these fundamentals will get you on the right track.

Tip of the Week #38: What is a group liability?

14 Jun 2008 14:00:55 GMT

This video tutorial explains what "group liabilities" are and why it's important to check your groups to see if you're being charged small amounts of L$ each week for listing group-owned parcels in Search. Wow, what a mouthful of a sentence. It's easier if I show you -- watch the video!

Tip of the Week #37: Who are Lindens?

7 Jun 2008 15:00:44 GMT

Learn more about Linden Lab employees! In this funtastical video tour, I'll show you: you how to meet Lindens in-avatar via Office Hours, where to find out more about specific employee expertise, how to tell if a Linden is genuine (impersonation is not only stupid, it's against our Terms of Service). And... are you familiar with collectible Linden bears?

Inside the Lab #4: Education discussion

2 Jun 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Katt Linden interviews Pathfinder and Claudia Linden about some of the fascinating education projects taking place in Second Life. These two expert Lindens share some of what they’ve learned working with educators inworld and at conferences, as well as from participation with some of the groups described in the podcast. See this for the full details and text transcript: » http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/06/02/inside-the-lab-podcast-a-discussion-on-education-in-second-life/

Tip of the Week #36: Let friends & groups edit your objects

31 May 2008 14:44:44 GMT

Sharing is caring! (Or something like that.) And a big benefit of Second Life is being able to collaborate with friends & groups of people you share interests with -- live, in realtime. Ever wanted someone to help you reposition furniture? Or perhaps remodel your house? That's what friends are for. What about giving other group members the ability to change your objects so you can build together and (hopefully) make magnificent stuff? But remember, with great power comes great responsibility (like Uncle Ben said), so only give your permissions to those you trust. Here's what's inside: 00:28 - Share objects with a group 02:22 - What does "Deed" mean? 02:39 - Intro to group Roles & Abilities 04:24 - Let friends edit your objects 07:52 - Allow anyone to move and copy your objects

QUICKTIP: 3 ways to get to About Land

28 May 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Did you know viewing parcel info can be done via no less than a trio of paths?

QUICKTIP: Avatar Rendering Cost

28 May 2008 16:00:01 GMT

ARC is a useful tool which shows you how much viewer-side lag other avatars incur. For full details, see: http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/05/01/who-me-yes-you-couldnt-be-then-who-introducing-avatar-rendering-cost/

QUICKTIP: Find Friends & Groups faster

28 May 2008 16:00:02 GMT

Type in the first few letters of a friend or group to select them in the list.

QUICKTIP: Give stuff to someone nearby

28 May 2008 16:00:03 GMT

Here's how to transfer inventory to another Resident whose avatar is close to yours.

QUICKTIP: Give stuff to someone remote

28 May 2008 16:00:04 GMT

Here's how to transfer inventory to another Resident who's far away (you can't see them in-avatar).

QUICKTIP: Instant viewer download link

28 May 2008 16:00:05 GMT

http://get.secondlife.com will instantly download the newest main viewer in the current operating system you're on.

QUICKTIP: Learn the Lag Meter

28 May 2008 16:00:06 GMT

Saying "lag" by itself is like saying "I hurt" to a doctor. But where, and what kind of pain? Have a look at the lag meter!

QUICKTIP: Make a 1-way tinted window

28 May 2008 16:00:07 GMT

This simple exercise can be applied whenever you want to texture faces of a prim independently and differently.

QUICKTIP: Open the Advanced menu

28 May 2008 16:00:08 GMT

Within this hidden menu are many powerful features which I've covered in other tutorials. Since they're unsupported, use them at your own risk... be aware!

QUICKTIP: Scroll through tabs faster

28 May 2008 16:00:09 GMT

Just click and drag the mouse button to blaze through!

QUICKTIP: Stop falling through floors

28 May 2008 16:00:10 GMT

Have adjacent parcels of land which span more than one region? You'll want to check out this workaround.

QUICKTIP: Troubleshoot sound not playing

28 May 2008 16:00:11 GMT

A quick run-through of reasons why you might not be hearing sound. Be sure your speakers are on, too.

QUICKTIP: Turn off annoying UI sounds

28 May 2008 16:00:12 GMT

Want to silence the IM "ding-ding!" or any other user interface sound selectively? We have an Advanced menu option for that.

QUICKTIP: Unwear attachments to give them

28 May 2008 16:00:13 GMT

Unintuitive but it works: you can give body parts/clothes while wearing, yet attachments (objects) need to be taken off first

QUICKTIP: Use the pie menu quicker

28 May 2008 16:00:14 GMT

By holding down the right mouse button and releasing it on a pie menu "slice", you can use options with less effort.

QUICKTIP: What do parcel status icons mean?

28 May 2008 16:00:15 GMT

Hover over to get a tooltip, or click to get an extended description.

Tip of the Week #35: Watch YouTube videos in Second Life

24 May 2008 14:59:31 GMT

Did you know many (but not all) YouTube videos can be played in Second Life? Torley's here to show you! Learn how to use a link-maker tool to get a QuickTime-compatible link that you can watch on your parcel inworld. We'll also cover making a basic movie screen. Lots of fun to be had, so don't miss out!

Tip of the Week #34: Learn building at the Ivory Tower of Primitives

17 May 2008 14:09:39 GMT

Torley gives you a guided tour of one of the most venerable and valuable resources in Second Life, the Ivory Tower (Library) of Primitives in Natoma. Learn how to build at your own pace as you ascend the floors and stare in amazement at what is possible!

Tip of the Week #33: Play parcel music

11 May 2008 13:50:27 GMT

I show you how to play parcel music in Second Life -- including Internet radio stations -- in less than 10 minutes! Yes, it's really that simple, and along the way, I highlight good things to know.

QUICKTIP: Add a webpage to your profile

7 May 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Do this to add extra info or a splash of fun to your existing profile, which is useful for showing others who you are.

QUICKTIP: Change text and effect colors

7 May 2008 16:00:01 GMT

Want to change the hue of those dots that come out of your hand when you select stuff? Here’s the ticket, and you can customize chat text tones too!

QUICKTIP: Click actions make using stuff easier

7 May 2008 16:00:02 GMT

CLICK ACTIONS ROCK. If you’re not using them, YOU MUST. Why am I TYPING IN ALL CAPS? Watch and find out!

QUICKTIP: Get high in the sky instantly

7 May 2008 16:00:03 GMT

Sitting on a cube and repositioning it is a practical, more controlled alternative to flying manually.

QUICKTIP: Make flexible objects

7 May 2008 16:00:04 GMT

Once a glorious new feature, now the basis of hair, skirts, and more wonderful creations! Learn how to make flexiprims from scratch.

QUICKTIP: Make local light objects

7 May 2008 16:00:05 GMT

Lights can -- well, light up a scene! But remember, there can only be 6 lights onscreen at once! I explain why this is, and wear your facelights wisely.

QUICKTIP: Open a box

7 May 2008 16:00:06 GMT

A basic skill everyone needs to know! Once you buy something, you often have to unpack it. It’s straightforward once you know how, and here’s how.

QUICKTIP: Prim and mesh hair differences

7 May 2008 16:00:07 GMT

Another goodie for newcomers: do you know how to tell which is which and why it matters? Watch and see!

QUICKTIP: Rebake textures to fix clothing glitches

7 May 2008 16:00:08 GMT

One of my favorite unfavorite workarounds. Someday, improved texture compositing will (I hope) remedy these glitches, but until then, here’s a tip that’s been passed on and on.

QUICKTIP: Redock tabs to clear clutter

7 May 2008 16:00:09 GMT

A simple click helps you clean your screen of stray windows.

QUICKTIP: Save textures to disk

7 May 2008 16:00:10 GMT

I used to get asked this question a lot: whether you want to back up some textures or edit them for reuploading, I show you what you should know.

QUICKTIP: Save your avatar's outfit

7 May 2008 16:00:11 GMT

I’m famed for my wide variety of avatars! How do I do it? Each one is an “outfit” within a folder which can be switched in seconds. Stay organized and express yourself!

QUICKTIP: Sell Original, Copy, or Contents?

7 May 2008 16:00:12 GMT

If you sell stuff, you MUST know the difference between these. Choosing “Contents” removes the extra steps for unpacking boxes (see above). Make things easy for your customers and they’ll love ya!

QUICKTIP: Show who's chatting around you

7 May 2008 16:00:13 GMT

Another button that isn’t so obvious: click the "< <" in Local Chat or a group IM, and presto, a list of speakers. Good if you find camera controls awkward to gawk at nametags.

QUICKTIP: Skip popups after reinstalling

7 May 2008 16:00:14 GMT

Popups -- when you don’t wanna see ‘em -- are annoying! Dismiss them with a single click and continue forth. Conversely, you can show all of them again, in case you missed any before.

QUICKTIP: Sort columns for easier selection

7 May 2008 16:00:15 GMT

Tired of voice chatters in Active Participants shuffling around faster than you can click? You can click columns in this window, and others too!

QUICKTIP: Take a snapshot

7 May 2008 16:00:16 GMT

Second Life photography is thriving. It all begins by pressing down a special key, which doesn’t play a melody… but will save a snapshot to disk! Also see my AWESOME GUIDE TO HIGH-QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY ( https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Snapshot_Help ) --with, you guessed it, video tutorials!

QUICKTIP: Texture shortcuts

7 May 2008 16:00:17 GMT

After you’ve applied 1000s of textures as I have, you’ll be keen to expedite the process.

QUICKTIP: The 1-prim barstool trick

7 May 2008 16:00:18 GMT

Primfficiency, building wisely by economizing # of prims while maximizing visual results, has evolved greatly (to sculpties @ http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/05/04/sculpted-prims-made-simple-video-tip-of-the-week-32/ !). The 1-prim barstool trick is fun if you’ve never built before. Torley-bot guides you.

QUICKTIP: Use Inventory filters

7 May 2008 16:00:19 GMT

Filters help you narrow down searches and temporarily hide clutter. They’re also (sadly) a cause of perceived (not actual) inventory loss, so make sure to reset them as I demonstrate!

Tip of the Week #32: Sculpted prims made simple

4 May 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Friendly greetings! You can learn Second Life in a fun and fast fashion! The enthusiastic Torley is your host, taking you on a tour through tips, tricks, and techniques that'll increase your confidence and make you smile. :) Whether you're a newcomer or longtime Resident, your inworld experience will benefit from these video tutorials.

More info @ torley.com/vidtuts

"VIRTUAL KNOWLEDGE, REAL RESULTS."