0 (Virtual) World Domination Pointers Posted: 8/17/2009

Alright I've got a serious bee in my bonnet, so please excuse the bluntness. I've been sitting on some of these ideas for far too long. These are some ideas for projects of business ventures in/for the Metaverse. The ones that interest me after this posting might get a more fleshed out dedicated post. Feel free to do whatever you will with these.

SimpleViewer: A Beginner-Friendly Metaverse Viewer

Please, for the love of the FSM, somebody do this. It boggles my mind that despite the myriad of development work being done across the OS viewer scene, all of the development work has only made viewers more complex and feature heavy. If we want the Metaverse or SL to really attract more than the hardcores, we can't keep up like this. Its like giving a industrial-grade metal smelter to a kid who just wanted a EZBake oven. Beginning users don't need or want a lot of power or fancy functionality, they just want to be able to log in and interact with the world without wrestling with cluttered menus and counterintuitive interfaces. Please, someone take Hippo and strip it down to its chasis. Then design a easy, intiutive user interface that won't make granny want to put her fist through the computer. The world will thank you.

MetaJobs: A Job Board for Metaverse Workers

Can somebody please answer me why the Metaverse doesn't have a unified job board? No, XStreetSL's employment section of their forums don't count. I'm talking about something meant to serve both SL and the Opensims. Content isn't quite portable yet, but talent sure is. Anyone who's searched for a job in SL knows what a goosechase that is. Making a one-stop web-shop for all things employment would be a big boon for both potential employees AND employers. It would be pretty easy. So easy it could be done with a PHPbb and a domain name. Yes it could and should be more intricate than that, but its really all you would need to start. I have a hard time believing theres no one out there who doesn't see the money potential.

Convoy: A Secure Marketplace for Pan-Metaverse Commerce

So I just said that content isn't portable between grids yet. That's not completely true, but for the majority of normal Metaverse users its the reality. The truth is the functionality to import/export conent exists. What's missing is the system of trust between content makers and grid operators to allow people to buy things in one grid and move with them to another. This creates a giant mess. So what if a company stepped in with a XStreetSL style marketplace, and a dedication to absolute security? Content creators, trusting the market to not sell to unsafe grids, upload their content to the market and put it on sale. The company accepts applications from grids to gain delivery access to the grid. The company verifies they are running a content-safe server code and enters into a contract with the grid to deliver goods to the grid so long as the server remains kosher. Once verified as safe, customers from that grid can buy from the Marketplace and have the purchased content delivered to their account on their grid. The company could make money any number of ways, including delivery charges, listing upgrades, and other services. Just remember the company's number one service is the trusted bridge it provides for content creaators and grid owners.

I'm sure I have other ideas I've spaced on. I'll write about them later.

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0 Destroy Perfectionism Posted: 8/17/2009

Ok, so what was supposed to be a few days break turned into something a lot longer. I'm not going to cry to you about how I'm sorry, and how I'll do a better job in the future. If you've read more than this post you'll see that I've gone down that road before. Instead, I'm going to accept the fact that I suck at keeping a regular blogging schedule. What made me stop last time was trying to make myself look like something I'm not yet, and then getting intimidated by the expectations I placed on myself. To Hell with that.
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0 SpaceX and the Race to Credibility Posted: 7/14/2009

Yesterday SpaceX, Elon Musk's private space company successfully launched a Falcon 1 rocket, carrying a observational satellite into orbit for the Malaysian government. While private rocket launches are nothing new, the launch was a critical one for SpaceX. This is only the second Falcon 1 rocket that has successfully launched to orbit of the five which have ever lit the candle. Flight 3 nearly made it to orbit, but due to a minor miscalculation the rocket collided with itself mid-separation, causing it to tumble off course. Getting to space is after all, rocket science.

While getting to orbit in only four launches is impressive for a startup, the rate of failure leading up to that launch had spectators and potential customers nervous. When you are looking forking over at least seven figures per launch, a 25% success rate isn't exactly the kind of thing which inspires confidence. That's why this latest launch was so important for SpaceX. By successfully launching to orbit with a paying payload, the Falcon 1 now stands with a 40% success rate and a satisfied paying customer in its resume. For a space launch company of any size, this success rate is vital, because it is a direct manifestation of the companies credibility. It is doubly vital for a young company like SpaceX, which has set lofty goals for itself and has attracted high profile contracts such as servicing the International Space Station.

In order to meet those goals, SpaceX needs to prove that it is capable of consistent reliable launches. SpaceX needs more launches like the one yesterday.

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0 Please excuse the Debris Posted: 7/13/2009

Apologies for the code vomit above. I'm not sure precisely what I did, but I'm sure its my fault. On the positive side of things, the blog now has expandable article views!
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0 Art School on the Cheap: Professional Skills Without the Pricetag Posted: 7/11/2009

Before I get started in on this I want to be very clear: I'm not trying to sell you on any of these products. Rather I'm recommending them as someone who went to art school and came out finding my education lacking. These were some resources which helped me fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge.

Its no secret that art school is expensive. In fact, I would wager that cost is the number one limiting factor preventing young artists from pursuing their passion after they graduate high school. This is tragic, especially because of all the great resources which are now available for those interested in getting a art education without having to shell out the obscene amounts of dosh previously required. Here I'll try to list out some of the ones I've found useful, along with their rough price ranges. Its worth keeping in mind that I'm approaching this from the perspective of someone in the animation and game art industry, so my tips may be skewed.

Cartoon Smart:

CartoonSmart.com is a great resource for those looking to get started in Web animation, as well as a number of other subjects.  The site offers affordable video tutorials on a wide range of topics.  The tutorials are friendly, accessible, and packed with information, making this a resource well worth the money.

Gnomon:

The ten-ton gorilla of the Internet art education world, Gnomon is a education resource for professional artists by professional artists. Originally just a series of professional classes held in Hollywood for visual effects and concept artists, Gnomon has expanded out to be come a multi-headed hydra offering a wide range of products and classes. The Gnomon Workshops are the bread and butter of their offerings, giving several hours of professional tutorials in the $60-80 range. Now that might seem steep, but when you consider these are in-depth tutorials from some of the industry leaders, the price is worth it. If that's to rich for your blood, Gnomon also offers Gnomonology which provides shorter format tutorial nuggets in the $15 range. For more intensive training at a steeper price tag, Gnomon also offers multi-week online classes for the tune of $1K-$2K at Gnomon Online. While definitely one of the priciest resources, Gnomon is definitely professional grade training presented in a great ala-carte style.

Online Art Communities:

By far one of the cheapest ways to learn is to get in the habit of posting to art communities. Basic accounts are almost always free, and they offer aspiring artists the chance to share their work and get critiques. DeviantArt.com is by far one of the most popular, with a wide ranging user base across all skill levels making it a ideal place for beginners.  However, for those serious about getting honest, constructive criticism that will help them grow, its best to start looking to more professionally oriented communities.  ConceptArt.org is one such site, with a active and highly knowledgeable community dedicated to helping each other perfect their skills.  

Books:

There are an amazing number of great instructional books that can help teach you various aspects of art.  Despite what you might assume, none of them have ever been written by Chris Hart.  Here is a list of books that I do recommend (I own them) for the learning artist:

Launching the Imagination by Mary Stewart

The Vilppu Drawing Manual by Glenn Vilppu

Composition Photo Workshop by Blue Fier

Vanishing Point by John Cheeseman-Meyer (yes that's really his name)

Anatomy for the Artist by Sarah Simblet

Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist by Stephen Peck

Force by Michael D. Mattesi

Bold Visions by Gary Tonge

Digital Character Design and Painting by Don Seegmiller

Creating Characters with Personailty bt Tom Bancroft

Facial Expressions by Mark Simon

The Dynamic drawing series by Burne Hogarth

The Virtual Pose series by someone, I don't know who.

ImagineFX Magazine:

I could have included this in with the books, however it's a magazine and just too awesome to be lumped in with everything else.  ImagineFX is a art magazine printed in the UK, but is readily available in US bookstores in the computer/art section.   It offers great articles with science fiction and fantasy artists, as well as providing excellent art tutorials and product reviews.  Normally I have very little patience for magazines, but this is one of the few exceptions I have to it.  Each issue comes with a disc packed with freebies and video tutorials, making the magazine well worth its slightly elevated price tag.

Graphics Tablet:

A graphics tablet is a indispensable part of a modern digital artists arsenal.  It allows you to draw straight into your favorite graphics program of choice without the hassle of trying to use a mouse.   Even artists more interested in traditional art should at least look into dabbling in digital art, as it allows you to freely experiment and try out ideas without the material investment normally required. Yes, I know it seems like a big commitment, but at today's prices for a entry-level tablet, it should be well within the means of most young artists.

Scanner or Digital Camera:

Like the tablet, a scanner or digital camera can go a long way.  Not only does it allow you to save and share your artwork, it allows you to non-destructively experiment with it digitally, and even use it as the basis for amazing pieces of digital art. While a scanner is preferable for capturing a high quality digital version of your art, it can be a big investment for young artists.  A digital camera can be a good substitute, although its always best to take pictures of your artwork in a well-lit area and at as high a quality as possible.  Digital cameras also allow you to capture your own reference images, which is a added bonus.

The Internet:

I'm not going to even try to start listing out the thousands of awesome resources available to artists for free today on the Net.  There's too many to do justice to, and frankly half the fun is finding them for yourself.  There are endless blogs providing tutorials, stock photography sites offering free reference material, and any number of specialized communities (it's the Internet, after all).  So go and explore!

That pretty much wraps it up.  If you have anything to add to this, please feel free to add a comment.

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