Welcome to the latest edition of LOL! magazine.
As you can see we have a different format for you this time. Please do let us know what you think of it.
In this issue we have our usual regular features including tutorials on building and scripting. We also have a round-up of the latest parties and events plus exciting news about forthcoming events.
Hope you all enjoy it!
Contents:
Time gentlemen please
Happy Birthday OUtopia
Through the keyhole
Follow the yellow brick road
Getting creative
Pub quiz
Fame at last
Stig tests
New monthly events
Easter egg hunt
Partying for the Saints
Meet the resident
Quick pics
Keep out!
February parties
Competition
Monday, 3 May 2010
Quick pics
Our resident photographer Squiddlenuts Tigerfish presents a selection of the best snapshots from recent events and happenings on the OU islands.
Getting into the party spirit on St. Patrick's day
Exercising the grey matter at the pub quiz
Partying at OUtopia's 1st birthday party
Relaxing outside one of the village homes
The Time Ladies ready to defend OUtopia
A beautiful sunset over the village
Through the keyhole
LOL! editor Eshala Tabacznyk opens the door* to her OUtopia home to tell us about her favourite home comforts.
Meet the resident
Prash Mavendorf is the latest victim, I mean subject, of the LOL! interrogation.
Avatar name: Prash Mavendorf
Rezzday: 9th June 2008
Are you a student, tutor or both? Just a mere student.
How long have you been with the OU? Since Feb 2001.
Which degree are you aiming for? I completed my Undergraduate degree with Honours with the Open University in 2005, took a few years off (by doing some odd courses here and there) and am now working towards my Masters.
Favourite course so far: Hard to say really as I have so many. MT262 and M361 stand out the most because the course Chair was fantastic.
What brought you to Second Life? I can't remember the exact reason. I think I was introduced to Second Life by someone in OUSA. I love the idea of being able to interact with people in real time in a relaxed environment. I explored Second Life and got myself a bit lost and ended up in a few Country & Western / Rock Clubs to start off with.
Favourite part of the Open Life islands: The Circle outside the nOUbie Centre. It's a great place to meet people on an nightly basis. Great place to meet new students and visitors wanting to find out what we do as students and a University.
Best memory from your time on Open Life: Meeting the regulars and having a laugh (sometimes at my expense!). Making new friends (Squiddlenuts and PDunstan in particular) and meeting new people.
Favourite SL place away from Open Life: It use to be Oasis Outlaws and Utopia / Ravens Court. It use to be a great club when it was active, but now I hang around the nOUbie Centre on most evenings. I have a place in the Jaeger Region (run by Linden Labs). It's my home away from the OU! If you are able to find The Dog House, feel free to have a look at it from the outside and zoom into the building.
One piece of advice for newbies: There's quite of few I can think of. Learn how to use the Basics of Second Life, fly around, navigate, etc. Don't be scared to ask questions, we were all new once and we are always learning new things. No question is too stupid to ask. Treat people on Second Life as you would expect people to treat you in Real Life. If you show no respect, people won't respect you. Make plenty of friends on Second Life. You never know when you will rely on them later on.
Avatar name: Prash Mavendorf
Rezzday: 9th June 2008
Are you a student, tutor or both? Just a mere student.
How long have you been with the OU? Since Feb 2001.
Which degree are you aiming for? I completed my Undergraduate degree with Honours with the Open University in 2005, took a few years off (by doing some odd courses here and there) and am now working towards my Masters.
Favourite course so far: Hard to say really as I have so many. MT262 and M361 stand out the most because the course Chair was fantastic.
What brought you to Second Life? I can't remember the exact reason. I think I was introduced to Second Life by someone in OUSA. I love the idea of being able to interact with people in real time in a relaxed environment. I explored Second Life and got myself a bit lost and ended up in a few Country & Western / Rock Clubs to start off with.
Favourite part of the Open Life islands: The Circle outside the nOUbie Centre. It's a great place to meet people on an nightly basis. Great place to meet new students and visitors wanting to find out what we do as students and a University.
Best memory from your time on Open Life: Meeting the regulars and having a laugh (sometimes at my expense!). Making new friends (Squiddlenuts and PDunstan in particular) and meeting new people.
Favourite SL place away from Open Life: It use to be Oasis Outlaws and Utopia / Ravens Court. It use to be a great club when it was active, but now I hang around the nOUbie Centre on most evenings. I have a place in the Jaeger Region (run by Linden Labs). It's my home away from the OU! If you are able to find The Dog House, feel free to have a look at it from the outside and zoom into the building.
One piece of advice for newbies: There's quite of few I can think of. Learn how to use the Basics of Second Life, fly around, navigate, etc. Don't be scared to ask questions, we were all new once and we are always learning new things. No question is too stupid to ask. Treat people on Second Life as you would expect people to treat you in Real Life. If you show no respect, people won't respect you. Make plenty of friends on Second Life. You never know when you will rely on them later on.
Fame at last
The OU's SL community got together to pose for a picture for The Times to use in an article about The Open University.
The photoshoot took two attempts - they didn't like our first offering! - and you can see us in all our glory in the pic below.
You can read the article on The Times website here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/student/article7110689.ece
The photoshoot took two attempts - they didn't like our first offering! - and you can see us in all our glory in the pic below.
You can read the article on The Times website here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/student/article7110689.ece
Easter egg hunt
The Easter weekend saw students and tutors turning OUtopia upside down in search of Easter eggs!
Across the village twenty eggs were hidden in locations ranging from the top of the tor to the bottom of the harbour steps. Residents taking part had to travel the length and breadth of OUtopia searching for the pretty eggs and several entrants remarked how they had found little places they never knew existed before. The organiser popped on to see how things were going and, thanks to a series of IMs, discovered that egg 09 was proving somewhat troublesome to find!
The first folders full of eggs landed in the organisers inventory on Friday morning and continued to arrive at regular intervals throughout the Easter weekend. First person to find all 20 was pdunstan Greymoon (pictured below with a giant version of the infamous egg 09).
When all the entries were in it was decided to split the prize fund amongst the entrants who had found all 20 eggs while everyone who took part got a Easter-themed goodie bag. A plaque is currently adorning the wall near the bench outside the pub honouring those who successfully completed the egg hunt.
Across the village twenty eggs were hidden in locations ranging from the top of the tor to the bottom of the harbour steps. Residents taking part had to travel the length and breadth of OUtopia searching for the pretty eggs and several entrants remarked how they had found little places they never knew existed before. The organiser popped on to see how things were going and, thanks to a series of IMs, discovered that egg 09 was proving somewhat troublesome to find!
Tori admires her stash of eggs
The first folders full of eggs landed in the organisers inventory on Friday morning and continued to arrive at regular intervals throughout the Easter weekend. First person to find all 20 was pdunstan Greymoon (pictured below with a giant version of the infamous egg 09).
When all the entries were in it was decided to split the prize fund amongst the entrants who had found all 20 eggs while everyone who took part got a Easter-themed goodie bag. A plaque is currently adorning the wall near the bench outside the pub honouring those who successfully completed the egg hunt.
Competition
A new island has appeared but what is it going to be?
Snuggled in between Open University Island and Open University HRD is a new and mysterious looking island currently named Open University 2. Bearing a vague resemblence to a giant four-leafed clover at the moment it has prompted much debate amongst residents about what it is going to be.
We here at LOL! would like to hear your ideas about what it will turn out to be - the wackier the better! IM your suggestions to Eshala Tabacznyk inworld and we will publish the best of them in the next issue.
Snuggled in between Open University Island and Open University HRD is a new and mysterious looking island currently named Open University 2. Bearing a vague resemblence to a giant four-leafed clover at the moment it has prompted much debate amongst residents about what it is going to be.
We here at LOL! would like to hear your ideas about what it will turn out to be - the wackier the better! IM your suggestions to Eshala Tabacznyk inworld and we will publish the best of them in the next issue.
Stig tests
“Some say that he's a LSL experiment gone wrong, and that he only eats cheese...all we know is he's got Panache”
This month, The Stig test-drives a megaprim creation Web site.
Available from: http://www.megaprim.sl/
Cost: Free
Delivery: Immediate
Contents: megaprim of requested size
Permissions: Copy, Modify, Transfer
If you have ever found yourself searching for a megaprim of a particular size, you’ll find this site very handy and easy to use.
All you have to do is tell it the dimensions you want and it will give you a list to choose from.
Click on the one you want, and it will be delivered to you inworld.
If it’s your first time, you’ll have to verify your avatar identity by clicking on a link in an IM sent to you.
If the megaprim you want is a sphere, pyramid, cylinder or other shape, simply order a cuboid prim and change its shape in the build window.
Is there something you would like to see The Stig test-drive in a future issue of LOL!?
IM Stig Panache with details of the item and where to find it.
This month, The Stig test-drives a megaprim creation Web site.
Available from: http://www.megaprim.sl/
Cost: Free
Delivery: Immediate
Contents: megaprim of requested size
Permissions: Copy, Modify, Transfer
If you have ever found yourself searching for a megaprim of a particular size, you’ll find this site very handy and easy to use.
All you have to do is tell it the dimensions you want and it will give you a list to choose from.
Click on the one you want, and it will be delivered to you inworld.
If the megaprim you want is a sphere, pyramid, cylinder or other shape, simply order a cuboid prim and change its shape in the build window.
Is there something you would like to see The Stig test-drive in a future issue of LOL!?
IM Stig Panache with details of the item and where to find it.
Getting Creative
Titiana Haystack presents the latest in her series of building articles
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair
Okay folks, we’ve made a bowl, a lantern and a coffee table, (not to mention a t-shirt texture to upload ( I said not to mention it!) and while making them we’ve learnt to rez, resize, position, and texture objects. If you don’t know how to do these you need to go back to the previous tutorials in LOL or on my website http://titihaystack.wordpress.com
Today we’re going to make a chair. Not just any chair, but a stylish Rennie Mackintosh one. I Googled chair images to get an idea of dimensions and patterns. This chair has more prims than anything we’ve done so far, but you will get practice in positioning prims, and you can carry this learning over to other stuff.
So here goes. First, rez the ubiquitous cube (or box as it is called in SL) This is going to be the wooden chair base. Leave the x and y dimensions at .500 and make the z dimension .100 Originally I textured it with mahogany, and just changed some selected faces to a pattern, but in the end I made all the faces the same by selecting Floor Tile 3 out of the Library. I coloured it a reddish brown so the pattern was only just visible. Your chair doesn’t have to end up looking like mine. You can improvise. I played around with the Flip commands later, and got an attractive pattern on the wood (not illustrated here)
We want to put a cushion in/on the chair, so the next thing is to hollow the chair to 80.
Next you need to duplicate the shape, so select it, and drag it up a bit while holding down the shift key. Take away the hollowness by changing Hollow back to zero, and change the colour to white. Now you can see the pattern. This is the cushion so it needs to be a bit smaller. Change the x and y dimensions to .40 and .40, then gently lower the cushion into its base.(It says use .45 by .45 in the illustration, but the maths tells me it has to be .40 by .40 for the exact fit!)
Now we need to make the legs. Go to the brown base, duplicate it again, and drag it up out of the way so you can see what you’re doing.
Path cut .250
You now need to rotate it so it looks like two legs. The first time I did this I had to rotate it on the x axis, but the next time it needed to be on the y axis. Just see which is correct for you. Rotate it by 90 degrees anyway, and it will be upright.
You will find that the legs are positioned in the centre of your base, so you need to move them to the edge. You can do this mathematically, by moving it half the distance of the measurement of the base[i] (if this makes sense) but I just judge it by eye. When you’re happy with the position, duplicate it again and drag the new pair of legs to the other side of the base.
You now have a stool and you could stop here if you’re feeling lazy.
But we are just doing more of the same for the chair back. Select one of the pairs of legs and duplicate by dragging up. Do this three times, and you will have a ladder back chair. Well done.
Now to link it. Select all by dragging around it all, you will see everything highlighted, (make sure it is) then click Ctrl L to link it. (Cmd L on a Mac) Or you could go to the toolbar and select .Tool 4 Link from the drop down menu. I think it’s worth learning keyboard shortcuts as it’s quicker in the long run.
I explained before about naming objects and taking them into your inventory. I said to click ‘Take’. However, since then I use Edit -> More ->Take copy, as then a copy goes into your inventory. It seems safer somehow. If you Take before you’ve named it, you’ll find it’s called ‘Object’, maybe among a lot of other Objects, (shame on you), but it will be the one that is boxed in grey. If you organise your inventory by Date it will be the top object too. I usually organise by Name, but Date can be handy if you’ve lost something nameless!
So there we have it. Another item for our Second Life. Looking at my chair, I think the legs are too fat to be elegant. I’ll leave that to you to sort out. Also, you could add thin vertical slats instead of the horizontal ones. Hey,it’s your chair. Give it six legs! Have fun, and let me know what else you would like to build. See you inworld.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair
Okay folks, we’ve made a bowl, a lantern and a coffee table, (not to mention a t-shirt texture to upload ( I said not to mention it!) and while making them we’ve learnt to rez, resize, position, and texture objects. If you don’t know how to do these you need to go back to the previous tutorials in LOL or on my website http://titihaystack.wordpress.com
Today we’re going to make a chair. Not just any chair, but a stylish Rennie Mackintosh one. I Googled chair images to get an idea of dimensions and patterns. This chair has more prims than anything we’ve done so far, but you will get practice in positioning prims, and you can carry this learning over to other stuff.
So here goes. First, rez the ubiquitous cube (or box as it is called in SL) This is going to be the wooden chair base. Leave the x and y dimensions at .500 and make the z dimension .100 Originally I textured it with mahogany, and just changed some selected faces to a pattern, but in the end I made all the faces the same by selecting Floor Tile 3 out of the Library. I coloured it a reddish brown so the pattern was only just visible. Your chair doesn’t have to end up looking like mine. You can improvise. I played around with the Flip commands later, and got an attractive pattern on the wood (not illustrated here)
We want to put a cushion in/on the chair, so the next thing is to hollow the chair to 80.
Next you need to duplicate the shape, so select it, and drag it up a bit while holding down the shift key. Take away the hollowness by changing Hollow back to zero, and change the colour to white. Now you can see the pattern. This is the cushion so it needs to be a bit smaller. Change the x and y dimensions to .40 and .40, then gently lower the cushion into its base.(It says use .45 by .45 in the illustration, but the maths tells me it has to be .40 by .40 for the exact fit!)
Now we need to make the legs. Go to the brown base, duplicate it again, and drag it up out of the way so you can see what you’re doing.
Path cut .250
You now need to rotate it so it looks like two legs. The first time I did this I had to rotate it on the x axis, but the next time it needed to be on the y axis. Just see which is correct for you. Rotate it by 90 degrees anyway, and it will be upright.
You will find that the legs are positioned in the centre of your base, so you need to move them to the edge. You can do this mathematically, by moving it half the distance of the measurement of the base[i] (if this makes sense) but I just judge it by eye. When you’re happy with the position, duplicate it again and drag the new pair of legs to the other side of the base.
You now have a stool and you could stop here if you’re feeling lazy.
But we are just doing more of the same for the chair back. Select one of the pairs of legs and duplicate by dragging up. Do this three times, and you will have a ladder back chair. Well done.
Now to link it. Select all by dragging around it all, you will see everything highlighted, (make sure it is) then click Ctrl L to link it. (Cmd L on a Mac) Or you could go to the toolbar and select .Tool 4 Link from the drop down menu. I think it’s worth learning keyboard shortcuts as it’s quicker in the long run.
I explained before about naming objects and taking them into your inventory. I said to click ‘Take’. However, since then I use Edit -> More ->Take copy, as then a copy goes into your inventory. It seems safer somehow. If you Take before you’ve named it, you’ll find it’s called ‘Object’, maybe among a lot of other Objects, (shame on you), but it will be the one that is boxed in grey. If you organise your inventory by Date it will be the top object too. I usually organise by Name, but Date can be handy if you’ve lost something nameless!
So there we have it. Another item for our Second Life. Looking at my chair, I think the legs are too fat to be elegant. I’ll leave that to you to sort out. Also, you could add thin vertical slats instead of the horizontal ones. Hey,it’s your chair. Give it six legs! Have fun, and let me know what else you would like to build. See you inworld.
Keep out!
Commander Quandry brings us the latest in his series of scripting articles.
Keep Out!
Something I have been asked about a few times over the last few weeks is the locking of doors – or more to the point, making a door only work for the owner.
This technique is simple to implement and, since it is done through the touch event, works to stop anything working unless it is the owner doing the touching. So you can stop others from switching on your lights, or starting your swing, etc.
The code we will use is put into the touch_start event method for this example. However, it could equally be used in a collision event, or listen event, for objects that respond to being collided with or spoken to.
Create yourself a prim and add the New Script to it. We will edit the touch_start, that is already present.
The basic touch_start looks like this:-
touch_start(integer total_number)
{
llSay(0, "Touched.");
}
When the object it touched it says – Touched – in local chat. We will change this so that it says hello to it’s owner by saying, “Hello Master”. And to anyone else it will say, “Go away, you are not my Master”.
There are two functions we will use for this. Before explaining those just a word about the touch_start event. This event is designed to be able to handle several people touching it at once (or within an event cycle). The integer total_number identifies the number of touchers. We will not be using it for this example, but if our object we a notecard giver, with multiple choices of notecard, this allows the object to present the menu of notecard to several people and respond to the right person in each case.
The first function we will be using is the llDetectedKey function. This takes one parameter, an integer, and works for touch or collide. This parameter is asking the function to tell it who was the person who touched it, and the integer says which person touching we want. In our example we are only interested in the first person touching the object, so we pass 0 as the parameter.
The second function is llGetOwner and returns the key of the objects owner. By comparing these we can decide whether it is the owner doing the touching. Let’s take a look at the script:-
touch_start(integer total_number)
{
if (llDetectedKey(0) == llGetOwner())
{
llSay(0, "Hello Master");
}
else
{
llSay(0, "Go away, you are not my Master");
}
}
It is fairly simple to see what is going on here.
On touching an object the touch_start event method runs. We compare the llDetectedKey with the llGetOwner and if they are the same we use llSay to say hello to the owner. If they are not the same it says something different.
By using this comparison we can open a door, or start a swing, or anything else we want to do on the basis of ownership.
This has been a short article because the technique is simple – however it can be used very effectively for lots of things.
As always please contact me if you need any assistance with scripting. Commander Quandry in world, adr@rossers.net out of world.
Keep Out!
Something I have been asked about a few times over the last few weeks is the locking of doors – or more to the point, making a door only work for the owner.
This technique is simple to implement and, since it is done through the touch event, works to stop anything working unless it is the owner doing the touching. So you can stop others from switching on your lights, or starting your swing, etc.
The code we will use is put into the touch_start event method for this example. However, it could equally be used in a collision event, or listen event, for objects that respond to being collided with or spoken to.
Create yourself a prim and add the New Script to it. We will edit the touch_start, that is already present.
The basic touch_start looks like this:-
touch_start(integer total_number)
{
llSay(0, "Touched.");
}
When the object it touched it says – Touched – in local chat. We will change this so that it says hello to it’s owner by saying, “Hello Master”. And to anyone else it will say, “Go away, you are not my Master”.
There are two functions we will use for this. Before explaining those just a word about the touch_start event. This event is designed to be able to handle several people touching it at once (or within an event cycle). The integer total_number identifies the number of touchers. We will not be using it for this example, but if our object we a notecard giver, with multiple choices of notecard, this allows the object to present the menu of notecard to several people and respond to the right person in each case.
The first function we will be using is the llDetectedKey function. This takes one parameter, an integer, and works for touch or collide. This parameter is asking the function to tell it who was the person who touched it, and the integer says which person touching we want. In our example we are only interested in the first person touching the object, so we pass 0 as the parameter.
The second function is llGetOwner and returns the key of the objects owner. By comparing these we can decide whether it is the owner doing the touching. Let’s take a look at the script:-
touch_start(integer total_number)
{
if (llDetectedKey(0) == llGetOwner())
{
llSay(0, "Hello Master");
}
else
{
llSay(0, "Go away, you are not my Master");
}
}
It is fairly simple to see what is going on here.
On touching an object the touch_start event method runs. We compare the llDetectedKey with the llGetOwner and if they are the same we use llSay to say hello to the owner. If they are not the same it says something different.
By using this comparison we can open a door, or start a swing, or anything else we want to do on the basis of ownership.
This has been a short article because the technique is simple – however it can be used very effectively for lots of things.
As always please contact me if you need any assistance with scripting. Commander Quandry in world, adr@rossers.net out of world.
Time gentlemen please
LOL! introduces your new pub landlord
Avatar name: Prash Mavendorf
Role: Pub Landloard at the Open Arms.
What inspired you to be the landloard? Being a non-alcoholic drinker in Real Life, I felt at home taking this role. I will be able to remain sober (despite some Second Life pictures showing me in less favourable drinking positions), serve good drinks and good food. I love being around people and love to chat about loads of things. My general knowledge may not be great, but I do know a thing or two about the Open University (especially as I have been with them for 9 years). I can try and help point you in the right direction for help and advice. If you can't trust your friendly pub landlord for advice, who can you trust?
What are your plans for the pub? I have a few ideas. Nothing set in stone just yet. I'm hoping to introduce some Glass of white wine / fruit-based drinks for the ladies and more pints for the gents (ok, that's enough of the Al Murray talk. lol). I am hoping to put a juke box style device in the pub so that the punters can listen to a radio station of some choice. Further down the line, I am looking to host events such as League Pool (outdoors), League Darts and more frequent pub quizes. These are just ideas at the moment, nothing concrete, and would welcome ideas from the community. Don't worry, I won't be banning smoking in the pub (unless it's banned anyway!).
Will you be offering food and other drinks? I hope so. I would like to introduce some non-alcoholic beverages, choice of sarnies and snacks and other nibbles. I don't think I will be doing Curry nights just yet. But ideas are always welcome. It may take a while to get it right, so please hang in there.
Avatar name: Prash Mavendorf
Role: Pub Landloard at the Open Arms.
What inspired you to be the landloard? Being a non-alcoholic drinker in Real Life, I felt at home taking this role. I will be able to remain sober (despite some Second Life pictures showing me in less favourable drinking positions), serve good drinks and good food. I love being around people and love to chat about loads of things. My general knowledge may not be great, but I do know a thing or two about the Open University (especially as I have been with them for 9 years). I can try and help point you in the right direction for help and advice. If you can't trust your friendly pub landlord for advice, who can you trust?
What are your plans for the pub? I have a few ideas. Nothing set in stone just yet. I'm hoping to introduce some Glass of white wine / fruit-based drinks for the ladies and more pints for the gents (ok, that's enough of the Al Murray talk. lol). I am hoping to put a juke box style device in the pub so that the punters can listen to a radio station of some choice. Further down the line, I am looking to host events such as League Pool (outdoors), League Darts and more frequent pub quizes. These are just ideas at the moment, nothing concrete, and would welcome ideas from the community. Don't worry, I won't be banning smoking in the pub (unless it's banned anyway!).
Will you be offering food and other drinks? I hope so. I would like to introduce some non-alcoholic beverages, choice of sarnies and snacks and other nibbles. I don't think I will be doing Curry nights just yet. But ideas are always welcome. It may take a while to get it right, so please hang in there.
Happy Birthday OUtopia
Tori Landau reports on OUtopia's big day.
Difficult to believe but one year has flown by since the excitement and fun of having a social island began. To mark this auspicious occasion we did what we do best – have a party!
So on Saturday 10th April at 8pm I meandered over to the green to see rezzing in front of me a striped circus tent complete with beautifully written sign saying ‘Happy Birthday OUtopia’ above its entrance. The fun began and since this was a fancy dress party some of the fun involved playing ‘guess the av’. For a start there appeared to be no sign of our wonderful Events Officer until a pink iced cupcake (complete with candle) was spied zapping a dance ball. The little cupcake had been busy as the interior of the tent was furnished with straw, rotating lights and an upper walkway.
The outfits were brilliant and while the gents chose outfits of power as Quentin was King Henry VIII, Jonno was a knight, Kered chose to be a Sheikh, Lazarus wore his devil avatar and Kickaha, who had returned to being a raven after spending several weeks as a red-haired woman, turned into a large, spider type monster. The ladies, however, were either clad in something fun such as the aforementioned cupcake, cowgirl (Eshala), a chick (me), Bender the cartoon robot (Squiddlenuts) a fairy (who else but Elsa) or in elegant spring outfits such as Firestone, Jasmine, Lilac and Jen.
The great music provided by Quentin included the Open University’s anthem, ‘Crazy Nights’ along with popular oldies and contemporary tunes. As usual some mayhem ensued although for once the absinthe was not consumed. When the raven disappeared for a while Jen attempted to set fire to the tent, but thankfully for all of us the tent had passed the latest British Standards in fire safety and stubbornly refused to ignite.
One of the new students, Jasmine Pheocene, said that, “I would just like to say that it was a great party! I really enjoyed myself and everyone was really welcoming! Roll on the next one! Oh and thank you to everyone who made it happen xxx”
Difficult to believe but one year has flown by since the excitement and fun of having a social island began. To mark this auspicious occasion we did what we do best – have a party!
So on Saturday 10th April at 8pm I meandered over to the green to see rezzing in front of me a striped circus tent complete with beautifully written sign saying ‘Happy Birthday OUtopia’ above its entrance. The fun began and since this was a fancy dress party some of the fun involved playing ‘guess the av’. For a start there appeared to be no sign of our wonderful Events Officer until a pink iced cupcake (complete with candle) was spied zapping a dance ball. The little cupcake had been busy as the interior of the tent was furnished with straw, rotating lights and an upper walkway.
The outfits were brilliant and while the gents chose outfits of power as Quentin was King Henry VIII, Jonno was a knight, Kered chose to be a Sheikh, Lazarus wore his devil avatar and Kickaha, who had returned to being a raven after spending several weeks as a red-haired woman, turned into a large, spider type monster. The ladies, however, were either clad in something fun such as the aforementioned cupcake, cowgirl (Eshala), a chick (me), Bender the cartoon robot (Squiddlenuts) a fairy (who else but Elsa) or in elegant spring outfits such as Firestone, Jasmine, Lilac and Jen.
The great music provided by Quentin included the Open University’s anthem, ‘Crazy Nights’ along with popular oldies and contemporary tunes. As usual some mayhem ensued although for once the absinthe was not consumed. When the raven disappeared for a while Jen attempted to set fire to the tent, but thankfully for all of us the tent had passed the latest British Standards in fire safety and stubbornly refused to ignite.
One of the new students, Jasmine Pheocene, said that, “I would just like to say that it was a great party! I really enjoyed myself and everyone was really welcoming! Roll on the next one! Oh and thank you to everyone who made it happen xxx”
Follow the yellow brick road
The first of our new monthly party nights takes place on OUtopia on Saturday 8th May.
Pub quiz
It was a beautiful, sunny evening when some residents gathered for OUtopia’s first pub quiz on 6th March. A collective decision was, therefore, made to sit outside and hope that a wind would not pick up and drown out our Quiz Mistress for the evening, Jadis Mai.
Before we began, however, there was the issue of how to avoid cheating which Jadis assured us would be impossible as we would not have time to cheat; answers would be whatever came into our heads first. Then there were the questions of how to record our answers and how would they be marked. So, for those of us who didn’t know how to make a note card in which to record our answers, the quiz was already proving to be educational. For anyone reading this who doesn’t know how to create a note card you open the inventory, click Create on the top toolbar of the inventory, click on new note, change the description of the note, write in it whatever you need, click save at the bottom of the note, then find new note in notecards under recent items in the inventory, right click it and select rename (for quiz mine was ‘Tori’s answers’). At the end of the quiz we would swap notecards, Jadis would give each of us the answers on a notecard and then we would give her the score of the person who’s answers we had marked.
Finally we were ready to begin and after checking that we were all individual contestants with no teams being entered, Jadis launched into the quiz. There were five categories: 20th Century, film songs, general knowledge, music and places. So dear reader let us see how you fare with a question from each section (answers at bottom of the page)
1. James Earl Ray was responsible for whose death in 1968?
2. Which film is ‘Show me heaven’ by Maria McKee best known for?
3. Which children's TV show did Roy Castle present?
4. What is the home country of Van Morrison?
5. Which English county with a sea border has the shortest coastline?
Silence mostly reigned during the quiz itself as we scratched our virtual heads although one avatar was heard to mutter that most of their answers were ‘pass’ and they hoped that in the places category that ‘pass’ may be an actual answer. After the quiz ended and answers marked with some role reversal going on as students marked tutors’ note cards, Jadis announced the winners in reverse order: Joint 3rd were Strangie Vaher and Jemsyn Fairlady, 2nd was Kered Rickena and, trumpet fanfare please, Rocky Joans was the winner. Congratulations to Rocky and many thanks to Jadis for organising and running the quiz.
The next pub quiz is at 8pm on Friday 28th May so im Jadis Mai if you wish to enter as either an individual or part of a team. Hope to see you there!
Answers to quiz questions: 1. Martin Luther King's, 2. Days of Thunder, 3. Record Breakers, 4. Northern Ireland, 5. Durham
Before we began, however, there was the issue of how to avoid cheating which Jadis assured us would be impossible as we would not have time to cheat; answers would be whatever came into our heads first. Then there were the questions of how to record our answers and how would they be marked. So, for those of us who didn’t know how to make a note card in which to record our answers, the quiz was already proving to be educational. For anyone reading this who doesn’t know how to create a note card you open the inventory, click Create on the top toolbar of the inventory, click on new note, change the description of the note, write in it whatever you need, click save at the bottom of the note, then find new note in notecards under recent items in the inventory, right click it and select rename (for quiz mine was ‘Tori’s answers’). At the end of the quiz we would swap notecards, Jadis would give each of us the answers on a notecard and then we would give her the score of the person who’s answers we had marked.
Finally we were ready to begin and after checking that we were all individual contestants with no teams being entered, Jadis launched into the quiz. There were five categories: 20th Century, film songs, general knowledge, music and places. So dear reader let us see how you fare with a question from each section (answers at bottom of the page)
1. James Earl Ray was responsible for whose death in 1968?
2. Which film is ‘Show me heaven’ by Maria McKee best known for?
3. Which children's TV show did Roy Castle present?
4. What is the home country of Van Morrison?
5. Which English county with a sea border has the shortest coastline?
Silence mostly reigned during the quiz itself as we scratched our virtual heads although one avatar was heard to mutter that most of their answers were ‘pass’ and they hoped that in the places category that ‘pass’ may be an actual answer. After the quiz ended and answers marked with some role reversal going on as students marked tutors’ note cards, Jadis announced the winners in reverse order: Joint 3rd were Strangie Vaher and Jemsyn Fairlady, 2nd was Kered Rickena and, trumpet fanfare please, Rocky Joans was the winner. Congratulations to Rocky and many thanks to Jadis for organising and running the quiz.
The next pub quiz is at 8pm on Friday 28th May so im Jadis Mai if you wish to enter as either an individual or part of a team. Hope to see you there!
Answers to quiz questions: 1. Martin Luther King's, 2. Days of Thunder, 3. Record Breakers, 4. Northern Ireland, 5. Durham
Partying for the Saints
St Patrick’s Day and St George’s Day parties by Tori Landau
17th March and 23rd April were St Patrick’s Day and St George’s Day respectively so as OUtopia’s representative I decided that we needed to learn about and celebrate the special days of Ireland and England (as if OUtopians need an excuse to party).
With the help of Kickaha, Hatshepsut, Kered, Kira , Jonno and Arthur Arkright, decorations and outfits were found, megaprims supplied, levelled and transformed for the dance floors, dance balls given and cunningly disguised, the Irish jig dance transferred to everyone, St George’s flag vendor made and very importantly music supplied via a music url.
On St Patrick’s Day R2D2 became an honorary Irish droid whilst supplying drinks to fairies and leprechauns who had been busy taking chocolate coins from the pot of gold while spinning through the shamrocks. PDunstan and MDunstan engaged in synchronised dancing as a couple but perhaps the Absinthe had effected Kered and Xara as several times Xara was caught on camera giving Kered a kick making me wonder what the usually impeccably behaved Kered had done. To the sound of Riverdance belting across the dance floor, harmony was restored as couples and singles alike joined in a group jig on the gold floor. Of the evening’s shenanigans, Elsbeth Biedermann commented, “"it was a fantastic party, and we all had a wonderful time, to be sure, to be sure ;-)".
On St George’s day, 3 avatars met on the green for a chat at 5pm and then the idea of a party was raised (talk about last minute) but with the wonders of modern communication contact was made with a good number of people and lots of fun had. Oddly enough dragons and knights were popular attire although the dragons veered on the side of caution and not only wore armour but air danced to avoid Sir Rocky’s swinging sword. For the first time ever that your reporter can remember she found herself wearing the exact same outfit as a guy (Prash) although I quickly managed to find shiny boots and belt. Several ladies (Xara and Elsa to name several) came as elegant maidens prompting queries from the male knights as to whether or not they needed rescuing. With the flags fluttering in the breeze and roses wafting past us, we partied to not so late as usual but, Hatshepsut Linette said, “The venue was resplendent with flags of St George around the perimeter of the dance floor, which was itself a giant flag. Fabulous idea. Unfortunately, I was not able to stay to the end, but gather all those present had a fantastic time.”
17th March and 23rd April were St Patrick’s Day and St George’s Day respectively so as OUtopia’s representative I decided that we needed to learn about and celebrate the special days of Ireland and England (as if OUtopians need an excuse to party).
With the help of Kickaha, Hatshepsut, Kered, Kira , Jonno and Arthur Arkright, decorations and outfits were found, megaprims supplied, levelled and transformed for the dance floors, dance balls given and cunningly disguised, the Irish jig dance transferred to everyone, St George’s flag vendor made and very importantly music supplied via a music url.
On St Patrick’s Day R2D2 became an honorary Irish droid whilst supplying drinks to fairies and leprechauns who had been busy taking chocolate coins from the pot of gold while spinning through the shamrocks. PDunstan and MDunstan engaged in synchronised dancing as a couple but perhaps the Absinthe had effected Kered and Xara as several times Xara was caught on camera giving Kered a kick making me wonder what the usually impeccably behaved Kered had done. To the sound of Riverdance belting across the dance floor, harmony was restored as couples and singles alike joined in a group jig on the gold floor. Of the evening’s shenanigans, Elsbeth Biedermann commented, “"it was a fantastic party, and we all had a wonderful time, to be sure, to be sure ;-)".
On St George’s day, 3 avatars met on the green for a chat at 5pm and then the idea of a party was raised (talk about last minute) but with the wonders of modern communication contact was made with a good number of people and lots of fun had. Oddly enough dragons and knights were popular attire although the dragons veered on the side of caution and not only wore armour but air danced to avoid Sir Rocky’s swinging sword. For the first time ever that your reporter can remember she found herself wearing the exact same outfit as a guy (Prash) although I quickly managed to find shiny boots and belt. Several ladies (Xara and Elsa to name several) came as elegant maidens prompting queries from the male knights as to whether or not they needed rescuing. With the flags fluttering in the breeze and roses wafting past us, we partied to not so late as usual but, Hatshepsut Linette said, “The venue was resplendent with flags of St George around the perimeter of the dance floor, which was itself a giant flag. Fabulous idea. Unfortunately, I was not able to stay to the end, but gather all those present had a fantastic time.”
February parties
With a Valentine’s Ball and the FELS (Faculty of Education and Language Studies) party for new students the week from 13th to 19th February was a busy time for our Events Officer Jadis Mai and DJ Quentin Calvert.
The theme for the Valentine’s Ball was ‘Enchantment under the Sea’ from the film ‘Back to the Future’ and Jadis built an amazing set on OUtopia’s green that would have been fit for a film itself. With sharks circling above as opposed to around us this time, jellyfish floating about, wrecks and treasure on the sea floor and some residents dressed as mermaids (Jadis and Xara) or other sea creatures (Kered), we really were transported into another world. Other residents chose elegant attire with Lilac looking radiant in red and Elsbeth shimmering in silver. Our DJ was clad in a white suit for a while before changing and revealing that his true love was the England Rugby team by wearing their t-shirt and playing ‘Swing low sweet chariot’ by UB40. Hennamono meanwhile rezzed a cube, river danced to cover it up and then proceeded to raid the treasure chest! “It was pawsome!” according to our publican at the time, McDude Snoodle and although I was only there for the 2nd half due to an electricity failure in rl (yes, that place!) I wholeheartedly agree!
For the introduction of the language students to SL Jadis decided on ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for the theme which took me back to when I first came to the OU sims and talked to a raven and a tiger cub at the sandpit. With the green covered in giant mushrooms, a caterpillar doubling as the dance ball and butterflies flitting about it was up to some of the councillors to fill the roles of Alice in Wonderland characters. Alice was provided by Elsbeth with Jadis being the Chesire cat and your reporter as the Queen of Hearts... there was only one person who could ever be the mad hatter of course and the role was duly filled by Kickaha. The overall effect was slightly hallucinogenic with fairies appearing, our DJ as Willy Wonka, a wolf bopping around, an ‘Avatar’ avatar appearing, a pipe smoking multicoloured owl and to complete the effect, Titiana’s head appearing under a mushroom although thankfully she was back together shortly afterwards. Of the night’s festivities, pdunstan Greymoon said, “Was the first party I managed to get to. Had an awesome time, with a great DJ playing cool music. Haven't missed a party since!!”
So that no-one has an excuse to miss our official parties from now on the second Saturday of each month has been designated as the party Saturday with the next party being on 8th May at 8pm on OUtopia’s green and the theme is the Wizard of Oz. Hope to see you all there and that you give me plenty to report on for LOL!
The theme for the Valentine’s Ball was ‘Enchantment under the Sea’ from the film ‘Back to the Future’ and Jadis built an amazing set on OUtopia’s green that would have been fit for a film itself. With sharks circling above as opposed to around us this time, jellyfish floating about, wrecks and treasure on the sea floor and some residents dressed as mermaids (Jadis and Xara) or other sea creatures (Kered), we really were transported into another world. Other residents chose elegant attire with Lilac looking radiant in red and Elsbeth shimmering in silver. Our DJ was clad in a white suit for a while before changing and revealing that his true love was the England Rugby team by wearing their t-shirt and playing ‘Swing low sweet chariot’ by UB40. Hennamono meanwhile rezzed a cube, river danced to cover it up and then proceeded to raid the treasure chest! “It was pawsome!” according to our publican at the time, McDude Snoodle and although I was only there for the 2nd half due to an electricity failure in rl (yes, that place!) I wholeheartedly agree!
For the introduction of the language students to SL Jadis decided on ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for the theme which took me back to when I first came to the OU sims and talked to a raven and a tiger cub at the sandpit. With the green covered in giant mushrooms, a caterpillar doubling as the dance ball and butterflies flitting about it was up to some of the councillors to fill the roles of Alice in Wonderland characters. Alice was provided by Elsbeth with Jadis being the Chesire cat and your reporter as the Queen of Hearts... there was only one person who could ever be the mad hatter of course and the role was duly filled by Kickaha. The overall effect was slightly hallucinogenic with fairies appearing, our DJ as Willy Wonka, a wolf bopping around, an ‘Avatar’ avatar appearing, a pipe smoking multicoloured owl and to complete the effect, Titiana’s head appearing under a mushroom although thankfully she was back together shortly afterwards. Of the night’s festivities, pdunstan Greymoon said, “Was the first party I managed to get to. Had an awesome time, with a great DJ playing cool music. Haven't missed a party since!!”
So that no-one has an excuse to miss our official parties from now on the second Saturday of each month has been designated as the party Saturday with the next party being on 8th May at 8pm on OUtopia’s green and the theme is the Wizard of Oz. Hope to see you all there and that you give me plenty to report on for LOL!
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