New Pinata, for sale on Marketplace

A new item has been added to the Second Life Marketplace from Brain's R Us just in time for Mardi Gras. The Pinata is fun for any gathering and can be used for parties and as a traffic generator for your store. The kit includes a pinata, a prize server, a money giver (optional) and a bat giver. To play, a player gets a bat from the bat giver and wears it. The player clicks on the pinata to take a turn. When it is the players turn they will go into mouse look and try to strike the pinata by clicking the left mouse button. When the pinata is struck, lots of candy and coins pour out. Anyone can then click on the candies to eat them and one out twenty candies will have a prize. Owners can configure their own prizes and decide if lucky coins will pay out lindens. The pinata is great fun at any party with music, sound effects, animations, prizes and a chance to receive lindens.
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pinata-boxed/2024453

Online Indicator works with Google's GQueue's

The Brains R Us Online Indicator will show your online status to anyone in Second Life. It automatically displays your profile picture on the front and displays status messages above it. It can also send tasks to your Google GQueue. If you do plan to use this feature be aware that anyone can drop a notecard in then Online Indicator and thereby adding to your inbox. You may want to place this device somewhere semi-private.

Setup is very easy. Simply create a note card called config that contains your e-mail address or to your Google GQueue. Drop the config note card into your online indicator and your e-mail address will be set.

Anyone can drop a note card into your online indicator to add a task to your queue. The title of note card will be the name of the task and in the contents of the note card will be the description of the task. The online indicator will automatically e-mail your new task queue.

Google’s Gqueue is a great tool for managing your to do list, projects or anything else you may need a list for. You can get a lite version for free or the full vision is only $25 per year. You can integrate your Gqueue into your home page, web site or Google calendar. To see more please visit:

http://www.gqueues.com/

The online videos will show you how easy and helpful it is to use Google’s Gqueue’s.

Check the Online Indicator out here:

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Online-Indicator-boxed/1973668

Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds coming up. Thought we would pass this along.

We went to this event last year on line. Very helpful and interesting. Thought we would pass it along for any of you that were interested.

Proposals are due by February 7 for workshops, government poster sessions and vendor participation. Don’t forget to send in your proposal ASAP for consideration!

2) Registration is now open!

3) We are on Twitter and Facebook. Stay in touch!

4) Keysha Gamor (Keysha.Gamor.ctr@ndu.edu) will be the POC for 2011 Conference.

The agenda is shaping up for the 4^th Annual Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds Conference 2011, scheduled for May 11-13! The keynote speakers are great this year! May 11 is a day of workshops, and the main conference takes place on the 12^th-13^th. Our theme for this year’s conference is: Headed for the Future. Watch the FCVW web site for conference updates: http://www.ndu.edu/iCollege/fcvw/index.htm .

As we get closer to the event, more and more information will be posted on the web site For starters, each month until the conference, a new keynote speaker will be featured on our homepage. Get a sneak peek at who’s coming, what they’re about, and what they plan to discuss. We will also start posting detailed agenda information so that you can begin to plan how you would like to spend your time while at the conference.

In the meantime, here are a few important reminders and updates to keep in mind:

Proposals

There’s still time to submit a proposal for a workshop or for the vendor fair. Spaces are filling up, so act now.

The online proposal forms can be found on the FCVW Conference homepage under the Call for Proposals tab: http://www.ndu.edu/iCollege/fcvw/proposals.html

Due dates to remember:

Proposal deadline: February 7, 2011.

Notification of acceptance: NLT March 14, 2011.

Registration

Registration is now open. You can register for workshops, the two-day conference or both! Whether you plan to attend on campus, through video stream or virtual world, you will need to register. Please visit http://www.ndu.edu/iCollege/fcvw/registration.html to register today. Please register even if you plan to attend virtually through the webstream or inworld. Cost is $0. Directions for registering are on the website.

Stay connected

· Follow us on twitter @fcvw for the latest conference information and updates as well as information on virtual worlds. If you tweet on virtual worlds, please include the #fcvw hashtag.

· Find us on us on Facebook. It’s not only a great way to get timely updates on FCVW happenings, but it’s also a great way to network with other FCVW members and followers.

· Join FCVW! If you are not already a member, you’re missing out on access to a wealth of knowledge and a large network of experienced professionals in virtual worlds from across multiple sectors. Click here to sign up for your FREE membership:http://www.ndu.edu/iCollege/fcvw/join.html .

If you have any questions, please email the FederalConsortiumVW@ndu.edu.

See you at the conference!

Paulette

__________________________________________

Paulette Robinson, PhD

Assistant Dean for Teaching, Learning & Technology

Information Resources Management College (NDU iCollege)

National Defense University

Washington DC

202-685-3891

Twitter--@pjrobinsonCall for proposals. A call for proposals is now posted on the website in three conference activities. If you have any questions, please email the FederalConsortiumVW@ndu.edu. Deadline for all proposals is February 15, 2010. Notification of acceptance will be no later than March 1, 2010. The online proposal form can be found on the FCVW Conference homepage:http://www.ndu.edu/irmc/fcvw/fcvw10/index.html under the news section.

1. Government project poster session—This session was one of the most popular at the conference last year. We encourage anyone in government or vendors (who are part of a government project) connected to a virtual world project to submit a proposal. The project can be in the planning phase, development phase, or maintenance phase as long as it is connected to virtual worlds. We have room for approximately 50 projects. We will have a table, electric plug and internet access for each project submitted. All of the projects are in one large room. Conference participants (530 last year) come around, admire your project and ask questions.

2. Workshops—this year we will have a pre-conference day of workshops on May 12 from 8-4. We will have a limited number of 3 hour slots and larger number of 75 minute slots for workshops. The workshops that are proposed should teach participants a skill that is related to virtual worlds. Breakfast, box lunch and pm snack will be served.

3. Vendor Fair—We have a relatively small vendor fair each year at the Consortium conference. Vendors are selected from proposals and have the choice of sponsoring the conference at three levels through the NDU Foundation. Once Vendors are selected, they will be notified and given the links to the NDU foundation information. You will get broad exposure from those in government, industry and academic interested in virtual worlds and virtual world related products. The vendor fair is in the midst of where food is served, just outside the government poster sessions and where the reception is held. I have had a number of vendors tell me it is the best virtual world conference they attend.

4. Virtual World live-video stream: If you would like to be one of the virtual world sites that we live video stream the conference (we streamed to 6 different virtual worlds last year), please contactBeverly.McCarter.CTR@ndu.edu. We had over 2,500 attending the conference last year through the stream or in one of the virtual worlds. It gives online participants the opportunity to see a variety of virtual worlds.

Don’t forget to follow us on twitter @fcvw for conference information and updates as well as information on virtual worlds. If you tweet on virtual worlds, please include the #fcvw hashtag. Thanks for your assistance.

Paulette

Paulette Robinson, PhD

Assistant Dean for Teaching, Learning & Technology

Information Resources Management College (NDU iCollege)

National Defense University

Washington DC

202-685-3891

Twitter--@pjrobinson

New Building Aid "Builders Palette" available soon

The Builder's Palette is a new tool that makes construction of multi-part objects quick and easy. We have texture organizers and sculpt organizers but Builder's Palette is the first tool that combine shapes and textures to create custom parts that can be easily assembled and modified in a build. Imagine being able to create an entire line of jewelry in a matter of minutes.

With the Builder's Palette you can do just that. Create the part of a necklace for example, consisting of a chain and a pendant or other parts. With a single click you instanly change the texture or shape of any of the parts. Builder's Palette is good for other things as well such as creating plant and flower arrangements, gadgets, furniture and even buildings. You can easily create your own palettes because everything but the scripts are full perm. I wil be working with part vendors to provide free palettes that they can distribute with their products.

Builder's Palette works well with other tools also. Itcan inject Prim Master scripts into the objects you are creating to make alignment simple and easy. It also works with the Opus Texture and Sculpt organizers to relay shapes and textures to your palettes. No more having to get textures from the texture organizer to your inventory. They can be applied directly to what you are creating. TheBuilder's Palette will also include a free Color Picker which I have upgraded to work with Builder's Palette. This allows you to easily find a color to apply to selected target prims.

See you in 2011 for the next training sessions

It was great to have you all come in for training each week. This is the end of the year. No more training classes until January 2011. Brains R Us will announce the starting date and time of the next classes which will be in the first weeks of January. We will keep you posted on the exact date and class sessions.

Have a great holiday.

Got a few questions for tonight's training? See you there!

Don't forget. Tonight 9/8 at 6:00 SL you can come and get all of your questions answered about how to do what????? With the Brains R US Product.

See you there. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Notha/211/208/30

Wednesday P.M. Brains "R' Us training sessions are back

It use to be Tuesdays and well now it is Wednesday. On September 8th at 6 p.m. SLT join us at the Notha Learning Center to have your questions answered and also some demos on new features of the products. Invite your friends. They can get a demo of the the application to try out. Great classroom setting. Lots of discussions. Bring your questions. See you on the 8th. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Notha/211/208/30

Nevada

No Saturday weekend training until September 18

Yep school is starting back, football season is here and baseball finals are in the near. There will be no Saturday training for scripting until September 18. Look for the invite reminder on 9/18 for 7:30 a.m. second life time. In the meantime think of what you would like to learn. Send your discussions thru the blog and add your virtual world friends to the blog. Nathan is open to teaching just about anything if you want to learn. See you all on September 18 and hope to get some good suggestions in the meantime.

Nevada

Need some training or want to know more about the Brain and Brain HUD

This Wednesday (8/11) at 6:00p.m. SL time you can meet at the Brains R Us training room and learn about the new versions that were just released. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Notha/211/208/30

New Update For you Brainiacs

The registry is back on line. We have a new update for the Brain Hud version 2.151 and the Brain 2.09. This will take care of fixes that were needed for improvement of usability. You should have received an update from the Brain Server already. If you have not stop by and get an update from one of the stores...

Brain registry offline

The brain registry is currently offline until it moves to a web based server. If you have any problems with registering a HUD or brain please let me know. This should improve the reliability and capacity of the brain registry greatly. The brain registry is used to authorize HUDs to users for trial and fully unlocked use. If you run out of time to evaluate your Brain HUD, please let me know and I will give you more time.

Nathan Zetkin

Web Pad Accessory for your Avatar

Tonight while you are in world why not come by to our training session at Notha and try out the new web pad. It is free and a great accessory to take along. I like changing the colors to my web pad and it is great to search the web while in world. Training and questions for the Brains R US products are always provided every Tuesday night 6:00 p.m. Linden Time.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Notha/211/208/30

Follow up training on the Brains R Us product

Spread the word. More updated training and features being presented at the Brains R Us class-room each Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. SL time.

Special discussion at Notha for Brains R Us Product 5 p.m. SL time 11/5

Hi everyone,

This Thursday , November 5th at 5:00 p.m. SL time, we will have a discussion on the Brains R Us product. This is an open session to learn more about the product. Bring your friends. The location is http://slurl.com/secondlife/Notha/211/208/30

There are many new things to show you. And if you have anything special you want to learn this is a good time to ask.

Brain Server update to version 1.7

Brain server owners should receive an update automatically to bring the Brain Server to version 1.7. This update provides a free security option to be used with an upcoming security plug in for the brain. This update will show avatars in the region on the map and allow your brain to query status of the sim your server is in at any time from anywhere. With the upcoming security plug in you will be able to see who is on your land or group owned land and to eject, ban or send home anyone even if you are not in the sim. Imagine someone IM's you that someone is causing trouble on your land and you are somewhere else. You will be able to send the troublemaker home using your Brain HUD without having to TP home to do it.

Currently the plug in provides a list of names to the Brain HUD in the form of an in world email. Soon your Brain HUD will be able to display a map of your home sim with a radar display of each avatar on your land. You will have a menu with a list of avatars that when clicked on will take you to the same avatar menu you have for local avatars.

Other fixes for the Brain Server are related to email and networking. The list of networked users is now correctly updated. Email acknowledgement messages are now sent properly. More changes will come to the system to improve email capabilities between brains and server.

Come visit the Red Room

The Red Room in Second life awaits you. Click the following link to come visit and get your free Brains R Us Halloween Gift Box. Red Room The room is based on the Red Room from Twin Peaks. Click on every thing if you dare. Have a seat. Stay awhile. Or just collect your freebies and return. :) Your free gifts are shown below:

• Bat poofer
• Beating heart
• Chatter skull
• Leaf emitter
• Skull rezzor

Brain HUD update with new object finder

A new release of the Brain HUD is available to all users. A new enhanced object finding capability has been added and a problem with memory running out when too many profile pictures are loaded has been fixed. Simply select check update from your HUD menu and you will receive a Brain HUD update box. Follow the instructions that come with the box to update your HUD and Brains R Us Brain.

Do you like to do grid hunts or other treasure hunts? Have you ever lost an item and found it difficult to retrieve. Did you ever want to find someone in a crowd of people? If you answered yes to any of these questions you will find the new object or avatar finding capabilities of the Brain HUD and Brain simply amazing. You can search for objects or avatars by selecting the appropriate search mode. Then enter:

/999 find objectname

where objectname can be any part of the objects full name. Case is not important. The object finder will vary its sweep range as you move around making it easy to find the object you are looking for. As some of you know, Second Life limist search to 16 objects at a time, but the brains search algorithm uses a dynamic beam technique to narrow the search and find what you are looking for. Once your brain has found objects that match your description it alerts you in open chat with a SLURL to the objects location. You can also enable a particle stream to show you where the found objects are.

Memory of course is a limited commodity for scripted objects in Second Life. You can easily acquire many profile and map images as you travel around Second Life. Previously old profile pictures were deleted when you logged in. Profiles pictures can still add up in crowded areas. The Brain HUD can store about 200 images. When you go over 200 images, the oldest map, broadcast and profile pictures will be deleted leaving the most recent ones. You may also delete images at any time by clicking on the trash icon. When the trash icon is red any picture you delete in the picture browser will be deleted. If you make a mistake drag off of the picture before releasing the mouse button and the picture will not be deleted. Deleted pictures can not be recovered but only references to pictures are stored in the HUD, not the actual pictures.

Did you ever wish that people did not see what you have on your land? Perhaps worried that someone will complain due to the new rules? The Runic Arts Cloaking Device will hide your items when you are away and automatically show them when you are around.

The Cloaking Device allows you to control the visibility of your objects when you are away. The cloaking device will detect when you, a group member or someone on a list is around and then uncloak objects in which you have placed the included "Cloak - New v4.0 slave" script. You must have modify rights to the object you wish to cloak and you should not use this on objects that are not opaque.

There are five modes of cloaking available on the menu you will see when you click on the Cloaking Device. These are:

• Hide - Hide all objects within shouting distance (100m) of the cloaking device.
  
• Show - Show all objects.
  
• Owner - Show all objects when the owner is within the scanning range.
  
• Group - Show all objects when anyone in the same group is within the scanning range.
  
• List - Show all objects when anyone on the list is within the scanning range.
  

The Cloaking Device is editable and inside you will see a notecard call viewer list. You may edit that list to contain the names of anyone you wish to be able to see your stuff. Make sure you spell their name exactly right with correct capitalization because computers are not too smart and cannot read your mind .. yet.

If you wish to have anyone in a group see the cloaked objects, simply set the group of the Cloaking Device to the one you want. Of course you must be a member of that group, if only temporary to set the group for the Cloaking Device.

You can change the scanning range by selecting "Range" from the option menu. The range can be set anywhere from 10 to 96 meters. You should reapply the cloaking mode after changing the range to make sure it uses the proper range.

You can change the appearance of the Cloaking Device to anything you like. If you are in one of the scanning modes, the Cloaking Device will disappear when you are not around, but no matter what mode it is in, it will appear when you are there.

Available now at all Brains R Us stores and on Xstreet.

Teleport and sim crossing issues

There is an issue with rezzing mono scripted attachments in Second Life. When someone teleports in or enters a sim with mono scripted attachments, the sim will freeze for several seconds. The Brain HUD is of course a heavily scripted gadget. I have recompiled most of the HUD in regular LSL and left critical scripts compiled in mono and the HUD is much better on rezzing now. Get a free replacement HUD by clicking on any dispensor. The Brains R Us starter kit you recieve will always have the latest version of the HUD. Your new HUD will automatically reregister so that you may start using it immediately.

Training Tuesdays

Well we missed some of you at training last night. Here is a picture of one of the training centers. We are planning to rotate the stores for training to give you an opportunity to see some of the other locations. Come join the fun and learn more about the product and meet other users.