Primarily, this all goes back to a three pointed kick in the guts in terms of SL recently; and a massive drop in ym motivation to build based on what I was seeing. First, there's a glitch in the 1.23.4 viewer that's been hardcoded in by Linden Labs themselves, that basically breaks complex sculpted items in lieu of some kind of "anti-griefing and performance enhancing" stratagem from the people who're actually coding the thing. Basically what this has meant for me in the short term is a loss in income rivalling 6 weeks take in the last 15. The JIRA's available, the public have been voting, but as yet there's no solution in the foreseeable future. The trouble is, depending on your graphics settings it seems to vary in efficacy. Some see it, some don't, but the only surefire way of getting aroudn it is to use a non-LL viewer. This hurt...
Secondly, there also appears to be a glitch in one of the latest versions of the server code that affects perms on a limited basis, and is in turn affecting up to eight styles I have in-store. At least I've been able to gt a workaround for this and am in the process of gearing up to eradicate it from my store (and yes, there will be a sale by means of an amnesty when it's all resolved)
The third is that due to a number of factors, wondering what the frell I'm doing with my RL on top of the rest, I've realised that I simply don't want to spend all day every day doing what I have been doing for increasingly smaller rewards; and I actually want to use SL as a tool for furthering my abilities, and while I'm about it, actively ENJOY my time in SL. I've reconstructed myself a home for the first time in eighteen months... have found a way of streaming the odd movie... actually been out talking to people... and generally living a second life. This too as you can imagine has hit my productivity to the extent that it practically hit zero.
BUT...
I was talking to April Looming a while back, who if you weren't aware, has tied a couple of her (very nicely done) avatar creations into some of my hairstyles when she mentioned the Twisted Hunt... I looked at the timeframe... gave it some thought, weighed it up against other commitments and decided OK... I'm going for it.
This leads to a style that I've flung together and named Ruin, named in part as a tribute to the resident Ruina Kessel who, while not a friend per se, has always given me wonderful feedback on my creations (and always thanked me for shipping out group gifts... ;) but has recently ceded back into RL for the foreseeable future.
The style itself is classic -dD-... braided up one side, sculpted where it needs it, tight to the head etc... but this time, the hunt gift is tipped. Note guys and gals, these colorways will ONLY be available for the duration of the hunt. After that... well, and during as a matter of fact, it'll be available int the requisite 72 solid colors; which I've tested and they are rather nice thankyou. Going on what I was saying earlier... it does actually go some way to furthering what I'm capable of... the sculpts... or some of them at least that I used were made, for the first time, out of SL using a commercial 3D package... ZBrush, for those that are interested.
Anyway... after more waffle than a Belgian breakfast club, here's a pic...
The hunt gift will comprise no fewer than five variations on this baby... the Onyx/Leaf tipped variant shown, three further tips - Onyx/Cobalt, Onyx/Fuschia and Onyx/Sunburst (Bright yellow - not replicated in solid colors)... and the straight Onyx.
Launch date is set for the first of September... so watch this space, OK?
Until next time,
Kalli
