Tag Archives: ZoHa Islands

Spring Homestead Sale!

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Zoha Islands General Pictures_005

Have you been considering ZoHa Islands as your home? Looking for a full homestead in the best estate company on the grid? Now is the time to make your move!

Zoha Islands is having a spring cleaning sale on FULL Homesteads!

Your price: $7250L per week!

PLEASE READ ALL RULES AND LIMITATIONS BELOW!!

• Regular price: $7696L per week. That’s a savings of $446L per week!

• A full homestead is 65536 sqm and has 3750 Prims – it comes with full Estate Rights to change sim rating, terrain textures Etc.

• It can accommodate up to 20 avatars at a time. This is perfect for residential homes or lower Traffic stores and businesses.

Rules & Limitations:

To be eligible for this pricing you must meet the following criteria:

• New or Returning Residents of Zoha Islands only. (Friends & Family referrals) Even if you just want to come back!

• Upgrades – i.e. you own a half homestead and want to move to a full homestead rental for more prims/land

* Be in good standing with your rental payments, i.e. not be late on a weekly basis

Restrictions:

• If you currently own a homestead, you cannot claim the lower price or ask for it, unless you are buying an ADDITIONAL homestead in addition to your current rental.

• If you own a homestead and purchase an additional one at the sale price, and you give up the original one down the road, the $7250L price will no longer be valid and your tier will revert to the same as your original one.

Contact one of our Sales Agents or Estate Managers today and grab your homestead at this amazing price before they’re all gone!

Come to our Sales Office by clicking here: ZoHa Islands Sales Office.

If you’re a current resident looking to upgrade to take advantage of this amazing price, simply ask for help in group chat.

I remain respectfully yours,
Suzanne Piers, ZI Blogger/Social Media

Machinima In Second Life

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One of the things in Second Life that fascinates me the most is machinima.

Machinima is the use of real-time computer graphics engines to create a cinematic production. Most often video games are used to generate the computer animation, such as Second Life. Machinimists use external software and 3-D mouse to capture gameplay in Second Life, and then edit it, add music and effects much like regular videographers do.

Second Life’s Facebook page posted a machinima that is extremely well done. I love the effects. I thought I would post it here for you to enjoy!

I remain respectfully yours,
~ Suzanne Piers, ZoHa Islands Blogger/Social Media

MadPea’s UNIA Game is Open!

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Unia
MadPea has really outdone themselves with this game. I have not yet tried it, but plan to this weekend when I have some time. This is their most complex game to date, and it operates much like an MMO, with a combat HUD and everything. They call it an “MMO within and MMO” and it is likely to be their best yet!

Please see their website for full details on how to participate in this game. I highly recommend reading it, as it is very complex, but so exciting!

See you in UNIA!

Click here to read more! How To Play UNIA!

I remain respectfully yours,
~ Suzanne Piers

The Bots, The Whole Bots, and Nothing But The Bots . . .

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ZoHa Islands's Greeter Bot

ZoHa Islands’s Greeter Bot

There is a lot of controversy and questions around the use of robots (“bots”) in Second Life. Obviously, bots used to steal content are not only illegal and against SL’s Terms of Service (TOS), but they are unethical and undermine the very thing that makes Second Life so amazing — user content creators. For the most part, Bots can be very useful to shop owners, roleplaying, and the fashion industry, to name a few.

What is a bot?
A bot is an avatar which is controlled by a machine, rather than by a human. This can have various uses, such as to perform group invitations (which isn’t possible via LSL), perform as a non-player character (NPC) in a roleplaying game, as mannequin in a shop etc.

An SL bot account can be created in the same way as a human-controlled avatar. The only requirement is to mark the bot’s account as a scripted agent. Bots are controlled by a program, and the owner has to choose the program from available alternatives. The program can run on user’s computer, or be hosted at Second Life bot hosting. With a hosted bot, it’s not necessary to have your computer running 24 hours per day.

Allowed Usage
The purpose of Linden Lab’s policy on bots is to increase fairness and reliability of the search and communications services. The Second Life bot account can be used in various ways, including user interaction, role playing and adding automation to a Second Life project or location. The most common usage of SL bots includes (but is not limited to):

• Direct group inviters – to effectively invite other residents to Second Life group (included closed and paid groups)
• Automatic group management – group chat translator, automatic antispam monitor, remote (web based) group chat access tool
• Mannequin (model bot), catwalk models
• Roleplaying NPC (non-player characters) for gaming and interactive areas
• In-world office greeter and/or autoresponder
• Security bot – as automatic sim manager to detect and ban greefers, spammers and abusers

Forbidden Usage
According to Linden Lab Terms of Service usage of scripted agents is forbidden for:
• Increasing the parcel traffic by camping (“gaming” traffic);
• Stealing an in-world content; violate the copyright
• Performing any other activity prohibited by TOS.

For more information on Linden Lab’s policy on bots, click here: Linden Lab Official:Inworld policy on bots.

Traffic and bots
Traffic is a numerical metric calculated for every parcel of land inworld. This score can be summarized as the cumulative minutes spent on the parcel by all visitors to the parcel within the previous day (PT). Bots, or scripted agents, are avatars controlled by computer programs rather than people. In calculating traffic scores, the number of visitors include bots, which has led to their use to increase traffic scores and boost search rankings.

Suzanne blogging_001

Here I am, sitting at ZoHa Island’s office, writing my blog. This could be considered “camping,” if I stayed here very long, which, as opposed to bots, is a way some shop owners use real avatars rather than bots to increase traffic on their sims. Sometimes, shop owners pay people a nominal amount (usually noobs) to camp on their sim a certain number of hours per week in order to drive up their traffic numbers, and thus boosting their position in the search function.

Communications and bots
Some bots are used to automate communications with parcel visitors, and to provide interactive services for human users. These types of bots can enhance the Second Life experience.

Every chat message, IM, inventory offer, group notice, group IM, and group invitation creates load on the Second Life communications services. There is an upper limit where bots consume excessive resources and threaten to decrease the quality of service for others.

Policy
Bots, per se, are allowed and have legitimate uses, but inappropriate uses are violations of LL’s policy. As stated above, using bots to “game” traffic is not allowed. Business owners or club owners or anyone else may not attempt to gain an unfair advantage in search results through the use of bots to inflate the traffic for a parcel. This policy applies to both mainland and private estates since both are represented in search.

In addition, using bots to send an excessive number of messages is not allowed. Bots cannot send more than 5,000 messages in a calendar day. Group messages are counted as one message for every recipient in the group. All bots operated by a single user share a common limit.

Violations of this policy include:
• Bots causing unreasonable load on search or the regions in which they operate.
• Bots causing a nuisance by regularly getting stuck at welcome areas or infohubs. This includes the use of large numbers of land bots to get around the throttling of search requests.
• Bots joining groups and sending group IMs or notices such that more than 5,000 individual messages will be received.
• Bots sending more than 5,000 individual messages in a calendar day.
• Using multiple bots to send an aggregate of more than 5,000 individual messages in a calendar day.

Using bots to purchase Mainland parcels is not allowed. The use of bots, autonomous software, scripting (manual or automated), scripted agents, or any systems or software internal or external to the Second Life service that circumvent, automate and/or remove the human interaction required to purchase a Land parcel within Second Life on the Linden Lab owned Mainland is prohibited.

Set scripted agent status
If you own a Second Life account that is primarily operated by a Scripted Agent (a “bot”), identify it as a bot on the Scripted Agent Status page. By identifying bots, you can help Linden Lab give you more accurate account statistics and in world search results.

Enforcement
Linden Lab routinely looks at search results, and will treat use of bots to gain an unfair search advantage as an abuse issue. You do not need to file an abuse report for violations; Linden Lab monitors the search results. Initially, Linden Lab will send a warning message to the land owner. If the issue persists, then account suspension or removal from search may result. If you feel there has been an unfair decision in this regard, use the abuse appeals process. Linden Lab routinely looks at message volume, and will treat use of bots to send excessive messages as an abuse issue. You do not need to file an abuse report for violations; Linden Lab monitors aggregate communication volume.

Bottom line — don’t use bots to cheat or abuse. Use bots responsibly. And remember boys and girls — don’t drive and use bots! 🙂

I remain respectfully yours,
~ Suzanne Piers, ZI Blogger and social media

Around The Grid April 2015

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There are lots of things happening around the grid in Second Life. Here’s a brief overview:

SL12B Logo

SL12B Is Coming!

It’s coming up on that time again, folks. It’s Second Life’s birthday in June! Applications are open to be part of the SL12B 12th Birthday Bash. Being held June 21st-28th, 2015, the theme this year is “What Dreams May Come.” Participants can attend performances at the 4 stage venues, and stop by the auditorium for talks, interviews, fashion shows and performance art. Additionally, exhibits and stages across 15 sims will be available for viewing from June 29 to July 4.

Linden Lab states: “Unlike our physical world, everything we see in Second Life© was born out of the stuff of dreams. For some, these dreams are what they aspire to, while others seek to recreate that which is unattainable in their lives.

“Some may craft elaborate worlds of gleaming gold, while others may descend into the netherworld, portraying realms of flame and darkness.

“Still others may have dreams of a simpler variety: a nice house, a picket fence, and a perfectly green lawn. All dreams, big and small, are valid and welcome.

“We want to see your dreams. what do you imagine for the future, what are your aspirations, or what is your own personal flight of fancy?”

Applications to participate in the celebration as an exhibitor are now open. Please check out the website here: SL12B Community Celebration

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Viewer Managed Marketplace Beta

The Viewer-Managed Marketplace (VMM) officially started an open beta test on the main grid, which is scheduled to last for about a month.

VMM allows merchants to easily manage their inventory on the Second Life Marketplace using the Second Life Viewer. Items no longer need to be loaded into the Merchant Outbox or a Magic Box, and are instead sold directly from inventory.

VMM will allow all merchants to stop using Magic Boxes while also enabling them to modify listing inventories directly from the viewer. Merchants will still need to go to the Marketplace web site in order to edit listings, but with VMM, they will be able to create new listings, publish them to the Marketplace, and/or unlist them, all from within the Viewer.

Firestorm has not yet come out with a viewer that features VMM, but Firestorm folks have asked for beta testers for their upcoming project viewer. Perhaps this functionality will be in the next FS release.

LL’s official blog states that they expect the Beta period to last abouit a month, with the next steps after Beta being a full release of VMM to all merchants.

“A month after the release, automated migration of Direct Delivery listings will begin. Magic Box listings will need to be manually migrated. After migration has completed, Xstreet and Magic Boxes will be shut down. Merchants may choose to manually migrate Direct Delivery listings before the automated migration occurs. The automated migration will take place during lower traffic times on the Marketplace, and more details will be provided closer to the migration period.” states Linden Lab.

Here’s a video narrated by Torley Linden:

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MadPea’s Unia Opens April 27th

As you know, I am a huge MadPea fan, and I am excited if not a bit trepidacious about this newest event coming April 27h. MadPea released a preview video and it is very scary!

Naturally, I will have to check it out, but meanwhile here’s the trailer:

/me shivers. Looks scary! Join me… if you dare!!

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I remain respectfully yours,
~ Suzanne Piers, ZoHa Islands Blogger/Social Media

Fashion For Change 2015

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Fashion For Change Logo

Fashion For Change is an event in Second Life running from April 11th through April 25th. This event benefits a wonderful organization called Womankind Worldwide.
Womankind Worldwide is a UK based, international Women’s Rights charity working to help women transform their lives and communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America. They celebrated their 25th Anniversary last year (2014).

The charity’s motto is “Equal, Respected, Proud,” and its vision is of a world where being a woman does not limit choices, opportunities or rights, no matter where she lives.

The charity’s aim is to support local Women’s Rights organizations and smaller local women’s groups. These groups, often at great personal risk to themselves, are challenging discrimination, human rights abuses and violence towards women within the countries and communities they are based in.

Womankind delivers the essential support – funding, expertise, contacts and publicity that these local grass roots women’s organizations need to amplify their voice, increase their impact and bring about greater change in their communities.

Womankind’s approach is not to impose a ‘top down’ solution but to help and empower the women’s groups it works with to achieve their own solutions and change. Womankind Worldwide also works in wider arenas, to lobby for change , working to influence the powers and practices of governments and non-governmental organizations.

While not being a very large charity, over the 25 years of its existence it has supported directly and indirectly over 18 million women and their families. In 2013, for instance, it worked in 15 countries, directly supported almost 141,000 women, and helped improve the rights of over 6 million women. In 2013 as an example, it worked in Afghanistan, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Peru, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

What follows is just a tiny example of the schemes, large and small, that it has helped.

Afghanistan – In Jalalabad WW helped a a legal aid center run by a local Women’s Organization to provide free legal support to 175 women, psychosocial support to 70 women/girls and basic health treatment to 46 women

Bolivia – WW helped 550 indigenous and peasant women leaders in 5 out of the country’s 9 regions to acquire the knowledge to challenge discrimination and they are now actively participating in local politics.

Liberia – WW helped develop a manual to help the police improve how they manage cases involving violence against women and girls, especially rape

Tanzania – WW worked with the Women’s Legal Aid Center in the Nyarugusu camp to support refugee paralegal units to take action on violence against women, and other human rights abuses, and they trained the wider community to recognize, promote and protect the rights of refugee women, children and men.

Nepal – WW helped Dalit tribal women’s political participation and their understanding of local political processes

Ethiopia – over five years, alongside another charity, WW worked with local communities to raise awareness of women’s rights, violence against women and harmful traditional practices. Just one result of this work was that 250,000 girls escaped genital mutilation.

That is only a tiny sample, the list could go on for hours….

This is a charity where even small donations can make a significant difference, because the money is targeted to make maximum and lasting impact. Some examples are shown below.

$20 US could train a police person in Peru in issues of sexual exploitation, violence and women’s rights to ensure that they better support trafficked women and women in prostitution.

$60US could train a community paralegal in Ghana, to provide legal support to survivors of violence, helping them to obtain child custody, a divorce or to keep their home.

$300US could train 25 Aymara women in Bolivia to educate other women in their communities on women’s rights, violence and leadership.

Looking at the figures, you can see that there is a real chance that money raised in Second Life could make a real difference somewhere.

Womankind Worldwide’s weblink can be accessed by clicking this link: Womankind Worldwid.

Please consider attending these events in Second Life and supporting this worthwhile cause. If you have any questions, you can contact Eles (eleseren.brianna) inworld. Here is the link to the inworld location: Fashion for Change

Fashion For Change Club Events Schedule

Fashion For Change Club Events Schedule

Fashion for Change Runway Fashion Show Events Schedule

Fashion for Change Runway Fashion Show Events Schedule

I remain respectfully yours,
~ Suzanne Piers, ZI Blogger/Social Media