More on the Horizon!

Hey there guys, sorry once more for not updating as much as I would like. I really do have a lot of burdens on me atm, however I am committed to having a better blog for all of us. I'd insist you guys check back roughly every week as I will hopefully have a new review every week or so. And with 52 weeks in the year, it sure means a lot of good reviews for all of you.

Coming up: More avatars from Aventity reviewed. While you've probably seen them around often, it's probably best to take them under the microscope to see if they are something you'd like to sink your teeth into.

Hopefully very soon though: I am getting a crack at the new AnthroX wolf avatars! There are two limited edition wolves available now for a short while so head down to the AnthroX mall to check them out!

Please go ahead and email any feedback to me @ luckycynic at gmail dot com.


--Kyder.

Aventity Corvus

It's been overdue since a really excellent Avian avatar has been released. It's quite rare to see an Avian avatar with as much work in it as some of the more common and I think over-used Fox avatars from various designers, however Aventity has changed that with their Corvus. That's the reason why when I need some feathers, it's the choice for me!

The avatar itself has been out for quite some time and was based around an older Crow design that Keith Rawley, the designer had elsewhere. Due to business however, he had taken his design to Aventity and gave it new life. Rebuilding some parts of the old avatar and working towards a whole new creature featuring cleaner wings, better detailed plumage, and a splash of new color. While the avatar is a crow, (Named after a crow constellation) there really is no reason not for this avatar not to suffice for most other avian avatars. It is fairly easy to modify however and is a fairly clean and easy canvas to work with. I haven't done extensive modding on my side, but I have seen people really run with it and I think that it is a great example of how an av should let others be as they wish!

The avatar is actually quite simple in it's offerings. It doesn't have the intricate and handy HUD because it actually doesn't need it. The only thing that it can make use of is the moving jaw that movies about when typing and using voice, and the independent colored eyes that can be set up to choose from a list of 10 colors. It sounds rather limited, but each eye color has slight variances within itself that I would bet having simple custom RGB settings would simply not replace and make for a lack of details. The color I chose and the one in the portrait above is called simply 'sky.'

As for other details, well, there really aren't any that can be customized easily. Everything else will require some modding. The most common piece I see replaced however are the tail feathers. The ones that come with the avatar are basic and flexi, but they look detailed and I would prefer them over the more usual prim heavy tail mods I have seen.


I think the main draw of this avatar however is not it's extras (or lack of) but it's the fact that was set out to fill in a nitch and has done so very well. The entire avatar looks like a one whole piece that belongs. I really want to applaud the clean and well thought out creation. The avatar makes use of every prim attached to it, and does so with style. It's been a while since I have seen an avian avatar like this with this much detail with without being over the top.

Final Word: So while there not being much going on with avian avatars in general, it's good to see that someone has stepped up to the plate and deliver a fine current generation avatar. It would be nice to see some sculpties and actual wings incorporated with this av, but I think it certainly is worth the price for just style and ease of use and modding on it's own. I'd really like to see people incorporate more extras with their avatars, but I think in this case I won't slam the Corvus too much. For these reasons above, I think that the Corvus is one of the best avian avatars in SL right now-- though the lack of extra goodies is a bit of a bummer. Still, I wonder why more people have not gotten it. I give the Aventity Corvus a solid 8.0 out of 10.


You can find some Aventity vendors Here. And of course you can find the Flickr gallery Here.

--Kyder.

Can You See the Signs?

I'm sure everyone here is familiar with ads, signs, posters, flyers, and other types of advertisement hoo-hah that nobody cares about. Well, you'll not see anything like that from S-A! We will incorporate more than just a silly "Visit my blog, lol" poster with a sort of game and some collectible fun!

I'd like to Announce a new type of Exploration game I'd like to challenge to you all. We all know SL can be a big and small place. While it can be so damn big sometimes, we all just keep finding ourselves coming back time and time again to different hot spots. Well, to help promote new exploration, instead of just putting up standard signs around the world that say "Lol, visit my blog" I will put up artistic signs promoting individuality, being unique, and exploration, both of self and world.

I will make 15 signs for now, just as a test to see how eager and fun this can be. Each of these will belong to a full and complete set which I am not calling 'Season 1'. Three of these signs have been unveiled below and will be the easiest to find. You may be wondering what is the significance of the signs. It seems to me that many folks like the concept I have come up with, featuring different and unique avatars like this, and others love having the gorgeous art to hang in their homes featuring their favorite avs. And frankly other people just like to simply collect stuff.

So with this, I am announcing that all the signs that I have created within the world will offer out two very special little limited edition, high quality, gourmet, fancy, fashionable treats. The first is a full size, full res texture of the art from the sign, minus all the commercial gobbelty gook! Go ahead, nobody hates free art, right? The second is a little collector's card, featuring the art of the Poster as a collectible little card. The poster texture can be used for whatever you want, even make your own posters out of them for your own home! The cards are just proof that you have been exploring to me. Both will only exist in the world for this one season only.

So here is the game: I will make 15 signs in world. They will appear in many different shopping malls, parks, clubs, wherever! Each one will feature new and unique art and a new avatar that will be reviewed here on the Blog. However, there are two catches, 7 of the signs will be unique to a certain area, store, mall, whatever. They will not be seen anywhere else and some signs may only exist in just ONE instance, meaning only the ONE sign will exist within ALL of Second Life! As for the other 8 signs, they will be rotated and swapped at random. These signs will probably be the easiest to find as they will be more common and in more common places, but be sure to check back to see if there is a new one available. Be sure to use your wits, land marks, and the group I made to work together and collect all the goodies.

First person to find all the signs and bring me their card will win a special unique uber prize that I have not announced quite yet.

Sounds like fun? I sure hope it will be. Now for some basic rules however:
+ Not all of the cards are finished yet since this will be a timely thing. As more reviews for the blog come out, so will cards. Unless otherwise stated, each review will be coupled by a card. Some cards may even be hints as to future reviews, (Hence the Crow below).
+ No, you cannot trade the cards between each other as they are all no trans and to win it is mandatory to have all of the cards on one avatar.
+ No, I will not hide signs in mysterious places. I will keep them for the most part in very public locales, like malls, and such. However, mind you some of these malls may feature Mature Rated content so please don't participate if you are scared of seeing a boobie.
+ Yes I have a bias towards the furry. These just happen to be the people and places I know best. Of course, humans and nekos are welcome as well; just don't be a jerk and be sure to follow any rules posted.
+ No I am not with any or all of these places that I put my signs. That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm not friends with the staff, but it doesn't mean that I am trying to advertise for any particular location, avatars, club, or mall.
+ I also reserve the right to change whatever I want to ensure a fun and fair game.


Soo, there we have it. So far there are only 3 cards in SL so far. They are available in 2 different locations. More avatars and cards to come very soon. Here is where you can get started. And IM Kyder Ling for access to the S-A Group!

I Gotta Have More Publicity!

So for a while now there has just been a steady stream of info but rest assured I am very intent on picking up the pace of things and including many other and newer designers. Expect some new stuff that you guys haven't seen yet.

And with this new transformation of the S-A blog, I want to introduce something new. I notice that many people just don't realize how cool or unique an avatar can be. Then there is also the problem that many people do not know that there is someone out there willing to help them find something cool, so I unveiling some new posters you may see around SL in popular spots. I am using the tagline of 'Discover:' because I think that Discovery is just something that embodies Second Life.

There is always something new around the corner and I want to capture that fun and imagination into an otherwise boring advertisement. So below I am revealing these three S-A Posters, with more on the way though you will not be seeing them revealed here on the blog. Even better, I aim to add a certain collectible value to them as well but you will have to wait and see as to what that is.

In the mean time, enjoy!





--Kyder.

I Gotta Have More Cowbell!

We all know and remember that famous Saturday Night Live sketch with Will Farrel and Christopher Walken, and when you rez this next avatar, you'll hear this hilarious blurb once more for I am reviewing Anthro Xtacy's Bovine avatar. A fun little treat-- However, you will not find the Bovine with other AX avatars. The reason? This one is the first from a fresh and eager designer, Willowbay Destiny!

For a first avatar, I must say that I am quite impressed with it. Willow has included quite a number of different color schemes which can make it hard to pick just one, or fun to collect them. The bovines actually do not feature too many extras unlike other avatars like the Crux but it would be quite unfair to a new designer to compare their first creation like that. I must say though, I found the bovine avatar one of the best around. The face and hooves are made up of neat prims including sculpties however they are not clunky looking. Instead Willow decided on a simpler and cleaner look.


The avatar keeps things simple and is very open and easy to customize. I have seen a few of her cows in a crowd occasionally but it seems people really like to run off with them and make them their own.

I managed to a hold of Willow who I have known for quite some time to share with us about her thoughts and feelings about finally releasing her first avatar. It seems that the lady is quite busy with her next projects! Here is our brief interview.

"First off, thanks again for doing this."
"I'd like to first ask you why you got into making avatars? Was it for the money, or to express your creativity, or just as a hobby?"
'Well I would be lying if I didn't say all three. Though for the most part it was because I enjoyed building something from the ground up and having others appreciate it.'

"Are you pleased with how your first avatar came out? Most people honestly are a bit embarrassed with their early creations."
'Yes, I had a mixture of happy, excited, and scared to death all wrapped up in one. I fear my husband will be scarred for life because of it.'

"So now that your Bovine has been fully released, are you going to be taking a bit of a break, or have you already another project in mind?"
'I jumped straight into my next project the next day. I have issues with sitting still to long. I get bored easily.'

"How big of a role in creating avatars did your friends and co-workers have? I'd imagine they helped out a newcomer out quite a bit, right?"
'Oh a huge role. I have put a thank you note in my avatar box thanking everyone who helped me. I appreciate all input I get. It really helps to shape something that everyone will enjoy.'

"And finally, what words of advice would you have to other people who may be sitting on the fence about creating avatars and clothing within SL?"
'It can be very rewarding but you have to be ready for long days of frustration when something doesn't turn out how you want it too. I think that most people look at an AV and take for granted how much work goes into it, I know that I did.'

Thanks again Willow for the interview. Be sure to keep an eye out on her, she is always busy away doing something. You can find a vendor Here.


--Kyder.

Back with a Bat!

Wow, what a busy few weeks I have had. Sorry for not updating for you guys but during this entire time, I have driven across the country, adapted to my new home as best as I could, set up my computer and began my job hunting so I don't run out of monies! In the mean time, thanks to a special donation by Malluch of Mutation Industries, I was able to get my paws on a MI Bat avatar. The Bat actually came before the Crux avatar and doesn't quite push the boundaries of what an avatar can or cannot do based on what we have all seen before, it certainly does have it's worth, especially for an avatar made back in 2007!

Again like the Crux review, I really do not have much of an idea as to where the hell to begin to talk about this avatar. I suppose I can begin with the head, which is always a key feature of any avatar, obviously. Like the Crux, the bat has a load of features in the HUD to get your bat to look the way you want it to look. Including a dozen eye colors, 7 different pupils that are independent of each eye, and even two different types of eyes: Angry, and Normal. Just from the eyes themselves, you could easily busy yourself for a while!


However, if you spend about another 6 seconds playing with the HUD, you can easily shift through some other customization points, like putting the ears up or down, deciding between 2 different noses, frowning or smiling, and even a tongue to hang out like the Crux. With a bit of toying around, you can easily get a slightly different look or just make a face or two to your friends.


Mutation doesn't stop there either. Like the Crux, the Bat is just loaded with extra features, and coupled with the Crux, you can even swap some things in and out! I found that the emote expressions and even gestures that come with the Crux work with the older bat! While some are not totally perfect, hey! I'll take 'em! You can even see them in action in the Youtube link I am coupling with this review!

Anyways, back to all the extras that can make your bat truly your own. Like the Crux, the bat comes with some basic and fun clothing though really all you get is a nifty straight jacket that contributes to the fun and creepy feel of the av and some shorts which are made of both an SL pair of pants and Prim ends to them to cope with the digi legs. However! If you feel the need for some breeze, you can just go into the Extras folder and pull out the other more feral pair of legs. They feature bigger foot-paws, and meatier thighs along with some wild fur. Also there is some chest fur as well which is another welcome gift. There is also the feature of a talking muzzle. Weather you are typing or using Voice, like the Crux, the jaw will move with it. Now it's not perfect but I doubt anybody has a perfect talk jaw script yet.

As you can see from these screens, you have plenty of options with this av, and this is something greatly appreciated.

But really, there is even more to this av than just toying with the look until you find something you like. It also comes with a great though incomplete AO. While it features some great animations like flight that you can see in the Youtube video below, it does not replace SL's terrible walk animation. However, with a bit of snooping, I found that you can have both Crux and Bat AO's on at the same time. The only conflict between the two is the Hover animation, which the Crux spooky hover will override the cooler bat flapping his wings, but the moving flying animation is still the bat's. While your checking out the video, be sure to note the emotes and HUD, they really are worth mentioning twice.



As you can see, the avatar is polished up quite nicely. It does not feel incomplete like some other avatars and you can wear it right out of the box without looking silly. There are some gripes and rough edges though. Unlike the Crux which was nearly flawless, the Bat does have some things that could have used some tweaking. First off the sculpty prims are not entirely 100% lossless. Meaning they are not as smooth and perfect like the Crux or other sculpty prim objects, but really you can't notice it unless you zoom in nice and intimate and check out certain joints in the wings. Also, like the Crux, the avatar features invisi-prims. Sadly there really cannot be much done about these since in order to have a good pair of digi legs, well, invisi-prims are the only option. Another third and final gripe I have is the fact that the Bat has a bubbly frothing particle emitter. A nice touch, but it is not mentioned and I was looking for a way to turn it off, it was only then that I noticed that there is an attachment named something along the lines of "Blargblebl" or something like that. You really can't miss it, simply detaching that would turn off the frothing.




Final Word: However, really, despite these little things, the avatar is still one of the finest bats I have seen. It has it's own unique style like all Mutation Industries avatars, and has a lot of features to make the price worth while. It's wireframe is a bit cluttered in the head, and does have it's little irks, but it's still a very polished and complete product, ready to go straight from the box or ready for some in depth modding! Be sure to pick the right colors btw, it will be hard to since all of them look great in the vendor, and each of them seem to have their own personality! While I don't think the Bat is better than the Crux, it certainly has some things that make it a worthwhile fighter like the very impressive HUD. I give the Mutation Industries a 8.6 out of 10 for another outstanding avatar. Keep up the good work guys!

And of course, Here is a link to a Mutation Industries vendor and my Flickr Gallery.


I hope to soon have the Anthro Xtasy Bovine avatar reviewed and up soon. I am also open to suggestions guys!

--Kyder.