The guardian at this meeting was Pema Pera and the comments are his.
I arrived at an empty tea house, not too surprisingly, given that it was 1 am SL time. I looked at my friends list to see who was online, and to my surprise found Hotaru still going strong, although it must have been really late for her. We had a brief chat by IM and then I tp-ed her over. She had come from a dance party. Just at that time, I noticed Oberon standing a bit further away, just outside normal chat range. I remember having seen his name in the chat log of a previous session, even though I hadn’t been there myself. I shouted to reach him, and to extend an invitation.
Pema Pera: Hi Hotaru!
Pema Pera shouts: Hi Oberu!
Pema Pera shouts: Come join us if you like!
Pema Pera: you are still dancing!
Pema Pera: how lovely, with the wings and all
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Howdy
Pema Pera: Hi Oberon!
Pema Pera: I am not sure we met yet
Pema Pera: but I read about you on the blog, welcome again!
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Thanks
Pema Pera: Hotaru here just came from a party
Pema Pera: and is still in full swing as you can see
Hotaru Myoo: hiya!
Hotaru Myoo: Oberon was at the sitting tonite too
While Hotaru was still wildly making dance movements she had sat down next to me on the wooden plank sticking out from the tea house. Oberon tried to sit next to me. That didn’t work, but the other side was available for sitting.
Pema Pera: Oberon, there seems to be no sitting position in front of the door, but there is one to the other side of Hotaru
Pema Pera: there you go!
Pema Pera: now Hotaru is the center of attention
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: right
Hotaru Myoo: that’s not what my cat is saying right now
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: now to just deal with the lag… whydoes SL lag so baddly when yur trying to rotate the camera
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: An do you ever stop dancing Hotaru?
Pema Pera: somehow SL has been laggy for several weeks now . . . .
Hotaru Myoo: yes
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I’ve been told it’s been going on since about before December
Pema Pera: wonder why that is
Pema Pera: the improved visuals?
Hotaru Myoo: oh sl will always be in flux
Pema Pera: that’s for sure yes
Hotaru Myoo: roll with it
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: But this is riduculus I know of no other on line game that is nearly this bad
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: There is acceptable and there is unacceptable and this would be in the un department
Pema Pera: the main point is networking and building, not gaming, I guess
Pema Pera: so that’s not the highest priority
Hotaru Myoo: right
Hotaru Myoo: in fact…this is rl
Hotaru Myoo: or we could make an arguement for that
Pema Pera: and I admire them for all that they’ve pioneered, LL
While I agreed with Oberon, I also tried to point out the differences with other games.
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: But that’s bull every MMORPG has other goals and taxes the computer more than SL and yet they do not have this lag
Pema Pera: well, there is more to that, Oberon:
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I’ve asked mates that work in computers and networking, they say this kinda performance would cost them there jobs
Pema Pera: SL allows content to be created in very free ways, whereas games are scripted
Hotaru Myoo: right
Pema Pera: if you give the user freedom that slows down everything
Hotaru Myoo: this is darn near organic
Pema Pera: no freedom and everything runs like a train
Pema Pera: but every screen refreshment here has to check what users have done
Pema Pera: much more than in normal games
Pema Pera: Are you familiar with programming languages?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: That still is no excuse. There are ways around it and the lag is even present in places that do not allow scripts and such
Pema Pera: C++ for example is faster than Java which is faster than Ruby . . . for the same reasons
Pema Pera: yes, it could be optimized further
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I know what I’ve been told from people in the industry including members of the LL team that have stated there is no reason for this lag other than refusal to upgrade the servers and other very basic issues
Pema Pera: but that takes far more programming time than optimizing a relatively static game
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: So why can my computer run this but not WOW?
Pema Pera: I agree, it could all be improved
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: if it’s reguirments are so much higher and more taxing
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: than WoWs
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Now some of it is the fault of the sim owners. They wanna add so much stuff to there areas it slows it down
Meanwhile, Hotaru seemed unstoppable.
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: and Hotaru how long do you plan to keep dancing girl?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: lol you even danced all through the sitting
Hotaru Myoo: am I ?
Hotaru Myoo: I was rather relaxed
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: on my screen your still going
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: and going and going
Hotaru Myoo: nice
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: okay didn’t need to see that lol
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: an I am just teasing you I was wondering if there was a reason
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: No thanks
Meanwhile Hotaru had invited me to join the dance, and I had taken her up on it. She had invited Oberon too, it turned out, but he was happy to stay seated.
Hotaru Myoo: c’mon
Hotaru Myoo: use that lag
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: it’s dizzing enough with you two don’t need a third making me REALLY dizzy
Pema Pera: sorry Oberon!
Hotaru Myoo: or should I say shake that lag
Pema Pera: I thought if you can’t beat them join them
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: no worries I just super zoomed on myself
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: so keep going
Pema Pera: Hotaru can you offer Oberon the dance too?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: She did I said no thanks
Hotaru Myoo: I did
Pema Pera: ah, k
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: because as I said it’s kinda making me a little quasey
Hotaru Myoo: he didn’t take me up on the offer
Now I could understand the previous part of the conversation.
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: so I zoomed in really close on myself
Pema Pera: coming back to the Lindens, I completely agree Oberon that they could and should do a much better job
Pema Pera: and they will — or they will close down
Pema Pera: I just wanted to add that there are some reasons, historically, for the current situation
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Yeap you’ll have to pardon me I am big on saying this is an issue and needs to be dealt with
At that moment I saw Anan walking up to us.
Pema Pera: こんにちは、Ananさん
Pema Pera: Please join us!
Hotaru Myoo: Hi Anan
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Hello Anan
Anan McCallen: こんにちは、みなさん。
Pema Pera: ひさしぶり！
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: are those asian characters?
Hotaru Myoo: Greetings!
Pema Pera: yes, Oberon Japanese
Pema Pera: Anan is Japanese
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Thought so wasn’t sure
Pema Pera: Anan, please meet Oberon
Pema Pera: Anan and Hotaru, have you met yet?
Hotaru Myoo: No
Hotaru Myoo: Hello
Anan McCallen: このまえ、禅堂で、ともだちと時間をすごしました。thank you
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Komedchawa Anana-san (forgive the butchered Japanese)
Hotaru Myoo: Konnichi-wa
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: That’s how it’s spelled lol
Anan commented on the fact that she had used the Hall of Appearance the other day, to teach Japanese, and I expressed my pleasure at seeing it being used for the first time.
Pema Pera: とっても楽しかった！！
Pema Pera: よかった
Anan McCallen: hello all. i speak english a little.
Pema Pera: 家を使ったのは
Anan McCallen: はい
Pema Pera: it is nice to mix languages
Pema Pera: Hotaru can speak Japanese too
Pema Pera: a little
Pema Pera: Hotaru-san, douzo!
Hotaru Myoo: skoshi
Pema Pera: romaji dake de
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I can’t other than a few words
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: not many of them polite
Hotaru Myoo: lol
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: well why don’t you try, Oberon!
Hotaru Myoo: Anan 、いかにここに来るか。
Anan McCallen: I ‘ve taught japanese to my friend Saron
Hotaru Myoo: nice
Pema Pera: すごい、ほたる
Pema Pera: さん
Pema Pera: yes I was very happy to see Anan in the Hall of Appearance
Pema Pera: the other day with Saron
Pema Pera: speaking Japanese
Pema Pera: The first time I saw the building being used
Anan was curious as to what was happening here. When she walked in, Hotaru and I were dancing quite wildly. In the mean time I had stopped and walked over to Anan.
Anan McCallen: What are you doing here?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Well I’m just hanging out myself
Pema Pera: Anan, we get together here every day
Pema Pera: four times a day
Pema Pera: 1 am , 7 am, 1 pm, 7 pm SL time
Anan McCallen: four times!
Pema Pera: 六時ごとに
Pema Pera: ほんまに！
Pema Pera: w
Pema Pera: 今京都
Anan McCallen: すごいですね！
Pema Pera: ^^
Pema Pera: http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/ で説明があります。
Hotaru Myoo: It is huge
Pema Pera: sorry Oberon
Anan McCallen: Oh! You are in Kyoto now!
Pema Pera: yes!!
Pema Pera: you have landed in a strange group
Pema Pera: sanjoukeihan no Sutaba :>)
Hotaru Myoo: we are all strange in various ways
Pema Pera: Anan-san ha doko, ima?
Hotaru Myoo: where are you now?
Pema Pera: Oberon, between a dancing fire fly and Japanese scribbling avatars, this must be an unsettling meeting . . . .
Anan and I turned out not to be far away from each other in RL . . . .
Anan McCallen: わたしは、じたくです
Pema Pera: 京都のちかくね？
Anan McCallen: in my home,kyoto
Pema Pera: はい
Pema Pera: so Anan and I are very nearby in RL
Pema Pera: what fun
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: It is a little like being in some of my favorite animes like Urusei Yatsura or Tenchi Muyo
Pema Pera: and in SL it makes no difference . . . .
Hotaru Myoo: yes
Hotaru Myoo: so kewl
Pema Pera: The colors of your skirt are very nice and rich, Anan-san
Anan McCallen: yes , i live in uji city nere kyoto
Hotaru Myoo: you 2 should hook up
Pema Pera: we will
Pema Pera: YOU should come here
Pema Pera: with your interest in Japanese!
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I’ve always wanted to visit Japan
Pema Pera: and YOU too Oberon!
Pema Pera: Let’s all have a real party in Kyoto
Pema Pera: Then Hotaru can dance as much as she wants;>)
Hotaru Myoo: I’ll be there soon
Pema Pera: when?
Hotaru Myoo: yet ta hey
Anan McCallen: おはなしが、めちゃくちゃはやいので、ついていけません ;))
Anan told me that it was hard to follow the English conversation, jumping around as it did.
Hotaru Myoo: After mid Japan
Hotaru Myoo: after mid June that is
Hotaru Myoo: haha
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: maybe I can find myself a Japanese girlfriend
Pema Pera: すみません
Pema Pera: 僕も日本のsimで
Hotaru Myoo: :)
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: at the least I can be sure none of the girls will turn out to be my 1st cousin… (Long story of living in a small town and having a family that never speaks to each other)
Pema Pera: そういうことは難しい！
Pema Pera: good point Oberon!
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: and if they turn out to be cousins I’ll be very surprised
Anan McCallen: hotaruさんの まいは（dance)は、どのようなものですか？
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann wishes he knew what everyone was talking about
Pema Pera: ああ前にパーチからきました。
Hotaru Myoo: maybe not
Pema Pera: やめるのは難しいそうW
Pema Pera: Anan asked about Hotaru’s dancing
Pema Pera: and I said she came from a party
Pema Pera: and can’t seem to stop ;>)
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: yeap
Hotaru Myoo: Actually
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: She was like that at the Zen session earlier
Hotaru Myoo: I wanted to see if I could use my HUD to stop it
Hotaru Myoo: is it?
Pema Pera: Also, Anan said that it is difficult to follow English when the conversation jumps topic all the time — and yes, I have the EXACT same problem in Japanese!
Pema Pera: When I go to a Japanese sim, I can talk fine one-on-one
Pema Pera: but in a group my eyes start to roll soon
Hotaru kept trying to stop her dancing.
Hotaru Myoo: Did I not stop
Hotaru Myoo: ?
Pema Pera: no
Anan McCallen: さくや、ともだちから、こんなのをもらいました。;))
Hotaru Myoo: I guess I’ll have to go back tothe party
Hotaru Myoo: haha
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: try stop all animations
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: under tools
Pema Pera: 何を貰いましたか？
Hotaru Myoo: did that some time ago
Hotaru Myoo: always step #1
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Anan McCallen: a tool for stopping animation, i sended
Hotaru Myoo: wear it?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I am working on my myspace
Hotaru Myoo: I am glowing
Hotaru Myoo: the powers are shrinking from me
Hotaru Myoo: next
Hotaru Myoo: I’ll be ruthed
Hotaru Myoo: k
And yes, Anan’s tool managed to stop the spell of Hotaru’s dance.
Hotaru Myoo: am I done?
Pema Pera: seems that way, Hotaru
Hotaru Myoo: put a fork in me!
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: lol
Anan McCallen: すみません、わたし、よけいなことをしましたか？
Pema Pera: you are a very– haha- subdued fire fly
Hotaru Myoo: thank you anan
Pema Pera: いいえ！
Hotaru Myoo: very much appreciate it!
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I’m working on my myspace right now
Pema Pera: みんなさんはゆっくりしゃべります
Pema Pera: 別にトピックがないんです
Pema Pera: ときどきまじめ
Anan McCallen: わたしも、きのうこまっていました。友達がたすけました。
Hotaru Myoo: ok
Pema Pera: 時々あそびぽい
Pema Pera: たいへんでしたか？
Pema Pera: こまったこと？
Hotaru Myoo: sl?
Pema Pera: thnx Oberon!
Anan McCallen: dancing no stopping!!
Anan had just explained that she had a similar problem yesterday, which was why she had received the tool to stop all animations.
Pema Pera: !!
Anan McCallen: ;))
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: It’s bbaacckk!!
Hotaru Myoo: k
Pema Pera: ??
Hotaru Myoo: I’m making ya crazy..
Hotaru Myoo: I’ll go!
Pema Pera: you still look quiet to me, Hot
I did not see her dancing; sometimes your own perception of your avatar is different from that of others. In any case, Hotaru tp-ed away and then back again, as yet another attempt to break her spell completely, also for herself. Oberon had been born only two months ago in a new avatar.
Pema Pera: One less fire fly . . . .
Pema Pera: So Oberon, how do you feel as a new av?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I’m liking it
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: especally as Oberon Pendragon is my Craft name
Pema Pera: nice name!
Pema Pera: Had been wondering about it
And Hotaru came back.
Pema Pera: One more fire fly!
Pema Pera: yeah!
Pema Pera: wb
Anan McCallen: むねの デザイン、いいですね！
Hotaru Myoo: Sometimes a shot through sl will clear all anim
Anan McCallen: お顔もかわりましたか？
Pema Pera: どうもどうも
Pema Pera: そうそう
Hotaru Myoo: tyvm
Pema Pera: 髪の毛は長くなりました；＞）
Anan McCallen: oh!
I explained to Anan that my hair had grown :-)
Pema Pera: good place to relax, Hotaru!
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I add Orin as there is already an OberonPendragon running around
Pema Pera: What is the origin of the names, Oberon?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: However I cannot find him
Pema Pera: From mythology?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: but SL says he exists
Pema Pera: did you IM him?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: tried but cannot locate him
Anan McCallen: Mr.pentagon..your T shirt’s design…GOBOUSEI!
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: Gobousei?
Pema Pera: 二十年代に似てる髪の毛がありました
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: and Oberon means elf bear
Pema Pera: RLで
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: and my totem is the bear
Pema Pera: 昔話；＞０
Hotaru Myoo: ^^
Pema Pera: do you have an av that is elf bear like?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: nope
Hotaru Myoo: a tiny?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I’m saving up for a new avatar however
Anan McCallen: yes, ‘GOBOUSEI’.. is powerfull
Anan refered to the pentagram on Oberon’s shirt.
Hotaru Myoo: you should get one
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I got a tiny that is a ferret
Pema Pera: sure!
Pema Pera: what is the best place to buy avs?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: SLX
Pema Pera: I haven’t gotten around to shop
Pema Pera: slexchange?
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: yeap
Pema Pera: I just heard about that yesterday
Pema Pera: have to check it out
Pema Pera: 雨が多かったね最近。吃驚しました！
Pema Pera: hotaru, how much of the Japanese can your read, or mostly kana?
Hotaru Myoo: I am using babelfish
Pema Pera: ah, I have to learn to do that too
Pema Pera: where do you get that?
Hotaru Myoo: http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/tr
Pema Pera: thankx!
Hotaru Myoo: np
Pema Pera: Oberon, what is the meaning of Orin?
Hotaru Myoo: brb
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: okays and Orin means dark haired
Pema Pera: ah!
Pema Pera: so it can all go together
Pema Pera: into one image, nice!
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: although I should have but grey haired as I am gonna be silver haired by thrity
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: and of course Pendragon is from King Arthur Pendragon
Pema Pera: ah!
By that time, I could hardly see the scene anymore.
Pema Pera: Oberon, perhaps you can help me:
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I’ll try
Pema Pera: A HUD time image appeared
Pema Pera: on my screen
Pema Pera: with zillions of statistics
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: hmmmm
Pema Pera: and NO indication of how to turn it off!
Pema Pera: only about how to toggle between different statistics
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: hmmm try right clicking yourself and hitting detach all
Pema Pera: I must have hit a keyboard speedup combination . . . . .
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: most likely
Pema Pera: do I loose my hair too then :>)
Pema Pera: and my clothes?
I clicked on my avatar, and I must have hit the hair directly, since next thing I knew it was gone.
Pema Pera: so much for my hair
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: you can reattach it lol hey I think we got the same skin
Pema Pera: but the HUD is still there!
Pema Pera: oh well
Pema Pera: perhaps just log out and log in is the simplest
Anan McCallen: ひとはやはり、最初はすがたを見ますね
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: almost the same skin
Pema Pera: そうですよね
Anan McCallen: Looks is important….
Pema Pera: yes, especially in SL
Anan McCallen: but eye contact can be continuing, in RL
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: that is more difficult in SL
Anan McCallen: in SL no eye contact
Anan McCallen: heat to heart i think
Anan McCallen: heart, directly
Since I did not reply immediately, and my avatar looked pensively out over the water, Anan asked whether I was lost in thought.
Anan McCallen: かんがえすぎかな？
Pema Pera: いいえw
Pema Pera: そうみたいね
Pema Pera: sometimes is seems as if we think deeply
Pema Pera: our avatars have their own way of behaving
Pema Pera: yes, Anan-san we have to use our intuition
Pema Pera: based upon words and other clues
Pema Pera: instead of eye contact
Anan McCallen: making AV is creative
Pema Pera: yes indeed!
Hotaru Myoo: sorry
Hotaru Myoo: afk
Anan McCallen: Pentagon, ‘GOBOUSEI’ we call it ‘ABIRAUNNKENN’
Pema Pera: hahaha
Hotaru Myoo: this is good stuff!
I had tried a few times to sit down in the grass front of Anan and Oberon, who both had taken a seat on the stone benches. Hotaru was seated a bit further, on top of a big rock, watching the water.
Pema Pera: not so easy to sit in the grass
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: true
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: oh and it’s called a Pentagram
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: my star
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: it is suppose to represent Earth, Wind, Water, Fire and Spirit
Anan McCallen: That means ‘universe”DAINITINYORAI’
Pema Pera: 大日尿来？
Pema Pera: ちがう
Anan McCallen: yes! i understand ..大日如来。
Pema Pera: はい
Pema Pera: はは
Pema Pera: にょ
Anan McCallen: 尿。。。。is shit
Pema Pera: にょうじゃなっくて
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: ?????
Pema Pera: はい
Pema Pera: yes, I’m sorry, I noticed my mistake
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I need to get a babel fish lol
Pema Pera: I tried to find the Japanese for
Pema Pera: DAINITINYORAI
Pema Pera: and I guessed
Pema Pera: a long O in NYORAI
Pema Pera: but it was a short O
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: I’m still lost lol
Pema Pera: you cannot see that in the roman lettering
Pema Pera: so the third character
Pema Pera: changed into
Pema Pera: shit
Pema Pera: or actually piss
Anan McCallen: lol
Pema Pera: to be more accurate ;>)
Hotaru Myoo: yes
Pema Pera: very impolite of me
Pema Pera: m(_._)m
Hotaru Myoo: ^^
Pema Pera: hands next to head bowing down low
Anan McCallen: me too
Pema Pera: iie!
Pema Pera: (no nothing like that)
Anan McCallen: all is …From NATURE ;))
Pema Pera: yes!
Pema Pera: Thank you very much, that is a wonderful way of looking at it!
I appreciated Anan’s kind response to my rude mistake.
Pema Pera: well
Pema Pera: I have to go now
Pema Pera: it is time for dinner here in Japan
Hotaru Myoo: sorry me too
Pema Pera: it was nice to meet you all here!
Hotaru Myoo: Anan
Anan McCallen: i see .goodtime !
Hotaru Myoo: Pleased to meet you
Anan McCallen: yes
Pema Pera: And btw I got rid of the HUD Oberon
Anan McCallen: oh
Hotaru Myoo: I look forward t oseeing you again soon
Hotaru Myoo: Oberon…see ya
Anan McCallen: me too
Pema Pera: Advanced->Consoles->Fast Timers
Hotaru Myoo: Pema..
Pema Pera: not so obvious a place to look
Hotaru Myoo: Don’tbe a stranger
Pema Pera: thanks Hotaru
Pema Pera: yes, haha
Pema Pera: see you all soon!
Anan McCallen: see you again Hotaru
OberonOrinPendragon Landmann: later take care everyone that is leaving
Hotaru Myoo: mata-ne
