Congratulations to Tauri Tigerpaw for her induction into the SLSA Hall of Fame. Although not a competitor I have seen the countless hours she dedicates to Surfing in SL and is very worthy of the honor.
Recently I stumbled across Mick Lunasea laying face down on the beach at PCH. I was checking his pocket for loose change and then I realized he was indeed alive. I had to come up with a quick story why I had a hand full of change and his straw hat on. That’s when it came to me! I told him that I really wanted to interview him for my blog ;)
Mick is the owner and designer of SURFCRAZY and has been a fixture in the SL surfing universe for quite sometime; he is involved with just about every surf organization here in SL and also served as an SLSA director.
SS6-
Mick, how did you come to be in Second Life, and how long was it until you discovered the Surf Scene?
Mick-
I recevied an email from a buddy, the subject line was "Second Life, for those who have NO LIFE" lmao. After stumbling through orientation I arrive at a snowy welcome area, I trudge through snow and immediately observed a Vampire fly in and seduce some girl. After a few excursions *winks I do a search for SURF. I landed at Robin Mapps "Surf City".
SS6-
Since arriving in SL what's been your best experience?
Mick-
Definately meeting people from all over the USA and worldwide.
SS6-
Mick, what was your motivation in starting Surfcrazy?
Mick-
My original intent was to promote my RL surf business http://www.surfcrazy.com home of "Stanley's World Famous Surfboard Logo Library". I've been involved in the surfboard industry for decades now.
SS6-
Like some other surfboard designers you also have a full line of men’s and women’s surf and beach clothes, are you the main designer or do you have help? What is your inspiration for your clothes and accessories?
Mick-
I design and create all that I sell in my shops. Being iinvolved in the rl rag business, I wanted to create authentic surf wear fresh off the beaches of southern california.
SS6-
Mick you’ve also done some great design work on your surfboards, why did you choose to go with the Action platform over some of the other options out there?
Mick-
Action provided the most economical way to feature my artwork. I like the interesting approach to sl surfing the Action surfboards provide especially the wipe out enabled mode. After creating textures for ssi mod boards i offer design services for ssi boards as well. I wish i would have entered the Monkey Cove Surfboard Art contest, i was drooling at the thought of a SSI line of surfboards. I Id love to do an SSI line being they're the most popular boards in SL.
All my surfboard artwork is created from scratch no googled images. I draw inspiration from rl surfboards. I personally shaped, deorated and glassed around 30 rl surfboards. There are reasons why rl surfboards look a certain way due to the manufacturing techniques involved.
SS6-
It seems like everyone has a favorite creator of surfboards, which when you think about it is natural, all RL surfers have favorites so why would SL be different. Do you think that in order for all boards to be acceptable in competitions there should be a Competition specification?
Mick-
For an even playing field comp spec boards are necessary in organiztions that stipulate one manufacturer board be ridden. The main invisible prim length should be the exact size of the visible deck size for both short and long boards in my opinion. Prim weight should be standardized as well as density
There is room for specialized open surfing events "run what you brung". Judging criteria could be the most critical maneuvers in the most crititical part of the wave.
SS6-
Knowing all the players do you think a competition spec would ever be possible?
Mick-
Best way is to issue comp boards to riders via rezzers or other means. This was done in the past a board was given to each comp rider. Another way would be dealers sell certified comp approved board where only artwork can be changed like Actions Pro Slammer.
SS6-
Recently you and Revlon Benoir hosted Surf Fest, which was terrific, do you see next year being bigger, and do you have any thoughts you might share regarding the next Surf Fest?
Mick-
The Surf Festival was a lot of fun, the next one is in the planning stages. We're considering many options and want to involve more of the surf community.
SS6-
What are 3 things that you would like people to know about you or your work here in SL?
Mick-
1 Authentic, 2 Surf, 3 Gear. Laughs
SS6-
Finally I’ll ask you what I ask every creator; what’s next in the pipeline for Surfcrazy?
Mick-
More cool clothes and products for people to enjoy : )
Mick, I really appreciate your time and don’t worry I bought my own hat!
Here’s where you can find SURFCRAZY products:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Pacific%20Coast%20Hwy/236/31/30
http://slurl.com/secondlife/JJ%20Lanes%20II/161/230/22
Here’s Mick’s Home Break:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Pacific%20Coast%20Hwy/206/73/29
Hey everyone, well at least the 3 or 4 people that read my blog J I thought I would list a few things that I would like to see happen in SL Surfing in 2010. These are random thoughts in no certain order:
-The Release of the New EPIC Wave.
-Better monthly pricing on Full Sims. If more sim owners could justify the cost of full sims for surfing it would really benefit the surfing experience.
-More creative people enter into the surfing scene. We’re blessed by having some of the most creative, hard working people within the surf community but in this instance more is always better.
-Surfers and Surf organizations push for a spec surfboard to be used in competitions. This would allow boards from any creator to be used on a level play field, or water as the case may be.
-For all Surf organizations to come together and hold a “World Championship of Surf” The top 10 finishers compete on 3 different sites to determine a champ. Would be really exciting!!
-For Reaction to start designing product again. Come on Dude I love that stuff!!!
-Elimination of the bulls%$t that goes on in the competitions to inhibit other competitors. We’re all here to get away from Real Life A-holes.
-For the SLSA website to actually be update once a millennium. (small poke)
-For SL to add a feature that tells you the person you IM’d didn’t get your message.
-For your feet to not stick through the surfboard.
-Make all surfboards Copy. Lots of sad new surfers when their surfboard goes to the great SL beyond.
So there are a few things I thought of while I was wondering how to update the blog! E-mail me at surfmonkey.6@gmail.com, in-world syx toshi or leave a comment to add your own thoughts. You can rant, rave or actually add something constructive, everything can get on!
HANG-10 Surf HUD
A cooperative effort by Locksley Blitzstein(HUD designer and programer) and Rayzer Haggwood(animator)
Just a note before we proceed, maybe your like me and have heard all of the initials that are used in SL. Well I’m going to use a few and for those that don’t know what they mean heres a quick definition;
HUD: This stands for Heads Up Display. HUD displays normally are a graphic interface or Icons that indicates that the HUD is attached to your Avatar and provide you control over animations included AO’s.
AO: Animation Override. If you've been in SL for more then an hour you probably have used these while dancing. An AO does exactly what it says it will override the normal SL animation. Just about everyone uses these to change there avatar’s normal everyday walk, stand and sit. In the surfing world these are utilized to provide different animations while your surfing.
For everyone out that that enjoys surfing and is looking to enhance their experience the Hang-10 Surf HUD may be for you. The creators wanted to replace the static default animations with one that would look more realistic and bring more of a real life feel to the experience.
The Hang-10 HUD has a nice little rectangle graphic with 7 interactive buttons that allow you to override the normal animation of your surfboard to perform selected moves and tricks.
Now the Hang-10 HUD is not new by any means I’ve had mine for about a year, but I run into new surfers everyday that are looking to purchase the HUD. For beginners it will get you up and surfing like a pro with less belly time. Experienced surfers will love it for all the great photo opportunities it gives you, and who doesn’t want a life size picture of themselves doing a flying eagle hanging on the wall of their 6x6 hut ;)
There are 5 moves and 7 buttons that come with the Hang-10
Curl: The Curl is a cool move that gives you sort of that realistic wobbly feel while reaching done and touching your board.
Glide: A nice replacement for the standard surfing stance. This to gives you that “keeping your balance” look.
Note: These first two animations can be triggered to replace the default animations that come with your boards.
Flying Eagle: This is a cool move it allows you to jump off your board do a spread eagle move and then come back to your board. This is a seamless animation that gives you a nice trick.
Hang-10: For a RL Longboarder like myself I love this move. The animation allows you to walk to the end of your board hang 10 and return to your original position. This again is a great seamless transition.
Back Flip: This triggers the default back flip standard with your board.
Stop Animation: Pretty self explanatory. If you don’t click on this button you will not return to the belly position.
?: The question mark button will give you a notecard that explains the product and features.
I have used the HUD with SSI, Action and HP4 and it works fine with these boards. I usually recommend Try it before you buy it, but this won't work with the Hang-10 Surf hud there are no Demo versions available. My suggestion is to ask around before you buy. I recommend this for anyone who really loves to surf and has L$600 to spend on surf gear.
Remember you can find the HUD at Surf Shop 6, but most stores that sell boards will have the Hang-10.
I had an opportunity to catch up with SL Surfing’s newest board designer
Dee Waverider. I wanted to get a little insight into Dee and discuss her inaugural collection of Surfboards.
In the way of full disclosure I have known Dee for a while now and she also makes her home at Monkey Cove.
Dee first of all congratulations on your new boards they look great and it seems like you’ve really infused some new original designs into your work.
Q-
Dee how did you get involved with Second Life, and how long was it until you discovered the thriving surf scene here in SL?
A-
I joined Second Life on the advice of a friend already here. I had checked it out a few years earlier but wasn't very impressed. It has come a long way since then. I think it took me all of 5 minutes to find the surf community on here. I typed "surfing" into the search option straight after signing up. It was all the cool surf sims that I found that made me want to continue to hang out on SL.
Q-
Dee I know that you have been surfing in real life for quite a long time, can you draw any parallels to virtual surfing?
A-
I've been surfing in real since I was kid, and I followed in my dads footsteps to become a lifeguard. Surfing changes you, as I'm sure all the real surfers out there will agree. There's no better way to put the world into perspective than to catch a wave. Surfing on SL is fun, but it could never come close to the real thing :) However, I can draw a parallel when it comes to the sense of community on here. There is a good bunch of people involved in the surfing groups here that loves what they do and look out for each other. And that is very real. I have met some great people within the surfing community here and I hold close the friendships I have made.
Q-
Besides the surfing what do you like most about Second Life?
A-
I just love chilling with friends and hanging out on my island. I've really enjoyed putting the place together. it's kinda messy with a retro look, but hey, that's what I like. The weird thing about Second Life is that's it possible to be yourself here more than in real. You can live in your ideal surroundings, with no real limits on what you can own. I don't have that luxury in real life lol.
Q-
There are quite a few surf completions that seem to be happening just about every weekend in SL have you ever competed in any of the competitions? And if not do you have any desire to?
A-
I've not yet competed in any competitions here though I would like to. I'm on UK time so a lot of the competitions take place in the small hours of the morning for me, I'm out cold by then lol. Those that know me know that time is a very real issue for me. There is no pattern as to when or for how long I can be on. Sometimes I log on only to have to log out again after only a few minutes. Real life always comes first.
Q-
Now if everyone hasn’t gotten a chance to see your new collection their really missing something, what was your motivation to start designing your own boards?
A-
Curiosity mainly, I saw the SSI 'modify' boards at Surf Camp and just couldn't resist buying one. It was a case of trial and error until things started to fall into place for me. I love creating things and I also love working things out for myself. I just tried stuff out with the boards and learnt in the process. I have some pretty whacky 'rejects' in my inventory.
Q-
How did you make the jump from designing your own boards to teaming up with Heather and Sebastian?
A-
Well of all the great places I discovered on Second Life there was one that I just kept coming back to. I guess I was drawn to it because if I was going to design a surf sim, that's the look and feel I would go for too. Monkey Cove has a real nice vibe to it and of course when I came to set up home on SL, that's where I settled. It was the landlord of MC (think you know the guy) and the local surfers there who egged me on in a local surfboard design contest. I got my break through that. It was great working with Heather and Sebastion, they are really cool people.
Q-
If you could give advice to any other artist designing boards out there what would it be?
A-
Crikey, I would say don't just copy and paste images from the internet. I must confess I did it, and it is handy when you are learning about applying textures to the board for the first time. But after that try and create your own artwork. I currently use a program called "Gimp", it's free to download and easy to use.
Q-
Finally I know you just launched your first collection of designs, but is there anything in the pipeline? What’s next for DW Surf?
A-
When I have the time to sit down I do enjoy designing stuff, It is fun to do at the end of the day. So yes there is stuff in the pipeline :)
Dee continues to design and enter contest to display her latest work. She recently had one of her designs in competition at the recent Surf Fest.
If you would like to see Dee’s work visit her new shop:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Pacific%20Coast%20Hwy/202/33/30/
Las Islas Naima Waves-Ocean Huge
By: Naima Broome
Cost: L$6000
Permissions: No Mod/Copy/No Transfer
Specifications:
One very large prim, does not change shape, animated texture, prim does not move
Two prim sizes 120 x 120m and 256 x 256m.
What’s in the Package:
There are 5 different types and 21 different configurations of these large Ocean Waves.
What You Need To Know:
- A basic understanding of Second Life.
- A basic understanding of Edit Mode.
- A basic understanding of Terraforming.
This review is a little different from my previous examinations of your favorite waves, this wave cannot be surfed, but will add a realistic touch to your surfing area. Lets face it not every wave in the ocean is going to give you that once in a lifetime ride, there are many that we all watch roll on through; this is that type of wave.
Naima’s creation is a huge prim with an ultra-realistic wave animation running from one end of the prim to the other. The animation is just spectacular and finishes off you ocean in a very realistic manner. The creator recommends this product for “off shore” and I would agree these waves are better seen from a distance.
Set up of this wave is a snap! It’s placed right on the ocean surface and starts animation with no input needed. I would always suggest placing any object in edit mode so you can adjust it immediately without picking it again. Once you have placed the wave you can move it into the optimum location. Another suggestion would be to move it as far to your ocean’s horizon as it will go. This will allow you to have part of the prim “off-sim” which will create a fantastic look of infinity on your ocean.
When occupying the same space as your surfable waves the Naima Ocean Wave will not interfere with your ride or the performance of the wave. I have my Naima waves running in tandem with a large Sunset wave and there has been no affect on ride or the performance of the wave. Additionally I’ve seen no real degradation of sim performance.
As far as compatibility I have tested the Naima waves with; Sunset, Pipeline, Foam and Maverick waves and had no problems. This product can be paired with any of the shoreline waves out there to create a finished look to your beach. A great look is having the Naima Ocean Waves end about 10-15m from your beach with a shoreline wave running in the rest of the way.
In scoring this wave on my patented and totally subjective scale I would give this wave a 9 out of 10. The beauty, simplicity and cost make this a must have for any sim owner that has an ocean.
If you would like to see this product go to:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Las%20Lagunas/216/224/21/
If you would like to purchase this product:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Las%20Lagunas/216/224/21/
As always this is only my opinion, always try it before you buy it!
Sunset Waves (Ondas Olas Waves)
By: Leogarto Burt
Cost:
40m L$ 3,000
60m L$ 4,000
100m L$ 6,000
200m L$ 8,000
Specifications:
Sculpty Wave, One Shape Start to Finish, Animated Texture and Particle Break
Length: 10m
Width: 40m, 60m, 100m, 200m
Height: 10m
What You Get:
01 - Sunset Waves Control Panel;
01 - Sunset Waves Generator (40m or 60m or 100m or 200m);
01 - Sunset Waves Install Instructions Notecard;
01 - Metric Ruler;
01 - Surf Point HP Landmark.
What you need to know:
- How to use Edit Mode
- How to use Terraforming Tools
- Know your lot size
- Have a basic understanding of the SL system
Another great sculpty wave in Second Life is the Sunset Wave. The wave has nice rise and good breaking. The animation is very nice, but the wave is fairly transparent so looks best with your graphics turned up as high as you can go without crashing.
Now riding this wave is fun, wait let me stop here! Just so everyone reading knows I love surfing every wave. Ok back to the wave, I recommend the 100m or 120m wave due to the nice long ride you can get out of it. The wave is pretty forgiving to cut backs and has nice height for spinning and other tricks. I myself like long rides that allow you to move up and down the face of the wave, which the Sunset is well suited for. My only objection to the wave is its acute face angle, this is purely a personal preference and I know many people that love that aspect of it.
The wave is very easy on the sim and runs well on a HS sim. I have my Sunsets running on an HS with lots of other action going on and it never lags! The Sunset is in the mid price range of waves out there and is at a price point that most sim owners can handle even if they are not building a surf themed sim.
The wave is very easy to set up and comes with multilingual text. One nice feature of this wave is its remote wave controller. The on/off is packaged nicely into a beach sign that will blend into any setting. As with most waves beach design is key to having a natural looking wave, so experiment with terraforming and get your wave to break and fall nicely into the water. This wave is a simple setup and has no menu. The wave run duration is totally dependent on terraforming. The best feature of this wave is that Leogarto is always willing to come and help you if your not sure what your doing.
Considering all of the pros and cons I would give this wave a 7 out of 10. I would honestly recommend this wave to any surfer or sim owner thats looking for a nice simple to set up Sculpty Wave!
If you want to see the Sunset Wave in all its glory try Tsunami Beach, its my favorite Sunset Wave spot they have giant sunsets running one after the other in rapid progression. Additionally you'll love the black sand beach.
SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/tsunami%20beach/233/127/21/
If you want to purchase this wave check out HP4’s headquarters at Crab Island. This place is very cool and check out Leo’s other creations you will really love the HP4 Surfboards!
SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/crab%20Island/196/76/30/
As always this is only my opinion, always try before you buy!
I had an opportunity to pose a few questions to Sebastian Saramago about the new EPIC wave under development by SSI. I had been hearing a lot of rumors regarding the wave and its possible features so I thought I’d go right to the source.
Q-
Sebastian; being the Co-Creative force behind SSI what has been the progression of wave development that lead to the creation of your new EPIC Wave?
A:
We always had the desire to make surfing more dynamic. The new wave is an attempt to bring some innovative design characteristics in to play. We always wanted to develop a way that looks great, and rode even better. Working within the confines of Second Life has been a challenge.
Q-
It seems like sculpt is the “wave” of the future, no pun intended, what advantages does the sculpted wave have over the standard linked PRIM wave?
A:
There are many advantages to the linked prim wave actually. The cool thing about the sculpted wave is that you don't get the seams and synchronization issues. We started developing the one prim sculpted was back when sculpted prims were first available. Of course, and many know speed to market has not been our strong suit do to the real life schedules Heather and I have. Our competitors will always wait for new innovative ideas from us, then try to imitate the look and feel thru reverse engineering. Its a great compliment to us. Just as in the real world, people always look to the best then try to follow the style. Same as in SL. People will continue to look to us for the innovation. We really change and shape the market in this way. Bottom line, if SSi has it under development, you can be sure the competitors are working to keep up and follow suit. That's the way it should be in a free market.
Q-
I have surfed and also own just about every wave available in SL; what will be the biggest difference between the “New” Epic and the existing “EPIC” that everyone knows and loves so well?
A:
There was a lot of thought and planing into the way the wave is shaped. The goal was to have a wave that looks great, yet also lets you do more then just surf on a half pipe. The new shape will offer swells in sections that allow for jumps and tricks when timed just right. Also, one side of the wave has a low lip, and a graduating edge that leads to the mostly enclosed curl of the wave. When ridden by a skilled rider, this will allow for some amazing combos on the wave.
Q-
Was there any features that you really wanted to add to the wave, but decided against due to performance of complexity?
A:
Sure, always. There were some effects for looks that I wanted to add, but its always a balance between lag... which equals suitability, and performance and constancy. I have not given up on some feature that Heather and I are working on. I cant say at the moment for obvious reasons, but we have some great plans.
Q-
As you know there are a few Sculpted waves out there right now ranging from very expensive to very affordable where will you position the “New” EPIC wave?
A:
My intent is to make the new wave available to most of the public. That means competitive pricing. Truly, that's the only thing that gave our fellow wave makers a slight edge in the past.
Q-
Finally; I know your getting ready to launch the “New” EPIC wave shortly, but is there anything brewing in the way of advanced surfboard development you may want to share?
A:
Yes, the board have been in development for some time. I know people get disappointed in us for not being faster to market with things. However, we do love what we do, and are still working at it. We decided that the new boards must be complete before we roll out a major update. Many people have seen some of the improvements in the 6.4 design. I would say this design is about 55% of what the final board will be. We listen to our surfers and have taken note of the features they would like to see. Such as competition mode, that will make each board preform to the same standards for far competition, with registered scripts that let Judges know if board is not in comp mode. Also, duel riders, more animations, and more customizations options right out of the box.
If you would like to see the wave in second life got to
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dive%20World%20SouthWest/78/53/51/
Thanks to Sebastian one half of the creative team at SSI for letting us get a preview of what's in the pipeline at SSI
Maverick Wave
By: bobn4uyes Winkler
Specifications:
Sculpty Wave, one shape start to finish. Animated texture with particle curl.
Sizes:
30m - L$2,500
60m - L$3,000
100m - L$4,500
Group/owner menu system, Compatible with most boards,
Menu driven visual appearance.
Realistic sounds, particulate effects. Total control menu system.
What You Get:
The Wave of your Choice (with Decoration and without)
Controller
Setup Instructions
What you need to know:
- How to use Edit Mode
- How to use Terraforming Tools
- Know your lot size
- Understand Physical & Phantom objects
Have a basic understanding of the SL system
First let me say this wave is very easy to setup, but be sure to read the instructions. The Controller is great, you can control just about every aspect of the wave; speed, height, duration and frequency just to name a few.
Like all waves beach terraforming is key to have the wave finish realistically. Experiment with the end of the run to make it as smooth as possible, also make sure that there are no obstacles in the way so it finishes off nice and natural. The “through” of the wave is fairly shallow which helps when designing your beach.
The “decoration” version of these waves is cool too. Just be sure you have the room to run them this option adds a bit of area to the wave and it only comes in the 30m and 60m versions.
Riding these waves is all the fun you could ask of a virtual surfing experience. The wave has a large face and is very forgiving on cutbacks. You’ll spend more time surfing and less on your belly. The face of the wave provides ample space for pro and amateurs to perfect their style.
If you really want to see what these waves can do check out the YouTube link, courtesy of Kekoa Arbizu, under my website links. All in all I give this wave a 9 out of 10, its fun to surf, easy to setup, very affordable and best of all runs great on HS sims!
Heres where you can buy the Maverick:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Action%20surf%20sk8te/176/155/22/
Heres where you can surf the Maverick
