WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

As we look forward to 2015 ( and some of us to having a stable internet connection again!) I am also thinking back to this time last year when we were tentatively releasing the Silver Edition of The Artiste.
Things didn't go the way that we expected and although that was initially disappointing, I now firmly believe that this was a very good thing.
During the last year, Yummy has come up with so many new innovations and the pieces that we have worked on have driven a lot of changes and improvements that I feel have made The Artiste a much tighter and more desirable product than ever before.  I am therefore looking forward to 2015 with much enthusiasm and positive energy.  In particular seeing what new users are going to come up with as they let their imaginations run riot and how that will help define The Artiste as the premier performance (and production) assistant in SL.

So I raise a glass to:

Yummy for her clear sighted vision, genius and razor-sharp wit
Thad for helping shape our work into some beautiful videos that have been much admired
MJ and Nancy for joining us in the campaign with such enthusiasm and creativity
Kat for taking up our banner and waving it proudly in her blogs

And also to all those who have purchased TPT products and are already incorporating them into
their productions..(including those of you with orders pending!)

I look forward to meeting our new "Artistes" and may you all have a Joyous and Prosperous New Year.

Aura

Introducing the Artiste Smart Curtain

Watch the video: ==> The Artiste Smart-Curtain

"Ok ready, curtain. CURTAIN! Whose got the curtain?"

"Who clicked on the curtain again. I already clicked on it. Now its opening an closing. Then i have to open it again. This is all messed up"

"Hey I wasn't ready. Who told you to open the curtain?"

Wow. Talk about having been there and heard that. Catfights and blame-laying.
Ruined performances.

 I also felt sorry for new troupes who aren't aware that with certain minimally configured curtains, anyone can touch their curtain and operate it, ruining a performance either accidentally or intentionally.

So after a lot of back-stage drama over the years, I came up with the Artiste Smart Curtain.

A curtain is meant to hide the stage crews preparation of successive scenes so that it is a surprise and that there is cohesion in the presentation of the 'parts', actors, sets, costumes, starting cues, etc. It also serves as punctuation signalling the beginning and ending and is a separator of show segments like a paragraph.

1 - There are currently two styles: Flat and Split.
2 - There are 4 actions: Sideways, Fade, Raise(move), and Scrunch.
3 - They are mod You can apply your own textures.
4 - They are mod so you can adjust them to your stage size
5 - Their fade times are adjustable.

6 - The open/close time is adjustable
7 - The raise time and raise height is adjustable
8 - You can disable touch.
9 - Six ways to operate a curtain: 
     a) by touch
     b) via Performance HUD(autofx)
     c) via Director
     d) via curtain-Panel
     e) via Curtain Relay
     f) via Stage HUD

10) Only person logged into Director can operate the curtain

11) Current operator must be in same group as director and added to a nc access list.
12) Tipjar is automatically logged into and out of upon Director login.
13) Owners and Managers can 'force logout' on a crashed and frozen avatar.
14) Raised curtain has a bottom-lip view-able only to stage for easy touch access to lower. (Thank you, Wiz).
15) Scrunch has adjutable no. of steps

16) Sideways has adjustable min width.
17) You get an in-progress notice and a completion notice when it has completed its operation. You also get a warning when it is double-clicked before completion. Double clicks ARE NOT cached. The 2nd click is DISCARDED.

18) The Smart Curtains come with both Producer and Performer Series. The backstage stuff comes only with the Producer series. 
19) The Performer series does contain 2 Directors so performers can practice without needing to intrude on a venues resources.

Lat "Yummy" Lovenkraft

First New ARTISTE GOLD User Success Story!

A big shout out of CONGRATULATIONS and SUCCESS to our 1st new Artiste GOLD user  Kat Feldragonne with her 1st completed routine! She was the 1st official owner of the Artiste. She'd been asking for it for a long time and I kept telling her no. From her experience with the SILVER edition I didn't think she would hang in there with the GOLD that was more involved by a magnitude. I was wrong. I stand corrected. Here's to 'second chances'. And it may well be that at the time, the SILVER didn't have enough bells and whistles to command sustained interest so I will put that on me.

Here is a link to her blog which has a video of her routine.

https://akatandamouse.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/success/

What can happen when you hang in there. There is really a light at the tunnel. No its not an oncoming train.

While it may not seem all that whiz-bang visually, realize it forms the foundation of the Artiste and from a performers perspective it was/is a very rewarding experience due to the advanced control. That of coordinating activities with events so that things happen when you want them to with associated significance.

She used 2 Palettes for the dancers and 4 Palettes for the gingerbread men.

1) Also note that this is just one HUD on her screen.
2) Her fade times were adjustable and chosen by her.
3) He speed of rotation was chosen by her.
4) Her speed of the tip-ups were chosen by her
5) She combined tipping up with rotation all in the same Palette but triggered by the HUD to happen at separate times.
6) Curtain was controlled by her. No more depending on others to open the curtain when you want. Curtain has built-in unqueued double-click prevention, filtered-user control, and also gives a busy status and completion status. 
7) She controlled 2 dance sequences (2 groups) using our AB sequencing methodology.

This was a very ambitious first time attempt. Big Kudos. I don't expect everyone's first routine to be this intricate but it does show what drive, determination, and dogged determination can do. And I really must add emphasis and the significance of  her ability to sit down and actually 'read' most of the manuals from cover-to-cover prior to touching any part of the Artiste. I in no way expect that to be the norm. But hats off. Here's to the added rewards of being an English Major. Salutes! That must have helped to fill in a lot of gaps.

So know that...it can be done.

Yummy

Simplifying the Artiste Learning Experience

Well we've  had  a lot of new 1st-time users. Different types of users. 

I've had time to reflect as different people struggle with different learning hurdles. 

The seasoned users sort of grew up with the Artiste. There wasn't as much content ..way back then. They didn't have to learn everything from scratch...way back then. They already knew some basics more easily learned because there wasn't  so much to learn....way back then....and so it was easy to slowly build on what they already knew. 

The seasoned users had in common the need to do a lot of different types things; emoting, stripping, dancing, adorning, to name a few. Most were accustomed to a screen full of HUDS. They were looking for a more simplified solution. Their minds were already accustomed to function-juggling. The  concept of "events" or a "timeline" back then was a an undeveloped mental construct.

Todays users have more material to peruse over. More choices to make without knowing why they should make one over the other. There are books, videos, blogs, reviews, one-on-one chat logs. Its a lot to take in at once. But most are very motivated to adventure into new areas. Those with a 'what-ever-it-takes' 'for-as-long-as-it-takes' will likely do well if the past is any indication.

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What things have I learned from helping those newcomers who've struggled?

1 - Baby Steps!!!  Take small incremental baby steps. Digest it in very small bites. Reward yourself with praise each day you learn one new tiny thing. That is what has worked as people have 'thrown up their hands'. We find something small that they can do. Something easy. Bite-sized. And then we build on that.

2 - Don't try to put a routine together out of the gate. Their reason being that creates more opportunities to do things wrong...to get confused about events and timings. More areas to create typos.

3 - Skip menus. Skip over anything in the books that talks about menus, with the exception of menus and buttons related to dancing. They are indispensable.

Avoiding menus will create less clutter in you mind. I think most current avid users use note-cards. It is faster and easier to grasp and grapple. The menu approach to configuration I thought, way back when, would be easier but I think I was wrong. There is no need to learn them 1st, if at all. If you get to a menu and are not sure which note-cards it is associated with then ask me. Send me an IM. Lets try and fast-track your learning past the menued-examples in the book.

4 - Choices - I will now TELL YOU which choices to make based upon a consensus of user history and preferences:

 a) Event Method - Choices are: Specific, Calculated, Custom. Use CUSTOM! Don't spend time learning the others. Save yourself some learning time. Its what everyone uses. 

b) Event Type: DURATION or ELAPSED?  Use ELAPSED. People always end up using ELAPSED, deciding that its easier to manage, even if they started with DURATION.

c) Event #0.  DONT USE IT. PERIOD. (Sorry Kat) It throws timings off. It confuses people. It is an anomaly. It was a created way back when ..when we only had 10 events. People complained so added 2 more events. Event 0 and event 11. for a total of 12. I know big deal. I should have just added 10 more. pfft. Well now we have 20 events plus event #21 for a total of 21 events so no need to scrounge for a 22nd.  Also if you really need more, use HUD-Chaining. HUD A can chain to HUD B and you can get another 20-21 events. HUD B can chain to HUD C and you can another 20-21 for a total of 60-63 events. For those of you considering an hour-ish-long musical production totally Artiste controlled. And there is zero delay between chains.

5 - Put final poses in your sequence.

6 - Put animations in your sequence not the palette, though you could. Keep that as an option. Keep palettes for walking/moving from A to B like you probably already do.

7 - Always keep your *orders01 filled with 20 "nones". That is how it comes so just don't change it unless you have a good reason to. Everyone uses it filled.
Then MaxGroupsOverride will ALWAYS tell you how many events will be fired. Why didn't I call it NumberOfEvents?. A holdover from ...way back then...when I could only imagine what the future would be..decided not to rename it.

    MaxGroupsOverride is the most important entry on your *config notecard cause if you try to do more events, it wont tell you you have too many,...it just wont do them and you will ask me why none of your events past #6 are working. Its because MaxGroupsOverride,6 is what is on your *config nc. So be sure to increase it as you add more events.

8 - Start small. Add ONE NEW THING at a time. That way if there is a problem then you know where the problem is.

9 - Avoid learning and worrying about Lead Times and Delay Times until you have a need for things to happen together or very close together. It will be a while before reaching that level of sophistication.

   One exception...consider using an AutoEmoteLeadTime say of 7 seconds. This gives people 7 seconds to read your emote that probably describes what you will be seeing (i.e. removal of an item of clothing) before seeing the actual strip. This will save on events too. No need to create an extra event for an emote that is associated with an event. 

10 - If you lose something off into never-never-land, do an area search. Sometimes you have to search neighboring regions, so untick that box. Once in a great while it might be in a linked item. That happened to me once. Expand your search criteria. Very often it will return to(0,0,0) of the region. And you may need to CTRL-ALT-T to see it. 

11 - If its Tuesday, no this is not a joke, there are often asset-server issues and changes you think you made, just don't stick. And sooooo many times, Artiste has taken the blame and yes its happened to me too. "I made this change and its not working. It used to work". Then they go back and realize the change they made isn't there. 

12 - Typos - 80% of the problems as to why things won't work will be due to typos. For you, me, and the world. Develop an anal eye. Missing commas is the biggest offender. Periods instead of commas because those 2 keys are next to each other on the keyboard. Using something other than $ to separate multiple autofx commands. Improper CaPiTaLiZaTiOn.

13 - TOO MUCH WAIT TIME. Too much Wait time in an autofx. Say you have 2 events. Event #1 starts 10 seconds in and event #2 starts 20 seconds in.
1,"Opening",10.0
2,"Closing",20.0

So many times people will do this

1,r=p%01_A%move0$WAIT=5$r=p%01_A%startrot%1%0%0%1$WAIT=8$r=p%01_A%FadeOnce

Whats wrong with this picture....? Well there is 10 seconds between event 1 and event 2 (20-10 = 10). BUT...you said you want to do 13 seconds (8+5=13) worth of stuff in 10 seconds. Can't be done. And the Artiste goes off into never never land. Essentially what happens is none of the *autofx lines after this one in error will execute and maybe other functions will NOT execute and you will come to me asking why. "It used to work, you tell me". I didn't put in a check for that. Maybe I will in the future but for now...whenever you do a WAIT, don't get carried away or remember to count and add them up.


14- EVENT GAP LESS THAN 2 SECONDS.  This will cause things to just stop working. The time between Opening and Closing is 1 second. Not good. Must be at least 2 seconds.

1,"Opening",3.0
2,"Closing",4.0

Change it to

1,"Opening",3.0
2,"Closing",5.0

Introducing the First Thrower Class

The 1st class on using the Artiste Thrower is being offered on Saturday Dec. 20th between 2:30 and 4:40pm SLT.

This class is reserved for paid Artiste Performer Series owners.

Where it will be held is still TBD.

Owners can view the course curriculum here as well is view or re-view the videos that demonstrate it. The curriculum currently closely follows the 45-page book. I will be tailoring the class content and order as I get feedback and feel my way thru the process. The idea is to go slow and leave no stones un-turned.

There are also 2 preparation blogs that also allow for comments and questions. These talk about quick ways to adjust a throw with basic discussions on Palette density and Palette gravity. 

We will start with the first 3 pages of the book and see how it goes. Take our time. Have some fun. I plan on providing working 'thower' Palettes you can experiment with.


Yummy

Nancy Does Burlesque...OR NOT?!!!

Welcome to Burlesque by Nancy Toocool

I'd like to start of by thanking Yummy for putting together this video (first time any of my numbers get filmed, big yay for that) and of course for letting me use the Artiste Performance HUD & Palette, without which this number could not have been created.

About the Idea

Since humour, parody and ridicule are essential features of burlesque, I really wanted to dive into the core of burlesque and ridicule burlesque itself, namely the forms it has acquired in Second Life. While many SL burlesque dancers claim that they're trying to stay true to what they believe is the most important aspect of traditional burlesque (that is, sensual stripping that takes ages and does not lead to full nudity), they're at the same time compensating the lack of action by relying more and more to really extravagant sets and effects (such as humongous props and particle effects that at times can block the whole stage and completely hide the star of the show, the dancer), and this (combined with lazy use of movers that results in glide dancing all over the stage, one of my pet peeves), has led to acts that, as I joke in one of my emotes, really look more like a Disney on Ice performance than burlesque. God that was a long sentence.

I am also kind of tired of hearing the same songs (usually by Christina Aguilera or that Moulin Rouge song as in my number) over and over so I just had to mock that too. I wish people would think more what they want to do on stage and take their time to find their own style and voice, instead of concentrating on what they think the audiences expect from a burlesque show. You can do a song that's wasn't on the soundtrack of that Burlesque film (which, by the way, had little to do with burlesque, just saying...)!

Having said all that, I'm really directing most of the mockery at myself. There's nothing as fun as laughing at yourself. And believe me, I too once thought that SL burlesque can only mean clichés and that nipple pasties were mandatory. One of my first numbers was done to Aguilera's Candyman, for f's sake! Luckily, I soon found a crack in the box and was able to think outside it.

About the Production

After six months of playing with the Artiste Performance HUD & Palettes and creating four or five performable show numbers with it, I really wanted to test its boundaries. I had this old idea about a number in which I smash parts of the set as I "break free from the clicé", but I had no way of making the props fall down or anything like that before I got my hands on the Artiste.

There I was with one Palette functioning as an avi mover (11 individual moves in it) and another glued to the giant U that then made it first tilt slowly and then crash down. So I started to think what else to do. Hmm, stage lights of course. Those are always easy to create using a Palette. How about making those chandeliers rotate midway through the number, just to create some movement on the background and emphasise the lunatic feel of the number? Sure, what the heck, let's go crazy. Then I remembered I had these animated mesh statues I had never used before, so I thought they'd be the perfect tool to make fun of how some performances have twenty synced dancers whose only real task is to jump on a pose ball and let the lead dancer add them to their dance hud. Well, I'll let you in on a secret: you don't have to share your tips with these stage filler dancers. You're welcome.

Okay, so of course I wanted my mesh dancers to make their entry in a cool way, so I made stage lifts for them (using Palettes). And since they (unlike some dancers I've seen around) can't move through walls and floors (they're mesh, not ghosts), I made little hatches that opened and closed when they rose from under the stage. That meant two more Palettes.

Let me count... That makes 10 Palettes, all of which functions I timed and triggered using the Events and Auto-FX functions of the actual Artiste HUD (I know, this makes little sense to anyone unfamiliar with the hud). I have to admit, I was somewhat nervous about using so many Palettes and moves, especially with those animated mesh statues (that are potentially laggy), but hey, I like to rake risks.

Having used another mover system before and witnessing how it got stuck and delayed when there are more than one mover and/or when there are more than five avatars on the sim, I was very happy to see this number survive the actual show night with several avis around.

I think I've rambled long enough. I hope you enjoyed the show and be sure to come check us live some day - it's always better live!

-Nancy

PS: My intention was not to hurt anyone's feelings, just to make fun of some of the phenomena related to SL burlesque - and of myself. If we can't laugh at ourselves, we really can't laugh at all and should not be in this "business". Peace & love!

And now for the video...see the video==> “Welcome to Burlesque?”

Artiste Answers a Dare

Every now and then I get questions proposed that take on the form of a dare.

I got asked the question twice by the same person so I figured it is important to them. Can the Artiste walk an avatar in a  perfect circle?

Better to show them than to just answer "yes" I guess cause I did answer "yes" but they asked me again. Well I said "I thought it could" so maybe that's not a solid yes. At the time they were asking me if I could improve on another vendor's solution.

Well here is how I would do it using the Artiste.

Also as long as I had the setup, I chose to experiment a bit with the AutoCam and shot this quick little video. I plan for much better demos of AutoCamming in the future but was fun to take a jab at it to insure I would walk the talk.

So much is going on so i am prioritizing whats best for the current and future Artistas at the present time

Lat "Yummy" Lovenkraft

Artiste NEWS! Price Reduction on Producer Series and New Free Additions to the Performer Series

The Artiste Director, Artiste DanceDiva Controller and Artiste MessageBoard have now also been included in the Artiste Performer Series as deemed necessary for practical use.

 As of such, I am reducing the price of the Artiste Producer Series from 25,000 L to 15,000 L. 

And if you own or purchase the Artiste Performer Series, the price for the Artiste Producer Series will be only 10,000 L.

Nothing has been removed from the Artiste Producer Series; only duplicated in the Artiste Performer Series.

For detailed descriptions of contents, see: 

Artiste Producer, Artiste Performer Series, Artiste Features List

Lat "Yummy" Lovenkraft

NEW! StageSight v3.1 - Multiple-Venue Version

The new StageSight PLUS 3.1a

So I tried my own Artiste previously released StageSight v2.5b (in the audience) at a live show and found myself unhappy with just the one view and ended up adjusting it anyways. It would be good for a performer as you only need 1 general wide-angle view if you are backstage or on the stage performing and you just need a general idea of what is going on.

But I was in the audience and got the idea to flip the idea of the original OperaGlasses introduced to the Dance Community years ago, from venue-centric (venue provided 6 fixed viewing angles) , to audience-centric, (the audience member captures and configures their own viewing goggles and has stored settings for each of their favorite venue).

That is what StageSight PLUS is all about.

You can store up to 11 sets of your favorite venues. Each set includes a zoom range defined by 2 view. The HUD creates 3 extra interpolated camera-views inside your manually captured inner and outer view. Now you can zoom in and out or select a particular zoom level directly. You can also capture the location of the TipJar and quickly switch to it and back again. No introduced jittering because you manually cammed from point-A to point-B and lost performer sync. If you don't have 11 venues, then double up or triple up and and add extra views to your favorite venue(s).

Product is now available on StageSight PLUS 3.1a

For information on how to capture and store your own custom angles, see the StageSight v2.5b video. 

Question and Answer Sessions Offered

Hello,

There is a good deal of wonderment as information has intentionally been slow to be revealed.The  Artiste Performers Series Release Candidate 1 was officially released Dec 17th, 2014.

So its time that there be a chance to ask questions in person and hear others questions and concerns.

I have gotten feedback and suggestions and requests from early use and I have responded in full as soon as I am on. Often I am the one to encourage a meeting with questions asked.

So if you are considering either the Artiste Performer Series or Artiste Producer Series or both, and can attend a meeting this coming Nov. 22nd Saturday at 12pm SLT or Nov. 23rd Sunday 2pm SLT at the DQ Info Center, then please send me an IM and reserve a spot. All it takes is a minimum of one person with interest and there will be a meeting. If you would like to attend but the times are bad for you, let me know and maybe i can adjust the times as well as plan for a subsequent Q&A the following week or a private 1-on-1 Q&A session.

Lat "Yummy" Lovenkraft

Introducing the Artiste AutoCam System

Frustrated with the toils of having to cam at large venues, I sort of fast-tracked a feature that was promised as part of the GOLD release. It had slipped on to the back burner for awhile and I was thinking I might not be able to include it but, alas, that is not the case.

So YAY! the parts have been tested and all work in concert with each other. You have the ability to not only zoom as well but to fine-tune the zooming dynamically for faster or slower zooms with more or less jittering.

So it will be pre-released, as part of the Producers Series. There is also a Performers Series (the regular series). More on these soon.

There are 4 parts to the AutoCam system.

1 - The Artiste AutoCam Controller - funnels commands from the HUD autofx engine, which camera-views are sent and when, using the built-in events system. It insures that one and only one device can control the seats. This Controller can work stand-alone or as a HUD. It is MOD/NO-COPY. There is a nc where you can list who can use it. They must be in the same group as the Controller. You use the Controller to also setup 35 fixed angles to choose from as well as peruse the angles to determine which ones you want to use in your routine. Each has a letter-number designation. i.e.  M3

2 - The Artiste Audience Script - drop  this script into each audience seat which you want to enable AutoCamming. The audience member has 4 choices they can choose by typing in local chat. they must press ESC once, to start the process.

a) cam - allow the Controller, via the current performer, to control what and when and how they see what they will see

b) stage - goes to a default full-stage camera-view

c) tip - cams to the tipjar and stays for 12 seconds before returning

d) quit - returns normal cam control tot the audience member.

3 - The Artiste StageSight HUD - use this (or the SnapShot feature in the Artiste Performance HUD) to quickly and easily capture the camera views for the 35 standard views in the Controller. Copy and paste the output into the Controller (*cameras nc). You have the option to also create 5 additional custom angles per Performance HUD and choose to use those intermixed with the standard 35. Those 5 special HUD-angles are entered on the *cameras nc in the Performance HUD. You must be within 50 meters of your snapshot target.

4 -The Artiste Performance HUD - this uses cam commands in autofx against events to trigger camera angle/view changes. There is a 2 second delay for camera-views so it is suggested you add an autofx-lead-time of 2 seconds (on *config. (This means you will have to account for this 2-seconds for each subsequent autofx. ie. adding a WAIT=2 at beginning of each subsequent autofx entry). This will insure that camera-views happen right on the event time. NOTE: The Performance HUD that comes included in the Producer Series is NO-COPY.

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Suggested Method of Operations

A suggested method of using it is to mark the performance where the dancer stops. Mark it with an avatar-high marker you can make. Can be a cylinder or rectangular box. You can even color them different.

Now use the StageSight, or your Performance HUD, to take your desired camera vew/angle, position, and focus. Straight on, looking up or down, at an angle, far or close-up. Your choices.

Now if you can, use a a video editor or else a stopwatch and time the places in the routine where the person hits the markers. The point is to get the 'times'.

Now add a camera angle to each place. Then you can go back and add angles in between, either closer or further, or zooms, to add variety. Adding a camera-view/angle means creating events (or using existing events) for each marker and then placing the appropriate camera instruction in an autofx entry. The first command should be a controller register command (0,r124=CAMREG). This logs the user of the HUD into the Controller. Then a cam instruction would resemble:  1,r124=CAM%L3. This tells those with audience scripts to change their cam to the angle/view represented by the 3rd Left angle preset angle.

We have some fancy camera moves coming later and as always, all updates are FREE.

Come on, tell us what's in it, Yummy? - Introducing: The Artiste Performer Series, The Artiste Producer Series, and....the...Artiste Features List...at last.

Someone said I'd been sort of secretive about it all. That person was right. I have been.  But my days of hide-and-seek and paranoia are over. 

After 4 years in the basement...I am finally being released.

I am letting the cat out of the bag. It is time. Let it be. And of course, I owe it to those wanting to make an informed buying decision. 

Usually the 'what' is presented first. Sometimes I function against the norm for various reasons. This was one of those times. I addressed some of the 'how' and the 'why', first

ADDENDUM:
1) Had my 1st sale today. WOOHOO! 1 Performer Series sold.
2) It is a Release Candidate meaning, it is no longer BETA but not for general release.  Releasable to people I know who I feel deemed appropriate for it at this point in its life and  will work closely WITH me should there be any unforeseen gotchas or overlooked missing bits.

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Performer Series (25,000 L)

Below are the key components (the what) of the Artiste Performer Series, intended for the on-stage performer, be they dancer, actor, tribute band, model, or other on-stage entertainer.

• PE00 - Artiste - Informational Notecards (BOX)
• PE01 - Artiste - Books (18 Manuals) (BOX)
• PE02 - Artiste - HUD-2-HUD Updater (BOX)
• PE03 - Artiste - Mover Stuff RC1 (BOX)
• PE04 - Artiste - Performance HUD GOLD RC1 v9.10 (copy/mod) (BOX)
• PE05 - Artiste - Palette RC1 (copy/mod) (BOX)
• PE06 - Artiste - Set Rezzer Set (copy/mod) RC1 (BOX)
• PE07 - Artiste - Training Demo AddOns (BOX) (outfits, adorns, specials)
• PE08 - Artiste - Levitators (BOX)
• PE09 - Artiste - Follower Relay RC1
• PE10 - Artiste - Stage HUD
• PE11 - Artiste - StageSight (mod) (BOX)
• 1 FREE Coupon for Particle Studio (999L)

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Producer Series (25,000 L)

Below are the key components (the what) of the Artiste Producer Series, intended for the venue owners, producers, stage-managers, directors. These items are defined as only needing one instance per venue. They are what any performer, either soloist or group-leader, would need 'exclusive access to' during their performance. All of these items were born out of necessity (and frustration) from real world experience.

• PR01 - Logo for Artiste Pick
• PR02 - Artiste - Curtain Detector (2 NOCOPY/MOD/NOTRANS)
• PR03 - Artiste - TipJar Detector (2 NOCOPY/MOD/NOTRANS)
• PR04 - Artiste - Stage Detector (2 NOCOPY/MOD)
• PR05 - Artiste - StageSight (2 NOCOPY/MOD)
• PR06 - Artiste - Director (2 NOCOPY/MOD)
• PR07 - Artiste - DanceDiva - Controller (2 NOCOPY)
• PR08 - Artiste - Message Board (COPY/MOD/NOTRANS)
• PR09 - Artiste - TipJar  (COPY/MOD/NOTRANS)
• PR10 - Artiste - AutoCam - Controller (NOCOPY/MOD)
• PR11 - Artiste - AutoCam - Audience Script (COPY/NOTRANS)
• PR12 - Artiste - Follower Relays (25 NOCOPY/Trans)
• PR13 - Artiste - Curtain (2 NOCOPY/NOTRANS)
• PR14 - Artiste - HUD (NO-COPY/MOD)
• 
  

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Features List

And now the Features List for both Producer and Performer Series. (there are a good number of features unlisted that are combined inside of other items). May God have mercy on your souls.

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BASIC SILVER EDITION INCLUDED IN GOLD
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1) Auto-Stripping
2) Auto-Adorning
3) Auto-Emoting
4) Auto-Sequencing (SequenceOnPlay) 
5) Instant Pose
6) Instant Sequence Play using "S" button
7) HUD Minimize
8) Dance Caching
9) Manual: Sequence Start/Stop
10) Final Pose - (Now triggered by "A" button (for After)
11) Instant Initial Pose triggering - Triggered by 'F' button
12) Manual Adorn
13) Intellibooks, classes, one-on-ones, blog
14) Instant Direction-Facing, Absolute
15) Ability to remove just 1 of several layers or attachments on a body part
16) Ability to remove and add   layer or  attachments at same time, same event
17) No inventory window required to be open for doing costume stripping
18) Manual Item removal and Group-Item (i.e. shoes)  removal

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ADVANCED EDITION GOLD RC1
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18) Auto-Announcing - Can also use it to double no. of emotes from 12 to 24
19) Auto-FX - Full - External Control of Palette and other devices 
20) Auto-Follower -  (FollowStart, FollowStop) & PALETTE

21)  Master Set Rezzer includes manual, with copyable scripts
22) Manual as well as HUD-controllable (using AutoFX) custom SetRezzer with up to 5 set successive auto-crossfades (forward and/or reverse) along with simultaneous set-rez (not available in standard rezzers),: DoubleExposure,Show,Hide,AutoKill,Single SetSelectable, FadeIn, FadeOut, Advance, Retard, ComeHome 
23) HUD-Chaining for when you need additional events (more than 22)
24) SmartChange - Micro-Controlled outfit-change ordering
25) Communicates to DanceDiva - Group Formation HUD

26) Communicates to our custom Stage HUD - isolating stage control to the one logged in performer or group-lead
27) External Device Control thru custom channel
28) Communicates to our custom Stage Director - screens group controlling via Stage HUD or direct touch
29) Communicates to our designated lights and our own custom lights via PALETTE, custom tip-jar script, custom curtain script
30) Group Adorn - Coordinated outfit additions

31) Controls and plays Sounds from inside Director
32) Can start and stop media
33) Costume Exclusions
34) Costume Anchors 
35) Includes several free scripted rezzables: Silhouette Ball, Spotlight, Silly Ball, Long Box, Cylinder, Phone Booth, Changing Screen, Orb Glow

36) Customizable FX-Masked Costume Changing
37) Can avoid most (but not all) notecard configuring by using the HUD menu system.
38) Built-in Avatar Invisibility
39) Special Event Zero and event #21 for things you always do before and after a routine with pre-lead-times and post-delay times
40) Ability to strip without creating RLV folder (but does require RLV enabling)
41) Multiple AutoFXs per event allowed 

42) Many functions have configurable lead, hold/on,  and delay time offsets
43) Send separate dance sequences to 4 definable dance groups (A,B,C and D) or 1,2,3,4
44) Use NickName for emotes, 
45) Send Emotes to Relay device on special channel (for extending chat beyond 100 meters)

46) Direct Emotes to local chat or IM
47) Group Stripping via a negative Adorn
48) Send commands region-wide
49) Auto-Teleport, Auto-Rebake, Auto-Tattoo Layering as part of SmartChange
50) Chooseable auto-animations for start and end of costume-change

51) Effects Spin  
52) Effects Coloring 
53) Selectable FX-Costume Masking time
54) HUD controllable via external Chat
55) HUD is Copy/Mod - save pre-configured with your (initial) show outfit

56) HUD-2-HUD transfer script Included for easily transferring items between 2 HUDs (good for version upgrades)
57) GroupPlay - Invoke Play of another HUD
58) GroupStop -  Stop another HUD or HUDs
59) GroupStrip
60) GroupAdorn - wearing of layers and attachments

61) Controls an advanced version of the Opera Glasses and triggers viewing angles at event times
62) Synchronous and Asynchronous Group Sequencing with new CD added

With the Artiste Palette Add-On you can;

63 - Fade-In Palette
64 - Fade-Out Palette
65 - Move Palette multiple times

66 - Move an Avatar multiple steps
67 - Move a specific range of moves 
68 - Flash a Palette Once via animated texture
69 - Flash a Palette constantly at random intervals
70 - Blink a Palette - changing its on/off time and on/off color

71 - Turn a light beam on/off
72 - Turn the light effect on/off
73 - Change color of light effect
74 - Change color of light beam
75 - Palette becomes any particle effect

76 - Palette becomes one of built in particle effects (Fire)
77 - Invoke actions from one Palette to other Palettes
78 - Trigger Palette actions from inside the dance sequencer
79 - Test Palette on some features without creating a HUD *autofx
80 - Trigger Palette from HUD *autofx

81 - Topple a Palette (cause it to fall over)
82 - Throw a Palette - Throw it at an target using 1 or 2 phases with a plethora of customizable parameters allowing for physical and non physical propulsion
83 - Change a Palettes material properties at showtime: physics, density, gravity, friction, phantom, bounce
84 - Change a Palettes physics
85 - Show/Hide Palette

86 - Start and stop a Palettes rotation
87 - Oscillate a Palettes transparency via Fade-In/Fade-out
88 - Oscillate a Palettes scale via Grow/Shrink 
89 - Apply a texture
90 - Start and Stop an animated texture

91 - Turn Palette into a light assigning: color, intensity, falloff, radius
92 - Rez an object
93 - Kill a rezzed object
94 - Adorn an item inside Palette timing like during a move step
95 - Assign a FinalMovePose

96 - Create syncopated rotation with stepped movements - like a watch second-hand gear
97 - Change Color of Palette at showtime
98 - Change Transparency of Palette at showtime
99 - Catch an object that has "fallen"or been "thrown"
100 - Drop an object that is attached to avatar

101 - Drop an object that is unattached to an avatar
102 - Assign a default sit animation
103 - Assgin a default stand animation - handy for smooth palette exits
104 - Force avatar to sit on an object 
105 - Change a Palette into a follow object like a followspotlight

106 - Make the palette follow an avatar of object
107 - Make the Palette go to an avatar or object
108 - Turn Palette into a silhouette
109 - Tip Palette forward and backward
110 - Make Palette Glow

111 - Instant Raise and Lower without creating a mover
112 - Change scale of palette
113 - Slow Turn Left and Right or 180
114 - Change the style of the light effect
115 - Sit-2-Sit Transfer - - swap Palettes

116 - Palette-based Formation Movement
117 - Specify actions to take upon collision start and end
118 - Specify an action to perform at same time as  doing a Palette mover
119 - DanceDiva Formation Controller - Places avatars in formations and performs formation-2-formation transitioning
120 - PracticeSite-to-LiveStage rotation reorientation

121 - Shatter a Palette into pieces
122 - Artiste DanceDiva Follower Relay
123 - Artiste MasterPiece - play several middle sections of dances back to back
124 - Artiste PieceMaker - start an animation after the beginning - easy connection-point deciphering
125 - Artiste Light  

126 - Artiste DanceTimer
127 - Artiste Curtain 
128 - Artiste Message Board 
129 - Artiste Levitator

Artiste Performance HUD GOLD
Artiste Palette 
Artiste Avatar Mover 
Artiste Markers
Artiste Anchor
Artiste Marker Controller
Artiste Master Set-Rezzer (Scripts & NCs)
Artiste Child Rezzer Script
Artiste FX Emitter
Artiste Director 
Artiste TipJar
Artiste Anchor 
Artiste Stage HUD 
Artiste Stage Occupancy Detector
Artiste Curtain Detector
Artiste StageSight (AutoCam)
Artiste AutoCam Controller
Artiste Autocam Audience Script 
Jemmas HUD-2-HUD Transfer

Introducing the Artiste StageSight

Well the ball has started rolling...God help us now.

We start off with a handy device born of necessity, as is the case with most all of our products.

The Artiste StageSight. If you are familiar with the OperaGlasses, its the same thing (a mini-hud with 3 buttons) only with one view instead of 6 for simple quick backstage to front-stage viewing. 

Instructional video above and also comes with an illustrated IntelliBook.

This product is also included in the Artiste Performer Series and Artiste Producer Series and you will receive a refund if/when you purchase either. It is an important part of both series and has other users for those owning either or both Series.

The item comes boxed (NoCopy/Mod) and is available on MarketPlace StageSight On Marketplace
as well as in-world Artiste Main Store at Auradacious (when you arrive go left around the corner into Auradacious and take the teleporter to the 2nd floor)

Yeah yeah, I know, Yummy never has her products available like normal people do. Well for all you naysayers..nya nya nya nya.

Also ask to join our support group so you can stay abreast of the upcoming products as well as updates.

More to come...

Lat "Yummy" Lovenkraft

Demo Videos and Their Influence on the Decision to Purchase

Hello,

After pondering my discussions with all those who have expressed interest in purchasing the Artiste Performer Series and/or the Artiste Producer Series, it appears that the demo videos are having NO, ZERO, NADA, affect on their decision to purchase. Long story short...they are being viewed little or not at all, even though the blog views exceed 1,000. There seems no desire to visually see what it can do.  Peoples decisions to purchase seems to come from an emotional center based on a 'confidence vibe', for lack of a better term that I can think of. No one has asked what it can do other than, can it fade? There has been indirect interest in its ability to 'move an avatar'. Some indirect  expression of appreciation for an all-in-one, single-hud solution. And some early excitement over the "thrower" and "set rezzer". But real dialogue and interest about specifics on the myriad of offerings seems be lacking.

Yes I was shocked too, but this is a learning process for me on how and why people make a decision to buy. This is an unusual product assembly and release methodology so it is forming its own purchase-identity.

So I will hereby cease making the demo videos public and from here on out they will take more the form of how-to-videos and will be made available exclusively to product-owners only. I have about 10 more planned. 

The Artiste GOLD Release Candidate #1, Performer Series and Producer Series will be enjoying a limited release sometime this week. YAY! Nervous but exciting times.

Lat "Yummy" Lovenkraft

Support and Training

Teaching you how to use the product is as important as the quality and value of the product itself. If the product is the  greatest thing since sliced bread but we somehow failed to teach you how to use it, then the end result is the same as having a bad product. In either case, it won't get used.

So with that said, we have gone to great lengths to document the product and re-document it and re-document it some more as well as attempt to provide a comprehensive methodology towards conveying information as well as enabling you to become proficient with the product.

We have chosen to use IntelliBooks instead of raw text as the primary source. In addition to the manuals:

1. We offer 17 course IntelliBook manuals
2. We have added table-of-contents to the back of some manuals to make it easier to find what you are looking for. 
3. We've added illustrations where we think it is helpful. 
4. We've tried not to assume that you know too much. 
5. We have provided demo videos to give you an idea of how things might be used and sometimes a glimpse behind the scenes of how we accomplish it
6. We offer unlimited one-on-one support. The most important time to ask questions is on !!!DAY-ONE!!! when you 1st start using it. Its when you will form opinions and know the least about it and will need the most help. Ask help early. Don't feel 'stupid' about anything you don't know that you feel you should know.
7. We will give classes when we have more than 1 person needing training.
8. We will be creating how-to-videos, as time permits, to address to sheer volume and intricacy of the system.
9. We have a support group where you can ask and share information
10. We have an active blog where you can find: general info, helpful reviews, show-videos, demo-videos, discussions, etc.
11. If we are not convinced...that you are convinced that you can become proficient with it, then we won't sell it to you! As simple as that.

Introducing - The Artiste Faders

The Artiste Palette - Faders

I keep getting asked more than anything else, if my Artiste Suite can do fades?. Not sure why people keep asking me that after what I've shown.? I would think people would assume that if I can do  hard stuff, I would surely include the easy stuff...BUT...I get that faders are cool and one of the 'must have',  features like particles, movers, set-rezzers, sequencing, emoting, stripping, outfit-changing, formations, etc. 

People don't think we have a mover? Again, not sure why. It can be seen in many of the Artiste Videos. We just don't make a big fuss about it. Maybe we should make more noise about it? Anyway you can see or movers in: Sisters, State of Shock, Call of the Siren, The Sacrifice,... we have about half-a-dozen ways to move an avatar. Our movers have also been used by others in live shows. And i guess with all the fuss, its deserving of a demo video. On my to-do-list. Check!

So anyways, here I've been thinking I had to stand on my head and attempt to walk on gravy in order to get peoples attention and all I had to do was show we could do simple fading. Hmmm!?. Well sometimes its the little things that count the most and 'less is more' and all that jazz. I get all that. So without further ado...to finally put this question to rest once and for all, (just/kidding)...without further ado...OUR FADER!!!

Introducing - the Artiste Particle Emitter and more Set Rezzer - Masked Set-Swapping

Well by now you've seen the Artiste Palette configured to be a particle emitter alone (State of Shock video) as well as in conjunction with it being configured as a mover (The Sacrifice video). Particles are all the rage. Of course we will not only provide for them but make it enticing by offering 999L value popular particular configuration generator to aid in your creative process. We feel it is such a paramount part of any suite that dares to call itself 'comprehensive'.

I have at least 2 generators, both called Particle Studio, but by different creators.  This one I am recommending has a friendly dynamic user interface. And, you can easily copy its output to 2 different places. 

1) Copy its export into our Artiste Particles script, as is, and then configure it to run as a Palette-initiated-script...or 
2) copy its exported output into our *specialfx nc. It just so happens to work with the exception of when you want it to 'follow' something or someone. Very easy to make the minor adjustments to add that extra ability.

Here is the Particle generator used in the demo video. [ Particle Studio HD ] Particle Generator Hud Version 2.3. SO of course the advantage of a particle generator is that  you can easily create your own particles. You can also import existing configurations and modify them.

It is again important to state the importance of the Artistes ability to start and stop in conjunction with other HUD functions and Palette action-features. The following exemplifies the Artiste Particle Emitter and Set-Rezzer's ability to sync...in this case with each other. This particular sync is built in and tightly integrates the SwapAB function (exchange of transparencies between 2 sets) of the Artiste SetRezzer with the emission of particles to mask a set-change. Having this automated removes yet one more thing you have to remember to do during a show.

This is another attempt to help enable those new to burlesque and special-show-based-synchronizations without relying on others for help. 

I am such a novice at creating, well anything really, except scripting. So this particle example is simply a cloud that I toyed with until I could get it to a size and shape to mask my little dinette set.

If Particles is "on" on the *particles nc, then a particle mask will automatically be generated to the named-palette when the Artiste MasterRezzer receive a SwapAB command from the Artiste Performance HUD. 

You can also trigger several Palette-Emitters if named the same. You can also stack emitters and get combined effects. 

Now a nice added plus of the Artiste is that you can combine an emitter-configured Palette with other Palette action-features like the Palette as a mover as well. What if you rotate (the particle source) an already rotating particle emission. Or how about 'throwing the particle-emitting-palette end over end or frisbee style? Who will be the 1st to try something crazy like that? How about a stack of emitters that shatter? Which 150 or combo of 150 features will you conjoin with particle emission? (Ok not all 150 will be practical to combine but enough to send  you off into new directions, never to return any time soon).

Watch the video: