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SLENTRE.COM» Mobile Grid Client: Smartphone Software for Mobile Second Life Connectivity

by Sigmund LeominsterAs the world moves ever-closer to being wired to the internet 24/7, the opportunity to be both in the real world and the second Life® virtual world simultaneously increases. And as more and more people switch from regular cell phones to more sophisticated smart phones, these present a potential platform for accessing your virtual life.Enter the Mobile Grid Client (MGC) software, running on my Motorola Droid A855.

Described as “a second Life messaging client for Android-powered cell phones like the Motorola Droid, the T-Mobile G1, the Google Nexus one and a lot of other devices,” Mobile Grid Client is basically a way for someone to be in second Life via their smart phone. After logging in, you can use IM to chat with people, teleport to different locations, take part in local chats, look at peoples’ profiles, and even bring up a regional map to see where you are and where other avatars are located.

Because it runs on a portable-device operating system – in this case Google’s Android software – it isn’t the same as a fully features second Life client. For one thing, you can’t actually “see” where you are and move around, nor can you interact with objects – unless that includes money, in which case you can give and receive Linden dollars. It is primarily a text-based program yet allows someone to maintain a real-time presence in world.

And you do have a “real” in-world existence. During my test period, I was able to log in and teleport to be among friends and hold a conversation. They could see me just like normal, but I couldn’t move around without their assistance i.e. by having them push me – all, of course, in the interests of science. Nevertheless, there is a sense of “presence” to be had when using the MGC software, and as a way of being there when a regular computer isn’t available, it has value.the software is the brainchild of Kurt Schlager, a software developer from Austria, and was launched in October 2009 as a download from the Android Market. I asked Kurt to tell me a little about his thinking behind developing his client.

“The idea to create a mobile application had nothing to do with virtual worlds at all. Before Mobile Grid Client, I knew second Life just from the press. It all started with the idea to compete at Google’s Android Developer Challenge last summer. At the time, it seemed to me that every useful application had already been published. Then one day, a very good friend of mine suggested that I make a second Life client. So I created an account, very quickly became a little bit addicted to SL, and loved the idea of creating the first SL client for Android.”

So how long did it take to go from an idea to a saleable product?

“It took me about five months to release the first version of the client. my biggest challenges were of a technical nature. As this was my first application for Android, learning about the Android operating system itself was a big challenge, and of course SL itself. I was also new to the virtual world so I had to learn a lot about how things worked there and how people were using all the tools that SL offered.

“The biggest challenge of all was that it wasn’t possible to develop an SL client on a Java-based device in a timely fashion. There are no libraries that you can use. But this directed me to the client-server architecture MGC builds upon now. all the heavyweight computing is done on a server and the client application on the mobile device is just the remote.”

You are using a subscription-based approach to selling the client. why did you have to do that as opposed to just selling a one-time piece of software?

“Simply put, because it really is a service. I have to run and maintain the servers. I could also offer a one-time payment, but I felt that if I had to stop the service in the future, it would not be fair to people who had paid for the client and who then couldn’t use it anymore. therefore, the client itself is free but the usage of the service has to be paid for. if I have to discontinue the service I’ll just stop selling license and shut down the service after the last license has expired.”

The lack of the ability to move around while in second Life was the one feature I miss when using the client. are there any plans to try to make this possible?

“I’m aware of this and have thought a lot about it. But walking with just the map as a reference plus the extra lag to the server and back is something I think could lead to frustration. Thus there is currently no such feature. But never say never!”

What are your short- and long-term goals for MGC?

“Well, there are some things on my to-do list: Better inventory integration, better group handling, mute list, and some others. But the next big thing will be support for the Blackberry platform.”

If there were three pieces of advice you’d offer to people wanting to run businesses based on the second Life platform, what would they be?

“First, be very aware of SL’s population and your target group as real people not just avatars.

“Second, do your business with full commitment and enjoy being your own customer.

“And finally, don’t mix up L$ with real currency ;-) .”

The Mobile Grid Client software is available free for users of Android-based devices and can be downloaded from the Android Market. There is a 14-day free trial before you have to switch to the standard version that currently goes for L$250 per month – about $10 per year. There is a Pro version for L$450 per month (or L$4500 per year) that provides some extra features, such as the facility to make payments, change groups, and an extended inactivity time-out feature.

Resources[1] Mobile Grid Client Home page: http://www.mobilegridclient.com

© 2010, Sigmund Leominster

SLENTRE.COM» Mobile Grid Client: Smartphone Software for Mobile Second Life Connectivity


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Posted by admin - October 9, 2010 at 3:00 am

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Vegan Drinks XXV: We're Two Years Old! Celebrate Us on Thursday …

Dang! That’s one good lookin’ logo!

Help us celebrate Vegan Drinks NYC’s 2nd birthday this Thursday, May 27th, from 7pm to 9pm at Angels & Kings Bar. We’ll give away some books, drink some drinks and applaud ourselves (that includes you, Vegan Drinks attendees) for keeping the Vegan Drinks’ dream alive for the last 24 months!

The drink specials are CHEAP: 2-for-1, folks! And, the crowd is so fresh and so clean.

We’ll turn down the music around 8:15pm and encourage people to promote themselves, their groups and/or causes for 30 seconds. If you represent a veg*n or animal rights group, come prepared with your (very short!) spiel and literature.

Check out our map of restaurants near Angels & Kings where you can grab a bite after the event. And if you haven’t already, link up with Vegan Drinks on Facebook and MySpace.

Vegan Drinks is held from 7pm to 9pm at Angels & Kings, 500 East 11th Street (btw Ave A & Ave B), new York, NY 10009.

Update: We’re not gonna bother with the regular book giveaways anymore–they seem to have gotten more annoying than fun.

Vegan Drinks XXV: We're Two Years Old! Celebrate Us on Thursday …


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Posted by - June 23, 2010 at 9:00 am

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Lost Planet 2 Q & A discusses customization, weapons, plans for DLC and …

Were sure that many of you Lost Planet fans out there have already got stuck in to the new Lost Planet 2 multiplayer demo which landed on Xbox Live Marketplace yesterday (dont worry PS3 gamers, it will arriving later today on the PlayStation Network too!) and sees up to 16 players battling it out on a new map, Turbulent Jungle, in one of two modes, Elimination or Post Grab.

So you are probably in the mood to read through an interesting Q & a about Lost Planet 2 in which Capcom discusses customisation, new weapons, plans for DLC, Project Natal and more.

Lost Planet 2 is set to release on the Xbox 360 and PS3 on the 11th of May around the world. Browse through our previous coverage to see how the title is shaping up with a whole bunch of screenshots, trailers and more information about the game. And dont forget to read the Q and a, courtesy of XCN, below.

  • How has the world of E.D.N. III changed in the 10 years since the events of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition?

Capcom: the whole environment of the planet has completely changed due to global warming and as a result of this; animals and plants that were introduced by the humans began to flourish.

However, the humans are still not used to this dramatic change from the extreme cold condition that has started up diversification of the ecology. whilst the lives of the people did become a little easier thanks to this warmer climate, the rapid change also brought new threats and dangers.

  • How far does customisation go in Lost Planet 2?

Capcom: to create a truly individual look for your character you can change the body parts and backpack and there are dozens of different types and colour variants available. Weapon load outs, including grenades, can also be modified according to category prior to starting the game. in addition, there are eight different types of emote poses with more than 100 variations. Each character also has two slots for skill sets where players can allocate preferred abilities. All of the above can be unlocked by earning points or earning achievements. we are also considering additional contents through DLC later on.

  • The Lost Planet 2 campaign is told in episodes, a trend emerging in many new games. how does this strengthen the story?

Capcom: we have decided to adopt this method because the players can look at the various events happening on the planet from different perspectives and get a real sense for the action on a planetary scale. this has the added benefit of making the gameplay more dynamic and exciting as we introduce new environments and enemies.

  • The snows out and now were in tropical jungles. how was it developing a totally new environment for Lost Planet 2?

Capcom: in order to incorporate the new ideas inside the game, we had to version up the MT Framework engine itself. As a result, the increased processing power allowed us to use more geometry and filters, it was also useful for working on improved AI. but please bear in mind, the Jungle is only one of the varied environments that the player will encounter during Lost Planet 2.

  • We saw Marcus and Dom from Gears of War in one of the trailers for Lost Planet 2. how was it to work with Epic to put these characters in the customisation options for Lost Planet 2?

Capcom: it was an exciting experience! we are all inspired by all the creations that Epic has released so far. therefore, it was an honour to welcome those two famous characters in our game. I would like to thank Epic once again for giving us permission so readily.

  • What new weapons will we see in Lost Planet 2?

Capcom: the biggest innovation is a new class of support weapons these are developed to be used to protect not only yourself but also your co-op friends. the abilities are varied depending on what you select, from a shield to protect yourself from attacks, one to recover your health and to the radar which would show you the location of the enemies.

  • What enemies can we expect in Lost Planet 2?

Capcom: What I can say here is that we still have Snow Pirates, VSs and AKs. And all of them have made enormous progress through evolution.

  • Do you have any plans for downloadable content?

Capcom: at the moment, were planning to create some costumes that are always popular by the LP fans. but we would like to think about something more in the future.

  • Do you think Natal could be integrated into shooters like Lost Planet 2?

Capcom: I think it can be used for a shooter game. unfortunately, it would be a bit late for LP2 since the game requires a design with Natal support in mind.

  • Does Capcom have any other plans for Project Natal?

Capcom: Capcom is always up to a challenge, especially, as far as a new technology is concerned. however, we dont have any projects we can tell you about at the moment.

  • Do you think the Lost Planet franchise has the potential to be adapted for film?

Capcom: Actually we have already announced a film adaptation is in the works so watch this space.

Thanks for your time!

Lost Planet 2 Q & A discusses customization, weapons, plans for DLC and …


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Posted by - May 8, 2010 at 3:00 am

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2 mind mapping apps showcase the promise of the Android smartphone …

In much the same way that developers have written a significant number of mind mapping apps for the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch platform, similar apps are starting to emerge for the Android smartphone operating system. here are two that I’m aware of (please add a comment if you know of any more):

Mind Map Memo: this app enables you to copy and paste topics, change node colors and icons, change the map background color and import and export maps with the popular open source desktop mind mapping program FreeMind. Mind Map Memo can be downloaded for free from the developer’s website.

Thinking Space: Thinking Space enables you to create nodes, arrange them, and add notes to them. you can style map nodes in different shapes and colors (including adjusting node text, text color and text style), and tell the program whether or not styles should cascade down to subtopics. Surprisingly, Thinking Space even supports keyboard shortcuts! an “arrange” toolbar makes it easy to move the selected map node up or down one level in your maps, or to move it by cutting and pasting it. Maps created in Thinking Space are compatible with FreeMind and XMind. In addition, the app has support for storing your maps on a web server – which the developer describes as “cloud functionality.” The Thinking Space Cloud Portal enables you to track revisions to your mind maps, and to share them with others. this neat app offers some excellent functionality and, like Mind Map Memo, is currently free.

I don’t own an Android phone, so I can’t test these apps. But based upon my experience using mind mapping apps on the iPhone, such apps need to be able to support some basic functionality:

  1. Easily add, edit and rearrange topics.
  2. Enable you to attach notes to topics.
  3. Enable you to attach hyperlinks to topics.
  4. Easily move your maps off of the handheld device for further development in your desktop mind mapping tool of choice, or to share with others.

As far as I can tell, Mind Map Memo doesn’t support notes or hyperlinks. So Thinking Space appears to be the app to beat on the Android platform.

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Posted by - March 18, 2010 at 9:00 pm

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