Build of the month May header

Builds of the Month



We present three builders in this issue. Gaia has been a builder for a long time in AW. She has built in a number of different worlds, including her own, Turtle. One of the newest builders in Yellow is OzySEO, who has rapidly become a master of physics and has done some wondrous tools. And finally Ozman, who has been building almost exclusively in Yellow for some years.

Some of Gaia's builds in Yellow. Coordinates are under the pictures.

Interview with Gaia

We were fortunate in being able to catch Gaia for an interview. She's been a pioneer builder in AW for a long time, and it's good to see her back.

TF: It's good to see you again, and thanks for the interview. My first question is, how long have you been building?
Gaia: I came in to AW in 1996 as a tourist but was not a citizen until 1997. I think that's when I started building.
TF: Wow! A real veteran then.
Gaia: Well yes. But there have been long periods when I wasn't very active. If I'm not mistaken it has been about 4 years. Excuse my bad memory, LOL. It started out as a "private" birthday build and grew from there.
TF: Ah, grew in the telling then?
Gaia: I started out with a little cabin of sorts then built, along with Renee, a whole park, and a contest build too.
TF: I remember the contest; that was the campsite, wasn't it?
Gaia: Yes. That may have been where I first met Ozman. :O)
TF: I think so; that was a good entry for Ozman. He met you and Apooka in that contest.
Gaia: I'm not certain now which came first, the cabin or the contest. I think that's where I met them both.
TF: Now, for this Builds of the Month page, we want to feature three of your builds: Japanese gardens, Mirror Lake and the International Hotel.
Gaia: Oh, OK.
TF: What has been your inspiration in building these particular projects?
Gaia: I guess I'm always inspired by different people and different cultures. I guess I've always been interested in how other people live. And Mirror Lake was an experiment; a play on something I learned with "mirror" floors.
TF: I see. I've also been to your world "Turtle" and I know your love of cultures, and nature too.
Gaia: Yep, my little escape from the hustle and bustle of real life. LOL
TF: I can relate to that for sure :-) Do you recall how long it took you to build the gardens, the lake and the hotel?
Gaia: Hmmmmmmm, not really. I'm a fairly slow builder. I'd say maybe a week or two on each, maybe even a month.
TF: They are quite detailed. You like making all the insides as well as the outsides?
Gaia: Yes... I enjoy doing graphics which I use a lot on the insides of buildings. It's a way of doing something original.
TF: Indeed. Do you have any advice you could share with other builders?
Gaia: Only build what interests you. There are no hard and fast rules, I don't think. And I don't use much of the technical things; I just build what I like.
TF: I was going to ask about that; have you worked with any of the new commands, like cloth, physics, and the like?
Gaia: Actually, I haven't had a chance. I haven't been around much lately. Looks interesting though. Now that things have settled down a bit in RL, I'll give it a go.
TF: Another question, where did you learn to build?
Gaia: One of my daughters was in AW a few months before I came in so she taught me the basics. However I got a lot of help from AWSchool.
TF: Right. You were a teacher at the school for a while?
Gaia: Yes... several years actually. I may go back to it one day; not sure. There are a lot of really great people in AWSchool. :O)
TF: Indeed there are. Another question -- nearly done -- do you have any projects planned now?
Gaia: I hope to finish a few projects before I go on to something else. Not sure what I will do next but I'm sure something will come to mind. :O)
TF: OK. There are always things to tidy up and amend for sure. Now, what would you like to see in AW to help with your builds?
Oh my! That's a loaded question. LOL. What I'd really like to see is the inability of others to use my graphics. As you know I'm willing to do them for anyone, but there are some I'd rather not share. If there was a way to keep people from scrolling down on the object properties box, that would do it.
TF: Yes, it's either totally open or totally closed at the moment.
Gaia: Right.
Gaia: I am happy to do custom graphics for anyone who needs them. It's what I enjoy doing most.
TF: Yes, and they're good too. Maybe this interview will get you some customers ;-)
Gaia: Other than that, I'd say there are lots of people to help and lots of resources as well.
TF: There are indeed. It's generally a very helpful community of people.
Gaia: Exactly.
TF: Well, for the moment, I've run out of questions. Is there anything you would like to add?
Gaia: I've met so many interesting people here. I guess that's why I stay. I've enjoyed AW and hope to be here for many years to come.
TF: So it's as much the community as the technology?
Gaia: More the community for me.
TF: Well, you are a key player there. Thanks so much for your time. I hope you will like the YG issue once it's out. It's a bit slow this time around.
Gaia: I look forward to it. And thank Apooka and Ozman for doing the Gazette... It's always interesting to read about what folks are doing.

 pic of Gaia

Gaia
The International Hotel
Gaia's International HotelCoordinates: Yellow 396.60N 890.14E 1.00a 180
Japanese Gardens
Gaia's Japanese GardensCoordinates: Yellow 386.86N 908.60E 0.52a 177
MirrorLake
Gaia's Mirror LakeCoordinates: Yellow 404.54N 916.18E 2.02a 271

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OzySEO's action builds. Coordinates are under the pictures.

Interview with OzySEO

OzySEO is a new builder in Yellow who is fascinated by the physics engine. Here's part of his story

TF: OK. Well, when did first start to build in AW?
OzySEO: Middle of January this year.
TF: Wow! You have come a long way fast then.
OzySEO: quick study. Besides i'm a guy, don't we all like to build things.
TF: Do you have a computer background?
OzySEO: First one was a vic20 then apple 2c, and now this one which should be in the ground. Used to write programs in qbasic.
TF: lol -- you have a steam computer then?
OzySEO: yep.
TF: Did you start building in Yellow first?
OzySEO: yep, just found an empty spot and started with a home.
TF: Neat. How are you finding it?
OzySEO: It's ok, but I've been wanting v4 rights for some time now so I can move up to the next level of building. That's why I started building in WildAW.
TF: WildAW has automatic V4 rights then?
OzySEO: Yep, unrestricted everything pretty much.
TF: Sounds like a good place to learn stuff.
OzySEO: Yep, and it got alot of empty space too; the sky kinda sucks but.
TF: Oh well, you can talk with the caretaker about that '-) Tell me, what was your inspiration to start building?
OzySEO: I always wanted an a-frame house, and the lumber, or glass in this case was cheap.
TF: Did the Yellow object yard help you out?
OzySEO: Yeah, it's got a lot of good stuff, could use a better menu though, but it's still the second best menu I've seen.
TF: I think Digigurl is working on that. She's redoing the yards I believe. So what do you like most about building in AW?
OzySEO: Seeing other people appreciate my work. In other words, bragging, lol.
TF: Yep, we all love an audience true :-D
TF: Do you have anything you could share with other builders, or advice?
OzySEO: If you're not sure how to do something, find an example that's close to what you want, and for physics get yourself some aspirin.
TF: Yes, I can relate to that too. Physics is fun, but can be extremely frustrating.
OzySEO: I'm still discovering new ways to use physics, but yes, the new v4 building tools are OK, but I keep accomplishing what I want without them. I only use emitters for decoration. And zones, well funnest thing about them is the antigravity effect.
TF: Where did you learn to build? Was the AWSchool helpful?
OzySEO: Mostly looked up wiki descriptions, but they are kinda vague and don't show a lot of examples combined with other actions. Trial and error seems to be how I did it.
TF: Yes, it just gives the basics.
TF: Do you have any new projects planned at the present?
OzySEO: Yes, but sometimes I discover they're just not possible or possible but not easy enough to use to be fun. But Kiwi loved my drinking game,lol. Funniest thing is I built it in a day.
TF: I will have to have another go at it. Didn't quite understand how it worked first time Graphics were great though.
OzySEO: Quarters. You bounce a quarter off table top and into a glass, then you make someone drink.
TF: Makes a lot of cents (can't help myself). What would you like to see as new developments in the AW program?
OzySEO: Great question! Variables, IF/THEN actions, additional collider shapes, more sporting type objects; on and on if you let me go.
TF: Keep going.
OzySEO: An action to stop a physics collider in motion, actions to change a collider status without relocating it back to its original position and direction.
TF: Do you use the AW forums?
OzySEO: Looked at'em a couple of times waiting to see about the ebts4 status, but that's about it, haven't been able to login to it.
TF: OK. You have to register for them. But there is a whole forum on "tech stuff" and your ideas would go down well in there.
TF: Well, do you have anything you would like to add ?
OzySEO: Just, if someone has any questions about physics or anything else I've done, gramm me, I like to help. Oh and Wildaw 15n 1316.6e 2.5a 90 is where the drinking game is.
TF: Good stuff Ozy. Thanks so much. The Gazette will be out soon I hope.
OzySEO: Lol, better be, May's almost half over, LOL.
TF: This will be a May/June edition, so we're save. Bye for now :-)

 OzySEO pic

OzySEO
OzySEO's Action Builds. Coordinates to his teleport center: Yellow 594.63S 1771.52E 0.01a 226
OzySEO's action buildsCoordinates: Yellow 396.60N 890.14E 1.00a 180

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Two of Ozman's builds in Admiratio Village. Coordinates are under the pictures.

Interview with Ozman

Ozman has built many different projects in Yellow. We feature two of his newest here. We also managed to pin him down for a short interview.

TF: Thanks for the interview. Um, first question: How long have you been building?
Ozman: I first came to AW in 2005, doing some role playing in AWRPG. While I enjoyed that, I really got interested in building. So I did a build in AWTeen at the end of 2007 I think, and then came over to Yellow. First build here was 2007.
TF: So what's that? About 4 years then?
Ozman: Yes. I've learned heaps since starting.
TF: So you're keeping up with all the changes?
Ozman: I like to think so, but there's always more to learn, and to refine too. First break was getting V4 rights at a contest.
TF: I remember the contest; that was the campsite, wasn't it?
Ozman: Yes. That may have been where I first met Apooka, and we began to team up on builds a bit thereafter.
TF: This edition we are featuring your new cinema and the even newer Admiratio Clinic and Day Hospital. Are they open for business?
Ozman: Certainly are! As advice to visitors though, to save eternal download times, set visibility no higher than 110.
TF: What inspired you to do these?
Ozman: Well, we had to delete the original cinema and the hospital because of an overuse of animations and name posts; it really made everything extremely slow. New builders, take note! Apooka suggested that I re-do the cinema as a sort of 'Art Deco" building and that's what I've tried to do. The same for the new clinic. It's in three parts, with very few pictures and local textures, so the lag isn't too bad.
TF: All right. I note that the veterinary surgery has become quite busy already.
Ozman: Sure has. Seems that a lot of critters in Yellow were in need of proper health care ;-)
TF: How long did it take you to do these?
Ozman: Let's see; the cinema about a month. It's a pretty complex build. Had to do a lot of graphics for it as well. The clinic and day hospital, um, about 3 weeks all up I think.
TF: I see. You have also made use of some physics on the doors and such.
Ozman: You can thank OzySEO for those; he did all the work on developing the door physics. They're perfect for a busy place.
TF: OK. Now, what sort of advice could you share with others?
Ozman: Have fun! When you get frustrated because you just can't get something to work, keep at it, and either you will find the answer, or learn an alternative way of doing something. That's part of it.
TF: Have you tried any of the new commands yet?
Ozman: Yes. I've played a bit with physics; you can see some of my stuff in Old Man Winter's build where I double as Apooka. I've had a cursory attempt at cloth, and I use the color tint command extensively. Also scale, and a bit with skew.
TF: Where did you learn to build?
Ozman: A woman I was in a role playing game at AWRPG with gave me my first lesson, as I was really keen on learning how to build. I owe Leannah a great debt for that. And then I went to the AWSchool lots -- still do, in fact -- to get more detailed info.
TF: And you are working at the school now?
Ozman: Yes. I'm a Teacher's Aide there for the time being, and I've also helped build the new AW University; did the admin building there.
TF: Do you have any projects planned now?
Ozman: Oh for sure. And some that are needing completion. Too many ideas, not enough time!
TF: What would you like to see in AW to help with your builds?
Ozman: It would be great to be able to take a stock AV and have the same ability with it as we can with our own AV and the CAV. It would enable us to make superb use of a limited stock of AVs. Another really important thing is to develop a way for us to load textures into the texture yard without having to go through AW Staff, provided we followed some basic guidelines. Ditto objects. And then it would also be good if we could generate a user-controlled mover that would be available for use by any citizen, without having to have it 'owned' by the world caretaker or AW Staff. That really makes things awkward for some developments I'd like to do.
TF: That should keep them off the streets...
Ozman: Indeed. There is so much we can do with what is already there, but these enhancements would allow us to generate much richer builds and projects. And of course, it's such great fun working with other folks here doing joint work. I've made really good friends here in AW and I hope that will continue.
TF: Is there anything you would like to add?
Ozman: We're cooking up some new developments that I think should be attractive to new builders, particularly. All I should say at this point, is "Watch this space!"
TF: Thanks, Ozman.
Ozman: You're welcome. Happy to help.

Ozman pic

Ozman
Ozman's Admiratio Cinema
Admiratio CinemaCoordinates: Yellow 157.52S 1605.22E 0.04a 92
Admiratio Clinic and Day Hospital
Admiratio clinicCoordinates: Yellow 148.04S 1609.02E 0.04a 1

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Do you want to feature in Build of the Month?

If you would like your builds to feature in the Yellow Gazette, please telegram Ozman or Apooka. If you build it and tell us, they will come, that is, if they know the coordinates. So send us your builds and coordinates. Any description or comments you would like to add will also be greately appreciated. Alternatively, you can email yellowgazette@cox.net.