It was a "Stargate"-drive ... Nadnerb was scripting the drive, so that shouldn't be a surprise.
It started at the new build at the new HQ at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hugues/20/219/43 .
It was a beta-testing of some new features at the NavHUD (the tool, which guides us around while these drives).
The new HQ got a lot space, the new building offers also wide areas.
Very nice is also a "gallery" with a manual about all the functions in the NavHUD - that was really missing.
But also new was a feature in the NavHUD ... I was hear a lot mutters also in the (my) night, because I am usually doing the drives at the (my) morning, which is for SL around Midnight.
To be fair: Both "sides" have valid points.
And to remember some folks: It was a "beta-testing" of the new functions - this is important, to find "issues" or things, you better fix, before it becomes the standard.
On the other side, this wasn't announced, so a lot people was been ... "a bit surprised" - Kimberly's comments in her streaming showing this pretty well.
My comment about: The scripting behind it is some awesome work!
Sure, it's not perfect ... but the way the HUD takes your viewing-direction ... including also the distance (in case you camming out, for example ... and turning the view) ... and fitting the AR-elements to it ... stunning.
That is the comment to the technical side of it.
Also don't forget, it was a kind of "open test" - you get the input from it and make it even better ... if you do it right.
But I have also some negative parts about it:
- The guiding lines while driving on the roads are very distracting.
After a while (can be up to 60 minutes), your brain learned to "look trough them", but at first you only see them and also only following them and not the road ... which causes you to crash into stuff - the HUD/AR is a bit behind the (virtual) reality ... and your brain even more. - I recognized a degraded performance of the NavHUD.
This was at or after Sim-crossings ...
... and the HUD missing clearly waypoints - special on the road, I was driven over and seen 1 point reached (it turned green to red) ... but then it wasn't go further. - The function seems to causes (viewer) Lag ...
... but at the starting point, I guess, it was more the building and people. - Not sure, if it was the "scripting" or the "different handling" of it, but the waypoints was set much to narrow/small often (you can define while the scripting of a drive, if a waypoint is reached, if you are passing it in eg. 20 meters ... or 2 meters, because it matters, if you drive an oversized car on a wide road ... or walking around in a building with less space).
- Some people might not seen "red/green" (colorblind) ... or cannot handle "all these things" on the screen.
- The HUD-element is between you/your mouse ... and the world - if a "solid" marker is for example over your car, you cannot click it.
- Unusual screen-shapes ... might not work with the HUD.
Most people have these days "16:9"/"16:10" wide-screens ... "4:3" I think not ... but these "ultra-wide curved displays, with "32:10" (or so) become also "not unusual".
Positive is, for example:
- The pointer/marker function.
It helps you to find faster things, the scripter of a drive meaning ... without reading and the try of understanding the text in a (probably foreign) language - a lot SL users aren't native english speakers. - The function is way more reliable, than the (particle based) "easter egg hunting" ...
... even it might look weird for other people, how you walking around - only you see the HUD, none else.
Kids, this way was people feel, as the mobile phones was come up (at least the smaller ones ... or headsets) - there was people talking with themself?! - The markers and pointers can more easy show difficult ways, than weird descriptions.
- While flights, landing corridors and the target/goals/destinations are kinda cool.
- I see a lot good uses, so the list isn't complete.
What or how to make it better:
- The function need an on/off switch !!!!one!!!eleven!one!!
I would think: "on" (for example, if you cannot listen or love the function) ... "off (only important)" (for road-crossings, difficult situations ... eg. anytime the direction-sign symbols appear) ... and "off (only quests)" (Mandatory. I don't have an other name for it ... but there might be Drives, where a "marker" or so is a kind of "must") - Communication ...
... really. A lot of the protests, mutters and hissing could have be saved, if there would been an information before.
I meaning ... I am not a native English speaker ... I was hear the "protests" in the groupchat, so I was know, what I could expect. But eg. Kimberly is US-American and should not be that overwhelmed by the text from the HUD ... and she wasn't understand at first, what there was going on. - Maybe a small "showcase" drive (which still can be made ... also in general, to "learn" the NavHUD) ... or a "trainings" drive would been better, than enforce a full drive on "unwilling" people.
This would be a good thing for teaching people, how to use the NavHUD generally ... a small and steady available drive, maybe 15 minutes ... "see this, see that ... walk around ... rezz car ... stop here, next Leg ... short flight, fly back" ... and some average vehicles and tools as "welcome box" and "reward". - General a separate drive for "testing".
Yes, it need a bigger group for the right number of comments. But I am sure, if there is a message "Hello, it's Monday I have scripted a special drive to test something - pick the special NavHUD at XYZ and tell me your suggestions until Friday", a good number of group-members would doing willingly the Beta-testing.
- Direction arrows at road crossings ... or in difficult situations.
- Warning about Ban-lines ... or dangerous spots (Sim-edges).
- Flight / landing corridors ... cool look!
Also "passage around security orbs". (Red marker in the sky.) - Marker for things (in this drive eg. the Passport-items) ... or rezz-zones.
- Control buttons "on demand"? No "crouching", jumping, whatever to "tell" the HUD something.
- ... and there will be surely more.
My Video (photos and machinima-parts):
Pyo's stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNBcMC2QKpw
The others?
Average you find also videos from "Rose Black" (Japanese) and "Spritle Racer" (Angie Xenga) ...
... sometimes "Gamerwife" (Darkana Mysterious) and the "SLAviationNetwork" (which is "Luke Flywalker", who provides also the great tunes for the driving).
More ... if I accidentally find them on YouTube or they give me a hint.
Check the playlist (2023-?): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Vzk1yd9q_Mf7h6sGCwJjDBNVYhhjjDc
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