Venue Build Tips and Considerations

ticious · Venue Build Tips and Considerations

There is no one way to build a venue in Second Life and one of the best things about Second Life is the lack of limitations. The following is intended to provide guidance which would be useful in the construction of ANY size or style of working venue...with the operative word being 'working'. The idea here is to make the venue comfortable for you, your musicians and your guests as well as to support the smooth running of shows at your venue regardless of the overall theme, size or style.

As with anything in Second Life, there are likely to be a variety of differing opinions and this is base solely on my experience building, operating and attending venues in Second Life. This writing is presented as a guideline, not the final word on the 'right way' to do stuff.

*THE BUILD*
Measure an area 20m from the planned mic position, this is the maximum chat range from the performers position. Unless chat relays are used, the main audience area should be kept within this range.

The tp in point should be within view of the stage but slightly away from the main audience area.

Use high ceilings (8-10 meters) and set walls back far enough from the main venue area to allow for comfortable camming from all postions within the main venue area.

Use only low rez textures (512x512 max) to minimize lag. Keep in mind that artist promo shots and posters are usually high rez (1024x1024) and should be placed carefully and with thought given to the lag they will generate. Making them smaller so you can fit more in only serves to increase the number of pixels the client needs to draw (it does NOT reduce the resolution of the textures) and adds to the venue lag load significantly.

Scripted objects, flashing textures and moving prims all add to the venue lag load. For every such item you add to your build, ask yourself this question: Does that add enough value to my build to be worth the increase in lag? If the answer is yes, by all means, use the item. But if the answer is no or you're not sure (remember, less is more), get rid of it. Keep these sorts of objects to the minimum required by your theme.

See Kaklick Martin's FAQ on the topic of maximizing venue performance http://slmc.myfastforum.org/about507.html

One final word on the lag generated by scripted objects; it's not necessarily the size or apparent complexity of the object that determines it's lag load. It's the quality of the scripting. Often, the only way to know what an object's lag load is is to look at the sim's Top Scripts list (unfortunately, this tool currently is available to private island Estate owners only).

*PLACING OBJECTS*

Do not place obstructions such as prim spotlights on or in front of the stage. These will interfere with the musician's ability to navigate to the mic and with people tryng to tip the performer or access the performer's profile.

Allow for easy access to the stage. Don't assume the performer will be able to walk or fly to the stage when it's time for them to perform. With an audience present, lag will prevent the performer from moving easily and at this same time, they are trying to hook up to the stream, adjust their instrument, greet the crowd, etc. Mic's with built in sits are the best solution to this problem and are readily available in world.

Dance pose balls, though an absolute necessity to a music venue add signicant lag to the venue even when not in use. Don't place more of them then your guests will use. Place a small selection of your favorites around the perimeter of the dance floor and place a venue dance ball (or chimera), clearly marked, in easy view of the dance area. Keep an eye on your dance ball sets. If they are always all in use, consider slowly adding more. If some are frequently unused, remove them. If you have access to the Estate tools, monitor the Top Scripts list during shows and remain aware of the lag load being generated by your dance balls. Also, try dance balls from various vendors as the lag generated varies dramatically from vendor to vendor.

Place your venue tip jar in easy view of the audience as they face the stage and make sure it's clearly marked as the venue tip jar. Don't rely on hover text to identify the object as the venue tip jar, most of the audience won't be able to see the hover text. DO NOT place the venue tip jar at the front of the stage where it may be mistaken for the musician's tip jar.

There will always be some folks who wanna sit or stand around the parameter of the audience area. Some sort of seating (this does't have to be chairs, it should fit with your theme) at the edge of the 20 meter range (just inside of it) can be a good way to draw a visual line around the chat area with out having to build a wall.

Again, scripted objects, flashing textures and moving prims all add to the venue lag load. Keep them to a minimum.

*SETTING PARCEL PERMISSIONS*

Always turn on Restrict Pushing (by ticking the appropriate box) in the World/About Land window.

Unless your venue is specifically intended as a Player Vs. Player (PVP) combat area, always set the Safe (no damage) option (by ticking the appropriate box) in the World/About Land window.

Always turn off Object Entry (by unticking the appropriate box) in the World/About Land window. This will prevent people from outside your venue shooting objects at the guests at your venue.

Create Objects and Run Scripts are more complex and may be enabled or not. Some disable these permissions (by unticking the appropriate boxes) in the World/About Land window in order to minimise lag and griefing however there are definite pros and cons with this.

*Run Scripts*
The impact on lag related to this option is minimal. You will achieve a much greater reduction in lag by following the build and object placement guidelines described above. Run scripts should never be disabled simply to reduce the lag load on your venue.

The advantage of disallowing run scripts is that griefers can't easily trigger scripts to disrupt your show. This does NOT prevent griefing, however, it only makes the griefer's work a bit more difficult (and most griefers are up to that challenge), particularly if you do not own the entire sim. If they can run their script on an adjacent parcel, they can still grief your show and even crash the sim. Turning off Object Entry and turning on Restrict Pushing will minimize this risk but there is little that can be done to completely prevent grief attacks.

However, not allowing people to run scripts takes away your visitors' ability to use their own dance chims or huds and other animations and may greatly reduce the their overall enjoyment of the show. Remember, a live music event is primarily a social occasion as far as most of your guests are concerned. While griefers will strike only occasionally (even rarely), this will have a significant impact on every show you host. Some feel that this allows the griefer to win with out even having to show up.

Changing parcel permissions AFTER a grief attack has begun will not stop the attack of any script already triggered. It will only prevent the triggering of additional scripts.

*Create Objects (Build)*
The advantage of disabling Create Objects is firstly that it prevents grief attacks based on either flooding your venue with self replicating objects or rezzing huge prims on your stage or in your dance area. Secondly, it prevents casual littering by visitors (particularly newbies).

If you choose not the restrict Create Objects, both of these problems can be dealt with using the About Land/Objects window Object Owners list. Access the window, click refresh and return the objects owned by any unfamiliar avatars (click their name in the list to highlight it and then click the return objects button). In the case of a grief attack, this will also give you the name of the griefer which you can add to your ban list (a casual litterer will have a few unauthorized prims on the parcel, a griefer may have hundreds). It's best to add them to the ban list (which automatically ejects the griefer) before returning their objects. This prevents them from adding more objects which you will have to return.

Disabling Create Objects does not prevent the far more common particle based grief attacks (flying signs which may or may not be graphic or obscene but which totally fill the air, blocking your view).

There are a couple serious disadvantages to disabling Create Objects.

Firstly, any artist performing at your venue will need to join your venue group in order to place their tip jar and other items. This places a heavy burden on the performer, who is limited to 25 group slots just as you are, and does very little to reduce your risk of being griefed.

Like disabling Run Scripts, disabling Create Objects can have a significant negative impact on your visitors' enjoyment of your show. Leaving Create Objects enabled allows visitors to use their own dance ball sets, thereby reducing the number of dance ball sets you need to keep on the venue (as discussed above) and allows your visitors to rez and use things like rave sticks, particle wands and other such harmless items that can greatly enhance the 'party atmosphere' of you show.

Norris Shepherd

Cool post... i just sent a link to someone asking about building a live music venue. Smile

Jojamela Soon

Tish, one thing that I do is allow create objects but I have auto return turned on. In the event I'm staging a musician that is a one time, or rare performer I will turn off auto return in that part of the venue so that they don't have to join my land group.

This allows the musician to rezz their objects, and it also allows guests to rezz their objects which will remain unless they "stand up"

ticious

A number of people do that. It also allows the use of things like rave sticks without the venue owner having to clean up the litter after. I don't do it because of the extra bother of having to change it when a performer who's not in my group performs. And that means most of them Wink

. The only musicians who are in my group are actually fans of my venue who have made the effort to stay in my group.

The only difference auto return makes is that it prevents the casual litterer. Auto return won't stop a grief attack.

Fyrm Fouroux

Tommy CUlt · chat range

I know Ticious mentioned this as perhaps the FIRST thing to start with...but maybe a few new venues will pick up this thread again and have a peek...there is some good info already posted that does not need to be repeated.

I was at a cool new venue the other day...but had a 20 minute window of opportunity to see the performer so did not want to jump in and make suggestions with no time to chat properly...blah blah..anyway....

Lots of room does look kinda cool, but I think the whole vibe of venues is so much more fun when eveyone can participate in the chat. There are times when performing (ok...I am using the word performing loosely) that I may type something, or perhaps a comment or question is made...If the person is over 20 m away I will never know, and they will never see my text. They may not even know they are at that distance, so trying to 'herd' people into that 20m distance is a good thing. At our venue we spent a few hours moving things....changing angle of stage...making landscape features to move audience closer...but still tried to maintain an open feel (of course we are on the beach and not indoors - indoors is easy cause you just make walls lol).

Anyway - Just a good idea that has already been mentioned Smile

Soundcircel Flanagan

what about those LM and Notecard giving scripts ?

sometimes i enter a place and have to click 3-4 of those blue screens away.
pretty annoying.
i understand venues does this, but are people actuall reading the house rules ?

ticious

Soundcircel Flanagan

i think the audience hate it to click away those messages.

Cher Harrington

Like the dress code rules Smile

CreativeMindz

I like the Dress Code rules, it opens up alot of new possibilities to bring in the fashion industry to LIVE Music Events. As i have seen the Fashion Con group is a major success with lots of members, one of the main thing for us in SL is to dress up our avi's for different situations. So, in my book it's important to reach out to new folks and introduce them to LIVE music (and that also includes LIVE turntable DJs makin awesome BPM mixes).

//Eric Coiffard

Bibi Ballinger

I hope dress codes will be more suggestions than rules. Sometimes I am running late and don't have time to change. Sometimes, newbies don't have but a few things to wear. We shouldn't have people feeling they aren't welcome--ever.

Sally Silvera

mixed bag of thoughts on the dress code here... I like the idea of themed stuff a lot and it can be great fun!, but would hate to think I'd be unsuitably outfitted to attend a gig and yes, what Bibi said is very important in my very blonde opinion, new listeners like the ones I tend to drag around don't always have an extensive wardrobe...

Tommy CUlt

I do my best to adhere to dress codes, but I admit I find it kinda funny in SL. I mean, if I happen to have a chimp avi on, my tux just does not fit so great, and of course, I dont feel comfortable at nude events because I just feel people are staring *sigh*...but if I happen to have an insect avi on....well....lets face it, I worry about insect discrimination at events, so I just stay away with that avi.

I do wonder though - if some events will have not so much a dress code - but an avi code? Am I welcome at any event with any avi? as long as I am dresed appropriately? Might some music events be off limits for non-human looking avis?

Dress codes are great fun, but I do think they should be suggestions. If I go to a fancy event at a jazz club where people are expected to dress appropriately - I do. I do it because it usually adds to the atmosphere and for me personally I find it a fun thing to do - and part of event. But if others dont dress up - that is fine by me. It is probably them that will feel a little uncomfortable anyway.

RL is full of so many rules and codes - and rules about what to wear (or what to look like) in SL are just not something I can't get enthusiastic about. Yes - I understand I have a choice to attend or not - and if someone believes it is neccessary to have a strict dress code - that is up to them. I just think in the end - it does not embrace the diversity of expression that is SL.

Sally Silvera

ticious

Yes, this is off topic. But it's still a good point for general conversation (keeping in mind that venues are and always will be free to set what ever rules they like). Perhaps someone can start a thread in the Music/Music Venues topic for a discussion on this which could quite possibly lead to an FAQ regarding guidelines and tips for setting rules for events/venues.

Or I can split this thread, that may be a better idea.

Crunch Underwood