Kitely welcome area: What does it need to include?

[Dot Macchi]

The aim of this thread is to focus on what a possible Kitely welcome area might need to include. It's not meant to pre-empt discussion at Wednesday's Mentors Group meeting, but to feed into it and to enable those unable to attend to have some input.

The intention, through thread and inworld discussion, is to move towards consensus on the functions a welcome area needs to fulfill.

Different groups of users may well have different needs. If possible, please mention the groups you have in mind when suggesting ideas.

Thanks!

[Ada Radius]

IMHO - simple, very few textures, with a welcome area that has information, a couple of streets with very simple freeby shops, for Kitely members to claim, and clear rules 1: only freebies allowed 2: only stuff you've created 3. no spamming other creators or visitors. 4. only G rated content. 5. prim limit and texture (in pixels) limit for what shows outside the shop walls. The shops built in such a way that newbies can walk through and have good sightlines, but not to annoy experienced VR people who just like to cam around. Also built so that the numbers of shops could be increased easily if there's a lot of demand for them. Some kind of monitoring to enforce the simple rules and keep a lid on scripts.

And a one hour or 30 minute sandbox. Maybe an event area - a simple clutter free stage and seating with good sightlines so that newbies who are new to cam controls can see easily.

Something like that. Maybe similar architectural style to the transport stations, to keep a unified theme-neutral Kitely feel to it.
Ada

[Sherrie Melody]

Is it possible in Kitely, with scripting, to have an "online" board that can tell when people are logged into other worlds in Kitely? If that is possible, people that wish to serve as mentors could have their names show as online to new people entering the welcome center, to make it easier for new people to get in contact with people who choose to serve as mentors.

Another idea, when the welcome area world comes online, it could generate IMs to a list of people who are serving as mentors to let them know the world is online (and that someone new is probably visiting).

Since a lot of us, or most of us, prefer spending time on private worlds rather than hanging out at an empty plaza, these methods could make it easier to be available while still being in our own worlds, until someone visits the plaza.

[Dundridge Dreadlow]

You mean a "push button to call mentor" button ? Or new person should probably be greeted ? Sounds simple enough.

Been thinking about the plaza a lot lately, and been writing a lot of it down. Will post some of it a bit later

..I also need to throw this in before the thread gets too long...

..What should it NOT include..

[Sherrie Melody]

You mean a "push button to call mentor" button ? Or new person should probably be greeted ? Sounds simple enough.

Been thinking about the plaza a lot lately, and been writing a lot of it down. Will post some of it a bit later

Hm. Sort of, I think. But, the board would actually show the names (and pics maybe?) of mentors who were currently online too.

[Rikku Cosplay]

[Constance Peregrine]

I still say, but worded differently, you folx try to use the principles embodied in KISS which could mean "keep it simple stupid" or, better, "keep it short and sweet"....anywho

I am mostly just watching as I did the last time-))

btw, there is a greeter HUD that shows the wearer if anyone is on the plaza [or anyplace in Kitely, I don't know] if someone is online under 7 days old. It also gives the link to their key so one can IM them easily.

I have it but it is nocopy notrans and it seems the creator is not around anymore, but I like it a lot and when I am inworld I have had several occasions to use it.

Perhaps someone can get that from him? I tried to PM him here with no response.

[Graham Mills]

Paislee's Cafe Flore.

[Rikku Cosplay]

Well looks like some real life issues have just came up and I will not have much time to build or help out but I am sure you all will find the right solution and it will be great,
I will leave model up on the 4 region sim 'Genesis' until after the mentors meeting this week that I will not be able to attend if anyone else would like to use the idea just take pictures of it , hope my past posts can be helpful viewpoints and as idea references as well ,

Real life calling take care of yourselves and each other=)

[Dot Macchi]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions so far. Do keep them coming. I'll try to do a summary post every so often so we can take stock.

For reference, here are the functions/elements in the current plaza (if I've missed any, do let me know).

Close to the entry point, and facing you on entry:

• sign to get the plaza HUD
• explanatory notices about Kitely plans etc.
• advert for a forthcoming concert

Behind you on entry:

• region credits
• freebie avatar shops for males and females

The themed areas facing you on entry, from right to left:

• (at end of central road) Mentor hangout, with more notices in front and inside, and the invitation to use the place to teach classes
• education-themed buildings
• steampunk-themed area and shops
• bloggers cafe, behind which is a water park and part of the Gallery district
• fashion runway, behind which is a showroom, service centre, telehub and the rest of the Gallery district (and a surprise)
• green space, with a Cat club behind
• piano bar, with a skyscraper behind

Themed areas behind you, starting from the mentor hangout end (so left to right after you have turned around):

• space-themed area
• desert-themed area and shops
• aforementioned freebie shops
• grunge area and shops
• gothic area and shops
• greeter hangout at the end of the central road, with more notices and some freebie avatars inside

Analysing the different functions, you get the following, some of which have more than one area allocated to them:

• information area -- notices
• freebie area for avatars
• training area
• meeting area
• hangout area/building
• shops
• gallery
• event area (e.g. fashion runway)
• clubs and bars