NPC+Sim+Design

NPC currently has three sims (NPC1-Plush, NP2-Aloft and NPC3-EcoCommons). This page is to provide information to members, volunteers and supporters about sim design changes (needs, issues and ideas) as well as solicit feedback on recommendations.

 2009 Sim Integration & Design Planning: Recently, NPC co-located NPC1 and NPC2, so there is a need for the integration of the two sims and at the same time the enhancement of the design and/or build of the two sims individually. In Kenzo has been guiding this process, with oversight from Susan (Glitter) and Megan (Penguin). Several members are involved in supporting the design planning including Mel Schaller, Ronnie Rhode, Zinnia Zauber, Parhelion Palou and Anika Pastorelli. A new member, JudyArx Scribe, has joined the team. She is an instructor from the University of Auckland School of Architecture (New Zealand) and has offered for her class of architecture students to have NPC be their class design project, so that the ideas and recommendations from that project could assist the NPC team and the design process. If you are interested in participating in the NPC team meetings or wish to offer input or guidance, please contact any of these individuals/avatars in world. The first meeting was held 2/11/09, and below are recommendations from that meeting. We have held subsequent meetings with members who have participated. We will post updates to design recommendations, community feedback and progress on this WIKI page. Please also refer to the Sim Design workspace page for more ideas.

=**Cross-Sim Integration**= Needs:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;">**Collaborative process in redesign.** //We have held inworld meetings, started this WIKI for feedack, had it announced in weekly meetings, inivited residents and volunteers to the NPC prototype designed by the Univ. of Auckland, started a Google group feedback, and will issue a community survey to solicit as much community feedback in the design process as possible.//
 * **Transition between Aloft and Plush.**

Issues:
 * No teleport system connects all of these sims.
 * No walking path or tour vehicle covers all areas, although the flying tours can cross co-located sims.
 * Land does not always mesh well between sims.
 * A handful of places need railing or some other detail to keep avatars from falling into the crevices or water.

Ideas:  =NPC1 - Plush=
 * Obtain the expertise of the University of Auckland School of Architecture to recommend new designs for NPC (particularly integration) - the students would approach the design from a social/community perspective and not just design or build perspective as well as recommend over-arching design ideas and specific improvements and project possibilities. //This// //is in progress: The students as part of "Living Sketchbook" have presented machinima with ideas and their proof of concept inworld.//
 * Incorporate Maya texture artists into the project for their 3D work.
 * Use golden stepping "action" stones arond the island to guide people. Tours must go with the stones.
 * Desire to have some redesign on NPC1, perhaps eventually completely start fresh.
 * Need to clear away at least some of the big columns on NPC1, which are obstacles to the tours and visibilty of NPO signage, but they are linked to the buildings or faces so that you can't return the columns without returning the entire building or face. Therefore, one consideration is redoing the building face as a possiblity to solve the office accessibilty/visibility issue.
 * Must take into consideration some NPO reps are not active and might not be able or interested in redesigning their offices to accodmoate building design changes (another reason for building face redesign).

=**NPC2 - Aloft**<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;"> = =NPC3 - EcoCommons= NPC3 is curerntly under development by In Kenzo. If you have ideas, please contact her or someone on the team.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msofareastthemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;">Must solve the lag problem on NPC2/Aloft and reduce the prim count.
 * NPC residents/members like the design of NPC2, although some improvements could be made.
 * Need to redo the street lamps (for which Par has a new model that In Kenzo supports) - the new model reduces prim count.
 * Recommendation to remove the NPC1 ampitheatre (as it is high prim and rarely used and also now there is access to other ampithreaters at NPC1 and NPC3).
 * Suggestion to create a new smaller one across NPC 1 & 2 (so everyone sitting can hear chat and minimize lag at bigger events).

Thanks!