G-dog goes virtual

There comes a time in every analogue dude's life when he needs to cowboy up, overcome his tech-aversion, and get a little bit digital...So I registered for HiveFest the other day taking advantage of the free until 7 December offer.

Thank you @roelandp for that opportunity, it is much appreciated sir.


I'll be honest, I'm both nervous and a little excited at the same time as it'll be my first Hive Fest. I'm not the most peoply person in the world when it comes to social interactions with strangers, not aloof and standoffish, just shy. I'm also not very tech-savvy with computer stuff which brings me some degree of uncertainty. Still, I am pretty well ingrained with hive, emotionally committed, so why not jump in and have a go? I'll accept the potential embarrassment at not being able to work things out, and hope it won't negatively affect my account.

I acquired a headset/mic thing, a cheap $79 set by Corsair called the HS35 Stereo one as I can't afford VR goggles, downloaded the 2D version of AltspaceVR and set to trying to work it out. Yesterday afternoon I found myself in an AltspaceVR Event and just stood there listening, trying to get familiar with the surroundings and what was going on. I clicked a few buttons finding that one in particular was fun...Every time I clicked it a little yellow hand shot up on the screen. Like this ✋

This was cool, until the guy down at the lectern giving the lecture about where humanity is going in the future paused and said, "Yes Galen, you have a question?"

What the fuck dude? I froze...Said nothing. He repeated the question and most in the room turned to look at me...I was still frozen and said nothing. And then he moved on saying something about me maybe having mic troubles. Yeah, that was it. "mic troubles". 😉

OK, time to leave that environment I think, and out I went. I guess I didn't know what I didn't know...And that sort of deer in the crosshairs thing is unfamiliar to me...I'm usually the one operating the rifle with the crosshairs.

Fortunately @santigs and I had set up a session where we would try it out and he could teach me a thing or two. I had hoped to come along to that meeting with a clue, but did not. Sorry santigs.


Virtual handsome dudes just hanging out talking tech shit. Why does my head look like a coconut?

We hooked up on Discord chat and after a little bit of strife with my microphone we got it working. I think AltspaceVR doesn't recognise the external mic-device as my computer defaults to the internal mic...I think we got to the bottom of it though and when I'm at HiveFest I'll have Discord turned off so it doesn't happen.

Above you can see a selfie santigs took of us in his space, his VR home I guess it's called - Every user has their own and people can pop in and out at will when they see people on their friends list; One can see which environment their friends are in and pop right in to join them. This is cool because say I come online and after checking my friends list see that my brother or another friend is in an environment in which someone discourses on an interesting topic I can teleport in. Or maybe a few are hanging around in someone's space, I can drop by and chat.

Santigs is the handsome chap on the left and that's me in the green shirt; I know, handsome! Ladies, no swooning please. Oh FYI, we have no arms because we were both involved in a lamentable shark attack incident only moments before this selfie was taken.

We navigated around and whilst it was a little challenging as he uses Mac and I use PC which makes the controls and interface a little different he managed to teach me a thing or two so I'm hoping not to look like a complete idiot at Hive Fest.

I plan to do a little more exploring as on AltspaceVR one can find public places like the one below, this was called campfire or some such thing. It's probably better in 3D with VR goggles on but it's a place I can wander about and get familiar with things.

I know a few people I interact with all the time on hive are going to HiveFest also and are getting themselves set up so I'm hoping that they do some test-runs like I did as it will help them get more from their HiveFest experience I think. It's not super-complicated, but is different enough, for me at least, that it takes some effort to navigate but I think once a small amount of comfort is gained a lot of enjoyment could come of it.

Thank you to @santigs who took some time out of his working day to give me a helping hand last night, I really appreciated it, you're a champ mate. And for any who may be jumping into AltspaceVR feel free to look me up, my username is CleoMerlin and my display name is galenkp. You need to search my username.

Get virtual and join the G-dog in the modern era, come on people, it's not 1995 anymore! Also, get your ass to HiveFest. Take your ass there!


Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised.

Be well
Discord: galenkp#9209

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Who needs arms in the future?! Needless for sure lol.

This is cool, in a way to improvise and get hive fest still going! I don’t think I’ll be remoting into it but it will be really cool to see who gets all signed up and going on it. I’m assuming Tom is going to as well, I mean the 7 day weekender should be able to get it going, I think!

Some cool ways to meet other people though, one of the really fun things I used to do a lot when I was into gaming as a teenager was use this voice software called ventrilo. It’s probably gone now but it was fun to get to talk to people from around the world!

I'm not sure exactly who is going but many have registered and I expect most will pop in over the course of the two days. Tom has registered as has many others I communicate with so hopefully a few come by.

Ah VR, we joined the other day, someone spoke... I briskly walked out crashing into things, it's going to take time to get accustomed, see you there.

Lol...Yes it seems you have had a similar experience to myself. For old dinosaurs with tech-aversion like me it's a brave new world...Let's see how it goes. It's good to hear that you registered. 👍

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Saint-Nicolas challenge for well-behaved girls and boys
HiveFest⁵ badges available in the HiveBuzz shop
The new HiveFest⁵ Attendee badge is waiting for you

I just made myself 'MattClarke' but I don't expect that's enough for somebody to track me down and friend me. What's your in-game name? I'll see if I can friend request you.

That's your user name or display name. Search is done by user name. Mine is CleoMerlin and my display name is galenkp.

I must be the first MattClarke then. That's handy.

I just tried to search you and cannot find you.

What is this alien technology? I don't understand anything. Are we supposed to download an app? Any links? 😇

Haha I never thought G-dog would have nothing to say. Now you know what the hand means👍

Lol, yeah...Live and learn huh? 😂

Keep learning that's the best thing.

I WANT to - but I can't be bothered buying a new toy - I have enough things to pay for. Looks like fun though, go you!

I didn't want to spend the money to be honest, but I went out hooking on main street the other day to raise the funds. Scraped together $85 so got the headset and a happy meal at Maccas.

Hahaha, you didn't tell me about the "mic troubles" incident in the conference room. Still laughing. 😂

I know right? I wanted to seem all cool and tech-savvy...But then I've kind of blown my cover in this post I guess! 🤣

It was one of those rare moments when I've panicked and closed up like a clam. Pretty funny now looking back on it.

Well, I'm still stuck at about 2010. I did not get my first workaround a chance yesterday, ppd to today. I think if I can get to AltspaceVR I'll be OK. And I'll never, ever, raise my hand.

I really am getting a little excited about HIvefest.

Lol, don't raise your hand, especially if you don't know you're raising your hand. 😂

Hopefully you can get it worked out. @riverflows got on today, after saying she wouldn't. She's got a cute looking avatar too. :)

Oh, I felt the same !
I was a bit lost as well, and the speaking thing is still something I have to get used to how and when 😁 and should I rise my hand or no 😂

I found you CleoMerlin 👌 I am mipiano or mipianohive, I am not sure which is the username or display name?

Yep, got ya and accepted your friend request. . It looks like mipiano is your display name and mipianohive is your username which is how people will be able to search for you.

So... ✋✋✋✋✋✋✋✋✋

😂

Hey, thanks :-)

I'm not the most peoply person in the world when it comes to social interactions with strangers, not aloof and standoffish, just shy.

Everyone is a friend - on this chain. I think, you are not shy, and do much better than us.

Oh, I'm not shy? Ok, cool.

Looking good, m'man! I think Altspace just grew a little more classy!

Lol...Classed it up ya reckon? 😂

Hahah what a cute avatar! I am not super tech savvy either, I just registered.

Registered? Cool, well done. I'll see you there if we bump into each other...Promise me you'll keep your hands to yourself when you see my avatar, at least for a few moments at least! :)

Nifty getting to play with a VR environment even if only in 2D. I have altspaceVR on my list to look at along with another one someday. I also don't have a VR headset, unless you count the one I put my phone into, but having a 2D option is pretty cool.

The 2D is not as immersive of course, but it seems to work well and in my small amount of experience will be good to have a chat with people. People have their own space and others can drop by so it could be a good place for people to gather around and talk shit, even after HiveFest. It's all very odd of course, but just a bit of fun.

Cool. I will definitely have to look into it.

I went in today as I finally had my broadband connected at my new house (was tethered to 4G off my phone). I wanted to check out if it was better with the faster connection. I went to this place called Commons: Fireplace, a snow environment where people go to hang out and meet. I chatted to a couple of people from America for a few minutes which was good because it gave me a chance to test the mic a little more. They both had the Occulus or some such thing but I seemed to get by with 2D. The voice thing is different as everyone can talk at once as opposed to UHF radio which I'm most used to...But it seemed ok. It's pretty strange for me to be talking to strangers like that, but it should be better at HiveFest.

I would love to have an Occulus, or something like it but can't justify the cost at the moment. Someday though ...

Yeah,, I would have paid $150, but $450+ here, in AUD. Not likely I'll purchase one for some time, if ever.

Behave! We don't want the virtual police there. Haha! I can see why you have no arms@ There are hands attached to those things. You won't be waving them around the lecture hall again, will you.

Have fun!!!!

I always behave, in fact behave is my middle name.

Looks like you had a good time being virtual XD

the lack of arms confused me for a ridiculously long time

I'm not sure where my arms are...Possibly I need a premium account to get arms?