Situation Normal…A.F.U.

Snafu…They seem to happen here in SL with frightening regularity.  This particular disastrous and frustrating snafu occurred this past weekend, at the MISS SL UNIVERSE PAGEANT. 

 

I am a fashion reporter for sl-newspaper.com., a publication with a very large readership.  I was asked by dana Vanmoer, co-CEO of the paper to cover this event.  She had planned to cover this herself, but rl intervened. 

 

I agreed to cover this pageant.  I was issued a pass and my name was placed on the guest list.  On the day of the pageant, we were to report to the auditorium at noon SL time.  At 12:03 PM SL time, I arrived, all dressed, with my happy little MISS SL UNIVERSE org tag showing proudly.  I grabbed a seat, parked my butt, and hunkered down for the duration. 

 

The assignment was a simple one.  I was ready to do it.  I was there to do it.  I only had to wait an hour till show time, enduring the banal chatter that flows around the room.  Again, I reiterate…I sat there, my tag proudly displayed.  And waited.

 

There were a lot of other invited guests about the place.  Familiar names from all over the fashion world.  Some with tags displayed, and some without.  I assume that there were also some uninvited guests as well.  About 35-45 minutes into my wait for the show to begin, Carter Giacobini, the sim owner, sends out a group message.  In effect, the message is that the crowd would be scanned, and those not on the guest list would be ejected.  I was not worried.  I was on the list.  Had my tag and everything!  I was all set baby…in with the in crowd! 

 

I sat for another 20 minutes.  There is another announcement about the TV crew coming in.  I am not really paying attention at this point because I am preparing a blog for posting later this evening.  Another request is made for the removal of scripted attachments.  I dutifully remove my AO and my avatar radar attachment. 

 

OK, show time.  duckyfresh Watanabe is the host, and she has been joined at the podium but Carter Giacobini.  There is some lively banter and then a break for SLCN, who is televising this event on a live webcast.  I am taking some silent snapshots of the area, including duckyfresh and Carter at the podium, the runway, and the judges. Others are not so considerate, I hear the sound of photos being taken all around me.  It is now 1:35 PM SL time.  While I am trying to camera around back to the stage…I am unceremoniously booted from the sim!!!  Next thing I know, I am standing on the landing pad in KOREA!

 

In a panic, I send an IM to Carter.  I wait for his reply.  And I wait.  And wait a little longer.  I write a note card.  Drop it in his inventory.  He declines it.  Finally, he gets back to me.  “Carter” I say “I’ve been booted from the sim!  When I try to TP back, it tells me I am not supposed to be there!  I am on the guest list!  I am wearing the freakin TAG for crying out loud?  What’s up with this?” (or words to that effect).  His checks his records, and sho nuff, he made a big whoopsie.  Carter tells me that he is so very very sorry…that I have access again.  So I drag out my landmark…and click.

 

First try tells me that my request could not be completed, because the sim is full.  It recommends that I try again in just a few minutes.  And I do try again, and again and again.  Not one avi has budged from their seats and I know that not one avi is going to budge, the sim will remain full.  I send Carter another IM, and tell him that I cannot teleport in.  I tell him that I need to be there.  I tell him that I am supposed to be there.  I tell him that I waited OVER AND HOUR AND ONE HALF for this show to begin, and I should not have been ejected in the first place!  His response?  He’s sorry, but there is nothing he can do. 

 

Nothing you can do?  Mr. Giacobini, you own the sim.  You could have raised the avatar limit temporarily for a few moments and teleported me back.  You could have done that, but you chose not to.

 

Mr. Giacobini, your apologies don’t mean a thing.  I wasn’t able to do my job because YOU wrongly ejected me from the sim.  YOU should have enabled additional avatars briefly and teleported me back.  YOU made the mistake, admitted that you made the mistake, and it was up to YOU to fix it.  Your chose not to fix it.  You made a conscious decision not to rectify this wrong.

 

I took time out of my day to do this, and YOU wasted time.…and yes, Mr. Giacobini, my time is just as valuable as yours is.