Blogosphere update
Hey, thanks to Paul Glazowski over at Mashable for a great review of JLI:
Mashable’s Take: The concept of a virtual world in terms of a graphical, game-like environment doesn’t particularly suit my interests. Yet I find Just Leap In, a beta release launched out of Vancouver, Canada, offers a surprisingly rich experience… Its browser-based nature makes it something of a stunner. The physics engine is a treat, and visual detail again is an outstanding highlight. A look at the world in full-screen is pretty remarkable when one considers the setting in which the application is operating.
Thanks to the commenters on that post as well. Actually, we’ve read and appreciated several thoughtful comments about JLI this week. Susan Reynolds, who writes Case-Notes from the Artsy Asylum, got our joke about empty islands (and shared some very salient thoughts about community-building and relevance for virtual worlds). She also warmed our hearts with this review:
Now comes Just Leap In a newcomer from Canada which, at first blush, sounds like none of the others and could beat Google’s Lively in everything except name recognition. The first clue? You don’t have to search through Google’s annoying database-like setup of questions and answers to figure out how to move around. That alone makes Just Leap In worth a second look.
There’s a lot more out there today, and we’re hoping to round up some responses. At the moment, we’re working towards a major feature release next week that we think you’ll enjoy. Back to the grindstone…
Thanks for checking in.
JLI Update: Commentable spaces, new 3D stuff, and other novelties (0.7.8) 2
Today we're rolling out an update to JLI. (Hooray!) In addition to the last release's "freeform" texturing feature, the new version introduces lots of bells and whistles, including commentable spaces and fresh content. Read on for the details.
First, here's a new YouTube video showcasing the latest content and features. Check it out, share it around, sign up to try JLI if you haven't already, and invite others to come and comment on your 3D space! Thanks for testing.
This release (0.7.8) adds:
Comments on spaces. (For now, you have to be logged in to read and write comments. We'll soon be adding RSS, social syndication, and optional notifications).
New space templates, props, and objects for you to personalize, including a Beach Resort, Labyrinth, and Roadside Motel.
Enhanced Explore presentation and interface.
JLI 0.7.8: Release Notes
COMMENTS. You can now add comments to every space in JLI, including your own. In any 3D space, click on the Comments button at the upper right of the screen. To test this properly, we need lots of comments on lots of spaces, so go wild - and invite some other folks to join JLI and check out your world. Keep an eye out for comments on your space. Soon, we'll be adding RSS and other social syndication/notification functionality so that you can choose to be notified (or not) if someone comments on any of your spaces, or your friends' spaces. NEW SPACE TEMPLATES. We've added a new Beach Resort, Labyrinth, and Roadside Motel. Inside JLI, you can check these spaces out by clicking the Explore button then "Sample Templates", or you can create a new personal space based on any of these new templates and add your own multimedia and customizations. To create a new space, click NEW inside "Your Space." (You'll have to replace your old space and republish - sorry! This will be rectified in the coming weeks when we add the Multiple Spaces feature. But if you don't want to delete your old space just yet, see Create Extra Accounts below). NEW PROPS. We've added another animation (sample character) - a martial artist - and lots of new objects in several categories. Controllable avatars are still en route, naturally. USER SETTINGS. You can (finally) change your password and screen name. Click the Settings button at the upper right of the site. There have also been facelifts and visual improvements throughout: the Explore interface looks much prettier now, in preparation for more significant enhancements coming soon, and is a little more usable. For those of you who are still encountering hardware compatibility issues, we're anticipating fixes for you to try out in the next release. Thanks for your patience. If you can't see some of the new changes or they aren't working for you, try clearing your browser cache, and let us know on the Forum!New features: version 0.7.7
Yesterday we released some new features into JLI for beta testing (with many more to come!) We’d like to invite you to come try out the new content on www.justleapin.com and to share your comments over on the Forum.
The new stuff in this version (0.7.7):
Customize surfaces anywhere. You can now drag your uploaded Images, Textures and Videos onto almost any surface.
New space templates (Lost City, Treehouse, Cyberdeck, Monocle), and many new objects. Click below to sample the new Lost City template, or log in to personalize any of the new templates for yourself.
Click to sample the new Lost City template on JustLeapIn.com
New controls (mouselook, acceleration, and more).
Read on for the details.
NEW FEATURES IN JLI 0.7.7
Customize surfaces anywhere. This is a lot of fun. You can drag your own Images, Textures, and even Videos to personalize almost any surface in your space: the walls, floors, ceilings, and other objects. You can also resurface separate parts of objects, like a sample character’s shirt or pants. To show off this functionality, we’ll be posting new YouTube videos on the Blog and Forum over the next few days – watch this space.
New space templates and objects. We’ve added a fantastic Mesoamerican arena (example: Premium: Lost City), a surreal Cyberspace world that’s nothing but Images and Videos (example: Medium: Cyberdeck), a Treehouse in the forest (example: Premium: Treehouse), a surreal and labyrinthine Stairway (example: Medium: Monocle), and several other brand new props, including a novel selection of Portals.
Improved movement controls. In response to user feedback, a number of controls have been added, including mouselook and acceleration.
Thanks for testing version 0.7.7!
