IBM CODESTATION is a virtual island in Second Life, offering resources for Second Life developers and LSL scripters. Stay tuned to this log for news and events at the island. And keep track of the latest developments in our Coder's Challenge: the SENTINEL 2.0 Project.
Tuesday September 25, 2007
BEGIN FINAL TRANSMISSION (09.25.07)
BEGIN FINAL TRANSMISSION (09.25.07). The end game is here. A formidable force of SENTINEL defenders has been sighted on the outskirts of CODESTATION. Are you among them?
It is time for the final challenge. It is time to construct a new, improved SENTINEL 2.0 and take down Double-Bad Bugra. In the last two months, nearly a thousand Second Life citizens have participated in the SENTINEL 2.0 Project – but this final challenge is reserved for the few brave souls who have deciphered all four black boxes.
So throw on your SENTINEL 2.0 gear and journey to IBM CODESTATION. Double-Bad Bugra is waiting. If you have the brains and the guts to take her on, we will reward you with a free car, custom-designed by the Electric Sheep. Good luck!
BEGIN TRANSMISSION 4 (09.14.07). Attention adventurers! Three black boxes have already been revealed - three baffling mysteries, rife with peril. You have faced down Double-Bad Bugra's minions, and you have journeyed across Second Life. But are you ready for the fourth black box? Our sources indicate that Double-Bad Bugra has redoubled her efforts, cloaking SENTINEL's head behind the most devious puzzle yet. Do you have the skill (and the nerve) to break her code? The citizens of IBM CODESTATION are counting on you!
And remember, the final showdown against Double-Bad Bugra is two weeks away! You can only enter if you have deciphered all four black boxes and discovered every SENTINEL component - arms, body, legs, and head. All those who enter will receive the ultimate reward - a free car, custom-designed by the Electric Sheep. END TRANSMISSION 4 (09.12.07).
BEGIN TRANSMISSION 3 (08.28.07). Double-Bad Bugra grows badder and madder every day. Her terrible pony-tails have overwhelmed all of our counter measures. But we have cause for hope. Witnesses report seeing courageous adventurers, wearing SENTINEL's body and arms, in various corners of Second Life, and our allies in the Developer Archipelago confirm that multiple SENTINEL 2.0 builds are in full swing. Now a third black box has been discovered! Decode it and the SENTINEL legs are yours! END TRANSMISSION 3 (08.28.07)
The second black box has appeared at IBM CODESTATION. Help free us from the pint-sized, pink beast – Double-Bad Bugra. Join the hundreds of brave souls who responded to our first distress signal. Save IBM CODESTATION! END TRANSMISSION 2 (08.14.07)
S.O.S. - IBM CODESTATION is breached. Infiltrator appears to be horrible pink beast with devastating pony-tails. Our defender, SENTINEL, is defeated – broken in four and scattered across Second Life. You are our last hope. Find the four parts and rebuild SENTINEL. The black boxes will lead the way. Prizes and glory await all those who complete the challenge… END TRANSMISSION 1 (07.31.07)
This is a puzzle-based adventure game that will test your coding and building skills while working your brain. IBM CODESTATION has been overtaken by a foul, pink beast named Double-Bad Bugra. Your object is to rebuild SENTINEL, the defender of CODESTATION, and defeat Double-Bad Bugra. If you succeed, you will be rewarded with a special car, designed especially for the challenge by The Electric Sheep.
HOW DO I START REBUILDING SENTINEL?
SENTINEL’s parts have been scattered all over Second Life. There are four in total – arms, body, legs and head. Each one is hidden on a different sim. Once you find a part, you can customize and wear it, creating your own unique SENTINEL costume.
HOW DO I FIND THE PARTS?
The black boxes will lead the way. You can find them by the library at IBM CODESTATION (197, 83, 38). We will release a new black box at IBM CODESTATION roughly every two weeks:
Black Box 1 (Arms) – Tuesday, July 31
Black Box 2 (Body) – Tuesday, August 14
Black Box 3 (Legs) – Tuesday, August 28
Black Box 4 (Head) – Wednesday, September 12
You can begin playing at any time and work backwards if you join late. The black boxes will be available through the end of the challenge in October.
WHAT ARE THE BLACK BOXES? WHAT DO THEY DO? HOW DO THEY WORK?
You’ll have figure that out yourself. But we can tell you they all work differently. And they all lead to different places. One may contain clues in the code. Another may transport you. Some may even interact with their environments. You’ll have to experiment with each black box to learn its secret.
THE BLACK BOX TOLD ME TO GO SOMEWHERE. (OR IT TOOK ME SOMEWHERE.) WHAT DO I DO NOW?
Play around and explore. The SENTINEL part may be hidden anywhere. And in some cases, it may even be guarded or obscured from view. You may need to use the black box, as a tool, to find the piece. Or there may be additional elements at the destination sim that you’ll need to wear and/or manipulate. Every stage is different.
DID YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT A FINAL CHALLENGE?
Yes, indeed. The SENTINEL 2.0 Project will culminate in a final showdown with Double-Bad Bugra on September 19. In order to participate, you will need to find every SENTINEL part and kit your avatar up with them. Bonus points will go to the user with the coolest SENTINEL costume – so start customizing your SENTINEL parts early. Everybody who enters will receive a custom-built car, designed for the challenge by The Electric Sheep.
WHERE CAN I GET THE LATEST ON THE CHALLENGE?
We have set up a group, specifically for the challenge – the SENTINEL 2.0 Project group. There is also a blog on IBM developerWorks where you can get the latest news on the challenge – and see the latest movies:
I’M TOTALLY STUMPED. IS THERE ANY PLACE I CAN GO FOR MORE INFO?
Use the SENTINEL 2.0 Project group. We encourage you to share tips, solutions, and build techniques on the forum.
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
As participants in Second Life, we want to contribute to the community. IBM CODESTATION is a resource for Second Life scripters and first life developers – sponsored by IBM Rational. It features a growing library of common, open-source scripts and objects; a pavilion for development-related events and seminars; and a Labyrinth challenge. The SENTINEL 2.0 Project is the latest in a continuing series of projects we are developing.
News and events for Second Life developers
