Tuesday, February 9, 2010

The Tip Jar From Hell

Ok, as my niche becomes more apparent (and my distractability more painfully obvious) I realized that I needed a new tip jar - one with specific features.  I mentioned this one night after a show and thus begins our journey through Tip Jar Hell.

A friend of a friend decided to jump in and create one.  This was fabulous except she never listened to my instruction.  As the hours wore on, I realized my situation was becoming more and more dicey.  I didn't want to cause trouble with my friend...however, telling her friend that I wasn't happy with her work would have surely done so.  After all, she was just helping me out.  Perhaps I could learn how to build and fix it?  So at the end of the night I sent a written note card to this individual specifying the changes that I would need (and had been asking for from the beginning) when I picked up the adjusted tip jar the next day.

The next day I got the expected IM offering me a TP to pick up the jar.  When I tried to land, this person's (name available upon request, because I'm like that), security kicked me out - twice.  She finally turned it off to let me land.  In her SL yard.  Where she rezzed the same, non-updated tip jar and asked for $1900L! (!!!!)

I tried to ask why she didn't make any changes but all she would say is that she was busy and I could take it or leave it.  I told her I could wait for the requested changes but she said she didn't have the files anymore, and that she could have made the changes last night but not today, so no changes would happen. (???!!)

I absolutely love our mutual friend so I just bought it and said nothing more - opting (as I often do) for the nobless oblige end of the Leo astrological sign - even as she simultaneously turned her security back on and kicked me off her parcel.

The tip jar was such a mess I couldn't figure out how to alter it and after struggling for several days, I broke down and IM'd my online friends for help.  Like a miracle, a wonderful girl we'll call "Master" appeared and, after ripping it apart for several hours, SL ate it! 

Eh - it turns out that helped since we just did a better one from scratch anyway.  The only thing we didn't have were the scripts.  So I IM'd the original creator.  The response I got was a heartwarming "Sorry, you paid and the transaction is complete. I won't work on it any more.  Good luck."  That's verbatim, by the way, I saved the response (name still available upon request)!

Let me interject that this is one of the reasons I have insisted my tip jar give out a "Style Card" that will list the creators of everything I wear/have onstage - including the tip jar - for the simple reason that most SL creators work extremely hard and bend over backwards to help their buyers.  This token of advertising is the least I can do to pay them back for their efforts above and beyond.  KISSES TO YOU ALL!  MUAH!

Anyway,  you know it's not over yet.  Oh, no.  Master got the scripts from a friend and we worked like dogs on the Tip Monster for a day and a half.  I report to you now that she is a genius and it's gorgeous. I have to tell you here, because I don't have it.  Why?  Well, that's where the rest of the story comes in.

See, Master and I used the office of her script doner to tuck them in at the end.  We were only one script short when RL called her away.  We planned to meet the next day to finish up.

Unfortunately, she never came back.  Her friend remodeled and doesn't recall seeing it.   I never got a copy.

So where it my Tip Monster?  God only knows.  The best advice I can offer is shop around.  Find one you want - there are many many creators, legitimate ones that are happy to create custom work for $500L.  I'll post the links here when I get my Tip Monster back.  Just have the stats on a notecard before you say a word, even if you are just spit balling in a casual setting, and don't part with a dime until you are happy.  

And the original friend I didn't want to offend?  I haven't seen her since.  I should have just given her the $1900L.

Great low lag tip jars from $50L and customization:  Blake Studios Tipjars

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