There are two stores that I have visited recently that I really can’t review – because both fail a fundamental test.
One is a gorgeous store, full of lush high quality furniture, with a wealth of beautiful articles and some fascinating use of sculpties. Love the textures, approve of the sense of history, huge enthusiasm for the creativity and originality …
The other is a small new store, with a few really interesting items that I would be more than happy to draw to people’s attention.
But both make the same simple mistake.
The sitting animations are totally borked.
Now, this should be the advantage that furniture stores have over, for example, dress stores. Unless a store owner is really squeezed for space and doing the whole thing by vendor, in their furniture store their wares are set out for people to look at in all their lush, lovely profusion. And customers can also sit or lie on the items and enjoy that aspect too.
But who is going to take home a chair whose seating position has you nose down in the cushions, or rolling on the hearthrug or half hanging over the side, or completely swallows you up? In one very bad case, all that was visible of me was the tips of my knees and a few strands of blonde hair. The rest had been totally gobbled by a particularly ferocious sculptie cushion.
Please understand, I’m not talking about the perennial skirt swallowing phenomenon. No, we all just have to live with that – and designers do the best they can. I’m ok (if not thrilled) when my lovely skirts drop through the fabric of my chair, sofa or hammock. And taking a different example, I’ve also seen a beautiful throne which has the unexpected animation that, when you click on it to sit, has you kneeling worshipfully before it. No, one of these is a Second Life given, and the other is a carefully crafted scenario. What I’m talking about is simple disaster.
Why does it happen? Well, judging by the differences in the store, my guess that in the case of the new store, it’s probably down to inexperience. New designers need to realise that it’s not just enough to add a nice sitting position – you need to test it thoroughly – not just your 5’4″ self, but with your 6’9″ friend as well. And not just test it once, but regularly.
And that is where I think the more established store went wrong. Because I suspect the other designer, judging by the sheer quality of the stock, would have thoroughly checked the furniture when it was set out. But – guess what? – one or other of Second Life’s updates has played hell with the animations that were used, and now the furniture isn”t seating people, it’s eating them instead.
So designers … please test thoroughly and check regularly. You know it makes sense.
Prim Perfect 