In constructing the player system our priorities were scalability, stability and simplicity for the end-user.

As LSL gives very poor user interface controls it was decided early in development that playlist and album management would be run via the web - making for a very intuitive and flexible system with a shallow
learning curve.

The extra advantage of using web based control is the reduction in the amount of data stored by the in-world players - reducing the need for extra scripts and slashing the lag caused by the players.

The system involves three main areas - the in-world player objects, the in-world album objects, and the web based data storage and control system.

For the players, we keep the number of scripts to a minimum, designing to be as efficient as possible in both memory usage and event handling methods. Our system is based mostly on touch control,
reducing the number of the classic lag causing problems most SL user interfaces suffer from.

We also designed the album loading system to be as secure as possible, while minimising lag and maintaining a high degree of flexibility. Thanks to this approach, developing the Beatbox system was a largely cosmetic affair - the players "just worked" with it after a minor tweak.

The albums are deceptively simple to use. The loading system is designed to be intuitive and natural, but at the same time allowing the kind of flexibility which allowed us to quickly develop different
kinds of albums for different uses.

Our main priority with the album system was one of security. We needed to design a system that would be simple to use, easy for publishers to create their own versions, but secure enough to protect the integrity of the publishers work.

The web based parts of the system were the most complex to create. They were designed to give a natural feel for users, while still giving stability and scalability as the platform grew. To this end we
created a bespoke data storage system.

To ensure stability and flexibility, as well as to allow for rapid deployment of new services, we make use of Open Source technologies such as PHP and Apache webserver. Our storage method was custom made
for the system - designed to give the same performance with 10000 users that it gives for 10.

Our latest product - the Beatbox publishing system, uses a combination of all the above features to bring the power of this system to other SL users - they can now create their own albums for resale, using the
same intuitive interface and scalable technology that powers the original album collection.

We're not complacent though - all our design methodology has one eye on the future. We've built in custom logging tools to keep track of system performance, and to iron out any kinks we find (generally it's
a case of having to work around SL bugs!), and to allow us to rapidly respond to problems. As Second Life is a rapidly developing platform, we're always ready to take advantage of the new features and technologies that are unleashed on the grid - we keep our virtual ears to the ground about upcoming changes and try to stay ahead of the game.

We're socially responsible too. As one of our development team is a self confessed "green freak" - all our web components are housed in a Carbon Neutral hosting facility - so you know that you're not harming
the planet by using our systems. additionally Technical support is offered to end user on the basis that they a pay a small fee to one of our supported charities - Warchild and Save the Children.

Hopefully this overview will give you a better idea of our aims and intentions - if you have any additional questions please contact us in world - or via Email - For urgent enquires you can call +44(0)7784 830320 and ask to speak to Mark Clarke.