InfoCenter Mobile

InfoCenter

200px InfoCenter Mobile vendor image.
Creator	Nelson Jenkins
Launch year	2008
Company	Gentek Technologies
Availability	Marketplace & In-World
Marketplace Listing

The InfoCenter was originally an electronic road sign created in 2008. It was the only customizable electronic sign on the grid; however, it suffered from some design flaws that limited its usefulness prior to the update.

InfoCenter Mobile

The original InfoCenter Mobile (simply the InfoCenter at the time) featured a similar display and control system. However, the font was badly-aligned in the texture, forcing the display prims to be rotated to hide occasional texture bleeding on the bottom of each prim. Additionally, glow was far overused, to the point of it becoming a running joke (although not necessarily a meme). The original arrow and warn patterns also used a lazy hack - instead of using a texture animation, it simply used block text characters in a certain pattern.

For the update, the body was mostly replaced with a SOM sculptie to lower the prim count. Because of this, some extra characters could be added on the display. The display was modified so it could be flipped down, and the arrow and warn patterns used a texture animation overlay instead of the hack. The frame was also recolorable. The controller was rescripted to make it more robust.

Ironically, the sculptie used was from a knockoff version created by Will Szymborska in 2009 to compete due to the original version's poor build quality. It was never sold.

Setup

1. Rez your InfoCenter and position it.
2. Click it, then choose "Set Text". Follow the instructions in chat to program text slides. Each slide handles 5 lines of 10 characters each, and the unit supports up to 8 slides that cycle every 3 seconds. Enter each line separately into local chat. When you are done, keep entering "blank" until you are prompted to enter "end" to end data collection. The text message will display immediately.
3. To display an arrow or diamond warning pattern, choose "Mode", then select the operation mode you want. If you switch to an arrow or diamond, you can go back to your text message by selecting "Text" or by simply programming a new text message.

Additional Configuration

You can lower the display board by choosing "Lower". This will save the operation mode in memory, so when you raise it with "Raise", it will still work. You cannot tow the InfoCenter, this is just for show. You can change the color of the painted parts of the unit by choosing "Color".

Updates & Release Notes

You can update your InfoCenter Mobile by simply rezzing it.

• v2.0
  • Redesigned build and scripts.
• v1.1
  • Fixed programming bug during Slide 4 text.
• v1.0
  • Primary public release.

InfoCenter Highway

The InfoCenter Highway was an in-house prototype used occasionally in roleplay sims where Nelson helped out (namely, Hidden Creek and City of Concord's Lumin Parkway). It was an electronic highway sign sporting many more characters over the Mobile, designed to be mounted on an overpass or gantry. It was scripted to handle messages sent from a central control box, which could coordinate messages among several signs simultaneously. However, it was poorly designed, and was never sold.

InfoCenter Matrix

The InfoCenter Matrix was another in-house prototype based off of square RGB matrix signs commonly seen in European countries. These signs could display standard road signs as an image, although could not display text. They are used typically for variable speed limits dependent on congestion or construction. In the US, similar signs are sometimes used for lane and turn control, although they are usually fiber-optic signs that can only display one or two possible outputs. An early prototype was used in Mascouten II around the Lumin Tunnel to restrict turns when the tunnel was closed. The sign was briefly rebuilt but never made it past conceptual stage.

Future Updates

The InfoCenter is a low-priority update. However, any future updates will most likely be done using mesh for lower prim counts. The Highway and Matrix versions, if released, will most likely also be in mesh.