Designing Worlds’ new season starts – with a visit to Fantasy Faire

Fairelands Junction – photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 29th April, for the start of an exciting new season for the opening episode of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams.

Fairelands Junction – photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

We’ll be visiting the amazing Fantasy Faire (a visit filmed before the Faire actually opened) and talking to Zander Greene and Elicio Ember (the creator of the amazing Tiitans’ Hollow as we explore some of the fascinating regions in the quiet days before they filled with eager visitors, and learn about the work and ideas that led to their creation.

Titans’ Hollow – photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

And we’ll be learning something about the Hunt too.  Remember – although the first part finishes with the Faire, you’ll be able to carry on with the second part of the Hunt from May 1st – May 19th.

So – come and join us at 2pm.

The Valley of Ish’Nar – where the second part of the Hunt occurs – photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

Or – if you can’t attend in person – tune in at 2pm SLT on Monday for the live show on http://treet.tv/live – or catch it later in the week on our shows page on the Treet.tv web site at http://treet.tv/shows/designingworlds – our very own version of the iPlayer!

There’s also a special short story competition sponsored by Prim Perfect and the Fantasy Faire team – you can find out all the details here.

Magnificat – photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

Designing Worlds celebrates the launch of Second Life’s 10th Birthday Community Celebration!

Now available on the web – our latest episode, as we celebrate the launch of SL10B Community Celebration – the event that will take place this June, drawing together Second Life residents from all over the grid with the theme of Looking Forward, Looking Back.

And that’s what we do on this show too, as we look back at some of the builds that were created for SL7B, SL8B and SL9B – and then talk to Diana Renoir, Marianne McCann and Honour McMillan about plans for this year’s event.

SL10B-CC

Remember, you can find out more at the following locations:

Web-site: http://slcommunitycelebration.com/
Blog: http://slcommunitycelebration.com/blog/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/slcommunitycelebration/
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/YUyZkm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SLBCommunity

And here are the key dates again:

April 15	Volunteer/Performance, Exhibitor Applications open
May 20	Volunteer/Performance, Exhibitor Applications close
May 27	Sims open to builders
June 16	Grand Opening
June 23	Official Birthday
June 23	Final day of performances
June 29	Sims close to the public
July 1	All builds to be dismantled – sims go offline

Watch Designing Worlds for news of a very special event in Second Life!

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 18th March, for our new episode of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams.

In this closing episode of the season, the Designing Worlds team looks back at the past and forward to the future … and makes a very special announcement about a major forthcoming event in the Second Life calendar. With guests Diana Renoir, Marianne McCann and Honour McMillan.

So – come and join us at 2pm.

Or – if you can’t attend in person – tune in at 2pm SLT on Monday for the live show on two special streams: http://bit.ly/102mcbe or http://youtu.be/POfi8sOZzvg (it will go live at 2pm SLT) – or catch it later in the week on our shows page on the Treet.tv web site at http://treet.tv/shows/designingworlds – our very own version of the iPlayer!

P.S. Designing Worlds is taking its spring break – but we’ll be back at the end of April with some fantastic shows that will include Fantasy Faire, the Home and Garden Expo, Relay for Life weekend and … Something Else.

Designing Worlds explores the beautiful park estate of Calas Galadhon

Now available on the web – our latest episode, as we return to the beautiful park estate of Calas Galadhon.

Calas Galadhon is a famously beautiful eleven-region park estate that has recently undergone a period of renovation and refurbishment. We visited once before, back in 2011, but in case there are any viewers who haven’t seen every episode… we fill in the background to the estate before setting off to explore some stunningly beautiful regions! Last time, we focused on the northern sims – this time we turn our attention to the south, we explore—on foot and by water—some of the most beautiful regions in Second Life with Tymus Tenk, one of the owners of the park (with Truck Meredith).

Calas Galadhon, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

It’s one of our most beautiful shows ever – make sure you don’t miss it!

Celebrate the loveliness of Calas Galadhon with Designing Worlds

Calas Galadhon, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 18th March, for our new episode of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams as we explore the beauties of the wonderful Park Estate of Calas Galadhon.

And I am having a very hard time selecting images to illustrate this post – because our trusty photographer, Wildstar Beaumont, has captured so many utterly gorgeous images!

The Gulf of Lune in Calas Galadhon, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Calas Galadhon is a famously beautiful eleven-region park estate that has recently undergone a period of renovation and refurbishment. We visited once before, back in 2011, but in case there are any viewers who haven’t seen every episode… we fill in the background to the estate before setting off to explore some stunningly beautiful regions!

Calas Galadhon, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

It’s also completely non-commercial space… although there are homes, these are not rented out, and although there are shops, they don’t sell things! Join us as we explore—on foot and by water—some of the most beautiful regions in Second Life with Tymus Tenk, one of the owners of the park (with Truck Meredith).

We think this is one of our loveliest shows ever – but don’t take our word for it – come and join us at 2pm.

Calas Galadhon, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Or – if you can’t attend in person – tune in at 2pm SLT on Monday for the live show onhttp://treet.tv/live – or catch it later in the week on our shows page on the Treet.tv web site at http://treet.tv/shows/designingworlds – our very own version of the iPlayer!

Calas Galadhon, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Encounters in the Cloud – Designing Worlds explores Cloud Party

Now available on the web – our latest episode, as we explore a whole new virtual environment – Cloud Party!

Cloud Party uses the metaphor of islands floating in the sky,while the the menu systems uses the metaphor of a smart phone with various apps – a rather clever way of introducing users not used to virtual worlds to what can be a complex set of tools.

To help us explore Cloud Party, we’re joined by three creators from Cloud Party – Maxwell Graf, who is well known in Second life as the designer of Rustica, Ashasekayi Ra, who has been doing some interesting work on avatar customisation, and Phate Shepherd, who has been exploring some of the possibilities of scripting and game creation in Cloud Party.

Inside Cloud Party – looking at the islands

We visit a number of islands within Cloud Party, including the starting including Phate’s fascinating Misfit Toys, Maxwell’s stormy forest … and an amazing art creation by the well known artist in virtual worlds – Claudia222 Jewell.

Watch the show – and learn more!

Designing Worlds visits Cloud Party

Inside Cloud Party – looking at the islands

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 11th March, for our new episode of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams as we take a trip to a whole new environment – Cloud Party!

Designing Worlds has long looked outside Second Life to explore new virtual environments. But previously all such environments have been based on the Second Life infrastructure (you might say): Inworldz, Open Sim, Kitely, Reaction Grid, Science Grid and Heritage Key. But Cloud Party is very different, being accessed through a web browser and, initially, requiring a Facebook log in.

Stormy Rustica in Cloud Party – photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

Cloud Party uses the metaphor of islands floating in the sky, which can at times look like an album sleeve designed by Roger Dean. The menu systems uses the metaphor of a smart phone with various apps – a rather clever way of introducing users not used to virtual worlds to what can be a complex set of tools.

To help us explore Cloud Party, we’re joined by three creators from Cloud Party – Maxwell Graf, who is well known in Second life as the designer of Rustica, Ashasekayi Ra, who has been doing some interesting work on avatar customisation, and Phate Shepherd, who has been exploring some of the possibilities of scripting and game creation in Cloud Party.

Art work by Claudia222 Jewell in Cloud Party – photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

We’ll be taking a look at a number of islands within Cloud Party, including the starting including,Phate’s fascinating Misfit Toys, Maxwell’s stormy forest … and an amazing art creation by the well known artist in virtual worlds – Claudia222 Jewell.

It makes for a fascinating show – so do come and join us at 2pm.

Or – if you can’t attend in person – tune in at 2pm SLT on Monday for the live show on http://treet.tv/live – or catch it later in the week on our shows page on the Treet.tv web site at http://treet.tv/shows/designingworlds – our very own version of the iPlayer!

A Home in Cloud Party – photograph by Wildstar Beaumont