Designing Worlds finds out about changes and exciting additions to Second Life from Linden Lab

Talking about Server Side Baking and Materials

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 13th May, for the new episode of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams, as we are joined by Oz, Brooke, Troy and Nyx Linden to discuss the issues of Server Side Baking and materials.

If you’re wondering what these are and how they might affect your Second Life, this show should explain it.

But – as server side baking means earlier viewers will no longer work properly, it is essential that every user of Second Life should be prepared for the changes.

Nyx, Troy, Oz and Brooke Linden explain the changes coming

Server side baking is a whole new way of solving the problem of avatars (and system clothing) that fails to load properly, by moving this from the viewer side client to the server side. It will need significant changes to the client viewers (like Linden Lab’s own viewer, and also third party viewers like Firestorm and Exodus).  Nyx and Troy Linden will be talking about this and explaining what Second Life users should expect.

Katana, created by June Dion of Bare Rose, demonstrating materials

Then Oz and Brooke Linden will be explaining about materials, normal and specular maps, what this is and what it will mean for our Second Life experience. And there will be samples to see too – when Oz and Brooke took us to see the work in progress at Hippotopolis.  You can go there and check this out for yourselves but if you want to see the items properly displayed, you’ll need to download the special Materials Viewer (it doesn’t overwrite the main Linden Lab viewer).

A simple cube takes on depth and texture under changing light

Materials are going to mean a richer Second Life experience, and creators are going to be very excited about the possibilities, we suspect! But don’t take our word for it – come and watch the show 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!

Join us as we explore the effects of specular mapping

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Another look at Fantasy Faire 2013 with Designing Worlds

Now available on the web – our latest episode, the second of our two visits to the amazing Fantasy Faire.

Saffia talked to designers Kayle Matzerath and Marcus Inkpen about the regions that they created, while Elrik learned about the amazing Fantasy Faire radio (and its rather unusual studio) from Zander Greene, and then had an escorted tour of the famed (notorious?) Explorers’ Club (Oriental Branch) by Martini Discovalante.

Lotus Valley Dream, photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

And then there are more regions to explore before we said farewell to Fantasy Faire … for this year.

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Designing Worlds at the Fantasy Faire Part II

Entertainment in Lumeneria, photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 6th May, for the new episode of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams, as we pay a second visit to the Fantasy Faire regions (now sadly closed).

Lotus Valley Dream, photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

While Saffia talks to designers Kayle Matzerath and Marcus Inkpen about the regions that they created, Elrik will be learning about the amazing Fantasy Faire radio (and its rather unusual studio) from Zander Greene, and then will be given an escorted tour of the famed (notorious?) Explorers’ Club (Oriental Branch) by Martini Discovalante.

Fantasy Faire Radio, photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

And then there are more regions to explore before we say farewell to Fantasy Faire … for this year.

And – by the way – the total now raised by Fantasy Faire stands at over US$36,000 – in Lindens, that’s over 9,500,000.

So – come and join us at 2pm.

Crimson Fields, 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.

Evensong Woods, photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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Designing Worlds explores the making of One Billion Rising in Second Life

The Stage at One Billion Rising, photographed by Honour McMillan

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 4th March, for our new episode of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams as we take several peeks behind the scenes at how the event One Billion Rising in Second Life was created – and how the music video “Break the Chain” was created in Second Life as well!

We’ll be talking to Victor1st Mornington about how he created the amazing stage, to Judi Newall about how it felt o be there as a volunteer on the day.

The four-region stage at One Billion Rising in Second Life, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

And then we’ll be visiting the Dazzlers to talk to Pyper Diollinger and Tatiana Kurri about how they created the amazing dance that formed the core of the video, to Samantha Ohrberg about her wiork with sponsors and pulling the dance together, and to Petlove Petshop who filmed and edited it (with a little assistance!).  Petlove also talks about the challenges of streaming suych an event for a full twenty four hours, as she was the organiser of the Livestream team who made sure the whoile event was broadcast.

The Dazzler Break the Chain – Image captured by Petlove Petshop from the Second Life Break the Chain video

And we’ll be looking at the stunning art installations that were created for the event, and talking to two of the artists whose work was such a vital part of One Billion Rising – Em Larsson and Solkilde Auer. And we’ll also be taking a tour of many of the installations that were on display.

Solkilde Auer’s Respawn at One Billion Rising in Second Life

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!

One Billion Rising in Second Life, photographed by Tillie Ariantho

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Designing Worlds explores the possibilities of Vintage Retro

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 4th February, for our new episode of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams as we visit Old Time Prims, the home of Vintage Retro, a new region next door to 1920s Berlin, but covering a far wider time period, and featuring some interesting real life crossovers.

Vintage Retro – photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

The name of the region is Old Time Prims (as the owner of the region, Mila Edelman, is also the owner of that well known vintage store), but it is also known as Vintage Retro. It is drawing together a wealth of vintage and retro commercial ventures – and some that actually cross boundaries into real life.

Modelled on a bustling vintage European city, with echoes of Munich, Vienna and Budapest, it provides an intriguing home for a number of stores and vintage locations.  Mila will be giving us a guided tour and an insight into how smaller stores with a strong theme can help one another – and themselves too!

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

Vintage Retro – photographed 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 – where you can now chat with other audience members and even some of the participants during the show – 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!

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Designing Worlds pays a visit to Ballet Pixelle’s Christmas production of The Nut

Ballet Pixelle – the Theatre

Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 17th December, for the last show in our current season of Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams when we’ll be visitng Ballet Pixelle to learn about how they have created a virtual world ballet company in Second Life – and all about their Christmas production.

The Nut is based on The Nutcracker ballet, with music by Tchaikovsky, and is a standard part of Ballet Pixelle’s repertory – but each year something new is added – and this year is no exception!

Poster for The Nut

We talk to Inarra Saarinen, Artistic Director of Ballet Pixelle, Vivienne Darcy, Ballet Mistress and Company Coordinator and to members of the company as we learn about the challenges and triumphs of staging amazing ballets in a virtual world.

It makes for a fascinating show – so make sure that you don’t miss it! Do come and join us at 2pm!

And find out why Saffia is dressed as a Christmas Tree!

Or – if you can’t attend in person – tune in at 2pm SLT on Monday for the live show on http://treet.tv/live – where you can now chat with other audience members and even some of the participants during the show – 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!

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