Today, Mon 28th June, Designing Worlds pays the first of two visits to the beautiful campsites and design regions that were created for the Relay Weekend that was the culmination of the 2021 Relay for Life of Second Life.
We begin with an interview with Stingray Raymaker, Director of the American Cancer Society in Second Life, and the Ambassador to the American Cancer Society, the charity behind Relay for Life. At the Home and Garden Expo, earlier in the year, we talked about his hopes for the 2021 season – and now he tells us whether those hopes were fulfilled!
Then we talk to several teams as we explore their campsites – the One Life team,Grove Country Club Estates, and Dragon’s Nightfall, as well as the beautiful (and unexpectedly colorful) designer region created by Fiona Fei, as well as Latte Stark’s Bixley’s Turnkey Area (and she tells us what a Turnkey Area is!).
Join us today, Monday 21st June 2021 at 2pm SLT in our beautiful studio in Garden of Dreams as we journey back into the past for a show first shown in February 2015, when we traced the history of virtual world jewellery making with Abraxxa Anatine of Earthstones.
Abraxxa has been creating jewellery in Second Life for a very long time, and in this show she takes us back to the days of prim torture as she demonstrates how jewellery was made before the advent of the sculptie (and why it was possible to crash a region with your ear-rings!). Then we look at the refinements possible with the development of sculptie prims, and finally to the amazing possibilities of mesh.
And along the way we discuss issues such as the use of bling (Second Life’s very own version of the Blink! tag), the pleasures and pitfalls of maintaining jewellery stores across virtual worlds (Abraxxa had a strong presence in Inworldz), the problems posed by the advent of mesh body parts, and the difficulties the use of display names has caused. In fact, some of the issues Abraxxa faces provide an interesting microcosm of residents working with the changing face of virtual world economies, as we learn in a fascinating discussion with her.
East River Community, photographed by Honour McMillan
Join us today, Monday 14th June 2021 at 2pm SLT in our beautiful studio in Garden of Dreams as we journey back into the past for a show first shown in October 2014, when we explored one of the oldest and largest of the mainland communities – the East River Community.
The East River community is located on the Sansara Continent, just to the North of the Sea of Fables, and it’s a remarkable place – and a remarkable achievement too.
East River Community, photographed by Honour McMillan
Because what makes this community so fascinating is that it’s not – like many close communities – part of an island estate, privately owned and managed with a Covenant to make sure that there is consistency. No, this is a mainland community, created by residents coming together and protecting a tract of land that now covers nineteen sims, all brought together as the East River Community.
With the assistance of a longtime resident, Drewski Northman, we explore some of the residential and commercial areas, the art that forms an important part of the community, and some of the amazing transportation systems that link the community,
East River Community, photographed by Honour McMillan
This is a fascinating show about an aspect of Second Life that many people remain unaware of – the rich potential of mainland living –don’t miss it!
Ebbe was a wonderful guest to talk to – and always willing to share ideas and plans for Second Life. In today’s Archive show, we look back to the very first interview we did with him, back in 2014. You can see it on this blog, or watch it directly on Vimeo at:https://vimeo.com/107624666. You can also join the Watch Party at 2pm SLT Monday June 7th in our studio on Garden of Dreams, where we are sure there will be lots of discussion about Ebbe and his contributions, in so many ways, to Second Life.
Ebbe arrived at the Lab in February 2014, at what was a low point in the Lab’s fortunes. From the heady early days when the Lab, residents and the grid had grown together, a widening division became perceived between the Lab and the residents. Lindens were no longer allowed to go on the grid and socialize with residents; residents increasingly felt that the Lab didn’t “get them” or their needs and desires (having said that – the Lab is such a multifarious place that it would be difficult for anyone to “get” everything!). There seemed to be an animosity of both sides that made many people very sad.
Ebbe came in – and was like a breath of fresh air. Suddenly, Lindens were back on the grid. The team was smaller as Sansar was developed – but the amount of content and new innovations grew amazingly. And best of all, the closed doors were opened – and residents were allowed to share in the ideas and plans for the future. The enthusiasm of the team working on the Second Life grid seemed power-charged, with the Bellisseria Homes, the development of material, the Bento project, animesh .. and much more. This all came to fruition on Ebbe’s watch – and a reason why, when the pandemic struck, Second Life was in such a healthy place to welcome back old friends and new.
He not only made changes to the infrastructure – he made changes to the culture of Second Life – and that in a time of darkness, when many despaired of the real world around us. Under Ebbe’s leadership, Second Life became a place of hope for a better world.
Interview with Ebbe, Elrik and Saffia, photograph by Honour Macmillan
The interview we’re showing today was recorded in October 2014 for the 250th edition of Designing Worlds. We were hoping to have Ebbe back on the show for the 500th – and we are devastated that interview will now never happen.
In the words of Shakespeare (almost) … Small time, but in that small most greatly lived This star of Linden.
Designing Worlds 