In this episode we look back to the early years of 2008 to 2009, and we are helped by Marianne McCann, Second Life historian, who shares with us some of the features that arrived and frictions that enraged the residents of Second Life in those years, and by Wildstar Beaumont who has ransacked his photo archive for us!
Elrik learns about Seven Seas Fishing on his first show as co-host
And you have a chance to see extracts from the very first show, Mr Merlin’s first appearance as co-host, the story of the changeover from MetaMakeover to Designing Worlds … and much more!
This is the first in a two part show covering 2008 and 2009 – the second part will be shown next week.
Neverending – The Christmas Story, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont
Join Designing Worlds today, Monday 20th December, as we explore winter places around the grid, old friends and new discoveries – and some great Christmas events too!
Saffia and Elrik explore some of the beautiful winter locations around the grid – and talk to some of the designers too: Dandy Warhlol, the landscape designer for Winterset Hollow and Sainte Rose Sur Mer, Julala Demina of Centauria and Angelus van Engelen of the Dutch Estate.
This show was filmed by Elrik and Bain Finch – and the photoshoot is by Wildstar Beaumont.
While Harland Quinn may have set aside his misgivings about working with the Drow warrior, Lyndiss Dalael, that doesn’t mean he’s happy about it. To figure out exactly what they’re up against, he’ll need the help of people he’d trust with his life.
The first stop is the musty, arcane libraries of Lucentia, where an old friend of Quinn’s may be able to shed light on the mystery. But they’ll need additional help – of a very different sort – to take the next step.
Will they find the help they need in the rough-and-tumble back streets of Port Babbage?
While Harland Quinn may have set aside his misgivings about working with the Drow warrior, Lyndiss Dalael, that doesn’t mean he’s happy about it. To figure out exactly what they’re up against, he’ll need the help of people he’d trust with his life.
The first stop is the musty, arcane libraries of Lucentia, where an old friend of Quinn’s may be able to shed light on the mystery. But they’ll need additional help – of a very different sort – to take the next step.
Will they find the help they need in the rough-and-tumble back streets of Port Babbage?
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There will be a showing of Episode 1 (to recap or to introduce new viewers), followed by the newly released Episode 2, followed by a question and answer session with cast and members of the crew, There will then be dancing in the Designing Worlds Ballroom with DJ DaveOSaurus.
Designing Worlds Christmas Ball (2016), photographed by Wildstar Beaumont
As we promised, here is a link to the second Babbage Tale we showed at our Watch Party in New Babbage … but first here is a special event for Designing Worlds fans ..
The Ball will be held in our special Designing Worlds Ballroom, created by Kayle Matzerath and available in his Garden of Dreams store. The Ball runs from 1PM till 4PM on Friday 16th December.There will be great music from DJ Elrik Merlin and DaveOSaurus, and a special appearance by the fabulous Raglan Shire Carollers – so don’t miss it!
The Raglan Shire Carollers, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont
And here is the promised second Babbage Tale!
What could Possibly Go Wrong in Piermont Landing?
Piermont Landing in Wheatstone Waterways, New Babbage, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont
Of course, in the past there have been problems when we visited New Babbage. There was that unpleasant business in the tunnels under the old Asylum. And, of course, there was that murder at the Burlesque – two murders, actually. And we shouldn’t forget our encounter with the Dark Mer in the waters off New Babbage. Or what happened when Elrik was mistaken for Sherlock Holmes. And, of course, most recently, how we were fortunately on hand to prevent the attempt to steal the New Babbage Christmas presents … admittedly it was a little unfortunate that we allowed the urchins to steal them instead …
But this time we are sure that nothing could possibly go wrong!
We’ll be visiting Mrs Breezy Carver Fabre as she prepares for one of her fabulous Balls in the gorgeous Piermont Landing. We’ll be exploring this great build and hearing some of the stories that lie behind it.
And, if we’re very lucky, perhaps we’ll be so fortunate as to see the fabulous Carver diamonds too!
Featuring Miss Breezy Carver, Edward Pearse, Mr Biggins and a mysterious nun. Plus, of course, that factory chimney!
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But this isn’t all!
On Sunday 18th December, we’re hosting the World Premiere of Episode 2 of Harland Quinn and the Omega Hax in the Designing Worlds studio. Watch this blog for more information!
And on Monday 19th December, we’ll have our final Designing Worlds show of the season, when we’ll be visiting a fabulous selection of winter places.
You won’t want to miss any of these!
Winterset Hollow, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont
Tonight we have a Babbage seasonal special – with not one but TWO of our special Babbage stories!
Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 12th December for Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams in Second Life, or watch here on the web. We’ll be posting the first of these shows here on the blog today, and then the second on Friday 17th December, ahead of our annual Christmas Ball!
Miss Widdershins takes tea with Mr Mornington
In the first episode from early in 2012, Designing Worlds visits New Babbage – and what can possibly go wrong with that?
Well, quite a lot – as Saffia and Elrik discover when Mr Merlin takes tea with a certain Dr Jekyll …
The aftermath of tea with Dr Jekyll
But not to worry, for Miss Widdershins and Mr Mornington are on the trail with the aid of a trusty (if somewhat reluctant) Mr Biggins (nb this is believed to be Mr Jebediah Biggins as his brother Odadiah has got himself mixed up with some very strange types, as can be seen in the series The Blackened Mirror!)
But all is not quite what it appears …
It’s a Christmas special with the addition of Mr Biggins, Mr Victor1st Mornington (as themselves) and Mr Da5id Abbot as Dr Jekyll. Plus some rather wonderful horses … Kalypso Whitesong, Betta Zapp. Dancer Inglewood and Chaerry Lastchance, trained by Miss H0neyheart Resident.
A Winter Journey in New Babbage!
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Then, immediately afterwards, we’ll be showing What could Possibly Go Wrong in Piermont Landing? from early in 2012.
Piermont Landing in Wheatstone Waterways, New Babbage
Of course, in the past there have been problems when we visited New Babbage. There was that unpleasant business in the tunnels under the old Asylum. And, of course, there was that murder at the Burlesque – two murders, actually. And we shouldn’t forget our encounter with the Dark Mer in the waters off New Babbage. Or what happened when Elrik was mistaken for Sherlock Holmes. And, of course, most recently, how we were fortunately on hand to prevent the attempt to steal the New Babbage Christmas presents … admittedly it was a little unfortunate that we allowed the urchins to steal them instead …
A View of New Babbage
But this time we are sure that nothing could possibly go wrong!
We’ll be visiting Mrs Breezy Carver Fabre as she prepares for one of her fabulous Balls in the gorgeous Piermont Landing. We’ll be exploring this great build and hearing some of the stories that lie behind it.
And, if we’re very lucky, perhaps we’ll be so fortunate as to see the fabulous Carver diamonds too!
Featuring Miss Breezy Carver, Edward Pearse, Mr Biggins and a mysterious nun. Plus, of course, that factory chimney!
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We’ll be posting a link here on the web to this second show on Friday 16th December – ahead of the Designing Worlds Christmas Ball, and all fans of the show are invited!
This December, Designing Worlds is planning three special seasonal episodes – looking back to the past, and also sharing some wonderful places you can visit this year. We’re starting all the way back in 2011, when Designing Worlds visited the small town of Pleasantville to see how they celebrate Christmas.
Consisting of three regions, with an elementary school and downtown area, Pleasantville is devoted to the then increasingly popular activity of family roleplay, a still active community that is important for many people. Saffia and Elrik talked to some of the children, their parents and teachers, shared in their Christmas activities, and found out why family roleplay is such a special thing in many people’s Second Lives.
We were joined by some of the residents of the town, adults and children, including Mindy Metaluna, Pleasantville owner and principal of the Hardknock Elementary School, Maisie Netizen – teacher and home-owner, the designer ßαßу Åηgεℓ Åυɤα and three of Pleasantville’s younger generation who showed Elrik some of the sights: Caitlyn Bayn, Randee Rose Bayn and Pinkie Denimore Benelli. And there were many others who give us a wonderfully warm welcome to Pleasantville – even if the weather was decidedly frosty!
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Sadly, it seems that Pleasantville and Hardknock Elementary School are no longer on the grid – if other people know of any other good family roleplay communities, please let us know!
Join us at 2pm SLT today, Monday 28th November, for Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams or watch here on the web as we recall an amazing region from December 2013, created to demonstrate the potential and possibilities of sound in Second Life. And it’s a huge amount of fun too.
Usually one would go to the LEA (Linden Endowment for the Arts) sims to see the creations of Second Life’s best known (and sometimes newly discovered) artists. Many offered a high level of interactivity in their creations – some will offer sound as part of this.
But Of Sound Mind went further. It was an installation – more properly a series of installations – that referenced primarily sounds. It’s the creation of Lorin Tone and Friends (said friends including Glyph Graves, Madcow Cosmos, Inventor Alchemi, Mia Anais, Meriadne Merlin, P4ndor4 Quintessa, Marcus Parrott, Judi Newall, Chantal Harvey and Cube Republic). There was a wealth of different environments and sounds to explore – instruments to interact with … and, actually, some stunning things to see, ranging from a spooky cave to a giant musical castle in the air, from a Hindu temple with a wealth of musical instruments to an amazing total windsculpture by Glyph Graves.
We explore as many of these as we can fit into the show, talking to Lorin Tone and some of the creators such as Glyph Graves, emSynth, and Meriadne Merlin.
Sadly, Of Sound Mind (and the LEA too) have passed into Second Life history. But the LEA has been replaced by the excellent SLEA (Second Life Endowment for the Arts), which is always worth a visit to discover what is new and exciting in the virtual arts.
“Count Dracula welcomes you to his House. Come freely, go safely, and leave some of the happiness you bring…”
In this episode, we visit the remarkable Castle Dracula, on which creator Wanders Nowhere – best known for his Prehistorica dinosaur experience – has been working for the past 14 years! Opened for the first time this Halloween, the Castle is to remain open all year.
Wanders has created the exquisitely-detailed Castle and surrounding environment, along with a detailed Experience – remaining remarkably close to Bram Stoker’s original book – in which you journey to a strange, silent village where you take a coach to Castle Dracula to search for a missing person. There are many scary tableaux on the way, along with the chance to meet the mysterious Count himself!
The year is 1897, and you have journeyed to Transylvania on the trail of your friend, Jonathan Harker, and at the invitation of Count Dracula himself. A dark tale is about to repeat itself…
The task involves finding Jonathan’s journal entries scattered throughout Dracula’s enormous castle – amid plentiful references to gothic horror in literature, film and games over the centuries – and trying to stay among the living…if you can.
This show avoids spoilers, but gives an introduction to the story complemented by a detailed interview with the creator, and extensive views of the Castle and environs.
All images of Castle Dracula and the Village by Wildstar Beaumont
In this episode, we visit the remarkable Castle Dracula, on which creator Wanders Nowhere – best known for his Prehistorica dinosaur experience – has been working for the past 14 years! Opened for the first time this Halloween, the Castle is to remain open all year.
Wanders has created the exquisitely-detailed Castle and surrounding environment, along with a detailed Experience – remaining remarkably close to Bram Stoker’s original book – in which you journey to a strange, silent village where you take a coach to Castle Dracula to search for a missing person. There are many scary tableaux on the way, along with the chance to meet the mysterious Count himself!
The year is 1897, and you have journeyed to Transylvania on the trail of your friend, Jonathan Harker, and at the invitation of Count Dracula himself. A dark tale is about to repeat itself…
The task involves finding Jonathan’s journal entries scattered throughout Dracula’s enormous castle – amid plentiful references to gothic horror in literature, film and games over the centuries – and trying to stay among the living…if you can.
“Count Dracula welcomes you to his House. Come freely, go safely, and leave some of the happiness you bring…”
This show avoids spoilers, but gives an introduction to the story complemented by a detailed interview with the creator, and extensive views of the Castle and environs.
Designing Worlds 