New World Notes

WIRED OUTTAKES: BURNING LIFE

When I began taking screenshots for Wired magazine's "Let's Go Second Life" feature this month, Burning Life was still weeks away.  Unable to wait for the official Burning of the Man, I got a copy of the wooden figure from Ryan Linden, set it out on an empty sim, put up an artificial moon, had a scripting expert set the Man ablaze-- then called together a group of diverse volunteers, to recreate the annual orgiastic frenzy.  Thanks to the flame, the dancers, and the local light sources they were wearing, I like to think these screenshots are some of the best I've taken.  (And since all the graphics features were turned up full, my viewer crashed several times, to get them.)

Pictured are robot furry Maxx Mackenzie, dark catwoman Artemis Fate, mud-spattered Amazonian Torrid Midnight, angelic Krysss Galatea, and straight-up furry Gonta Maltz.   If you squint hard enough, you'll spot Tateru Nino behind Artemis, dressed for the occasion:  as the Egyptian jackal god Anubis cross-dressing with sexy lingerie, of course. 

Many more screenshots after the break.

BURNING THE BURNING LIFE MAN

So Burning Life just came to an official close in an inferno of flame and colored light, as BL's version of the Man was set ablaze.  I captured some video of the event, which was so overflowing with Residents that the fire and their dancing often slowed to a time-altering, hallucinatory crawl.  As befits the clothing-optional occasion, the video is possibly not worksafe-- unless, of course, you work at Burning Man.

Torley, who hosted the event, also supplied the montage music, with a track called "Accelerative Thrust".

Update, 9/16:  In Comments, Aster points out his own very lovely video of the Burning.  Warning: contains nudity.  Additional warning:  contains male thongs.

BURNING WORLDS

 Watch the video here (Windows Media optimal)

As Burning Life 2006 eases to a close (the Man is set ablaze tomorrow) here's a trip through three worlds within worlds.  The first is a visit to the dream oasis of Aster Lardner (<= direct portal), a small but lovely respite from the playa's creative chaos.  From there we fly to the Bone Box of Jamma Newt (<= direct portal) a richly detailed and vibrantly textured microcosm of life growing within the skeletal husk of a vast, unknown creature.  Rising up from that, we end our tour at The Skybox of Stephane Zugzwang (<= direct portal), where visits to dozens of locales throughout the known world are accessible at a button's touch.  As befits Burning Life, we take Mr. Zugzwang's offer to visually transport ourselves into the place where it all began-- in the Nevada Black Rock desert, at Burning Man itself. (Lower-res YouTube version here.)

Music, as ever and again, provided by Torley, a track from his 230 track library which has become, in effect, the soundtrack of Second Life-- the cut heard here being "In Surreality". 

BURNER, BURN THYSELF

Jeska Linden, Burning Life's coordinator at Linden Lab, takes a stroll through the playa she paved the way for, returning to blog on hallucinogenic swingsets, fire-breathing dragons, kinetic sculptures, and more.

BURNING SITE

Linden Lab's Burning Life coordinator Jeska Linden-- who recently sent me a reply to "Burning in Silence?", now included in an update to that post-- alerts me to a blog entirely devoted to the virtual playa happening: GavinLeigh Wake's Burning Life, featuring copious screenshots and enthusiastic reviews of numerous installations.  Another great BL resource for suggestions, along with this open forum.

BURNING LIFE 2006: JOPSY PENDRAGON'S OASIS

Watch the Video

Making marvelous use of colored light and rich textures, Jopsy Pendragon's Burning Life site in Saon is a dreamy oasis of calm.  "The 'function' I suppose is more a passive hypnotic thing," Jopsy tells me.  "The real Burning Man has 'chill' spaces.  This randomly makes different patterns and the chairs just float about..."

Does that mean he's been Burning Man?  "Sadly no," he says wistfully.  "I've had several friends go on for hours about their trips to Burning Man...  I was gearing up to go this year but had to put it off until next year due to family plans."

Look for more suggestions of Burning Life sites to visit and make some of your own in NWN's Open Forum for the event.

OPEN FORUM: BURNING LIFE 2006

So building for Burning Life '06 has been underway for several days*, and when I briefly visited tonight, it looked like construction for many projects on the virtual playa was already complete.  As I have for the last three years, I'll be visiting Burning Life's best sites and talking with their creators, starting next week. 

What projects are absolutely must-see?  Post in Comments, and make your case, including links to screenshots and video, if you have them.

This is a direct portal into Burning Life, active until mid-September, when BL vaporizes.

*Update, 9/6: Be sure to check out the many recommendations of BL sites to visit out in Comments, and offer more of their own.  (Bumped up 9/6, originally posted 9/3.)

BURNING LIFE 2006: "SICK CAT" BY ARAHAN CLAVEAU

A strange and sad dream trip through an artist's mind, reflecting his hopes and also fears, "Sick Cat" by Arahan Claveau (direct teleport here) is an immersive multimedia installation contained within a giant checkerboard structure.  (My video on Blip TV here; YouTube version viewable here.)  Claveau was the subject of a recent UK documentary on Second Life (see it here), and as that video suggests, he's an installation artist with much on his mind.  When I contacted him, he sent along an entire essay depicting some of the thoughts that may have impelled "Sick Cat".  Some excerpts from it after the break.

BURNING IN SILENCE? (Updated)

This year for Burning Life (direct portal here) SL's annual tribute to Burning Man, rather than devote my reporting on the virtual playa's art installations to on-site screenshots (as with BL 2005) I'll instead feature videos that'll better convey (hopefully!) the event's immersive and experiental quality.  I'm far from a machinima expert, however, so I welcome Burning Life videos from others-- e-mail me your YouTube/BlipTV links, and I'll highlight them here when I can. I've already shot lots of footage of many marvelous sites, and I welcome more recommendations of places to visit in my Open Forum post devoted to BL2006.

But I have to say, so far at least, the experiental quality to Burning Life that strikes me most is its silence. Something seems to have changed in the world, and I don't quite know what, or how, or why.

Update, 9/6:  Jeska Linden has a reply regarding Linden Lab promotion of Burning Life-- read after the break.

YOUR TICKET TO BURN

This is your direct portal to the very heart of the Burning Life playa.  Clothing optional.  Lucid dreaming encouraged.  Porta potty visits unnecessary.  See the sights, be part of the experience.  Report back here.