New World Notes

This Weekend in SL: Explore "Hand", Bryn Oh's Latest Metaverse Art Installation - And Donate So It Can Stay Open!

Click here to start exploring "Hand", the latest metaverse art installation by the acclaimed Bryn Oh. To whet your intrigue, first watch this trailer (above) she created, with music and magical voice work by Phemie Alcott. Like I said yesterday, Immersiva, the simulator underneath this installation, may disappear by the end of this year -- so when you go, please donate what Linden Dollars you can at the entrance.

"Hand", Bryn tells me, continues the themes she's been exploring in Second Life for nearly a decade, and includes some shocking or disturbing elements -- so much so that it provoked a strong reaction from one visitor who in real life was a first responder during the September 11th terrorist attacks.

"Each of my works for the last 9 years or so have been an ongoing narrative which is interconnected," as she puts it. "Each new work is a layer to the story. This work, along with all the others, are a type of diary which I use to express parts of my life and things I can imagine could happen in the future."

So for example, "Hand" has flying drones that take photos of you, and advertisers who project ads directly into people's homes. And when you click on a phone, you then see a photo of a girl taking a selfie -- in front of the crashing twin towers on 9/11:

Behind the Surreal and Highly Personal Second Life Art of Whiskey Monday

 
Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

It seems like Draxtor Despres, the creator of the ongoing mixed reality (Linden Lab sponsored) mini-documentary series The Drax Files: World Makers, is working his way through a bucket list of his most sought after subjects. Last month it was the quirky but elusive designer Nylon Pinkney, now it's Whiskey Monday, one of the most recognized artists active in Second Life today (and a favorite here on NWN).

It's Easier Than Ever to Commission a Distinctive Avatar Portrait from Popular SL Artist Nylon Pinkney

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

If you haven't been waiting for a chance to get your portrait painted by Nylon Pinkney, then you probably haven't been paying attention to this offbeat Second Life designer's artistic output (which I cover fairly regularly here on NWN). Then again, maybe you're as big a fan of her work as I am and you've just been trying to work up the nerve to shoot her an IM or an email. In that case, I've got some very good news for you.

Nylon, who brands her RL art under the name Elleinadart, has made it even easier to commission her work. You can drop by her website to check out all the details, including portrait options and pricing, and fill out a form to submit your request on the spot. Even better, you can pay for your glossy digital portrait with either Paypal or L$, depending on which is more convenient.

If you've been out of the loop, in addition to being one of Second Life's most enduring and recognizable designers (not to mention Drew Carey's favorite), Nylon was the subject of a recent episode of mixed-reality mini-documentary series The Drax Files: World Makers. Her work is even gracing the cover of upcoming book Anna the Powerful. 

If you'd like to commission a portrait of your virtual (or real) self, just head over to Nylon's commission info page and scroll to the bottom to find the request form. Or, if you're stuck on the fence, check out more of her artwork on Tumblr.

Second Life WWII Roleplay Game Set in Nazi-Occupied French Town is Also Great Idea for a Sandbox MMO

Zoe Connolly pays a multi-part visit to the Secodn Life sim of New Bastogne, which has been created to look like Caen, France in 1944, and is the location for a brilliant roleplay game:

You can play Axis, Allies, or even French citizens (as either collaborators or part of the Resistance). [Above] night falls and battle lines are drawn. The Allies maneuver and hide... waiting for their best opportunity to attack the Nazi occupiers.

The sim runs on the VICE combat system, so this is straight up combat gaming, and I gotta say: This is a great goddamn idea for a sandbox MMO. Second Life is pretty excellent for prototyping game concepts, but I'd love to see a single-shard, massively multiplayer version of New Bastogne running on the latest game engine. Anyway, if you want to visit the city under siege, here's the SLurl to copy/paste into the Second Life viewer of your choice:

In San Francisco This Wednesday: Free Mixed Reality Show Merging Real Dance With Second Life's Famed SkyDancers

Click here to RSVP for an arts event happening this Wednesday early evening in San Francisco, merging a Second Life performance broadcast on a screen in the Little Boxes Theater (Dogpatch district of SF), with seasoned dancer Kathleen Moore on stage before it. The SL performers are Dancoyote Antonelli's acclaimed SkyDancers, who've been performing in SL for over 8 years. The free event starts at 5:30pm with free drinks and a curator/artist talk from DC Spensley (Dancoyote IRL) with the show itself kicking off at 6:30pm. Go here for all the details.

Listen This Weekend: The Drax Files Radio Hour Interviews Celebrity Griefer Esteban Winsmore

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

If you're a virtual world enthusiast who's not keeping up with virtual world documentarian Draxtor Despres' new podcast, The Drax Files Radio Hour, then you're absolutely missing out.

The latest episode is packed with some pretty controversial content headlined by the notorious Esteban Winsmore, who has developed a reputation with some as a griefer, while others find his voice chatting antics downright entertaining. Draxtor and co-host Jo Yardley (known for her work in SL's 1920s Berlin sim) also discuss net neutrality, Oculus Rift augmented reality, Second Life's HTTP Project, and more.

If you go for the Esteban interview, just be sure to stay for the new virtual world documentary by Loki Eliot. "The Lost Virtual World" examines the ups and downs of virtual worlds, painting a picture 2 decades in the making. Check it all out for yourself here.

Don't Miss This Must-Watch Virtual World Performance of The Nutcracker's "Waltz Of The Flowers"

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

Lovers of art, avatars, dance, music, and machinima, gather 'round and drop everything because boy do I have a treat for you. Loony Columbia's latest machinima, "A Pemberley Nutcracker - Waltz of The Flowers", might be everything you've ever wanted in a virtual world dance performance. While The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition in the world of ballet and beyond, it can be incredibly difficult to pull it off in games and virtual environments. The more dancers there are, the more points of failure you have to contend with. It can be even more troublesome when you have to worry about recording it. But this? This is flawless.

Watch the full performance for yourself after the jump!

Acclaimed SL Artist Bryn Oh Quits Linden Endowment for the Arts in Protest Over Company's Draconian Terms of Service

Bryn Oh, one of Second Life's most acclaimed artists, has resigned from the Linden Lab-supported Linden Endowment for the Arts in protest over the company's contentious new Terms of Service, which claims rights over "all or any portion of your User Content (and derivative works thereof), for any purpose whatsoever in all formats". For understandable reasons, this didn't sit well with Ms. Oh, who in real life is an artist from Canada whose SL work has even received a grant from her government.

The company founded the LEA a few years ago to support artists like Bryn, and she is so well known and admired, the community has donated thousands of dollars to keep her work in Second Life, including acclaimed UK filmmaker Peter Greenaway. Her SL machinima was even featured at the World Expo in Shanghai. Despite all that, the new ToS was too much for her. As she explains on her blog:

Perfect For Halloween: Second Life Shopping Event Inspired By Harry Potter Has Avatars, Accessories, And More

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

If you're already on the lookout for that perfect something to set off your virtual Halloween costume, the you'd be wise to check out the Wizarding Faire, which opened last weekend and will be running until October 20th. The event is hosted at Mischief Managed, a jaw-dropping roleplay sim that's been inspired by the world of Harry Potter, and consequently so are many of the most eyecatching items available.

For example, consider Beetlebones' fabulous frog avatar, pictured above in a rather clever shot by Wolfy Breno...

This Intense Second Life Sim Photography Might Give You An Inferiority Complex About Your Own

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

Lately I've been drooling over the Second Life photography of CishCash, who specializes in evocative shots of some of SL's most gorgeous sims. Dramatic lighting and depth of field are both in full effect, as well as outstanding scene composition that could make even a talented RL photographer stop and take note. But this is more than just eye candy...