Wagner James Au reports on Second Life and other virtual worlds, and related topics, such as virtual goods, next gen gaming, and new immersive technologies (Kinect, iOS, etc.)
SL fashion and photography blogger Strawberry Singh routinely shares (and even starts) some of the most interesting blogger challenges and blogging memes that circulate in the Second Life community. Last weekend she got the ball rolling on yet another inspiring challenge, but this one looks like it will be producing much more than just eye-candy...
If you're eager to take a piece of materials-enabled mesh fashion for a spin in Second Life, FATEwear is a brand worth paying attention to. Designer Damien Fate has been sharing some of his experiments with SL's Materials Project Viewer (I wrote about one of these early demonstrations/tests here), and last week he announced that his upcoming releases, starting with the supremely sexy men's swim trunks shown above, would include materials-ready versions for those interested in trying them out.
Famed SL machinima artist Draxtor Despres has released a new episode of his ongoing series, The Drax Files: World Makers, which highlights the work of virtual builders, designers, and artists from Second Life. This latest episode is all about Abramelin Wolfe, a name that should sound familiar to anyone with a taste for well-crafted avatar animations... Or Blade Runner.
The sim for Abramelin's animation store, Abranimations, is one of the first locations in SL that ever made a real impression on me. It was also one of the first to use clever building and texturing tricks to simulate reflections in puddles, which contributed to a bleak and rainy feel -- accurate to its Blade Runner inspiration -- back at a time when most of SL still felt like little more than blue skies, grassy fields, mini-malls and beaches. It was an awe-inspiring experience, and an incredibly influential build.
Abranimations remains an excellent ressource for animations and animated gadgets, so this episode is an absolute must-watch.
Whether you enjoy decking your avatar out in historical fashion or you just like keeping a stock of fantasy-chic items on hand, Siyu Suen's latest release at Illusions should be of great interest to you. Siyu's just come out with two mesh headdresses (French Hoods, to be precise) which until now have been surprisingly hard to find in Second Life. They're a staple of Tudor-inspired costuming, but I bet even a particularly inventive Gothic Lolita fashionista could make these pieces work, especially with all the different scripted color and styling options available.
Siyu has had a very high output lately as she's been working on a series of commissions, including these hoods, most of which are also being released at her shop. Her Plurk feed has been full of tantalizing sneak peeks of the gorgeous work that's still to come, so anyone with an eye for the unusual should be paying close attention to Illusions in the weeks to come. You can pick up the french hoods (and much more) there right now [SLURL] [SL Marketplace].
This month an item I'd been waiting ages to get finally came out. Even better, something I didn't even know I needed came out alongside it... Lucky me, the pair happen to coordinate perfectly together. I've mixed them in with some oldies-but-goodies for my SL avatar's current look, so here's the full breakdown:
Iris Ophelia's ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style
For nearly a decade, SL tattoo makers have had to respond to one irritating and ignorant request day after day, week after week. "Can you make a single-arm tattoo?"
No, they couldn't. They really couldn't. The limitations of the avatar itself stood in their way. But mesh has opened a lot of doors and solved a lot of problems for SL creators, including this one.
Iris Ophelia's ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style
The 8th might be my favorite date, because that's when Collabor88 throws open its doors for a new round of cleverly themed shopping every month. Collabor88 May will be open to the public this Wednesday, but many creators are already teasing what they'll have on offer for this round's Rain or Shine theme. Keep reading to see what's in store!
Iris Ophelia's ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style
If you're looking for a little light viewing this weekend, the latest episode of talented machinima-maker Draxtor Despres' ongoing series is up and ready.
The Drax Files: World Makers offers you a look at the faces behind the avatars that have made he virtual world of Second Life what it is today. From builders, to designers, and even bands like Engrama, the subject of newly released episode 5:
Iris Ophelia's ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style
If you've ever wanted to know the difference between a pleat and a pintuck, there's a new project by a group of experienced SL fashion bloggers that might be worth your time. The A to Z of Fashion Writing, a blog spearheaded by Cajsa Lilliehook among others, aims to inform fellow fashionistas and bloggers alike with illustrated lessons on crucial fashion vocabulary. Why is a solid fashion vocab so vital even when all the items in question are virtual? Well...
