Starting at 1pm PT today, join me for a live recording of The Fourth Wall, a YouTube podcast, mostly devoted to Second Life's pro wrestling community (!). I'll be taking on Zuckerberg, crypto bros, and all the other heels out there in a steel cage death match to determine who really makes the Metaverse matter.
To send live questions during the recording, text them through The Fourth Wall's Discord server -- click here to join.
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This is such zany amazing coolness:
To shoot it, each of these eleven players had to log in from around the world, perform separately in full-body VR rigs, and somehow, while hundreds or thousands of miles apart, still coordinate this group choreography that requires split second timing... The SYNC team works with VRChat players performing together across Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, the EU and North America. And despite these regions being thousands of miles apart, Legend says they're still able to shoot their group scenes in real time.
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Here's twelve highly useful tips from veteran SL creators, taken from the survey for my report on the state of the Second Life economy in 2025 (Patreon subscription required).
I framed it in the form of the question, "What are some important lessons/tips you wish you'd known before starting out as an SL creator?", and got a slew of valuable answers, some of them running along the same theme which I then stitched together.
Excising the snarky replies ("try VRChat instead lol"), here they are, running from the highly practical to the somewhat philosophical:
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Here’s my official shout-out to AvatarLife, a new Creator-level subscriber of my Patreon, and an OpenSim-based virtual world worth checking out. It was founded by Sushant AvatarLife (in-world name), who tells me the world has over 1200 monthly active users and 300+ daily active users, making it one of the larger OpenSim worlds. It also offers free land to anyone who creates an account (info below).
Sushant says this about the inspiration behind AvatarLife:
It stemmed from a deep desire to redefine digital identity, creativity, and social interaction in the virtual world. We saw an opportunity to build a platform where everyone, not just developers or crypto natives, could create, earn, and express themselves freely.
Too often, metaverses are either too technical or too closed off. We wanted to change that by offering accessible tools, free land for creators, and a rewarding ecosystem for both gamers and builders. AvatarLife was born out of the belief that the future of online life should be fun, rewarding, and owned by the people who contribute to it.
We wanted to merge the best of virtual living, parties, games, contests, avatars, and creation tools, with true ownership and fair rewards. In short, we were inspired by the idea of building a metaverse where imagination meets opportunity, and where everyone, no matter their background, can build, play, and thrive.
Video and more about the features and free land offer:
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Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting
Ayesha recently posted “Fish Make Us Realize How Beautiful Silence Is,” one of a three-picture seat that is simply exquisite. The second picture zooms in on her hand holding the cup with fish and the third focuses on her face inside the glass dome. They should be considered as a set and are a joy to see.
For more of Ayesha’s fabulous pics, click here:
Continue reading "Cajsa's SL Flickr Picks: Exquisitely Imaginative Images by Ayesha " »
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NOTE: Take survey using mouse/trackpad to scroll!
UPDATE, 3:45pm PT: If you feel uncomfortable naming specific SL brands that pay well, feel free to describe them by content category they're most known for, i.e. furniture, clothes for men, etc.
Since my post on "Shadow Meshing in SL" attracted outsized interest and controversy, I'm delving deeper! Specifically, I want to know how much SL meshers and riggers are paid, on average, so we can establish benchmarks.
If you work on mesh content for Second Life, please take the anonymous survey above or at this link.
Results published first on Patreon and then on this blog soon! And please consider the last two questions where you can share your advice to new creators, and name SL brands which pay well.
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I'm almost done writing a new 2025 edition afterword to my book, which means updating my top 10 chart of leading metaverse platforms. These are platforms which qualify under my book's broad definition of the technology:
The Metaverse is a vast, immersive virtual world that's simultaneously accessible by millions of people through highly customizable avatars and powerful experience creation tools that are integrated with the offline world through its virtual economy and external technology.
This is very much a first draft, as I run down some more leads, but here's the most current numbers I have now:
Note: Not a final estimate -- please do not cite without that qualifier!
The term "current" is doing some heavy lifting, seeing as it's been difficult, for example, to get a new stat from Horizon Worlds more current than 2022. Also, I suspect the Minecraft number is at its peak right after the Jack Black / Jason Momoa movie came out a few months ago, but has since fallen somewhat.
Anyway, if you have insight on any of these figures, please get in touch off the record and on background! Hit me up on Bluesky or on Reddit here.
Continue reading "Updating My Metaverse Platform Leader Chart for 2025: First Draft Numbers " »
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Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting
Cat Afarensis posted this glorious picture to the Flickr group Wonderland 2.0, which is named after the sim Wonderland 2.0, Realm of Wonder. [To teleport, click here]
I love her choice to do the picture in sepia, without all the bright colors that would distract from the picture and confuse the emotional context. She is framed by the moon. If you want, you could imagine her hair is a black full moon, perhaps in eclipse.
For more Wonderland 2.0, click here:
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There's been a really interesting reader conversation in last month's article on "shadow mesh" subcontractors in SL, including these thoughts from Dino Sophers, who explains why they themselves prefer shadow meshing -- this is her subcontractor site, I believe -- as opposed to running their own mesh brand, which they have also done before:
I'm a shadow mesher — though I personally prefer the term ghost mesher. I currently charge L$7,500 per hour (about $28 USD), but let’s break that down. Linden Lab takes 5% on cashouts, so that’s immediately $1.40 gone, bringing it to around $26.60/hour. Then, as someone in the UK, after currency conversion, that becomes roughly £19.75 per hour. That puts me somewhere in the mid-range of hirable mesh creators.
I’m experienced and support several stores, but I’ve seen many ghost meshers taken advantage of — especially riggers. Rigging is complex. A full outfit can take anywhere from one to four hours, yet I’ve seen riggers pricing their work at just L$6,000 per body. That means someone might be working four hours for only $23 — that’s $5.75 an hour, which is below minimum wage.
But what about when some big brands take credit for mesh work? She has thoughts there
Continue reading "The Pros of Shadow Meshing vs Going Solo in Second Life: One Mesh Maker's Take" »
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Check out our latest wing of the Virtual Worlds Museum (tm), this one devoted to Blockchain Worlds, i.e. virtual worlds integrated on some significant level with crypto/blockchain, or what's often called web3. This is very much a work in progress, and we're looking to add other web3 virtual worlds beyond the twenty or so we're tracking, and as we work with marketing partners to expand the exhibit. Here's just some of the worlds I've covered on New World Notes:
Decentraland: Browser‑based, Ethereum‑powered 3D virtual realm where users truly own their creations—from parcels of digital land to wearable NFTs—and shape the world through community governance. (Read some NWN coverage here)
Sandbox: Decentralized virtual world built on the Ethereum blockchain that allows users to create, own, and monetize interactive experiences using NFTs and the native SAND token. (Read some NWN coverage here)
Somnium Space: VR‑centric metaverse built on Ethereum, accessible via PC, mobile, and major VR headsets. (Read some NWN coverage here)
Upland: Property trading metaverse mapped to real-world cities, built on EOS. (Read some NWN coverage here)
Read the rest of the list is here or after the break:
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Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting
Boots ™ posted this marvelous “Be the Lighthouse” is a great example of clever framing, using the life preserver as a “viewing window” to see the lighthouse. Ships and lighthouses go together like bacon and eggs. I love that she found a new way to see the lighthouse. This is such a great picture.
For more of Boots’ lovely pics, click here:
Continue reading "Cajsa's Second Life Flickr Choices: Beautifully Framed Photos by Boots" »
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Here's three new-ish/small-ish Second Life brands to check out over the long weekend, recommended by readers:
Sanny advises checking out **..NL..**, "a shop that sells useful tools for Second Life. My recommendation is the *..NL..* Pos Adjuster HUD. It allows you to adjust the position of your avatar when taking group photos. What's more, it's a bargain at L$60."
I'm also intrigued by this intriguing avatar enhancement by **..NL..** : Cold Breath! Not sure how it works (the listing doesn't have any info) but then again, it's free.
Two more new and/or small brands to check out:
Continue reading "SL Brand Spotlight: Readers Recommend These Newer/Smaller Stores!" »
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Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting
P x t r x describes himself as a simple lover of photography and editing, but there’s nothing simple about his skills in bringing avatars to life. I love how natural this is, with the three sources of light illuminating him and it looks just right.
For more of Pxtrx’s pics, click here:
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Originally published on my Patreon here
A recent SL influencer video (watch above) provoked a mini-firestorm within the SL community, and that's no surprise, as it alleges that highly popular in-world shopping events are unfairly controlled by gatekeeping "cartels", among other hyperbolic descriptors.
I've heard similar complaints for years, so it's worth airing another perspective -- in this case, from Axl XOXO, co-owner of BackBone, frequent shopping event participant, and one of the largest furniture brands in SL:
Less than 10% of sales comes from events. We do events cause we want to, they make SL fun and a shopper has an opportunity to see from all of us in one place.
The reason event owners only allow certain designers in isn’t to gatekeep. It’s to protect the event’s integrity. There have been cases where people using stolen mesh or violating IP rights slipped through, and that puts the entire event at risk.
Event organizers do want to bring in fresh talent, and they’re always on the lookout for new faces. But it can’t be a free-for-all, because once an event’s reputation is damaged, it affects everyone involved. Trust goes both ways. If I saw an event owner letting in creators who use stolen content, I’d leave that event immediately.
At the end of the day, the goal is to give customers a space where they can find 100 high-quality designers they know they can trust all in one place.
As evidence of this, he shares this chart on BackBone's sales sources:
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Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting
Juliana Rhys posted “Gayer Together” which is an important truth about the LGBTIQA+ movement, that there is strength in numbers. That’s why homophobes try to ban IRL Pride parades and Pride events. That’s why the homophobes try to erase gay and trans history and their contributions to science, arts, technology, and history..
But even when they are banned from marching, gay people are showing up in numbers greater than ever - including, as it turns out, in virtual worlds like Second Life. In fact, it’s platforms like these where they often turn, when they don't feel safe expressing their full identity in their real lives.
Since Pride month just ended, I decided to take a look back at the pictures from the month. Flickr Search was a bit wonky, and there were over 1700 of pictures from just in June. But I still found a lot to like
For more Pride pictures, click here:
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Since no post about virtual pro wrestling is complete without a follow-up about the AI-driven death of the Internet as we know it, here's a provocative new Philip Rosedale essay predicting just that, in what he dubs the Ultraviolet Catastrophe:
AIs are now easily able to create accounts, establish IP addresses, and send plausibly important or interesting messages at effectively zero cost. This means that the internet will soon be saturated with websites, social media, YouTube, and Twitter accounts creating messages at millions of times the rate at which humans can create content. Worse yet, many of these messages will deceptively claim to be from real people.
[Y]ou may be also suffering from the fantasy that these messages for some reason won’t fool you. In sufficient quantity and quality, they certainly will. And even when they don’t, they will “flood the channel”, making it impossible for you to find actual useful information.
I've definitely seen early signs of this effect while researching my various writing projects.
This is so bad.
— Wagner James Au (@slhamlet) May 22, 2025
In the legendary D-Day scene of "Saving Private Ryan", @tomhanks says something like "gatac gatac" into a walkie talkie. So I checked Google to find out what he said.
And @GoogleAI... just totally made some shit up. 👇 pic.twitter.com/cQChICkTDr
Google Search is being eroded by "AI summaries" which are often wrong or just rampant bullshit, even on well-known topics (see above!), while whole channels of content are AI slop. Earlier today, I came across a YouTube channel called "Second Life" which has nothing to do with virtual worlds, but is instead a slew of weirdly messianic gen AI videos. (No, I'm not linking to it.)
Anyway, as a consequence of all this, Philip believes we'll begin withdrawing from the Internet as we know it -- though I'm not sure this will include legacy virtual worlds (i.e. Second Life, etc., but more on that down the way):
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Next week Friday (i.e. July 11) at 1pm SLT/PST, join me for a live recording of The Fourth Wall, a YouTube podcast (watch below) devoted to Second Life's pro wrestling community (!). I'll be taking on Zuckerberg, crypto bros, and all the other heels out there in a steel cage death match to determine who really makes the Metaverse matter.
To send live questions during the recording, text them through The Fourth Wall's Discord server -- click here to join.
The show's hosts, Paul Slater and BK Tigerfish, fully focused their first season on the SL wrestlers, so I'm face-slammingly honored to be their first non-wrestling guest at the start of season two.
You might be amazed there's an SL community of wrestlers and their fans that's large enough to have their own YouTube show. After all, there's other online fighting games which might seem better suited for melee grappling.
But Paul tells me Second Life has advantages that other platforms don't:
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Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting
Olorenn is new to me, someone faved this picture and I loved it and had to check out her stream. It’s great. It’s so great you should say that with Tony the Tiger’s voice.
Take this picture. She’s doing something interesting, not just standing. Her avatar has a hobby or, possibly, a profession, at least for the duration of this photoshoot. Even the title is a clever play on words. Does she mean the outfit she is wearing or does she mean that she is part of a musical ensemble?
For more of her Gr-r-reat! stream, click here:
Continue reading "Cajsa's Second Life Flickr Choices: Perfect Posed Portraits by Olorenn" »
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New on my Patreon: Prisqua Newell's latest video (watch above) has provoked a mini-firestorm within the SL community, and that's no surprise, as it alleges that in-world shopping events are unfairly controlled by gatekeeping "cartels", among other hyperbolic descriptors.
I've heard similar complaints for years, so it's worth airing another perspective -- in this case, from Axl XOXO, co-owner of BackBone, frequent shopping event participant, and one of the largest furniture brands in SL... Join the conversation here.
And speaking of shopping, go here to nominate some smaller or newer SL brands that deserve more attention!
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Courtesy Neil Barbour, Research Analyst at S&P Global, here's some potent, data rich slides on the state of the VR market for developers to chew on this Summer. As the top slide indicates, hardware sales have been steadily trending downward after a brief COVID bump. (Click to embiggenate.) I haven't regularly tracked VR sales in recent years as it became clear HMDs were a hardware niche.
However! That's only part of the story. Because those who do own and regularly use an AR/VR headset are super passionate about the form factor, on average spending nearly 6 hours per day using them and other devices, mostly for games:
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Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting
Bunny Fluffz’s pictures are adorbs. And what else can they be? If your name is Bunny Fluffz, you are not going to be posting a lot of post-apocalyptic grit and grime. You will offer darling pictures like “On Cloud 9.” Bunny’s photostream makes me smile because we all need rose-colored glasses from time to time. Why not see the world in pastels and bright lights, especially in a world you can create to your specifications? In our Second Life, we can be optimistic and frivolous and choose happiness even when our first lives beg to differ.
For more sweetness from Bunny, click here:
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The Virtual Worlds Museum(™), my longtime media partner, now has a marketing program for virtual world companies/brands interested in promoting their projects to our 200,000+ followers, while also supporting the Museum's mission as the most comprehensive online resource/community devoted to virtual worlds. (New World Notes is also part of this marketing program, of course!)
VWM just joined NVidia's Inception program for startups and recently won the 2025 AUREA “Impact” Award, so this is a chance to become part of our growing project and community. We just added hubs in Roblox, Rec Room, and Second Life, and are rolling out several pretty cool features, including an immersive 3D map of virtual worlds, and an LLM-based docent offering answers to all your virtual world questions.
Interested? Here's how to find out more:
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Classic New World Notes stories:
Sander's Villa: The Man Who Gave His Father A Second Life (2011)
What Rebecca Learned By Being A Second Life Man (2010)
All About My Avatar: The story behind amazing strange avatars (2007)
Fighting the Front: When fascists open an HQ in Second Life, chaos and exploding pigs ensue (2007)
Copying a Controversy: Copyright concerns come to the Metaverse via... the CopyBot! (2006)
The Penguin & the Zookeeper: Just another unlikely friendship formed in The Metaverse (2006)
Guarding Darfur: Virtual super heroes rally to protect a real world activist site (2006)
The Skin You're In: How virtual world avatar options expose real world racism (2006)
Making Love: When virtual sex gets real (2005)
Watching the Detectives: How to honeytrap a cheater in the Metaverse (2005)
Man on Man and Woman on Woman: Just another gender-bending avatar love story, with a twist (2005)
War of the Jessie Wall: Battle over virtual borders -- and real war in Iraq (2003)
Home for the Homeless: Creating a virtual mansion despite the most challenging circumstances (2003)
Should Linden Lab Add Revenue Sharing Tools for SL Merchants & Their Subcontractors?
Lots of interesting comments on last week's look into Second Life's shadow mesh economy, including this one from Peter Stindberg, creator and lead scripter of popular SL-to-Discord bridges. As he explains, mesh makers and mesh riggers aren't the only ones whose skill are often subcontracted:
The same goes pretty much for scripting: There is a demand for commission scripting, and I get 2-3 requests per month, some of my scripter friends even more. I usually turn them down and refer them to my scripter friends (and help them negotiate prices, as I am the biz-mind).
The key is to negotiate a good rate for the project, and make sure you actually DO get paid. Everyone knows that the scripts you write as commission get used in commercial products that will make the merchant many times over what they pay for the script. But that's fine. They do the marketing, they do the sales, they do the customer service. A freelance scripter can focus on the scripting, and does not need to deal with other people.
Peter goes on to discuss the topic of shadow subcontractors getting a cut of sales from brands they work for. Is that even feasible?
Maybe, he suggests, if Second Life had the tools for sharing sales with many creators:
Continue reading "Should Linden Lab Add Revenue Sharing Tools for SL Merchants & Their Subcontractors?" »
Posted on Monday, June 30, 2025 at 04:20 PM in Comment of the Week, Economics of SL | Permalink | Comments (1)
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