New World Notes

World of Warcraft-Craft: SL Fashion For Stylish Orcs

There's more than a few Second Life Residents who joined the world after leaving more old school MMOs.  Now here's one more bauble to tantalize their friends that stayed behind (especially those whose roleplaying tends toward a greenish hue): Horde haute couture for Horde lovers in the form of the Male Orc Avatar from SL fashion designer The Body Politik.  Vibrant with spoogey detail, like fur boots, and attachable scar tattoos available in both Fresh and Healed.  For the Orcs who've already reached Level 70, and are looking for more agency in their avatars.  Especially now that World of Warcraft's no longer the undisputed champion of online worlds.

Where In The World Is Summer Seale?

If you're going to wander the metaverse and take pictures wherever you go, why not do so as a half-naked neko with glistening skin and radioactive rainbow wings? 

That's the joy of following the random but always luminous travelings of Summer Seale-- one day clubbing with tinies, another time pole-dancing at a Linden's office, and still another moment (to tie up a previous post), visiting Katrina, a Dr. Who-themed tribute sim.  If we're lucky, she'll shoot a sequel to the classic "Where in SL Is Artilect?" machinima.

Can You Go Home To The Metaverse Once You've Left?

After a few weeks away from Second Life, Mygdala March returns to one of her favorite haunts, and discovers her longtime friends are no longer there.  "It’s a funny thing to pull back from your life, no matter from which life you find yourself in retreat," she muses. "There’s a certain amount of starting over. And that’s a little intimidating, to be honest." It's actually not an uncommon thought; I know many Residents who get burnt out on being in-world for one reason or another, then go away for weeks, months, sometimes years.  Sometimes you greet them warmly the moment they're back, but often, it takes awhile to remember who they are.  If you've been a temporary exile like Myg, how hard was it for you to return?

Travel Second Life In Dr. Who's TARDIS

Noelyci of Ingman Design Group has the goods on a credible recreation of the time/location machine from the venerable Dr. Who TV series, created and sold by Snook Industries.  To judge by its gloriously epic Wikipedia entry, Snook's version of the expansive and bejeweled interior is quite true to the show, too. It's not just a physical recreation, though-- with a little effort, you can actually use it as a teleport point to travel the SL grid.   (And I do mean effort: Noelyci points to some demo videos, and the step-by-step process for setting destination points seems as complicated as, well, a Dr. Who plot.)

Rosie Rants: No More AOL-ized Resident Names!

Rosie Barthelmess at Mean Girls Guide to SL brassily unloads an opinion whose sentiment I share:  "It's a name. PICK A NAME... But please, please do not use your IM or chatroom profile name with your date of birth or your zipcode or the last four digits of your phone number or whatever."  She recounts encountering someone named "SuperAwesomeJohnathan1991" or gobblygook to that effect, an all too common experience. Perphaps part of the problem is that the Linden sign-up page asks new Residents to choose a name with "2-31 characters, numbers and letters only", which almost encourages people to revert to their old AOL/AIM ways.  Choosing chat handles seems to break immersion from the get-go; I rarely see longtime Residents with names of that variety.

Open Forum: What Do You Think of SL5B So Far?

Open question for an open forum: praise, complaints, reports, recommendations, questions, broader thoughts, all of the above, around Second Life's fifth anniversary.  And remember, by "SL5B", I mean the official Linden-sanctioned events and the "fringe" celebrations that have sprouted up around it.

New World SLURL: Insilico, Premiere Cyberpunk Metropolis

After noting a review of Insilico last week, I made a brief visit myself, to see if it was as awe-inspiring as described.  How could I not, after NWN reader Ax Mavendorf called it "Hands down THE best place in SL both for Cyberpunk and just to come see," and Sophrosyne concurred to say, "Lighting, soundscapes, scripts, building - all work together for a powerful effect."   

In fact, it is-- a chiaroscuro of blinding light and dark skyscrapers, and endless detail. 

When I teleported in, somehow its lead creator, Skills Hak, was standing right there, dressed in ferociously spiky battle armor that she'd whipped up the previous day.  Lucky for me, because she whisked me away from the city streets and took me to her penthouse, high above.  The view, as you see below, is spectacular:

Careful though, because Insilico is already built on a platform thousands of meters above the actual land.  Fall from the penthouse balcony, as I did, and you're liable to plunge through the city, and keep falling, to a raised platform far below.

I'm eager to see how well Skills and her team implement their intended RPG system; given the care that's already evident, it's easy to see it joining the upper ranks of Second Life mini-MMOs like Midian, Lost Angels, and Norsim.

But don't take my word for it, see for yourself: Direct SLURL teleport to Insilico at this link.

What's The Tallest Humanoid Avatar You've Seen?

On yesterday's trip to Greenies, I mentioned spotting "a giant Zeus hovering above a lightning cloud"... and here he is (click for full effect), a clever and impressively looming synthesis of attachments, though limb articulation is a touch limited for obvious reasons.   Hamlet Au is roughly 6' (which is short for an avatar), so I'd guess Zeus stands at some 25 feet.  (Background confuses the perspective some, since the Greenies living room is hundreds of feet high.)  My apologies to the avatar's creator, I crashed before I could record his name-- anyone recognize this demigod?  Of course I've met my share of giant robots, but this is biggest humanoid avatar I've seen-- how about you?

Lanna's List for June 26 - July 2: Japanese Kites, SL for Legal Defense, Krazy Kars, and more...

Lanna with Project Jason's Ronnie Rhode and Kellyj Shepherd

Charlanna Beresford’s weekly round-up of upcoming SL events…

Across the globe, thousands of people go missing every day. There are a pair of open houses this week that demonstrate what Second Life can do to help those with missing loved ones in their first lives. 

On Friday, June 27 at 4:30 PM, Project Jason is holding an open house to mark the opening of their office in Second Life. Project Jason was founded by Kellyj Shepherd (Kelly Jolkowski in RL) following the mysterious disappearance of her 19 year old Jason Jolkowski from the family’s driveway on June 13, 2001. In the aftermath of this tragic event, she and her husband found that there are few resources for families of missing adults and they developed Project Jason so that no family would be left alone and without resources in a heartbreaking situation where time is so critical. Project Jason’s Second Life plans include educational presentations, law enforcement training, and family support meetings.  The open house is an opportunity to learn more about Project Jason’s efforts in both worlds and to meet Kellyj Shepherd. In Aloft Nonprofit Commons (click here to teleport).

On Wednesday, July 2 at 6:00 PM, there will be an open house at the Garden for the Missing. The Garden for the Missing contains over 170 posters of missing persons from the US.  All of the missing persons posters are clickable so that you can read more about their disappearances;  bring your friends and stop by and to read the stories of the missing and help raise awareness for these souls. In Remora (click here to teleport).

There will be a special edition of Lanna’s List on the afternoon Friday, June 27 highlighting events that celebrate Second Life’s fifth birthday.

Also this week: Twelfth Night, Hidden Secrets of the SL Viewer, steampunk literature, and Blade Runner discussion.  All that and more after the jump...

I Haz A Zap Gun-- Who Wants To Frag With Me?

A giant living room full of nooks and crannies to hide in, a retro sci-fi blaster-- what's not to like?  The devilishly inventive folks at Rezzable (occasional NWN advertisers) have added a Zap Gun (manual here) to their store in Greenies.  (Direct SLURL teleport at this link.) The weapon emits a satisfying flare of green death, an adorable "Pew Pew" sound effect, and comes with a heads-up display that tracks your damage, as other armed Residents hit you.  Even better, combat stats are sent to a website, so you have a leader board of Zap Gun fragging.  As with any Second Life game, of course, the challenge is finding people to play with.  (The Zap Gun only does damage on other Residents similarly armed.) I came across several roach mobiles, assorted supermodels and club babes, a few Greenies riding motorcycles and speaking German, a giant Zeus hovering above a lightning cloud, and two deranged psychopaths going at each other with chainsaws that emitted blood.  (See important disclaimer after the break.)  But no luck finding nearby Zappers.

Anyone up for a New World Notes Zap Gun Fragfest?  Suggest a decent time and day, and I'm there to bring the pain!