I've written about Headburro Antfarm, the adventurous half-gazelle who randomly explores Second Life, and documents his discoveries on his blog. On his most recent adventure, he journeys to the ancient sim of Welsh, and plays on the giant beanstalk of Steller Sunshine. The image and his write-up made me grin, because Steller is quite literally Second Life's first Resident, and though Mr. Antfarm may not know it, the beanstalk is SL's very first instance of user-created content, a jumping game originally constructed in the pre-SL "Linden World" of 2002, and later imported into Second Life when it went Beta in 2003. It's actually a key moment in my book:
"I think it set the tone of the way Second Life is now," as Robin Linden put it, "with the expected juxtapositioned with the unexpected."
I mentioned earlier this week how some metaverse creations can suddenly disappear, never to return. Worth noting too: some artifacts persist through the world's history, and last so long, their significance is in danger of being forgotten. (Though from no fault of otherwise insightful half-man, half-gazelles.)
I'd seen that beanstalk a few months ago. That entire area is really interesting and full of mysterious builds.
Posted by: Gahum Riptide | Friday, August 01, 2008 at 09:23 AM
I love seeing SL through HeadBurro's eyes!
Sabine Stonebender is determined to create a new Zero Point (or something which will surely dazzle us). The loss of that creation has had other, more serious consequences... namely the absence of Sabine's store, a key source of RL income for her. She has set up a temporary store, so your readers can make a difference by stopping by there
Everyone, link your creations and save them in inventory!!
Posted by: Bettina Tizzy | Friday, August 01, 2008 at 10:22 AM
http://slhistory.org
Don't let stuff be forgotten :)
Posted by: eggy lippmann | Sunday, August 03, 2008 at 05:13 PM
Thanks for the link, Wagner - I knew about Steller being numero uno, but had no idea that the jumping game was the first of its type in-world. This is, as I ssee it, the very reason I started my road trip in the first place - to find these places and record them ao as to help others understand how the older residents worked hard to shape the world many of us take so much for granted.
Is Steller still active in-world? I guess I should IM her :)
Hi Gahum - there is just so much around there I really feel swamped at times. I almost wish I could clone myself to explore more and more sims :-D
Cheers Bett, but you do more good for SL's creative heart in one week than I manage in a whole month :)
Thanks Eggy - I have that link and go there a lot - I don't think the beanstalk is mentioned, though :(
Posted by: HeadBurro Antfarm | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 05:44 AM
Cool, AB-- yeah, Steller's very much around, do IM her, she's sweet.
Posted by: Hamlet Au | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 10:03 PM