This week we are shining a spotlight on Inara Pey. As the writer behind the comprehensive blog Living in a Modemworld, Inara reports on the evolution, current events, and vast potential of Second Life and virtual worlds. Living in a Modemworld is almost as old as SL itself, adding gravitas to the observations found in its lengthy catalog.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

Altogether? 16 years - but I tend to not count the first time around, as I quit after several months for various reasons (such as jumping in without knowing much about what I was hoping to achieve or why I was giving it a go). However, by the end of 2006, the media hype cycle about SL was in full swing, and that gave me enough of an understanding about what I might find that I decided to give things another go - and 15 years and 4 months later, I'm still here!

When and how did you get started writing about Second Life?

My SL-related blogging initially started in 2007, with a focus on what was then my primary interest. By 2008, I was writing more broadly about Second Life. {Around this time} some of the Lab's management and board (all of whom have long since departed LL) saw the future of the platform as being more of a "business application" - and that as a result, some users might not find the platform as welcoming as it had been going forward. This, coupled with other events (such as the whole OpenSpace / Homestead situation), led to a lot of criticism being directed towards the Lab; honestly, a more than good portion of it was justified, although equally, some of it perhaps wasn't.

For my part, I became aware that I actually didn't understand all of the complexities involved in running and maintaining a platform like SL as well as I perhaps should, making some of my own critiques either questionable or hypocritical. So I set out to learn as much as I could about the platform (and am still learning!) whilst also trying to report on it from a more objective standpoint, keeping subjective opinion to pieces clearly noted as such as much as possible. At the same time my interest in exploring SL more broadly came to the fore, as did my interest in SL art and in taking photos in-world - as a result, Modemworld was born.

You highlight the latest news, updates, and destinations in SL in such a concise and informative way. How do you stay on top of all of the information you wish to feature?

It's a combination of factors.

Most simply, I try to run on a schedule. I'm helped in this by the fact that some of the things I report on are themselves scheduled (such as the in-world user groups) or often announced ahead of time by the Lab or by event organisers. 

I also try to keep an eye on various sources of information - the official blogs, social media, various in-world groups, etc - that allow me to identify opportunities for blogging. In addition, I'm really fortunate enough to receive a lot of suggestions and requests, and to have friends who regularly nudge me about places I might like to write about (special thanks to Shawn and Cube and everyone who does so), and to have artists and gallery owners take the time to keep me informed as to what they are doing, as well as a readership who takes the time to let me know about things they feel might be of interest. 

I've also been very fortunate enough to attract some guest writers - Caledonia, R., Beq, and Marianne - who have all given depth to the blog.

Do you have a submission process for Residents who would like to have their destination promoted on your blog?

The best way is via notecard, although IMs will also generally work, and there is a Contact Me form on the blog. I cannot possibly cover everything I'm messaged about, and I do sometimes receive requests for articles that fall outside my focus, and so are not covered; my apologies to those sending them for this being the case. But generally, I try to take requests / suggestions on a case-by-case basis and blog with credit whenever there is a good fit.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.

Honestly, there are so many, it would be hard to point to a handful without me feeling guilty about not mentioning others. I'm constantly and repeatedly awed by the regions I visit, the art I encounter, and all the work of all the creators and scripters who bring depth to our in-world lives.

I'm also genuinely appreciative of the Lab (together with all the open-source developers) for all the work put into keeping this complex, aging, behemoth we call Second Life running as well as it does, nevermind constantly trying to improve and update it.

What do you do to relax in-world?

A variety of things. As readers of my blog know, I have a particular love of in-world building / kitbashing, which I tend to combine with landscaping. I also love spending time boating, sailing, and flying in SL (and skydiving, something I had fun introducing to Strawberry!), and am in awe of all those who create and script the boats and aircraft that make this possible. Exploring is also a means to relax (even when related to blogging!), and of course there are those who keep me coming back to SL for their company.

Where can people follow your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

• Blog
• Twitter
• Plurk
• Flickr
• YouTube (rarely active at the moment)

We hope you enjoyed learning about Inara’s extensive background in SL. Sometimes it takes a village to provide coverage of everything that goes on in here, so don’t be shy about submitting content to Modemworld! And of course, we encourage any aspiring bloggers to check out the Second Life Blogger Network.

Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup.

This week we are shining a spotlight on Vrutega, a new Resident who is already creating visually striking and memorable machinima. 

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I have been on Second Life for a little over a year. I first found out about Second Life in 2020 through friends who are Second Life Residents. One day my friends were video streaming a Second Life party that they were hosting. I was drawn to the realism that their party showcased, from the party decor down to the house they were all gathered in. At that moment I realized Second Life is a great social platform, and has the ability to bring people from all around the world together in digital spaces. During the beginning phases of COVID-19, a lot of people lost that basic human component of socialization and connecting with people.

Second Life provided me with an opportunity to reclaim some of that human connection on a digital platform. With the help of my friends, my transition into Second Life was easy. Within a week I created my first avatar, and was up and running in no time. From the very beginning I was enamored with the Second Life world, and got involved with everything the platform had to offer from live music events, visiting art exhibits, and shopping. It wasn’t until February 2021 that I realized that I could create storytelling video content on Second Life. I studied all types of machinima video genres and artists, and became inspired by all of the talented Residents and creators around the grid.

Every aspect of the machinima you create in Second Life is very professional, from the editing to the voiceovers. Do you have a background in video production and editing?
Yes, I have a professional background in video production and editing. My experience in video production stems from my professional work in commercials, advertisements, and short films. Realism and continuity are important to me. I treat every aspect of my machinima projects like I would treat a film industry installment/project. From sourcing actors, music, props and backdrops, hashing out project logistics is very similar to the industry work I do on a weekly basis.

The benefit of working on Second Life is that I have everything a producer could need at my fingertips. With everything being digitally available on the Marketplace to inworld stores, the sourcing process is expedited considerably. And with the availability of Second Life social media, finding actors, set designers and collaborating creators has never been easier. 

What kind of software do you use to capture and edit your videos?
I use a wide variety of post production software for my machinima projects. However I primarily edit my videos using Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe After Effects. I use OBS Studio to record my machinima, and capture my footage using various Second Life Viewers.

Tell us about some of the other creators in SL that inspire you, or whose work you admire.
I am inspired by a wide variety of Second Life Residents, artists and other content creators from all around the world. The person who inspires me the most in the machinima world is my dear friend and Second Life Resident Sere Vene. Sere is the artistic catalyst who pushed me to take Second Life machinima seriously. Sere’s phenomenal Second Life machinima projects made me rethink how important storytelling is, and how I should implement storytelling in each machinima I produce. Sere is a true artist, and her creativity and attention to detail knows no boundaries. I am truly honored to now work alongside her in my studio and call her my friend.

Without my small team of friends and family, there is no Vrutega. I attribute a lot of my growth and success as an artist to them. Lilith Lamia is like a mother figure to me. Lilith has industry roots in photography and cinema, and has consistently reminded me to pay attention to detail when it comes to framing and posing subjects in a scene. Spartin Parx is a creator who pushes me to think outside the box when it comes to filming a project. Just when I think I’ve perfected something in a project, Spartin often gives me that “Aha” moment that enables me to make amendments to a scene. Professional {region} builders and set designers like Agnes Whittle and Lemony Nova have inspired me to make every inch of space in a scene count. These two have helped me build the beautiful landscapes and worlds that you see in my machinimas. 

What can we expect from you in the future? Are there any interesting projects you are currently working on?
I am always looking for inspiration in music, movies, television, and other pop culture references from all around the world. One of my future machinima projects will be a Pokemon-inspired video, which should excite a lot of fans of the beloved Nintendo franchise. And like all of my machinimas, this project will be done in collaboration with other Second Life Residents and content creators. 

I’m a firm believer in supporting Second Life artists and the content they create. I often find myself face to face with content creators from all types of background experiences. From seasoned video veterans to new content creators, I make it my mission to support, build and uplift those that I surround myself with. Second Life is proof that drive, determination, and raw talent can thrive in any environment when it’s nurtured.

The future of Second Life machinima is bright. Every day I see more emerging machinima creators and Second Life Residents utilizing video in their everyday lives. Machinima makers like Lipe Hax, Any Bergan, and Kelie Ladys are all promising beacons of hope and inspiration within the machinima world. Their creative machinimas have been enjoyed by thousands of Residents all over the world, and have paved the way for the next generation of machinima creators. With the introduction of independent film companies like Film Threat, Second Life is now on the threshold of bringing in film industry influences that can reshape the way we think about machinima.

Where can people see examples of your work?
People can find my work on Flickr. I can also be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Check out one of Vrutega’s latest videos, a carnival themed thriller that takes place in a mysterious small town. The location is Cirque du Mystere, an interactive MadPea event.

We hope you enjoyed learning about Vrutega’s experiences creating machinima in Second Life. Any budding machinima artists out there? You never know until you try!

Each of these weekly posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 
 

Second Life can be hard to categorize, but at its core, it is a celebration of creativity. Today we are shining a spotlight on Bryn Oh to kick off a new series of SL creator featurettes. Many Residents are familiar with her work, as she is one of the most talented virtual artists of our time and has spent more than a decade creating art in the virtual world of Second Life.

The Brittle Epoch by Bryn Oh

What first brought you to Second Life?
I discovered Second Life after reading an article about a person who purchased a condominium in a virtual world for $200,000 USD. A bit like an NFT that you could go into and inhabit, I suppose. Anyway, I had to go see this building and made a Second Life account. I hadn’t really been in multi-user environments much before so it really amazed me to meet people from around the world in real time. I was actually so enthralled that I forgot to even look for the condominium.

What was your first project in Second Life - and is it still accessible?
My first project was a bit strange. One day, as I was exploring, I accidentally created a prim box on the ground. I discovered that I could edit it and played {with it} for a while before logging out. When I returned the following day the box was still there, which gave me an epiphany of sorts. I realized that anything I made could have duration in the virtual space and that I could change the space itself. The ground we stood upon was supplied by Linden Lab but the world itself was created by its users, a type of MUD, MOO or LambdaMOO. I began to build steampunk insects daily and while doing this a couple Residents would come to watch me create each day. After what seemed a long time they told me that they really loved all my steampunk insects, but could I perhaps take some back into my inventory because I was filling up their land. I then realized that I was actually building in someone’s backyard and that people lived in all the houses around me and they, very generously, let me build dozens of robotic insects. I then went to build on an IBM sandbox and met many artists creating there. The person who built beside me on the sandbox really impressed me with an elaborate train he was creating. His name was AM Radio and he was quite popular at the time.

Hand by Bryn Oh

You’ve been pretty prolific in SL over the years -- are any of your past projects still open to visitors?
Most of my work is in my inventory but I have three regions of my artwork that can be visited. There is a gateway region called Bryn Oh where I keep my work Hand. It will stay there for years as it is part of a course on the art of Bryn Oh being taught at York University and needs to remain there for the students. A second region called Immersivist has another work called The Singularity of Kumiko on it currently, but that region will rotate my large scale artwork from my inventory every six months or so. My main region is called Immersiva and it is where my new work The Brittle Epoch is. The Brittle Epoch is actually connected to Hand and Singularity of Kumiko so it’s good to visit them for that reason too.

Brittle Epoch Oil Painting by Bryn Oh

How have your inworld creations evolved over the years?
Before I came to Second Life I was an artist and oil painter. In art school at OCAD we would study various art styles, schools, and movements, looking at art as it evolved through human history. From cave paintings to modern art. Through this lens I see Second Life, or specifically the persistent virtual space, as a new art medium. When I created paintings I would essentially create a snapshot in time; a 2D moment where I would try to capture the viewer's attention and immerse them using various techniques like colour theory and composition, as well as creating narrative within my imagery.

However, immersion is very fragile and if, say, a baby cries or your phone rings while looking at a painting in a gallery, your attention wanes and the immersion is broken. Suppose we now look at cinema. You have a seat, the lights go dark, and the large screen blocks out your peripheral vision to reduce any distractions. They then turn the sound up high so that you are dominated by your senses. They want your vision to be dominated exclusively by their narrative. Of course, the glowing red EXIT sign always reminds you that you are not “in” the movie but rather “watching” a movie, keeping you from being fully immersed. 

There is a narrative and each scene has its own composition. But with cinema you are a passive observer to the story. You do not interact with, but remain separate from the medium. Once the movie ends you can restart it, but the narrative is fixed as well as the camera movement. If you see a drawer in a room you can’t stop and open it. The experience is fixed and will never change regardless of how many times you watch it.

The goal for an immersive artist, or an Immersivist, is to eliminate as many barriers as you can. My inworld creations in the virtual space have evolved where I look at our medium as a unique and very powerful immersive tool for creating the style of art I am interested in. I want to create art where you are not a passive observer but an active participant in an open ended artwork where you are not led around as in cinema but instead you have the freedom to interact with the environment as you wish to. And when you combine that with VR it is a very powerful immersive medium. Virtual art may be written about in history books one day and these may be the first stumbling steps to a new movement in art not unlike the Cubists, Surrealists, Minimalists and so on.

Perhaps a movement may begin where the artists are called the Immersivists and the movement is born and thrives within the virtual space.

Brittle Epoch Model in ZBrush

Tell us about some of the other creators in SL that inspire you.
When I first came to Second Life I was impressed by the creativity of an artist named Starax / Lightwaves and then later, as I mentioned, I enjoyed the work of AM Radio. I also came across the work of Glyph Graves and Selavy Oh who both were creating compelling art that often treated the virtual space as its own medium for art as opposed to mimicking real life. Though I think my favorite was the Petrovsky Flux that was built by Blotto Epsilon and Cutea Benelli. It was a steampunk creation that would slowly build itself in modules of hallways and rooms into a form a bit like a giant tree. It built itself randomly growing up into the sky and then at a certain point it collapsed to pieces only to begin anew. To be honest though, there are many artists whose work I enjoy.

Bronze Sculptures by Bryn Oh

What keeps you coming back to SL?
I am endlessly fascinated by Second Life’s potential as an art medium. Not really sure how to explain but it is very unique as a medium. So the Immersivist artist often creates within a different environment than traditional art is experienced, and thus focuses on different goals. The role of art varies depending on location, for example, in a museum or gallery we are kept separate from the art and often can feel the gaze of security guards on us as we experience the artwork. We are not just separate from the art but greatly encouraged to be so. The art often is placed for the viewer to observe but not interact with, and it is housed in a structure designed to protect the art from both people and the elements such as rain or snow. The art is created and then shaped by the necessities of its own real world environment and needs. When you see the Mona Lisa in the Louvre there is often a crowd surrounding it, and of necessity people must move on to keep the flow of traffic through the gallery space. So, our experience with art is often bound and shaped by the realities of the real world and we shape opinions and feelings based on elements outside the artwork itself.

I design immersive virtual exploratory spaces with the mindset that it is a unique medium free of many constraints. I want to determine what makes it unique over other forms of art. I don’t want to mimic the way art is shown in real life as it is not necessary to do so in a virtual space, and as such I can redefine how the viewer interacts with my art. There need not be gravity nor chairs nor roofs, walls, etc. unless the viewer needs these familiar sights to feel immersed. The viewer is an active participant in the story rather than a passive observer. They have the freedom to explore in an open-ended space in whichever way they choose. I think of immersive artwork itself as a whole rather than individual pieces or components. When I make a sculpture of a ballet dancer in the environment, I don’t see it as a standalone artwork but rather a component of the entire environment. Within my work the visitor is often challenged with tasks. They are not handed the artwork to look at but rather they inhabit it and must put in effort to experience it. The more effort they put in the more they get back, and it is my feeling that someone who works to achieve something in my art will feel a deeper connection to it. This can be in the form of climbing difficult towers in an almost gamified way, to simply looking under beds or in drawers to find hidden notes. The visitor solves problems, detects hidden elements, and explores layers. They become experts in the current work, which in itself is connected to earlier works and upcoming works, creating layers upon layers of understanding and expertise, and these visitors have earned it.

Each viewer interacts with the artwork in their own fashion which often does not mirror the experience of visitors around them. It is shared but unique to each person. In contrast to a crowd seeing the Mona Lisa and walking away with the same {physical} experience as the others around them, the visitor to a virtual space has a unique experience all to themselves and explores at their own pace. Some stay hours and some stay weeks, and in some cases their interactions can influence the outcome of the artwork. It is experiential, interactive and highly immersive. The goal is for people to forget the real world for a time and live within another place that I have created.

Standby by Bryn Oh

Tell us about your most recent work and what impression you hope it makes upon visitors.
My new artwork, The Brittle Epoch, is the second part in a trilogy. The trilogy itself sits within a narrative of dozens of other creations spanning over a decade. The first part, which is pretty important to know, is called Hand. It is also important to be familiar with Standby, a work created for IBM in 2009 or so. The Singularity of Kumiko is referenced in the Brittle Epoch as well. My art in Second Life is one long narrative artwork told through large scale builds, similar to chapters, that can take years to make. The Brittle Epoch took about eight months to create: writing the story, the sound, scripting, building models in Zbrush, and texturing everything within the artwork. And I would like to thank the Ontario Arts Council who have supplied me with four grants to support the creation of these three works and more.

The Singularity of Kumiko by Bryn Oh

My artistic focus is on how contemporary society is affected by technology, ranging between human/machine and machine/machine relationships. Often we believe technology opens channels for people to interact and engage socially. However, the opposite can occur where people become isolated within their own personal bubble. They are separate and witnessing the world from a distance, an online entity with brittle popularity. My work expresses a yearning for meaningful connections within our new technological realm. I build virtual reality environments that explore the juxtapositions between human emotion and machine sentience, but I also want to challenge and create debate through the introduction of various concepts in my work. In the Brittle Epoch we follow children whose perception of our world is blurred between fantasy and fiction, where moral concepts are not black and white but grey and indistinct, much like a winter storm.

The Brittle Epoch

Follow Bryn Oh on her various social platforms to learn more about her work. 
Blog - http://brynoh.blogspot.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/brynoh 
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BrynOhh 
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bryn_oh 
Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bryn_oh 
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/BrynOh

We hope you enjoyed learning about Bryn Oh’s experiences creating art in Second Life. Each weekly post will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

In honor of Women’s History Month, we are shining a spotlight on a successful woman entrepreneur. Jasmine Kiyori is a prolific virtual builder whose work aims to authentically honor various cultures and locations from around the world.

Jasmine’s work includes Little Santorini, Cheri Noel, and Kiyori City. (Note: Kiyori has two components, Kiyori City, rated Moderate, and Kiyori, rated Adult. If you do not wish to visit Adult regions, make sure to adjust the settings in your viewer preferences, as this will determine what types of regions you are allowed to enter.)

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I’ve been a Second Life Resident for 13+ years now! I’ve always been interested in virtual world platforms and games; I’m 90% sure I found Second Life through one of those ads on the side of Adobe Flash Player games back in the day. I made an account but didn’t really get into Second Life until an old friend brought me back in a few months later and I’ve been here ever since.

Do you have a background in design or architecture? How did you get into 3D building?

Actually, I don’t have a background in either! I’ve been building since I joined Second Life and that started as a hobby: before I had land I would go to public sandboxes and build there. Once I started purchasing land, I would make themed skyboxes for my friends and myself to enjoy,  but I wasn’t very confident with the work and would do it on the side of other interests in Second Life.

Although many know me for builds now, I have pursued different paths in Second Life such as meshing, photography, managing and hosting at clubs, buying, selling, and developing land, and helping others create their own unique look.

Your work in Second Life has a very international feel, with themes encompassing various cultures. How did you learn so much about all these different places?

In RL I love to travel! I've learned through my experiences during travels, people that I've met, and plenty of time dedicated to research. I've always been interested in other cultures besides my own and am very eager to learn about other countries' customs and way of life. When I design new spots or rentals, I always do a lot of research and make sure what I'm introducing is true to the design of the place I'm referencing. This comes down to architecture design, landscape, and knowledge of customs and culture. I'm very careful to not include something that doesn't make sense, wouldn't be there, is mocking, or generalizes and blends it into a similar culture. I think that bringing these cultures into Second Life is a beautiful thing and a great way to learn and understand them for those who aren't familiar but are curious. I have found that with places I've designed it not only attracts people who are interested in learning and experiencing these places, it also appeals to people from those cultures as well. I plan on designing something for every continent, and aim to represent various countries and their beauty whether on a smaller scale such as a single mainland rental home, a hangout spot, or on a greater scale full region.

How did you discover virtual rentals, and when did you get started?

With my builds, I started to develop a small but dedicated community in Kiyori back in 2018-2019. The regulars were really impressed with my work, and would ask if they could live in Kiyori. I set up a few apartments in the city, and quickly they were all rented out! This interest from my community urged me to expand Kiyori to two full regions. I shifted the focus of Kiyori more into a community rental place along with the city being a public place for all to enjoy.

At the start of the pandemic in 2020, I began to participate in land auctions, where I would find mainland plots with cultural region names and design a home based on that culture which tends to be for rent or permanent sale. I love this because, whatever becomes available on a land auction is totally random, and so when I find one that does have a cultural region name, it's usually something I haven't done and challenges me with a new style. I have plenty of themed homes on the mainland in styles such as {those found in} Mexico, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Korea, Russia, Italy, and more to come! My first mainland plot, Hygge Retreat, is a Scandinavian cabin that is still available for rent or permanent purchase today!

Another outcome of the pandemic was Little Santorini! It is a full region vacation island based on the physical world location of Santorini, Greece. This was my first full region and at the time of launch was, and still mildly is, controversial due to it being a vacation island with day rates. Nowadays, many Second Life Residents are familiar with vacations within Second Life, and plenty of information can be found by reading blog posts written by Dirk Vanlager, who has been highly supportive of my works.

There is also Kiyori City (moderate region), the expansion region of Kiyori. This is the clean, luxurious side of the city featuring places such as The Takai Hotel, Cat Cafe Kariko, Seiryu Blues Lounge & Bar, and much more! Kiyori (adult region) is a full region based off of various Asian cultures, and this is the seedier side of the city.

Finally, I also run an annual winter vacation destination, Chéri Noël, which is based off of Strasbourg, France. I love this place because it combines French and German aesthetics. It runs yearly from December 1st-January 1st, where we go out in style and hold our annual star-studded New Year's Eve Formal!

Are you working on any new projects, or just maintaining your current regions? Tell us about what it takes to maintain a vacation region year round.

We just launched the Kiyori website where you will be able to find information on all my projects, rentals, and so on.

I design mesh as well and run Kiyori Shop! You will be able to find all my latest items here! (There is also a new clothing store coming out soon, so stay tuned!)

I am always thinking of new micro-areas for the Kiyori & Kiyori City regions, this makes the city more realistic and keeps things fresh.

I am also planning on reworking Little Santorini, I have new ideas for it but there’s no set date for this.

While there is no set date or specific details set in stone, Vrutega and I plan on collaborating for video content for Kiyori & Kiyori City.

As far as new destinations, mainland homes pop up when I find a region with a good name to work with! I have also teased a new type of experience I'd like to offer on social media, it's kind of a cross between Santorini and the mainland rental homes. Most vacation destinations operate on closed access, meaning you have to book first to access the place. With my new experience, I will be designing smaller scale, private region destinations that are cultural, authentic, and immersive. These new destinations will be self check-in, there is no booking required meaning it will be easily accessible to all timezones and will be first come first serve.

It's important for me to note that Kiyori as well as Chéri Noël would not have been possible without Megan Prumier. Megan has dedicated so much time and effort to the development of these places and I don't want that to go unnoticed. Megan understands my vision very well and we work extremely well together. When I don't know what to do, Megan knows! I haven't found anyone that matches her creative ability and we have future plans to work on new places together. I can't thank Megan enough for everything she's done, and Megan also has her own venues as well, please do check out her works on her Flickr.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

Kiyori Website
Flickr
Facebook
Kiyori Facebook Page
Instagram
Kiyori Instagram
Marketplace
YouTube

Watch this video: Aquatic Adventures in Little Santorini

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Jasmine’s work and inspirations, as well as the thriving vacation rental industry of the metaverse. Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup.
 

Today we are shining a spotlight on Truth Hawks, the mastermind behind the iconic Truth Hair in Second Life. Trailblazing since 2007, Truth has been crafting some of the most coveted virtual hairstyles and has now impressively extended his genius across diverse metaverse platforms and on the big screen!

Photo by Hayden Rowley

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I created my account early 2007. At the time I was working for myself in graphic and web design and had just started dabbling in 3D. I heard about SL on the news and it sounded interesting so I thought I'd check it out. 16.5 years later and I'm still here! 

2009 Truth Mainstore custom build by Barnesworth Anubis

You are one of the most renowned hair creators in Second Life, how and when did you get into content creation?
I started creating from the get-go. I remember thinking it was really amazing that you could make anything, set it for sale and cash out Ls for real money so easily. I first made some graphic t-shirts and tattoos and rented a little spot in a shopping district. I started creating hair not long after and that is what really grew my store.

Do you have a background in 3D content creation and what kind of tools do you use to create your content?
SL was the main catalyst for my interest in 3D. A few years into SL I moved my family from Australia to Vancouver and LA to study at film school. Since then I've worked with top studios around the world and on movies and games such as Black Panther and League of Legends. I use a wide range of software, I'm pretty tool agnostic and will use whatever works.

Sculpted Mount Bashenga from Marvel’s Black Panther - Wakanda Forever

You have recently started collaborating with other creators in Second Life, tell us more about that collaboration. 
I came up with the idea of Truth Collective because my releases in SL had been less frequent since dividing my time between SL/RL work. People would often ask when a new hairstyle is coming out so I thought why not invite some talented creators to make hair with my textures. Truth customers can enjoy more releases and the creators could benefit from my large update groups. It's been great working with Wasabi & Faga and having the ability to help each other with hair making, something I haven't had a lot of in the past as I've mainly worked alone.

You have also ventured out into the NFT world, tell us more about what you are doing on other metaverse platforms.
I started creating NFTs in 2020 and sold out a few of my own collections. I went on to work with RTFKT and collaborated with AMC, LVMH, and other fashion brands. My company has organically moved to more of a metaverse focus and we're currently activating 2 major fashion brands on another platform. I feel that the interest and opportunities in metaverse that SL experienced earlier on has seen a big revival in the last couple of years and it's exciting to see where it might go from here.

Modeled & Textured RTFKT x Jeff Staple Meta-Pigeon

How has Second Life impacted your life?
It's hard to imagine the direction my life would have taken if I didn't find SL. It guided me on a career path that I might not have taken as seriously otherwise and I'll be forever grateful for all the support SL residents have shown me for so many years.

Photo by Hayden Rowley

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
My company is VRTL WRLD 
SL Flickr
SL Twitter   
Linktree

Kryptoz x AMC NFT

Thank you, Truth, for pioneering with passion and gracing us with virtual hair that's nothing short of stunning!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

This week we are shining a spotlight on The Wastelands, a post-apocalyptic community celebrating 15 years in Second Life this weekend. Learn more from the founder and curator, NeoBokrug Elytis.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
A little over 16 years ago I saw an article about Second Life on the Make Magazine blog. And then a few more articles about Second Life later... I decided to sign up on Halloween of 2005. I was instantly hooked on building with prims and visiting the virtual spaces all over SL.

How long did it take to build The Wastelands, and what goes into maintaining it?
The first region (The Wastelands) took a few months of planning, but only a couple of days to build its infrastructure. I distinctly remember working with my dev team and not sleeping until it was done. After that, the first Residents had their initial builds done within the month. All of this was before mesh or even sculpts existed, so when folks built things, you could see prims take form in real time -- and it was amazing!

Because we're a themed community, most of the land in The Wastelands is owned by its Residents, so all due credit for maintaining those spaces goes to the folks who live here! They are always building and changing their builds. There are some Residents who have had the same parcel of land since the day we opened, and there are others who move to a different chunk of land every month to build a brand new thing. Despite the ever-shifting sands of the estate, the general aesthetic always stays the same.

These days most of the maintenance comes in the form of greeting and helping new Residents, planning and hosting events, and working on the game we have here. The community of The Wastelands is always helpful to visitors and each other, so in its own way it's very self-maintaining.

Part of the fun of exploring such a vast region is noticing the different design styles throughout, such as industrial, desert, and psychedelic. What are some things that inspired these stylistic choices?
The majority of The Wastelands is owned by its community members, and so much of the stylistic choices of what is built is left up to them. The whole estate has an overarching theme of post-apocalyptic ruins, which is inspired from all flavors of post-apocalyptic tropes. Certain regions also have sub-themes. For instance, The Junkyard region is more of an industrial ruin, while The Great Fissure {features} more tribalistic ruins made of recycled debris. New Residents tend to plant their roots in regions that are visually interesting to them, so regions tend to stay cohesive all on their own.

We also have a "Public Works" department, where Residents make thematic assets for the community. We've got a respectably big heap of free stuff now, and I think that helps glue the different aesthetic builds together.

As long as our estate management can see that you're making a good faith attempt at building within the theme, we're typically fine with what you make. If not, we'll make some suggestions and offer help; more commonly, your neighbors will likely offer to help you before we do. My account may be 16 years old, but I constantly remind myself that we were all new users at some point, and that we only get better at building as long as we have some place to practice those skills.

How would you explain getting started in roleplaying to someone with little to no experience?
What a complex question to try to answer! I'll do my best to keep it simple and generalized.

Over the years I've found that roleplaying in Second Life is done in many styles and methods. It all really depends on what the destination offers, how the other characters interact with the setting and each other, and what you want to get out of it. I guess the most important thing to know is that everywhere does things differently. But I'll try to explain some common ground...

The first thing to do when you arrive at a destination is read up what they're offering when you land there. It's essential to remember that they've built their roleplay setting with certain ideas in mind, and you should think of their setting as a book of rules to follow. At the same time, don't try to shoehorn in your own ideas that don't really fit within the setting. If the destination you're visiting allows you to lurk as an out of character spectator to their roleplay, I would highly suggest starting off with that for a session or two.

One universal rule that most places adopt is designating how local chat should be interpreted. Most chat in a roleplay setting is by default considered to be ‘in character’ {so} a way that folks show that chat is out of character is by encapsulating the line in single or double parentheses, e.g. ((such as this)), or (like this). There's a shortcut in the Firestorm viewer: if you press ALT-ENTER when typing out a line, it'll automatically add double parentheses. This is useful to ask participants questions out of character, because if you're ever unsure about literally anything, it's ALWAYS best to ask questions.

Another universal thing is that there are generally two primary types of accepted styles of chat-based roleplay. One is Paragraph or Para-RP, and the other one could be described as script style roleplay. There have been huge debates about these two styles, so I am going to very broadly explain them. I am not going to cover if {the written text chat} is first, second, or third person perspective, because everybody does everything differently.

Paragraph roleplay is where the participants usually take turns in order by typing about a paragraph's worth of text for players to read and react to. Because players are taking turns writing a long paragraph, it may be quite some time before it's your turn to react and respond. It's typically best for smaller groups of roleplayers, as the wait time in larger groups can be rather long. But it gives the players time to think about what they'll say or do.

Script style roleplay is where a player writes just a sentence or two, and anyone at any time can react and respond. Because the flow of roleplay is faster, it takes more attention to react to what's happening at the moment. It's better suited for any size group of players, but could be a bit chaotic with lots of players. The primary downside is you might feel pressured to keep up with things, but I've seen it used at a slower pace just fine.

I think consent among roleplayers is critically important, because you can't have people join and say "Bang! You're dead. I win!" No one really enjoys players who command what happens to others unless the setting allows it. There are instances where players plan among each other before roleplaying what might happen between each other to push a story forward. But if you want to try to do something that may affect another character, you may want to {convey} that you're taking an action and let the other player choose how it plays out. Perhaps you're drawing a gun, and maybe they react by hiding behind a dumpster, and then you position yourself to corner them, but then maybe they try to disarm you, and you let them. That's how things should play out in my opinion, by giving folks opportunities. Perhaps even discuss what should happen ((out of character)).

I think the above info is good for a general understanding of how roleplay works in Second Life, but it is certainly not the be-all, end-all of what roleplay is and can be. At best, it's the tip of a very deep iceberg. I didn't cover a lot of things such as dice-based resolutions, or HUD-based combat, or anything like that. The beauty of Second Life is that we can build settings and tools to augment how roleplay can be enhanced inworld beyond just text.

Roleplay in The Wastelands isn't mandatory, it's opt-in and completely at your own pace. Feel free to visit and lurk because we honestly don't mind spectators.

The Wastelands will be celebrating their 15th year in SL very soon, can you tell us about some of the events you have planned and how people can participate?
We've got three days of partying planned, starting on Friday, January 14th at 5pm SLT. We're going to have live music, DJ sets, combat & sports, roleplay sessions, giveaways, storytelling, and more! It's free to attend and open to the public, and there is no dress code other than wearing some dang pants, so feel free to stop by and enjoy!
On Friday and Saturday most of our events take place at our Arena stage: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Wastelands/38/146/75 
On Sunday the rest of our events take place at our Junkyard stage: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Junkyard/122/162/72 
Our full schedule of events and locations is here: https://bit.ly/3JGH4RU 

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
Haha, that's such an unfair question! I've been on the grid too long, and I've seen too much to pick a handful out of literally hundreds of creators I admire. Besides, I could easily play favorites among longtime personal friends, Wastelanders, and folks I've worked with professionally. So instead -- and I hope that this is an acceptable answer -- I will list some qualities of various creators that I admire. Because it's very hard to not be inspired by content you see in Second Life.

First and foremost, anyone who makes ruined, broken, or wrecked content from scratch in Second Life is doing amazingly hard work. It's far easier to make something that looks fresh from the factory and has a new coat of paint; it is extremely difficult to make it look weathered, ruined, dented, or broken. Great post-apocalyptic content is few and far between on the marketplace and inworld events. So I do what I can to spread the word and buy it all up when I see it.

Anyone who creates mesh and does proper LODs (Level of Detail) earns the highest of marks in my book. I don't personally create mesh, but I am very technically knowledgeable about the whole process and the time involved in creating mesh LODs *properly* for Second Life. It's a lot of hard work, and it might cost more LI (land impact) for customers to rez -- but in the end mesh that looks great at any distance is something I can really appreciate.

Creators who make great use of textures and materials deserve far more praise than we give them. I specifically appreciate those who avoid using a lot of high resolution textures. They're making the viewer run better for everyone, and I think it's one of the least understood and most underappreciated skills among content creators.

I love all the 3D art installations in Second Life, too!

I could literally go on and on forever about how, what, and why certain Residents inspire me, but the truth is, anyone who creates in Second Life inspires me. I am always eager to see what people are making, or participate in what people are doing. From creators to performers, to bloggers, to communities, I think it's all super amazing because there's always something new to see.

Where can people follow you to learn more about your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
Our website has important updates around the community and unique roleplay articles: https://the-wastelands.org 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wastelands_inSL 
Mastadon: https://s.the-wastelands.org/@wl
Plurk: https://www.plurk.com/TheWastelands 
Are you visiting and taking pictures in The Wastelands? Please post them to our flickr group: https://www.flickr.com/groups/thewastelands/pool 
Finally, we have a pretty active Discord server where folks can stay connected and share pictures of cats, food, and post-apocalyptic memes when not in SL: https://discord.gg/cdkhzb4QCh 

Watch this fun video about The Wastelands:
Video Production by NeoBokrug Elytis
Music written and performed by Irk the Mutant (shannonwilsonbell)

We hope you enjoyed learning more about The Wastelands. See you at their 15th-year celebrations this weekend! 

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

Today we are shining a spotlight on Hamlet Au, also known as Wagner James Au. Hamlet is a journalist that has been diligently reporting about Second Life for two decades on New World Notes, and has just released his latest book, Making a Metaverse That Matters!

Can you give us a brief overview of your background and how you got involved with virtual worlds, especially Second Life?
Back in 2003, I was a young San Francisco-based freelancer writing about games as an emerging cultural force for Wired and Salon. The PR firm of an oddly-named startup called Linden Lab invited me to see a new online game world they were creating. (Yes, Lindens called it a game back then!) 

After Philip had taken me on my first tour of Second Life, his head of marketing at the time, Robin Harper, suggested that I could write for them -- as a journalist embedded in their virtual world. My first avatar, Hamlet Linden, was born, as was my blog: New World Notes.  

After I left Linden to write my first book, The Making of Second Life, I moved my avatar identity to Hamlet Au in a transfer ceremony. I’ve always worn a white suit, sort of my silly tribute to legendary “New Journalist” Tom Wolfe.

One of the very first Residents I interviewed was Catherine Omega, an amazing scripter who casually mentioned she was temporarily homeless in real life. So I quickly realized an amazing community was developing, and that it was the story of a lifetime. I’ve been writing about SL culture whenever I can ever since!

For instance, I recently interviewed BunnyGPT, one of the first SL bots wired up to ChatGPT. 

I even still have an office space in Waterhead kept from my Linden days. Come visit! There’s an official shrine to Snow Crash there, approved by Neal Stephenson himself.

Your first book, The Making of Second Life, was published in 2008. How has Second Life evolved since then, and how did that evolution inspire your new book Making a Metaverse That Matters?
Second Life's visual quality and backend reliability have greatly improved since 2008 for sure, but to me, the most important evolution since then happened with everyone else: In the last five years or so, metaverse-type virtual worlds have finally become mainstream. And what’s exciting is that Second Life is not only still thriving, but is an important role model for these newer platforms. As I noted a while ago, Second Life creators make about as much money from the virtual world as Linden Lab itself. No other metaverse platform can say that!

The Making of Second Life (2008)

So that’s what inspired me to write Making a Metaverse That Matters: I want to take all the lessons we’ve learned from Second Life over the last 20 years and apply them to new metaverse platforms so that we can finally realize the best and largest virtual world possible.

Making a Metaverse That Matters (2023)

As someone who has worked for Linden Lab, what insights can you provide into the challenges and successes of maintaining and evolving a platform like Second Life?
The biggest and most amazing challenge is that the community is basically an equal collaborator with the actual company. This is both a blessing and a curse! When I was a Linden, the team would often stop work to marvel at the latest user-made project which included technical workarounds the engineers never anticipated -- and then realize that they couldn’t easily patch that workaround since doing that might break the user’s creation.

With your blog New World Notes running for over 20 years, how have your thoughts and insights about virtual worlds changed? Can you share a particular event or moment that was a turning point for you?
During a conference where I was speaking about my first book, I randomly visited a virtual Bayou bar, where I saw an avatar playing blues guitar. His appearance was customized to look like a tall old Black man, which I assumed was just his roleplay character. 

Mr. Bristol photo credit: Russ Roberts/Etherian Kamabuko

But clicking on the user’s account, I realized that in real life he was Charles Bristol, an 87-year-old Bluesman and the grandson of once enslaved people who lived long enough to play live music in Second Life.

Wow, I thought to myself -- if people as amazing as that are in SL without me knowing, who else is in there? So I’ve never really left. Even if Second Life is not the largest virtual world, it’s definitely the most interesting and inspiring -- and the best role model for making the Metaverse.

Tell us about some of the Residents in Second Life that have left a lasting impression with their work in the virtual realm.
There are so many! But I’m very grateful to Cajsa Lilliehook for covering SL’s incredible Flickr community every week, and Sanny Yoshikawa for translating New World Notes to SL’s large Japanese user base. And to all my regular New World Notes readers! 

I should also mention metaverse artist AM Radio, who is not as active in SL in recent years but still keeps his eye on the virtual world, and whose work has been so influential. I recently wrote about how his real life son is helping keep his art alive.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your books, websites, and social media accounts.
New World Notes
Making a Metaverse That Matters
Facebook: Hamlet.Au
Twitter: @SLHamlet
Plurk: Hamlet_Au
Discord: WJA#3523

Thank you, Hamlet, for all your years of reporting the metaverse news! We especially enjoyed your recent article in The Atlantic: There Will Never Be Another Second Life. Catch Hamlet tomorrow on Reddit for a special AMA!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

This week we are placing a Spotlight on Angel Manor, a palatial estate adorned in some of the most impressive architecture we've ever seen. The Duke (Kaya Angel, Owner & Builder) and Duchess (Kezzy Forwzy, Co-founder & General Manager) of Angel Manor have proven to be a powerhouse duo in terms of creativity and event management.

How long have each of you been in Second Life?

Kaya: Well, I first came into Second Life to see what this new virtual world was all about when it first went live. I was fascinated by what Philip Rosedale had said about this new world and his vision for it, and I was specifically interested to see what the proposed freedoms were in a {world composed of user-generated content}. At the very start, I wanted to see if people would explore the ideas of new social groups and societies that tested new ideas about how people could work together: if they would build environments and create businesses, or if people would just copy and replicate the real world as we know it. It was perhaps too early right at the start, it was such a new concept that it took us all a long time to understand what potential existed here. It wasn't until a few years later I really found my feet on the platform and created a new avatar who had a mission to create and build a community. So in one form or another I've been in Second Life from its birth and watched it change and grow into the world it is today.

Kezzy: I've been here just over 14 years now. A {physical world} friend had an avatar and had told me all about this online world where you can meet people from across the globe and enjoy amazing live music. I was really intrigued; I was already an online gamer and an active member of several community forums as well as running some myself, so I thought I would make an account. I was fascinated by the premise of being able to socialise in real time with people across the world, and at that time several {regions} had sprung up in likeness to where I lived in {the physical world} which really made me curious. I logged in, followed my friend to some live music venues and I was instantly hooked. I met Kaya within a week of logging in and the rest, as they say, is history!

Do either of you have a background in design, and what drew you to creating things in a virtual world?

Kaya: I do have a background in design, as my full time job is as an event designer. I specialise in lighting and set design currently for large corporate events, but my background is based in theatre and concerts. It's often strange how much Second Life replicates my real life work! Doing technical design in RL has really helped in Second Life as a key part of my design role is to understand how people are affected by different environments, such as how light, space and sound influence the experience people have. Here at Angel Manor we really try to ensure we create a very real immersive world, which we often describe as “hyper reality” in that it's just a little exaggerated, but very much based on the world we are used to. This means there are rules such as items can't be floating, and even though we don't have the laws of physics it should feel as if they do. So structures must look like they would stand under their own weight and we don't want the estate to feel like a film set in that every door should lead to a real room and every window should have a view both inside and out. But Second Life has also helped me so much in my professional career as I now use the 3D modelling skills I gained from Second Life in other 3D programs to create the designs to showcase to clients as proposals. So it’s very much been a two way learning of which I'm very thankful for.

Kezzy: I am not a designer at all! Kaya is absolutely the design genius in this partnership, although I enjoy the design process throughout. I deal with the logistics side - running the estate in terms of the day-to-day management and organising live events and private bookings. However, our strengths feed off each other, which is why I think we make such a great team. For me, I get great joy from bringing our talents together to create spectacular events and seasonal treats that will inspire and motivate all Residents of Second Life to live their best lives by joining us in our world. When we bring together our skills and create a magical event or a new build that has people talking about it for weeks and months, that is the biggest draw for me.

Angel Manor is such an immaculate and huge place. How long did it take to build, and how would you describe your artistic vision?

Kaya: It's hard to put a time on how long it has taken to build as there are always updates and upgrades taking place. The best time scale I can give is to say that based on past experience, a full {region} here takes about two months to complete and a homestead about two weeks. But as I say, it’s always changing. The artistic vision is to ensure there is always something new to find, either because you did not find something on your first visit or something new has been added. Our vision is very much created by the influence of people who live and visit here. We always listen to the Residents who call Angel Manor their home and are open to new ideas they would like to see here. We get wonderful comments and take note of what people like and what areas may not get much use. This is how Angel Manor has been shaped over the years.

Kezzy: We also consistently hold ourselves to the highest standard of events that we can. We pride ourselves in delivering unique and exciting events whether that is by allowing the use of the venue for charity, cultural and large scale events or our own live music events. We've been really fortunate to have some of the very best in Second Life talent grace our stages over the past 14 years, and I think that all comes back to what we have created.

How would you describe the architectural style, and what are some things that inspired it?

Kaya: Starting as a 1930's ballroom, it has become more regal and palace-like over the years as that is what people seem to enjoy the most. The best way to describe the style is that it's based around a mix of English and French architecture from the golden era, but as this is Second Life we also like to add a mix of Disney magic, a touch of Phantom of the Opera and not forgetting the most recent influences of Downton Abbey! Just like the grand estates that are still around today, we act as the modern day custodians, here to keep the estate running and to keep it serving the community as best as we can while also ensuring all the roofs remain leak free and no aging stone work falls endangering visitors!

Kezzy: I think the biggest inspiration we have is being driven by the power Second Life gives us to create this very real feeling, very immersive world that allows Second Life Residents to come and experience whatever it is that they want it to be. We best describe the Angel Manor as themed as a modern day aristocratic palace that aims to create an environment that allows our visitors, Residents and staff to experience a standard of life and culture that encourages, inspires and motivates us to live our best lives in both worlds. It is not a traditional roleplay location, but a place people can come as their true avatar self and act as they would if they were visiting or living in an old aristocratic estate.

What have been some of your favorite events that have taken place at Angel Manor? Anything coming up that you’d like to share?

Kaya: When it comes to events I think we are best known for the stage production we add to the live music events. We work to support artists that perform on our main ballroom stage by providing changing lights and sets that visually support the artist. The reason for this was not just because this is my real life background, but because we wanted people to feel they are at a very real show. Often with live music it can be easy for people to arrive and listen and enjoy the performance, but they will be either camming around to see who else is there or maybe deep in chat with other friends while listening to the performance. We really want people to be not just listening but watching the performance. The visual aspect of our shows should also help convey the emotion of the song being performed to enhance the overall experience. The other events that stand out are the large themed events we do which are normally based around holidays. We have created large Halloween events such as a masquerade ball, and enjoyed Easter with {a nod to} Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, complete with chocolate river and waterfall to get the perfect mix!

Kezzy: We have been really lucky to showcase the best artistic talent across Second Life, be that in art, music and culture. We have two live music events across our various venues every week but I think my favourite events are also the Grand Balls we put on twice a year at Easter and Halloween. These are custom built, themed events that we have so much fun brainstorming and designing together. The most recent ball was the Enchanted Ballroom, themed as if we had sneaked all of our guests into the ballroom from Beauty and the Beast! This summer we celebrated our 14th anniversary with a grand "Celebration of the Arts" festival, with live music spanning across a whole weekend. We invited musicians who had performed on our very first stage right up to musicians who are relatively new to the Second Life music scene, and we were delighted that the {regions} were full for the entire weekend. This festive season sees the return of our annual Christmas Market, built in the Estate Gardens that will feature market stalls from some of SL's finest designers as well as a full calendar of live music events so we would encourage everyone to wrap up warm and join us for some festive cheer through December.

Do you consider Angel Manor to be finished, or do any parts get remodeled after a certain amount of time?

Kaya: Angel Manor is never finished as I just love building too much! There is always something that can be improved or made fresh. We never want the place to feel dated in SL terms. There are always new techniques or new mesh that improves on the design, but most of all we want anyone who lives or visits here to always find something new. Also, from a business point of view, the homes here are on a continuous cycle of updates to ensure we always offer the grandest of regal living.

Kezzy: I call it tinkering! It's not unusual for me to log in and find Kaya trying something new, or rebuilding a wing, or excitedly showing me the inspiration behind a new idea. Part of the magic is seeing what we will come up with next to add to the estate. It's forever evolving to meet the needs and desires of the Residents and visitors but also our own needs and desires as well.

What are some of the day to day tasks of managing such a large estate?

Kaya: When it comes to day to day tasks I know Kezzy is always out looking for new performers to bring to the our stages, while I do the rounds of the estate tending to the grounds and buildings. It's not uncommon that a Resident may have had a car crash into a bush, or maybe a horse has broken free and is roaming the estate. There may be the odd golf or tennis ball that has been hit off course. Some of the largest tasks are dealing with all the season changes, as the estate has wonderful summers and golden falls and not forgetting very cold and snowy winters. Ensuring the estate feels alive and is always changing is a key part to my day to day tasks.

Kezzy: I love how incredibly varied each of my SL days are! I like to check in with any residents that are online, and see what they are up to or if they need any help. I encourage them all to run social events within the estate which fosters a great sense of community, something that we are very proud of here. If we have a show or an event that day, I will be prepping notices and promotional material and checking in with the event organiser, musician or their manager to make sure everything is going ahead. Otherwise, I'll be checking the calendar for the weekly events, answering notecards and IMs with inquiries about the estate and the store and booking the next month's worth of shows. Each day is completely different, I never know who I will come across when walking around the estate, and I love that. The diversity and breadth of our visitors never fails to amaze and inspire me.

For more information on Angel Manor, follow them here:
Website - www.angelmanor.org
Facebook - www.facebook.com/angelmanor
Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/groups/angelmanor/
YouTube - www.youtube.com/user/ThePurpleRoseTheatre
Instagram - www.instagram.com/angelmanor
Twitter - www.twitter.com/angelmanor
Teleports - angelmanor.org/visit-us

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Angel Manor. Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we are shining a spotlight on Sirux Mahoney, the CEO of FANTASYLAND Estate since 2006 who is now venturing into an impressive NFT/Second Life crossover project called Universe v2.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I have been in Second Life since 2006. Prior to that, I was in another 3D world and became quite popular, so much that I became its official partner for my region. My community kept on growing over the months and then one night, one of my good friends, who went missing for some days, reappeared and told us that she had been spending time in Second Life. She had lots of praise for Second Life and insisted that we should all try it out. While many of my community members felt enthusiastic about the idea, I was rather skeptical, though I have to admit that I Googled it to find out more. My concern was about leaving everything behind, especially my good friends, going back to square one in another world. I could see my community crumbling. I decided to stick around and watch how things developed. And things did develop. The inevitable happened. I witnessed an exodus of my community members to Second Life. And when my good friends started moving too, I realised that my initial concern was no longer valid. I entertained mixed thoughts in my mind over the next couple of days and then one day, as I was driving back home, I decided to take the plunge! The next thing I remember I was creating my account on Second Life and logging in to discover what the hype was all about. The rest is history. I found my way on Second Life and made it even bigger than in that other 3D world. I never went back!

You are already well known for FANTASYLAND Estate, a virtual real estate provider in Second Life and you have been very active in this market since 2006. What got you interested in it? Tell us more about your business and how you got started in virtual real estate.

When I joined Second Life and connected again with my friends from the other 3D world, where we mostly spent time chatting, we found out that Second Life had so much more to offer. Instead of just meeting up and chatting, we started to explore, visit places, shop around and get engaged in various activities all over Second Life. We quickly noticed the business potential of Second Life and while some of my friends became designers, builders, and scripters among other things, I decided to try my luck at the real estate business as the common thing we all spent money on was land! That's how FANTASYLAND Estate was born. I was lucky that my business jump-started as all my friends started to rent from me and kept on recommending their friends. The orders came pouring in and FANTASYLAND Estate kept on expanding to become what it is today, thanks to the dedication and customer care shown by our team over those 15 years. I take this opportunity to thank all my staff members, and all my tenants for trusting us and making us what we are today. And last but not least, all the wonderful people at Linden Research, Inc., for working with me and providing me with the support needed.

Outside of your real estate endeavours, what are some of your favorite things to do or places to visit in Second Life?

Honestly, I would love to find more time out of my busy schedule to be able to enjoy what Second Life has to offer. When I do have some free time though, which happens very rarely, I log on to an anonymous account to meet up with friends and go around freely and unnoticed! Apart from my real estate business, I have been actively involved for a long period of time with breeding horses on Second Life. Actually, I still have a large collection and do it from time to time. I love horses, and I am fascinated by the uncertainty and reasoning involved in the breeding mechanics.

We hear that you have a brand new project debuting this week -- Universe v2 - Rise of the Robots. This appears to be an NFT project that has a unique Second Life component. Can you explain a bit about this project, which I understand has an elaborate backstory about the robots. Can you tell us a bit about the story - and how will this work for people who want to check it out and potentially participate?

Oh yeah I love the storyline of our new project, Universe v2:

'The Law of Conservation of Mass states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed, although it may be rearranged in space and the entities associated with it may be changed in form.

End of 2021. This is what actually happened. During a cataclysm, the universe got rearranged. The sun remained but the planets {that we know} disappeared, and two new planets were formed: Onerion and Zerotia. But what happened to the living entities? Well, they changed in form! Onerion and Zerotia are inhabited by different colonies of robots, each one having unique characteristics that are passed on through fusion. Onerion and Zerotia move along different elliptical orbits around the sun and every three months, they concurrently become aligned with the sun causing a cosmic tunnel to open up in space, linking the two planets. What happens next? Well, some things never change: Onerions and Zerotians travel along the tunnel, waging war against each other in the New Universe. Universe v2, Rise of the Robots.'

The ‘Universe v2’ NFT collection consists of 9,998 robots (4,999 Onerions and 4,999 Zerotians) minted on the Solana network, each robot with a unique combination of attributes. We are launching our whitelist registration on 4th Dec at 12.00pm UTC, limited to 1,500 slots with max 4 NFTs per slot, which gives registrants access to our PreSale Round 1 mint at only SOL1.35 (roughly USD285). Presale Round 1 mint will start once all whitelist slots are taken, followed by PreSale Round 2 mint, limited to 3,000 NFTs at SOL1.35 still. The last minting stage will be Public Minting at SOL2.50. The Second Life component of the project is that we are giving away the corresponding 3D Models of the NFTs on Second Life to those who mint during PreSale.

As with any NFT project, early minting is crucial. If you are new to the NFT world, basically early minting an NFT is similar to you buying at wholesale, getting the distribution rights to a product direct from the ‘manufacturer’ and then deciding to keep it, use it or even onsell it at a higher price. I would therefore recommend anyone interested to book a whitelist spot on our website as soon as registration opens on 4th Dec. For the records, we have seen NFTs getting resold at USD $170,000 just one month later while the minting price was less than USD $20.

While full information, including the Road Map and FAQ, about the Universe v2 project is available on our website, it is indispensable to anyone interested to join our Discord server as this is where we actually keep in touch with all our members, providing regular and important updates.

Second Life 3D Model

Is this your first NFT project? What made you interested in entering into this space?

Yes, this is my maiden NFT project. What got me interested in the first place was the hype. However, since the beginning, I felt that there was something just not right about them. I didn't like the idea of people buying an NFT to keep as a collection piece or immediately reselling it for a profit. I wanted to make something different. And that's what the Universe v2 NFT collection is all about! A Universe v2 NFT is not just an NFT which you keep or try to onsell for a profit straightaway. It is a living piece of technology which you can use for your enjoyment while even earning rewards, which also evolves, making its worth soar for you to show off or eventually onsell for an unbelievable profit! Our road map has it all planned out to make this happen. We have invested a lot in this project and have big hopes. For these to come to fruition, we rely on our community to trust us as we work together to make this project enjoyable and rewarding all along for everyone, and achieve its full potential. We plan to build a Universe v2 Legacy, together with our members!

Second Life 3D Model

While this sounds really cool, we know that not everybody may be a fan of NFTs -- and/or there may be some hesitation or confusion about them. Can people participate in Second Life without the NFTs - or is that something you are considering for the future?

Indeed you are right. While the NFT market is very promising, it is a niche market and fairly new too. On top of that, we have a limited number of 9,998 NFTs which means that they won't be available for everyone. The limited supply is actually an intrinsic feature of any NFT collection, contributing to make the floor price of the collection soar above the original release price (the minting price) and actually reach astronomical values in some cases, as I pointed out earlier. With that in mind, we understand that some people, without the NFTs, would love to have one of our robots and participate in our MMORPG further down our road map. We shall definitely give it due consideration and look into ways of properly integrating new components in the future, making the project progress further. This is perfectly in line with the last point mentioned in the road map on our website.

Universe v2 NFT Robot (left) - Second Life 3D Model (right)

It seems like this has the potential to introduce Second Life to entirely new audiences. How are you planning to help connect your new NFT consumers directly to Second Life -- and potentially explore more of the virtual world beyond claiming their robots?

Yes, we could be among the first, if not the first, projects to be giving away corresponding 3D models of the NFTs right off the bat! Since my team is actively involved in Second Life on a daily basis, it provides us with the ideal platform to do that. Our 3D Artist team did an awesome job delivering the quality we aspire for. We understood from the beginning that this endeavour would entail getting Second Life introduced to new audiences and we got our team prepared for that. We have a link on our website for our community members to register for a Second Life account and log on to visit us on the Universe v2 region, where they can see the 3D robots being made and even meet and greet them! We know this experience can be a bit tricky for first-time users. We have a specific channel on our Discord server dedicated to providing the initial help to our members regarding registration and logging on for the first time. And once in-world, we have our team to guide them and cater for their orientation. We believe this process will become easier once we have Second Life Residents join us in this project, make new friends in the community and contribute towards helping them not only with the Universe v2 project on Second Life, but also with discovering the immense outreach of Second Life.

Universe v2 NFT Robot (left) - Second Life 3D Model (right)

This is all pretty exciting -- are there other new projects that can we expect from you in the future, too?

We do have two more projects planned. The first one, which is actually already in the works, is related to the NFT metaverse though it won't be an NFT collection as such. The second is the development of a mobile app which will link people worldwide and make it much easier for them to communicate and cooperate while playing a popular augmented reality (AR) mobile game, thus allowing them to progress faster in the game.

Where can people learn more about your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

While our website provides all information about Universe v2, our Discord server is where we actually make important announcements, provide regular updates, hold discussions, answer questions and work together with our community members towards our common goal. We would say it is indispensable to anyone interested in the project to join our Discord.

Website: https://universev2.com 
Discord: https://discord.gg/universev2 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Universe_v2 
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/people/universev2 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhxlI0SLzIiACgbLzUqGxQ 

View the Universe v2 Official Trailer, shot in Second Life, video production by Vrutega.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Sirux and his impressive new project. Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 
 

This week we are shining a spotlight on Saffia Widdershins, a powerhouse woman that has years of promotional work under her belt, including an incredible job of hosting many award shows, pageants, talk shows, and more!

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I first heard about Second Life in early 2007, when my team in the Medical Sciences Division of the University of Oxford asked me to go into Second Life and see if it might be useful to us. I went in and did a little exploration... and was fascinated by the whole environment and decided I wanted to explore more thoroughly. I created a second avatar to do this - so Saffia is actually an alt!

Prim Perfect Magazine - Covers of the first (2007) and last issue (2015)

In addition to being renowned in Second Life for hosting a variety of events, you are known especially for your in-depth interviews. When and how did you get into broadcasting in Second Life? 

My first venture into media in Second Life was with Prim Perfect, Second Life's first home and garden magazine. As my (real life) husband said... "You're planning on a virtual magazine in a virtual world, telling virtual people what virtual furniture to put in their virtual homes … and you're planning to make real money doing this?" After we'd been up and running with the magazine for six months, I thought we could also have a presence on Second Life TV, so I contacted the popular network SLCN (later Treet TV) and asked if they'd like a home and garden show. That was the start of MetaMakeover, which was planned to be a home makeover show, but it very rapidly expanded far more into looking at places and events, and so it soon became Designing Worlds. And so it is to this day! There's a longstanding team behind it - in addition to myself there's Elrik Merlin, Aisling Sinclair, Wildstar Beaumont and - recently, Bain Finch who is a second videographer.

A double page spread from The Primgraph by Terry Lightfoot

Designing Worlds is such an amazing resource for creators. What are some of the other shows and events, past and current, that you have produced? 

I've also been involved with Happy Hunting, which was produced for a number of years by Cinders Vale and Petlove Petshop. And, of course, there was the thriller/fantasy story of The Blackened Mirror, which was a group production by a very talented team which included Zander Greene, Da5id Abbott, Aisling Sinclair, Petlove Petshop, Lorin Tone, Terra Volitant, Mavromichali Szondi, Angie Mornington, AvaJean Westland, and others. And then there was The Primgraph, a magazine for the Steamlands, which ran for several years.

One event that is so close to my heart is One Billion Rising. We recently held the 10th annual event, as it's been running since 2013. That's a long time in Second Life! It's part of international events held around the world on February 14th,  drawing attention to the statistic that one in three women worldwide will be beaten or raped during her lifetime - which adds up to more then one billion women and girls. It's an event with music, dance, art, and poetry. For many people, men and women, it's very powerful - it certainly is for me. I've been involved with the team leading it throughout - it actually started by the editorial team of Prim Perfect; when we read about the event, we wanted to be part of it! Over the years, many people have been involved - the team this year included Dawny Daviau, Briony Writer, Adele Ward, Cherryblonde Scribe, Meegan Danitz, AvaJean Westland, Jenny Anatine and some amazing volunteers who came in all shapes and forms! 

Designing Worlds visits One Billion Rising in Second Life 2022 

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.

Well, quite a lot of them are people I'm lucky enough to work with - or have had the opportunity to work with in the past!

Deep breath...

I would have to look at people who have created some amazing events, such as the teams behind events such as Fantasy Faire. The organisational skills there (led by Elizabeth Tinsley and Zander Greene) are amazing - and every year the creations of the designers just blow me away. One of my favourite things that I do each year is to lead the Company of Faire Folk on the tours we have each year, where a group of us go and explore each region of the Faire in turn, so we get to admire the work of creators like Alia Baroque, Saiyge Lotus, Sharni Azalee, Kayle Matzerath, Kilik Lekvoda, Walton Wainwright and Loki Eliot. The Tours run very smoothly, thanks to Aoife Lorefield and the rest of the LitFest team - the Literary Festival and now the Film Festival, led by Chantel Harvey, are components of Fantasy Faire.

And then there's the Home and Garden Expo, led by Kaerri Rae, which is the most wonderful way of seeing the best of home and garden design in Second Life. As well as the lovely furniture design, I always look out for Cassie Eldamar's doll houses - really beautiful, intricate models of Victorian houses - and a library, a pub, a lighthouse - all tiny with amazingly low land impact.

So many people contribute to Second Life in so many ways ... Marianne McCann, OldeSoul Eldemar, Desmond Shang, Mosseveno Tenk, Maxwell Graf, Froukje Hoorenbeek, Tymus Tenk and Truck Meredith, Kaya Angel and the wonderful team behind Grendel's - Flea Bussy and Toady Nakamura. Toady also runs wonderful classes teaching people to build in Second Life every week.

Final Scene of Much Ado About Nothing for Fantasy Faire 2017

Are you currently working on anything new?

Actually, yes. I'm working with Zander Greene (and many others) on a new series set in the same universe as The Blackened Mirror series. It's called "Harland Quinn and the Omega Hex", and I can say this about it ... When a lethal, magical anomaly out of the pages of legend begins wreaking havoc all across the Fairelands, it falls to a mismatched band of heroes to stop it before it’s too late. A Dark-Elven femme fatale, an erudite librarian, a rough-and-tumble sanitation worker, and a hard-boiled Private Detective will have to overcome their differences if they’re going to solve the enigma of the Omega-Hex and a mysterious scientist who may not be what she seems. We're planning to release the first three episodes at Fantasy Faire this year, and the next three next year. There's a very large team behind this - as you can imagine!

The first episode of The Blackened Mirror - 2012

Where can people follow your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

Prim Perfect Website  
Prim Perfect Facebook  
Designing Worlds Website
Saffia on Flickr  
Saffia on Twitter  
Saffia on Facebook  
Saffia on YouTube  
Saffia on Vimeo  
You can watch many of Saffia’s interviews with the Lindens & Moles on YouTube

A Media Project from 2014 by Saffia Widdershins

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Saffia’s successful years in Second Life! Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup. 

Today we’re shining a spotlight on Kacee Popstar, a multi-talented Resident known for her pivotal role in spearheading events and elevating brands with a unique blend of creativity and strategic marketing flair.

Photo by Aria Christen

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I first entered Second Life around 2010, initially exploring the platform without a specific focus. I dabbled in creating a clothing store called Fresh 2 Def and enjoyed spending time with my SL family. After a few years, real-life commitments led me to take a hiatus. It wasn't until August 2021, prompted by the unique circumstances of the global pandemic, that I decided to revisit Second Life. To my surprise, my entire SL family was still active. Soon after returning, I met Fang Palazzo (greatfang.novo), an uber talented Live Mix DJ in Second Life. My return marked a significant shift as I delved into managing DJ Fang under Pop Entertainment. Soon after, I met my partner-in-crime Sugarplum Zsun (sugarplum85) and I found myself fully immersed in SL’s vibrant club scene and surrounded by the most amazing people driven by the love of music. I spent most of my time attending sets and promoting DJs and clubs by recording short, fun real-time party videos that seemed to really resonate with people. I am a support machine! If you are doing creative things in SL, chances are you’ve seen me right there cheering you on! My real-world experience in the music industry in NYC seamlessly blended with my virtual endeavors, marking the beginning of a new chapter filled with creativity and excitement. Second Life became a space for creativity and virtual adventures. The immersive and dynamic nature of SL really drew me back, and I've been deeply engaged ever since.

You are a multi-faceted individual who is involved in the design, production, and marketing of different events, activities, and brands in Second Life. Can you share some of the projects you are involved with and how they have evolved?
My journey in Second Life is a tapestry woven with my real-life passions and talents. Hailing from a background in the music industry, where I specialized in experiential marketing, I bring a flavor to the grid that's uniquely me. In every endeavor, one golden rule guides me - a dedication to infusing joy and prioritizing the user experience.

The excitement began with event planning and creating Pop Entertainment. Orchestrating and promoting lively DJ and club events connected me with a huge network of dedicated club owners and talented DJs throughout Second Life. These amazing people and their love for music is truly inspiring. From there, I ventured into the world of creation and design with the clothing brand DAO, meaning 'star' in Thai. This was merely the starting point for a journey that led to the evolution of Palazzo Park, a small idea for a bowling alley that blossomed into a dynamic entertainment destination. It means everything to me that so many residents visit and enjoy Palazzo Park daily and infuse a little fun into their Second Life!

Around this time, I began managing marketing for various brands. The most gratifying journey has been HexPosed. I was trusted to take over management of the brand and it has been a blast cultivating HexPosed from the ground up and steering a modest pose store with only a few products into a known brand expanding its offerings to include backdrops, holdables, and furniture. 

Along this path, my mission was clear - to bridge the gap between the mainstream and urban communities in Second Life. I started by introducing HexPosed and supporting urban events and ventures with HexPosed’s involvement. This ambition translated into DJ Fang joining Sneaky Link Entertainment, an energetic and dedicated organization featuring talented Urban DJs (DJ Gunnklips, DJ Kevo, DJ Brockie, DJ Lola Bunny, DJ Ultra Violet, and DJ Blackice), managers (Shawn X. Gunner, Kevo B. Wylin, Symone Gunner, King Slaughterhouse Gunner, Luna Laveaux, Dee Allure, and Lyric Skye), and a team of exceptional hype girls who keep the vibe hype and events enjoyable. The cross-community acceptance has been incredible, with followers on both sides of the grid attending and enjoying events. My role extends to marketing Sneaky Link, contributing to its success and popularity in the Second Life community. It has been an extremely enjoyable experience!

Simultaneously, my love for designing spaces gave rise to Spellbound Manor - a fantasy-themed residential community. Here, I express my creativity by crafting high-quality resort-style luxury homes surrounded by an enchanting forest. The success and popularity of Spellbound Manor led to a venture into offering interior design and landscaping services with Spellbound Spaces & Events, where we blend enchantment with luxury in every build. 

Then came FLOURISH, my most recent venture aimed at revolutionizing shopping events in Second Life. Being a marketer, I take note of the trends and feedback on social media regarding events. Acquiring FLOURISH wasn't just about business; it was about spotlighting creators and brands and their unique journeys. Some might call my ideas over the top, but that's just the way I like it - to bring back the spotlight to the creators who are often taken for granted, but are architects of our magical experiences here in Second Life.

Photo by Panda Banana

What unique experiences do you aim to offer visitors of Palazzo Park, and how do you keep the entertainment fresh and engaging?
Palazzo Park is all about interactive fun, inspired by the desire to create a voice-enabled, interactive space for residents to play and socialize. With attractions ranging from bowling and laser tag to a movie theater, rides, and fully interactive arcade, the goal is to foster friendships and fun in a unique environment. We aim to create a space where every corner offers something exciting and are honored to have the support of fun and talented creators, such as TIHQ, Bergson Bowling, HIVID, and Erfe Design, whose creations made Palazzo Park what it is today! Their sponsorship helps to keep the entertainment fresh by allowing me to add regular updates, new rides & attractions, and engaging events creating a dynamic and ever-evolving experience. We are in the middle of an expansion that will make way for all new and fun attractions, so stay tuned for that! Those interested in the park can connect by following our Facebook Page and joining our In-World group!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PalazzoPark
Group: https://world.secondlife.com/group/e5bbd64f-fa3c-d70b-2197-e9002255e368
Those interested in renting Palazzo Park or sponsoring our expansion, please submit your interest via these forms.
Park Rental: https://forms.gle/XeKyh1pDDyi6aDcD7
Sponsor: https://forms.gle/dR2WaNjMo8h6JQ1F9 

Photo by Aria Christen

Running a monthly shopping event like Flourish is a significant undertaking. What's your approach to selecting brands and creating a unique shopping experience each month? When is the launch date for Flourish? How can eligible brands participate?
FLOURISH is indeed a labor of love that involves meticulous planning and a commitment to delivering an exceptional experience for both brands and shoppers. We focus on curating a diverse range of brands, each with its own story to tell. When selecting brands, my approach is centered on providing a diverse and exciting array of products that cater to the varied tastes of the SL community by taking into consideration the uniqueness, quality, and appeal of each brand to ensure a well-rounded and captivating shopping event. 

FLOURISH stands out through its unique business model and features, such as the FLOURISH Mens Edition, which focuses on providing a dedicated and exclusive space in the center of the event for men's brands. We also will launch “FLOURISH Unveiled”, a monthly show that will put the spotlight on a featured brand and take us through the journey of the brand. This will be in correlation with a dedicated brand exhibit area, housed right in the middle of our Sponsor Concourse, that will take you through the timeline of your favorite brands’ evolution! 

We also prioritize collaboration over competition, fostering a supportive environment for brands to work together. I've introduced a streamlined process without the usual collaboration fees, encouraged collabs by offering discounted Collab Sponsor booths so brands can engage in collaborative releases with reduced financial risk. 

The commitment to brands doesn't end there. We have also incorporated features like the FLOURISH Cafe, at the landing point, for food and beverage creators who often get the short end of the stick at events. Additionally, our Concourse Kiosks offer a low-cost opportunity for emerging and small brands to gain visibility in a real-world shopping experience, reminiscent of the shopping kiosks in your local mall. We have partnered with Luke Rowley, creator of the EasyBloggers platform, for a seamless blogging experience for brands and bloggers. Furthermore, FLOURISH will launch a unique rewards program for brands with continuous participation, providing perks such as late fee waivers, premium booth selections, discounted and permanent booths, and social media features. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what FLOURISH will offer and my amazing team, Lillian Onyx, Fang Palazzo, Symone Gunner, Lyric Skye, Cakhez Blvck, and I are so excited to bring it all to you!

The launch date for FLOURISH is set for April 7, 2024. FLOURISH is not just a shopping event; it's a movement dedicated to improving the overall experience for both brands and shoppers. Interested brands and bloggers can join the movement and experience the fun at FLOURISH by submitting an application found on our website, http://flourisheventsl.com.

Photo by Panda Banana

With Spellbound Manor and Events, you blend enchantment with luxury. What are the key elements you focus on when creating an immersive and luxurious environment? How can Residents get more information about your design and landscaping services?
Spellbound Spaces & Events is another passion project involving myself, Lillian Onyx who handles day-to-day business operations and landscaping, and Fang Palazzo, our talented and creative lighting expert. My way of building is truly unique. Beginning with choosing environments to set the mood of a space and using high-quality, luxury decor and furnishings, plant life, and lighting to tell the story of a space. I often tell clients, that I don’t create spaces, I design with my soul to create experiences. Key elements in creating an immersive environment include meticulous attention to detail, blending fantasy aesthetics with high-end resort-style touches, and fostering a sense of wonder. The enchantment is brought to life in a way that feels both magical and grounded in reality. My goal, through the use of rich and earthy tones and shadows, is to invoke a feeling as you enter the room. Pro-tip: When stepping into any space that I create, ensure you are in “Shared Environment” to experience it the way it should be! The reception from the community has been overwhelming and we are so grateful for the support. Residents interested in our design and landscaping services can reach out to us via the form linked on our Facebook page.

Watch this video submitted by Kacee about Spellbound Manor.
Video production by Sabina Valeska

How has being a part of Second Life transformed or impacted your personal or professional life?
Second Life has been a transformative journey. It has allowed me to explore and expand my creativity, connect with an incredible community, and merge my real-life skills with virtual experiences. Seamlessly weaving together my real-world background in business, marketing, and the music industry with the dynamic opportunities of the virtual realm has allowed me to explore new facets of creativity, business management, and community building. The synergy between my real and virtual experiences has been harmonious, contributing to a fulfilling and enriching Second Life. It's not just a platform; it's a canvas for personal and professional growth, offering unique opportunities that have enriched both aspects of my life.

Kacee with DJ Fang

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL who inspire you and whose work you admire.
In Second Life, the community is filled with so many talented individuals who inspire me every day! 

One notable figure who continues to inspire me is Fang Palazzo, DJ Fang. His passion for music and dedication to creating memorable experiences for residents constantly motivates me. I couldn’t do what I do without his continued support. 

My mother, Heaven Release, keeps me grounded and constantly reminds me that I am capable of anything! Between her and my father, King Slaughterhouse Gunner, I’ve had the most amazing support system. 

Vrutega, one of my most staunch supporters from day one, has really been a driving force behind me, giving me the courage to continue to do what drives me. 

Sugarplum Zsun and her passion for music and creating her mark in Second Life is what started my journey within the SL’s colorful music scene. 

The adorably sweet and talented SEMINA, who blessed me with my first Live Singer event, continues to inspire me with her creative shows and innovative ideas! Working with her is always a vibe and man, can she sing! 

Shawn X. Gunner and Symone Gunner both have hearts of gold and know no bounds when it comes to supporting me and all my different endeavors! Their patience and guidance are a gift as I navigate through this virtual world. 

Highlife Destination owners Tye & Gabriel Easton are truly inspiring to me. The hard work and ingenuity they put into their vacation destinations and events raise the bar and add a level of realism with flawless roleplay and endless activities. They inspire me to keep growing my ideas and I aspire to be on their level one day! 

Ras Solaris and all the education and awareness he brings with the Meroe Museum. He is the definition of inspiration! 

Second Life Creators are my biggest inspiration! Each has a distinct style and passion that continues to motivate and push boundaries. Their dedication and the unique contributions they make to the SL community are truly admirable. Their creativity and drive really keep Second Life filled with vibrant experiences, and for that, I am forever grateful. All my club rats in the SL Music scene I have a special love for! Imagine day in and day out they are here simply for the love of music. Inspiring! There are too many to name, but the support and inspiration from Second Life residents continually drives me to explore new horizons and contribute positively to this virtual world.

Kacee with Sugarplum

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
Yes! Please connect with me! 
You can find all my links and info at http://kaceepopstar.carrd.co
Palazzo Park: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spellbound Manor/105/85/2223
FLOURISH Event: https://flourisheventsl.com
Spellbound Manor: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spellbound Manor/251/210/21
Spellbound Spaces & Events: https://www.facebook.com/SpellboundSpaces

Thank you, Kacee, for your invaluable contributions and for enriching our community with your creativity and dedication. 

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup        

Today we are shining a spotlight on Apple Dismantled, a talented 2D artist seamlessly combining art mediums and bringing her digital art into Second Life.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I first heard about Second Life in 2004 from a friend. I signed up, realized how much money it took to get set up properly, and never touched it again…. Until 2009 when I decided that I was interested and wanted to play again. I ended up making a whole new account and I have been here since.

You are a real-life artist, can you tell us what kind of art you create and what are some of your favorite art mediums?
I tend to lean towards the abstract realm of art for the most part. My favorite mediums for 2D art are Acrylic, Watercolor, and Fountain Pen Ink. I also dabble in digital artwork and make some pretty neat mandalas. Most of my artwork in Second Life is Fountain Pen ink as I have found that’s one of my favorites because, with simple chemical additions or techniques, you can make it react in a variety of ways and get some interesting final pieces. Though I will admit that there are plenty of failures along the way, it is still all a part of constantly learning. I’ve also done all types of other types of art in Real Life too. If you name it, I’ve likely tried it, or want to.

The piece that started it all, Dissolve, in progress

Tell us about some of the artists or works of art that inspired you to become an artist.
In real life, my art taste is all over. I can clearly remember the first piece of artwork I became very interested in because I had a moment of “You can really do anything” was Edgar Degas “The Little Dancer” where he combines a whole heap of materials for a stunning final piece. (That tutu though was what first caught my eye) However, I’m the kind of person that can look at most any art piece and find something about it that I really like and inspires me. Art is subjective and I like being able to offer my art as abstract with the song that inspired it and letting the person make their own journey. I don’t like to present my art with a clear strict message on how to consume it, I present it in a way that allows the person to take it however they want, or leave it. The journey can be different every time too depending on your mood and where your mind is at. 

You also bring your art into Second Life, how does your RL art experience translate to your SL art experience?
This is a tricky one to answer as I’ve never really had the opportunity to present the art I offer in Second Life in Real Life in a gallery capacity. I did make a website that was a gallery of my art with links to the music for each piece, but the cost was a bit intense to maintain and I just felt like nobody really understood it so I got uninspired and let it go. I feel like Second Life offers me more freedom in how I present my artwork and I can present it in a gentle way to where like anything in Second Life, people can make their own adventures.

What art communities or groups within SL are you connected to?
I’m not really connected with any outside of Curated Event.

Do you have any helpful tips for new emerging artists?
Don’t base your idea of success on other people’s opinions of your work. 
Stay Weird. 

Are there any other projects, activities, and events you are involved with in Second Life?
Outside of the few events that I am in with my artwork, I have been a DJ in Second Life for over a decade and used to do 2-4 sets a week, now I tend to do one-off events here and there at places like Leviathan Bay. I was also involved with the art side as well as DJ’n at an event called Smokefest which was pretty rad and I’d love to see more and get involved in larger music events like that in Second Life. As for other stuff, I’m honestly not doing a ton in Second Life currently, however, I’m always on the lookout for more fun things to help however I can.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
I am lucky enough to be surrounded by a plethora of artists in a variety of mediums and expressions and every single one of them in their own way inspires me. Whether it be seeing the cool stuff they do and being able to gas them up and in return, it inspires me to do cool stuff too, to when you get those compliments from creators and artists you admire and it surprises you because not only do you realize they know you exist, but they think your stuff is cool too! Second Life is full of artists because it’s a completely blank canvas that residents have built up over the years. It's become not just a virtual world but an entire interactive gallery you can enjoy however you’d like.

Where can people see your art? Please share links to your inworld galleries, sites, and social media accounts.
Well, if they DM me I’m more than likely to show whatever WIP I have going. But really, just keeping up with my Second Life Flickr for all I do here in Second Life. I am also currently working on an Art Facebook Page as well as a Youtube channel where I post videos occasionally. 

• InWorld Gallery  
• Satellite Gallery at Leviathan Bay  
• Flickr  
• Facebook  
• YouTube

Apple is also generously giving out a piece of her Art for free at her gallery to celebrate this Spotlight Feature. It will be available until March 31st, 2023. Teleport over to pick it up today! 

The Art of A. Rose aka Apple Dismantled

An interactive gallery of Real Life artwork and the music that it was created to and inspired by. New art is added often.

Visit in Second Life

Thank you, Apple, for adding your talent to the vast art community in Second Life!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we are shining a spotlight on KaidenTray, a virtual landscaper in Second Life whose  landscaping skills have become renowned for their realistic detail and stunning visual appeal. 

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
Officially I have been in Second Life for eight years and seven months. However, I have taken long breaks in between that time. I was brought to Second Life by the recommendation of my real-life friend who told me about all the artistic and unlimited possibilities within the game. 

You are an award-winning landscape artist. How did you get into landscaping in Second Life and where do you get your inspiration?
I have always been interested in art as a type of expression and used to draw when I was younger. When I came to Second Life initially, I explored many sims and was inspired to create different cities and locations from my mind’s eye. I was able to do so with the creative freedom that I was provided. After I completed some of the projects I worked on as practice, word of mouth created my landscaping business. 

I find heavy inspiration from real-life cities that I become fascinated with, especially those that I would enjoy visiting or living in. The majority of my life has been spent in the United Kingdom, but I am heavily inspired by countries outside of my own, including the United States and Spain. My ability to generate these cities with as much realism and detail as possible allows myself and others to be transported to those areas in a virtual world. 

What kind of detail do you look for when designing your landscapes and what are your favorite kinds of landscapes to design?
I look for small details that can immerse the person into the environment to feel like it is real, such as dirt over a road or slanted trees. It is interesting to me because so many of my clients prefer things to be perfectly aligned, clean, and straight. My mentality is very different. It is these types of imperfections of the real world that make the mind feel you aren’t in a virtual setting. However, my main concern is client satisfaction, so I make sure to provide whatever style they would like.

My absolute favorites are forests, woodlands, farms, and rainforests. However, what I adore more than anything are simply landscape challenges. I enjoy expanding my skills as much as possible with complexity. 

Tell us more about some of the destinations you have designed previously and any current or future projects you are working on.
I have completed many destinations over the years, so there are a lot to list. However, my main pride and joys are those that I have opened for Halloween events, such as The Bates Motel (2020), The Freakshow: A Halloween Experience (2021), and Nightmare in New Orleans (2022). 

Some of the popular destinations that I have completed upon commission are: The Atlantis Pemba Resort, Koyo Kyoto Resort, and the Dare to Bare Nude Beach Community. 

My main current and future personal projects are my own community/destination that I co-own with my partner, which is Wandering, New York. We are expanding into the second sim, and it is our intention to keep the sims very active with events, performances, and activities. 

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
I have respect for all of Second Life’s landscapers because it is a unique niche that can often be stressful. I encourage and appreciate all of the art that can be brought into Second Life. There isn’t anyone I can name specifically and, I wouldn’t want to single anyone out from the hard work of others, per se. I can tell you that my favorite location and landscaped work in Second Life is the Elysion Sim. 

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
I have had many clients over the years where my work can be visible, but quite a few of them are on private sims and therefore not available for viewing. However, some of the easily accessible places where my work can be viewed are the following stores and locations:
Rosary (Moderate)  
Canape (Adult)
Mila (Moderate)
Alme (General)  
Dare to Bare Nude (Adult)
Wandering, New York (Moderate)

Facebook
Facebook Portfolio
Instagram

Thank you, Kaiden, for adding realistic beauty to virtual destinations.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we’re shining a spotlight on The Nature Collective, a nature-loving community in Second Life. Learn more about TNC from the founder, Emm Evergarden.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I joined Second Life after rewatching The Office during the pandemic, during a time when I was feeling a little lost. I figured if Dwight Schrute could live his best life not once, but twice, then so could I and here I am!

Emm at Walsh County

What does nature in Second Life represent or offer to you personally and how does it connect or resonate with physical world nature experiences? 
Nature to me is a very spiritual thing. I feel like we can learn so many lessons from it like how to slow down and be present in our lives. It can teach us that things end, but there is also rebirth and new beginnings. I’ve always felt that we are connected to all living things and nature has always been a huge part of my life. It’s where I can be still and truly feel at peace with myself.

Nature in SL gives me that same sort of solace and peace but in a different way. It offers a place where I can do things that I can no longer do in my physical first world life such as biking, horseback riding, hiking, etc. It also offers an outlet for my creativity by giving me a blank canvas with which to create.

The Coffeehouse at The Nature Collective

Tell us more about The Nature Collective, what inspired you to create it, and have you seen any positive impacts TNC has had on the Second Life community?
I was inspired to create the Nature Collective after exploring so many beautiful places in my early days of SL. It was obvious that there were so many talented nature creators here and I wanted to find a way to help showcase these areas, make it easier for people to find these locations and get people out exploring them. I also wanted to inspire people to stop and look at the world around them, virtual and real, and maybe get inspired to help with local, national and international nature-related causes.

At its core, The Nature Collective is a group, or a collective if you will, of nature-based sims and locations in Second Life – but we are so much more than that. We encourage exploration of our member locations through our various group events. Many of our locations are focused on real environmental issues and are working to educate people and make an impact. Whether we are nature creators, nature explorers, or both, we care about nature in all its forms and are doing what we can to make a difference and help people connect with nature both in Second Life and in our day-to-day lives.

I feel like The Nature Collective has helped inspire people to create more nature spaces in SL. People get excited about creating and sharing their spaces. It’s also helped people connect. Our little community now has over 2100 members and is continually growing. TNC offers group events aimed at getting people out exploring in SL while meeting new people. We’ve seen friendships blossom over common interests in nature. It’s been truly heartwarming to see our little group into this beautiful community.

TNC has implemented an Explorer HUD, can you tell us how that works exactly, and how has it enhanced the exploration of nature experiences in Second Life?
Our Explorer HUD has over 160 different Nature Collective member locations. Nature Explorers attach the HUD, click on the arrows to either page forward or backward through locations with each one having their own text-based image and SLurl. People can then click on the HUD and it will open up the world map and allow them to teleport directly to that location. There is also a search option available that lets people type in the name of the location they’re looking for, if they don't want to page through every one.

Our Explorer HUD has made exploration in SL easier and more fun. Using our HUD means there’s no need to keep 160+ different landmarks in your inventory. The HUD also auto-updates when new locations are added, meaning that our members have the most-up-to-date list available at all times.

TNC Coffee Collective at The Dancing Rabbit Cafe

What are some of the events and activities that TNC runs? Can anyone attend and join? Where can Residents learn more about them?
We have several group events such as our Coffee Collective, Shutterbug Club, Trails ‘n Tails, Come Sail Away and our Book Club! Most events happen at different Nature Collective member locations as a way for people to visit and explore more of our locations. We have some laid back events like our Coffee Collective, where we meet up twice a month at different TNC member coffee houses and cafes to chat, mingle and just enjoy talking and getting to know people. Our Shutterbug Club is a once-a-month event where we visit different TNC member locations and take photos. Trails ‘n Tails happens once a month and is one of my favorites; we grab our SL pets and walk and hike as a group throughout different locations and explore, chat and try to take in as much of our surroundings as we can.

Anyone can join in these events, and we welcome everyone! You don’t need to be a Nature Collective member, but it helps to be in the SL group and in our Discord server so you can easily get event info, reminders, and updates. Event info and our event calendar can also be found at the Nature Collective headquarters in SL as well as on our website.

TNC Trails n Tails - November by Kup Haroldsen

What can we expect from TNC in the future? Are there any new upcoming features, events, or goals you have for its future development that you can share with us?
We are always looking ahead at the different ways that we can get people involved and out exploring. We are working on our first publication, which will launch in the first quarter of next year, as well as revamping our Explorer HUD to make it more interactive and easier to use. We will also be adding more group events for our members and some different educational and informational events aimed at helping people make the most out of their Second Life. And last but not least, we are working on a new immersive mainland experience for the TNC headquarters with more informative content showcased and shared in fun and inventive ways.

We are also looking for ways to bridge our two worlds by working with various nature conservation organizations to promote fundraising efforts as well as showcasing what a Second Life presence can offer to these organizations. We are always looking for ways to inspire people to form a deeper connection with the world around them.

Tilheyra by Teagan Tunwarm

In what ways has building and managing The Nature Collective and being a part of the Second Life community impacted your life?
Without meaning to sound dramatic, it kind of saved me. I was more than a little bit lost after a life-changing health diagnosis. Second Life and creating The Nature Collective has opened new ways for me to dream and create and allowed me to do things that I can’t do anymore in my first life. It’s given me a sense of community and belonging and a sense of purpose when I needed it most. I’ve met so many wonderful and beautiful people from all walks of life and from all over the world that I wouldn’t have otherwise met and learned so much from them and from Second Life in the process. Second Life truly is a remarkable place.

Big Sky Over Florence by Meycy Bailey

Where can people get more information about The Nature Collective? Please share links to any sites and social media accounts.
- Website   
- Explorer List  
- Discord  
- Destination  
- Flickr Group

Evergarden Equestrian by Teagan Lefevre

Thank you Emm, for being not only a promoter of nature's beauty and importance, but also for building such a thriving community where others can share in this appreciation. 

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup    

Today we are shining a spotlight on Ravenstarr, a talented Second Life builder who weaves destinations brimming with adventure and dipped in fantasy.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I've been a resident of Second Life for a remarkable 12 years. It all began with my school, which surprisingly owned an island in Second Life. They tasked us with creating avatars and using the platform to present our research posters. Picture an island brimming with newcomers, all stumbling around, attempting to present our medical research. It was hilarious, to say the least. I became curious about Second Life. I decided to explore this unique realm, and it was here that I truly fell in love with the boundless creativity it offers.

You’ve been building creative, interactive, and fun destinations in Second Life for many years. Can you walk us through your creative process, from ideation to the final build? Where do you draw inspiration from?
My wellspring of inspiration flows from various sources - movies, books, or even chance encounters with captivating images or videos. It all begins with a concept, and from there, I construct my creative vision. I deeply consider the emotions I aim to stir with my "art." For instance, my destination, Kaleidoscope, was inspired by a documentary I stumbled upon during a period I was battling intense anxiety. The breathtaking beauty of monarch butterflies it showcased ignited feelings of wonder and optimism within me. In Second Life, I endeavored to recreate that very sense of awe and hope.

Teleport to Kaleidoscope

What are some of your past destinations that you worked on and also any current ones that Residents can explore and enjoy? Which ones have been your favorite?
I've created quite a few destinations that people may remember. 

My first was Junktown, that was inspired by the game, Fallout. 

Ravenport Reclaimed was another apocalyptic themed region that was a deserted town reclaimed by nature. 

The Pond was an oversized koi pond that you could explore above and below the water. 

This Mortal Coil for SPARK was inspired by the movie “What Dreams May Come”. 

The Deep Woods for SPARK was inspired by fairytales both light and dark and explored fantasy and fairy tales. 

A Who Christmas was a Christmas inspired region. 

Nova was a sci-fi utopian themed build with aliens and a chat AI bot. 

Kaleidoscope - Monarch Education project, which I mentioned earlier, is still open to the public. Kaleidoscope can be found here.     

OLYMPUS for SPARK was inspired by Greek Mythology and fantasy. I wanted to play with proportion again and build something very different. Olympus can be seen here.   

My newest destination, Neverland, is inspired by my favorite children’s story, Peter Pan. I wanted to create the whimsy and playfulness that made me fall in love with Second Life. Neverland can be seen here.

It’s hard to pick a favorite because each one is a favorite for different reasons.

Teleport to Neverland

Can you share more about the Spark Project, what it is, and your affiliation with it?
SPARK Project is a collaborative project with my dear friend, Drew Lukas. We wanted to create an experience that combines music with an immersive environment. We host two day music festivals at the opening of each destination. Then the region is open for exploration for a couple of months before we break it down and create again. I help build the regions with Drew and organize DJs. Our current project, OLYMPUS, is still open for exploration until the end of September.

Teleport to OLYMPUS for SPARK

Are you working on any other projects that you can share with us?
My next project will be a new SPARK destination. It will be something inspired by Agatha Christie. We are hoping to open that one at the beginning of December.

This Mortal Coil for SPARK

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
I'm inspired every day by the creativity I see in Second Life. There are so many beautiful people who create from their souls. 

My build partner, Drew Lukas, is a creative genius who pushes me to expand my skills. 

My friend, Faith (proverbs312014), created Cotton Candy Bay, and it's a constant source of inspiration. 

Vɪᴏʟᴇᴛᴛᴇ Mᴏʀɴɪɴɢꜱᴛᴀʀ (Violette Rembrandt) and her partner, Lucifer, have crafted an amazing Wonderland that never ceases to amaze me. 

My friend, Cube Republic, with his sheer talent and the quality of his landscaping plants, is another source of inspiration. 

Vrutega, Macguyver Mode, and Godiva Varela captivate me with their ability to breathe life into their art, creating captivating visual stories.

The list could go on and on because Second Life is a place to celebrate creativity, and it’s a testament to the power of virtual communities to bring people together and foster artistic expression.

Ravenport Reclaimed

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
My personal brand is MORPH Productions. 
My Flickr
My Facebook

The Pond

Thank you Raven, your creative contributions to the community illuminate the vast potential of virtual worlds and inspire us all!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

Today we are shining a spotlight on BadUnicorn, also known as Bhad Craven. This creative innovator brings fun and interactive content to the Second Life grid!

Artwork of BadUnicorn’s Second Life avatar by artist Nylon Pinkney

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
In 2012, as a young art student, I was captivated by a funny YouTube video that showed a large group of avatars talking and having fun in Second Life. Intrigued, I showed it to some friends, and we gave it a try, roaming around causing mischief and talking with players from different backgrounds and countries.

When I discovered that Second Life was pre-installed on the work computers at college, I took the opportunity to log in alone and was struck by the immersive experience and sense of community within the virtual world. Since then, I have been a dedicated player of Second Life, actively creating and contributing content to the platform.

You’ve been making immersive content in Second Life for many years, how did you get into content creation and what are some of your favorite items that you have created?
Upon my arrival in Second Life, the community was buzzing with excitement over the transition from prims to mesh. I had a background in 3D art and design, knowing the basics of mesh and texture creation. I saw this as an opportunity to improve my skills and used Second Life as a platform for self-teaching and experimentation.

Some of my favorite creations are:
- My product unboxer/unpacker. I love branding and packaging design, and I had a blast turning a boring cardboard box into something fun and practical. I also incorporated it into my new logo.
- Penalty Game, a 2-player football/soccer shootout game. I really enjoy making animated and interactive products.
- Chonky Corn, a thick huggable plushie. I love creating cute and silly characters, especially since Animesh arrived. It has opened up so many creative possibilities!

Your content is very fun, creative, and interactive - how do you come up with your ideas, and do you do all of the animations, scripting, and creating yourself?
Thanks! I'm not really sure where my ideas come from. I visit a lot of art exhibitions and galleries, so I think that could play a big role in my inspiration.

I run the store by myself, and I also create all the meshes and textures. The animations and scripts I use are usually custom orders, but I'm lucky because Second Life has a lot of talented animators and scripters who help bring my creations to life.

Cravone City recently celebrated its 2nd anniversary in Second Life, can you tell us more about your involvement with this region and what can Residents expect when visiting there?
I have co-owned Cravone for many years with my friend Capone Macamorgh, way before it became Cravone City. Initially, it was just a place to house our Mainstore buildings. However, In 2021 we wanted to do something a little different for the community. That's when we found Paradox Ivory, the talented sim designer behind 'The Apartments & Tokyo Street'. We shared our ideas with her and she brought them to life, creating a stunning and functional space that exceeded our expectations.

Cravone is made up of popular brands such as Animosity, Bad Unicorn, Baka, Hevo, and Scotch. Overall the sim offers an immersive experience with various beautifully crafted urban locations. The sim is made up of custom-made meshes and prefabs, creating a unique space we are all proud to call home. Words cannot do justice to the level of detail and craftsmanship that has gone into creating Cravone. To truly appreciate its beauty, you must see it inworld. We are constantly updating the space.

You’ve also expanded your content creation to OpenSea, can you tell us how and why you decided to venture out to the NFT world?
As a 3D artist in Second Life, I ventured into the NFT world to showcase my work and reach a wider audience. I am deeply intrigued by the concept of NFTs and believe that verifying ownership of digital creations is crucial to the future of art. In my opinion, Second Life was the origin of NFTs, as it allows the creation no-copy permission items that can be kept, displayed, or resold.

I started my journey by creating collectibles called "Boops" and listing them on OpenSea, an NFT marketplace. This was a great experiment to gain an understanding of the NFT process. I have plans to create new collections of one-of-a-kind pieces and take my art to the next level. Exciting things are in store, so stay tuned!

Tell us about some of the other Residents and Creators in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
Over the years, I've met some pretty amazing people, but two that stand out to me are Mikel Monk and Capone Macmoragh.

Mikel is a jack-of-all-trades, owning The Men's Department, Anthem Event, and the store Bueno. He inspires me with his hustle and determination, not to mention his thriving art career on the side. He's a true inspiration.

Capone, who owns Scotch and co-owns Cravone, was a mentor to me when I was starting out. He gave me tips and tricks when creating meshes for the platform. He even teaches classes on mesh and texture creation, that's something I'd love to do someday too. 

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
All my links can be found on my linktree: linktree.com/badunicorn

Watch this creative video submitted by BadUnicorn
Video production by Kelie Ladys 

Thank you Bhad for all the innovative content you bring to the grid!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we are shining a spotlight on Yu Zhu (Jamaicasianbaby), a multi-talented Resident with an impressive array of skills, from photography to vlogging to styling, and even landscaping!

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I have been in Second Life since 2011. Actually, I can't quite recall the website where I first saw the ad for Second Life, but I do remember that it immediately caught my interest because I’ve always enjoyed playing life-simulation games, like the Sims, since I was quite young.

Your Second Life photos are amazing, do you have a background in photography, and what are some of the tools you use to enhance your images?
Thank you, and unfortunately, I do not have any background in photography. I was raised by very traditional, well-intentioned parents who preferred that I attended dental school instead of art school. My late older brother, who passed away in 2020, was actually able to become a photographer/videographer. He was always very skilled with computers and gadgets from a really young age. He was the one who introduced me to the program Adobe Photoshop when I was around 12 years old and he taught me how to select objects in an image to remove the background. 

When I was under a tremendous amount of pressure during dental school, I was able to use SL photography as an escape and an outlet for some of the frustrations I felt at the time. As much as I hate to admit it, I am sort of a pushover by nature so I found some satisfaction in portraying a more assertive and endearing character through photos of my avatar. My aim when editing snapshots was to enhance the realism of this character and the scenes as much as I could. I started with the old skills that my brother had taught me and I continued to polish those skills, learning mostly by trial and error since I didn’t know of many SL photo editing tutorials at the time.

Around 2013 I was introduced to Flickr and that was where I started sharing my work. I soon started blogging and enjoyed it for a few years. This experience pushed me to experiment with different ideas and concepts, which then in turn helped me to further develop my skills with SL photography. After some time I started receiving requests for portraits and store advertisements. In the past, I used to be more active with accepting clients and have done ads for various stores like Addams, Bad Unicorn, Cold Ash, The Forge, and others. I have drastically reduced my client intake since then because my hobby started feeling too much like ‘work’ rather than something fun and creative. In any case, I have no regrets about the experiences as I was able to learn a lot through them and met some really great folks along the way. 

Recently, my partner upgraded me to a custom gaming pc so I was finally able to start playing around with Black Dragon viewer. After having used Firestorm viewer for years on my laptop, I was blown away by the quality of graphics on Black Dragon and how it’s able to significantly augment the overall aesthetics in Second Life. This viewer definitely helps to enhance images and make them more realistic with less requirement for post-editing of snapshots in Photoshop. It does take some time to become familiar with all of the settings. I am still in the process of learning myself, but I have really grown to enjoy using this viewer to capture my raw images.

You have your own YouTube channel, can you tell us how you got into creating videos, what kind of content you focus on, and what are some of the tools you use?
I think the moment that triggered the chain of events that led me to start my channel was around the end of 2022, when I logged into SL after a long time and was going through my inventory with an intense feeling of guilt. I couldn't believe the embarrassing amount of unused items that were just sitting in my inventory, some that have not even been unboxed yet. Around this time as well, I was watching various architectural and home decor videos on Youtube because I had just married my SL partner in RL and we were attempting to design our first official home together. I felt spontaneously inspired to attempt a little virtual home tour video with a skybox that I had set up at the time and that was the very first video I uploaded to Youtube. 

There are so many things I enjoy doing on SL that I personally can’t always capture through a snapshot, like decorating and landscaping. Even when it comes to fashion. I play dress-up with my avatar on a regular basis and I go through tons of outfits that I often don’t get the chance to take pictures of. I take a decent amount of time to edit each image and I have my limits when it comes to tastefully capturing an entire outfit from head to toe in a single photo. I figured videos would be a nice way to showcase many full outfits and pretty much all the rest of the things I like to get into on SL. I wanted to create fun and aesthetically pleasing videos that I could look back on and perhaps others would enjoy watching them as well. So far it has also been a nice way to share in more detail about what I do on SL with my RL friends and family.

I guess you can describe my content as 'vlogs' as I focus on the things I do on SL/how I spend my time on SL. The topics range from fashion to creating shapes to landscaping and interior design to photography and photo editing plus more. I use a free screen recorder from ScreenRec.com to capture my scenes. The first video editing program I tried out was Shotcut, which is free and pretty straightforward to use. But then I learned about Filmora shortly after and tried the demo version of it. I had so much fun using this video editor and learning all the features that I went ahead and got the full version. 

You also co-own the Bamboo destination in Second Life. What inspired it and what can Residents expect when they visit?
Bamboo originally started off as a homestead and my private home with my partner, Jin Zhu. We’re both Asians living in the Western part of the world, so we wanted to design our SL home in a way that would represent our traditional cultures. Jin has roots in China, while mine are in Myanmar (a country in Southeast Asia). We wanted to create a home where we could feel nostalgic and relive familiar experiences from our childhoods. As we worked on materializing our vision, our passion quickly grew for this personal project and soon we expanded our homestead to a full sim and made it open to the public on March 18, 2022. 

Although we are both quite aware of the many unique differences between each Asian country, we can also appreciate the vast similarities that the majority of Asian cultures share. An often humid atmosphere, the rich smell of earth after the rain, the intense singing of insects and wildlife that thrive in lush vegetation, dense forests of ancient bamboo trees, and the sizzling sounds of fragrant foods cooking around street market vendors, are just a few examples of the similarities among Asian countries. Buddhism is also a prevalent religion in most of Asia. In many towns, one can find Buddhist temples and it is common for homes and places of business to have shrines and statues of Buddha. From our own personal recollections, we found that most countries in Asia are also especially similar when it comes to rural landscapes and villages. We pulled inspiration from memories of our travels back to our motherlands in order to create a place on SL that, in our perspective, showcased the essence of a rural far-eastern environment. 

Visitors may also stumble upon a hidden memorial on our sim that Jin kindly helped me to curate. This memorial was set up to pay tribute to the thousands of heroes that have fallen at the hands of the Myanmar military since 2021 - some as young as 1 year old, some even younger. Not very many are aware of what has been happening in Myanmar as these events have been overshadowed by the major war between Ukraine and Russia. Nevertheless, the crimes that have been committed against humanity are equally abhorrent. We wish to promote awareness of the current events that are still unfolding in Myanmar and the resilience of its civilians in their resistance against a well-established dictatorship. A cruel dictatorship that confiscated and withheld oxygen, medical supplies, and services from civilians during the peak of Covid-19 outbreaks. My own paternal uncle and cousin, who were both residing in Myanmar during this time, were not able to get access to the oxygen they needed and eventually lost their battles with the virus along with thousands of others. I am now constantly worried about losing more loved ones. Those who are resisting the military are mostly young high school students, nurses, doctors, teachers, farmers, and activists among many others. Innocent human beings, most of whom have never seen a weapon in their lives before these events. They are fighting for the freedom to hold onto their dignity and dreams, things that we often take for granted in democratic countries. The only thing that is keeping this current revolution alive is the conviction of those fighting for peace and their hope for a brighter future. The story of Myanmar is full of beauty, inspiration, tragedy, and heartbreak. I sincerely implore anyone who may be curious, to dive into its rich history and learn more about it.

Needless to say, our Bamboo sim holds much sentimental value for both me and Jin. It is a space to honor those who stood for peace during their lives and it further serves as a place to nurture and find peace within one’s own current life. This is what Residents can expect if they do decide to visit the Bamboo Destination in Second Life.

How has Second Life impacted your life?
Perhaps this may be considered taboo for most people to say but I have to admit, Second Life has been more than just ‘a game’ for me. It somehow evolved into something bigger and has integrated into my life where it will forever serve as a historic foundation for the person I am today. When I signed up with the most uncreative username that I could come up with in two seconds, I was not expecting that SL would pretty much change my entire life. 

Second Life gave me the creative outlet I didn’t really have growing up. Through this platform, I was able to explore my creativity and get through difficult times by being able to express myself in a variety of ways that would not have been possible in reality. 2020 was an especially tough year and with the travel restrictions, it was nice to be able to do things on SL like building places to escape to or taking pictures at beautiful locations that you can get to with the click of a mouse. 

I usually would never share any of my artwork with anyone I knew in RL but the warmth and encouragement I received from the Second Life community for my work really helped me to start believing in my own creative abilities. I am sincerely grateful to those who have been so kind and supportive to me over the years because it helped me to open up more in RL. My brother was the first person in my life with whom I shared my SL photography and landscaping work and it is now one of my most cherished memories with him. Since his passing, I finally gathered enough courage to share my work with my parents as well. I think many people who have grown up around western culture but under strict traditionalist, Asian parents can relate when I say, opening up to our parents is one of the hardest things to do. I’m pretty sure my parents didn’t understand much of what I was showing them but their acceptance and support for me that day has also become one of my most cherished memories in life. In a way, SL helped me to break many boundaries with my family.

Last but not least, I met my now real-life partner in Second Life. I actually already knew about Jin Zhu before we even spoke for the first time in 2018. Dynasty was one of the very first stores I discovered and loved on SL as the items invoked feelings of nostalgia for me and especially because in my early days on SL I did not come across many items with Asian themes. At the time I would have never expected that one day the creator would personally reach out to me, much less that I would end up marrying this amazing, talented, and kind individual. Jin and I were really able to connect and learn about each other through our creative endeavors on Second Life. We were able to talk a great deal and got to know each other while working on different projects and over time, precisely three years of long distance and a lot of traveling later, we both had the profound realization that there could be none more compatible than we were for each other. Jin proposed to me in Jamaica, where I grew up since I was 2 years old, on November 18, 2021. We have been married as of September 28, 2022, and I am now living in a whole new country and have a totally different life than what I could have ever imagined before I signed up to Second Life with a silly username.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
This question is the most difficult to answer as there are many talented and inspiring residents in SL. A few of my favorite stores that I can list off the top of my head, other than Dynasty, of course, are .Shi, BBQQ and [SAU] Motors. The creators behind these stores are all amazing individuals who are always so humble and supportive. I also admire artwork by Petra Messioptra (PM), who is one of the first artists/bloggers that I started following when I joined Flickr in 2013. William Weaver was also a great inspiration to me in my early days on Flickr, but unfortunately, I can no longer find his work on the platform. Some of his videos can still be found on Youtube. I've also enjoyed videos/blogs by Strawberry Singh, which I find to be quite detailed and informative. There are so many amazing residents in SL and I could fill many pages if I were to list them all here.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

• Flickr  
• Youtube
• Instagram  

Watch this fantastic video submitted by Yu Zhu for this Spotlight feature.

Thank you, Yu Zhu, for sharing your life-changing experiences with us.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on Dirk Vanlager, an extensive traveler of both the physical and virtual worlds. He's reviewed over 50 hotels in Second Life and is known as the SL Hotel Inspector!

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I originally came to Second Life around 14 years ago for my RL job. At the time, I worked in an advertising agency, and we were handling an inworld project for a client. When my RL work in SL finished, I stayed. 

I heard about Second Life via the media.

When and how did you get started writing about hotels and resorts in Second Life?

Travel has been a big part of my life. It's something I love doing personally, and over the past few years I’ve also worked in the travel industry.

The pandemic, of course, put a stop to that. 

Then, in September 2020, a friend took me to a Balinese themed resort (which has now closed) called Timor Isles. I was amazed to find out that there are vacation resorts and hotels in Second Life that mimic the RL experience. That’s what led me to create my website, which focused on visiting and reviewing as many Second Life hotels as I could. It began as a bit of personal pandemic therapy, but the reaction to it far exceeded my expectations so I carried on. Fifteen months later, and I’ve now stayed in over 50 SL hotels.

Do you have a submission process for Residents who want to have their hotel or resort promoted on your blog?

I would love to hear from hotel or resort owners. The simplest way to reach me is just to send me a notecard inworld (IW name - Dirk Vanlager).

I do have some criteria, of course. It needs to be a hotel, motel, resort, campsite or bed and breakfast that roughly resembles an RL equivalent.

Ideally it should allow you to book rooms by the night. Occasionally I’ll consider places that have weekly rentals (as many resorts in RL do offer weekly packages). However, I generally don’t cover long term rental places.

Finally, I don’t accept free stays when I do a review. I insist on paying my way. That’s a policy I introduced all the way at the beginning and I have stuck to it. That way the reader knows that what I am saying is what I actually think.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.

I’ve had the chance to meet and experience the work of some truly creative designers and {region} builders. Three, I think, deserve a special mention.

Jasmine Kiyori is behind one of my favourite {regions}, Kiyori City, which is loosely based on Tokyo and Seoul. In addition to Kiyori City and the neighbouring Kiyroi {region}, Jasmine runs a Greek island vacation experience called ‘Little Santorini’ and the seasonal ‘Cheri Noel’ Christmas {region}. Jasmine is incredibly talented, and runs all of these destinations on her own - I truly don’t know how she does it.

Victoire Goudenoff-Sire Clitton designed Le Chateau Motel and Resort, a French themed 1980s Motel which is a riot of colour and fun. Vic is like some non-stop fountain of creativity. Over the past few months, everything from a French Guianese village to a jungle airport has been added to Le Chateau. The other day she even sent me the first output of her newly created “Le Chateau Records.”

AshaRhia is both a {region} designer who always seems to have projects on the go, as well as the owner of an SL travel agency. As part of her travel agency, Asha creates pop up destinations, which exist for several weeks before she tears them down and starts all over again. For example, in November she built a five {region} Africa experience covering Egypt, Angola, Congo and Kenya. And now in December she’s removed it and is opening ‘Finland,’ spanning four {regions}. What Asha is doing is pretty unique. She loves travel, and loves to show people a constantly rotating list of destinations recreated here in Second Life.

Where can people follow your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

My website - https://virtualhotels.online 
Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/kirkusmaximus

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Dirk’s traveling adventures across the grid, as well as the virtual hotel industry of the metaverse. Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on the virtual wellness and lifestyle publication Sage & Crystals Magazine, which was created to support and promote the rich ethnic and cultural diversity that exists in Second Life. Learn more about it from the Executive Editor/Co-Editor in Chief, ZoeyNova Oatsmill.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I first learned about Second Life from my real life mother. She heard someone refer to it on a television show, which sparked her curiosity. As soon as she signed up, I remember her telling me, “You have to join this! It’s a virtual world of some sort.” Since then, we have both been Second Life Residents for 13+ years.

The issues of Sage and Crystals cover a comprehensive range of topics and feature stunning photography. Do you do everything yourself? If you have help, please tell us about your team and what they do.
The magazine was born out of my desire to represent the diversity of Residents on the grid. I got together with a group of wonderful, like-minded ladies and Sage and Crystals Magazine was created. Although I do a lot of the photography, Sage Absinthe and I share the task so we are responsible for the imagery represented and we contribute some of the editorials. For some of the features, like Spotlight, we use the pictures of the Residents we are showcasing.

Our staff consists of:
ZoeyNova Oatsmill - Executive Editor/Co-Editor in Chief
Sage Absinthe - Co-Editor in Chief
Pilar Mimulus - Editor-at-Large/Editorial Coordinator and Project Manager
Harper Nova - Relationship Manager/ Editor-at-Large
Ari Lexington - In-House Interior Stylist/Set Designer

A huge step forward in representation involves normalizing the idea that people of all backgrounds exist outside of stereotypes and are capable of a variety of interests and skills. You do such an amazing job of that with your magazine. How would you describe your approach to this?
The mission statement of our magazine states, “Sage and Crystals SL is a magazine created by a Second Life collective to present a virtual wellness and lifestyle magazine that supports and promotes the rich ethnic and cultural diversity that exists within SL.” The magazine is meant to be representative of the world at large as it exists on the grid without a bow to prejudice and stereotypes. I feel that the Second Life platform takes away some of the barriers that prevent us from interacting with different groups of people in {the physical world}. On the grid, you can be who you are or who you feel you are. My goal is to make an effort to show that at the core we are all human. We are all just people having experiences that could be teachable moments; moments that could expand you, or stunt/limit you. The opportunity to bridge some gaps and explore differences as a form of education exists in Second Life. The learned opportunity is transferable and  applicable to real life, too.

What are some things you hope people get out of reading your magazine?
By reading the magazine I hope people will suspend judgment to acknowledge and embrace the diversity that exists in Second Life. Our community is not linear and should reflect and relate to those in it. This social platform can allow us to build bridges and connect with different people and cultures on our own accord, as well as vigorously challenge the conditioned narratives and assumptions that have been echoed in real life.

Also, I hope that people can see that virtual wellness is essential. There are so many places on the grid to practice self-reflection, meditation, and other wellness activities to be a better version of ourselves, which can be so beneficial.

Are you accepting submissions from other Residents at this time? If so, where and how?
No, we aren’t accepting submissions at this time, However, we review suggestions and comments that come in from notecards, IMs, or via our social media platforms.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
Second Life Residents can check out our work on Issuu, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Instagram.

Thank you for this opportunity!

Watch this fantastic video from the Sage and Crystals team:

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Sage & Crystals Magazine, and start living your best virtual life!

Each weekly post will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

Today we are shining a spotlight on Caligula Aquila, a talented Resident that has been creating content in Second Life for 15 years, and just in time for the holidays, he’s released a new machinima series!

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I have been in Second Life since 2008. It all started when I was on a business trip, and while watching the news in my hotel room, they mentioned in their highlights, a real estate lady who made the highest revenue in Second Life. When I traveled back to my office, out of curiosity I typed “secondlife.com”. That day, I didn’t realize that it was a beginning of a new era in my life.

You have been creating content in Second Life for many years, do you have a background in fashion or 3D creation?
Not at all, I worked for many international companies, and I used to travel all around the globe to open new properties. A year before entering Second Life, I participated in a graphic design competition, organized by a well-known international tv station. I won the first prize, and it was a hint that my passion is somewhere else.

Can you tell us more about the various brands you have in Second Life?
I have five brands in Second Life: 

1. CA WEAR carries men's casuals, smart chic, and street fashion styles.
2. CHIC carries women’s fashions.
3. HATSWORLD carries a wide range of hats, caps, headdresses, helmets, and more.
4. AZALEA is a premium furniture store.
5. CALIGULA is our oldest brand, specializing in uniforms.

You also have an interest in machinima, when did you start creating videos in Second Life? 
I made machinima in my early days in Second Life. Back then we used to use Fraps to capture our scenes. Unfortunately, it was only a tiny experience before I started focusing on retail for the next 15 years. Until this last October, when we filmed Scrooge – A Second Life Christmas Carol, as a tribute to Second Life in its 20th Anniversary year, and it was a great comeback!

You have now started AVTV, can you tell us more about that and your future plans?
AVTV is our newest project with a unique new concept of delivering a quality, realistic, and decent image to all our viewers in Second Life or even outside the grid. Besides AVTV’s newscast and the special reports, we will be presenting many programs and interesting shows, like “Garry inSL Show”, “Live the Adventure”, “Fashionista” and many more. Our aim is to reach a wide audience in SL, highlight Residents' success stories, talk about new SL trends, recommend quality products and great offers in the market, visit popular events, and many more SL activities.

How has Second Life impacted your life?
I strongly believe that SL changes RL. And this is my case on a personal level.

I don't know if the fathers of Second Life predicted back in 2003 the positive impact of their motivational project on thousands of people. How many times have we seen RL disabled people running and flying in SL? How many times have we seen RL veterans proudly wearing again their uniform in SL? How many times have we seen couples who met in SL and got married in RL? And there are plenty of similar great stories.

Where can people follow you to know more about your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
Our inworld Stores are located on the “Shores of Joy” region and on the Marketplace.
Regarding AVTV, I encourage every SL resident to subscribe to our channel!
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AVTVinSL 
Facebook: Avtv Insl

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Caligula and his exciting new project! 
Watch his new six-part machinima series on the AVTV channel this holiday season.

1. AVTV - SCROOGE - A SECOND LIFE CHRISTMAS CAROL PART 1
2. AVTV - SCROOGE - A SECOND LIFE CHRISTMAS CAROL PART 2
3. AVTV - SCROOGE - A SECOND LIFE CHRISTMAS CAROL PART 3

The rest of the three episodes will be released over the next few days before Christmas!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on Colpo Wexler, an Italian Resident who is an architectural and design maven in both the physical and virtual worlds. Having been in SL since close to the beginning, his style and ability to navigate change have adapted with finesse.

Custom build for PARÉ Mega Store

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I {have been} in SL since December 2006. I heard about it through a friend with whom I then founded one of the first Italian {regions} in SL: "ITLAND," which later also became Orientation Island as part of the Community Gateway of SL.

Custom build for Palette Mega Store

What first inspired your love of architecture?
I studied scenography at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan, and previously at the Art School with a specialization in architecture. From that time I imagined that my scenography in the future would be dedicated to virtual reality and that's what I did. Creating architectural set designs for metaverse.

Custom build for UBER Event

Had you done 3D modeling before you started building in SL, and what 3D modeling software do you use?
Yes, I used to model both architectures and objects but obviously I applied meshes only when they were introduced in SL. Previously for years I specialized in the realization of buildings in prims. The software I use is Blender.

Custom build for T O X I I N Store

How would you describe your virtual architectural style?
My style is generally minimal/modern but I often like to range and contaminate styles. Clearly I also love cyberpunk, new retrowave, and urban style. This taste for the contamination of styles comes from the requests of my clients, who often propose interesting ideas that stimulate creativity. As you can see on my portfolio on Flickr, many of my buildings are the result of the fusion of the styles I mentioned before, and sometimes also of oriental or classical motifs.

Custom build for Elle et Lui store

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
As you can see I've been in SL for a long time, and I was inspired by other architects or designers I had seen in the early periods. One of them is definitely Botha, who made houses. Then there was a beautiful furniture store (with a lot of prims also) called CULT. Obviously there are, and have been, a lot of really good creatives in Second Life throughout its history.

Custom build for H A P P Y Event

Where can people follow you to learn more about your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
My Bio: http://www.colpowexler.com
Portfolio: https://www.flickr.com/photos/colpowexler
Website: http://www.mydigitalcult.com
FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/colpowexlervr

Custom build for UBER 2021

Colpo has been creating custom builds for content creators and events in Second Life for many years. Check his Flickr for his full portfolio.

Custom build for ASCEND Mega Store

We hope you enjoyed learning about how Colpo was drawn to building and designing in Second Life.

Each weekly post will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on the one-of-a-kind Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, an estate that hosts a variety of events for the Second Life Community. Learn more about it from the owner, Mᴀᴄʜ ᴋ. Dɪsɪᴄᴋ (BhampagnePapi).

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I’ve been on Second Life for about five years. I discovered SL by just playing many other virtual games growing up. At first I was on and off because I found it quite difficult to use it, it was very confusing to me. I came over from imvu, everything was so easy over there compared to Second Life, but I loved how realistic things were and that you can actually do and experience things differently here. Therefore I tried again and finally got the hang of things.

There are plenty of restaurants and cafes in SL. What made you decide to go with a winery?
I chose to go with a winery because I haven’t really seen one here. I wanted to bring something different to the grid. I explore quite often; the places and things I enjoy in my real life I try to enjoy in my second life. I am also a big wine guy and I knew most people would love to roleplay visiting and enjoying themselves at a winery/vineyard. When I mentioned the idea of a winery to my close friends/family they loved it and immediately supported it which really influenced me to actually make it happen.

What types of events does Pour Up host?
Pour Up Winery & Vineyard hosts several events. We have live singers, comedy shows, movie nights, parties, and date nights. We plan on extending the list throughout the year. Some events and themes change along with the seasons. The winery has been good with showcasing the talents of others on the grid.

What kind of experience do you hope visitors take away from Pour Up?
Simply have fun, enjoy, and pour up. That’s all Second Life is about: having a good time online. The destination is free to visit and available to the public with many enjoyable activities from painting, horse riding, and more. There are also items you can keep as a souvenir!

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
People can see some of Pour Up Winery’s work on Facebook , Flickr, and Instagram. We take pictures of the region every time it is updated and we share all of our guest pictures.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pour-Up-Winery-108813901449359 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pourupwinery 
Flickr: https://flic.kr/ps/3hR748 
Destination: https://secondlife.com/destination/pour-up-winery-vineyard 

Watch this fun video about Pour Up Winery on YouTube:

We hope you enjoyed learning more about this unique virtual winery. 

Each weekly post will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we’re shining a spotlight on Charlotte Bartlett, the talent behind Scarlet Creative, a digital architecture and home decor boutique in Second Life.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I joined Second Life in 2006. I had been an avid fan of playing Myst online and was looking for something that had a sense of community and connecting with people online and found it via a random Google search.

You’ve been creating content in Second Life for many years, how and when did you get started?
I started creating content right from the beginning when I joined, so ouch 17 years. I got super lucky and connected with an inworld architect back in 2006 named Scope Cleaver who built me something called the Bartlett House. I was looking at it for more wider user cases (part of my RL world back then). We called it the Bartlett House and it was pretty unique for it's time and the limitations then. During this, I got to build for the first time using the prim tools and created the swimming pool water for the house (it was all I could be trusted with ha). It was like a light bulb going off. I was hooked immediately on being able to create things in real time and interact with them.

Do you have a background in 3D content creation and what kind of tools do you use to create your content?
Zero background (as you can probably tell!) I learnt using Second Life tools which gave me the ability to understand some basics. In 2012, I transitioned from Prims into creating with Mesh. I then picked a 3D tool that barely anybody else in SL used (why not!) and started to learn Cinema4D (C4D) for fun. These days I still prefer C4D along with Substance Painter and Designer. Anybody just starting out - pick Blender (far bigger SL community to learn from and it's free!)

How would you describe your virtual architectural style and what are some of your favorite items that you have created?
My style is a little fluid and to date I am still trying to figure my own "dream" build for Second Life. Hey I might figure it out by the time my avatar reaches 20! My favourite remains when I was creating more for Scarlet Creative in world, the modernist white beach houses back in 2007 onwards. They were simple but really were fun to build so will always hold a special place in my heart. 

My actual favorites are not houses. My joy was always creating installations and interactive region experiences. It started back when I first joined. I created an Alice in Wonderland set for a SL birthday that had a full on interactive build behind it in a "secret world" through to builds collaborating with brands like Sports Relief, Vice TV, BBC and Adobe in my first few years in Second Life. I did a brief stint as Princess Mole and loved creating with the original small team of Moles. However, my favourite was back in 2008 a region sized secret handbag with adventure rooms and almost like an early style adventure room. My one wish is if I had more time I could use Second Life in this way again. Perhaps actually when my avatar reaches 20 I'll finally achieve another one!

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
There is one person above all others. Her name was Jewell Lamourfou. On the very first day I logged onto SL and escaped the Newbie section (of course I never read anything so just started to press all the buttons). I teleported on to her head somehow. She had also just joined in 2006 and had set up her little plot on Mainland. We both spent the first few days trying to figure out why there was smog everywhere. We became fast friends, and often would create together in the pre-mesh days. She was a real-life highly successful artist and created lovely textures for Second Life called Distressed Textures and had a wildly successful texture app co created by another close friend we both had. Sadly in real-life we recently just lost her this month to cancer, but I know her texture and artwork have left a legacy within Second Life that will keep her memory and beautiful work alive.

Charlotte Bartlett and Jewell Lamourfou

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
SLURL  
Facebook  
Flickr 
Instagram

Thank you Charlotte, for sharing your inspiring journey and introducing us to the beauty of your virtual creations. 

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

Today we’re shining a spotlight on Wanders Nowhere, a talented creator who has been crafting immersive experiences that transport Residents into otherworldly dimensions. From the awe-inspiring era of dinosaurs at Prehistorica to the haunting corridors of Castle Dracula, one can't help but marvel at the level of detail, passion, and creativity.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I have been in Second Life since August of 2006. I first discovered it whilst I was living and working in a tiny rural village in Japan. Second Life became my creative outlet and connection to the English-speaking world, and my primary income after returning home to Australia and growing Prehistorica into a Mesh store in 2014.

You have been a content creator since 2009. What kind of content do you create and how did you get started?
I'm an avatar and creature creator primarily, though I’ve also done tons of worldbuilding, scripting, and experience design over the years. I tell people RL asking about my job that I "make dinosaurs on the internet." It’s just easier that way!

I was fascinated early on by the possibilities of stretching the definition of 'avatar' on SL, even back when we had to use hacked deformer animations to stretch out the underlying skeleton to hang a prim sculpty creature body on, I could see the potential to be a dinosaur, a dragon, or anything else you wanted. Mesh, Project Bento, and Animesh have taken all of that to levels beyond.

Tell us more about Prehistorica and the different experiences it offers Second Life Residents.
Prehistorica was always designed to be an immersive experience, to take you back into the past to experience the prehistoric world firsthand. That giddy sense of awe and wonder we all feel as kids the first time we discover dinosaurs - that these wonderful, fantastical, gigantic beasts that feel like they should be myth really did exist, and once ruled our world - that's the feeling I want to capture with Prehistorica.  

You can ride dinosaurs, hang from a pteranodon's clutches and fly about, or buy one of our avatars or animesh and own – or become! – a denizen of the Mesozoic yourself. Our Primal Life game system allows you to experience a survival game environment where your dinosaur eats, drinks, sleeps, hunts other animals, and gains experience over time. You can also hop up to the floating Azhar Dracys dragon islands above Prehistorica to play a special minigame where you (as a human, dinosaur or dragon) battle invading Elementals for prizes.

You also have another project in Second Life, Castle Dracula, tell us more about that.
This is my other major project on Second Life, which I have been working on for 15 years. It’s a recreation of Dracula’s own castle, inspired by the original novel - and influenced by the legendary Universal and Hammer films, and the Castlevania game series - but with the novel as its touchstone. In 2022, I opened it as “Castle Dracula: A Gothic Horror Experience”, a gigantic, sprawling haunt like nothing else on the grid, and a way for people to discover the original literature in an interactive, cinematic, and scary way.

You take on the search for Jonathan Harker, traveling to Transylvania, meeting The Count Himself, and exploring his Castle in search of Jonathan’s diaries and the truth of his fate. Along the way, there are plenty of chills and surprises and an ending that will haunt you for a long time to come.

Just in time for Halloween 2023, I’ve expanded it with a second storyline based on Sheridan LeFanu’s “Carmilla”. In ‘Carmilla: The Love of the Dead”, you’ll follow the novella’s protagonist Laura as she searches for closure on her encounter with the alluring and sinister Carmilla, ten years after the story. Is Carmilla truly gone? In the tangled depths of the Castle, a story of grief, desire, and terror awaits you with more puzzles, new haunts, unique prizes, new areas of the Castle, and new cinematic twists to a classic tale.

Come this Halloween - and stay forever! Castle Dracula is open all year round, and I intend to continue expanding it with more classic gothic tales in the future; Carmilla is to be the first of several new chapters...so stay tuned, my dear guests, for more horror to come.

Who are some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire?
I still have a profound respect for people like Flea Bussy of Grendel’s Children and Stickman Ingmann of Seawolf and Roarbeast, who were there before me pushing the limits of what SL could do back in the days before even Sculpties were a thing. I think there’s a sense of lost history there. Only Grendel’s, Seawolf, Nargus Labs, and Isle of Wyrms were doing non-humanoid creature avatars when I got my start. They walked so that every creature avatar maker since could run, fly, hop, scuttle, and slither. That’s part of the story of the grid, SL wouldn’t be what it is without them.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
You can find Prehistorica here:
Inworld Store / Main Sim
SecondLife Marketplace
Inworld Group: secondlife:///app/group/0d91b53a-3995-9ca3-41ee-299af853749d/about
Our Website
Discord
Facebook
YouTube
Flickr

Prehistorica, the Dawn Kingdoms

Journey to an age when dinosaurs walked the earth and dragons ruled the skies. Plunge into this time travel experience or battle invading elementals in the floating temple of Azhar Dracys. Explore the primordial jungles, smoldering volcanos, and sunlit seas of a forgotten world. Encounter its majestic and deadly denizens, take one home as an Animesh companion, or become one yourself and experience SL as never before in the form of one of our dozens of awe-inspiring dinosaur and mighty dragon Avatars!

More Info Teleport

The Castle Dracula Experience and Carmilla: the Love of the Dead can be found here:
Inworld Landing Point
Inworld Group: secondlife:///app/group/beaf63f9-e2fa-43b0-4281-185db70dbf0e/about
Discord
Facebook
Flickr

Castle Dracula - Gothic Horror Experience

Journey to 1890s Transylvania in search of the missing Jonathan Harker. Explore the colossal castle of Count Dracula in search of his journals, meet the Count Himself, and do try to stay among the living...if you can. Castle Dracula: A Gothic Horror Experience is a massive, immersive narrative-driven haunt unlike any other, 14 years in the making. In October 2023, plunge into a brand new tale of terror and embrace another classic of gothic literature with our first expansion storyline. Follow the fate of Laura as she pursues the echoes of dread and desire in CARMILLA: THE LOVE OF THE DEAD.

More Info Teleport

Come visit our prehistoric landscape, soar the heavens and swim the seas, hang out with us, and get in touch with your inner dinosaur – or dragon – or giant prehistoric snake 😊 Prehistorica welcomes explorers of every era. Just remember to be polite – some of our denizens get a little toothy when they haven’t had their morning snacks!

Watch a video submitted by Wanders Nowhere for this Spotlight feature, video production by Caelyn Moss:

Thank you, Wanders, for adding the magic of imagination to unforgettable Second Life experiences.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

This week we are shining a spotlight on Bixyl Shuftan, who just celebrated 14 years of reporting the Second Life news!

Artwork of Bixyl Shuftan’s Second Life avatar by artist Alleara Snoodle

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I first started hearing about Second Life in 2006 when one of my online friends told me about it. She got me interested, and when I got high-speed internet that year, I signed up for it. But it wasn't until {the next} summer that I began logging on regularly.

When and how did you get started writing about the latest news in Second Life?

After I began coming here on a regular basis, I wanted to know more about the place. So I started reading blogs and newsletters about the virtual world. One was the Second Life Newspaper, owned by JamesT Juno and run by Dana Vanmoer. After I sent in some reader submissions in late October 2006, they asked me to meet up with them. After a short conversation, {they} hired me as one of their reporters. So I was officially in {around} early November 2006.

For two and a half years, I would send the Second Life Newspaper articles about various people, places, and events at least once a week, often more, as well as most of its cartoons. But real life would catch up to James and Dana, and in June 2010 they sadly closed the paper. But the staff had been told ahead of time, so three other Residents and I started a new publication: the Second Life Newser. By July, it was clear we were around to stay. And although there have been changes in the staff since then (Gemma Cleanslate has thankfully remained onboard), we've continued to report the news about the people, places, and events, publishing online on a daily basis.

The Second Life Newser Office in Second Life

Do you have a submission process for Residents who want to have their event or location promoted on your news blog?

For the majority of places and events, such as stores and club anniversaries, we generally charge an advertorial fee. But {for} charity events or places that are clearly a benefit to all, such as a well done nature park, a museum, or a benefit to raise money for illness research, we'll do a small advertisement for free. If we're impressed and have enough time, we may do a larger article.

I should note that we're hiring. We've always been open to talent, and have had some great writers over the years. So if anyone reading this has a latent for writing and wants to tell the Residents about notable people, places, and events (large and small), please contact me at bixylshuftan@gmail.com. If you haven't got the time, but still want to tell others about a great place or person, we accept reader submissions.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.

Oh, there have been many over the years. Dana Vanmoer was the person who showed me how to run a newsletter and a team. In the past, there was Paisley Beebe who did a live weekly talk show. Delinda Dyrssen had her "Live and Kickin" show to promote musicians. Pooky Amsterdam for her intellectual game show "The 1st Question" and videos, as well as machinima artist Chantal Harvey, among others. In more recent years with Second Life media, Draxtor Despres has made an impressive showing between his podcasts, videos, and book club.

A number of inspiring people have been in the Relay for Life. They've demonstrated a shining example of the good virtual worlds can do. There have also been some talented examples among my virtual neighbors, the Sunweavers, such as Shockwave Yareach and Cynthia Farshore, our top builders who have designed some award-winning structures. Nydia Tungsten and I have supported one another on the projects we've done, she's probably best known for her music videos, as well as being a published writer in real life.

I should also mention Alleara Snoodle, a brilliant and kind woman with physical disabilities who accomplished so much. Sadly, she passed away recently. 

Finally of course, there's Gemma Cleanslate, who's been with the team since the start. For over 11 years she's been contributing an article or two a week. I can't imagine the paper without her.

I could mention many others, but there just isn't the space.

Are there any big news stories in early 2022, or projects you are working on that you’d like people to know about?

We'll be writing our Year in Review and for the past few years, we've also been doing a "Man of the Year" article about the person or persons who had the most impact on Second Life news. In February there will be the "Hug a Linden" event, and the start of the official Relay for Life fundraiser season.

I've also been writing a science fiction novel, "The Corsean Encounter," which is just about done, currently going through some editing. It should be published before too long.

Where can people follow your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

The Newser’s official site: https://slnewser.blogspot.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slnewser 

Besides checking it for the daily news, you can read the archives for past events, as well as articles on some great people and places.

So stay informed about the news, in both real life and Second Life. And while we may be the best source, we're not the only one. By all means, check out other newsletters and blogs (and in real life check out multiple sources of news). But we're the newsletter that reports every day on the people, places, and events across the grid, large and small.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Bixyl. Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup