If you’re looking for somewhere to take your special someone, the challenge and thrill of a hunt, or even just a cool new spot to explore for pictures or enjoyment - Second Life has the perfect spot for you! As we head into Valentine’s Day weekend - treat yourself to an assortment of guilt-free, sugar-free, free-free destination delights.

Gather with the masses against Injustice at the One Billion Rising event - which opens tomorrow! Spend your Valentine’s Day with music, dancing, art, and be a part of something big. Don’t forget to head on over there on Friday, February 14th.

One Billion Rising for Justice

Everyone's invited to One Billion Rising for Justice, this Valentine's Day in Second Life. For 24 hours on Valentine's Day, One Billion Rising brings residents and activists around for a spectacular event full of music, dance, art installations, poetry events and information sharing. Come be a part of this amazing event.

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When you’re ready to break off from the crowd, drop by some of these hand-picked forget-me-not spots and hunts to make this weekend unforgettable.

The Surreal Complex

Visit The Surreal Complex in February for an unforgettably surreal experience. Admire works of art in the museum, wander through fairy tale forests (try not to get eaten or poisoned by the plants), even fly through cloudy dreams. The Surreal Complex is a shopping event and a creative exhibit to show off what creators in Second Life are capable of. Bring your friends and prepare to take lots of pictures.

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A Tell Tale Heart

To create great works, one needs a touch of insanity. Where better to find it than at Mieville Midway's A Tell Tale Heart? Wander the streets and see what madness lies in wait. New gachas, stores and more from some of the virtual world's great designers all await you from the through February 22nd. Come... Join the madness but mind where you step. The floorboards are thumping.

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The Stupid Cupid Hunt 2

That Cupid, he's so stupid! Flying around, shooting arrows, trailing little hearts wherever he goes. He's trying to make love matches all across the grid! He has no clue what he's doing, he's making a bit of mess of the place, shooting anything he sees. Find Find Cupid's missing arrows to reach Cupid's love nest and lovingly bask in over 20 sponsor prizes.

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Love Me, Love Me Not Hunt

Cupid left his bow and arrows, and... things got a little wild. Help find the hearts before Cupid gets back! Find the hearts to get gifts like Love Me Bears, Love Me Not Bears or variously-sized gift cards.

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With Love Fair

There's no better way to say you love someone than giving a gift chosen with love. The idea behing the With Love Fair is to bring all the most wonderful brands together to provide a pleasant and beautiful environment for Valentine's day shopping. The event runs through February 21st, don't miss it!

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Isle of View

Looking for something romantic this Valentine's Day? The Isle of View brings together everything the discerning romantic requires of their romantic festivities: boat rides, fireworks, kissing booths, forested walks, tasteful fountains, and free gifts. So bring that special someone to the Isle of View and tell them how you really feel.

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Mingle

Are you ready to Mingle? Holiday Appreciation Association presents their newest event: Mingle, an interactive hud-based experience to explore, meet, and greet. Prizes will be generously offered by some of the most beloved brands on the grid. The best prize of all will be the friendships you're bound to make. Date auctions, transferable item gift shop, and more await anyone ready to Mingle. Runs from February 1st through the 28th, hurry!

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The I Effing Love You Cart Sale

Come to beautiful BuenaVista from February 7th through February 14th for the I Effing Love You Valentine Cart Sale. Love is in the air as you explore 55 carts filled with amazing wares from designers across the grid. Each cart featuring a special $10 Linden item. Whether you are shopping for yourself or for your Valentine, this sale is sure to have what you are looking for.

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P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today, we're happy to announce that Fitted Mesh is available in the main Second Life Viewer! As we've previously blogged, Fitted Mesh gives Second Life content creators the power to craft mesh garments that make avatars look their absolute best. We’d like to thank the vibrant community of creators for their thoughtful feedback and help testing this feature.

For more information, check out the

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“Will you be my Valentine?” It’s the phrase we heralded with joy as children, possibly angst as a teen, and a slight sense of suspicion as adults - but there is no denying Valentine’s Day is an emotional mashup for many.

Are you a romantic or a cynic when it comes to love? Pick your poison from the diverse and delightful assortment of options to explore in Destination Guide’s Romance Category. Find your sweet spot and take a date or friends - old and new - on a thematic adventure inworld.

If you’re looking for a place to take a romantic date, why not stop by the Isle of View? We’ve dusted off, spruced up, and revamped a blast from the past with a Swan Boat Ride and some free treats for you and your special someone. Valentine Bears, candied hearts, kissing boothsm and a skyline of fireworks are sure to send the mood for love.

For those who have a less candy-coated view of the holiday - you can grab a group of like-minded individuals and partake in the the Tainted Love Hunt - a no-holds-barred look at the darker side of love - with hunt items from many of Second Life’s strange and unusual designers and creators.

Before you dive in, stop by the Marketplace Gift Shop to get something for your Valentine or to treat yourself!

After you visit these scenic spots - share your snapshot in the Share the Sweetness Snapshot Gallery

Isle of View

Looking for something romantic this Valentine's Day? The Isle of View brings together everything the discerning romantic requires of their romantic festivities: boat rides, fireworks, kissing booths, forested walks, tasteful fountains, and free gifts. So bring that special someone to the Isle of View and tell them how you really feel.

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Valentine at Winter Ice Rock Festival

Romance is the mission at this Valentine's celebration. Bring that special someone to one of the many romantic spots. Restaurants, theaters, concerts, and all your favorite winter activities await in this immersive Valentine winter experience.

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Fotoscope Island

Fotoscope Island is dedicated to photography, fun, friendship and romance! Ride the Freefall and enjoy eight minutes of a space ride packed with animations and audio-visual special effects. Fotoscope also has quite a few of other interactive experiences. Dance and cuddle in a wide variety of beautiful spots and hidden locations. Just be sure to take lots of photos, huh?

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2014 Valentine Town

Valentine Town is a visual panorama of all the things that denote love and affection. From chocolate waterfalls to the sugary delight of giant gum balls, expect an endless feast for all the senses, with remarkable vistas and colors bathing visitors with affectionate delight.

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The Tainted Love Hunt

The Tainted Love Hunt is a grid-wide treasure hunt about anything but that saccharine-sweet Valentine's Day romance. Tainted Love celebrates; obsessional love, love of pain, loving someone to death, even the love of the suicide pact... Featuring great prizes from some of most troubled, twisted, and talented designers and builders in Second Life, it will run from February 1st to the 28th.

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Ever wondered how you could help someone in need? Enjoy concerts? The latest episode of The Drax Files: World Makers showcases Brique Topaz’s Feed a Smile, a wonderful way for Residents to provide meals and education to children in Kenya. Feed a Smile hosts a variety of in-world concerts, with proceeds going directly to those who need them most. So watch this episode of The Drax Files: World Makers and learn how you can help make the world a better place.

Click the link for the

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Interested in more Drax Files? Catch up with previous episodes below or at Draxtor’s Website.

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 1: Kriss Lehmann

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 2: Jo Yardley

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 3: Eshi Otawara

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 4: Fantasy Faire / RFL

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 5: Engrama

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 7: Rod Humble

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 8: MadPea Games

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 9: Elie Spot

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 10: Robin Sojourner

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode11: Dwarfins

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 12: Ole Etzel

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 13: Creations for Parkinson's

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 14: Rose Borchovski

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 15: Scottius Polke

February is just around the corner - and it’s never too soon to start planning for Valentine’s Day. For most of us the holiday is a blend of bitter weather and sweet romance, and at the Destination Guide we aren’t immune to Cupid’s arrows, so here’s a few places to share with that special someone.  

Since romance means many things to many people, we figured we’d give you selections from our Romantic Spots category. Look below for secluded love nests, forested venues, waterfalls, boat rides and more. And if you’re feeling the pangs of an unrequited love, we’ve even got a dating game just for you.

Your creative vision really lights our fire, so come on and share those labors of love.

Here are a few spots to spark your Valentine's Day planning.

Jasmine's Hollow

Jasmine's Hollow is an Adirondack steampunk haven that's great for friends, romance, photography or just relaxing. Secluded cabins are tucked along the forest and waterfall-fed lake. Why not row and cuddle in a romantic boat while you look for the hidden cave? Or discover the crash site below the Dirty Grind. Discover all of this venue's many surprises!

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Disembark from the nearby ship and immerse yourself in this romantic, secluded spot hidden deep on the grid of Second Life. Could this be Eden?

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Whispering Winds

Welcome to the retreat called Whispering Winds. Home to three performance venues, a redwood forest, caves to explore, and many romantic spots. Use the provided teleport posts or explore on your own!

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Dream Scene

Dream Scene lets you and a loved one design a special fantasy evening. Choose from one of the many romantic themes — there's everything from a Roman bath to a space cave — then, sit back and let the floating bubble whisk you off on a magical getaway.

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Date My Avi

Date My Avi is the hottest singles service (and the only grid-wide system) in and out of Second Life with a fully functional theater, club and more. So come enjoy in-world or at DateMyAvi.com!

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As followers of this blog will know, a number of the projects we’ve been working on to improve Second Life (like Project Sunshine) have been focused on making the virtual world work better and faster for everyone.

One of these initiatives has been to improve the infrastructure to speed up HTTP communications between the Viewer and grid services. By reducing demands on the network, this improves performance - and we’re already seeing good results. For example, 75% fewer connections are now needed when the Viewer downloads meshes! We've also built in better error reporting, which gives us more data to help troubleshoot issues when they arise.

If you’d like to delve into the details, check out this new post on the Tools and Technology blog: Raising the Roof: The HTTP Project.

What better way to start out the new year than with a contest? The New Year, New You contest is a great way to show off that new hairstyle, avatar, or anything you did in 2013. With a chance to win L$10,000 and show off your new look, what’s not to love?

You’ll need a proper background to show off that new avatar, so we decided to share a few of our favorite photography spots. Look below for a Victorian snail of blown glass and bronze, a floating miniature universe, mysterious dark forests and a mystical underwater realm. Your avatar is a reflection of your self, give it the setting it deserves.

If you’ve created a particularly photogenic spot, why not share it with us? We always enjoy seeing what you come up with next!

Sleepy Snail

Rebeca Bashly's Sleepy Snail is a fantasy spreading through a full sim that offers a sensational feeling of the purest beauty through delicate craftsmanship.

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Inspire Space Park

Meditate in the cosmos. Orbit in an ambient galaxy around the planets to down-tempo music. Relax in the stars and give the universe a great big hug!

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Sparrow Song

Sparrow Song is an intricately designed, snow-dusted fantasy realm. Wander through this glowing realm of ice sculptures, mysterious forests, delicate castles and ancient mysteries. Something magnificent waits around every corner at Sparrow Song.

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Da Vinci Gardens

Romance, mysticism, and adventure await within the varied landscape of this area. Explore outer space, sea life, or just relax in the lush gardens among the Roman, Greek, and Renaissance architecture.

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Bentham Forest

Wander and explore the dark, foreboding landscape that is Bentham Forest. Explore and discover the secrets of this vast haunted forest.

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A new year comes with lots of opportunities to make resolutions, set goals to do things you always wanted to do, and make a fresh start! Here’s a chance to extend that freedom into your Second Life - and make over your avatar!

There’s L$10,000 on the line - you could win if your avatar receives the most votes once voting opens.

Entering is easy:

1. Get a picture of your avatar’s evolution from 2013 to 2014 (new hair, new clothes, completely new look, the options are limitless!)

2. Go to the Second Life Official Facebook Page here. (If you have not already liked our page, do this first to access the contest)

3. Click the contest tab located below the cover image.

4. Review the rules and enter - just follow the steps once you hit enter.

You can also view existing entries and share your entry with your Facebook friends.
 

You may win one of four amazing prizes:

Grand Prize – 10,000 Linden Dollars.

First Prize – 5,000 Linden Dollars.

Second Prize – 3,000 Linden Dollars.

Third Prize- 1,000 Linden Dollars.

Good luck!

Machinimist extraordinaire Draxtor Despres has a year-end treat for us all - the latest episode of The Drax Files: World Makers! This episode profiles the artist Scott Rolfe, whom you may know as Scottius Polke - the artistic otter - in Second Life. Watch the video

If you’ve not kept up with The Drax Files, or could just use with a little creative inspiration to help kick off the new year in Second Life, be sure check out these links to previous episodes:

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 1: Kriss Lehmann

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 2: Jo Yardley

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 3: Eshi Otawara

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 4: Fantasy Faire / RFL

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 5: Engrama

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 7: Rod Humble

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 8: MadPea Games

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 9: Elie Spot

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 10: Robin Sojourner

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 11: Dwarfins

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 12: Ole Etzel

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 13: Creations for Parkinson's

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 14: Rose Borchovski

As we approach the start of the new year, we want to spend a few minutes reflecting on 2013 - Second Life’s tenth year was a big one indeed!

This year, we marked Second Life’s tenth anniversary with inworld celebrations, special events, an infographic of some fun factoids and stats, and gave away thousands of festive free gifts and special-edition avatars. We hope all of you who joined us in the celebrations had as much fun as we did!

The boundless creativity of Second Life users that fills the virtual world showed no signs of slowing this year. The Marketplace remained busy, merchants gained new advertising opportunities, and creators submitted more than 3,000 new entries to the Destination Guide. If you follow this blog closely, you’ll note that we also began periodically highlighting some of the new and interesting entries here as well.

On the technical side, 2013 saw significant improvements to Second Life. Project Sunshine brings faster and more reliable avatar loading, while Project Interesting greatly reduces the load and time it takes to draw objects in regions. These releases represent the culmination of some long-term and complex efforts, but more importantly, they mean that as we head into 2014, Second Life simply runs better than it ever has before.

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This year we released new tools to give users more creative power in Second Life. Materials support enables users to create photorealistic textured objects inworld using normal and specular maps (in fact, we used this to create the special-edition anniversary avatar!). The Fitted Mesh Project expands the creative potential of mesh in Second Life by enabling creators to make dynamically fitted mesh garments for avatars. We’re looking forward to seeing even more amazing creations built using these tools in the coming year!

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We launched new tools to make it easier to communicate inworld and to share pieces of your Second Life experiences with online friends outside the virtual world.  CHUI (the Communications Hub User Interface) brings Second Life’s communications tools together into a flexible UI that users can customize to fit the ways they prefer to communicate inworld. SLShare is an opt-in feature that makes it easy to update your status, share photos, and check-in from inworld locations on your Facebook wall so your friends can ‘like,’ comment, or come and join you in Second Life. That feature’s still in testing, and we look forward to bringing the option to everyone soon.

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New technology, offering new ways to experience Second Life, helped make this year an exciting one and promises to make 2014 even more so. At the start of the year, we shared our experiments using the Leap Motion controller to interact with Second Life. As we come to the end of 2013, we can confirm that early in the new year, you’ll see new options for experiencing Second Life on mobile devices as well as the full integration of the Oculus Rift.

Whether you’ve been in Second Life from the start or are just joining today, we’d like to thank you for being a part of this incredible experience we’re all creating together. This year has been a big one for Second Life, and 2014 promises to be even better!

Next year, we'll be making some improvements to the Second Life Marketplace search functionality. To help focus those efforts, we'd like to get some feedback from Marketplace users (both buyers and merchants) about how Marketplace search is working for you today and, more importantly, what you’d like to see in the future.

Please take a few minutes to help us improve this feature for all Residents by completing this brief survey here.

The survey will be available for feedback through January 6, 2014, and your input is greatly appreciated!

It’s officially winter. All across the grid, people frolick through snow, snuggle around fires and prepare for this most wonderful time of year. We at the Destination Guide would be remiss if we didn’t share a few of the awesome places we enjoy wandering through. It’s a tradition, really.

Just like the song, few things are as joyous as dashing through snowy landscapes in a one-horse open sleigh. Speaking of classics, it just wouldn’t be the same without a loving recreation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, or last-minute shopping on a snowy boulevard. We also have a magically enchanting forest and a floating realm molded from crisp winter light. And for those of you who like a little excitement with your holidays, ever wonder what a battle between Halloween and Christmas would look like? Of course you do.

As magical as this time of year is, none of it would be possible without you. So join us and create something magical. Most of all, happy holidays!

The North Pole Sleigh Ride Adventure

Come experience a winter wonderland filled with magical scenes and classic Christmas memories. Enjoy a delightful scenic sleigh-ride, ice skating, a lodge and of course a visit with Santa and his elves!

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Frosty Night 2013

There's a new sky world being held during this snowy season. Dance and share wonderful times with your loved ones. Breathe frozen air and dazzling lights. Touch the freezing feather for a gift and have a wonderful time.

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2013 Christmas Town

2013's Christmas Town is a one-of-a-kind time travel ice skating ride through an all-encompassing flashback journey through the greatest Christmas memories of all time. Don't forget to join the Christmas marching band as Santa heads down Main Street. A landscape of wonder and visually rich magic awaits you at Christmas Town!

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Imaginaria

Imaginaria is a winter-themed sim with a magical secret garden, snow, forests, a frozen pond, ice skating, a covered bridge and many other beautiful winter scenes. It's a great place to take pictures or just explore, relax and hang out.

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Holiday Havoc

Caught in a gulf between two ancient forces, the world finds itself caught between the might of Halloween and Christmas itself! This war threatens to ignite after a devious assassination. It'll require someone with the skill, courage, and wisdom to put a stop to the inevitable conflict and save both holidays. Are you up to the challenge?

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A Christmas Carol

With pride, Mint Entertainment brings you a recreation of the Charles Dicken's timeless novel "A Christmas Carol." Explore 1800's England and travel through Scrooge's Christmases past, present and future. Great fun for all!

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In the newest installment of The Drax Files: World Makers, Draxtor Despres interviews Rose Borchovski, known throughout Second Life for her amazing and immersive art installations. Listen in as Drax and Rose discuss inspiration, the creation of Susa Bubble, current projects and more. Be sure to watch this thought-provoking episode of The Drax Files: World Makers.  

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Interested in more Drax Files? Watch all the previous episodes at the links below!

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 1: Kriss Lehmann

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 2: Jo Yardley

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 3: Eshi Otawara

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 4: Fantasy Faire / RFL

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 5: Engrama

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 7: Rod Humble

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 8: MadPea Games

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 9: Elie Spot

The Drax Files Episode 10: Robin Sojourner

The Drax Files Episode 11: Dwarfins

The Drax Files Episode 12: Ole Etzel

The Drax Files Episode 13: Creations for Parkinson's

The Drax Files Episode 13: Creations for Parkinson's

A recent security breach at Adobe gave hackers access to private information for users of Adobe sites and services. This included Adobe passwords, email addresses, and password hints. Second Life has not been compromised, but, this is a good reminder that it’s important to never use the same password for Second Life that you use elsewhere.

If you have reused your Second Life password on other services, particularly if you used it for an Adobe service, you should change it immediately.

After every large breach, fraudsters search for users who reuse their passwords on other sites, so if you use the same password for Second Life and other services, your Second Life account could be at risk if one of those other services suffers a security breach.

You can easily change your Second Life password by following this link, and for more info, check out this Knowledge Base article on Passwords and Account Information.

UPDATE: 02/05/2014

Fitted mesh is here! Find out more at the announcement blog post here.

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Today, we are launching an experimental Project Fitted Mesh Viewer with additional collision bones needed to support dynamically fitted mesh garments on all of the avatars. When these changes have been finalized, they will enable garment designers to use the superior capabilities of mesh content creation tools to make garments that adapt to a wide range of Second Life avatars.

Since the introduction of Mesh to Second Life, creators have faced challenges fitting Mesh garments to the Second Life avatar. Because mesh objects are not resizable in as many ways as the avatar itself is, it has been difficult for mesh garment creators to provide garments that adapt to the shape of the avatar in the way that the image-based clothing layers do. While many creators have made heroic efforts to provide products in a range of sizes, and some have collaborated to define a set of standard sizes that work reasonably well for much of the user population, many have found that mesh garments just don't work well enough for their avatars. Mesh garments also don't move with the body parts affected by avatar physics.

Users have developed two approaches to address these problems:

Rigging garments to the "collision bones" of the avatar skeleton (often marketed as "Liquid Mesh"). This works in current Viewers for some body parts, but there are some avatar shape parameters that do not have corresponding collision bones, so garments do not adapt to fit everywhere on the body.

The "Mesh Deformer" project added code to the Viewer to dynamically compute how to modify each garment shape by looking at how the vertices of the avatar were changed from that of the female and male base shapes.

The Linden Lab development team has studied both approaches, and compared their effectiveness, maintainability, and performance. Neither approach completely eliminates the occasional need for an alpha clothing layer to prevent small parts of the avatar skin from appearing through garments, but both work quite well at resizing garments so that they fit the avatar and move naturally with it. While the collision bones method requires the creator to do some additional rigging, we have decided that because it leverages more of the existing avatar shape system it is likely to be the more maintainable solution and to perform better for a wider range of users.

We have posted documentation on the wiki describing the full set of collision bones, including the newly added ones. We invite creators to begin experimenting with creating garments rigged to this new skeleton.

At this time, the new skeleton should be considered provisional and subject to change; we do not yet recommend selling or buying garments rigged to it. Since we may find reasons to improve it during this testing process, and any change to the collision bones will likely break garments rigged before the change, we want to make sure that we have a set of bones that we can all live with into the indefinite future before it is widely used.

Creators and other users who participate in testing can provide feedback by filing Jira issues in the Fitted Mesh project.

As with any online service, Second Life users are targeted by scammers from time to time. One type of scam we’ve seen recently are websites that promise huge discounts on L$ sales and even offer to buy L$.

Often, these sites use these “too good to be true” discounts to lure you into entering your credit card information, which they then steal. Sometimes, they will use trusted payment systems, but sell you fraudulently obtained L$. When these fraudulent L$ are recovered by Linden Lab, you may then struggle to recover your payment from the anonymous strangers that sold them to you.

Not only does using these sites put your credit card information at risk, but it also constitutes a violation of the Terms of Service. Remember, you can buy L$ only on the LindeX or from an authorized L$ reseller; you can sell L$ only on the LindeX.

The good news is, keeping your credit card and your Second Life account safe is easy:

• Only purchase L$ on the LindeX or from an authorized L$ reseller

• Remember that the only place to sell your L$ is the LindeX, the official exchange operated by Linden Lab

• Be wary of any offer (which may be made via IM or direct message) that sounds too good to be true. If the site isn’t an authorized L$ reseller, ignore it.

We’ve been working for some time on a set of improvements – code-named Project Shining - to give Second Life users a better inworld experience. The latest improvements from this work include an improved object-caching and streaming system called Project Interesting.  

As we’ve previously blogged, this project will greatly reduce the load and time it takes to draw objects in regions. Put simply, this means scenes will appear more quickly and smoothly as you move throughout Second Life.

Project Interesting is a set of improvements to how the Viewer and server work together to know what scene objects to draw. We’ve already made the server smarter about sending the important, "interesting" stuff first, and today we’re launching a release candidate for a new Viewer that does a much better job of storing and managing the scene data on your computer. This will not only improve the speed at which a location loads, it will also help with overall Viewer performance.

This all translates to a smoother, faster Second Life experience that gets you to the Interesting stuff that much faster. So check out the

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We’ve seen many great machinima films created in Second Life over the years and are happy to see events like the Machinima Expo recognizing the talent and amazing work that goes into creating machinima.

The Machinima Expo celebrates its sixth year with screenings and panel discussions about the art of Machinima on November 17th, 2013.

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Check out the Official Machinima Expo 6 Screening Films here, which include The Drax Files: World Makers Episode 2, featuring Jo Yardley - which we blogged about here.

Now that October has come and gone, why not take a moment to see what’s new with the Destination Guide? We always have interesting destinations showing up and we love sharing them. So get some relaxation in before that winter rush, huh?

To help get over all that October excitement, we’ve got some soothing islands perfect for taking a break, a fashion fair for a little remedial shopping, and a lovingly rainy gallery in a brand new location. But if quiet contemplation isn’t your cup of tea, why not lose yourself in the mysteries of a forgotten well, take in a few live shows or get ready for an ever-popular November hunt? If all else fails, you can always purge horror with creativity and create something awesome. See you inworld!

The Jerky Turkey Hunt 3

That turkey, he's so jerky! Leaving feathers all over the grid, causing chaos and mayhem wherever he goes... He's a jokester and loves to stir up trouble. Find the feathers to find the jerky turkey and end up with a gobbling gaggle of end sponsor prizes. Held Nov. 15th through the 30th, visit http://evilbunnyhunt.blogspot.com for more information.

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The Well: Sollicitus

The sequel to last year's experiment in fear returns in The Well: Sollicitus. A team of scientists investigate a strange well to uncover what happened to the young boy who vanished and the rescue team that went missing searching for him. Get the HUD and try to complete the labyrinth of tunnels, avoiding gruesome monsters and terrifying shadows.

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Otium

Otium is Latin for leisure and laziness. Otium also explains the philosophy of this archipelagic retreat. Get away from your necessities and obligations and slip into the intellectual leisure of the creative dimension. Otium is the ideal place to relax.

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Rockabilly Fashion Fair

The Rockabilly Fashion Fair has over 100 top designers with lots of exclusive items and retro hotness, just for you. Grab your friends, family, even random passers by and step back to the time of slicked hair, leather jackets and Bettie Page style. Rockabilly isn't just a look, it's a way of life, daddy-o!

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Grey November Gallery

The Grey November Gallery is exactly that: an art gallery set in a cheerfully gloomy cabin in a grey November rainstorm. The animated pictures are the product of Rodriguez Munro and were inspired by both the real and virtual worlds.

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Hesperia of Templemore

Hesperia of Templemore is a wonderful sim dedicated to live music performances. This stunning build excites all of the senses, with several music venues that host many live events. Come to Templemore City for the beautiful views, intricate design and awesome ambiance.

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UPDATE: the maintenance has been completed and all should be back to normal. Thank you again for your patience!

Tomorrow morning (Thursday, November 7), we’ll be performing some important database maintenance for about an hour, beginning at 7am PT.

During this period, a number of Second Life services will be impacted. Some users may be logged off and may be temporarily unable to log in for a brief period. The maintenance may also disrupt transactions, logins, and account registration. The land store and land auctions may also become unavailable during this time.  

We recommend that users refrain from rezzing or transferring valuable (no-copy) objects or making any L$ or Marketplace transactions during this maintenance window.

We will update this post when the maintenance has been completed, and you can follow along at Grid Status for more detailed updates as well.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you all for your patience as we work to improve Second Life for everyone.

In the newest installment of The Drax Files: World Makers, Draxtor Despres introduces us to Fran Serenade and Barbie Alchemy, a mother and daughter taking on the challenges of Parkinson’s, neural plasticity and more. Come watch the emotional Episode 13 of The Drax Files: World Makers.  

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New to the Drax Files? Catch up on previous episodes at the links below!

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 1: Kriss Lehmann

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 2: Jo Yardley

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 3: Eshi Otawara

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 4: Fantasy Faire / RFL

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 5: Engrama

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 7: Rod Humble

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 8: MadPea Games

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 9: Elie Spot

The Drax Files Episode 10: Robin Sojourner

The Drax Files Episode 11: Dwarfins

The Drax Files Episode 12: Ole Etzel

‘Catfish’ UK Now Seeking Second Life Stories

Regular readers of this blog may recall that some months ago, MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show was seeking stories from Second Life (read our blog post here).

Now, the UK edition of the show is also eager to hear from Second Life users involved in serious online relationships with people they’ve not yet met offline.

If you’re interested in participating, check out their casting call below:

Every day is dress up day in Second Life, but now is your chance to win some cool prizes for it.

The Second Life Fa-BOO-lous Halloween Snapshot Contest is here! Get your avi ready and show us your best Halloween/Dia de los Muertos themed images.

You could win L$10,000, L$3000, L$2000, or L$1000 for your snapshot!

The contest runs from 10am PT on October 15, 2013 untilt 5pm PT November 8, 2013. Winners will be voted on by the community! Check out the full rules and submit your snapshot here.

Need some inspiration for your contest shots? Here are some cool spooky spots to get your creative juices flowing.

Haunted Pirate Mystery Hunt

It's a murder mystery and hunt! People have died from a variety of unnatural causes. Can you discover what happened? Explore this magical island, looking for fifteen clues. Find the clues and solve the mystery.

Visit in Second Life

Dark Dharma Haunted Manor

Welcome to DarkDharma Haunted Manor, they've been waiting... Built in the 1880's, this haunted Victorian manor is an imposing structure, never mind the broken windows and wandering souls. It might even be charming, if it wasn't for what happened. What happened to the last occupants? Come visit, if you dare!

Visit in Second Life

DeadPool

Aged elegance is re-animated in DeadPool, a new experience ripe for exploration. Watch as the bygone disco days rise again! Zombies roam the overgrown and wistful spaces of a forgotten amusement park, see the old roller-disco flash and strobe while amazing DJ's pump dance-worthy beats. Skate around the fringes of the party if you're too afraid to chance in the park. Remember, zombies hate fast food, so get those wheels greased and ready to go.

Visit in Second Life

2013 Halloween Town

Halloween Town is full of shops for all of your Halloween needs. From party, food, costumes and more. Be sure to enter their spook house where you'll turn from spectator to participant as they pay tribute to the greatest horror of all time.

Visit in Second Life

Havenhollow

Welcome to Havenhollow, an interactive neighborhood featuring a door to door trick-or-treating experience. Trick or be treated, leave no corner turned unexplored. This town is packed with fun, mystery and excitement for friends to experience together. Days of mischief, haunted woods and surprises galore await you in this fog-lit town.

Visit in Second Life

RMK Halloween 2013

"Happy Halloween!" booms from a pumpkin-headed boy from a dark alcove. "Trick or Treat and welcome to RMK Gothic. I am Jack, the ghost living in this town!" It must be the Halloween season at RMK Gothic, come visit for spookily-themed quests, stores and more.

Visit in Second Life

The Drax Files is back with a brand new installment! The latest episode profiles Ole Etzel, the talented Second Life machinima maker behind the Mr. Bones series.

Watch the

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New to the Drax Files or looking for previous episodes? Visit Drax’s website or check out the links  below!

The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 1: Kriss Lehmann
The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 2: Jo Yardley
The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 3: Eshi Otawara
The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 4: Fantasy Faire / RFL
The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 5: Engrama

Photo taken from the Destination Guide entry for Pumpkin Town.

Thin clouds scrabble across full moons, Jack-o’-lanterns grin madly, while skulls rattle in dusty graves. Yes, friends, October is here with all the spooky holidays it entails. Every year, multitudes of creators craft scores of frighteningly wicked creations for Dia de los Muertos and Halloween. Have something you’d like to share? A haunted moonlit glade? A boutique with the perfect themed purses? Show us your creations and discoveries!

If you’re looking for spooky new destinations to explore, fret not. The Haunted section of the Destination Guide is chock full of decrepit houses, fiendish hunts, terrifying games and much more. So don your costumes and stock up