The Community Cultural Hub

The Cultural Community Hub
The Community Cultural Hub

Honour McMillan led me to the Community Cultural Hub, an undertaking by Beth Ghostraven and Ewan Bonham as members of the Virginia Society for Technology In Education, itself an affiliate of the International Society for Technology in Education.

The purpose of the Hub is to develop “a resource directory of ethnic, cultural and historical communities for use by educators and students for research and learning.” Although, as Honour noted, it’s also a useful resource for the intrepid Second Life explorer.

The Cultural Community Hub
The Community Cultural Hub

Inside the Hub are information boards on communities within SL, arranged into a number of categories (Arts, Spiritual, Educational, Historical, Countries, Social Services, and Other). Clicking on an info board delivers a note card on the named community, while upstairs, there is a bookcase where more in-depth information on many of the communities can be obtained in the form of an interview  / Q&A with one or more of the community’s leaders.

There is also an open invitation to communities which fit the overall goal of the Hub:

If you belong to a community which prides itself on cohesiveness culture, tradition, ritual, [and] values, which are embodied in the collective identity, we would like to hear from you. At the very least, we would like information on your community. At best, we would like to interview one or several community members.

The Cultural Community Hub
The Community Cultural Hub

Those who are interested in joining the Cultural Community Hub should contact either Beth Ghostraven or Ewan Bonham in-world.

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The {Lost} Garden: The Akasha Mechanicum

The {Lost} Garden: The Akasha Mechanicum
The {Lost} Garden of Sundarya Lahari: The Akasha Mechanicum (click any image for full size)

Earlier in the week, I dropped in to LEA13 and Xineohp Guisse’s The {Lost} Garden of Sundarya Lahari, his mythology-in-the-making, and the first part of which I visited on February 9th.

At the time I dropped in, the second chapter of the tale was being installed – most notably, a huge creature rising from the sea, but the book had not been updated, so I tiptoed away to wait to see what transpired.

I didn’t have long to wait, as a couple of days later, Honour McMillan and I bumped into one another exploring Cica Ghost’s Little Village, and Honour dropped me a note card containing chapter 2 of story. Even so, it wasn’t until this weekend that I managed to hop back over to see what else had been added.

The {Lost} Garden: The Akasha Mechanicum
The {Lost} Garden of sundarya Lahari: The Akasha Mechanicum

In the first part of the story, we learned how the Ancients discovered a kind of reed capable of resonating a sound frequency when touched. Harvesting the reeds, the Ancients used them in a meditative and spiritual garden. When the Ancients discovered a symbiote, which they called the Pentapuss, and which fed off the sound waves made by the reeds, they created biospheres in which to nurture juvenile Pentapuss, helping them to reach maturity.

And so the story was told; that many moons had passed, and the Ancients had built their garden of tranquility – a place of musical beauty providing solace and much enjoyment.

So opens the second chapter of The {Lost} Garden, which continues:

A wondrous creature rose from the waters one day. With fear in their hearts and in haste, the Ancients captured and killed the “beast”.

The Ancients realised, that in their foolish haste, they had killed the mother to the creatures they had so lovingly nurtured, and that Mother had only arisen from the depth of the blue waters to the call of her younglings.

So the Ancients built the Mechanicum – to keep mother alive so that her species live on …

The {Lost} Garden: The Akasha Mechanicum
The {Lost} Garden of Sundarya Lahari: The Akasha Mechanicum

It is the Mechanicum that forms the great sea-beast rising from the waters near the Garden’s arrival point. Beneath it lies a wondrous underwater garden, which can be reached either by stepping off the side of the walkways leading from the arrival point, or by falling up to the headless maw of the creature and then walking down through it.

This latter route will see you fall through an organ which appears to be laying eggs. More of these eggs are cradled in shell-like cups. Rolling around the seabed beneath these are young Pentapuss, while swimming around them are one-eyes larvae which occasionally penetrate the eggs, causing them to glow. Around all, nutritional spores fall from the mother-beast and rise from the eggs.

The {Lost} Garden: The Akasha Mechanicum
The {Lost} Garden of Sundarya Lahari: The Akasha Mechanicum

The symbolism evident in the eggs and the swimming creatures is clear  – and quite visual, given the nature of the texturing on the eggs themselves. It’s also entirely intentional, given that this represents the birthplace of the symbiotic Pentapuss. Photos alone actually don’t do the Mechanicum or the undersea scenes justice; there is far too much movement and changes of colour for a still image to capture; rather, it is best witnessed and experienced.

More chapters of the story are due to be added in the coming months. In the meantime, if you have not already done so, I do urge that you visit The {Lost} Garden; it really is visually stunning.

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Of dying detectives, fairyland adventures and a return to Tulfarris

It’s time to kick-off another week of fabulous story-telling in Voice, brought to Second Life by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library SL.

As always, all times SLT, and unless otherwise stated, events will be held on the Seanchai Library’s home on Imagination Island.

Sunday March 9th,13:30: Tea-time at Baker Street: The Adventure of the Dying Detective

Tea-time at Baker Street sees as Caledonia Skytower, Corwyn Allen and Kayden Oconnell reading stories from His Last Bow.

A 1917 anthology of previously published Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, His Last Bow originally comprised seven stories published byThe Strand Magazine between 1908 and 1917, but an eighth was added to later editions. The Adventure of the Dying Detective is the fifth story in the collection.

Sherlock Holmes is dying. That is the shocking discovery Doctor John Watson makes on being called to 221B Baker Street. The Great Detective has apparently contracted a contagious and rare Asian disease while on a case in Rotherhithe. Mrs. Watson confirms Holmes has not eaten or taken a drink in three days.

Wanting to assist his friend, Watson finds himself forced to wait – the contagious nature of Homes’ illness preventing him from carrying out an examination – until six o’clock that evening, when Holmes reveals the name of the one man who can save him, one Culverton Smith. Unfortunately, Smith may not be predisposed to lending assistance, as he is not a doctor, but a man Holmes once implicated in a murder.

Before Watson departs to bring the man to Baker Street, Holmes makes a mysterious request: once he has secured Smith’s agreement to come to Holmes, Watson ensures he returns to Baker Street quite independently of Smith. Confused, but determined to help his dying friend, Watson sets out on his mission …

Find out more by joining Caledonia, Corwyn and Kayden!

Monday March 10th, 19:00: From an Alien Point of View

When humans interact with aliens who are actually alien, we run into the fact that we’re as weird to them as they are to us. This can cause the most remarkable misunderstandings…. More thought-provoking sci-fi from the collection of Gyro Muggins.

Tuesday March 11th, 19:00: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

FairylandFaery Maven Pralou reads from Catherynne M. Valente’s tale about twelve-year-old September. Living in Omaha, she has a very ordinary life until her father goes to war and her mother goes. leaving her at home on her own.

One day, she is visited by a Green Wind who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland, where the new Marquess, of about the same age as September, is unpredictable and fickle.

This Green Wind tells September that only she can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t, then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. And so begins an extraordinary adventure, which sees September travelling through Fairyland, accompanied by a book-loving dragon, and a boy named Saturday …

Wednesday March 12th, 19:00: A Year in Tulfarris – St. Patrick’s Day!

Join Caledonia as she returns to the pages of Caitilin Walsh & Alfred Hellstern’s very personal and charming tale of their time in Ireland, as told in her words and illustrated by his photographs.

Thursday March 13th

16:00: Original Irish Tales

With Caledonia Skytower.

19:00: The Lady of the Well

fountain-mabShandon Loring sits down to read from another tale rooted in the Mabinogion.

Originally called The Countess of the Fountain, one of the three Welsh romances associated with the Mabinogion, this is the tale of Owain, a knight at King Arthur’s court. While the king sleeps, Owain takes to telling tales with fellow knights, Kynon and Kai, only to hear Kynon tell a story of damsels, castles, great hospitality, jousts and his own shaming.

Intrigued by the tale – which is interrupted by Arthur’s awakening – Owain sets out to follow Kynon’s steps. And so he embarks on a wondrous adventure which see him repeating – and exceeding – Kynon’s deeds. In doing so, he meets the maid Luned, and finds himself the defender of the fountain and married to the Countess of the Fountain. Then, three years later, Arthur and his retinue arrive …

21:00: Seanchai Late Night

Details still TBA, so please check with the Seanchai Library blog as the week progresses.

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Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule. The featured charity for March and April is Project Children: building true and lasting peace in Northern Ireland one child at a time.

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Paradise Lost: premiere announced, and already sold out!

Basilique-logoOn Wednesday March 5th, the Basilique Performing Arts Company announced that Paradise Lost: The story of Adam and Eve’s original sin will open on Saturday April 5th – and within hours, the black-tie premiere performance was sold out!

Due to the demand for tickets, and with audience numbers limited to 40 per performance, a second premiere show will take place on Sunday April 6th, 2014, commencing at 12:00 noon.

While the initial press notes from earlier in the year for the production had indicated it would be free to attend, the Company has decided to charge L$1,000 for tickets. Of this, 50% of the ticket cost will go directly to supporting the World Wildlife Fund’s Adopt a Gorilla programme, and the welfare of the Company’s adopted baby mountain gorilla, Ihoho.

50% of ticket costs will go to the World Wildelife and the support of Ihoho
50% of ticket costs will go to the World Wildlife Adopt a Gorilla Programme and the welfare of Ihoho

The remaining proceeds of ticket sales will go towards offsetting the cost of developing, mounting and running a production as elaborate as Paradise Lost in Second Life.

Tickets are available via the SL Marketplace, and each includes two unique and themed mesh avatars audience members are encouraged to wear when attending a performance. These avatars have been designed by Sian Pearl, and comprise an angel and a demon, in keeping with the overall theme of the production, which sees elements of each performance taking place among the audience.

The angel and demon avatars by Sian Pearl and commissioned especially for Paradise Lost in Second Life, are supplied with each ticket to a performance (image courtesy of Canary Beck)

I’ve had the good fortune to cover a little of the preparations that have gone in to this production – and I do mean a little. Paradise Lost represents a huge and complex undertaking by the Basilique company, one that is fascinating to read about and discover. As such, I thoroughly recommend anyone with an interest in theatrical production in SL, or in the subject matter itself, and who has not already done so, take a read of Canary Beck’s and Harvey Crabstick’s blogs.

For those interested in sponsoring the premiere season of Paradise Lost: The story of Adam and Eve’s original sin, there are still a number of slots available. Please contact either Becky or Harvey if you are interested.

Combining John Milton’s classic poem in blank verse with the Süssmayr completion of Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor, and using dance and ballet, Paradise Lost promises to be one of the most creative productions yet seen in a virtual environment such as Second Life.

This is not one to be missed – watch the trailers and see why.

Relay for Life Kick-off Celebration and events

logoSaturday March 8th and Sunday March 9th mark the Relay for Life of SL kick-off celebration, which will be taking place alongside a number of RFL team events being held across the grid as the 2014 Relay for Life season gets officially underway in Second Life.

There’s a lot going on, with plenty to keep people occupied and enjoying themselves,  with plenty of entertainment, music and opportunities to both fund-raise and donate to the cause.

The Kick-off Celebration

Relay For Life of Second Life kicks off it’s fundraising season on March 7-9th with a weekend FULL of celebration!  Teams have been registering and will be present at the kick-off regions with team vendors, kiosks and flags waving to show their team spirit.

On Saturday at noon the official Kick-Off Ceremony will begin.  This year’s ceremony will be presented by the 2014 Steering Committee, Stingray Raymaker, Nikki Mathieson, Dawnbeam Dreamscape and Random Padar Darrow.  It will also include a survivor speaker NickiB27 and readings from this year’s Division Chairs, Gemstone Sunkiller (Internal Support), Sunshine Zhangsun (Events/Design), Serina Juran (PR, Outreach) and Dwen Dooley (Tech).  The ceremony will conclude with the traditional PARADE OF TEAMS and with that, the 2014 RFL of SL Journey will officially begin!

Journey to Africa as a part of the RFL of SL kick-off celebrations...
Journey to Africa as a part of the RFL of SL kick-off celebrations…

So reads, in part, the official announcement of the kick-off event, some details of which I’ve previously published.

There are four regions for the Kick-off celebration, which has the theme of A Journey Through the Continents. Follow the path through the continents, from the sands and plains of Africa or through the tropical rains forests of South America and onwards around the world, passing team kiosks where you can tarry a while, join silent auctions, queue for a kiss at the kissing booths, buy merchandise and enjoy other fund-raising activities while T1 Radio broadcast music and events.

...or wander the olde worlde quays and watersaide kiosks ...
…or wander the olde worlde quays and watersaide kiosks …

The main SLurls for the kick-off celebration are:

Other Events on the Weekend

If the kick-off celebration gets a little too crowded for you, why not try hopping over to one of these events over the weekend?

And there are a slew of events through the week and beyond, all a part of RFL of SL’s 10th anniversary year – see the RFL of SL Events page for details!

Related Links

Lab says “no” to an independent future for Versu

One of the original Versu titles
One of the original Versu titles

Following the Lab’s move to axe Creatorverse, dio and Versu, I raised the question with Emily Short and the Lab on whether it might be possible for Versu to continue. I wasn’t alone in cogitating the idea, several others raised the same question, such as Ciaran Laval.

At the time I made my enquiries, Emily confirmed that discussions were underway while the Lab were reticent  to comment – understandably, simply because discussions were in progress.

On Saturday March 8th, and true to her promise that she would blog on the matter when she was in a position to do so, Emily issued a brief update, stating:

So for those who were curious, Linden has now given me a definite no about selling me the codebase and IP.

In reply to a comment expressing the hope that this won’t spell the end of Emily’s forays into social IF, she replied in part:

This is definitely not the end of my trying to build more socially-focused IF [interactive fiction], and we did learn a huge amount about how to make that work, not just in terms of a technical engine but in terms of authoring approaches. So there are things that can be built on even without access to the code or IP.

There is understandably a huge amount of disappointment involved here as well.  Blood and Laurels, the latest title Emily had been developing for Versu, represents the culmination of a concept she had been periodically working on for some fifteen years, and she acknowledges that she was really excited to see it finished. Even so, Emily remains pragmatic:

Still, on a total scale of possible bad things to have happen to one, it’s not very far along the bad thing spectrum. So we go on to the next.

Whether the Lab’s decision was based on them seeing a possible means of using the IP and code elsewhere is unknown. However, as Tateru Nino points-out in a further comment, that while regrettable, the decision by Linden Lab is actually a logical business decision, as whether it is used or not, the Versu IP represents a company asset. Even so, if the IP and code is destined to sit on a shelf unused, it is a shame a way could not be found to allow the project to survive. While it may not fit the Lab’s “shared creative spaces” model, the IF market does represent a viable niche market, and Versu itself represented a unique approach to presenting IF – and of even reaching beyond it into other fields of use.

While I never got to use Versu, of all the initial new product offerings from the Lab, it was the one that intrigued me the most; I’ll miss it.