On Tuesday, July 19th the server maintenance package previously deployed to all three RC was rolled-out to the Main (SLS) channel,described as “minor internal changes”. One of these sees worn scripts capped at a count of 2500. Attempts to add attachments which take an avatar over this limit should result in the attachments failing to wear.
Immediately following this deployment, there were some reports of local caps failures following region restarts. However, most of these now appear to have been corrected.
There no deployment and no scheduled restart for the RC channels planned for Wednesday, July 20th, so the entire grid should remain on the same simulator release through until Wednesday, July 27th, when a new RC deployment is due.
Viewer Updates
There have been no further viewer updates since my last SL project update, leaving the list as:
Current Release version: 4.0.6.315555 (dated May 23rd), promoted July 5th – formerly the Inventory Message RC viewer download page, release notes
RC viewer:
Maintenance RC viewer, version 4.0.7.317394, dated on July 8th – fixes and updates.
Project viewers:
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions), version 5.0.0.317597, dated July 14th – incorporation of final skeleton and slider updates from the test viewer (download and release notes)
Visual Outfit Browser viewer, version 4.0.6.316422, dated July 1st – ability to preview images of outfits in the Appearance floater
Project VLC Media Plugin Viewer, version 4.0.6.316258, dated June 15th – replaces the QuickTime media plugin for the Windows viewer with one based on LibVLC
Obsolete platform viewer, version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
On Monday, July 18th, I received a notice from Jessii2009 Warrhol announcing the launch of the second season of fund-raising by Team Diabetes of Second Life.
According to the World Health Organisation some 422 million adults in the world have diabetes and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year. Founded in 2015 by Jessi and John Brianna (Johannes1977 Resident), Team Diabetes of Second Life is the official and authorised team of the American Diabetes Association in SL. Their mission is to raise awareness, tolerance, and funds for diabetes in the virtual world of Second Life.
The 2016 Team Diabetes of Second life season will run from October 2016 through to January 2017, and feature the following events:
October 13th though 31st: Scare Me Silly Shopping Event (off-season event)
November 1st through 30th: National Diabetes Month, featuring:
November 1st through 30th: The Red Hunt
Date TBC: The Red Ball
Dates TBC: The Red Hop Around Shopping Event
Dates TBC: The Edge Anniversary Events
December 8th through 18th: The Windlight Winter Art Show and Winter Merchant Showcase
January 2017:
The Tour de Second Life bike race (dates TBD)
Closing events
In addition to these core events, Team Diabetes of Second Life is reaching out to communities, groups, businesses, organisations and individuals to hold fund-raising events of their own in support of the American Diabetes Association. To help with this, the team will be making a fund-raising tool kit available from August 1st, 2016, which will be available from their in-world office at Non-Profit Commons.
About the American Diabetes Association
Established in 1940, the American Diabetes Association is working to both prevent and cure diabetes in all it forms, and to help improve the lives of all those affected by diabetes. It does this by providing objective and credible information and resources about diabetes to communities, and funding research into ways and means of both managing and curing the illness. In addition, the Association gives voice to those denied their rights as a consequence of being affected by diabetes.
About Team Diabetes of Second life
Team Diabetes of Second Life is an official and authorised fund-raiser for the American Diabetes Association in Second Life. Established with the aim of raising funds in support of diabetes treatment and to raise awareness of the disease in SL, Team Diabetes of Second Life was founded by Jessi2009 Warrhol and John Brianna (Johannes1977 Resident), and is served by an advisory board comprising Eleseren Brianna, Veruca Tammas, Sandie Loxingly, Rob Fenwitch, Earth Nirvana and Dawnbeam Dreamscape, with Saiyge Lotus serving as a special advisor.
The mandala (literally meaning “circle” in Sanskrit) is a symbol with very deep religious, spiritual and even political meaning. The classical form for a mandala is a square with four (generally T-shaped) gates containing a circle with a centre point, and generally displaying radial balance. More generically, “mandala” can mean a geometric pattern intended to symbolise the cosmos, and which contains a squaring of the circle, representing balance and order.
Mandalas are also intrinsically beautiful works of art, as demonstrated by Australian artist Sheba Blitz, whose work is the subject of the latest exhibition at Kayly Iali’s Gallery 24 at Tabula Rasa. Sheba describes herself as a Mandala Artist, producing her intricate pieces using gouache, acrylics and metallic paints on either canvas or paper, drawing on sources such as music, books, astrology and tarot symbolism as her inspiration.
Mandalas – particularly those created through sandpainting, or dul-tson-kyil-khor, in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism – have always fascinated me, the inherent balance present within them, the confluence of ideas they represent – the sheer beauty and intensity of their very creation – is utterly absorbing and calming. Sheba’s works exhibits all of this, each one individually rich in symmetry and harmony. Fortunately, as they are produced through more substantial mediums than coloured powders, they remain with us for far longer; there is no metaphor for “impermanence” here. Instead, one might say they are reflective of the enduring measure of the cosmos.
Sheba informs Kayly that she didn’t come to Second Life to display her work; she decided to do so as a result of naturally seeking out other artists and attending exhibitions, buying art by others and immersing herself in the means to experience art in a new way. Fortunately, she was also invited to exhibit her art in-world, and because of that original invitation, we can now all enjoy her work.
It doesn’t matter whether you follow the spiritual, religious or even Jungian view of mandalas, Sheba’s work is instantly approachable and can be appreciated in and of itself. However, should you feel the desire, the back room of the gallery offers a spot for quiet contemplation.
This summary is published every Monday, and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:
It is based on my Current Viewer Releases Page, a list of all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware), and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy. This page includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog
By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.
Official LL Viewers
Current Release version: 4.0.6.315555 (dated May 23), promoted July 5th – formerly the Inventory Message RC viewer download page, release notes
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions) updated to version 5.0.0.317597 on July 14th – incorporation of final skeleton and slider updates from the test viewer (download and release notes)
CtrlAltStudio for WINDOWS updated to version 1.2.6.43412 on July 18th – Oculus CV1 support (release notes)
V1-style
Cool VL viewer Stable branch updated to version 1.26.18.15 and the Experimental branch updated to version 1.26.19.17, both on July 16th (release notes)
As well as helping incoming new users get started with the viewer and learn the basics of Second Life, the Firestorm Gateway offers them the opportunity to explore many of the activities available in-world – with storytelling, hosted by Seanchai Library, set to become the latest
On Monday, July 18th, Seanchai Library and the Firestorm team announced a joint venture which will see Voice-based activities take place on the Firestorm Gateway regions as a further step in helping incoming new users understand the breadth and depth of opportunities and activities within the platform.
The new partnership will see the first Voice-based event lead by Seanchai Library take place on August 7th, 2016, when the Firestorm Social Island will be host to the Storyteller’s Sandbox series. Launched during Seanchai Library’s highly successful Crazy Eights season at the Linden Endowment for the Arts, Storyteller’s Sandbox provides a forum for new stories, new storytellers, and new ways to present them.
Caledonia Skytower
For this inaugural event at Firestorm Social island, veteran Second Life storytellers including Caledonia Skytower, Dubhna Rhiadra and Shandon Loring will be joining forces with voice talents such as Bryn Taleweaver and Hana Hoo, who have only more recently joined the ranks of Second Life storytellers. Together, they will present a mix of original tales and short stories in a showcase of live virtual storytelling.
“We have been brainstorming for a home for this event ever since we closed Crazy Eights,” said Seanchai Lead Caledonia Skytower, announcing the new partnership. “It is a great forum for introducing new voices to the virtual spoken story community. It also provides more experienced voices a chance to explore the incredible possibilities for immersion in a virtual performance experience. Sets, avatars, effects – there is excellent work being done in all these areas, both from the story-initiated creators, and by visual artists sharing the narratives of their work.”
The new initiative came about as a result of discussions between Caledonia Skytower, another veteran of storytelling in Second Life, R. Crap Mariner – host of the web-based 100 Word Stories Podcast series and Firestorm Project Director Jessica Lyon.
R. Crap Mariner
“I heard Jessica Lyon in an interview at the 13th Second Life Birthday, and she called for performers and events at Firestorm’s Community Gateway,” Crap explained. “She even invited me to perform there, but my material doesn’t quite fit the G-rating of their regions. I turned to my friend Caledonia Skytower and suggested that we put together a greater Spoken Word Project. We both look forward to bringing workshops and other events that will introduce the new users to spoken word, and introduce spoken word communities to new audiences, members, and participants.”
The Firestorm Community Gateway user base poses a new challenge for the Seanchai storytellers. Most of the audiences they perform before are established Second Life users who are both comfortable with using SL Voice and familiar enough with its foibles to deal with the frustrations it can create. “Firestorm Community Gateway introduces hundreds of new and inexperienced users to Second Life,” Caledonia said. “We’ll find ways to leverage the power of Second Life and the skill of the ever-present and patient Firestorm Support Staff to quickly diagnose and assist these users with Voice so they can enjoy these performances as part of their early Second Life experience.”
The amphitheatre on Firestorm Social Island venue for the Storyteller’s Sandbox series starting on August 7th, 2016
For her part, Jessica Lyon sees the new partnership as a further significant step forward for the Firestorm Gateway project. “We really want to expose new residents to the broad possibilities of all they can be involved with in Second Life: music, role play, art. Of course, spoken word is a part of that,” she said. “Crap and Caledonia complement one another’s skills and are so well-connected in their community. They are the perfect team to be leading this. “I am really excited about what Seanchai Library can bring to our Gateway.”
As well as the Storyteller’s Sandbox series, plans for additional events focused on poetry, writing, and other spoken word and literature opportunities are in development, and I hope to cover all of the activities within this partnership through the pages of this blog.
For those interested in live storytelling can also attend Seanchai Library’s weekly series of events on the Bradley University region and through their website and /or my weekly Seanchai library updates. R. Crap Mariner will continue to produce his daily 100 Word Stories Podcast (link above)and conduct readings in-world at his Clocktree Reading Room.
I first visited Hermoupolis Village by Nitsuko’s Nits’ (putanakio) back towards the start of the year, after finding it in the Destination Guide. At the time, I didn’t get the opportunity to blog about it, so I thought it was about time I put things to rights.
Occupying the east side of a full region, Hermoupolis Village is beautifully photogenic, nestled between rugged peaks on one side, and what might be the tongue of a large lake cutting inland on the other, the green hills of an off-sim surround giving the impression of a rolling landscape on the far side of the water.
The northern end of the land is dominated by the imposing bulk of a department store, in front of which sits a series of terraces, each one the focus for a sculpture. These are beautifully created by Valtum, with at least two – the Discobolus of Myron, and the Barberini Faun – being drawn from the physical world. On other side of these terraces, a tram track emerges from a tunnel and winds its way past a town house, the interior of which looks ideal for telling haunted tales, and a small drug store, before running along the water’s edge.
The middle of the land is occupied by a tall town house flanked by two smaller houses, a paved rod looping in front of them. Across this sits an inviting lakeside café bar. Together these form a smooth transition between the more urban look of the department store and its terraces and and distinctly Mediterranean village of the title, sitting to the south.
Within the village, stone paths wind between the various buildings – which, like all the building here, are open to the public – while an open market offers fresh produce and farm animals wander the grass. For those looking for a place to soak up the sun, the southern end of the village offers a pool and hot hub enclosed with the walls of what appears to have once been an ancient courtyard.
This is a place which is deceptive in its attractions, as there is so much to discover. Each of the houses is individually appointed, inviting exploration. There’s a little Romany camp to be found at the edge of the village, while a little stream running beneath the lee of the jagged peaks running along the west side of the land also invites exploration.
There are also numerous places encouraging visitors to tarry: the café mentioned above, the pool and its hot tub, benches along the terraces, a small orangery offering cakes and ice cream at the north end of the land – even the verandahs and terraces of the houses themselves.
Nitsuko’s tells me he does change things around from time to time, but prefers not to make huge changes. Doing so tends to offer people reasons to return – quite aside for those making use of the stores – without the heart and look of the land being lost in a major reconstruction. For my part, I thoroughly enjoyed this long-overdue re-visit, and will be making sure it’s not such a long time between this and the next time I drop in!
Hermoupolis Village – blog post
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 