Logos representative only and should not be seen as an endorsement / preference / recommendation
Updates from the week ending Sunday, June 20th
This summary is generally 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.
Note that for purposes of length, TPV test viewers, preview / beta viewers / nightly builds are generally not recorded in these summaries.
Official LL Viewers
Release viewer: Love Me Render (LMR) 5, version 6.4.19.560171, dated May 27th, promoted June 7th – No change.
Release channel cohorts:
Project UI RC viewer updated to version 6.4.20.560520 on June 14th.
Each year the Second Life Birthday events attracts resident exhibitors from across Second Life and its multiple communities, giving them the opportunity to promote their work and their activities to the virtual world at large, and SL18B in no exception. One of the communities that, through individual and cross-supportive exhibitions, always offers much to see is the Second Life arts community, and in this article I’ve tried to highlight as many of those that I’m aware are participating in this year’s event. If I have missed yours, then I extend my apologies.
Be sure to have Advanced lighting Model (ALM) active in your viewer (Preferences → Graphics → check Advanced Lighting Model) and that you are set to use Shared Environments (World → Environment → check Use Shared Environment).
Amaze
The Ablyss – an immersive art experience by Manx Wharton and Zinnia Zauber that invites visitors to experience “the seen and the unseen”
My Surreal Dreams: sculptures and poetry – Marea2007 Praga’s surrealist look at dreams and states of mind created in a place without rules.
The Archetype of Emergence – Vanessa Jane (l), SL18B Stunning; Inside Art – Ginger Lorakeet (r), SL18B Amaze
Astonish
The Secrets of Moyaland – discover the Forest of Monsters, the underground Secret Services and the hilltop Manufacturing Secrets, all from the mind of French artist Patrick Moya (Moya Janus in SL).
Using the title of the 1926 novel of self, perception and identity by Luigi Pirandello, Vita offs a labyrinth-like wall through her photography that presents the many facets of her involvement in Second Life – creation, design, role-play, sailing, horse-riding, fashion, art, exploration, so so on. Through these images, we can explore all that makes this virtual platform both a single place and a multitude of places without actually existing as a place; somewhere we can be both a single person or a multitude of identifies whilst remaining no-one at all.
One, No-One and One Hundred Thousand – Vita Treas, SL18B Captivate
What Are You Hiding? – Pixels Sideways – an immersive, interactive environment featuring streaming media and ALM, in which kiosks ask you the question, What Are You Hiding? Click those to which you want to reply. A teleport will carry people to the Skyview for a view out over SL18B, and also to the Underworld.
Weymann Gallery – the Second Life photography of Luther Weymann celebrating the work of the Moles / Linden Department of Public Works.
The Stickleys – iSkye Silverweb’s house of (prim) stick people, a getting-back-to-basics installation celebrating the humble prim.
Electrify
UASL’s Lucid Dreaming – an immersive environment by the United Artists of Second Life (UASL), an artist group in SL that creates and exhibits art.
STÖMOL – in 2020, Huckleberry Hax released STÖMOL, a feature-length science fiction film created entirely in Second Life (you can catch my review here). A runner-up in the 2020 Supernova Digital Motion Art Festival, the film is celebrated within this installation.
The Lost Refuge – a collaboration between Silas Merlin and Solas Enchantment. Stand amongst the statues upon the 5 giant pillars that guard the elements and seek the book of lore, then use it to find five stones that house the gifts and a hidden world beneath you.
Commune Utopia Rainbow Bridge and Underwater Art Garden – and arts and music community, Commune Utopia celebrates the inclusivity and diversity of Second Life at 18 years. Cross the rainbow bridge and dive into the underwater art garden.
Happy Art Maze by Yoko Ayukawa – explore the maze of painting by Yoko.
House of Cards by Johannes Huntsman – representing the chance that life plays which determines how our world and life will turn out. Sometimes we exist surreal, sometimes abstract, other times realistic.
Inside the Box by Krystali Rabeni – who are we? Where are we?
Sparkle
Sinful Retreat: Dive into Art
Chuck Clip’s Sinful Retreat fell region has become an expressive centre for promoting all forms of artistic expression. With a focus on 2D art from both the physical and digital domains and 3D art, Sinful Retreat also offers a centre for performance art as well. For SL18B Chuck has brought together a highly expressive journey into art that features the works of 34 artists active in Second Life, a rich mix of “d and 3D works from many of the most recognised artists using the platform and an equal number whose names may not be so familiar, but whose work in no less engaging.
Dive into Art – Sinful Retreat, SL18B Sparkle
Alongside the visual art, Dive Into Art offers a peek into the art of the written word – poetry and prose – that also has a place within Second Life. More than an exhibition, Dive Into Art is itself a chapter of the story of art in Second Life, as demonstrated by the panels opposite the main entrance that start you on your journey.
The Hidden Worlds of Turin – a photographic journey through the the Italian city of Turin, and the third in a series going back to SL17B by Rubin Mayo.
Often Lost and Forgotten – Rusalka Writer’s photographic journey to Second Life destinations down the years.
Down the Rabbit Hole – Tempest Rosca-Huntsman’s delightful 3D take on the famous Alice stories by Lewis Carroll.
The Dirty Grind – drop in and learn about the independent artists community that mixes virtual and performance arts and music.
CioTToLiNa Xue’s Robot Garden – even robots like to celebrate SL18B, as Ciottolina’s little garden diorama (landscaped with the help of Terrygold) reveals.
Under the Wave – one of two installations by London Junkers.
Down the Rabbit Hole – Tempest Rosca, SL18B Sparkle
Stunning
The Archetype of Emergence – Vanessa Jane is more widely known as a 2D artist. However, as SL18B she presents a 3D work challenging visitors to ask: “What’s swimming in your unconscious ready to emerge and take flight?”
Stunning Tenshu – one of two installations by London Junkers.
Worlds Within Worlds – the physical world photography of Caro Fayray celebrating humankind and nature.
Linden Lab board member and management Executive Chair, Brad Oberwager (Oberwolf Linden) will be joining the Lab Gab Leadership Team special for SL18B
The SL18B Meet the Lindens events kick-off on Monday, June 21st with an initial Lab Gab Special that was initially billed as being the Leadership Team of Grumpity, Brett and Patch Linden.
In initially covering the series – which will run through each day of the week until Friday, June 25th, I lamented that we didn’t appear to be hearing from either board member and Executive Chair Brad Oberwager (Oberwolf Linden) or from the Chief of Staff (and herself a skilled CEO) Cammy Bergren.
Well, it’s time for me to eat my hat, as early on Monday Junes 21st, Linden Lab updated their original announcement on the Meet the Lindens schedule to indicate the Monday session – streaming 14:00 SLT – will include Oberwolf Linden.
This means the updated line-up of Meet the Lindens events is as follows:
Day (Times SLT)
Lindens
Monday 21st June
(14:00-16:00)
Lab Gab SL18B Special with the Leadership Team (Grumpity, Brett, and Patch Linden) together with Executive Chair Brad Oberwager (Oberwolf Linden).
Grumpity Linden, Vice President of Second Life Product, who will be discussing several Second Life initiatives including recent efforts focusing on growth, a stronger, more balanced economy, movement towards better community cohesion.
Brett Linden, Vice President of Marketing, who will be talking about recent user acquisition and retention efforts for Second Life including advertising, public relations, content strategy, and social media.
Sunrise as seen from the Tianhe core module of China’s Tinagong space station ahead of the arrival of Shenzhou-12. Credit: China National Space Administration / China State Media
Shenzhou-12, China’s first crewed mission to orbit in almost 5 years, lifted-off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China at 01:22 UTC on the morning of Thursday, June 17th, heading towards the Tianhe core module of the country’s new space station.
Carried aloft by a Long March 2F booster, the mission comprises three taikonauts Nie Haisheng (mission commander) and Liu Boming, both of whom have previously flown in space, and rookie Tang Hongbo. Together, they will spend three months at the space station, putting it through a series of commissioning tests and operations.
The Long March 2F carrying Shenzhou-12 mission lifts-off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, June 17th (UTC), 2021. Credit: China Stat Media
Following launch, the Shenzhou vehicle performed a rapid chase-and-catch with the Tianhe module, docking with it some 6 hours 32 minutes later. In doing so, it became the second vehicle to dock with the module, the first being the Tianzhou-2 resupply vehicle which delivered essential supplies and equipment to the fledgling space station at the end of May 2021.
Overall, Shenzhou-12 is the the third of eleven flights China has planned between now and the end of 2022 in order to complete the Tinagong station, the first having been the Tinahe module itself. These launches will include two science modules and additional Shenzhou crew and Tianzhou resupply missions.
The Shenzhou-12 crew aboard Tianhe. Form left to right: Tang Hongbo, mission commander Nie Haisheng and Liu Boming. Credit: China State Media
The flight of Shenzhou-12 also marked the first time China has used the chase-and-catch approach to orbital rendezvous. It is a technique both Russia and the United States have started to employ in order to more quickly deliver cosmonauts and astronauts to the International Space Station; for China, it meant reducing a typical two-day rendezvous time seen with the earlier Tiangong orbital laboratories to just the 6+ hours seen in this flight.
Prior to launch, the crew were treated to a parade and celebration by members of the People’s Liberation Army and their families (there is no real civil / military distinction in China’s human spaceflight operations), whilst their arrival and boarding the Tinahe marked the first time since May 2000 that two orbiting space stations have been simultaneously inhabited – back then it was the ISS and Russia’s soon-to-be-decommissioned Mir. Now it is the ISS and the nascent Tiangong station.
Ahead of the launch and during an international conference on space development, China joined with Russia in formally announcing the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), intended to serve as ” a comprehensive scientific experiment base built on the lunar surface and on [sic] the lunar orbit”, inviting international partners to join them.
ILRS is seen as something of a competitor to the American-led Artemis programme, and during the presentation representatives of Russia’s Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) indicated that ILRS will (like Artemis) combine a Moon-orbiting space station with a surface base in the lunar south polar region.
First announced in March 2021, after Russia rejected US overtures to be a part of Artemis, the ILRS looks set to undergo a rapid cycle of development. China and Russia anticipate working together between 2021 and 2025 to select the preferred location for the lunar base, with actual deployment and construction to commence in 2026 and continue through until 2036. During the construction phase, the two countries plan to place a station into cislunar space which will act as a waystation between their orbital facilities in Earth orbit and the lunar base (China will use their Tiangong station at the “earth end” for flights to / from the Moon, and Russia will use its recently-announced new space station, which it intends to have operational by 2030).
An artist’s impression of the Russia-China ILRS, showing the main pressurised facilities in the foreground, solar power facilities to the right and communications arrays in the background. Credit: Roscosmos / CNSA
According to both countries, the focus of ILRS will be to “carry out multi-disciplinary and multi-objective scientific research activities including exploration and utilisation, and lunar-based observation.” They further indicated that the European Space Agency (ESA), Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have all declared an interest in joining the project.
And if that weren’t enough, China has also announced it intends to develop the means to establish a long-term / permanent human presence on Mars.
Speaking at the same event at which the ILRS was officially confirmed, Wang Xiaojing, president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), unveiled an ambitious programme that would see China extend is robotic exploration of Mars before moving to more extended automated missions using chemical rockets to deliver ISRU (in-situ resource utilisation) missions for the production of air, water and fuel through locally-available resources. From there, Wan indicated the country would start delivering payload missions to Mars aimed at supporting a human presence.
For actual crewed missions, Wan said China would use nuclear-powered “ferries” operating between Earth and Mars, dramatically reducing flight times. Built in Earth orbit, these would eventually become “cyclers”, with two or possibly three craft looping between the two planets, with crews and their equipment launching from Earth to join one for the trip to Mars, and then at the end of their mission hitching a ride home on another of the ferries as it swings around Mars.
No time frames for when all this might happen were given, and China has a huge mountain to climb in terms of technology development – ISRU system, life support systems, operating human missions in deep space (and with suitable solar / cosmic radiation protection). It also has to develop the planned nuclear thermal engines the “ferries” would use and gain experience in operating them and ensuring they don’t add radiation exposure risks to crews . All of this, coupled with the ILRS plans, likely means China will not be in a position to undertake any kind of human mission to Mars before the 2040s, even if Wan’s presentation turns into a programme.
It’s time to highlight another week of storytelling in Voice by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s home in Nowhereville, unless otherwise indicated. Note that the schedule below may be subject to change during the week, please refer to the Seanchai Library website for the latest information through the week.
Sunday, June 20th, 13:30: Tea-Time with Modesty Blaise
The Modesty Blaise comic strip made its debut in the London Evening Standard in May 1963, and drew to a close with the Evening Standard in 2001 – although several newspapers which went onto also run the series re-ran it from 2001 through 2018.
Modesty Blaise by Enrique Badía Romero
The strip was created and written by Peter O’Donnell and largely inked by illustrators Jim Holdaway (1963-1970) and Spanish artist Enrique Badía Romero (1970-1978; 1986-end). It follows the adventures of the titular character (and based on a young girl O’Donnell actually met) who escapes from a displaced person (DP) camp in Greece as the end of World War 2.
Initially becoming the unofficial ward of another refugee, Lob (who calls her “Modesty” and provides her with an education), by 1953 she is leading the criminal enterprise known as The Network. During this time, she meets Willie Garvin, a man who becomes her most trusted ally and friend (but not her lover), and the two work closely together throughout the rest of the strip
After marrying and divorcing (gaining British nationality in the process), and having made her money through The Network, Modesty decides to return to England, with Willie accompanying her. Here, and for the core of the strip, Modesty goes to work for the British Secret Service as a kind of “independent contractor” working of H.M. Government – and she brings Willie in to assist her. During this time they also become embroiled in several adventures of their own.
Now Modesty Blaise comes to Seanchai Library’s Fireside Room with Corwyn Allen, Gloriana Maertens, Elrik Merlin, Kayden Oconnell, and Caledonia Skytower reading The Giggle Wrecker from Pieces of Modesty.
Monday, June 21st 19:00: Behemoth
In 1914, the world is divided into Darwinists and Clankers. The Darwinists have evolved genetics to make animals more useful to humans. The Clankers have built their society on machinery technology.
When the Leviathan, a living whale flying ship, arrives in Constantinople, a city where Clanker culture and Darwinst principles intersect in the most intriguing ways, Dr Barlow and Deryn Sharp deliver their precious cargo to the Sultan as part of a peace-keeping mission, only for things to suddenly take a left turn. Now the only way to save themselves in this hostile, politically-charged city is for Dr Barlow to offer up the thing that matters most: Leviathan itself.
Meanwhile, Prince Aleksandar Ferdinand, the would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne following the murder of his father, escapes from his prison camp and once more goes on the run with his men and the Loris, while Count Volger stays behind to fend-off the pursuit, forcing Alek to take on new responsibilities.
Thus, fate once again sees to it that both Deryn and Aleks must re-evaluate their precarious situations in the world…
Join Gyro Muggins as he returns to Scott Westerfield’s alternate history of Earth.
It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake.
While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns Abigail is dealing with her own mystery: teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged the teens return home – unharmed but vague about where they’ve been.
Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real and a posse of talking foxes that think they’re spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly – why?
Join Corwyn Allen as he reads Ben Aaronovitch’s latest novel.
Wednesday, June 23rd, 19:00: Carl Hiaasen’s Skink
A native Floridian, Carl Hiaasen is an American journalist who focuses on political issues (notably corruption, environmental issues and other wrong-doings) within his home state. Starting his career in the 1970s , he became renowned for being exceptionally outspoken – even against his own employers.
Carl Hiaasen. Credit: Joe Rimkus Jr.
During the 1980s, he started writing fiction in his spare time, achieving initial success with three co-authored novels published between 1981 and 1984, as well as writing several non-fiction titles.
In 1987, his second novel, Double Whammy introduced the “trailer park star tenant” and private eye, C.J. Decker, which Hiaasen fondly refers to as “the first (and possibly only) novel ever written about sex, murder and corruption on the professional bass-fishing tour.” Among the cast of characters mixed into Double Whammy is one Clinton Tyree, the one-time governor of Florida, who abandoned his office and now lives as a outdoorsman (and partaker of roadkill cuisine) in the Everglades and the Florida Keys, using the pseudonym Skink.
Skink went on to become a recurring character in a further seven of Hiaasen’s novels to date, with all the books in which he features being gathered together under the general title of SKINK, with several of them being been among the 20+ works of fiction and non-fiction by Hiaasen to appear on the New York Times best-seller list.
Join Kayden Oconnell as he continues a journey with Hiaasen’s characters.
Thursday, June 24th , 19:00: Little Fuzzy
Ktadhn Vesuvino reads the book by H. Beam Piper that spawned a series by him and other science fiction authors about a small, furry species dubbed Fuzzies.
Little Fuzzy charts the discovery of small furry species on the planet Zarathustra and the attempts by humans to determine whether or not they are sentient. If they are, then their planet will be declared a protect aboriginal world. However, The Company has desires to control the planet and its resources.
Friday, June 25th, 14:30: Terry Pratchett’s Unseen Academicals
Football in Ankh-Morpork is not as we might know it. Rather than being comprised of rules and played within a recognisable ground, it is far more akin to the somewhat violent mob football of medieval Europe.
Not that this is a concern for the elderly, mostly indolent and (some might be tempted to think) somewhat inept old wizards making up the faculty staff at the city’s school of wizardry, the Unseen University. Until, that is, their very handsome annual endowment becomes subject to their playing the game themselves.
Thus, Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully sets out a two-pronged strategy: to ensure the city’s version of football is restructured with proper (and favourable?) rules, and to put team preparations at the university in the hands of the talented candle dribbler, Mr. Nutt and his assistant, Trevor Likely, the son of the city’s most famous (if deceased – did I mention the game can be violent?) player, who are in turn supported by Glenda Sugarbean, who runs the university’s night kitchen and her assistant Juliet Stollop.
Except Mr. Nutt soon discovers he has problems of his own to deal with, and Trevor has promised his Mum he’ll never get involved in the game. Meanwhile, Glenda has the daily responsibility of baking the Discworld’s best pies, and Juliet is about to find herself whisked towards the heights of fame as a fashion model, thus potentially leaving the team a little short on practical advice…
Join Caledonia Skytower as she presents the 37th novel in the Discworld series, and possibly one of its greatest satirical undetakings encompassing football, academia, traditions, the fashion industry, politics, love, fandom, and which mixes in more serious themes of identity, crab mentality and self-worth.
About a week ago, I bumped into Hera (zee9), creator of the ever-popular Drune series of region designs and during the course of our conversation, she mentioned that while the last (at that time) iteration of the city – Drune Diesel (see: Drune’s diesel-deco delight in Second Life) – had now gone, she was nevertheless working on a smaller-scale redux of the more dystopian versions of the city.
The result is Drune Sleazy Street, and at the weekend, Hera extended an invitation to visit and explore.
Drune Sleazy Street, June 2021
As the name might suggest, the new build only replicates the main street of the dystopian Drune. Given the design is sitting within a Homestead, it’s a little hard to reproduce all of the city; but what Hera has produced is nonetheless engaging and rich in detail, both echoing the older Drune builds and offering some touches of its own.
Drune Sleazy Street, June 2021
Awash with the neon that always gives Drune a pulse of life, the street is home to the passage of hover vehicles along the main carriageways, the adult-themed emporiums and the eateries, all overseen by hovering bots, quietly parked police spinners, and elevated walkways.
Among the buildings that line the street are two clubs, one with the familiar Alien-esque theme, the other offering a more grunge feel (and called appropriately enough, Biohazard). Also awaiting discovery is opulent delight of the Shanghai Dragon. While for those who seek it, an elevator will lift them up to the Exotic lounge.
Drune Sleazy Street, June 2021
But rather than being written about, Drune Sleazy Street – like the various iterations of the full-scale Drune – is a place that should be seen and savoured while it lasts and which will appeal to anyone with a love of sci-fi (the Blade Runner references are clear in the design, and really don’t need mentioning alongside those of the Alien franchise). As such, I’ll just leave images here as encouragement (I hope!) for you to hop over and take a look for yourself.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 