June 2024 will mark the 21st anniversary of Second Life opening to public access – and to mark it, Linden Lab has announced the 2024 Birthday celebrations as being marked across an entire month – from Friday, June 21st through until Sunday July 21st, 2024.
Theme
This theme for Second Life’s 21st birthday (SL21B) has been given as Elements, which the Lab describes thus:
This theme invites us to explore the fundamental components that make up our vast virtual landscape and the diverse communities within it. From the fiery passion of creators and artists to the fluid adaptability of our social environments, from the solid bonds within our communities to the fresh breezes of innovation that propel us forward, “Elements” is a celebration of the core forces that shape our experiences in Second Life.
The announcement also notes that applications for those wishing to host exhibits within the Birthday regions are now open, with the following notes:
Applications will be accepted through until Sunday, May 12th, 2024.
There will be both General and Adult rated regions available to exhibitors.
Exhibits do not have to be in keeping with the Elements theme – LL are keen to showcase the passions, interests and creativity of the platform’s users and many groups and communities.
In 2023, Exhibitor parcels were expressly stated as being 4096 sq m in size, with a Land Capacity of 1872 LI. While this is not stated in this year’s application form, there is no direct reason to suppose this will not be the case this year as well – although clarification from LL would be welcome.
Update: March 16th, 2024: Regarding SL Voice and capabilities, as mentioned in the latter part of this summary, please also refer to: 2024 week #11: SL TPVD summary: new approach to voice in SL for information on the new WebRTC for Voice in SL.
On Thursday, March 14th, 2024 Grumpity Linden, the Lab’s Senior Vice President of Operations, along with Kali and Signal Linden joined Phelan Corrimal for the annual Above the Book session at the Virtual Worlds Best Practice in Education (VWBPE) conference, entitled What’s Up At the Lab.
The function of the session is to explore what’s “new” at Linden Lab / with Second Life and their impact on educators and non-profit organisations using the platform.
The following is a summary of the session covering the core topics raised. The notes provided have been taken directly from the official video of the session, which is embedded at the end of this article. Time stamps to the video are also provided to the relevant points in the video for those who wish to listen to specific comments.
Notes:
This is a summary, not a full transcript, and items have been grouped by topic, so may not be presented chronologically when compared to the video.
Timestamps are included to allow a direct jump to a subject / comment.
A Little Background
Grumpity Linden: is responsible for the Second Life Product and Engineering teams. She originally started at LL whilst working for The Product Engine, and was involved in the development of Viewer 2 (as designed by 80/20 Studio), prior to joining LL full-time in 2014. Her role covers all aspects of product development and platform engineering, and as well as having a strong technical background, she also brings a strong element of interpersonal skills and psychological expertise to the Lab’s management team via her studies at the Johns Hopkins University.
Kali Linden: is now a Director of Engineering at the Lab, reporting into Grumpity, specifically focused on the Lab’s web properties (e.g. lindenlab.com, secondlife.com, the Marketplace, etc.) and associated UI and API design. She has a keen focus on matters pertaining to content creation and also in working in the non-profit sphere, describing herself as a “Nonprofit-preneur” as well as a “Nerd-Gamer”.
Signal Linden: is the Director of the Second Life Server and Viewer engineering and development teams. He has been involved with Second Life since 2008, and joined Linden Lab in 2015 by way of the likes of Amazon. He is a strong believer in the potential of virtual worlds, and a keen proponent of open-source software and collaborative development. He has perhaps most recently been visible as the communicator of, and driving force behind, the Lab’s moves to the use of Github to manage viewer development and issue tracking for their engineering and development environments.
When SL introduced mesh import (2011), the COLLADA (Collaborative Design Activity) interchange file format interactive 3D applications was selected for use within SL for importing mesh models to the platform. This decision was based on its widespread (at the time) use and recognition as an international standard (ISO/PAS 17506).
Since then, content creation and the industry have moved on, and the glTF (graphics library Transmission Format) has been developed over the last decade by the Khronos Group (also responsible for COLLADA), as a standard file format for three-dimensional scenes and models. Recognised and adhered to through the industry, it is the specification of choice for Second Life to move to using.
Linden Lab views glTF adoption as a combination of:
Making the platform more accessible to a wider pool of content creators (as in theory, content made for X or Y in adherence to the core glTF specification (currently version 2.0 (no extensions) for SL) could be dropped directly into SL “as is” subject to licensing)
Making the actual import and use of glTF objects and scenes adhering to the specification pretty much a drag-and-drop capability.
While the techniques involved in glTF content production may be more complex, it is hoped that by adhering to the specification, content creators and users in SL will have great access to more accurate documentation to support the learning process, and have access to a broader set of libraries / tools presenting the means for that drag-and-drop capability with items and objects arriving in SL and looking vastly different to how they appear in authoring tools.
Physically based rendering (PBR) for materials was the first step in glTF adoption, and required a large-scale overhaul of the SL rendering engine. With its deployment and update, LL are now looking to to build out glTF support and capabilities.
Notably, the work now allows LL the opportunity to investigate – and potentially implement – the support of importing of entire glTF scenes (object, scripts, animations, etc., as noted above) into SL and have them stored as a recognisable asset.
This requires another significant overhaul of SL to support glTF hierarches, and so is liable to be a long-term project.
However, work on scene import and its associated requirements is due to start around mid-2024.
Note: this conversation included the export of glTF scenes from SL to elsewhere. As Linden Lab are still investigating requirements for permissions, etc., plus determining what will be required to allow scene import, no definitive answer on this could be given at this point, and so I’ll do no more than mention it here. Please refer to the video below if interested in the conversation.
SL Mobile remains in closed Alpha testing (Premium Plus users only) and the current testing is generating a lot of feedback.
The initial focus was on rendering – with work still on-going – to ensure scenes and avatars could be rendered with a fidelity similar to that of the viewer and robustly.
This saw limited functionality in other areas to start with, but the functionality is being built out, and will continue to be built out and enhanced. Recent updates include:
Start a new chat from any chat screen
On the Nearby Chat screen, see how many people are nearby.
Streaming audio support.
As the functionality is built out, LL plan to start looking more broadly at Mobile use-cases (e.g. bringing-in new users, which requires considering a set of capabilities – signing-up, getting in-world, making connections, etc.) which are different to many of those sought by existing users (e.g inventory sorting).
Some capabilities found in the viewer will not be available in Mobile “for a while” (e.g. building), and core capabilities required for content creation (e.g. mesh importing) may well remain bound to the desktop.
That said, basic object interactions – sitting on objects, driving vehicles, etc., – will be supported.
In terms of broadening the existing SL Mobile user base, the hope is to do so “in the first half” of 2024.
More widespread usage does require more thought around interactions with third party environments (app stores, Tilia for L$ management, etc.) before such expansion can take place.
With the introduction of the Senra avatars in 2023, LL added a web-based avatar customisation flow as a part of the on-boarding process. This process continues to be refined, wit the idea remaining that new users will start with Senra and its available clothing and accessories (LL supplied or via user creators), but eventually move to other systems.
However, it is recognised that in-world avatar customisation is “hard”, so to further assist in new users gaining familiarity with in-world avatar customisation, LL are – as has been suggested by existing users – looking to implement a similar, easy-to-understand flow to customising avatars in-world.
This does require a series of back-end changes to systems to be made, so will still be a while in come.
It will, by necessity, given the huge range of options available in avatar customisation, be somewhat constrained it terms of trying to build a more complex look, but it should allow use users to make changes to their avatar and produce a good result.
As a part of the on-boarding process, LL is looking to improve the registration API that is provided to Community Gateways for on-boarding users directly. No firm decisions on what might be updated and why, but the Lab is interested in hearing from Gateway Communities, those using the Reg API on the changes they would like to see. suggestions via the Second Life Feedback Portal.
It is acknowledged that SL’s voice capabilities (powered by Vivox) have been largely unchanged since their introduction in 2007 (and Vivox has long since ceased active support on Linux).
LL are looking to improve Voice capabilities in SL with technologies which will enable the addition of new functionalities – such as new capabilities in-world such as adding scripted control of voice capabilities.
As with PBR and glTF, the work currently under consideration for Voice in SL would be foundational as / when decisions are made and projects start rolling, allowing capabilities and options to be built up over time.
In line with the work on SL Mobile, the Marketplace / web team are working on trying to make the Marketplace responsive on Mobile, enabling shopping via ‘phone or tablet and also improving the MP’s appearance on the viewer’s in-built browser.
Marketplace Search is also going to see further improvements (e.g. additional filtering).
Feedback move from Jira to Github / Canny [Video: 44:14-48:30]:
The decision to move away from Jira was primarily due to Atlassian (who produce the Jira software) changing their licensing model, making an open-ended system available to all SL users prohibitively expensive for the Lab.
Github Issues was selected as the core replacement tool due to it both it being a good collaborative tool or developers and users, and it is a key tool used within the likes of viewer (open-source and simulator code development.
Canny was settled on for the general user-facing front-end the Feedback Portal) as it has “good” integration with Github, and has a range of tools which allow information to be grouped and displayed (e.g. Marketplace bug / issues; viewer bug reports, projects such as Combat 2.0, etc.).
It also allows for a wider range of feedback to be given, and for prioritising work in terms of popularity of ideas, identifying issues that can be widely beneficial and rapidly implemented, etc.
The Feedback Portal provides general user access to tickets; those with Github accounts (e.g. open source or third-party viewer developers) can access the Github issues side of the system (with some security / sensitive data exceptions) via their Github accounts.
The switch-over was completed in mid-February 2024.
The 2024 Virtual Worlds Best Practice in Education (VWBPE) conference takes place between Thursday, March 14th and Saturday March 16th, 2023 inclusive. A grass-roots community event focusing on education in immersive virtual environments, VWBPE attracts 2200-3500 educational professionals from around the world each year. It’s primary goals are to foster discussion on, and learning about educational opportunities presented through the use of such virtual spaces, a defining core values and best practices in doing so, including:
Helping to build community through extension of learning best practices to practical application of those ideas and techniques;
Providing networking opportunities for educators and the communities that help support education; and
Offering access to current innovations, trends, ideas, case studies, and other best practices for educators and the communities that help support education.
In the context of the conference, a “virtual environment” is an on-line community through which users can interact with one another and use and create ideas irrespective of time and space. As such, typical examples include Second Life, OpenSimulator, Unity, World of Warcraft, Eve Online, and so on, as well as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest or any virtual environments characterised by an open social presence and in which the direction of the platform’s evolution is manifest in the community.
Every year, the event has an over-arching theme. For 2024 this is Mythic Origins, which the organisers describe thus:
Mythic stories can provide a way to engage students in critical thinking and analysis, as well as developing their creativity and imagination. Mythic origins can provide students with a deeper understanding of their own cultural heritage and how it has evolved over time. It allows us to explore the origins of our socially constructed myths and legends that have inspired educators and their various works.
Join us as we all share experiences and successes in how virtual technologies used in the classroom have helped shape education for the better.
VWBPE 2023 – The Main Auditorium
Programme
As with previous VWBPE conferences, this year’s event includes speakers, workshops, presentations, social activities and more.
The best way to find out what is going on over the three days of the conference is through the VWBPE programme page, However, here are some of the highlights of major events (note: all times SLT and held at the main auditorium unless otherwise stated):
13:30-14:00: The VWBPE Parade, commencing at the VWBPE Gateway.
16:00-17:00: Keynote Address: Mythic Origins of Metaverse Myths – Wagner James Au.
Friday March 15th:
08:00-08:50: Keynote Address: The Hero’s Journey of Learning Transformation in the Digital Age – Nellie Deutsch (Ed.D) / Nellie Homewood
Saturday March 16th:
18:00-19050 SLT: Closing ceremony.
If you cannot get in-world to attend any of these or the other major talks and presentations at the conference, note that you can watch them via You Tube – check the VWBPE website for the full schedule of live streams.
WWBPE Wetlands Visitor Centre
Region Themes and Facilities
For 2023, the conference returns from space, where it has been for the past couple of years, to a more Earthly setting, presenting a series of biomes in which events will be held and people can explore and play. These comprise:
Canopy Biome (Canopy Point): a canopy biome is a forestry ecosystem characterised by a dense layer of vegetation at the top (the canopy), under which can be found a diverse forest ecosystem.
Rainbow Basin: an ecosystem found within a basin or depression within the Earth’s surface, often characterised by wetlands, rivers, lakes, with the environment ranging from dry through to very wet.
Jungle Habitat: a tropical forest environment generally characterised by high levels of rainfall and warm, humid temperatures. These are often among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet.
Meadow Biome (Floating Meadows): a meadow biome is characterised by a mix of forest and meadow habitats, generally in temperate zones with moderate temperatures and rainfall.
The four regions form a square and feature the main auditorium straddling there adjoining corners. They are supported by:
Grasslands Biome – home to the VWBPE Gateway.
Badlands Biome (Badlands Wild): badlands are characterised by their rugged, eroded landscape, featuring ravines, canyons and buttes. They tend to be semi-arid in nature. Here they are also home to the Rock Theatre Workshop.
Wetlands Marsh: an ecosystem characterised by a combination of shallow water, emergent vegetation and saturated soils. Here they are also home to several of the VWBPE social venues.
Desert Hinterlands: a region receiving very little rainfall, resulting in a dry, arid environment, often with high daytime temperatures and very low night temperatures. Home to the Oasis Lecture Theatre and The Ruins Workshop.
Tundra Expanse: a cold, treeless biome form in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, characterised by low temperatures, strong winds and little precipitation and vegetation limited to shrubs, mosses, lichens and the like, the ground being generally frozen. Home to the Quadrivium and the Hearth Lecture Theatre.
The VWBPE Gateway
At the VWBPE Gateway you can find information on the conference – including the schedule for the day, a Swag Bag which includes the conference teleport HUD for easy access to all locations and venues, information on the biomes comprising the conference regions, and more. And, of course, VWBPE volunteers are on hand to answer your questions!
Core Facilities and Locations
Within these regions the following core facilities for the conference can be found – but please refer to your conference Swag Bag (and teleport HUD!) for full information on all locations and facilities at this year’s conference.
The VWBPE Auditorium: with three access points Auditorium, Canopy Point (Waterfall); Auditorium, Floating Meadows (Gallery); Auditorium, Rainbow Basin Mezzanine), the auditorium features floating seating – just click on a barrel, tyre or box on one of the rafts to sit or claim a box / block on the bleachers!
The VWBPE Social Centres, all of which are located within the Wetlands Biome: the Wetlands Visitor Centre; the Coastal Coffee Chat; the Science Centre and the Viewing Deck, all of which will be host to gatherings and events through the conference period – check the main schedule for details
VWBPE 2023: The Hearth
To keep up-to-date with the conference, be sure to check the VWBPE website daily.
Temple of the Prim, one of the many Mole builds to be found around Second Life
Sunday, February 4th, 2024, marks the annual Mole Day celebrations in Second Life, and all SL residents are invited to attend festivities at the Bay City Fairgrounds, North Channel.
First held in 2010, Mole Day honours the members of the Linden Department of Public Works (LDPW), affectionately known as the “Moles”, resident builders and scripters contracted by Linden Lab to work on a wide range of projects in support of Second Life.
Since their inception, the Moles have have been responsible for many of the larger in-world Mainland development projects – most notably Bellisseria and the Linden Homes, although they created many of the more famous sights in Nautilus and elsewhere, as well as undertaking initial development of Zindra, the Adult continent and the futuristic-themed Horizons. They also maintain the Mainland road and rail infrastructure and Mainland waterways.
Beyond that, the Moles help develop content such as “new starter” avatars, including the Senra brands; they help develop and build Linden Games (and the Portal Park), play a key role in support Linden Lab partners in developing themes regions (such as the Motown Experience), and provide input and support to some of the out-world LL web properties.
One of the first major projects undertaken by the Moles was that of developing Bay City – hence the City’s annual celebration honouring them.
Normally held on the same day as Groundhog Day in the United States, Mole Day is open to all residents wishing to join in with the festivities, and will take place at the Bay City Fairgrounds on February 4th commencing at 11:00 SLT. The event will feature DJ GoSpeed Racer of KONA stream followed by a live performance from Evee Blackstar (Harleen Jester) at 12:00 noon SLT.
About Bay City and the Bay City Alliance
Bay City is a mainland community, developed by Linden Lab and home to the Bay City Alliance. The Bay City Alliance was founded in 2008 to promote the Bay City regions of Second Life and provide a venue for Bay City Residents and other interested parties to socialize and network. It is now the largest group for Residents of Bay City.
Saturday, January 13th will see the 2024 edition of Hippiestock take place in Second Life. A day-long music event, Hippiestock was established in 2011 by Hippie Bowman as a way to for him connect directly with friends he’d made through the Second Life forums.
Whilst intended as a “one-off”, such was the response to that first event in 2011, the Hippie agreed to consider making it an annual event -and 13 years later, we once again have the opportunity to come together with fun and music and to embrace the “hippie philosophy”, once described by Hippie himself as:
[A belief] in peace as the way to resolve differences among peoples, ideologies and religions. The way to peace is through love and tolerance. Loving means accepting others as they are, giving them freedom to express themselves and not judging them based on appearances. This is the core of the hippie philosophy.
– Hippie Bowman, January 2011
The event kicks-off at 09:00 SLT on Saturday January 13th, with the music line-up as follows:
The Hippiestock 2024 line-up
The venue has been designed to resemble the original Woodstock main stage, with a campground on the hills above it and a exhibition of art in keeping with the 1960s theme and presented by Ceakay Ballyhoo, who is also responsible for the overall build for the event.
So for some great music and the chance to peace out for the day, why not slip into something suitably flowing and emblematic of the period, put some flowers in your hair and join the fun?
Get the Red Carpet treatment at the Bay City Prim Drop 2023/24
Sunday, December 31st 2023 will once again see Bay City celebrate the turning of the year with their annual Prim Drop festivities.
An outdoor, black tie attire and/or full dress event, the Prim Drop is open to all Second Life residents, with festivities opening at 23:00 SLT at the Bay City Fairgrounds in North Channel. Marianne McCann will be providing the music and fireworks in a 2-hour extended DJ set, and food and drink will be provided.
This will also be the final opportunity for 2023 to donate to Child’s Play Charity, a US 501c3 non-profit organisation which helps seriously ill children around the globe during their hospital stays with the purchase of games and gaming equipment. So even if you can’t make it to the event itself, do please consider taking a couple of minutes out of your SL day and stopping by the Bay City Fairgrounds and making a donation via one of the collection bins there.
The Bay City Prim Drop 2022/23: seeing in the new year in Second Life
About Bay City and the Bay City Alliance
Bay City is a mainland community, developed by Linden Lab® and home to the Bay City Alliance. The Bay City Alliance was founded in 2008 to promote the Bay City regions of Second Life and provide a venue for Bay City Residents and other interested parties to socialize and network. It is now the largest group for Residents of Bay City.
Since their inception, the Moles have have been responsible for many of the larger in-world Mainland development projects – most notably Bellisseria and the Linden Homes, although they created many of the more famous sights in Nautilus and elsewhere, as well as undertaking initial development of Zindra, the Adult continent and the futuristic-themed Horizons. They also maintain the Mainland road and rail infrastructure and Mainland waterways.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 