Category: SLB

SL10BCC is well underway, with lots to see and do. Given the size of the event, trying to review everything on offer simply isn’t feasible, and some hardware issues at my end mean that I’m not in a position to do the kind of “region round-ups” I did last year.

So instead, I’m offering some personal picks from what’s on display by way of suggestions as possible stop-off points in your explorations.

Botgirl Questi and Whiskey Monday – Single Frame Stories

Around a year ago, Botgirl Questi and Whiskey Monday started a collaboration, “Single Frame Stories”. As a weekly challenge, participants are given a word or prompt and asked to submit a single image with an optional text element of up to 140 characters, which acts as a narrative to the themed word / phrase. The image can be a photo, screen shot, drawing or painting and the text either integrated into the image or form a caption or title.

For SL10B, participants were asked to submit single frame stories on creativity, community and identity in Second Life. This exhibit showcases those entries, and does so simply and stylishly in a way with amplifies the maxim, “less is more” and which presents  a thought-provoking and a powerful demonstration of the creative talent flowing through Second Life.

Commenting on the exhibit, Botgirl and Whiskey state, “This SL10B exhibit is a natural extension of the weekly challenge. It takes the project full circle, from Second Life to the Web and back again.”

• The Single Frame Story challenge galley
• Learn how to submit a story of your own

Bear Silvershade – Journey

Staying with art and photography, my next choice for today is Journey, an exhibition of Bear Silvershade’s SL photography covering his work from his first arrival in SL through to the present day.

A photojournalist in RL, Bear has developed a very distinctive and eye-catching style over the years, which at present is represented primarily through his monochrome series, Journey of the Lonely Man which presents places and scenes in Second Life in black-and-white and in a manner which strongly emphasises the “film noir” aesthetic.

I admit to being an unabashed fan of Bear’s work, although I envy him coming up with the black-and-white approach to documenting SL in an ongoing series, having just dabbled a finger into such waters (and while not in any way comparing myself to his level of artistry) I find it presents a fascinating way to showcase SL in a very understated way.  His gallery at SL10BCC is also beautifully understated, offering a clean, minimalistic approach which focuses the eye and the mind on the work it presents.

If SL photography is your thing, and you’ve not seen Bear’s work before, this one is highly recommended. And whether you already enjoy Bear’s work or are new to is, be sure to pop over to Mesmerize and see the work of his partner, Derry McMahon, who has recently entered the world of SL photography, and is already making a name for herself – deservedly so.

• Bear Silvershade’s Fickr stream

Continue reading “SL10BCC: My picks of the day – Wednesday 19th June” →

SL10BCC is well underway, with lots to see and do. Given the size of the event, trying to review everything on offer simply isn’t feasible, and some hardware issues at my end mean that I’m not in a position to do the kind of “region round-ups” I did last year.

So instead, I’m going to offer some personal picks from what’s on display by way of suggestions as possible stop-off points in your explorations.

Main Installations – A’stra Stage

Also referred to as the main stage or live stage, A’stra is the astonishing and brilliant set-piece by Grendel’s Toady Nakamura and Flea Bussy. And while it may seem like I’ve flogged it to death in these pages already (or that I’m possibly on Grendel’s payroll!), the fact of the matter is that A’stra is thoroughly deserving of attention – and careful exploration!

There really is a lot to see here. Some of it touches on whimsy, some of it is intended to raise a smile, some of it touches on th history of Second Life – and all of it comes together in the most marvellous way as one of the most outstanding builds I’ve seen in SL. A’stra is not just a place where you can enjoy music through the week – it’s a place to be savoured.

Just be warned – once you do start exploring, around, over and inside A’stra, you’re liable to keeping coming back to to see what else you can find! I confess, I’ve yet to discover the UFO …

• A’stra stage central walk
• As’tra stage “tail walk”

Gwark Allen – Space and Time Telescope

I’m not a fan of huge towers at events and exhibitions in-world. Having too-high a build height tends to encourage what seems to be a “war of the towers” – who can go the highest in order to dominate the skyline, which tends to leave me going “ugh!” rather a lot and wishing organisers would say, “Sorry, nothing over 25 metres”.

However, every so often in wandering something like SL10BCC, you come across something which proves to be the exception and which clearly demonstrates that building up can be done with style, grace and meaning – and which offers a fascinating take on the theme of “Looking Back”. Gwark Allen’s Space and Time Telescope does both absolutely perfectly.

Resembling Seattle’s Space Needle (to my eyes at least), the Space Time Telescope soars majestically overhead, an elegant tower topped by a golden telescope. The elevator is admittedly a bit of a bumpy ride (hardly surprising, given all that is going on), and will take you to an observation platform where you can look out over the vast expanse of SL10BCC (or at least as far as your graphics card will let you before it starts whimpering…), and sit and chat with friends away from the hue and cry below. Or you can ride to the great telescope itself, sit in the comfy chair (yes! the Comfy Chair!), go to Mouselook and look back through time and space to previous SL birthdays.

I really like this build as the imagery involved is very clever as well as very eye-catching. As astronomers know only too well, the best way to get a really clear view of the cosmos is to get as far above as much of the distorting effects of the Earth’s atmosphere as possible – hence the graceful tower. Then, as astronomers also know, to look through a telescope is also to look back in time – the light of the starts they see commenced its journey millions of years ago; so a telescope is a very apt device with which to look back on past SL birthdays…

Continue reading “SL10BBCC: My picks of the day – Tuesday 18th” →

Linden Lab have offered-up further gifts with which to celebrate SLs tenth birthday – only these are both numbers and time-limited, and only available in-world.

The first items are mesh varsity jackets in the SL colours and bearing the 10th anniversary logo on the front and the Lab’s logo on the left sleeve. These come in male and female styles and a range of sizes (items are no modify / no transfer) and with an Alpha layer base. Also on offer is an “SL10B teddy male” – actually two bears (father and son?) the smaller sitting on the larger one’s head.

The jackets and bears are limited to 1 per avatar, and only available until 23:59:00 SLT on Monday June 17th.

To get yours, visit the SL10B gift vendor in-world at SL10BCC (there are others scattered around the regions). If gifts are your thing, keep your eye on the vendor for future offerings…

We’re into the first full day of festivities at SL10BCC. Given the size of the event, trying to review everything on offer simply isn’t feasible, and some hardware issues at my end mean that I’m not in a position to do the kind of “region round-ups” I did last year.

So instead, I’m going to offer some personal picks from what’s on display by way of suggestions as possible stop-off points in your explorations.

Main installations: History Walk

Marianne McCann’s History Walk is a must-see. Find out about the entire history of SL year-by-year, from the earliest glimmerings through to the present day. Find the year you first came in-world and read-up on the notable events.

Genuinely one of the highlights of SL10BCC.

Exhibits

Crap Mariner’s Shatoetry

I mentioned this in passing yesterday, but didn’t give the SLurl or go into specifics. For those not in the know, Shatoetry is an app that lets you arrange words – into statements, comments, messages, sentences, phrases, haiku, poetry, or even just random words. Once arranged, you can then hear the inimitable William Shatner speak it back to you in his own unique way, and presto! – You have created a Shatism!

Crap, with the assistance of a few friends, has put together a series of SL-focused Shatisms for your aural enjoyment. Just step on to the parcel and enjoy Mr. Shatner’s ruminations on Second Life.

Want to add your SL-related Shatism to the build? You can!

If you have the Shatoetry app (iOS only), record your own and e-mail it to isfullofcrap-at-gmail.com. If you don’t have the app, read  the Shatoetry word lists and IM Crap with your Shatisms he’ll then render them for you. Remember! in order to work in-world, although remember that all recording must be 10 seconds or less in length in order to play in-world.

You can also see a list of current SL Shatisms in the build here.

AineMari Flanagan’s Fantasy Roleplay in SL

I chose this exhibit because it is it is eye-catching, simple and highly effective, making it very photogenic. The piece looks at storytelling through fantasy role-play in SL, with a focus on Ynys Seamaide, a “Celtic medieval RP” immersive environment with an “emphasis on story and character not meters or guilds.”Small this build may be compared to others, but it is worthwhile taking a look around it carefully; there are some very subtle details which can be missed in a rapid look-see.

You can also find-out more about Ynys Seamaide:

• Via their website
• Their in-world welcome area (Rated: Moderate)

Note: This is a personal piece, and not reflective of any stance from the organisers of SL10BCC. As I’ve previously stated on this blog, items which express a personal opinion here do not carry the SL10BCC logo. They do not form announcements, but are my personal take on events, activities, and where to find information I believe to be of value to people attending the celebrations. 

The time has come. The regions are open. Are you ready to party? Have you staked-out your spot to watch the hoisting of the flags?

To help you get the best vantage-point from which to see the flags being hoist at 13:00 SLT on Sunday June 16th,  a map has been produced showing exactly where the flag will rise – simply pick a spot close to any one of red Xs ahead of the ceremony.

What to See, Where to Go?

SL10BCC offers twenty regions, many with 36 exhibits apiece in them, plus the Cornfield and Bear Island, and all the various entertainments running 24/7 on the main stages and elsewhere in the regions – and only eight days in which to see it all!

When you have limited in-world time, the numbers can be overwhelming and leave you wondering just how you’ll manage to see all the best bits.

Well, help is at hand. Crap Mariner, SLB veteran, raconteur and robot-about-SL has put together an informative, if personal, guide to all there is at SL10BCC. Each and every exhibit is located, named, and rated. I perosnally find it an invaluable guide if you want to cut to the quick and use your time to the best advantage.

If you are bewildered or befuddled by all there is to see, check-out R. Crap Mariner’s Brutally Honest SL10B Sim Tour.

And don’t forget to check-out his Shatoetry exhibit while you’re at it. After all, where else are you ever likely to come across Crap Mariner and William Shatner in the same space, other than in Second Life!

Take a Long Walk

If you want to add some fun to your explorations of SL10BCC but are unsure of where to go, you might consider following in David Abbot’s footsteps as he start out on The Long Walk.

The Long Walk will lead you through the streets of the SL10BCC regions on a journey of discovery.

Every day for the Birthday Week, David will be posting an account to the official SL10BCC blog of his explorations of the celebration regions and recounting some of the amazing sights he sees along the way.

All you have to do is follow in his footsteps. Along each stage of the journey, if you pick-up on the hints and keep your eyes peeled, you can pick up one or two special gifts. But be warned! These may not always be in the locations he mentions directly, although the clues will be there – even if they take the form of an X marking the spot!

He’s already posted his first diary entry in preparation for his explorations, so be such to catch-up with David through the blog and follow in his footsteps daily!

Make Time to Meet The Designers

If you’re not in the mood for partying, or if you’re simply partied-out from the pre-opening entertainments, then why not drop-in to the SL10BCC Auditorium? There will talks and presentations in the auditorium throughout the week, kicking-off with two special Meet the Designers events on Sunday June 16th, hosted by Saffia Widdershins of Prim Perfect:

• 13:15 SLT – Just Meshing About with guests Maxwell Graf, Cain Maven and Froukje Hoorenbeeke
• 16:00 SLT – The A’stra Team of Toady Nakamura and Flea Bussy will be talking all things – which will doubtless include their beloved and astounding Grendels. As Philip Rosedale once remarked: As goes Grendels, so goes the grid.” Find out why as Toady and Flea sit down with Saffia.

Catch up with the complete Auditorium Schedule for the week.

Related Links

• Community Celebration website and blog
• The SL10BCC main event installation SLurls (open from 12:00 noon SLT on Sunday June 16th):
  • The A’stra Live Stage
  • The Cake Stage
  • The Lake Stage
  • The DJ Stage
  • The Auditorium
• The SL10BCC Event Schedule
• The Auditorium Schedule
• Lag at SL10BCC –What we’re doing and what you can do
• Community Celebration coverage in this blog

Sunday 16th June will see celebrations commence across the SL10B Community Celebration regions – 20 sims packed with exhibits, stages, galleries and more – all for you to enjoy. From the 16th through to the 23rd, there will be entertainment going on right across the regions, including the huge set-piece stages such as A’stra (already very much a feature of this blog!) and the amazing birthday cake.

Given this is SL’s 10th birthday, there are some special pieces to see and enjoy as well – such as the History Walk, which brings you the entire story of Second Life from those “pre-history” years on the late 1990s and early 2000’s right through to today, allowing you to look back over Second Life’s past, and perhaps recall with a smile memorable events you can recall for yourself.

As well as the main celebration regions, you can also tour Bear Island, a traditional aspect of SL birthday events, and  – especially for this year – you can pay a visit to the Corn Field, SL’s original Sin Bin, where miscreants would once sent to ponder on their ill deeds.

Celebrations kick-off at 12:00 noon SLT on Sunday June 16th

We’ll have music from all four of the SL10BCC stages:

• CharlesDe Beaumont at the Cake Stage
• Dichromus Miles- GE at the DJ Stage
• GraveEater Xaron at the Lake Stage
• Mimi Carpenter at the Live (A’stra) Stage

For the complete entertainment schedule for the week of celebrations, please check-out the SL10BCC Event Schedule – there is going to be something going on 24/7 right up until the celebrations come to an end on the 23rd June!

The Grand Opening – 13:00 SLT

SL10BCC is HUGE, so much so that gathering everyone together in a single group of regions to join in an opening ceremony wasn’t ever going to be easy. And when we have TWENTY regions available, why should we try cramming everyone into just four?

So, to mark the start of the 10th anniversary parties for Second Life, there will be a simple opening ceremony across all 20 regions of SL10BCC – giving you plenty of time to locate a suitable vantage-point to witness the event.

At 13:00 SLT (1:00pm), the SL10BCC flags will be raised right across all 20 regions, symbolising the official opening of the celebrations. All of the flags will remain flying until celebrations come to an end on Sunday June 23rd.

Raising and lowering a flag is a very simple ceremony, but an important one. It marks the beginning and end of the Olympics and other special events; in some countries, the raising and lowering of a flag might mark the beginning and end of a school day. In Second Life, doing this on as many sims as possible, all at the same time, means that as many people can attend as possible — and it is symbolic of the way so many people in so many countries can come together in Second Life and share the experience.  So we will all share the experience of seeing the flags rise.

You can choose your own vantage point, as you can see a group of flags from almost everywhere. You’ll find them positioned near the edge of sims – and we’ll be posting a full list of locations soon both to the groups and on the blog.

We hope you will be able to join in this very special Opening.

In the meantime, here’s a little something from Kool and the Gang to get us in the mood.

P.S. A Little Word on Lag

I don’t want to dampen anyone’s spirits, but the inevitable reality is that “if you build it and they come” – then you’re going to have lag issues in Second Life. Put 40-50 avatars together in the same region and lag will be looking over everyone’s shoulder.

A lot has been written about lag, and there are a lot of myths and half truths. There is much that can occur server-side which can lead to lag issues. With the assistance of Linden Lab, the core organising team has done as much as possible to minimise these issues, and will be working throughout the week to do the same – regions will be restarted daily and they will be continuously monitored, etc.

However, a good deal of lag users experience isn’t down to the server-side of things – it comes from the client-end of Second Life. To try to alleviate matters a guide on combating lag has been put together, and we do ask that those attending SL10BCC read it, and follow the advice given within it in order for everyone to have a more enjoyable experience when joining-in the celebrations.

Thank you.

Related Links

• Community Celebration website and blog
• The SL10BCC Stage SLurls (open from 12:00 noon SLT on Sunday June 16th):
  • The A’stra Live Stage
  • The Cake Stage
  • The Lake Stage
  • The DJ Stage
• The SL10BCC Event Schedule
• Lag at SL10BCC –What we’re doing and what you can do
• Community Celebration coverage in this blog