Double Sided art in Second Life

The Whisper of Phoenix Gallery, August 2026 – Carelyna: Double Sided

Currently open at The Whisper of Phoenix Gallery, operated by Princess Venusia (Venusia McMahon) is an exhibition of art by Carelyna, which she had called Double Sided. It carries with it a simple yet nuanced idea: why have an image on one side of a canvas and leave the reverse blank when you can have two images, ostensibly of the same scene but each somewhat different on nature, one to either side of the canvas?

The result is a series of  paired images with each picture in a pair having its own story to tell.

The Whisper of Phoenix Gallery, August 2026 – Carelyna: Double Sided

Take She Sails Against the Wind as an example; in one version, the sky is brighter, the mainsail more fully set, the waters calmer, all of which give a sense of excitement: a sailboat cutting through the water, its pilot likely at ease as she sail towards ports. In the other, the mainsail is taller, thinner, the clouds darker and more roiled, the water heavier, all of which carry a hint of a gathering storm. Thus in one we have a story of carefree times on the open waters, in the other a more uncertain sense of foreboding for the boat and its mistress.

But there is also perhaps something of a nuanced exploration of choice to be found within this collection. Each pair of images gently asks us to compare / contrast their two sides and deliver a verdict as to which we prefer. In doing so, they gently nudge us to consider why we are drawn to one over the other, and the emotional processes at work within us which drive us to that choice.

The Whisper of Phoenix Gallery, August 2026 – Carelyna: Double Sided

And even if if such Deep Thought is not something we want to plumb when visiting Double Sided,  there is a third element in this approach: should we be moved to purchase a piece, we in fact have two images we can hang at home and change according to our mood or the changing of the environment in which we live in-world.

All of which makes for an engaging collection.

SLurl Details

2026 week #35: SUG Leviathan Hour: game_control / region crossings

The Simulator User Group meeting place at Longfellow

The following notes were taken from the Tuesday, August 15, 2026 Simulator User Group (SUG) off-week meeting (the “Leviathan Office Hour”). These notes form a summary of the items discussed, and are not intended to be a full transcript. They were taken from my chat log of the meeting. No video this week, as Pantera is on vacation.

Meeting Overview

  • The Simulator User Group (also referred to by its older name of Server User Group) exists to provide an opportunity for discussion about simulator technology, bugs, and feature ideas is held every other Tuesday at 12:00 noon, SLT (holidays, etc., allowing), per the Second Life Public Calendar.
  • The “Leviathan Office Hour” meetings are held on the Tuesdays which do not have a formal SUG meeting, and are chaired by Leviathan Linden. They are more brainstorming / general discussion sessions.
  • Meetings are held in text in-world, at this location.

Simulator News

  • On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the SLS Main channel was restarted without update.
  • On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, the RC channels will likely be restarted without any deployment.

Game_Control

  • Leviathan Linden is “almost done” with a revamp of game-control.
  • A pull request has been cut to the server updates, and the hope is that this will be added to the upcoming Nectarine server update. This will likely include a new UDP message for game_control so that all simulators will be aware of it before the viewer-side code is released.
  • The viewer updates should similarly be going into the viewer Develop repository in the near future.
  • Leviathan is changing how game_control event is accessed for scripts: scripts now need to llRequestPermissions(PERMISSION_GAME_CONTROL) to get game_control events, similar to how control events work.
    • He also noted that with this change, attachments and seats permission requests will be auto-accepted (the scripts will need to ask for the permissions, but no pop-up will show on the viewer for those objects).
    • The main benefit of this latter change  is it will be possible to remote-control objects with game-control input (but disconnected objects will cause the pop-up, and it will have to be accepted manually).
    • It was noted that this change might have to be included in the llRequestExperiencePermissions() protocol.
    • These changes are not currently live on any simulator.

Region Crossings

  • Pepper Linden’s work on improving region crossings should be seeing a limited deployment to the Main grid via the Snack RC channel, most likely alongside the upcoming deployment of the Nectarine simulator update is deployed to the other RC channels.
  • This test deployment is the result of concerns that the updates might result in a need for a roll-back should they might impact other region crossing changes which have been made.
  • If Pepper’s updates work on Snack without any roll-back, then a broader deployment to RC channels can be considered.
  • More information on this will be provided at the next Simulator User Group meeting on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

Avatar Movement

  • Leviathan has been working on Avatar movement, one outcome of which has been the “breakage” of the ability to “crouch-slide” (crouching and then tapping the forward/rotate keys to cause an avatar to couch and slide along the ground).
    • He notes he is sympathetic to the complaints this has caused (presumably primarily from within the combat community), and indicated he is going to revisit the changes.
  • Alongside of this has been reports that avatars are sliding a lot more when on a moving surface than used to be the case. This might also be related to Leviathan’s updates, so he will be looking at this issue as well.
  • A general discussion on holding down the spacebar being used to slow an avatar being bump-pushed caused Leviathan to mention he would like to find a mans to enable an avatar “slow walk”
    • The use of spacebar to slow an avatar being bump-pushed only works if the keyboard is not prioritised for text input rather than also being used for movement (e.g. using the WASD keys for movement); it also sees the avatar appearing to “walk” at a normal pace whilst being pushed.
    • It was noted at if a “slow walk” option was introduced, it would be useful to a) have a means of varying an avatar’s walking speed based on factors (e.g. avatar height), and b) have walking speed accessible to scripted control.
    • Leviathan acknowledged both of these point but if he is able to work on the idea, the initial focus would be on developing an option for a slow walking pace, noting that this would be useful for game_control, given this currently uses the existing locomotion graph.

General Discussion

  • No updates on issues such as the mesh face count mismatch, new LSL commands, network improvements, etc.
  • The multiple issues experienced on Sunday, August 23, 2026 appear to have been related to a significant database outage.

Meetings

  • Formal SUG meeting: Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
  • Leviathan Linden: Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

A visit to the updated Linden Memorial Park

Linden Memorial Park, August 2026: Shrine of Remembrance

Linden Lab recently indicated that they would be carrying out various small-scale projects to improve part of Second Life Mainland following the decision not to close the Gaeta 1 continent. Various aspects of this work are now in progress, as numerous Second life users have noted through the forums and elsewhere.

One location in particular where improvement has long been requested has been the 12-region estate of the Linden Memorial Park, located off the north coast of Corsica.

Linden Memorial Park, August 2026: dedication

For those not familiar with the Memorial Park regions, they were established in 2009 as a place where Second Life residents who have passed away in the physical world could be remembered by their SL families and friends. While its active life was relatively short – the Lab ceased accepting requests for new memorials to be added to the Park in July 2011 – it has remained a part of Second Life, whilst looking increasingly aged.

While there have been various attempts to revitalise the regions (I think I’m correct in saying the last being in 2020, although my memory is hazy on this), it now appears it is subject to improvement, with the first phase of the work now complete, as recently noted by Oatmeal Linden in a comment added to a request made via the Feedback Portal, and which Miro Collas pointed me towards.

Linden Memorial Park, August 2026: Memorial Gardens
Hello everyone! We have made some cosmetic updates to the regions in Linden Memorial Park. This is the first part of the revitalization efforts for this project.
We are still reviewing updates for the Day of Remembrance Garden. The original build in remains in its current location for now, with scripts disabled to prevent damage to or loss of the existing content. We hope to be able to provide a means to continue to leave messages and record the account names for those we’ve lost before the end of this year.
We are also exploring enabling the addition of new stand-alone memorials.

– Oatmeal Linden, August 21, 2026.

Linden Memorial Park, August 2026

This work appears to be focused on general landscaping, with elements designed and used in some of the Bellisseria themes being given new purpose in updating the general look of the park.

For example:  rock forms used within the Stilt, Houseboat and Newbrooke Linden Homes themes been used to redress key areas of the Park, such as the waterfalls surrounding the Greco-Roman style circular Shrine of Remembrance. Meanwhile, trees and shrubs from the Sakura, Newbrooke and Chalet themes have been used to refresh the woodlands and many of the plants throughout the parklands.

Linden Memorial Park, August 2026

For those who have not previously visited the Park, the Shrine, sitting upon its artificial island, forms the Landing Point for the Park, with three sides of the lake fed by pairs of waterfalls, and the 4th (at the time of writing at least) be a single fall.

A bridge crosses the waters on the north side of the Shrine’s island to offer a way up to the Memorial Gardens, a set of five tended plots arranged in the form of a cross with the names of those being remembered rising from the flowers therein.

Linden Memorial Park, August 2026

Exploration of the Park can be carried out by following the paved paths running around and through most of its regions, or simply by wandering freely. The former pass many of the larger memorials placed within the Park between 2009 and 2011 as well as some of the more general contemplative areas – such as the Hyper Mole memorial garden. Wandering freely, meanwhile, particularly through the woodlands might bring visitors to various ruins and memorials such as the  LDPW Mausoleum.

With the Highgate Monument, Winterspire and Derran Moor regions in the south-east of the Park largely devoid of landscaping outside of the coastline (as is San Michele to the north-west), it appears the Memorial Park has room to expand. If so, what form the expansion might take could be a further point of interest for future visits.

Linden Memorial Park, August 2026

At Oatmeal notes in their update, scripts within the Park regions remain inactive for the time being. Nevertheless, the facelift carried out so far greatly increases the beauty of the regions without either overwhelming them or replacing the original builds of the Shrines, monuments, etc. The fact the work has been carried out (albeit  seemingly paused as of the writing of this piece) makes the Memorial Park well worth (re)visiting. My thanks again to Miro for the poke about the update!

Slurl Details

All Park regions are rated General.

2026 SL viewer release summaries week #34

Logos representative only and should not be seen as an endorsement / preference / recommendation

Updates from the week through to Sunday, August 16, 2026

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.
  • Outside of the Official viewer, and as a rule, alpha / beta / nightly or release candidate viewer builds are not included; although on occasions, exceptions might be made.

Official LL Viewers

  • Default viewer  26.3 – 26.3.0.31203661088, August 10, promoted August 17 – quality of life improvements; performance improvements; bug fixes – NEW.
  • Second Life Lua Editor Alpha viewer 26.3.0.32302693173, August 21 – NEW.

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V7-style

  • Kirstens Viewer S24 DX Pre-Alpha – August 23 – release notes.
  • Kokua: 26.3.0.58718 (no RLV) and 26.3.0.62546 (RLV variants), August 23 – release notes.

V1-style

  • Cool VL viewer Stable: 1.32.4.43; Experimental 1.32.5.13:  August 15 – release notes.

Mobile / Other Clients

  • No updates.

Additional TPV Resources

Related Links

Landing on Planet Terralyth with the Cerbshock team in Second Life

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026 – click any image for full size

I’ve been reporting on the BluShock Coalition on-and-off since 2021. Led by the redoubtable Fazzy Constantine (Faisel Constantine), BluShock have been exploring future worlds through world building and role-play, their story unfolding like the seasons of a continuing sci-fi series as it moves from world-to-world (and occasionally confines itself to life on small outposts or deep space cruisers).

Since my last time spent visiting them in July 2025, the group has renamed itself Cerbshock, and they have most recently arrived on a new world – Planet Terralyth, located in the Andromeda galaxy – and Fazzy extended a subspace invitation for me to explore this world ahead of it being made public.

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026
In Cerbshock, the universe is basically yours to explore. Check out amazing new planets loaded with beauty and mystery. Dive into a gripping story where your decisions actually matter—pushing your morals and testing how far you’re willing to go. Every choice counts, making your journey completely one-of-a-kind.

– From the Cerbshock website

Occupying a Full private region, Terralyth has been designed by Fazzy with the assistance of Zeth Ryder (Zeth Starlight) and artist CK (Ceakay Ballyhoo). To say it is a truly impressive build would be an understatement.

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026
At first glance, there is a faintly Panadora-ish feel to the planet: densely forested and with great fingers of rock pointing skywards with winged creatures circling them. However, unlike James Cameron’s world, Terralyth remains rooted in physics: no floating islands turning a blind eye to Newton and Einstein.

Instead, what we do have is an environment that is immersive and which stands both in the long tradition of and tribute to the work of Noah Constantine (NoahLion), who was for so long the group’s world-building genius.

Planetary Database: Terralyth

Designation: Habitat 1
Region: Heleus Cluster, Andromeda Galaxy.
Classification: Super-Earth with extreme axial inclination.
Surface Temperature: Approximately 30–35°C.
Surface Gravity: Approximately 1.15–1.20 Earth standard.
Environment: Tropical jungle and elevated rainforest.
Atmosphere: Breathable, dense and humid.
Natural satellites: One, unusually large.
Habitability and lifeforms: Confirmed, with outstanding environmental concerns under investigation.

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026

There are a few ground rules – pardon the pun – visitors are asked to observe when visiting. These can be found at the Landing Point and are not onerous – in essence, keep to the ground level, keep clothing / look PG and don’t try accessing restricted areas.

One point I will make (outside of the usual “best viewed with a PBR enabled viewer”) is that you might need to occasionally extend Draw Distance up to around 350-360 metres to get some of the off-region elements to render if you wish to see the setting as intended. However, given the overall design, the emphasis here is very much on “occasionally”. Whether or not you opt to have Shadows enabled is entirely up to you – but do have local sounds enabled.

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026
There are a couple of routes for exploration leading away from the shuttle pad Landing Point. These routes might at first appear limited; the landscape, whilst lush, has been cleaved open as if by a giant’s axe, resulting in deep gorges and paths that sometimes end in long falls.

However, such appearances are deceptive. Spans of rock reach across some chasms (some at giddying altitudes!), with the fallen trunks of trees great bridging others, their positions along trails begging the question: was their gap-spanning toppling fortuitous or designed?

Planetary Database: Terralyth

Terralyth is a large, Earth-like world characterised by dense tropical jungles, towering rock formations, deep valleys, elevated landmasses, and extensive networks of rivers and waterfalls. Its warm, humid atmosphere supports an exceptionally diverse biosphere, including widespread bioluminescent flora and fungal life.

The planet possesses an unusually slow and highly inclined rotation. Across the primary jungle regions, both the Sun and moon follow shallow paths along the horizon, rising only slightly before gradually disappearing into the planet’s dense atmospheric haze.

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026

That this world was once inhabited is clear: some of the paths are clearly well-worn and ancient, and there are ruins awaiting discovery. Then there is the no small matter of the futuristic monolithic tower. Now apparently the base of operations for the Cerbshock team, it does not appear to be of human design – so who might have been responsible for its construction and what might have been its purpose? Such are the rich opportunities for role play to be found here!

As to the life forms present and how much of a threat they may pose – well, that is again a matter of conjecture on my part. They appear to be a mix of herbivore (or possibly omnivore) in the case of the shadowbull. The lean and powerful bloodstalker with its claws and teeth, however, has all the hallmarks of being a carnivore of the hunting variety – so you have been warned!

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026
It also appears as though the Cerbshock veterans are not the first human / alien alliance to venture to Terralyth. Tucked away within the planet are all the signs of an existing human-involved presence; possibly one intent on planetary exploitation going by the markings  on what appears to be their planetary transport.

Are they the reason for the reports of pirate activity noted in the Cerbshock planetary database? Quite possibly – if you’re a role player and curious, then all the more reason for you to consider joining the Cerbshock team and finding out. 

Planetary Database: Terralyth

Preliminary surveys have identified traces of ancient structures across several elevated plateaus and within caverns exposed by tidal erosion. Their origin remains unknown. Several ruins appear deliberately positioned along the paths followed by the Sun and moon, suggesting that Terralyth’s unusual celestial cycle held significance to the planet’s former inhabitants.

Recent reports have also indicated possible pirate activity within the region surrounding Terralyth. These reports remain unconfirmed, and no direct evidence has been established linking the activity to the planet itself.

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026

Terralyth is excellently conceived and executed. Even if you are only paying a visit, there is plenty to see; if you’re looking for an immersive, science fiction oriented role play, then it and the Cerbshock team have a lot to offer. In the latter regard, the official website (or Codex) is extremely informative (and also quoted here!), and includes notes on how to join.

Speaking purely as a visitor, I enjoyed wandering / camming and poking around; and even if “Blood Stalker” isn’t the official name for the carnivore – I really think it should be; sums the rascal up perfectly in terms of his looks and actions! 😀 .

Habitat 1 – Planet Terralyth, August 2026

My thanks to Fazzy (as always!( for keeping me informed as to BluShock / Cerbstock adventures and worlds – and best wishes to the team as this chapter in their adventures opens!

Further Details

From Elysia to Studio 54: a trip through time with Hera in Second Life

Elysia, Garden of the Gods, August 2026 – click on any image for full size

Earlier in the week I was chatting to Cube Republic about Sharon Edwyn’s Goddess Temple after he’d visited it on the basis of my recent article.

During the conversation he asked about Hera (zee9) and whether she’d opened up any region designs recently – and guess what? Within 24 hours of that conversation, I received a Group notice indicating that Hera had opened not one but two themed settings in the same location!

Elysia, Garden of the Gods, August 2026
Well, I don’t know about you, but that was a loooong, hot summer! But now that it’s cooling down a bit, Lili and I are looking forward to some cool late summer nights with events at Studio 54 and the new Club Paradisio. Before we get to that, though, I thought it would be fun to hang out with some friends of mine in Elysia, the Garden of the Gods :). It’s all very Greek and relaxed – lots of beaches and temples just to stroll around and unwind.

– Hera’s notice on Elysia and Studio 54.

These are two very different designs, pretty much standing at either end of our entire recorded history, here joined by a creative talent and a partnership, so both are covered in this piece.

Elysia, Garden of the Gods, August 2026

Elysia, Garden of the Gods is the first of the two settings I’m going to be writing about here, both in terms of it coming first historically speaking, and because it might be the shorter-lived of the two given the wording of the notice (Hera’s designs have a habit of vanishing without warning). As the note above makes clear, this is a visualisation of the Ancient Greek conception of the Elysian Realm.

Also known as the Fortunate Isles, the Elysian Realm was – mostly, at least – seen as a place where the heroic and righteous would live a happy afterlife of indulgence. With Hera’s design, we’re taken to a sort-of modern Elysium: a home to the gods whilst also a place where we can indulge ourselves in sun, sand and swimming without the need to shuffle off this mortal coil in order to reach it 🙂 .

Elysia, Garden of the Gods, August 2026

Featuring a climbing hill of temples and pavilions watched over by a mermaid and guarded by white lions, this is a place rising from the blue of the sky like Olympus above the clouds, a complex centred on a temple dedicated to Zeus and before which Dionysus – in keeping with the theme of pleasurable indulgence – sits ready to welcome guests.

The Landing Point, interestingly, does not sit before the setting, but high up to one side and to the rear of the complex. This encourages wandering and exploring – and there’s a lot to find given the compact size of the setting. Gods and goddesses watch over progress, while pavilions and pools offer tempting distractions – including a terrace bar and party space (the Club Paradiso mentioned in Hera’s note?), while the surrounding beach offers more places to relax.

Elysia, Garden of the Gods, August 2026

Also located at the Landing Point are a couple of sign boards for Studio 54 and the Soul City Junction. Both boards are an Experience-based teleport, and the two locations are a joint venture between Hera and DJ Lili Belmonte, with the latter (I think) intended to be the Landing Point for the former.

Both carry us from the ancient past to the New York of the 1970s and the famous Studio 54 nightclub based in mid-town Manhattan within a venue with quite a long history going back to nigh-on 100 years, and which continues today.

Soul City Junction, August 2026

As the Landing Point, Soul City Junction drops visitors into one of Hera’s famous street scenes, albeit on a smaller scale and (apparently when first seen, at least!) without the fantasy elements common to Hera’s builds. Instead we’re presented with a straightforward representation of 1970s New York – although “straightforward” does not mean “uninteresting”.

Smaller than Elysia, Soul City Junction is still nevertheless worthy of exploration as attention has been paid to detail, from the graffiti to the cars and even the interiors of some of the business premises. One of the latter is the entrance foyer to Studio 54 (which takes the form of a touch-operated teleport to the club). However, before taking the TP there, make sure you take a look at the Voodoo lounge across the road for its “touch of Hera” 🙂 .

Soul City Junction, August 2026

Studio 54 focuses on the club’s 1970’s heydays, but also appears to touch on some of its prior history as a venue as well, together with more recent elements within the venue. For example, the galleried upper section directly above the club floor perhaps offers both a hint of the club’s past as a theatre and its more recent venue as a cabaret  / show venue. Meanwhile, above this sits the Rubber Room, a reimagining of the original club’s fetish venue which gives it a complete and attractive makeover.

My inspiration for doing all of this was Lili, who I found out a month back is a great fan of disco, soul and all things 1970’s,  and had always dreamed of playing at Studio 54 :). She woke me up in a way to the simple joy of the music. Why you may ask would anyone want to do anything else on a night out other than have good time?
The Junction grew out of the club, I just wanted a complete 1970’s world to disappear into. It is another fantasy, although I have tried hard to capture the look and feel of the era … please enjoy it for what it is 🙂

– Hera on Studio 54.

Studio 54, August 2026

Events at Studio 54 are due to kick-off in September 2026 – there is a local Group to join for details of when and times. In the meantime, it and Soul City Junction are available to visits. As noted, I’ve no idea how long Elysia will be around – so do hop over sooner rather than later if you want to see it.

Slurl Details

Nadia is rated Adult