Celebrating 5 years: Pour-Up Winery & Vineyard in Second Life

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026 – click any image for full size

Established in 2021, Pour-Up Winery & Vineyard is the vision of Mach K. Disick (BhampagnePapi) and has been a popular destination within Second Life in the years since.

With 2026 marking Pour Up’s 5th anniversary, Mach has marked the year with a refreshed look for the setting, opening what will hopefully be a new chapter of its time in Second Life.

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026

Occupying roughly one half of a Full private region leveraging the available Land Capacity Bonus, the setting has been landscaped on Mach’s behalf by Sevnn Rowley-Sinclair (Svenn007) with décor added by Mach. And it is, quite simply, a gorgeous location dedicated to the appreciation of wine whilst offering opportunities for exploration, photography, horse riding and other activities.

The Landing Point (not enforced) sits towards the middle of the setting, within the vineyard, which occupies the more elevated aspect of the landscape.

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026

A converted water mill (with the wheel turning rather conspicuously against the flow of water beneath it – such are the quirks of SL!) sits as the main grape press, although those so minded can their hands – err, feet – at some traditional grape stomping. Just do please remove shoes, etc., before ding so! 🙂  For those who prefer to simply taste the wine, outdoor seating is also provided.

Apple trees border the vines with their rich crop of grapes awaiting picking, the apples perhaps suggesting a nice side-line in cider might be added to Pour Up’s offerings. Along the path running past the fields is the Maison du Vin, where an impressive stock of wines is to be found, whilst under an open-sided summer house visitors can try their hands at pottery.

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026

Westward from the winery, an old cart track winds its way along the uplands, edging around a broad plateau before descending past more vines watched over by apple and orange trees as they step their way down towards the coast.

A paved shoulder of rock is to be found at the start of the track’s main descent to the lower lands, and this is home to the rather appealing Paint and Sip – try your hand at landscape painting while enjoying the wine; although do be careful with the amount imbibed, lest your painting become less landscape and more modernistic abstract! Careworn stone steps descend from the main track close by, offering access to a small shingle beach.

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026

Reaching the lowlands on the south side of the setting, the track provides access to Pour Up’s stables where a horse can be rezzed for those wishing to gently ride around the location (saddle stands might be found elsewhere as well, allowing horses to be rezzed from them).

Beyond this, the path reaches the biggest single element of the setting: a large waterfront terrace where music events might be enjoyed (Mach being a DJ himself), a stage being set to one side of the terrace.

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026

Bordered on two further sides by vine-draped trellis with outdoor seating under their shade, the terrace is guarded on its remaining side by a large barn now converted to the main winery.

Both the winery and the terrace are somewhat separated from the rest of the setting by a slender channel of water flowing outwards from waterfalls located alongside the landing Point. This gives a nice sense of separation from the hustle of any music events from the calm of the rest of the setting, whilst a little retreat can be found across the water from the falls, reached via a path from the terrace area.

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026

Eastward from the vineyard and Maison du Vin, another path winds its way to the coast, offering a way to visit the open spaces of a south-eastern headland marked by a lighthouse with wooden moorings a little further around the shoreline. A path winds on from behind the moorings to the small public garden and a personal memorial set-up by Mach.

And if all of this weren’t enough, the plateau mentioned earlier is the home of the winery lake, a tranquil setting fed by the same waters as pass the winery mill, and where quiet times may be had solo or with someone special.

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026

The path up to the lake also passes by a small promontory where the top end of a zip line waits to carry visitors down the line of the channel partially dividing the stables, terrace and winery from the rest of the setting. It arrives at a platform joining the eastern path down from the winery and the Maison du Vin.

Throughout all of this are multiple places to sit and pass the time, from benches to blankets to tree houses and, of course, the various locations where wine might be enjoyed. And, needless to say (again!), the entire setting is highly photogenic and rich in detail.

Pour Up Winery & Vineyard, July 2026

Congratulations to Mach and Pour Up Winery and Vineyard on reaching five years – and I raise my glass to many more years to come!

SLurl Details

A Look at the SL Mobile Learning Centre in Second Life

The Mobile Learning Centre: general information boards

As a part of a wider effort involving creators from across Second Life, Linden Lab has, since later 2025, been developing and deploying experiences optimised for SL Mobile and geared to helping (primarily) those new to Second Life who come in via Mobile to gain familiarity with using the application.

One such experience in the Mobile Learning Centre, aimed at helping brand new users to Second Life understand some of the basics of the application – although it could just as easily help existing users who have never used SL Mobile to do the same as well. As such, it is something I’ve been meaning to cover for a while.

Like tutorial experiences current and past, the Learning Centre takes a familiar route of taking users through a series of lessons. However, and unlike many past tutorials of this nature it avoids trying to teach someone everything they might need to know – how to move, how to communicate, how to teleport, how to use L$, and so on. Part of this may well because some capabilities are not available to SL Mobile = building, inventory, etc., – but there is also the fact that by keeping things to a minimum and not including things like chat (which is possible in SL, mobile, obviously), the Learning Centre avoids overwhelming a new user with a large volume of things to learn and remember all at once; although it does provide the means to demonstrate some additional capabilities, which I’ll come to.

The Mobile Learning Centre is one of the SL Mobile Experiences seen when logging-in to the App, and accessed by tapping the GO button.

Available from the selection of experiences displayed when logging-in to SL Mobile, The Mobile Learning Centre is the work of the SL Studios team, and developed in consultation with the Marketing and Growth team.

The aim was to take what had been used in past in-world tutorial environments and offer something that would be usable, informative and carries an element of fun. The entire experience is set aboard a space vessel of some description and involves moving through various rooms where learning activities are to be found.

Everything is based around the collection of large stars along the way. These both open intervening doors between corridors and rooms and also form a “side quest”: collect enough stars and you’ll help the commander of the space ship, one Captain Rilo, regain control of his vessel, which he and his diminutive crew have apparently lost (perhaps not the most encouraging thing to hear when you’re aboard said vessel!).

After tapping the GO button for the experience in the App, users are delivered to a start point where the above mechanics are broadly explained, and the first directions on movement are presented. It is here that, obviously, one of the most important elements of a tutorial like this is to first be encountered: the signage.

Outside of the informational signs at the Landing Point (seen at the top of this article), the majority of the signage is graphics only – no words, and presented in a manner that is easy to understand. Panels are also limited in number at each station along the way which also helps avoid a sense of information overload.

A lot of the learning effort is given over to gaining familiarity with using SL Mobile’s joystick for movement – and this is worthwhile; the joystick can be small for stubby fingers and, depending on the device being used highly responsive (on my 8-inch tablet sliding the joystick can result in my avatar zooming around), so practice makes perfect.

The Mobile Learning Centre: instructional signage

Part of this practice involves some climbing and walking along elevated walkways, encouraging patience and care in using the joystick. Within another, aquarium-like room, there is a lesson in learning to fly.

Along the way there is a showcase of one-world locations (although no teleports to them), a trip through the space ship’s bridge area to earn the thanks of Captain Rilo (if you’ve collected the required stars), and a final sort-of social space / teleport room where people can relax or use the teleport portal to continue their explorations or access the Mobile Showcase and / or Destination Guide (and, in the case of established users, their Landmarks) within the Mobile App, or play something of a game.

The stars needed to access the various rooms and to help Captain Rilo can be found along the corridors and walkways and within the rooms themselves. They are gathered by passing through them. Each room requires the collection of a set number of the correctly coloured stars, and care has been taken to make sure there are more stars of a given colour available than are needed to open a specific door, so if one proves to be difficult for someone to obtain, there are alternatives.

In terms of helping Captain Rilo, this is optional and pretty basic. It can be skipped by only focusing on getting the stars to the various learning rooms, but the trip to the bridge to earn his thanks is a bit of an interesting side bar to getting around. It also potentially helps new users gain their first SL Mobile achievement – walking 250 metres (in fact, walk around enough, and you’ll get the 1 km achievement!).

The Mobile Learning Centre: elevated walkway

There is also more of a game to be found at the end of the main “learning loop” (so to speak) and within the portal room: collect enough red stars and a trap door in the floor will open up allowing users to drop through into a series of stacked chambers, each one containing both stars of all colours and floors of hexagonal floor segments.

The idea here is to move around each chamber as quickly as possible, collecting the stars by colliding with them and avoiding floor panels which may vanish from under you. A failure with the latter means falling down to the next chamber, where the process repeats. Falling through to a final chamber presents a “star path” winding back up to the gallery overlooking the portal room.

The Learning Centre: portal to the Welcome Hub and instructions on accessing experiences and the Destination Guide

Within the portal room and the galleried level above it, are chairs and tables. The former are actually interactive and can be sat on (and under updates made mid-2026, will display the pose dialogue box, allowing users to adjust their sit position). Signage to one side of the space indicates this – but I couldn’t help but feel placing it closer to the lower floor seating might be better.

The Welcome Hub teleport portal will drop those using it into the Community Exhibition, which should allow new starters learn more about Second Life, and close to one of the Hub’s teleport boards. Here again is an opportunity for possible confusion, given the Hub is more geared to using the Desktop viewer. Given this, setting the Landing Point from the Learning Centre is a good move, but some indication that elements of the Hub do reference capabilities more suited to the viewer might be a little helpful.

In this regard, perhaps a dedicated landing area for those teleporting from the Mobile Learning Centre? This could even include a teleport back there for those who may have access the portal from there prematurely. Of course, there are helpers with the Hub who can provide assistance, but a little pointer wouldn’t go amiss overall.

The Mobile Learning Centre: finding Rilo

It is possible that some might feel the Mobile Learning Centre doesn’t cover enough essentials – what about communication, for example? Not a single lesson on using chat or Voice. However, SL Mobile’s UI is somewhat intuitive in this regard, and there are sufficient on-screen icons to encourage tapping and trying, so I don’t see this as much of a shortfall in things.

There’s also the problem of where exactly do you draw the line of direct exposition? If you include chat, what about IMs? If you include chat and IMs, what about Group chat? If you include Group chat, what about… – and so on. This is often where learning systems for SL fall down; yes it is complex, yes there is a lot to learn – but it doesn’t necessarily have to all be learned in a single pass, even with something as basic as SL Mobile. Simply put, piling everything and the kitchen sink into a tutorial system can end up being as off-putting as not having any learning experience at all and simply expecting users to get on with it.

The Mobile Learning Centre – destinations showcase (albeit without location names or teleports)

In this latter regard, I understand from those at the Lab discussing the Mobile Learning Centre, that this is borne out from the feedback gathering by the data team: the experience is the strongest performing of those thus far set-up, gaining largely positive feedback from users passing through it who are subsequently surveyed.

For my part, I found the experience pleasant and easy to follow. The niggle noted above vis-à-vis the Welcome Hub is just that: a niggle; it doesn’t detract from the Mobile Learning Centre in any way (well, the Hub isn’t part of the Centre, so…). Yes, the “side quest” with Captain Rilo is a tad twee, but that’s nothing to really rail against, and as noted already, it can be avoided.

Mobile Learning Centre: approaching the teleport room

If you do opt to pay a visit, I strongly recommend you only so so using SL Mobile rather than the Desktop viewer – hence no SLurls in this article!

Related Links

2026 SL viewer release summaries week #26

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

Updates from the week through to Sunday, June 28th, 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  – 26.2.0.25386466510, May 19 -“flat” UI and font update – No change.
  • Second Life Lua Editor Alpha viewer 6.1.0.23768336784, April 29 – No change.

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V7-style

V1-style

  • Cool VL viewer Stable: 1.32.4.34; Experimental 1.32.5.4:  June 27 – release notes.

Mobile / Other Clients

  • No updates.

Additional TPV Resources

Related Links

Unspoken at Nitroglobus in Second Life

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery Annex – Miu: Unspoken

Two years ago, in July 2024, Dido Haas hosted the first public exhibition of Second Life photography by Miu (MiuMira) within The Annex of her Nitroglobus Roof Gallery. Called Connections, that exhibition garnered over 350 unique visits, people drawn to its wealth of expression and focus – and I was one of those 350 to be some engaged, as I noted in Miu’s Connections at Nitroglobus in Second Life.

It is therefore fitting that Mui is back at The Annex for the months of July and August 2026, in what might be considered an informal second anniversary celebration of her first ever public exhibition of art. Whether seen as such or not by those visiting it over the next several weeks, it is certainly an underscoring of her ability to produce imagines that are both personal and approachable, and which express so much whilst remaining so perfectly minimal.

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery Annex – Miu: Unspoken

Entitled Unspoken, this small but highly impactful collection of pieces is very much a continuation of Connections in terms of presentation, style and focus, whilst also taking us deeper into moments of intimacy and tenderness, and of shared experiences where words are, simply, superfluous, unwanted, unnecessary.

Unspoken explores the feelings that defy verbal translation—moments of profound vulnerability, quiet resilience, and complex inner truths. For many, silence is the safest space to exist, process, and protect one’s truest self. By stripping away the noise of explanation, Unspoken invites viewers to sit with these quiet moments. It challenges us to look beyond the surface, connect through shared human experience, and listen to the powerful stories told strictly through the eyes, gestures, and stillness of the human form.

– From the artist

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery Annex – Miu: Unspoken

Through these pieces we can witness a story that is never forced, never overtly stated, but which instead exists in the nuance of pose and focus. A story of quiet moments of intimacy and vulnerability, of love and being, which are expressed both through studies of the individual and those shared with another.

Within each piece is a flow of those moments existing in the brief, transient space this exists between longer, deeper moments of intimacy and expression, but are also within their brief flourish, rich in emotion and feeling, only needing a flash of recognition in order for them to indelibly imprint themselves on our consciousness.

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery Annex – Miu: Unspoken

We hear much about the power of non-verbal communication and the inability of our current digitally-driven realm to transmit these wordless aspects of communication. All that is said on the subject is true; there is so much about Second Life that does communicate – but there is so much of communication that is absent from it.

However, that absence is not absolute; through the pieces presented within Unspoken, Mui both offers us the connection to the unspoken wealth of mood, feelings and expressive which can be found through our avatars and which, if brought to the point of practical expressiveness could so readily transform our digital world into one of intense meaning and contented sharing.

SLurl Details

Getting more pics on Route 66 in Second Life

Mother Road Mirage Hotel 66, June 2026 – click any image for full size

Frighteningly (in some respects), it’s been almost a decade since my first visit to Mother Road – Mirage Motel 66, a homage to the original Mother Road region created by Paul Cutter (Xtreme Paule) – see Get your pics on Route 66 in Second Life. However you look at it, that’s a long time, so I recently decided to hop back as see what has changed. And the answer is a lot – but without actually changing in nature.

Route 66 has tended to be a popular inspiration for region builds in SL (hence the original Mother Road design) , and Paul opted to use the history of the Route and the original Mother Road region to offer a setting mindful of Nevada in general style, with the tarmac of the the titular road running arrow-like straight through it. At the he initially opened the setting, Paul noted to me that it was something of an experiment; a 1/2 region design built as both a showcase and what might be possible in the future.

Mother Road Mirage Hotel 66, June 2026

Well, that 1/2 region has since ground into a total of three regions and has brought forth a healthy community. The original Full region is now completely occupied by the setting, and has been joined by two more, each a Full region leveraging the Land Capacity bonus, one to the east of the original region and one to the south.

Much of the expansion is given over to rental parcels – so visitors should be wary of residents’ desire for privacy when they are exploring – but these are mixed with numerous public spaces and buildings to add atmosphere and a sense of space. There are also more roads, both paved and unpaved, allowing residents within the community to enjoy the freedom of driving (as can those joining the local Group – LS $250) whilst again giving a feel of reality to the setting.

Mother Road Mirage Hotel 66, June 2026

They variety of homes is rich, running from a trailer park to expansive houses with solar, patios, pools and plenty of parking, with smally houses and cabins filling out the middle ground. Some sit roadside with proper drives, other sit at the ends of dirt tracks. Together they all form a sense of Americana that’s unmistakable in setting and style – if perhaps at times over-egged by Hollywood.

Nor does the setting exist purely on the ground. As well as a rental – umm, office -, the Landing Point(s) offer(s) teleports up to a series of sky platforms.  These comprise:

  • The Road and Camping Theatre: space to drive, featuring a drive-in that has seen much better days.
  • Camina Madre: a residential platform continuing the overall theme from the ground level in its mixing of rentals.
  • Lost Oasis: a desert setting apparently largely forgotten by time, through which the main routes hurries as if anxious to leave it behind.
Mother Road Mirage Hotel 66, June 2026

The Road and Camping Theatre and Camina Madre are directly connected to one another as well as to the ground level, allowing for direct teleporting between them. Lost Oasis, however, sits at the end of its own teleport that only connects between it and the ground. All three sky platforms appear to be more welcoming / better suited to visitor vehicle rezzing than might be the case on the ground.

The motel that greeted visitors to the original version of the setting remains, and appears to have undergone a small revamp down the years, with “suites” now available – nice to see places making the effort to keep up-to-date and welcoming 🙂 . Those looking for a meal can find one in the diner next door or perhaps in the bar across the road which has apparently replaced the gas station that used to sit across from the motel – ah, progress, progress!

Mother Road Mirage Hotel 66, June 2026

I would also point out that the bike rezzers I remember from my first visit can still be found – just be wary of the region boundaries!

As I noted back in 2017, this is not, the most affluent of locations; rusting hulks of cars are scattered around, together with the detritus of civilisation and the homes are somewhat tired. But it is, without a doubt effective and engaging in its presentation – and given the number of rental occupancies, it is appreciated by the local inhabitants. It also remains ideal for photography, with rezzing rights available, as noted above, on joining the local Group.

Mother Road Mirage Hotel 66, June 2026

If there were one thing I would note about Mother Road in this form is that it is rich in objects and textures (as one might expect from three regions adjoining one another and two of them with the Land Capacity bonus). This makes for a lot for the viewer to handle if you wind Draw Distance up. This is a bit of a shame, as Mother Road really deserves to be seen as a continuous setting; however, if your system is liable to get upset with you for playing with settings, just keep things low and just enjoy the views as the materialise.

One thing you should not do, however, is avoid the setting on the belief Draw Distance must be dialled up; it has a lot to offer for the keen SL explorer.

Mother Road Mirage Hotel 66, June 2026

SLurl Details

SL23B Meet the Lindens: Second Life Studios

via Linden Lab
On Friday, June 26th 2026, Linden Lab held the last of the SL23B Meet the Lindens events, featuring Second Life Studios and its work.

Unlike previous articles in this series, this is not a summary of the full discussion. Instead, topics thought to be of the widest interest to reader have been annotated.

Table of Contents

Because of this, the full content of the session can be obtained via the official video of the event, which is also embedded at the end of this article.

Also, please note:

  • Because of the format selected, topics and questions are not necessarily in chronological order compared to the video, but have been grouped by subject.
  • Timestamps to the relevant point in the video have been included for all questions for ease of reference.

Participants

SL23B Meet the Lindens: Second Life Studios

There was a large contingent of Moles at the session alongside LL staff, with those actively participating in the discussions comprising:

  • Brett Linden, Vice President of Marketing Second Life
  • Derek Linden, Senior Manager of Product Operations.
  • Izzy Linden, Creative Producer for Second Life Studios.
  • Abnor Mole.
  • Alotta Mole
  • Brigantia Mole
  • Itsa Mole
  • Missy Mole – also host.

What is Second Life Studios?

[5:50-11:04]

Izzy Linden – Overview

  • Second Life Studios has actually been around for a while operating in the background but not generally advertised [although many will be familiar with the LPDW and the Moles].
  • Regards it as the “heart of collaboration between Linden Lab and our residents”, whether working with the Moles to create infrastructure or collaborating with resident creators in developing experiences, etc.

Brett Linden – Context

  • Second Life Studios came out of a need to have better coordination with growth and marketing in bringing people into SL and what happens once they arrive inside the world. So Marketing the SL Studios are somewhat combined to better drive new user acquisition and engagement.

Who Are the Moles?

The Moles were formed in 2008 as the Linden Department of Public Works (LDPW) and a Second Life residents around the world hired by Linden Lab as independent contractors to undertake specific tasks. They are managed by Derrick Linden.

Their work was originally focused on the Mainland, adding the infrastructure – roads, bridges, etc., and the landscaping, but has grown beyond this.

Notable major projects carried out by the Moles include: the infrastructure within Nautilus City; the development of Bay City; the Linden Homes continent of Bellisseria; facilities for events like Shop & Hop, SLB, etc; the turn-key regions available for businesses, starter avatars, etc; LL-provided experiences and the games accessible via the Portal Parks).

The Moles have also been involved in technical projects like Project Bento and the avatar skeleton extension, and work with marketing, QA and other LL teams, and the framework of Second Life Studios.

In keeping with their name, Moles were originally given a mole avatar, complete with hard hat. However, over the years, most have moved to having a more individual and personal look.

Positions in the LDPW are open to application by residents. Résumés (note card or email) of qualifications/experience (incl. links SLurls, Flickr, You Tube, etc.) to be sent to Derrick Linden (derrick.linden-at-lindenlab.com).

  • Some of this was discussed in the Marketing and Growth Meet the Lindens session in which the marketing and user acquisition work was discussed, together with the existing and upcoming marketing channels LL will be using and the creative partnerships being developed with residents.
  • All of this work is being coordinated with a new Strategic Insights Team – a team of data experts at LL helping guide the company towards achieving its goals.
  • SL Studios fits into this because no matter how much is spent on advertising and promotion, it will all fall down if that first exposure to SL just doesn’t work to retain users.
  • SL Studios is also part of the New User Experience Working Group, which also involves resident creators, sharing information, learning about what works and does not work in creating experiences for new users – with the Mobile Learning Centre built by the Studios team proving to be the strongest performer in testing.
  • And it is not just new users: SL Studios is a key part in land operations and maintenance, Linden Homes, community events and so on.
The spaceship themed Mobile Learning Centre by Second Life Studios

Brett Linden – Broader Notes:

  • The future will see better synergy with marketing and acquisition efforts including partnerships with creators in some cases.
  • Lua scripting is coming to SL, and there will be a showcase experience for that, which can be seen as an example of a partnership.
  • LL wants to continue working with all types of creators, the Moles, external partners, etc., to bring Second Life and make it better, especially for newcomers during that precious first minute or so of what people uh are they’re forming their opinions of whether this is for them or not.

On Working with Creators

[61:00:01-1:01:38] In terms of partnerships, what qualities do you look for in potential collaborations? And what have you learned from working so closely with creators across the community?

Brett Linden:

  • There are a lot of uh opportunities for collaboration, and much of this was covered in the Marketing and Growth session.
  • However, LL really is trying to take in feedback and look at the data and the numbers to assess what sort of changes should be made in the future [which affects what is being sought by way of collaboration].

Izzy Linden:

  • Has greatly enjoyed working with creators. Some bring amazing ideas which might be a concept being thought of, other times a way to accomplish something LL hadn’t thought of.
  • The important part is that this isn’t a competition; together LL and residents build a stronger community, and that’s always better for everyone in Second Life.

Taking a Second Life Studios Project from Conception to Release

[44:46-47:16]

Izzy Linden:

  • The first stage is to define the overall scope of a project. How long will it take? How many resources are needed? Once this is defined, “mood boards” are developed to build a collective view of what’s possible.
  • The “mood boards” are used to focus things down to a cohesive concept, which is in turn used to develop road map of the work to be done: what will it look like? What will the creators need to build? What supporting will be needed? And so on.
  • As the project is built, so it involves other elements as well, such as animation, scripting, lighting, sounds, which are worked on as the project is built out. Then there is also quality control and project release.

Brett Linden:

  • Just to expand on this: there is also the open form Creator Partnership Programme, which has received 700+ pitches. The projects that are taken up can involve Second Life Studios working alongside resident creators.

[35:03-36:16] How do you balance nostalgia and innovation when designing for a platform with more than 20 years of history?

Izzy Linden:

  • This is always in the forefront of thinking. Whilst striving to innovate and bring new and interesting options to Second Life, there is a need to honour history and traditions.
  • Believe some of this is accomplished through innovations and themes like Linden Homes which bring new and exciting homes to our users but also balance Mainland and communities like Bay City together with the total freedom found in having a private island, and giving residents the freedom to choose / move between options.

[Side note: during the discussion individuals were asked for what may have at some point inspired them in terms of region designs. Answers notably included Paul Cutter’s (Xtreme Paule) Mother Road [which I last visited – at Paul’s invitation – in 2017, and have an update on how it has expanded waiting in the wings] and Fantasy Faire, SLB and the art installation such as found in SLEA. ]

Mainland Notes

[39:37-42:25] What role does Mainland play in the future of Second Life? Are there plans for broader improvements such as terrain texture updates, infrastructure upgrades, road expansions, or other modernisation efforts?

Derek Linden:

  • Things are happening with Mainland. The transitioning from Gaeta 1 and the expansion of Zindra are happening [see the original announcement and the Town Hall meeting summary].
  • This work is not isolated, and there are plans in development – not yet in a position to be discussed –which will hopefully excite residents.
  • So yes, Mainland is getting more of an intentional focus, and that includes goals of terrain texture updates, environment settings and the general look and feel of the world.
  • LL is always looking for opportunities to expand / improve the Mainland infrastructure – roads, waterways. The approach here is deliberate: suggestions are taken when submitted as feedback or a pro-active look is taken for areas where that infrastructure is genuinely lacking and there is the available land to actually do something meaningful, and target it.

Brett Linden:

  • Yes, Mainland is important and the upcoming “community priorities programme” [intended to give the community a stronger voice in weighing in on where they want attention focused in-world] in progress. There is going to be more opportunities for people to weigh-in on matters.

Izzy Linden:

  • Mainland is a critical part of the tradition of Second Life. It’s a place where residents are only limited by their creativity. It’s going away anytime soon.
  • There is a lot LL can do to assist in the process with additional infrastructure and such like as Derek notes, and so is excited for the future of Mainland.

[42:34-44:41] Many mainland residents have neighbouring parcels that have been abandoned for years by owners who haven’t logged in for a decade or more. Can you explain how LL approaches these situations and whether there are any discussions about addressing long-term inactive land ownership?

Derek Linden:

  • A frequent topic, which is more nuanced than might appear to be the case. These parcels are not necessarily Abandoned Land, in virtually all of these cases the parcel holder is paying tier, even if their accounts appear to be inactive.
  • This creates a real obligation for LL. When someone steps away from Second Life, for whatever period of time, they have a reasonable expectation that when they come back, their land is going to be exactly as they left it. That trust has to be taken seriously.
  • While understanding some people may be frustrated with dealing with a neighbouring eyesore or neglected parcel; LL has to be really thoughtful about balancing that against the rights of the person who is still a paying customer uh for all intents and purposes.
  • Won’t pretend that this is problem with a potential solution, but it deserves on-going conversation. LL wants the mainland to feel vibrant and alive and long-term vacancy does work against that, so the company will continue to consider and think about that.

[26:06-30:55] If you could redesign one area of Mainland from scratch, what would you choose and why?

  • Alotta Mole: redesign the Second Life Railroad (SLRR) system and Mainland roads to better reflect how SL is used and provide more opportunities along them for discovery.
  • Itsa Mole: wouldn’t really want to change anything about Mainland because it is a part of the Second Life experience.
  • Abnor Mole: extending the road system or add coastlines to those areas lacking them so that people could sail / boat around them.
  • Izzy Linden: more collaboration with Mainland residents, so small communities like “mini Bay city”, planting the seeds and then allowing the resident to grow things.
  • Brett Linden: would point to the upcoming “community priorities programme” [see above] as a way for Mainland residents to suggest Mainland improvements, preservation efforts, infrastructure projects they would like to see.

[1:10:51-1:12:06] As since Zindra is getting some attention, could we get water regions or protected waterways added northeast of the continent to facilitate sailing all around it?

Derek Linden:

  • Sailable water around Zindra is a frequent and not unreasonable request given the size of the sailing community.
  • Nothing to currently announce, but as thought is given to what comes next for Zindra, water access is part of that conversation. LL is aware of the gaps being described and wants to be thought about thoughtful about what can be done with that space as opportunities arise.

Linden Homes Notes

LL will continue to rotate existing Linden Home themes availability

[36:35-37:36] Many residents would like to see more Premium Plus homes made available. Are there plans for this?

Izzy Linden:

  • LL is always adding Premium Plus homes to the available join flow, but would rather avoid creating multiple regions which are not occupied. So there are attempt to balance things.
  • So things are rotated. One theme might get rolled out and receive a pick-up, and when that peters out, then a switch is made to another theme.

[37:39-38:18] Residents in Bellisseria are curious about the long- awaited completion of the Mediterranean continent. Can you share any updates on those plans?

Izzy Linden:

  • As noted, LL expand existing areas based on use and need; as all the available homes for a theme are acquired, more can be added.
  • At the same time, LL does not want to finish an entire area that then has a whole bunch of partially empty regions with a fiscal cost shared by everybody. So again, it’s a balance.

[38:38-39:36] Copperfield Heights has proven extremely popular. Are there plans for additional regions and might we see more 2048 parcels offered in future releases?

Izzy Linden:

  • There is an attempt to keep some Copperfield Heights available as it is the most recent Linden Homes theme, but there are other themes as mentioned, so things will rotate.
  • Personally loves Copperfield Height as it does mix Plus, Premium and Premium Plus together.

[1:03:34-1:04:08] Has the team ever considered a short-term vacation rental system that would allow residents to temporarily experience different Linden home themes without permanently giving up their existing home?

Izzy Linden:

  • An interesting idea, but will need some significant thought into it so as not to compete with those residents already offering vacation options. Would just say it’s not outside of the realm of possibility.

[1:13:55-1:14:51] Are there any plans to revamp the older Linden home area textures to PBR?

Izzy Linden:

  • Yes, but care must be taken with PBR because it affects so many different things that it might require a complete rebuild of themes – which is not out of the realm of possibility.
  • Currently LL is making some additional builds for some of the existing homes that aren’t just more of the same; they are kind-of thematically compatible but have additional options.
Updating older Linden Home themes to match the likes of Aspen Ridge (shown) is not necessarily straightforward. Further, at the present time LL is focused on offering additional options to selected older themes, rather than directly updating to PDR or offering brand new themes.

[1:14:56-1:15:45] Are there any new themes on the horizon for Linden Homes?

Izzy Linden:

  • While not currently working on any completely new themes, thought is always being given to what any new themes might be.
  • Right now the focus is on additions to some existing themes a little like the recent updates to the Log Homes theme, except they’re compatible with the selected existing themes but not exactly more of the same.

Misc Questions

[1:12:25-1:13:20] Education: Is there is there someone who looks into the needs of small non-profit educational projects in Second Life?

Derek Linden:

  • LL does have a non-profit and educational programme that does offer discounts for the needs for those individuals, and there are a number of contacts associated with it.
  • There are some requirements around the programme, but support tickets requesting assistance from the Land Operations team can be filed, so conversations can be had on available options and where LL can help.

[1:01:54-1:02:58] The Cornfield: The Cornfield remains one of Second Life’s most legendary locations. Is there any chance residents might see it return in some form someday?

Derek Linden:

  • The cornfield holds a really special place in Second Life’s history, but currently there are no concrete plans around it right now. But it has not been forgotten about, either; its legacy and meaning for many in the community is understood.
  • If there is a “right” opportunity for bringing it back, it would be considered. It’s more a case of if it is revisited it is done so in a way that honours what makes it special rather than just dusting it off for the sake of it.

 

SL23B Meet the Lindens Summaries