A still from Children of Creation, Linden Lab / Leverage Media
During the Lab Gab special on Monday, June 21st, that featured board member and Executive Chair Brad Oberwager (Oberwolf Linden) and the SL leadership team of Grumpity, Patch and Brett Linden, a “commercial break” was taken to show – I believe for the first time – a complete advertising cut of the video filmed for Second life as a collaborative project between Linden Lab and Levitate Media.
I’ve extracted the video via timestamps and embedded it at the end of this article so it can be seen without the interviews that come on either side of it, and during the show, Brett linden revealed more about it:
The overall project for the video has the internal title at the Lab of The Children of Creation.
The version shown (and embedded below) is one of several cuts of the recorded film, and is specifically geared towards teasing out the ideas of freedom of expression and imagination taking flight, hence the emphasis on flying.
Other cuts of the video (I believe from Brett’s comments) emphasise Second life in other ways, some offering a “considerable amount” of Second Life footage, and a “directors cut” that does not really show the virtual world, but acts as a teaser.
The ad (as seen here) was entered into the 2021 Telly Awards for artistic achievement in video advertising, where it received the following adjudicated awards:
The video is regarded as a “concept ad” and has not as yet been widely deployed as a part of any advertising or other campaign. However, there are plans to discretely test some of the edits (including the “director’s cut”).
You can list to Brett’s comment on the ad below:
Personal Viewpoint
From a purely personal perspective, I think the advert as shown works pretty well; the images are well-matched to the narration, and the overall impact is the idea of liberation and freedom of expression. The intercuts of changing avatar appearances particularly underscores this, as do more subtle elements (take the still used as the banner image for this article, for example – the person / avatar flying away from the bright “Hive” sign, alluding to escaping humdrum, unified thinking and moving to new horizons). There is also a good sense of mystery to the ad that present the encouragement to go find out more about what it means
However, I have to caveat this by saying the phrase “if you’re travelling beyond this life” perhaps doesn’t sit as well as it might, given that terms like “beyond this life” are often using in reference to people passing on. This and other phrasing in the video might push uninitiated ears towards thinking the add is about some kind of cult or similar, rather than promoting a digital world; perhaps “beyond this world” might have been a better choice of words.
I’d be curious to learn how well the ad (and variations thereof) sit with assorted audiences, and maybe we’ll find out in time. For now, however, here’s the ad as shown during Lab Gab.
On Monday, June 21st Lab Gab and Strawberry Linden hosted a special Meet the Lindens show as a part of the SL18B celebrations.
This is the first of two summaries of the show, and focuses on the discussion with board member and Executive Chairman Brad Oberwager (Oberwolf Linden).
A second summary will follow, focusing on the Leadership team, and a link to it will be added to this summary when available .
Note that 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.
A Little Background
Brad Oberwager is one of the three investors who acquired Linden Lab in 2020, alongside of J. Randall (Randy) Waterfield and Raj Date. Since the acquisition closed, he has been very hands-on at Linden Lab, working alongside members of the management team, and he has also brought-in long-time business associate Cammy Bergren as the company’s Chief of Staff.
His biography, as supplied by the Lab reads as follows:
Brad Oberwager has spent his entire career in technology and consumer focused companies as an entrepreneur and board member.
Currently, he sits on the board of two public companies, Asure Software (NASDAQ: ASUR) and Better World (NASDAQ: BWACU). He is the chairman of two companies he founded, Jyve and Sundia and is also on the board of TEGSCO (aka AutoReturn). He owned Bare Snacks, acquired by PepsiCo in 2018.
Brad was Vice-chair of YPO International, a global organization of 25,000 CEOs.
Brad received his BS from Georgetown University, his MBA from the Wharton School and lives in San Francisco.
He describes himself as a “very, very good friend” of Philip Rosedale – they go to Burning Man together, and he met Philip via Philip’s wife, whom Brad regards as his closest friend.
Their two families live 3 blocks away from one another, and they see one another socially around once a week, generally on a Friday. As such, he regards Philip as an unofficial advisor when it comes to decisions around Second Life.
Had enormous respect and liking for Ebbe Altberg, and admired Ebbe’s leadership and desire to be inclusive across the board and lead from the front.
Saw him as a fiercely loyal and incredibly open character, a gifted mentor and engaging leader.
Believes that Ebbe’s approach to Linden Lab and leadership has helped shaped the company, and will continue to do so, as Ebbe’s philosophy and ethos have become a part of the company and the platform.
Venture capitalists tend to pump money into a company, build it up with the aim of generating very large returns, and are prepared to write the company off if it fails to realise their goal.
Private equity firms tend to buy a company with the aim of turning it around / trimming it down in order to sell it on for reasonable return.
Purchase by another company – which tends to see the absorption of the purchased entity in terms of culture, products and even brand.
Purchase by private investors – who are often involved for a wide variety of reasons, and while financial return tends to be one of them, it is not necessarily the central driver for their involvement.
For him, what was interesting about Second Life is the extension it offers to people’s lives and the freedoms it gives creativity and socially. He also admits that in being involved in LL / SL from a business perspective is the first time he’s understands the expression “it’s not just work, it’s fun” – he is enjoying being a part of SL / LL, which he regards as a passion as much as an investment.
Technically, Linden Research is now owned by a LLC (limited liability company) formed by Brad Oberwager and Randy Waterfield.
Randy Waterfield brings a huge amount of financial experience to LL that will be good for Second Life and Tilia.
Brad has the entrepreneurial skillset that is important to the practical growth of Second Life and Tilia.
Company direction really comes down to two elements: business and product.
The business elements relates to corporate management, marketing, forging partnerships, and the outward facing decisions. These are the remit of the management team as a whole.
Product decisions lie with the Leadership Team Office of Second Life – Grumpity, Patch and Brett – supported by the senior management (the Chief of Staff, Brad himself, the CFO, etc.).
He personally plays a role in both overall business direction and on product direction.
However, firmly believes that the real decision makers are the residents – simply because nothing works if the resident users don’t agree with it and end up cease or scale back using SL.
As such, has sought to feedback from residents at the heart of both the product and the business decision-making process.
Not necessarily feedback through forum comments or Jiras or long e-mails (although all have their place), but rather in terms of how users will benefit and whether they become more passionate and engaged and so help grow the platform by encouraging others to get involved either directly or indirectly.
Does go in-world, and actually has at least two accounts – his Oberwolf Linden account, which is uses for “business”, and alt accounts which he uses to engage directly in the platform in a variety of ways.
In order to understand the on-boarding process, he went through it entirely on his own, refusing Lab assistance in order to understand the process and its pain-points and what needs to be addressed if the platform is to grow its user base.
Is proud of the fact he was able to work out how to apply a wolf tattoo to his alt and dress it with long hair, etc.
When “undercover” with an alt, he is always in character, and has stated he will *not* break character (i.e. reveal who he is) when engaging on the platform through an alt.
Wants the community to be part of this – what are the communal goals for the platform, how can the synergy be developed such that users are a part of the drive to improve and grow the user base.
Uses the analogy of a party – an environment where people are having so much fun, they do not want it end, but rather have more people turn up, and taking actions that will encourage them to come along and engage.
Does not see change for change sake, but rather changes as a process of natural evolution that, again, grows interest in and engagement with the platform. But change will come over time.
Sees the shift to AWS very much a part of this approach: it was not made for purely financial reasons, it was made to allow SL to move into the future and continue to be grown and continue to be of value to users.
Currently feels the greatest way users can help shape Second Life is through feedback on and input into overall new user engagement and growing the user base, as this is the real driver for the long-term success of Second Life.
Supports the idea of the “four pillars” of decision making at the Lab:
What is going to bring in new users?
What is going to make existing users happier?
What is going to lead to more engagement among users as a whole?
What is going to offer the Lab’s personnel happier.
Tilia / Tilia Pay is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Linden Lab.
It is not in competition with Second Life – that is a misguided notion – but actually compliments Second Life.
SL is unique in that creators sell directly to users – it does not actually pass through Linden Lab’s own books, and allows in-world tokens to be directly converted to fiat money.
Both of these aspects require proper regulation in the United States and internationally (in the US, a company needs to be formally accredited as a money transmitter or money transfer service). This is what Tilia was set-up to be.
In effect, Tilia is to Second Life what PayPal was originally to e-bay. Without Paypal, e-bay would not be able to operate without itself going through all the requirements to become an MSB / money transmitter, and this would have been the case for LL.
Just as PayPal has grown beyond e-bay to become used by other platforms as a means of money payment / transfer, etc., so Tilia has the potential to become a money transmitter for other companies, thus allowing it to generate income and also help Second Life.
Currently ilia has two third-party customers: Sansar (operated by Wookey Technologies) and the virtual real estate game Upland.
Recognises that a change in ownership of LL can lead to fear, anxiety and potentially anger. Anger is something that is more difficult to deal with, an so would rather people do not get to that stage; anxiety is a more immediate response, and one that can be more directly dealt with.
Given that there is and has been anxiety among users, wants to stress he is devoted to reducing the anxiety and avoiding anger, and moving people towards a sense of joy, and understand this is not going to be achieved by him simply issuing directives and taking a top-down approach, but rather through engagement and through observing and listening and seeing how users respond.
Logos representative only and should not be seen as an endorsement / preference / recommendation
Updates from the week ending Sunday, June 20th
This summary is generally published every Monday, and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:
It is based on my Current Viewer Releases Page, a list of all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware), and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy. This page includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog.
By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.
Note that for purposes of length, TPV test viewers, preview / beta viewers / nightly builds are generally not recorded in these summaries.
Official LL Viewers
Release viewer: Love Me Render (LMR) 5, version 6.4.19.560171, dated May 27th, promoted June 7th – No change.
Release channel cohorts:
Project UI RC viewer updated to version 6.4.20.560520 on June 14th.
Each year the Second Life Birthday events attracts resident exhibitors from across Second Life and its multiple communities, giving them the opportunity to promote their work and their activities to the virtual world at large, and SL18B in no exception. One of the communities that, through individual and cross-supportive exhibitions, always offers much to see is the Second Life arts community, and in this article I’ve tried to highlight as many of those that I’m aware are participating in this year’s event. If I have missed yours, then I extend my apologies.
Be sure to have Advanced lighting Model (ALM) active in your viewer (Preferences → Graphics → check Advanced Lighting Model) and that you are set to use Shared Environments (World → Environment → check Use Shared Environment).
Amaze
The Ablyss – an immersive art experience by Manx Wharton and Zinnia Zauber that invites visitors to experience “the seen and the unseen”
My Surreal Dreams: sculptures and poetry – Marea2007 Praga’s surrealist look at dreams and states of mind created in a place without rules.
The Archetype of Emergence – Vanessa Jane (l), SL18B Stunning; Inside Art – Ginger Lorakeet (r), SL18B Amaze
Astonish
The Secrets of Moyaland – discover the Forest of Monsters, the underground Secret Services and the hilltop Manufacturing Secrets, all from the mind of French artist Patrick Moya (Moya Janus in SL).
Using the title of the 1926 novel of self, perception and identity by Luigi Pirandello, Vita offs a labyrinth-like wall through her photography that presents the many facets of her involvement in Second Life – creation, design, role-play, sailing, horse-riding, fashion, art, exploration, so so on. Through these images, we can explore all that makes this virtual platform both a single place and a multitude of places without actually existing as a place; somewhere we can be both a single person or a multitude of identifies whilst remaining no-one at all.
One, No-One and One Hundred Thousand – Vita Treas, SL18B Captivate
What Are You Hiding? – Pixels Sideways – an immersive, interactive environment featuring streaming media and ALM, in which kiosks ask you the question, What Are You Hiding? Click those to which you want to reply. A teleport will carry people to the Skyview for a view out over SL18B, and also to the Underworld.
Weymann Gallery – the Second Life photography of Luther Weymann celebrating the work of the Moles / Linden Department of Public Works.
The Stickleys – iSkye Silverweb’s house of (prim) stick people, a getting-back-to-basics installation celebrating the humble prim.
Electrify
UASL’s Lucid Dreaming – an immersive environment by the United Artists of Second Life (UASL), an artist group in SL that creates and exhibits art.
STÖMOL – in 2020, Huckleberry Hax released STÖMOL, a feature-length science fiction film created entirely in Second Life (you can catch my review here). A runner-up in the 2020 Supernova Digital Motion Art Festival, the film is celebrated within this installation.
The Lost Refuge – a collaboration between Silas Merlin and Solas Enchantment. Stand amongst the statues upon the 5 giant pillars that guard the elements and seek the book of lore, then use it to find five stones that house the gifts and a hidden world beneath you.
Commune Utopia Rainbow Bridge and Underwater Art Garden – and arts and music community, Commune Utopia celebrates the inclusivity and diversity of Second Life at 18 years. Cross the rainbow bridge and dive into the underwater art garden.
Happy Art Maze by Yoko Ayukawa – explore the maze of painting by Yoko.
House of Cards by Johannes Huntsman – representing the chance that life plays which determines how our world and life will turn out. Sometimes we exist surreal, sometimes abstract, other times realistic.
Inside the Box by Krystali Rabeni – who are we? Where are we?
Sparkle
Sinful Retreat: Dive into Art
Chuck Clip’s Sinful Retreat fell region has become an expressive centre for promoting all forms of artistic expression. With a focus on 2D art from both the physical and digital domains and 3D art, Sinful Retreat also offers a centre for performance art as well. For SL18B Chuck has brought together a highly expressive journey into art that features the works of 34 artists active in Second Life, a rich mix of “d and 3D works from many of the most recognised artists using the platform and an equal number whose names may not be so familiar, but whose work in no less engaging.
Dive into Art – Sinful Retreat, SL18B Sparkle
Alongside the visual art, Dive Into Art offers a peek into the art of the written word – poetry and prose – that also has a place within Second Life. More than an exhibition, Dive Into Art is itself a chapter of the story of art in Second Life, as demonstrated by the panels opposite the main entrance that start you on your journey.
The Hidden Worlds of Turin – a photographic journey through the the Italian city of Turin, and the third in a series going back to SL17B by Rubin Mayo.
Often Lost and Forgotten – Rusalka Writer’s photographic journey to Second Life destinations down the years.
Down the Rabbit Hole – Tempest Rosca-Huntsman’s delightful 3D take on the famous Alice stories by Lewis Carroll.
The Dirty Grind – drop in and learn about the independent artists community that mixes virtual and performance arts and music.
CioTToLiNa Xue’s Robot Garden – even robots like to celebrate SL18B, as Ciottolina’s little garden diorama (landscaped with the help of Terrygold) reveals.
Under the Wave – one of two installations by London Junkers.
Down the Rabbit Hole – Tempest Rosca, SL18B Sparkle
Stunning
The Archetype of Emergence – Vanessa Jane is more widely known as a 2D artist. However, as SL18B she presents a 3D work challenging visitors to ask: “What’s swimming in your unconscious ready to emerge and take flight?”
Stunning Tenshu – one of two installations by London Junkers.
Worlds Within Worlds – the physical world photography of Caro Fayray celebrating humankind and nature.
Linden Lab board member and management Executive Chair, Brad Oberwager (Oberwolf Linden) will be joining the Lab Gab Leadership Team special for SL18B
The SL18B Meet the Lindens events kick-off on Monday, June 21st with an initial Lab Gab Special that was initially billed as being the Leadership Team of Grumpity, Brett and Patch Linden.
In initially covering the series – which will run through each day of the week until Friday, June 25th, I lamented that we didn’t appear to be hearing from either board member and Executive Chair Brad Oberwager (Oberwolf Linden) or from the Chief of Staff (and herself a skilled CEO) Cammy Bergren.
Well, it’s time for me to eat my hat, as early on Monday Junes 21st, Linden Lab updated their original announcement on the Meet the Lindens schedule to indicate the Monday session – streaming 14:00 SLT – will include Oberwolf Linden.
This means the updated line-up of Meet the Lindens events is as follows:
Day (Times SLT)
Lindens
Monday 21st June
(14:00-16:00)
Lab Gab SL18B Special with the Leadership Team (Grumpity, Brett, and Patch Linden) together with Executive Chair Brad Oberwager (Oberwolf Linden).
Grumpity Linden, Vice President of Second Life Product, who will be discussing several Second Life initiatives including recent efforts focusing on growth, a stronger, more balanced economy, movement towards better community cohesion.
Brett Linden, Vice President of Marketing, who will be talking about recent user acquisition and retention efforts for Second Life including advertising, public relations, content strategy, and social media.
It’s time to highlight another week of storytelling in Voice by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s home in Nowhereville, unless otherwise indicated. Note that the schedule below may be subject to change during the week, please refer to the Seanchai Library website for the latest information through the week.
Sunday, June 20th, 13:30: Tea-Time with Modesty Blaise
The Modesty Blaise comic strip made its debut in the London Evening Standard in May 1963, and drew to a close with the Evening Standard in 2001 – although several newspapers which went onto also run the series re-ran it from 2001 through 2018.
Modesty Blaise by Enrique Badía Romero
The strip was created and written by Peter O’Donnell and largely inked by illustrators Jim Holdaway (1963-1970) and Spanish artist Enrique Badía Romero (1970-1978; 1986-end). It follows the adventures of the titular character (and based on a young girl O’Donnell actually met) who escapes from a displaced person (DP) camp in Greece as the end of World War 2.
Initially becoming the unofficial ward of another refugee, Lob (who calls her “Modesty” and provides her with an education), by 1953 she is leading the criminal enterprise known as The Network. During this time, she meets Willie Garvin, a man who becomes her most trusted ally and friend (but not her lover), and the two work closely together throughout the rest of the strip
After marrying and divorcing (gaining British nationality in the process), and having made her money through The Network, Modesty decides to return to England, with Willie accompanying her. Here, and for the core of the strip, Modesty goes to work for the British Secret Service as a kind of “independent contractor” working of H.M. Government – and she brings Willie in to assist her. During this time they also become embroiled in several adventures of their own.
Now Modesty Blaise comes to Seanchai Library’s Fireside Room with Corwyn Allen, Gloriana Maertens, Elrik Merlin, Kayden Oconnell, and Caledonia Skytower reading The Giggle Wrecker from Pieces of Modesty.
Monday, June 21st 19:00: Behemoth
In 1914, the world is divided into Darwinists and Clankers. The Darwinists have evolved genetics to make animals more useful to humans. The Clankers have built their society on machinery technology.
When the Leviathan, a living whale flying ship, arrives in Constantinople, a city where Clanker culture and Darwinst principles intersect in the most intriguing ways, Dr Barlow and Deryn Sharp deliver their precious cargo to the Sultan as part of a peace-keeping mission, only for things to suddenly take a left turn. Now the only way to save themselves in this hostile, politically-charged city is for Dr Barlow to offer up the thing that matters most: Leviathan itself.
Meanwhile, Prince Aleksandar Ferdinand, the would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne following the murder of his father, escapes from his prison camp and once more goes on the run with his men and the Loris, while Count Volger stays behind to fend-off the pursuit, forcing Alek to take on new responsibilities.
Thus, fate once again sees to it that both Deryn and Aleks must re-evaluate their precarious situations in the world…
Join Gyro Muggins as he returns to Scott Westerfield’s alternate history of Earth.
It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake.
While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns Abigail is dealing with her own mystery: teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged the teens return home – unharmed but vague about where they’ve been.
Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real and a posse of talking foxes that think they’re spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly – why?
Join Corwyn Allen as he reads Ben Aaronovitch’s latest novel.
Wednesday, June 23rd, 19:00: Carl Hiaasen’s Skink
A native Floridian, Carl Hiaasen is an American journalist who focuses on political issues (notably corruption, environmental issues and other wrong-doings) within his home state. Starting his career in the 1970s , he became renowned for being exceptionally outspoken – even against his own employers.
Carl Hiaasen. Credit: Joe Rimkus Jr.
During the 1980s, he started writing fiction in his spare time, achieving initial success with three co-authored novels published between 1981 and 1984, as well as writing several non-fiction titles.
In 1987, his second novel, Double Whammy introduced the “trailer park star tenant” and private eye, C.J. Decker, which Hiaasen fondly refers to as “the first (and possibly only) novel ever written about sex, murder and corruption on the professional bass-fishing tour.” Among the cast of characters mixed into Double Whammy is one Clinton Tyree, the one-time governor of Florida, who abandoned his office and now lives as a outdoorsman (and partaker of roadkill cuisine) in the Everglades and the Florida Keys, using the pseudonym Skink.
Skink went on to become a recurring character in a further seven of Hiaasen’s novels to date, with all the books in which he features being gathered together under the general title of SKINK, with several of them being been among the 20+ works of fiction and non-fiction by Hiaasen to appear on the New York Times best-seller list.
Join Kayden Oconnell as he continues a journey with Hiaasen’s characters.
Thursday, June 24th , 19:00: Little Fuzzy
Ktadhn Vesuvino reads the book by H. Beam Piper that spawned a series by him and other science fiction authors about a small, furry species dubbed Fuzzies.
Little Fuzzy charts the discovery of small furry species on the planet Zarathustra and the attempts by humans to determine whether or not they are sentient. If they are, then their planet will be declared a protect aboriginal world. However, The Company has desires to control the planet and its resources.
Friday, June 25th, 14:30: Terry Pratchett’s Unseen Academicals
Football in Ankh-Morpork is not as we might know it. Rather than being comprised of rules and played within a recognisable ground, it is far more akin to the somewhat violent mob football of medieval Europe.
Not that this is a concern for the elderly, mostly indolent and (some might be tempted to think) somewhat inept old wizards making up the faculty staff at the city’s school of wizardry, the Unseen University. Until, that is, their very handsome annual endowment becomes subject to their playing the game themselves.
Thus, Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully sets out a two-pronged strategy: to ensure the city’s version of football is restructured with proper (and favourable?) rules, and to put team preparations at the university in the hands of the talented candle dribbler, Mr. Nutt and his assistant, Trevor Likely, the son of the city’s most famous (if deceased – did I mention the game can be violent?) player, who are in turn supported by Glenda Sugarbean, who runs the university’s night kitchen and her assistant Juliet Stollop.
Except Mr. Nutt soon discovers he has problems of his own to deal with, and Trevor has promised his Mum he’ll never get involved in the game. Meanwhile, Glenda has the daily responsibility of baking the Discworld’s best pies, and Juliet is about to find herself whisked towards the heights of fame as a fashion model, thus potentially leaving the team a little short on practical advice…
Join Caledonia Skytower as she presents the 37th novel in the Discworld series, and possibly one of its greatest satirical undetakings encompassing football, academia, traditions, the fashion industry, politics, love, fandom, and which mixes in more serious themes of identity, crab mentality and self-worth.
