Category: Second Life

2018 viewer release summaries, week #10

Posted on by Inara Pey
Logos representative only and should not be seen as an endorsement / preference / recommendation

Updates for the week ending Sunday, March 11th

This summary is generally published on 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.

Official LL Viewers

  • Current Release version 5.1.2.512803, dated February 23rd, promoted March 1st – formerly the Nalewka Maintenance RC – No Change.
  • Release channel cohorts (please see my notes on manually installing RC viewer versions if you wish to install any release candidate(s) yourself):
    • No updates.
  • Project viewers:

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V5-style

  • Black Dragon updated to version 3.0.3, and then to 3.0.4 (bug fixes), both on on March 6th (release notes).
  • Kokua for 64-Windows updated to versions 5.1.3.42936 (RLV) and 5.1.3.42935 (non-RLV) on March 10th (via Sourceforge)

V1-style

  • Cool VL Viewer updated as follows: the Stable branch to version 1.26.20.46 and the Experimental version to 1.26.21.11, both on March 10th (release notes).

Mobile / Other Clients

Additional TPV Resources

Related Links

Aliens, a Quiet Man and celebrating Seanchai’s first decade

Posted on by Inara Pey
Seanchai Library

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 at Holly Kai Park, unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, March 11th, 18:00: The Not-Just-Anybody Family

When Junior Blossom wakes up in the hospital, his last memory is of crouching on the barn roof with cloth wings tied to his arms, and of Maggie and Vern in the yard below, urging him to fly. That had been just before Junior spotted a police car approaching the farm in a cloud of dust.

Meanwhile Pap, the children’s grandfather, sits in disgrace in the city jail. He was arrested for disturbing the peace after his pick-up truck accidentally dumped 2,147 beer and soda cans on Spring Street.

With their mother away on the rodeo circuit, it’s up to Maggie and Vern to find a way to rescue Pap and Junior. How will they solve their family problems?

Join Caledonia Skytower at the Golden Horsehoe for this Magicland Storytime reading of this Betsy Byars classic.

Monday, March 12th 19:00: Sentenced to Prism

Prism is a planet with a uniquely crystalline environment and which supports both silicon and carbon-based life forms. It is a planet where even the tiniest creatures are living jewels.

For some time, the Company has been illegally exploiting Prism, but now all contact has been lost with the research team there, leaving the Company with a problem. Any attempt to launch a rescue mission will draw unwanted attention both to Prism and to the Company’s activities. Something else must done; so they call on the talents of Evan Orgell.

A smart, self-confident and successful problem-solver, Orgell has access to the best equipment available within the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, and as Orgell discovers, Prism is a harsh and hard place – a lot harder than his state-of-the-art environment suit. When that succumbs to the local flora/fauna, Orgell finds himself exposed to the hostile environment and fighting for his survival without any protection, dependent upon little more than his wits.

Then help arrives from an unexpected quarter: a sentient life-form native to Prism calling itself A Surface of Fine Azure-Tinted Reflection With Pyroxin Dendritic Inclusions – which Orgell decides to call “Azure”.

Join Gyro Muggins as he reads a standalone story from Alan Dean Foster’s Humanx Commonwealth series.

Tuesday, March 13th 19:00: Mist Nests

An original story by Aoife Lorenfield.

Wednesday, March 14th 19:00: The Quiet Man

quiet-manReleased in 1952, John Ford’s The Quiet Man is regarded as a classic Irish-American romantic comedy / drama. Starring John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara (and assorted members of their RL families!) and Barry Fitzgerald, it is a popular choice among critics and film-lovers.

The screenplay for the film was drawn in a large part from a short story of the same name originally published in 1933 in the Saturday Evening Post, and penned by Irish author, Maurice Welsh. Together with a number of other short stories by Walsh, The Quiet Man was gathered into a single volume of his short stories, The Quiet Man and Other Stories, which dealt with many recurring characters living in rural Ireland of the 1920s, and set against the backdrop of the civil unrest which affected the country at that time, while examining the complexities and occasional intrigues of life, love and Irish traditions.

Join Caledonia Skytower as she reads Walsh’s original tale of The Quiet Man, Paddy Bawn Enright.

Seanchai’s Volume 10: Celebrating a Decade of Seanchai Library

Part 1 of a special series of events to mark Seanchai Library’s 10th anniversary. See here for the full schedule.

Thursday, March 15th, 19:00: The Architect of Newgrange – Part 1

With Shandon Loring – arrive at the Library on Holly Kai early to teleport to the special setting for the event.

Saturday, March 17th:

11:30: Corwyn Allen & Wald Schridde Play Celtic Music, Live! 

A special celebration at  Ceiliúradh Glen on Holly Kai  (in homage to Glens na hEirean in the old West of Ireland Estate).

13:00: The Storyteller’s Path

With Caledonia Skytower at  Ceiliúradh Glen broadcast on Fantasy Faire Radio.

Sunday, March 18th

12:30 Prelude to A Bagpipe Challenge

With Caledonia Skytower at  Ceiliúradh Glen followed at 13:00-14:00 by Beyond Loud – music with Elrik Merlin, Gabrielle Riel, and Ktahdn Vesivino broadcast on Radio Riel Main Stream.

 

Please check with the Seanchai Library’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.

Bailey’s Norge in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Bailey's Norge; Inara Pey, March 2018, on FlickrBailey’s Norge – click any image for full size

Note: Bailey’s Norge is now La Frontera – read here for more.

In late January, Caitlyn and I visited Bailey’s Norge, designed by the Bailey family and in the Homestead region of Forest Haven. At the time, it wasn’t clear how long the region would be open to public visits, but as it is still open to people to explore, I thought I’d write a few words on it.

Designed to represent a piece of rural Norway, the region sits within a ring of green mountains, surrounded by water as if snuggled at the inland end of a fjord, a single channel leading out to sea, watched over by the rotating eye of a lighthouse.

Bailey's Norge; Inara Pey, March 2018, on FlickrBailey’s Norge

A visit starts close to the centre of the region, on a set of stepping-stones running across the mouth of a channel separating two of the region’s islands – so be sure to wait until everything has rezzed and rendered before taking too many steps, or you might end up taking and unexpected bath.

These stones link the two largest islands with one another. The easternmost of these islands has a north-south orientation, and is occupied by two large houses. One of these sits alongside the stepping-stones, the second to the north, reached by a walk through the long grasses which dominate the flatlands of the island. This second house has the look of a working home – a pier sits on the shoreline close by, perhaps home to the fishing boat out in the bay, and with fish drying on the lines alongside the pier. And old pick-up truck has been converted into a makeshift flower garden, while a seating area lies in the shade of trees.

Bailey's Norge; Inara Pey, March 2018, on FlickrBailey’s Norge

A box bridge spans the water separating the northern end of this island with one of the two small islands on the north side of the region. Cut by a man-made water channel, where a little snuggle spot can be found atop a raft, it is otherwise deserted. A second small island lies to the west – but please note it appears to be a private residence, so exploration there should perhaps be avoided in the interests of privacy.

Travel south through the grasslands of the east-side island, and you’ll find your way to a small cabin snug against the southern coastline, looking west towards the second of the large islands, on which sits a large number of structures. A gable roofed bridge sits close by, spanning the narrow channel dividing the two islands from each other.

Bailey's Norge; Inara Pey, March 2018, on FlickrBailey’s Norge

The closest of the  buildings across the bridge is a large Scandinavian-style house. It is clearly a family home, given the swings, slide, roundabout and see-saw in the fenced garden. Surrounding this on two sides are outhouses and barns. These give the house the feel of being a farm, although the outhouses have been converted for particular uses: a bathhouse and a small photography studio / gallery.

Slight further afield, on the north side of the island lies a little shop, a converted boat dock nearby, a swing seat replacing the covered moorings. Further along the curve of the shoreline sits an old Norse building, its apparent age hinting that there has been a settlement here for a long time. Meanwhile, on the west side of the island sits a wood-framed church. This faces a boathouse sitting on the shore alongside a wooden deck that extends out over the waters. As well as offering cosy seating indoors and chairs on the deck, the boathouse also has a hot tub and hammock outside.

Bailey's Norge; Inara Pey, March 2018, on FlickrBailey’s Norge

With rich, open spaces with places to sit and / or cuddle scattered throughout, and one or two little surprises waiting to be found – keep an eye out for the Norwegian troll keeping a watch on things from the tree-line – Bailey’s Norge offers a lot to see and enjoy. Should you enjoy a visit, please consider offering a donation towards the upkeep of the region (the donation box is at the southern end of the east-side island). And if you take photos, please consider sharing them with the region’s Flickr group.

SLurl Details

Second Life through La Baroque’s Eyes

Posted on by Inara Pey
Club LA and Gallery – La Baroque

Currently open on the mezzanine floor of Club LA and Gallery, curated by Fuyuko ‘冬子’ Amano (Wintergeist), is an exhibition of art based on Second Life photographs, by artist La Baroque.

Hailing from Italy, La Baroque entered Second Life in August 2007. Already keenly interested in photography, she quickly found Second Life photography as engaging as that of the physical world. However, what makes her work particularly fascinating is not only the subject matter of her images, but the manner in which she uses post-processing techniques to make her images look – and feel – as much like paintings as possible, often with an other-worldly feel.

Club LA and Gallery – La Baroque

All of this is very much in evidence in the exhibition at Club LA and Gallery. Placed within a beach-like setting, complete with sand and camp fire, are nineteen pieces from La Baroque’s portfolio, all richly diverse in subject, framing, composition and finish. Some are suggestive of watercolour landscapes and settings, others suggest they are oil paintings, rich in colour and texture to the point where it’s easy to imagine reaching out and feeling the uneven surface of the paint on canvas. At least one – Chairs – offers a suggestion of the abstract, while that feeling of other-worldliness is also to be found throughout many of the pieces on display.

In terms of subject matter, the images offer very personal takes on Second Life landscapes, some of which might be familiar to Second Life travellers, such as Orcadi Island (which you can read about here) and Sarawak (which I wrote about here). Others are composed avatar studies offering a narrative flow – such as with Nothing on the Horizon and Breathe the Scent of the Sea, two pieces I found particularly strong in story within this series of narrative images.

Club LA and Gallery – La Baroque

Another piece I found particularly evocative – although singling out pieces within this selection really isn’t fair – is Memories of a Dragon, which is perhaps the most powerfully expressive of La Baroque’s ability to create an expression of a parallel world.

As well as producing 2D art, La Baroque also produces 3D art, but notes she doesn’t do it too often as she claims she is “much too lazy” and lacks the patience to build. Given the depth of creativity and care  shown within the pieces on display at Club LA and Gallery, I beg to differ with La Baroque’s assessment; she is far from “lazy” and her patience with the creative process is abundantly clear.

SL Details

This Weekend in Second Life Dance

Posted on by R.

Noir Neverland - March 8 2018

Hi there. R. Crap Mariner, your Dance Correspondent.

I’ll be posting dance performance schedules, similar to Inara’s posts about Seanchai Library readings. We’ll start with the weekend events for now.

Let’s get started, here’s the events that I had on the calendar as of press time…

(All times SLT)

Friday March 9

6:00PM – Elysium Cabaret

If it’s Friday, it’s Elysium Cabaret! Fancy some imagination? In The Empire Room at Copperhead Road, every Friday at 6pm SLT the dynamic performers of Elysium Cabaret take the stage to bring you a solid hour of entertainment! Featuring elaborate sets and choreography sequenced to an eclectic genre of music, Elysium Cabaret offers something for everyone. Grab your friends and get their early because the sim fills. Come celebrate Friday! Welcome to the weekend!

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Copperhead%20Road/74/64/2754

10:00PM – Guerilla Burlesque

☆☆☆GUERILLA BURLESQUE ☆☆☆

Friday March 9th at 10 pm,, Guerilla Burlesque presents its Pit Revue show!

We sparkle we shine with all the glitz and glamour of extraordinary concepts! Hot music and gorgeous dancers all packed into one exciting hour! It’s a good night to come see the show; we’ll entertain you with amazing stage acts!

Audiences love Guerilla Burlesque and their special “Pit” shows in the round, under the direction of Chrissy Rhiano and is fast becoming a fan favourite event to attend! We are delighted to bring you more of these exquisite performances this week!

Doors open at 9 pm for the 10 pm show! Arrive early and invite your friends!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Idle%20Rogue/96/195/33

Guerilla Burlesque - March 2 2018

Saturday March 10

12:00PM – Fantasy Dream

So, I saw this one from their notices:

Group Notice From: **Fantasy dreams** Dance show group, donotgivemyself

♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫♥♫
АНОНС!!! – КЛУБ ” ZODIAC ” –
10 марта – в 23,00 мск – “Fantasy Dreams” – Dance show group – “Волшебные Духи”
Ждем всех и будем рады видеть вас на наших представлениях.

Let’s see… Announcement, Club Zodiac. March 10 at 23:00 Moscow Time (let’s see Plus 9 from Houston, which is Plus 2 from SLT, so 12 Noon SLT, right?) Fantasy Dreams Dance Show Group’s Magic Spirits. We are waiting for everyone, and we will be glad to see you at our show.

They do some cool routines with wild bright colourful sets and costumes and particles. Well worth checking out.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Oceanica/171/197/2800

1:00PM – Breezes

Breezes Dancers show We Can Dance at WetDreams Paradise, Saturday 10 March 2018 at 1pm SLT.

This is a show of 6 Acts and lasts about 50 minutes.  There will be a party after the show for everyone to enjoy some dancing fun.

DressCode: Casual

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Caribbean/161/200/2602

6:00PM – Whymsee Noir

Join us on Saturday, March 10, 2018, starting at 6 pm, for Whymsee Noir: Your Cabaret Through the Years. This is a bigger Whymsee show, with three sets, one each for the 1930s, 1960s, and 2000s, costume changes, great music from each of the three eras, and gifts for you, as well! Dress for your favourite decade, or come ready for a party, ’cause we have the sets, we have the music, we have the gifts, all we’re missing is YOU!

For the Let’s Dance show, we trade in our sets for MORE dancing and LESS wait time between songs! There will be lots of wiggling, dancing, physics, and a little dazzle thrown in for good measure! Dance along with us or have a seat in our comfy chairs, we like it when you watch! No naked avatars, just dancing. Come to the show and see what all the fuss is about!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Whymsee/96/192/3286

7:00PM – Moulin Rouge

LIVE – Disney Favourites

DATE: March 10, 2018 7pm SLT

Step with us into the Magical World of Disney, where the unimaginable comes to life. The Moulin Rouge Dancers spin tales of your favourite Disney characters, from the animated to Disney Classics this evening and will bring to life yours (and their) favourites in a series of group, duet and solo numbers sure to win your heart.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Moulin%20Rouge/172/131/31

7:00PM – Paramount

Paramount Grand Theatre

March 3rd & 10th at 7pm SLT.

Spring Into March! Paramount Grand Theatre’s brand new show for March. Come join us for an evening of classy but sassy entertainment as we the Paramount Players dance for you, March 3rd & 10th at 7pm SLT.

The Players are bringing the Irish, the Scottish, the Leprechauns and the Celts to Paramount. Maybe even some American marching may make an appearance!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hell%20Lust/77/83/22

Paramount Grand Theater - March 3 2018

Sunday March 11

6:00AM – Club Image

IMAGE open this Sunday March 11th, OPEN 5:30 AM SLT, START 6:00 AM SLT.

…… ♥ * Line up for this Sunday*♥…….

  1. Yougao Destiny “Creep”.
  2. Misse Tigerpaw “Where is my love”.
  3. Setsuna Hirano “A girl from Orleans “.
  4. Diawa Bellic “Pretty wicked things”.
  5. Team Dance – Misse Tigerpaw “Bus stop”.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Laem%20Singh/191/30/2021

Club Image - March 4 2018

1:00PM – Debauche

Sunday the 11th March Debauche once again dance in simply what can be only described as a stunning and most beautiful theatre at Trysts.

Always a pleasure for Debauche to dance here. The show itself promises to be spectacular at the very least. New routines and stunning favourites. Please dress semi formal or at least smart with scripts low as possible. 1pm SLT Sunday 11th March at Trysts.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Forbidden%20Fruit/20/76/3032

Debauche - March 3 2018

5:00PM – Winds of the Sahara

Each Sunday we have a shiny, new show at Winds of the Sahara Theatre. Our dances range from burlesque to performance art and you are sure to be amazed at all of the wonder that sets, costumes and music can create. We’ll put sparkles in your eyes and leave sequins on your shirt collars.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aladona/124/193/2001

Winds of the Sahara - March 4 2018

5:30PM – Kiki’s Burlesque

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LORII%20CAPRONI%20ISLAND/106/174/24

Check with the Dance Queens event calendar for updates and additions to the weekend’s schedule, as well as the many events that happen during the week.

So, folks, is this useful? Let me know. Drop me an IM when you get to a show and that you enjoyed it.

Kokua viewer – news and future updates

Posted on by Inara Pey

Update, March 10th: Two new versions of Kokua are available for 64-bit Windows (RLV – version 5.1.3.42936 – and non-RLV – version 5.1.3.42935).  These build on recent updates to Kokua using the Lab’s 5.1.3 code base, and feature internal code refactors. They can be downloaded from Kokua’s Sourceforge repository.

In October 2017, Nicky Perian announced he would be stepping back from a direct, hands-on leadership role in maintaining Kokua to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. He put out a call for members of the Kokua community to step forward and help maintain Kokua, although he has maintained a role working on the Mac and Linux versions of the viewer.

On Friday, March 9th, Chorazin Allen – perhaps best known as the creator of Chorazin Creations, a range of RLV-enabled cages and cells for the BDSM community, and the Chain of Command range of scripted plug-ins for the Real Restraints range of products by Marine Kelley-  issued a Kokua group notice indicating he would be joining the team, taking directly responsibility for:

  • The Windows builds of Kokua
  • RLV updates
  • Release management and general administration.

In a separate group notice, Chorazin also notes:

You can check on the latest Win64 versions of Kokua by visiting Sourceforge here:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/kokua.team-purple.p/files/Kokua-SL/Windows64Bit/

You may also set up notifications from Sourceforge when new versions are added.

RLV users should update to 42932 to get a fix for the garbage collector failing to remove restrictions from vanished objects.

Chorazin notes that – understandably –  it will take a little time for the re-organisation within the Kokua team to be completed, and Kokua users are asked to keep an eye on group notices – which will become more frequent as a new version is readied for release – and on the  Sourceforge repositories for updates to forthcoming versions.

In the meantime, news that Kokua is to be moving forward will likely be welcomed by the Kokua community, and kudos to Chorazin for taking up the request to help manage the viewer and carry it forward. I’ll continue to cover updates as they are released.