Category Archives: NEWS

Seaclaid

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This week we have found ourselves at Seaclaid, a roleplaying region. This ferry station in an idyllic coastal town welcomes everyone with an undercurrent of romantic mystery.
 

 

The region’s owner, Katie Luna, explains that “Seaclaid was born in sorrow, but soon became an instrument of healing. Lost friends return, new friends are made. The place now has an almost magical feel to it. I step back in wonder and gratitude. That my simple little sim has garnered so much interest is amazing to me.” Although the region of Seaclaid is about 5 years old, the role play group active is now much older and as you can imagine, the landscape has evolved and grown more detailed over time.

In the video, Katie also states that “Since Seaclaid is a damaged part of the ferry, doorways open up at random times. And people from different time periods fall in, which allows for the oddities that you see walking around.” There is also so much to do and see here between the stone pathways, castle, Irish pub, and gallery. The gallery is filled with many styles of art, and don’t be surprised if you see a baby dragon floating by the fountain outside.

Sorrel Fang, a dressmaker, remarks that “Seaclaid is a breath of solitude, joyful fun when meeting others and sharing adventures, and a true masterpiece for the eyes and heart. Just when you think you know something, you discover a new mystery.” The wildflowers and sparkling water will take your breath away, and the many interesting shops are a pleasant way to lose track of time. 

As Katie mentions in the video, Tam’yn comes from a different planet and accidentally got trapped. However, it seems like destiny given Tam’yn’s glowing testament to Seaclaid’s inclusivity: “As a dedicated Furr, I’d about given up on roleplay since most RP’s are medieval, political, and humans only.  Seaclaid is not any of that.  Who you are is who you are since you “dropped in” from somewhere and some when else.”

Some other prominent Residents include Cressy, a Fae fox, and Zsophia, a healer. Onceagain happened upon Seaclaid by chance through the Destination Guide and ended up opening a small photography studio. Onceagain says “I don’t know how this adventure will end but I hope to leave lethargy behind and make new friendships because the beginning was sparkling.”

If you’re feeling inspired or would just like a nice place to relax, Seaclaid has several rentals open. It is a popular choice among bloggers and photographers, and there is no dress code. Visit Seaclaid today to enjoy a mystical windswept moment.

Video Production Credits:
Draxtor Despres

Have a Great Week from all of us at Zoha Islands Fruit Islands/Eden

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Seaclaid

When the night grows dark and the sea is calm and the fog rolls over the land, the wise folk bar their doors and watch for the shadow on the land. Dragons, Fae, Vampire, all fantasy creatures welcome. Yeah, you pesky humans too!

Visit in Second Life

Nord Storm Steampunk

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Nord Storm is a vast steampunk role playing experience featuring an abandoned laboratory, a sacred cathedral, retro gadgets, and more in a wintery mountain town.
 

For those unfamiliar, steampunk is a retro futuristic sub genre of science fiction, and it has a sizable devotion in Second Life with many steampunk regions to explore. Nord Storm is a huge region with architecture and technology bearing the distinct aesthetic of what would be considered futuristic through a 19th-century lens. 

Upon arrival, you are greeted with the message: “Here you can fight monsters, solve puzzles, upgrade avatar skills, craft, cook your own food, earn experience coins, play team games, fish, compete with other residents in skills, and much more… The game is available to all users.” Sounds like enough activity to fill up what’s left of 2020!

You first enter Nord Storm at an open air train station. In order to participate in the game component of the experience, you can receive a HUD from a machine nearby. The HUD has a built-in collision-based combat system. To hunt ghosts, you don’t have to wear a combat system, but if you want your avatar to be able to deal damage to them, the combat system will allow you to do so.

You are free to explore on foot, but who wouldn’t want to use the time machine? All you have to do is launch the portal by reclining in the car seat. Click on the monitor to select one of the many locations in this world.

Be sure to keep an eye out for places marked with gold coins. When you sit at the designated earning spot, coins will be credited once a minute and can be used to purchase different items that enhance gameplay in the shop. You can also redeem prizes in the factory once you accrue enough experience points.

More details, pictures, and maps can be found at the official Nord Storm website.

For those more interested in admiring the architecture and environment than the gaming aspect, there is no pressure to conform to any specific gameplay rules. Everybody is welcome to visit the church, peruse the library, enjoy a quiet moment in the garden, or take a ride in the steampunk train.

If you’d like to adorn your avatar in steampunk attire, the marketplace has outfits and accessories for all levels of commitment. This region takes winter wonderland to the next level with the highly detailed levels of interactivity, gorgeous terrain, and hidden treats. Let Nord Storm whisk you away today.

Have a Great Week from all of us at Zoha Islands Fruit Islands/Eden

Thanksgiving Bakefail

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Thanksgiving Bakefail

Update – We have received several reports that some avatars are still appearing as a cloud. If you have logged out and logged back in after this fix was applied and still appear as a cloud, please take the following steps:

– Open your Lost and Found folder and delete any extra Current Look or Current Outfit folders you see there.
– Open your Trash folder and permanently delete the Current Look or Current Outfit folders you just moved there.
– Run a character test via Develop > Avatar > Character Tests > Test Male or Test Female. Alternatively you may choose an outfit in your My Outfits folder, right click it, and select Replace Current Outfit.

If you continue to appear as a cloud after taking these steps, or have any other issues with your avatar’s appearance, please contact support for further assistance!
Dec 11, 09:01 PST

Monitoring – We have deployed a tool which Support can use to clear this problem from your account.
If you have already reported to Support that your avatar is a cloud, we have set up the fix
for your account. The next time you log in (log out if you’re logged in now) the fix will be applied.
You may need to select a new Outfit or otherwise change your avatar to fully rez the first time
after the fix.
If you have not filed a ticket with Support yet, you may do so – we are running a scan of active
accounts and will apply the fix to any we find that need it.
Dec 10, 14:41 PST

The 10th Annual SL Christmas Expo Is Open

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The 10th Annual SL Christmas Expo Is Open

Posted on by Daniel Voyager

 


The 10th annual Second Life Christmas Expo opened to the public on Friday 4th December and will remain open until Sunday 13th December 2020. Linden Lab revealed the next edition of Linden Homes featuring Chalets. Visit the preview region here.

Theme 7 – Chalet Linden Homes
Christmas Expo Region

Linden Lab have posted details about the 10th annual Second Life Christmas Expo on the official Second Life blog this weekend which is worth checking out. The 10th annual SL Christmas Expo features over 225 merchants and nearly 100 live performers.

Christmas Stockings Region

You can expect Christmas holiday activities to take place from raffles, auctions, Christmas tree lots, the annual snowman contest along with much more. See the special events page here.

Christmas Mornings Region

The 10th annual SL Christmas Expo is in support of The American Cancer Society and Relay For Life of Second Life. This year there are 14 regions (+1 American Cancer Society region) to explore offering entertainment, shopping opportunities and Christmas related activities.

SL Christmas Expo Regions 2020

There is something for everyone at the expo this year. Visit the 2020 SL Christmas Expo today and have a great Christmas. Spread the word! 🙂

 

Residents can:

* Vote (by donation to a special ACS Christmas Expo Kiosk) for your favorite decorated Linden Home at the 3rd Annual Lights of Hope Home Decorating Contest.

* Bid for an exclusive Linden Home Package, including a 6 Month Premium Membership; a Private Bellisseria lot with their choice of a Linden Home.

* Bid to Create a New Linden Last Name to be added to the list of choices for new members.

* Bid to Name a Future Bellisseria Region (3 Available).

* Purchase a Limited Edition Linden Christmas Ornament, specially designed for the 2020 Expo and only available at the Expo.

* Pose with Santa Patch and his elves! A very special opportunity to pose for a picture with our VP of Product Operations, Patch Linden, and his team – on Wednesday, December 9th from 1pm to 3pm PT, in the main SL Christmas Expo region. 

Stay updated on the latest news and events visit the SL Christmas Expo 2020 website.

Happy Holidays From All Of Us At Zoha Islands Fruit Islands/Eden

Virtual World Simulation of COVID Infection

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Virtual World Simulation of COVID Infection Significantly Improves Student Awareness of Social Distancing

COVID game simulation SORBET OpenSim

Among the many problems the COVID pandemic has created is the challenge of opening up elementary schools while also teaching kids the importance of maintaining social distance.  But how do you teach social distancing to kids who are learning remotely? 

Enter the SORBET project (for Socially Responsible Behaviors through Embodied Thinking), created in OpenSim, the open source virtual world platform, launched while Singapore was under quarantine. Lead developed by Kenneth YT Lim, a researcher with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, the SORBET simulation gives kids treasure hunts and other mini-games to play — with the likelihood of infection, if students allow their avatars to stray too close to each other. (See above.)

COVID game education Singapore

“In real life, we all have to develop the new habit of keeping a certain distance apart,” as Lim explains some of the theory backing SORBET, “but there is no RL reinforcement to our behavior, and also no RL personal augment which makes us continually aware of that safe circle.” (And kids are likely to forget about social distancing during sudden bursts of rambunctious kid-ness.)

Before running the simulation, kids are surveyed on their attitudes about the pandemic and social distancing — then after playing in SORBET, given the same survey, to see if their perspectives have changed.  

In a test on 114 students, the results were promising:

“In terms of the quantitative data,” Lim tells me, “there was a statistically significant positive increase in the respondents to the statement, ‘I can make a difference to how Singapore responds to the COVID-19 pandemic’. In addition, from a sample of 32 academically less strong students… there were statistically significant positive differences in how students responded to questions such as ‘I think about how my actions affect other people’, ‘I believe that problems should be solved by people working together to find a solution’, and ‘as young children, we are able to contribute to the community.” So the quantitative data tells us the approach is having its intended outcomes, especially among less academically strong students.”

Testing a group of Korean graduate students, Lim noticed that after a half hour in SORBET, “[they] had subconsciously positioned their avatars a respectful distance apart from each other.” This is consistent with a phenomena first reported by Nick Yee during his PhD work at Stanford over a decade ago, that people using virtual worlds tend to move their avatars away from other players, to maintain our unwritten rules of personal space. Now, that virtual world phenomena could be leveraged to help fight a real world pandemic. 

Read more about SORBET here. What’s most interesting to me is that similar simulations can easily be created for popular virtual worlds for kids like ROBLOX and Minecraft, and might achieve similar positive results.

“SORBET is actually a pedagogical approach (embodied first half plus dialogic second half) supported by a technical back end (outbound data from (any) world) written to an external database,” as Ken puts it. “Both Roblox and Minecraft support out-bound calls of in-world data. as long as these calls can write data to an external database, the SORBET approach can be adopted [to them].”

Image and photo via Dr. Lim. 

Have a Great week from all of us at Zoha Islands Fruit Islands/Eden

Introducing the Second Life Public Calendar!

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We’ve heard your requests and we’re introducing a new public Google calendar that will have all Linden Lab official events listed. This new calendar offers a convenient way to get an at-a-glance look at upcoming User Group meetings and other Linden Lab-sponsored events (such as the Second Life Book Club and upcoming Winter Wonderland snow fight).

To access the web version of this calendar, go to second.life/calendar, no login is required. 

You can additionally use this ICAL feed link to add it to your own personal calendar. You can also click the +GoogleCalendar icon on the bottom right of the web calendar to add it to your Google Calendar. Or, copy over individual events that you are interested in by clicking on the event and click “copy to my calendar.”

SL Public Calendar.jpg

 

We hope you find this calendar helpful. It will be frequently updated, but if you see any errors or discrepancies, reach out to Strawberry Linden at strawberry@lindenlab.com.

We are looking forward to seeing you at some upcoming events, especially the Linden & Resident Snowball Fight on December 18th. Look out for detailed blog posts about that and the Winter Shop & Hop, coming soon!

For Resident-run events, view our Events page. Seraphim also has a very handy Google calendar for Resident-run shopping events. 

Happy Holidays!
 Have a great week from all of us at Zoha Islands and Fruit Islands/Eden