News In Brief

 There's a lot going on, and only a little time to write. So for today, here's the news in brief.

 

Yesterday, Tuesday April 14 at 1 PM SL time was the official start of the Bellisseria Birthday celebrations, or BB7, with a speech by Patch Linden, who congratulated the Linden Home continent's residents for making the land alive and creative.

 

Today, Wednesday April 15, was the Bid the Lindens Bald party hosted by the Relay Rockers. For a moment, it looked like Patch Linden's team was going to be bald. Then they got a big donation. In the end, Team One would give Team Two the haircuts.

 

Yesterday, Linden Lab announced they were accepting applications for volunteer staff for the SL23B.  

 

Today, Linden Lab would announce "A New Chapter For Mainland." The adult continent Zindra will be expanding while Gaeta 1 will be "transitioning," or going away after it's residents are relocated "by the end of 2026."

 

More on these stories when there is more time to write.

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Some April Fools Pranks In Second Life, and Elsewhere

 

Yesterday was one of the Newser's traditions, the April Fools joke story. Sometimes it's poking fun at something done by the Lindens, and sometimes it's poking fun at real-life news. This year, it was the later, poking fun at a certain President's insistence that America "most have" a certain island. A couple readers didn't like it. Others thought it was hilarious, "Good thing I wasn't drinking my tea when I read this. Thanks for the scoop Bixyl, and maaaybeee check your calendar after reading this, folks."

But this wasn't the only April Foolery. Far from it.

 

 Those using Firestorm yesterday probably noticed things weren't quite right. Once, the viewer seemed slanted. Other times, there was a face poking up in the corner "I heard a mouse click.:And the bird had googly eyes. But there were also various messages in the popup window in the center.

Attention residents: An epidemic of uncontrollable laughter has broken out in Second Life! Proceed with caution, as spontaneous giggles may occur at any moment.

 

Fashion emergency: All virtual clothing has been replaced with banana peels and coconut shells. Embrace the tropical chic look!

 

Beware of rogue teleportation portals appearing randomly across Second Life. You never know where you might end up!

Due to a coding hiccup, all avatar voices have been replaced with chipmunk squeaks. Happy chatting!

 

And Linden Labs got into the act as well. Patch Linden would announce on the forums a new Linden Home theme.  

We are excited to introduce the latest addition to the Linden Homes family, now available for preview in the Welcome Hub Linden Homes Demo region. Residents have long awaited something fresh, and today we are unveiling a surprising new direction with the gravity-defying Topsy-Turvy Homes. Every detail of these homes has been carefully crafted to provide a completely inverted living experience. Gardens sprout beneath floorboards, welcome mats hang proudly from the ceiling, and chimneys point straight to the ground. These homes offer a whimsical and truly one-of-a-kind perspective of Bellisseria, inviting you to see the world from a whole new angle. Staying true to our finest traditions, the Topsy-Turvy Homes arrive as part of a broader effort to create more dynamic and evolving environments.

 

But this wasn't all.  "Along the coastlines, residents may notice the arrival of Offshore Oil Rigs. These towering structures have quickly become part of the seascape, giving a more industrial touch to the otherwise serene Bellisserian waters." 

 

Thankfully there were no reports of oil soaked birds. 

 

There were also reports of volcanoes, "In the Thousand Islands regions, volcanic activity has stirred, adding glowing rivers of lava and drifting ash to the air. Some believe it to be a sign of seasonal shifts within the grid itself."

 

The response so far to the Lindens' April foolery has been mostly positive, "Love the new houses, so much more interesting than the old ones/" "I want one of those homes!" "Just needs a little early 80's Lionel Richie music, and we'd be right at home!" A couple people didn't think much of the oil rigs, but the volcanoes seemed popular, "LOL - it's regurgitating cows!" "I'm a bit disappointed that I can't catch the volcano cows for my Ranch." "I'm a bit disappointed that I can't catch the volcano cows for my Ranch." "Great April Fool "

 

More later on April Fools in gaming.

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Haunted House in Bridesmere, Bellisseria

 

October isn't the only time you can find a haunted house in Second Life. Gemma Cleanslate recently heard about one in the Bridesmere sim in Bellisseria. Called the Mysterious Manor, it was created by Evangeline Ling, and has a number of spooky thrills. So what did Gemma think?

Read Gemma's story in Places.