Mont Saint Michel Returns, Linden Lab Involved

Mont Saint Michel is back on the grid.

It was several weeks ago that this replica of a historic structure in northwestern France, a sim once listed as one of the top ten places based on real life locations to visit in Second Life by Newser writer Becky Shamen, had vanished from the map. It was in September 2015 that it's owner Moeka Kohime announced that she could no longer afford to keep the place afloat and it would soon be closing. But the sim would remain standing for about a year longer before finally fading away, seemingly gone for good. Only two times before in the thirteen year history of Second Life, with Svarga and the SS Galaxy, has Linden Lab intervened to save a sim from vanishing into the virtual nether.

Apparently the Lab has decided to make Mont Saint Michel number three.

Taking a look at the information about the sim in the viewer, a look under the "Covenant" tag revealed an owner other than Moeka: Mogura Linden. Mogura Linden made news last year for being the founder of the "SS Galaxy Preservation Group."  So she's involved with what seems like transferring the ownership of the sim to Linden Lab.

I was able to visit the sim and look around a little. Some of the shops there are still active, at least for now. And there were some chimneys with smoke coming out of them that I hadn't noticed before. Did I overlook them earlier, or something just added?

It's unclear whether or not the transfer of ownership will mean the sim will be temporarily closed for a while. So those interested in seeing the place again are advised to drop by sooner rather than later. But it's good news that this picturesque sim will be around for good.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mont%20Saint%20Michel/78/34/21

Hat Tip: Daniel Voyager and Tyche Shepherd

Bixyl Shuftan

Mont Saint Michel Gone One Year After Announcement

It seems for Mont Saint Michel, time has finally run out.

With the three UWA sims set for abandonment getting a new lease on virtual life, yours truly thought about another sim which a year ago faced the chopping block: Mont Saint Michel. Once listed by Becky Shamen as among her top ten places to visit in Second Life, the place was a virtual replica of a historic real-life location in northwestern France which over the centuries had served as an abbey, fortress, and prison before becoming a tourist spot. Over time a number of residents have visited this location, some posting their screenshots on a Flickr page for the place (most of the more recent pictures on the page have nothing to do with the island, though).

A little more than a year ago in September 2015, Moeka Kohime announced that for "economic" reasons the place would soon be closing. But when October arrived, the sim remained. As the weeks and months went by, the sim remained up. I would continue to drop by every month or two, the last time in August.

Why didn't Linden Lab just up and let the place fade away? At the time Linden Lab was still smarting over the closing of the SS Galaxy. So maybe the location was left up to ease the worries of residents. While it would have made sense for Linden Lab to acquire the location like it eventually did the SS Galaxy, it never did.

And so, once again Second Life says goodbye to a noted, well-designed location. In this case, residents had a little more time to say their farewells.

Addition: Daniel Voyager later stated the sim went offline in early September.

Bixyl Shuftan

Still Alive: Mont Saint-Michel Remains Six Months After Closing Announcement

With Insilico recently having had a brush with closure, yours truly thought about another location that was put on the "Sim Deathwatch" list last year: Mont Saint-Michel. In late September 2015, the owner, Moeka Kohime, announced that the replica of the historic structure in northwestern France would be closing at the end of September. But the end of the month came and went, but the island remained. It was still up in late December.

Checking back over the weekend, over six months since the announcement of the sim's closing, Mont Saint Michel is still up for all to see.

So why has the sim remained up? Perhaps the Lindens haven't gotten around to tearing it down yet. More likely, they simply don't want to. The location has been listed as an example of what can be built in Second Life. It continues to get visitors, more than a hundred whom are listed on it's Flickr page. So they have reasons to keep the place going besides avoiding the bad press that followed the closing of the SS Galaxy last year. So why hasn't Linden Lab bought the location like it had the ocean liner? Perhaps as everyone is happy with the way things are now, the Lab is inclined to keep it that way.

So the sim and it's picturesque structure remains up, at least for now. Many residents' experiences with Linden Lab have cautioned them against taking anything in Second Life for granted. With their tales in mind, perhaps it's best to drop by the place sooner rather than later, just in case the day comes the sim is no longer accessible, and then fades away from the map.

Mont Saint Michel (104/29/21).

Bixyl Shuftan

Mont Saint Michel Remains Up

In a year that's been marked by the closure of some popular areas, one place marked for the end has so far been spared by the Lindens, at least for now. In September, Moeka Kohime, the owner of Mont Saint Michael, a recreation of a Medieval structure that has been a popular spot for visitors on the Grid, announced she could no longer keep paying the tier. It was feared the place would vanish after the end of the month, but it continued to be up in October. In November, Inara Pey found the place was still up. And when I dropped by the place the weekend, the good news continued. Mont Saint Michel was still around.

So why hasn't Linden Lab drop-kicked the sim into the virtual nether like so many other places? Maybe we the residents, at least those of us whom like exploring around, have simply been extra lucky as they haven't gotten around to it all these months. Or maybe the reaction to the SS Galaxy going down has given the Lab pause. Could Moeka have come across more money and resumed tier payments? Or perhaps the Lab is taking with her behind the scenes about purchasing the place? She hasn't provided any new information on the matter.

Perhaps we should just simply consider the place still being around a Christmas present from Linden Lab, and enjoy this extra chance to drop by another time. 

Mont Saint Michel (125, 5, 22)

Second Life's Mont Saint Michel to Close

Another noted sim in Second Life will soon be closing. Moeka Kohime, the builder and owner of Mont Saint Michel, which Becky Shamen listed as one of the top ten places to visit on the Grid, announced on her Flickr page that the location would be going away for "economic" reasons.

Going about the place, it was very well detailed. Much like the real-life Mont Saint Michael, which has served as an abbey, fortress, and prison, it has been a popular attraction with residents frequently dropping by. Many have left some of their screenshots on the location's  Flickr page where various residents have posted over a hundred pictures of the location.

The island also has an old blog with a few pictures, but has not been updated in years. 

To get to the place before it closes, head to Mont Saint Michel (104/29/21).

Hat tip: Hamlet Au

Two Second Life Games: "Star Trek Battle Game" and "Attack on Titan"

Two neat looking games have appeared in Second Life recently. One is a Star Trek game created by Loki Eliot. Loki had been "experimenting" with creating "Star Trek" style ships, and decided to make a battleship game out of it. The game pits a Federation ship against a Klingon one. The Federation ship has stronger shields and longer range weaponry, but the Klingon ship has more guns.

Second Life Newser may do a more in-depth article on the game. But for now,  readers can check for more information on the game on Eliot's blog (Click here). One fan, Natascha Rantt, made a video based on the game (Click here).

The other game is based on the Japanese anime "Attack on Titan." It was created by a fan, Moeka Kohime, and quickly gained a following. Shamera Kohime (no relation) did a good article on the gameplay (click here). To get into the action, one needed to get uniforms in addition to power swords and "3D maneuver gear" that allows you to run and jump around like a movie ninja.

"The detail on the gear is amazing, and there are quite a few animations included for flying through the air, falling, landing, running, attacking, etc. I've certainly spent hours at this place just honing my Titan killing skills ..."

 There was just one problem. Although the uniforms were free, the gear was not. So technically that was a violation of the anime's copyright, owned by Kodansha Ltd. And it seems they ordered to Moeka to stop selling the equipment. The vendor where it was available is gone, with the words "this product is discontinued" in it's place. The arena itself is still up for those who already bought the gear at MontSaint Michel (226/144/3901). But it seems for now no more can get into the action.

Last year there were worries about Star Trek items being taken down from Second Life due to copyright concerns. But a deal was worked out, and Trek on the Grid continued. Similar case with "Battlestar Galactica." Not all science-fiction producers have been willing to cut deals. In 2009, "Dune" roleplays were ordered to rename themselves and certain items after Trident Media group, which owned the rights to "Dune," complained to Linden Lab.

With Second Life residents finding out about the anime through the game, one would think the company involved, Kodansha, might be willing to cut some kind of deal. Ciaran Laval in her blog suggested that Linden Lab could establish a process where deals could be worked out between copyright owners and content creators, noting that Amozon Kindel had procedures for fan fiction.

In the meantime, the future is looking iffy for the "Attack on Titan" game, much to the irritation of the anime's fans in Second Life. Star Trek fans, secure in the deal made earlier, can boldly go and play Loki's game to their heart's content.

Bixyl Shuftan