No "Plan B" For Mieville, Fate of Community's Estate Uncertain Following Passing of Founder

 

 Last week, the founder and leader of the Mieville community, Perryn Peterson, was declared missing and presumed dead following a long absence with his last known location having been the hospital for a few months. While this was a sad development in itself, it leaves the future of the sims where Mieville makes it's home an unknown one as there were no plans set on how to pay for them if Perryn was unable to.

Talking to the community's assistant mayor, Wyvvy (Wyvern Dryke), he did say there was an effort to make backup plans, "The original Plan B was to combine our money and buy some sims." But there was a not so small problem, "But Plan B poofed when I realized that Mieville does not make enough rent to support even one sim for one month. And Perryn never gave me any RL contact info, despite my asking over and over."

 

And how long do the sims have left? "No one knows," Wyvvy told me, "The Lindens refuse to speak with us." He has talked to others in the community, but nobody seems to have much of an idea what to do.

Wyvvy has decided to do at least something, creating a Gofundme to save a small part of the estate.

For the last year, I have been working on a huge, virtual art build called "Haunted Nawlins." I have been building it in a meta-grid called Second Life. The project had a benefactor, who contributed the virtual real estate necessary to hold it. Unfortunately, shortly after giving me permission to use his rented "region" of real estate, my benefactor became seriously ill. He went to the hospital in March 2022, and by mid-October, his Second Life account had become deactivated. This means that he cannot pay his virtual "rent." Therefore, the region on which "Haunted Nawlins" sits will soon disappear.

My build is a representation of New Orleans, circa 1901. It is spooky and Halloween-esque. It juxtaposes beauty with decay, rich glory with poverty and despair. There are gorgeous, rotting mansions of the Garden District; muddy cobblestone streets of the haunted French Quarter; rustling, secret branches of the Bayou; and the echoing columns of the silent Lafayette Cemetery.

I have also made interactive vehicles, people, and creatures for the build. I am currently working on a simple AI system for them to tell the stories of their lives and the history of New Orleans. This is a Work in Progress; it is not finished. I have so much planned, and I do not know if I will get to complete it....

Furthermore, New Orleans has always been very special to me, so this project means a great deal. Its loss would affect me on a deep level, not just because of the work and energy I've put in, but also because the region on which it sits is central to a large community to which I've become attached. When that region disappears, I can't shake the feeling that the associated community will also disappear. I don't want to lose those friends any more than I want to lose the art.

To see the message in it's entirety, click here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/haunted-nawlins .

The situation is in some ways comparable to the Steelhead community several years ago, an active Steampunk community in which the sims were all owned by one man. In the case of Steelhead in Sept 2015, it's landowner had a number of difficult RL situations before him, and then the Lab locked his main account. That was the final straw, and he announced he could no longer maintain the community sims, all but one which would shut down less than three months later. Although one of the community would eventually get a sim for a new home, it was still pretty small compered to the old Steelhead.

In the meantime, the people of Mieville continue to go about their way, continuing to have events, such as an upcoming Thanksgiving-themed hunt. Exactly what the future truly has to hold for Mieville, hopefully it will be brighter than it currently seems.

Bixyl Shuftan

Mieville Leader Perryn Peterson Missing, Presumed Gone

 

 

In a sad development for the Mieville community, it's leader and mayor, Perryn Peterson, has been declared missing and presumed dead. In a group bulletin last night, assistant mayor Wyvvy (Wyvern Dryke) had this to say:

I know many of you are still hoping Perryn returns, and to you I say, don't give up hope.

As for me, I have resigned myself to the fact that he is (almost certainly) not coming back.  The Tinies offered me a little, temporary Memorial spot for Dia de los Muertos, so I built Perryn a bitty memorial.

Please come see it, remember Perryn... smile... wish for his return or say goodbye.  Or both!

In the group chatter that followed, it was noted, "He's not even listed in the Mieville group," and "He's not in the search however." "I think we should assume the worst." Wyvvy, when asked how long Perryn was gone, told, "He went to the hospital in mid-March. (then) only logged in maybe five times, for a few minutes. Then disappeared completely June 16. ... We just kept on keepin' on."

This hasn't been the first time Perryn has vanished. In February 2020, his not having logged on since going to the hospital in December 2021 was causing some worry as there was the threat of the Mieville community sims closing due to lack of payment. But he soon returned. Afterwards, measures were put into place so the sims wouldn't be in danger if there was another time he couldn't log on. It would seem that time has arrived.

Perryn's memorial is at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cathedral/129/25/72

Bixyl Shuftan

Update on Mieville

Some good news for the residents, and fans, of the Mieville steampunk community. For several weeks, the people there have been worried about their landowner, Perryn Peterson, after he checked into a hospital and not a word was heard from him since. That is, until earlier today, when a resident spotted him online. Miss Mattie Puss (MatildaRigby Resident) would describe the encounter.

[11:29] Perryn Peterson wabes to da Kitteh hoping not to frighten her half to death.
[11:32] Perryn Peterson: I is back.  Sort of.  Not in the best of health but back.  You won't believe all that happened.  I hope to see you soonly.

HE HAS RETURNED! HE LOGGED IN FOR A SHORT TIME AND LEFT MESSAGES. HOPEFULLY HE WILL COME BACK LATER BUT HE WAS HERE!

Mieville chat was promptly full of comments, "Linden Labs prob called him up and said you know you got these people panicing and they wont leave us alone." "It's a Valentine miracle.  I can't wait to hear what happened.  Soooooooo relieved.  Wonderful news." Miss Mattie would add, "He left me a message and I cussed him. I love him and wanna smack him for being gone. ... hope he comes back on tonight so I can hug hims and bite hims for being gone and hugs him again."

Talking to Assistant Mayor Wyvern Dryke (Wyvvy), he told me couldn't give me 100% confirmation the emergency was over, but "It's safe to assume he's paying his tier.  I don't think you would be going out on a limb for saying that."

So it would seem Mieville's crisis is coming to a close.

Bixyl Shuftan

Mieville in Trouble Due To Missing Landowner

The Mieville steampunk community is facing a crisis: the disappearance of the landowner, Perryn Peterson. After a tip, I joined the community group, and in a notice from February 3, read the following.

As many people know Mieville is facing a challenge. Our beloved Mayor went into hospital at the end of December and has not returned. There is a lot of uncertainty about how we should respond but some careful evaluation of where we are right now may help us plan what to do if the unthinkable has happened.

The rest of the notice talked about coming up with a plan about what to do. A later notice discussed about talking about the situation with a Linden.

I ended up contacting Wyvern Dryke, also known as Wyvvy. "Perryn is on extended medical leave," he told me, " Other than that, we have no news.  He left for the hospital on Dec. 28, 2019. He was sick with a severe flu for six weeks prior. We never heard anything after he went to hospital.  For all we know, he's in some rehab center on a drip tube. No one, including his partner, has any RL information to contact him."

So what are the people doing? Wyvern told me they were in the middle of making a backup plan. How much time did they have and how much slack would Linden Lab give them? "We have no idea how much time. LL won't tell us. But they said they'd be wiling to 'work with us' once the rent dries up. In the meantime I am keeping everything going forward like it was before: all events, Social Night, feeshing, etc." While some residents had left the estate grounds, others were staying. The local church was making plans for Ash Wednesday. Wyvern added, "We have Steam Hunt and Steam Expo 2020 opening on March 1. Lasts until March 31. Then in May we have Anxiety Awareness Art Festival." They were still accepting merchants for the Steam Expo, of which info can be found at Mieville Shelley (65/64/1035).

Overall, the mood was optmistic, "Everyone in Mieville is putting forth great effort.  Our meetings on Monday are crowded with concerned citizens willing to discuss Mieville's future.  We all miss Perryn and wish for him to return, but in case he doesn't, we are willing to figure out a new future."

Hat tip: Laraa Short

Bixyl Shuftan

Renaissance Faire and Hunt

Grey Lupindo's travels took her to the Mieville Lovelace sims, where the owner has set up a Renaissance Faire and Hunt. Set around a detailed Medieval village, the faire offers plenty to see and hear and some freebies, in addition to a challenging shopping hunt. 

See Grey's story in Events.

Arcadia Asylum Library

Earlier this summer, Gemma Cleanslate wrote about the Library of Arcadia. Recently, she heard that the library was due to be closed, but the contents were being set up at new locations. On a tip, she went to one place to have a look for herself to see how Arcadia's works were doing.

Read more in Design.