Looking Back: The Newser's SL15B Exhibit

 

 

 With the Second Life Twentieth Birthday celebrations, the SL20B, just a few days away, the Newser is taking a look back at the one five years ago, it's fifteenth. Our exhibit then reflected the theme, Crystal Anniversary, with a fifteen story crystal tower. 

Like the majority of our exhibits over the years, it was built by Silvia Ametza. Here we are relaxing at a small park next to the build with a builder friend of hers. 

The next five years would see many changes, though that's another story.

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: SL15B's "Unicornium Crystals"

 From DeniseUnicorn Toonie, her picture of her exhibit in the SL15B three years ago, "What I like about that center pool, it's a liquid crystal pool.  I had the crystal texture flowing like water. And (I) had the 'water' flowing over the crystal pillars. And the pillars in the corners had this flowing energy pattern. You can see my AV there as a size comparison. ... My SL15B build was pretty simple. But it was the textures and special effects that I put into it that made it, unique." 
 

Persons of the Year: The Second Life Birthday Volunteers

Second Life had it's share of people making the news this year, as well as people behind places and events making the news, and those making an impact behind the scenes. Finding someone who both stood out and made a difference was less than easy. But we did find someone.

Every year since it's first, there has been an anniversary celebration of some kind within Second Life, the Second Life Birthday. With one exception, the first eight were handled by Linden Lab. But in 2012, the Lab announced it would no longer be organizing one. What happened was that a number of residents took it into their own hands to organize the event, and these volunteers saved "The Birthday." Had the Newser been giving out it's "Man of the Year" award then, it would have gone to them.

This year came a milestone birthday, Second Life's fifteenth. It would me more than just the usual crowd of Second Life residents, but people coming back after taking a break for a few years as well as a few from tech blogs and magazines whom would be seeing the event as an example of the best of what Second Life has to offer, and giving their critical eye of what they saw. While Linden Lab has been taking a role in anniversary celebrations lately, such as the Musicfest and the "Meet and Greet" with noted Lindens, "The Birthday" is still up to a group of hardworking, and mostly overlooked volunteers.

Any Second Life Birthday is a challenge to undertake, the planning, the exhibit inspections, greeting and guiding visitors, watching out for griefers, finding people to fill in for musicians who can't make it, and more. And occasionally mistakes are made. But as always the Second Life Birthday volunteers rose to the challenge, and they tackled it well.

Many of the SLB volunteers have been mentioned in the Newser a number of times, such as Marianne McCann, Faust Steamer, Treacle Darlandes, and others. Our own Gemma Cleanslate was an SLB greeter for a few years. But many others have done their (unpaid) jobs practically unnoticed outside the volunteer group.

So for their hard work this year, as well as previous years, for this high-profile event, the Second Life Newser names the Second Life Birthday volunteers as it's Persons of the Year.

Stand by for our runner-up on Monday.

Bixyl Shuftan
Editor, Second Life Newser

The SL15B Gift Grab: The Last Gift

After fifteen weeks, The Second Life Fifteenth Birthday Gift Grab, (described in their blog post of the event and briefly at the end of our June 22 article of The Birthday), is coming to an end. The first fourteen weeks have offered gifts from silly string to hoverboards, to crystal balls, to teddy bears, to magic wands, and more. The fifteenth gift we were told would be reserved only for those who had collected every one of the previous fourteen gifts, and was promised to be extra special.

Finally on Monday September 24, the fifteenth and final gift was made available. The clue on the Linden blog was, "The FINAL SL15B Weekly Gift Grab Hint is: Home of the Moles is where this could be. Hidden among things for everyone to see." The clue led to Meauxle Bureaux (152/127/29). The sim was quite picturesque at certain angles.

For those whom had the first fourteen notches on their "Swaganator HUD," the gift was available to claim. So I got it, and headed to a sandbox to see what the grand prize we'd all been waiting for was.

And it was ... a crystal carriage. You could sit on it. But to operate it, you needed the HUD that come with it. Once attached, you could move the carriage around, even fly it in the air. Something that would be fun for Fantasy-themed areas.

And that's it. That's the last of the SL15B Gift grab gifts. Hope you had fun collecting them. Do you have a story about a hunt area that was extra good or bad? Anything to say about a gift that was really great or a disappointment? Send your reader submissions to bixylshuftan@gmail.com

Bixyl Shuftan

Gift Grab: Week Fourteen

It's near the end of Week 14 of the SL15B Gift Grab, and just a couple days left for what for many is the last item up for the taking. This week's clue is "Once you’ve battled the Dinos and saved the grid, can you search high and low to discover the gift?" Which means head to Paleoquest.

Where the Gift Grab prize isn't too far from the entry area in Paleoquest. In fact, it's clearly marked as the "Free Gift" area, which to those who haven't been there means a different free gift. As usual, while having the Swaganator HUD on, click on your prize to claim it.

This week's prize is the biggest one yet, so you'll want to rezz it somewhere with plenty of room (such as the Ivory Tower sandbox). This is the Crystal Tower. It's empty on the inside, but it could easily be made into a small home or used for some other purpose.

Unless you've collected all thirteen of the previous weeks' Gift Grab's gifts, this will be the last of the SL15B hunt items you can get. For those who have gotten all fourteen, then Week 15 of the Gift Grab, starting Monday September 24 will offer one more item that promises to be particularly special. What is it? Stay tuned.

Bixyl Shuftan

Gift Grab Week Twelve

Week Twelve of the SL15B Gift Grab has a couple days left. This week's clue is, "Things go bump in the night in this field of tall corn. Can you find the gift? Watch your step! You have been warned!" The link provided takes you to a rather spooky place: The Cornfield.

Entering the area, the Cornfield basket, weapon, and hud will appear automatically on you. Fortunately, the Swaginator HUD is clearly in view if you have it on. Make sure you do, and click the chest at the chicken coop area to get the package.

Unpacking the crystal package, your gift this week is revealed to be a crystal wand. You can do a few things with it, such as make snow appear, make a green cloud appear around you, make a shower of Glytches appear, make a portal to Portal Park appear, and a few other things.

Week Thirteen of the Gift Grab is in a few days. Week Fourteen is on the 17th. And for those who caught all of the first fourteen gifts, Week Fifteen starts on the 24th.

Bixyl Shuftan

Gift Grab Week Eleven

Just a couple days left for Week Eleven of the Gift Grab. This week's clue is, "The Gateway of Games is where this gift will be. Dare to experience all you can see?" It takes you to Portal Park. But unfortunately the entrance may be a little crowded. On the plus side, I found where those who didn't get the HUD at the SL15B can pick it up to get most of the last few gifts.

The chest is next to the Gaming Island entrance. Like the others, click it, then accept your prize.

Unpacking your crystal, you get two items. One is a crystal tree. The other is a set of crystal wind chimes. You can chose the color of the crystal and have it move and make chiming sounds, or not. Monday starts Week Twelve. And Monday September 24 is when the last prize is available, for those who found the previous fourteen.

Bixyl Shuftan

Gift Grab Week Ten

Week Ten of the SL15B "Gift Grab" is almost done. For those with the "Swaginator HUD" from the SL15B, there's one day left to get the prize if you haven't gotten it yet. This week's hint is, "Come have a drink at this futuristic bar. This is where the gift will not be too far." The location is the Horizon's Community H-Bar in Horizons Themis (121/194/24).

Unpacking the item, you get a crystal hoverboard. This is a small vehicle that you can control with the arrow keys or viewer movement controls, and can skim over water. Pressing "jump" will boost the board in the air. Doing so a number of times will make it take flight. And yes, it glows in the dark.

Tomorrow is Week Eleven, and after that just four more until the fifteenth and last item.

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video: "Happy Birthday, SL! 15 years! Second Life 2018 Press Day"

(Click here if the video does not play)

From SL4Live on June 16, Press Day of the Second Life Fifteenth Birthday. Apparently, someone decided to play some music, people joined in, and SL4Live kept the camera rolling for an unplanned impromptu video.

Gift Grab Week Eight

For those who haven't done the latest "Gift Grab" from Linden Lab yet this week, (described in their blog post of the event and briefly at the end of our June 22 article of The Birthday), this week's area is a bit on the creepy side. The hint is, "Come and visit for a spooky stay. Once you enter you may never go away!" It is in the Falmouth Hotel in the Falmouth sim in the Bay City area.

The description of the place is, "The Falmouth Hotel will reopen soon after some slight superatural damage is repaired." The scream I heard just after I arrived was a sign that it wasn't. The hotel was one creepy place inside and outside, with some low spooky music playing. Getting to the room where the gift was located, it was a bar with a bloody zombie bartender and some creepy-looking teddy bears. They were old, bloodstained, and had their eyes redone with buttons. One group was drinking what looked like blood in teacups and the other one had a desert bowl of eyeballs. There was some occasional childish giggling, and once in a while the teddys would break out into outright laughter, often while their heads were turned toward someone in the place. Creepy.

The room had been made by Governor and Michael Linden and Squishy, Crazy, and Silent Mole. What they were thinking of, who knows? A certain Bay City resident spotted me on her radar and messaged me, "Say hi to the teddy bears for me." I went ahead and got the Crystal Anniversary gift, and headed home. There, I rezzed the crystal it was packaged it, and got the contents.

And this week's gift, a crystal ball. When rezzed and placed, when clicked on it will give you your fortune for the day. Occasionally, it will offer useful advice, "Don't just say that you are sorry. Mean it." But more often are witty and amusing comments, "May your hair ever be worn on your head." "Never sit on a pose ball you aren't prepared to make a commitment to." "A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of typing." "Avoid loud noises and low-flying ducks."

This is Week Eight of the Gift Grab, which lasts until late September in which Week Fifteen is for those who got all fourteen of the previous gifts.

Bixyl Shuftan

SL15B's Bear Island Open For Gift Grab This Week

For those of you doing the "Gift Grab" from the Second Life Fifteenth Birthday from last month (described in their blog post of the event and briefly at the end of our June 22 article of The Birthday), this week's gift is found at a sim from the SL15B grounds that's either been brought back (or perhaps not closed yet): Bear Island. “Go to this location and you can see, all the bears that already be.”

Heading over to Bear Island (170/201/21), the place looked like what I remembered it from the Second Life Birthday. For those who don't know, many Lindens carry a teddy bear with them, each having their own personal touches depending on the Linden, that residents they run into can politely ask for (if the Linden's having a busy day, your bear may have to wait). Bear Island has most of these bears, plus some special commemorative ones, such as the one given out to celebrate the one millionth resident getting an account, and the one made to promote the release of Viewer 2.

There were other residents going about the area. This week, people could grab more than just the weekly gift. One lady was saying, "I'm always pestering lindens anytime I see them for their bears, this way I can get them a bunch all at once."

In previous weeks, some chests could take a little effort to find, one week it being on the second floor of the building. The chest for this week's gift was plain to see. I had on my "Swaganator HUD" (not visible in this picture), and got the gift.

Previous weeks gifts have included t-shirts, a crystal staff, a can of "party string", and more. This week, the gift is a crystal teddy bear. Not the most cuddly-looking kind of teddy, but one can change it's color by clicking on it.

This week is Week Seven of the Gift Grab, with a new one every week. The one for the fifteenth week is available only for those who get the first fourteen. What is it? We know only that the Lab says it's a special gift.

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: "Breaking News"

From Maeto Firecaster, a picture of the Newser's SL15B exhibit, "BREAKING NEWS!!!! Sonic has taken over!" Presumably this picture was taken at Silvia Ametza's build when "The Birthday" was at it's busiest as the only way Sonic would stay in one place for long would be all that lag.

Reader Submitted: At The Cake Stage

From Sheba Metaluna. More of her pictures can be seen on her Facebook page.

Reader Submitted: Greeters Pic SL15B

From Treacle Darlandes, of the greeter volunteers of the SL15B

Reader Submitted: "Goodbye From The SL15B Auditorium"

From Holger Gilruth, later posted on Flickr by Dawny Daviau, "We, the staff, of the Auditorium at SL15B would like to give a big Thank You to our visitors and performers and we hope to be back next year as it was a pleasure working for and with you!"

Reader Submitted: The SL15B Greeter Crew

From Tea Gupte, taken by Enticing Destiny, "Lucky, JoJo, Luna, LadyLyndon, Enticing, Stevi, Shaun82, Isa, Tea, Treacle, Minerva, Gatita, Vickie."

What's In A Name? Defining What To Call SLB Events.

There's little argument the Second Life Birthday was a great celebration, and if there's one big complaint, it's that it didn't last quite enough. But there was one small issue mentioned to me not about the SLB, but about how I described the last big event, the "Cake Explosion." I had described it as an "unofficial" event, and one reader felt this wasn't the case. But there was a reason I gave the event that description, even though I personally loved it.

Read more in Extra.

Interview with Silvia Ametza

Who is Silvia Ametza? Newser readers will remember her as the builder of the SL15B Newser exhibit for this year and the previous two. But she, along with her partner Aimeelou Destiny, have made a number of things over time. Deaflegacy recently met up with Silvia, and learned a number of things about her, as well as seeing a huge example of what she's made in the past.

Read Deaflegacy's interview in Design.

Farewell SL15B

"All good things must come to an end." And so did the exhibits of the Second Life Fifteenth Birthday. Closed to the public on Midnight on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were the "Takedown" days. Some exhibits were left up. But one clever exhibitor left this box behind, "It was better next year."

As an exhibitor myself, I still had access to the sims, and took advantage of that by visiting a few more exhibits. Some one more time, a few for the first time. Much had already been picked up, though.

But eventually, it was time to call it a night, and say farewell. There had been one person I talked to who wondered if this SL Birthday event lacked some of the energy of earlier ones. But there was no shortage of enthusiastic fans showing up for the final day the grounds were open on July 1.

So long Second Life Fifteenth Birthday. It's been a lot of fun.

For those who haven't seen enough pictures, check out the Flickr group: https://www.flickr.com/groups/sl15b/pool/

Bixyl Shuftan

One More Time: The "Cake Explosion" And Other Last SL15B.Unofficial Events.

Although the end of events at the Second Life Birthday was officially last Sunday June 24, people weren't ready to quite call it quits on the SL15B just yet. In the past few years, the "Cake Explosion" has become a popular unofficial event as people gathered to witness the final moments of the popular build. But this year, the final day the sims were open to all had a few more happenings as various DJs turned the power on the clubs around the Birthday sims, and played for whomever would show up. And many did on the SL15B's true last hurrah.

Read more in Events.

Updated 11PM