Sci-Fi Con Starts Today

The Sci-Fi con is going on. This Relay for Life spinoff event started today, May 13, and will go on until Monday May 24. There are nine sims with various exhibits: Lost Colony, Alien Star System, A Quiet Town, Floating First Contact, The Mainframe, Mjolnir, Alien Invasion, and Broken Promise. 

There will be a number of events over the next eleven days from music parties to discussions on various topics of science-fiction, to roleplay classes, and more. There are also shops, in which the proceeds will be going to the American Cancer Society.
 
For more information, check out the Sci-fi c
on blog: https://scificonventionsl.wordpress.com/ 
 
Bixyl Shuftan
 

Scenes From the Texas Furry Fiesta

 

Last weekend, the Texas Furry Festival took place in Second Life. Moved here and a few other places online due to the Pandemic, it was a way people could still attend the usually real-life convention. The Newser was there, and took a few pictures.

See more in Events.

Weekend At A Glance

 

Quite a bit happened this weekend in Second Life. The Texas Furry Fiesta took place in Second Life, as well as on a few other places online such as Discord. There were a number of Relay events, such as The Music Fest event by the Relay Team of the same name, a couple rezzday parties, and a fundraiser event by the Steelhead Salmons team (pictured above). Veterans Isle had it's monthly Homes For Our Troops fundraiser concert, and more.
 
More on some of these happenings later.

Addition: There was also a stampede for a 1L mesh head that took down some sims due to the traffic.

Texas Furry Fiesta Going Virtual

 

Last year in 2020 with the Coronovirus Pandemic in full swing, numerous conventions were canceled. One, Gen Con, would go virtual that year with much of the event taking place in Second Life. Today, while there are vaccines increasingly available, the Pandemic is still with us and conventions that would normally take place this time of year are having to make decisions. Some are canceling or postponing the decision on whether or not to have one this year. But one, the "Texas Furry Fiesta," is doing what Gen Con did last year and take the event virtual, including partially here in Second Life. 

It is with a heavy heart that I must announce that Furry Fiesta will not be having a physical event in 2021. ... This was not an easy decision. We considered the options, seeing if there were ways we could structure our event to improve safety. Vaccines are on the horizon, but the logistics of their distribution are daunting and CDC projections indicate that none will be widely available until after our event. Ultimately ...  we must accept the reality that an in-person event at this time would risk the health and safety of our community.

However, this will not be the end of Furry Fiesta for I am happy to announce that we are planning a virtual event! Details are still being determined and more information will be forthcoming in the upcoming weeks. We know how important TFF is to our community, so we are striving to ensure that we can provide the best possible virtual event.

The event will be taking place on four places online (link). This includes here in Second Life. The Fiesta has a place in the Crimson sim on the mainland in two sections. The ground level section is a beach area with the sounds of waves lapping at the shore, with a pier and campfire. There's also a freebie store where one can pick up some dated but still useful furry avatars free of charge. By clicking on a crystal, one will be teleported to the upper area. This is an urban setting in a city park area with a couple games to play. There's also a building with a dance floor on the upper level.

It should be noted the sim is ranked moderate, and people attending are asked to abide by the rules, including keeping things PG-13 or cleaner. Residents are asked to keep drama and other issues outside. 

Besides Second Life, the event will also be taking place on VR Chat, Minecraft, and Discord.

The event officially runs from Friday March 26 to Sunday March 28. For a schedule of the event, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Crimson/158/223/23

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Gen Con Ends, Sims Up Until Aug. 4

Yesterday, Sunday August 2, was the last day of the Gen Con. The gaming convention that went online due to the Coronavirus ran for four days starting on Thursday July 30. The event has been considered a great success for both those who took part, and for Second Life as well as the event brought a number of people here whom hadn't been here for years or had come here for the first time. Taking in account other places on the Internet, "including Twitch, Discord, Zoom, Roll20, and several other virtual tabletop systems," about forty thousand people took part, and played thousands of games. For those whom were new, there were clothing and avatars available to them to avoid "cookie cutter" appearances.

I was told, though I couldn't find confirmation, that Twitch would be permitting footage of Gen Con events from Second Life, even though the virtual world is on it's list of "prohibited games."

On Saturday night, there was a celebration party. A number of the convention-goers met up at a replica of Indianapolis' Union Station (Gen Con was originally going to be at Indianapolis). The crowd was a mix of longtime residents, such as Ceri Quixote, and newcomers.

Although the events are over, the builds will be around for people to enjoy for a little longer. Tuesday August 4 will be the last day. Some places may require joining one of the con groups to get to. It's unknown whether future conventions will have an online portion for those not able to get to the real-life setting. Though if the mood of this one is any guide, it probably will.

Source: Gencon.com

Bixyl Shuftan

Going About Gen Con

The Gen Con is in Second Life, or at least part of it. Described as "the largest tabletop-game convention in North America," it was canceled this year in real life due to the Pandemic. So the con went online. Part of it was here in Second Life. There was plenty to see. But as this was a gaming con, there were games to be done as well.

Read more in Events.

Gen Con Starts Today

Today marks the start of the Gen Con. This largest of board and tabletop gaming conventions is going virtual this year due to the Coronavirus, and part of it is taking place here in Second Life.

For more information, one can check out https://www.vrazethebar.com/,and https://www.gencon.com/. You can also check our the Discord channel (here). You can also check out the interview on "Lab Gab" Strawberry Linden had with Ron (RCArchitect) and Alesia (AlesiaPM).



http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Welworn/95/224/97

Real-Life Con Coming to Second Life : Gen Con July 30 to August 2

With conventions in real life being canceled due to the Coronavirus crisis, one alternative is for the events to go virtual. Gen Con, described by Wikipedia as " the largest tabletop-game convention in North America by both attendance and number of events," had to cancel in real life. But will be having events online, including here in Second Life, thanks to VRazeTheBar.

VRazeTheBar is going to go live providing an awesome social gaming experience for everyone wanting to attend Gen Con in Indianapolis this year but are unable to.

VRazeTheBar has partnered with Gen Con - the largest and longest running gaming convention in North America - to provide an awesome interactive social gaming experience built on Linden Lab's Enterprise/Education version of Second Life, the world's largest user-created virtual world of its kind enjoyed by millions of people around the globe.

 

The event will take place over the course of four days from Thursday July 30 to Sunday August 2. The entrance to the four sim inworld location is in Welworn (97/224/97). For more information, one can check out https://www.vrazethebar.com/, https://www.gencon.com/. and watch the Lab Gab tomorrow, Friday July 24,  at 11 AM SL time when Strawberry Linden interviews Alesia (AlesiaPM) and Ron (RCArchitect) about this ambitious effort to bring a large gaming convention to Second Life.




(Click Here if the video fails to play)

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Welworn/97/224/97/

Bixyl Shuftan

Hat tip: Inara Pey, Oldesoul Eldemar

News and Commentary: Furry Conventions in Virtual Spaces?

By Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich)

In a previous article, I asked the question of whether or not Second Life could replace real life events amid the Coronavirus pandemic. I came to the conclusion that Second Life could not replace real human interaction in a physical space because many experiences that conventions offer are tactile in nature. You can’t sit in a real car or play a video game on a new console with a new controller in a virtual world.

However, with at least one convention actually taking place in VR Chat this year, it got me to thinking that even though Second Life cannot replace real life conventions, it doesn’t have to. It can be an alternative. Imagine this: A virtual dealers den and artist alley with not only in world content but open commissions for real world items. The informative and otherwise entertaining panels would also work. There of course could be live DJs and prizes. There could even be a charity involved. It could take place over the course of a three day weekend. There could even be a guest of honor and special guests.

It may not be as big and popular as actual conventions since I still do think that Second Life caters to a very niche audience. But for those who attend, it could be a welcome retreat away from quarantine life. Many have commented that Second Life is like one big continuous furry convention. But what if someone makes an official one?

What do you the readers think? Feel free to leave comments below.

Cyfir

SciFi Convention 2019, An Interview With Merky (Richmerk)

From May 17 to May 26, The Sci-Fi Con is taking place in Second Life. This nine-day celebration of science-fiction from traveling to strange new worlds in space to powerful supercomputers and intelligent robots to superheroes and supervillains with strange powers battling one another, and more, raises money for the Relay for life of Second Life. SL Newser reporter Marcel Mosswood recently had a chance to interview Merky (Richmerk), the Coordinator of the event. Merky had a number of things to say about the con.

Read Marcel's interview in Events.

Tales From Outside SL: Plagued Doctor at the Furry Con

While the following story doesn't have much to do with Second Life, it does involve a resident of our virtual world. JB Raccoon told the Newser about a friend of his, who wishes for now to be known as only "The Attendee," who went to a 'con in an unusual costume. For a couple days, all went well. Then he was stopped by one of the 'con staff who had objections to some props on the outfit that hadn't been a problem before with him and with others no one was raising issues.

Read the story in Extra.

Sci-fi Convention in Second Life

The sci-fi convention is in town. Or rather, the Science Fiction Alliance is having it's Convention event. Considered a spinnoff event of the Relay for Life of Second Life as it raises funds for the Relay, the mega-event lasts until Sunday April 2. Here, one can find events from stage performances to DJ music parties, numerous exhibits of various science fiction groups, and numerous vendors for sci-fi products. Grease Coakes dropped by, and took a look around.

Read Grease's article in Events.

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at the Sci-Fi Convention

By Bixyl Shuftan

Second Life Sci-Fi Con Taking Place Until April 2

For the tenth year in a row, the Second Life Science Fiction Convention is taking place. "Second Life members and passionate fans of science fiction, with hundreds of participating groups, in a unique online explosion of imagination… all united to kick cancer’s (butt). What started in 2008 as a single region Sci-Fi Meet and Greet charity party, has grown into a six sim festival of creativity and purpose; hosting parties, discussions, interviews with notable Actors of Sci-Fi, epic Trivia Showdowns, and one of the best theatricals the grid has to offer The Milky Way Cabaret. We are proof of what regular pixel people are capable of when we come together in a common cause."

This is a fun event to go to, especially if you're a science fiction fan. For more information, check their blog at: https://slscificonvention.wordpress.com/ .

How to get there? The answer is at sim Forty Two (85/207/23),

SL Video: "Garrett Wang Visits SecondLife (Ensign Harry Kim)"

(Click here if the video fails to load)

From CrowleyCorp, best known for his inworld ship battle game "Hull Breach." At the Second Life Science-Fiction Convention, he was on the scene of an inworld conference with actor Garret Wang, best known for his role as Ensign Harry Kim, "Steve Atlanta landed Garrett Wang, actor who played Ensign Harry Kim on Star Trek Voyager, for the 2016 SecondLife Sci-fi Convention for a Q&A session. He was incredibly nice and funny and spent a total of 4 hours of his Easter Sunday fielding questions from adoring fans at the SecondLife Sci-fi Convention 2016. I was lucky enough to be there and video a lot of the session! This video is part 1 though I missed the first 4 minutes."

During the open interview, in real life, his daughter and the family dog were "jockeying for position" on his lap, which on occasion provided for a few chuckles. While he had been in a number of conventions, this was his first one in a virtual world. "I always joke Kim is the love child of Uhura and Data" Wang joked about Kim's position of Ops, "I felt like the night manager of 7-11, keeping track of different departments." When asked if he could be any Trek race, Wang answered a Klingon.

Kim had never been promoted during the running of "Voyager." When he asked the writers why, the response was essentially, "Someone's got to be the ensign." While his character did get a promotion in "Star Trek Online," he reminded as an MMO, it wasn't really cannon. "Kim not being promoted is a joke … when you look at how other characters are promoted."

Of the Star Trek Online game, he'd been told they were trying to get in touch with him earlier. When asked about it's Delta Quadrant storyline, he told that he enjoyed doing it and would do further work if asked. He stated some bugs in the game early on had been worked out.

Despite his character being passed over for promotion, and a few other issues such as the show's executive producer only showing up on the set twice during the seven years of production and how the writers made his and other human characters a bit "wooden" in the first season, he considered himself fortunate to have been a part of the sci-fi TV series, the other actors being easy to work with, professional and fun. He had met many of the actors of the original series of "Star Trek," enjoying his encounters with most of them such as Leonard Nimoy, but felt William Shatner blew him off, "I am a fan of Captain Kirk, but I am not a fan of William Shatner."

He was also invited to take a tour of the ship of one of Second Life's Star Trek roleplays.

Gia Smith And The Sci-Fi Music Festival

Sunday was the last day of the Second Life Science-Fiction Convention. Among those dropping by was Second Life Newser's Deaflegacy Darkbloom, whom came across an event, the Sci-Fi Music Festival. While there, she talked to one of the DJs there, Gia Smith.

Read Deaflegacy's article in Events.

The Weekend At A Glance

Quite a bit happened this weekend in Second Life. There was the monthly festival in the Roma community, the Sci-Fi Convention, the end of the Fashion for Life, and a number of Relay for Life events, including the Egg Decorating Contest, and the the Cross-Country Giant Snail Race (pictured above).

More on some of these events later.

Second Life Sci-Fi Convention

From March 18-27, the Second Life Sci-Fi Convention will be taking place. This event, taking place across seven sims, offers exhibits, events, and a hunt. The SLSFC is a Relay for Life spinnoff event, raising money for the American Cancer Society.

Nimoy (65, 130, 1001)

Scenes From the Science Fiction Convention in Second Life 2015

For the last week of February, the Second Life Science Fiction Convention took place. Raising money for the American Cancer Society, it also offered sci-fi fans to meet up and have fun, as well as an opportunity for roleplay groups to show off to interested residents. Bixyl Shuftan was there, and took a number of pictures of the scenes.

See the pictures in Events.

What a Weekend

Yours truly had a busy weekend in Second Life, from the Roma Lupercalia, to the opening party of Paint Second Life Purple, to the Second Life Science Fiction Convention, and Marianne McCann's Rezzday party, and more.

So much to see, and so little time to write about it. Before yours truly could explain things in detail, it was time to rest up for his day job in real life for Monday. So the scoop on what happened sadly will have to wait.

Bixyl Shuftan