Reader Submitted Pictures: At The SLB

 

From Alden Cortes, "What a view! Finally a high flight over Heterocera without any fear of running into security orbs."
 
  Erik Mondrian - 3D Terrain Model at SL21B
 
  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLB%20Blissful/70/216/21

 

SL Video: "Terrain Model of the Bellisseria Continent in Second Life (January 2024)"

 

 

(click here if the video does not play)

From Eric Mondrain on January 20, "A terrain model I made showing Second Life’s Bellisseria continent in all its topographic glory, with a total of 2,541 regions as of January 20, 2024 (counting “Sandbox Bellisseria” and the Welcome Hub regions as well, just for good measure). [https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Lind...] I gathered each region’s elevation data at half-meter X and Y intervals using an interconnected set of LSL scripts, feeding that data to my computer via a series of HTTP requests, then (re)constructed and textured the terrain model(s) in Blender using its incredibly powerful Python API [https://docs.blender.org/api/current/...]. The textures here can be downloaded individually from Second Life’s official map servers [https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Lind...]. Note: It took my revised scripts a little over 18 hours to gather the elevation data for the entire continent (compared to the 190-ish hours that it probably would have taken when I first started this terrain modeling project, before I optimized the process). At the original level of detail, Bellisseria’s topography would be over 1.3 billion triangles; for the purposes of this video (and to prevent my laptop from exploding), I decimated each region’s mesh so that the model in Blender totaled only about 13 million triangles instead."

New Fantasy Linden Home Option: Treehouse

 

 

For those waiting for the next style of Linden Home, there's now a new option, at least for those who have signed up for Fantasy style houses. There are now options for treehouses. 

 

Patch Linden would post about them on the official forums, and Flickr. The forum post had a funny story about Magellan Linden ordering their construction, followed by:

Introducing new Fantasy Treehouses! With panoramic views across the stunning fantasy regions. 

2 completely new models with regular and open floorplan versions, available to both new and existing Fantasy homeowners in Bellisseria. 

One with a spiral staircase leading to a loft and built in bookcases.
Another with clean lines for those who want more freedom in their decorating choices.
Both come with an outside deck, panoramic views at treetop level across the Fantasy landscape and a climbable rope to get from ground level up to the deck.

The new homes should be available to rez on the menu on the house Controller throughout the day today.

 

I dropped by the demo homes at BeliHub and WelcomeHubLindenHomes. The houses looked pretty fun. One had the option of flying up to them, or clicking on the rope, and your avatar would shimmy up the length. But these demos weren't quite perfect. I ended up hovering off the floor and was unable to walk inside. 

On Flickr, Patch himself would say "Please, be patient. The team is working on that. Everything will be fixed as soon as possible." As mentioned, in the forums he stated there were two models, one with smaller rooms, one with fewer but larger ones. Bellisseria chat was abuzz with comments about them on Thursday October 26, some people with Fantasy homes trying out the theme, and loving it. 

To check out demos of the new treehouses, head to  WelcomeHubLindenHomes (161,59,26) and BelliHub (163,242,22)

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Here's To You Jessicabelle Dayafter

 

 As thoughts look back over the past year and a half, yours truly thinks about the good times. But, there were also some sad times. Among them was when a longtime friend and virtual neighbor passed away, Jessicabelle Dayafter. She was someone I knew since 2008 and my days at Woodlin, who went on to become a crack combat RP/pilot, as well as someone who frequently appeared in Nydia Tungsten's videos and calendars. In this article, I look back at the times I knew her.

Read Bixyl Shuftan's story in People. 

SL Video: "The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 26: Absinthe"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

From Draxtor Despres, “'Second Life is so multifaceted that you can’t really make a judgement as to whether somebody’s activity is more serious than somebody else's!' says Absinthe, a virtual super model: 'I get up in arms when people put down Second Life as escapism!'

"Yes Absinthe, who works with HIV/AIDS children in her day job, fully embraces her SLelebrity status despite the raised eyebrows of friends and colleagues when she mentions what she terms 'my hobby.' Indeed there is no shortage of articles which dismiss in particular the fashion industry in this largest user-created virtual world as lonely adults playing Barbie & Ken after-hours.

"But there is so much more underneath this playful engagement with avatar dolls: exploration of identity, ethnicity, class and embracing the creative impulse in all of us, those are just a few themes that run alongside Absinthe’s story. Not to mention that her FEROSH project has brought her recognition beyond the virtual realm as this fashion compendium is available in physical print, rivaling RL publications in its beautiful presentation and style. But let us for now simply embrace the wonderful distraction of some talented women in gorgeous dresses, accessories and hair."