Announcement: “The Missing Torso Mystery Game”

 

If you love art, writing, and mysteries, participate in Kondor Art Center’s “The Missing Torso” game. It focuses on Zia Branner's missing masterpiece. It vanished when the crew closed the center for the night. Security cameras were turned off because no one knows who took it. If you’re ready to investigate, these are the steps you can take to solve the mystery.

Start your investigation at the Main Gallery. Look for 14 hidden fragments such as colors, shadows, or seams of gold scattered across the gardens, galleries, and the Kondor Café.

Click each fragment to receive clues leading to the next location.

Find the missing Torso hidden in one of the landmark installations. They offer a hint: Look up! The architecture is part of the mystery.

Provide evidence. Take a photo of the Torso exactly where you found it.

Write Your Theory. Compose a story (150–900 words) explaining the disappearance. Use a pseudonym to keep the mystery alive!

Submit your investigation. Drop your story and photo at the Kondor Café submission box before Sunday, March 29. That’s when the game ends.

The Rewards:  8,000L Prize Pool and Certificates & Distinctions. Winners will be announced at the Grand Gala on Thursday, April 9.

“THE MISSING TORSO”  — Mystery Game Contest Rules

1. Description of the Contest

“The Missing Torso” is a cultural mystery game set in the Kondor Art Center, combining art, storytelling, and investigation. Participants must explore the Kondor Art Center's exhibition venues, find fragments and clues, identify the missing artwork, and submit their own written theory on the disappearance.

2. Objective

The objective of the contest is to collect all fragments of the missing torso artwork and, based on the clues discovered, to produce a compelling narrative theory explaining how and why the disappearance occurred.

3. Participation

Participation is open to all visitors of the Kondor Art Center. There is no entry fee. Participants may join the game at any time between the contest's opening and closing dates.

4. Contest Duration

The mystery game and contest will run from:

Opening: January 29, 2026

Closing: March 29, 2026

All final submissions must be received before 23:59 SLT on March 29, 2026.

5. How to Play

Participants must:

    1.    Visit the Kondor Art Center and its venues.

    2.    Find the hidden fragments and clues distributed across the different locations.

    3.    Assemble the information gathered in order to find the missing artwork.

Clues are partial fragments of the missing artwork with an important written message inside, that lead to the next place, where the next hint is hidden. To get it, just click on the fragment found.

    4.    After finding the missing artwork hidden in one of the important places of the Kondor Art Center, take a photo of it in its location.

    5.     After finding it, write a narrative theory about its disappearance, and include the photo taken in the location you found it. This is the most important part of the game

6. Final Submission Requirements

Final submissions must:

    •    be written in English

    •    be signed by the participant with a pseudonym

    •    be between 150 and 900 words

    •    present a theory explaining the disappearance of the torso

    •    be original and written specifically for this contest

    •    include a notecard with the participant’s SL avatar name

The tone and style are free: poetic, noir, humorous, academic, detective, surreal, philosophical, documentary, etc.

7. Jury and Evaluation Criteria

The jury will evaluate submissions based on the following criteria:

    1.    Narrative quality (clarity, coherence, imagination)

    2.    Engagement with the clues

    3.    Elegance of language and tone

    4.    Cultural sensitivity and sophistication

    5.    Originality of theory

    6.    Overall enjoyment

Bonus appreciation may be given to theories that:

    •    link multiple venues

    •    reflect Kondor’s cultural atmosphere

    •    show literary ambition

    •    demonstrate a personal style

8. Plagiarism & AI Clause

We love creativity — not copy/paste.

AI tools may be used as assistants (e.g., brainstorming, editing, translation), but the theory itself must be written by you.

If your submission reads like ChatGPT dictation or an encyclopedia entry, we will politely close the case and disqualify it.

9. Prizes

Total prize pool: 8,000 $L

Additional gift cards may be awarded.

Prizes will be distributed as follows:

    •    1st Place: Main Prize + certificate

    •    2nd Place: Runner-up Prize + certificate

    •    3rd Place: Honorable Mention + certificate

There will be prize money awards for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes   

Additional distinctions may be awarded at the jury’s discretion.

10. Jury Decisions

The jury's decisions are final. The jury may declare a tie, award shared prizes, or withhold prizes if submissions do not meet the minimum criteria.

11. Rights and Attribution

Participants retain the rights to their written texts. By submitting, participants grant Kondor Art Center permission to:

    •    display the texts in-world

    •    publish them for exhibition purposes

    •    include them in salons, catalogues, or machinima

    •    archive them in Kondor’s cultural collection

Attribution will always be respected.

12. Disqualification

Texts may be disqualified if they:

    •    are plagiarized

    •    contain hateful or discriminatory content

    •    include personal attacks

    •    violate general community norms

Erotica is allowed if tasteful and culturally meaningful.

13. Results and Closing Ceremony

The winners will be announced and prizes delivered during a special gala on April 9, 2026.

14. Questions

Questions and clarifications may be addressed in-world or via notecard to Hermes Kondor.

Sponsors include: BBX Design - Yachts & Buildings, Cats Claw Designs, Dench Designs, Kunglers Jewelry, NanoGunk - Cigar Yachts, and Sunwheel Studio. 

 

Game Review: Homescapes

 

Today's game review involves one that can be played on both the PC and smartphone: Homescapes. The player helps Austin the butler as he works to repair his parents' family home room by room, bit by bit. So how does it go?

 

Read the review in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games. 

 

*Updated with a link on where to get the game* 

 

"The Bellisseria Cipher Challenge"

 

On the "Linden Homes" section in the Second Life forums, on Friday December 17 Patch Linden started a thread about a certain challenge in the Bellisseria continent, one that offers a prize for the first person to tell him the solution

 Some of you may have seen a recent interview where it was revealed that there is a secret (currently unsolved) cipher hidden throughout the Fantasy regions of Bellisseria (Fantasseria).  

The first person that legitimately brings me the correct cipher...

Will get (1) - 1 year of free premium, as an annual membership, which will be renewable at the end of the term. Annual membership will be effective the date the submission is accepted.

If you team up with others, this can only be applied to a single account, you will have to choose among yourselves who will receive the benefit.

Submissions should be submitted to this forum thread. First to get it completely right wins!

The challenge ends on December 23, 2021 at 12:00pm SLT/PST if nobody is able to solve it. 
 
The thread is here for anyone looking for clues.
 

Templeton Cove Pirate Maze

Arrrrr! I be a mite late with me "Talk Like A Pirate Day" story. Apologizes me hearties, but bettah late than nevah. Our tale be of an adventure ye can still take fer yerself. We be talkin' about th' Templeton Cove Pirate Maze.

Read th' tale n' Places.

Death Picks a Winner

Gemma Cleanslate recently took a trip to New Toulouse, which is best known for it's annual Mardi Gras Parade and it's historic-themed RP community, but recently put in some thing new. Until Sunday May 30, they will be having the game "Death Picks a Winner." Created by Nikita Weyman, in the game a promising candidate for mayor has been murdered, and it's up to you to follow the clues to find out the culprit. Can you solve this whodunit?

Read Gemma's article in Design.

The Simon Linden Bear Hunt

Last week I wrote about a skiing place in Wengen. Something caught my eye when I was near the summit. I was looking around to make sure I did not miss any options for the skiiing when a tiny object sticking out of the snow caught my eye. Being a nosy reporter I cammed in on it and clicked.

 

“Hi - Do you want a Simon Linden bear? You'll need to say all four of the magic words you picked up on the trip. If this makes no sense, chat 'help' and you'll find out.”

 

 Wow I thought , you don’t see Linden bears like you used to years ago. They are hard to come by. “

 

"I didn't get the magic words.   Did you type them in chat?   Touch me to try again.”

 

I was too far away so moved closer and tried the word help again. 

 

”Glad you made it here, Gemma Cleanslate.  I hope you enjoyed the view. Here is some more information.” And I was handed a notecard.

 

“Do you want a Simon Linden Bear. These are no longer just given away to everyone who comes along ... you have to go on a treasure hunt to find one. To get a  bear, first go to the .... and look for a bear.   Click on him and he will tell you what to do next.  You'll have to answer a few simple questions. On the way, you'll get several notecards with instructions and 'magic words' that are needed for the next step.   Keep these - if you get stuck, go back and read them carefully.You will also need all of the magic words at the end to receive your bear. Good luck! - Simon Linden  P.S.   If you get totally stuck, or there's something not working right on the quest, please send me an IM“

 

 This point where I was standing in the middle of nowhere at the top of the ski lift was END of a quest. Swell, now I had to find the beginning . I was directed to Simon Linden’s office in Linden village as the place to get the first clue and here is the address . http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Denby/211/36/33
 

I am not going to reveal anymore ... it is a hunt .. so I will leave you here in Denby at the office if you want to go follow the clues and get your bear. I got mine!

Now I want to find out if any other lindens are having quests for their bears. I will let you know. Maybe this is not new but it is new to me and maybe to you . 

 

Gemma Cleanslate

EOTB: Valentines Day Surprise From Linden Lab, But ...

In the Linden blog yesterday Feb 13, there was a promise of a surprise for Second Life residents. All they had to do was log in by 7:30 SL time that evening.

Valentine’s Day is big in Second Life - whether you’re planning on buying something special for your sweetheart on the Marketplace, finding a romantic place to explore together, or just celebrating with friends inworld, Second Life is a great place to enjoy the holiday. To help you have even more fun in Second Life this Valentine’s Day, we have a surprise gift for you! You must log in by 7:30pm PT today to be eligible, so don’t wait! What is it? Well, it wouldn’t be any fun if we spoiled the surprise here - you’ll just have to log in before 7:30pm PT today to find out. 

Logging in though, there was nothing in my inventory from the Lab, no Valentine surprise. Not even a notecard. Perhaps the Lindens had goofed and posted the blog post a day early. On the official forums, some residents had their ideas, one deciding it was best to wait until Valentines Day and see what was up.

Taking a look at the post again, it turned out the Lindens had made an update. Although all one had to do was log in, the surprise wouldn't arrive until later. The Lab stated that residents who logged in on time would get the surprise, but it might not arrive until 11:59PM Feb 14th. For those on the East Coast, that's way in the middle of the night. So for some, its more like an after-Valentine Day surprise.

It does seem things were simpler in the past when the Lab held their "Kiss a Linden" events.

Bixyl Shuftan

Endangered Numbakulla Sim Saved, For Now

I recently read on Daniel Voyager's Blog that another sim had closed down: Numbakulla. It was described as a first-class puzzle game sim, reminding him and others of the classic computer game "Myst."

Daniel referenced the SL Universe Forums, which described the place as closing down due to lack of finances. But reading on, I found some good news. Calanris Pendragon announced people had been sending her donations, so the place would stay for at least one more month.

And dropping by the sim, it was still up and running. By the entrance, I found a sign:

Reprieved for a month

Due to the kindness of some generous donors, the tier for the next month is paid and Numbakulla can stay open for the next few weeks.

I am trying to find a way to keep it for the future. Thank you for your support.

Calandris and the Numbakulla Project Team.

From what I read, this looks like a great place. A review will be written on it later, but I feel I can recommend those whom like to explore even only a small amount come on over.

Bixyl Shuftan

Second Life's Look at MadPea

Earlier, we published a reader submission about the MadPea sim, with it's cool games. More recently, the Second Life website took notice, showing a Youtube of the place.

If you're looking for intellectually stimulating games that combine strong storytelling elements with clever puzzles, cool graphics and unexpected surprises...then look no further than MadPea Productions.

Games include: Devil's Labyrinth, The Kaaos Effect, Reaction, Virtual Medical Doctor, and more!

Visit MadPea Productions in Second Life at:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Madpea 2/73/90/34

Reader Submitted: A Visit to MadPea

A certain lady of unusual talent, who wishes to remain anonymous, submitted an article about a recreation sim she couldn’t help but write about: MadPea. The place offers challenging games that charge very little, if anything, in Lindens. So here is one reader’s look at this interesting game sim.

Read the article in Places.