Scenes From The Smash Party

Last Saturday, a special event was held in Second Life. The Titmouse animation studio, noted for shows such as "The Venture Brothers" and "Star Trek: Lower Decks," held it's "Smash Party" here in the virtual world. The studio had been doing them in real life for almost two decades, but recently stopped. So what was their event brought here like?

See the pictures in Events.

Titmouse Smash Party in Second Life Today

On the Second Life blog, Linden Lab announced a special event was taking place today: the Titmouse Smash Party in Second Life.

For those who don't know, Titmouse is an animation studio "that develops and produces animated television programming, feature films, music videos, title sequences, commercials, and short films." The numerous shows they've had a hand in include "The Venture Brothers," "Superjail," "Megas XLR," and "Star Trek: Lower Decks." Among the traditions the studio has had over the years is the "smash party" in which various objects are placed in a steel cage (cheap or broken/useless), and someone goes in and pummels everything with a sledgehammer or axe. Company founder and CEO Chris Prynoski would say of the event, "In the 21st century these types of activities are frowned upon. The Smash Party is a night where one can experience the visceral catharsis that our cave-person brain secretly desires without the stigma of our repressed society's judgement."

Titmouse would end it's smash parties in 2019, preferring to end them while they were still popular. But today one such party is taking place here in Second Life, Saturday September 12 at 6PM SL time.

Expect the unexpected at the Titmouse Smash Party ... Anything can (and probably will) happen at this virtual world gathering where participants are invited to smash, bash and crash one of the hottest parties of the year held by independent award-winning animation production company Titmouse ...  Attendees of the Lightbox Expo and the Second Life community are invited to attend this year’s festivities, which include a combination of music, art and overall anarchy. At the center of the event is an interactive smashing cage where attendees can smash objects with a variety of different weapons. You can also meet and take a photo with Titmouse mascot, Mr. Chirps. 

Rumor has it that the region is filled with more than a few easter eggs so don’t be surprised when you encounter everything that is weird and wonderful -- all springing from the imagination of the Titmouse team. Eagle-eyed attendees may see a few familiar faces from the Titmouse creative team and animated characters in the crowd, too. (Did somebody say Dethklok?)
 
What’s a party without free swag? Don’t forget to pick up your free virtual gifts as you arrive.



(Click here if the video fails to play)

The party will be at https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Smash Portal A/246/103/23 . According to the blog post, the area will be blocked to the general public until just before the event, and will be closed after it ends.

Bixyl Shuftan

Bay City's Demo Derby and The Last Summer Fireworls

Last week on Thursday August 31, Bay City had their Demolition Derby Event. Bay City had only recently concluded it's "Hot Bay City Nights" car show a few days earlier. But none of the cars involved here had been in it. Instead, these were specially-designed cars made so outer parts such as doors and fenders would take damage when hit and eventually fall off, leaving the central frame and engine vulnerable to hits and eventual destruction when banged enough. The arena was set up in the North Channel sim.

Eight people took part in each race. Besides Marianne McCann, among those taking part were Pygar Bu, GoSpeed Racer (no, she didn't use a Mark-Five), and Anthony (Adudenamed Anthony). Almostthere Inventor had made demolition derby arenas before for the Relay for Life and Creations for Parkinsons. But I never did ask who made the cars for this rumble of smashing virtual metal. Not everyone at the event took part. Many were content to watch the derby from the sidelines, including my alt Rezzdammit.

Frankie Lindman and Chrys (chrysanthemum.zuta) won the two races I was around to see, Chrys calling her victory "beginners luck ... I want a my own plate now." Indeed, she bumped her car into some wreckage a couple times after she was declared the winner of her race, and her vehicle came apart. People hung around for some joking around for a few minutes before going their separate ways.

But a couple days later, many of them and others would meet up again at 8PM SL time on Saturday September 2. Every Saturday night this summer, Marianne had been setting off a fireworks show at the school in the Livingtree sim. And with Labor Day weekend being the end of summer, it was time for the last show.

GoSpeed Racer was playing the music for the event. But this time she was doing so with a tiara. She had been the winner of the Miss Bay City Beauty Pageant at the tail end of the car show days earlier.

Eventually, it was time for the show to end, and the last of the fireworks formed a rainbow as "Man Or Astroma," the Mystery Science Theater 3000 ending theme music played as the night sky was turning to the pink clouds of dawn. "Thank again to GoSpeed Racer of KONA Stream for all the great tunes tonight," Marianne told everyone, "And Robin Sojourner for letting me blow up Livingtree all Summertime, each

Saturday at 8:00 p.m. SLT. And a special thank you to each of you for coming out for tonight's show. I hope you had fun!"

And so, the weekend fireworks shows at Bay City had come to an end, at least until summer comes again next year. But Bay City is an active place with things going on often, and will certainly be having some Halloween hijinks in October next month. Things don't stay too quiet for too long here.

Bixyl Shuftan

The Sunday Night Demo Derby

For those looking for a more exciting event on Sunday evenings, or want a car race with a twist, check out the Demolition Derby in Random. One gets to participate in a number of races with a number of kinds of vehicles. If you like racing or vehicular combat, you'll have a "smashing" good time.

Read more about the derby in Events.

Teaser

The editor was busy last night, and alas did not have enough time to finish his story. Stay tuned for details on the Sunday Night Demo Derby.