SL Video: "Second Life's Lab Gab - Boston Blaisdale"

 

From Friday April 22, the recording of the Lab Gab at 9AM with Strawberry Linden interviewing Boston Blaisdale, "a popular YouTuber that has been creating informative Second Life Tutorials and fun shopping and fashion related videos for over a year." 

Strawberry admitted to being something of a fangirl "I love your work." Boston described himself as first joining Second Life 13 years ago after seeing an article on Reuters about it, taking a group of other real-life friends into doing so as well, relaxing at clubs inworld after dealing with exams. After a couple years, phased out SL until about 2020 when he returned after a breakup. Despite a rude welcome back by a couple trolls, he persisted, updating his avatar, spending "an obscene amount of time" in stores. He would ask others where they got their avatars and accessories, and discovered different creators. He would start blogging and posting on Flickr, and eventually started getting a following on the latter. After a few weeks, he decided to start to create videos to share some of the things he learned. 

At the end of the interview, following a few questions on what he did to relax, Strawberry invited him for a dance, which made for some interesting moves, "If I tried this in real life, I would dislocate my shoulder."

 

Firestorm Support Center

Gemma Cleanslate recently took up an open request to those in the Firestorm group to help test something new at the Firestorm Support Center: a Second Life tutorial. Gemma took the tutorial, and went though the whole course. So how did Firestorm do with their course?

Read Gemmma's article in Places.

The First Sims – Natoma

DrFran Babcock continues her "First Sims" series with a visit to Natoma. This place is distinguished by two feaures: the landmarks and old builds, one a remnant of Second Life's alpha grid days, and that unlike many places there was someone always here on the sim when someone stopped by. So what else did the intrepid writer find?

Read DrFran's story in Places.

SL Video: "Second Life Pony Avatar Tutorial - Canterlot Edition!"

From Fox Oxbar, "Here is an updated tutorial video on how to be a pony in Second Life. I start with the login screen, show what a new player would see after they first log in, show how to get to the pony area, and then show how to get the basics of a pony avatar set up. There's a short fly-though of the Canterlot server at the end, too (smile)."

SL Video: "Giant Snail Racing Made Easy"

Narrated by RacerX Gullwing, "This is the simple version of how to race on the giant snail race course in Second Life, at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Devon%20Dream/150/97/777  You can see the Giant Snail Races at http://treet.tv/shows/snailraces"

(Click Here) if the video doesn't show.

Eye on the Blog: New "QuickTips" for Second Life Newcomers

Longtime residents remember Torley Linden and his turorial videos from about six to three years ago. He'd greet watchers with the expression "Friendly Greetings!" Then he would proceed to give instructions about a particular topic, such as editing textures or adjusting preferences. Well, it seems Torley Linden is back and narrating a new series of instructional videos.


Over the next few weeks, you’ll see several new “QuickTips” clips that are designed to help new and existing users learn the basics of Second Life. Forthcoming tutorial clips will help teach the basics of shopping, socializing, connecting with communities, finding interesting places and more.

The first video tutorial in this new series focuses on customizing your appearance in Second Life. One of the first things most Second Life users do upon arriving inworld is to personalize their digital identity to reflect their own style.



The blog post then encourages readers to visit the Knowledge Base's "Controlling Your Avatar's Appearance."

Watching the video, I noticed a few things. It certainly sounds like Torley's narrating it, though it doesn't say who is. It's also noticably shorter than most of Torley's video's, which could go on for ten minutes or longer. This one was exactly one minute long. And of course the "Friendly Greetings" opening was gone.

The Youtube had several comments. People were glad that Torley was back, but to some viewers, the video just didn't seem right. The lack of the "Friendly Greetings," the push to visit Marketplace, it just seemed a bit forced some.

But most everyone feels that the return of these videos is a good thing. The big thing many miss is Torley's "Friendly Greetings" remark.

Bixyl Shuftan

Firestorm Preview Interface Customization Tutorial

"A Tutorial video on how to customize the Firestorm Viewer as of January 26th. The viewer will however continue to change as we progress further into development." By Jessica Lyon

M&M Creations:

Second Life Newser talked with 10 Goosson of M&M Creations about what has been happening at her store: M&M Creations. “M&M Creations just keeps steady and growing,” 10 explained, “There's a lot to tell. ... I’ll make it a short list.”

* The scenery screens have been deleted. After three years of selling those, the interest and needs were gone.

* Part of the main mall has been taken by the tree shop with all trees repacked with a temporary rez. So click, see and buy, or leave. Easy and much better than walking over the entire island and not being able to find what you are looking for.

* The flowershop, same story. The flowers have all been repacked, and some new shapes (sepals) have been added, with temporary rez as well. I dusted all flowers this way and was surprised about what I've created last three years.

* The landscaping shop has had a small transformation as well. It's filled, again a fast and easy way to see all builds rezzed, by using the good TP-system to visit the object you want to see.

* Marcthur is still releasing the Antique builder-packs. Those seem to be very popular.

* M&M Fashion will get more time and attention. Full Permission outfits with all materials used are very new in Second Life. Especially because all creators are so anxious about their goods being copied or stolen. We ignore the fear and keep making new things Full Permission to help designers of any level with good stuff to create great objects/outfits.

* It was time to create a new Tutorial: Fit & Wear Fashion Sculpts. A lot of questions about it and it isn't easy. So this tutorial is almost finished.

* In the line of this new tutorial, I will give the other three (and the new one of course) in-world and will schedule these. There has been a long running event in June: Tutorials. So, classes, classes and classes (this time on our islands platform with the possibility to rez, all people who will participate, can build right at the spot)

* I changed the island that much, only a few parts are now recognizable as they were.

- The fairyland has more wetland and has a huge cave with colorful scenes, all fantasy-flowers, fairy-like landscaping items, etc., are rezzed. I'm still amazed I built this all myself and I wonder around at midnight. The stage is wide and open next to the seaside with some quiet, hidden, corners to relax.

- We embraced Annika Designs with her low-prim builds (caves, waterfalls, etc.) so she has a place to rez a few of her great builds.

* Marc is also renewing the oldies. The cherubs have lighting shades and a very special copper texture. They really do look amazing.

* New fashion sculpts are made of course. Some of those oldies are renewed, because they needed the newest skills of the creator (smile).


10's 4rth Tutorial was released in the beginning of June, like all the others, free of charge. They have also been taking part in the gridwide Madpea Hunt.

Always improving, always striving to do better, M&M continues to offer shoppers high quality sculpted outdoor products. And 10 Goosson is still personally helping those new to building to become better at it.

M&M is at the Double MM sim: Click Here for the SLURL.

Bixyl Shuftan