Thursday, July 26, 2007

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT! Casino's are closing in SL!!!

Wagering in second life: new policy
This is the title of the blog I read this morning.

"Policy
It is a violation of this policy to wager in games in the Second Life (R) environment operated on Linden Lab servers if such games:(1) (a) rely on chance or random number generation to determine a winner, OR (b) rely on the outcome of real-life organized sporting events,

AND
(2) provide a payout in
(a) Linden Dollars, OR
(b) any real-world currency or thing of value.
This includes (but is not limited to), for example, Casino Games such as:
o Baccarat
o Blackjack
o Craps
o Faro
o Keno
o Pachinko
o Pai Gow
o Poker
o Roulette
o Sic Bo
o Slot machines
It also includes Sports Books or Sports Betting, including the placing of bets on actual sporting events against a book-maker or through a betting exchange.
Linden Lab will actively enforce this policy. If we discover gambling activities that violate the policy, we will remove all related objects from the inworld environment, may suspend or terminate the accounts of residents involved without refund or payment, and may report any relevant details, including user information, to authorities and financial institutions."

Unbelievable, the Linden's are closing every casino, no more bets, no more slot machines, etc., and the worst of all, unemployment for several of us, residents.
What about the investments?
More to come on this.

In the meanwhile there was a strike going on, on Orientation Island. What will become of Second Life, how is Second Life going to survive this?
If there are no casino's anymore, there will be no more money for newbies, and they will not be able to buy things, so other residents will not earn money, so the economy of SL is at stake here.
Of course you can always take a premium account, and you don't have to visit casino's or camping spots, but was that not the charm of SL for newbies?
So, we will come at the end, to only premium residents, as they are the only one who "paid their membership" to the Linden's. All the others will dissapear sooner or later, I suppose.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Castle Niflheimr

It was cold, it had to be, because there was snow. I was dressed with short sleeves, I did not feel the cold. But what a place it was. I was teleported by a friend, it was told that this place was a "must" . So I accepted the TP, and landed at this place. I stood outside, and looked against a big wall. At first I didn't realize what for a building it was, but than it became clear. This was the most beautiful castle in Second Life, Castle Niflheimr,and I didn't see all yet.
Once inside, there was a big hall, lighted with torches, as it is supposed to be in a castle.
Stunning, what sense for detail! In everything, in chairs, in walls, in roofs, in furniture, in paintings.....waw. I have no words for it. This must be the most realistic building in SL. In every room there was a fireplace. Outside the snow was falling, but inside it was a warmth coming, not only from the fireplaces, but also from the way the castle was decorated, with authentic furniture.
After having visited every room, and I hope I didn't miss any, because there were plenty, I went outside. Another moment of astonishment.
There was a ship, a pirate ship, as I could notice from the flags. But then again, another project with eye for detail. There are no words for this little village in Second Life. You have to see it for yourself. And if you see it through the eyes of "Renderglow", it is even more beautiful.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

How beautiful you can be in SL!

While taking some pictures on a ordinary evening, I suddenly noticed this lady. I must say this was the first avatar I saw, who did not create herself as a thin woman, but one with a little weight. And I must admit, she did a fantastic job, congrats.
How beautiful you can be in SL, no matter what size!
You don't need to have the perfect figure, to be beautiful. And besides that, it is what is in you, what counts, not the outside.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Regarding Looker's Frustration


Some days ago, I posted an article, "The frustration of Second Life Rankings", and while surfing the blogs, I stumbled on this one from Dolmere Talamasca.
It is a very good analysis on my post of how a blogger feels about his blog. And frankly, I am quiet happy, reading his post on this article.
It convinced me even to go on with my blog, where I had, the past few days, the feeling of quitting.
I will keep posting articles, whatever comes into my mind, and what I think is interesting to share.
I will not have, other people tell me what to do, as it will only strengthen my thoughts, that the posts are not good enough, and to be honest, I don't care anymore, as I know I have now a public who like to visit my blog from time to time, maybe not regularly, but that will grow.
So, thank you Dolmere, and thank you all, for reading my blog, and , even if you are not commenting, I know you are there.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Holiday time and a club that must be banned from Second Life.

During these last 14 days of July, I have a holiday, finally. But it seems to be difficult to blog regularly and be on the grid and take a well deserved holiday. There are even good friends in SL, who were wondering where I am all the time. Well, to those friends, sorry, not to be frequently online, but give me some time to take a break, and I will be back before you know it.:)
For example this past night I was just for a moment on line, but not many friends were. So what did I do: looking for a sploder for increasing my account a bit. And I found one , very interesting, already over 2000 l$ with a few players. So, I had something to do while I was on SL, besides taking pictures. But don't ask me the Slurl from this place, because I don't remember it anymore, and won't remember it. It was the most wasteful, expandable place on Sl, that I ever visited. The owner, was repeating constantly, if you were not a member of his club, you were ejected from the place, if you didn't dance, you were also ejected from the place, he seemed not to be interested in the Lindens whatsoever, as he knows the Lindens wouldn't care if someone would complain about this club. But all I can say is, DON'T EVER VISIT THIS PLACE : THE V_LOUNGE.
If you need to find public for your club with a sploder, and you than eject them from your place so you can put that money in your pocket, is the lowest thing you can do in SL.
We blog about griefers, we blog about people who take money from your account, but this may be said also; you don't start a club in SL to eject people who visit your club because they are not a member when they arrive at the place. Most of the visitors were stunned the way this owner was talking to his public. I regret to have forgotten his name, I was really pissed off, but I remember the name of the club: The V-LOUNGE. Don't ever go there. Avoid the place. This club and his owner must be banned from Second Life!
I was one of the lucky guys, I did receive my money, although with a loss, but what about the others, who paid 100 l$ to the sploder and did not receive anything?
This is not the way to handle customers!!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Experimenting with Renderglow

Following the tutorial of Bella March, I had to try it for myself, as from last week, I could not use windlight anymore.
Bella experimented in the Firstlook Voice Client, I did it in the normal viewer.
As I think some adjustments can still be made, because the lightning of some objects is too bright in noon light, and you have to switch to midnight light to have a nice effect on metal things, or lightning things.
I started with the same settings as Bella for these pictures, but as told, for other objects, the midnight setting is better.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

SL Blogger party July 07-15

Tiana Meriman made this machinima from the Pirate's Blogger party.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Read All About It : The SL Bloggers crashed the sim !!

Last night, the Second Life Bloggers had a fourth gathering,or better said party. Theme yesterday was "Pirates". So, everyone was dressed as a pirate (or captain, or mistress), and the whole night there was "drunken" sailor (pirates) music.
Since the start of this group, a lot of bloggers have joined this group. And of course everyone would like to be present at this blogger party, which was for a lot of them the first time.
Once arrived at Dinee Ghia's place, you could see that the group has grown, for me that is. There were a lot of unknown people (bloggers), but that is why such events take place, to get to know each other.
And on the other hand, to see a fellow blogger, which blog you already comment, but never could really put a face on him/her.
After one hour it was already difficult to move, to take pictures, and suddenly, it happened, the sim crashed. YEAH!!! WE DID IT!! The Second Life Bloggers did crash the Linden Sim. Big news.
Once we all got back, we tried it for a second time, but I guess, a lot of fellow bloggers were not interested anymore, to make the Linden's work again.;))
And as there were less bloggers at the party, the party began to have the same old traditions. The ladies were having it too hot, and feel the urge to ress a pole for dancing, with , of course, less clothes on, as they started the night.;)
Conclusion: When is the fifth blogger party?;)

PS. Check all pictures at my flickr stream

Friday, July 13, 2007

Pamela Anderson to pose naked on PETA/Stella McCartney Second Life Island!!


I wanted to post an article about Stella McCartney, you know, the daughter of..., and fashion designer, as she is staging the first ever anti-fur protest in Second Life together with PETA. Events will be running from July 12th till July 19th.
Read all about it on the sl-newspaper.com .

But in the meanwhile I found in the same sl-newspaper an article about a live appearance of Pamela Anderson, coming to the same event, and will be posing naked for a photo on July 17th. So for those who are interested, check it out on the www.sl-newspaper.com or the blog of PETA.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Gone with Second Life



This was only a trial, to see how some pictures of me would be like as a poster.
The picture was taken on the wedding day of Coolz0r Courier and Spinneke Jewel.