Sweetstars Haunted has moved to the sim Ernest and LnL followed! Check out the photo! The store looks awesome! Drop by to visit the sim with plenty of interesting areas! Sweetstar is still setting things up, but feel free to landmark it and go back for another visit!
Starting tomorrow! This hunt goes till the end of August and this is LnL's prize! The hat is resizable and fun to wear! Click the red "i" (hint giver) by the hunt posters to get a hint! Enjoy!
As it happens every Thursday, there was a discussion last week at LnL's Lounge! It was hosted by Lewis and the topic was “Privacy in SL”. The group addressed many issues such as the controversial features the Firestorm team presented in a poll to its users, like being able to always see your friends online even when they mark themselves as offline to you. Some thought it was a breach of individual privacy and a breach of Linden Lab’s Terms of Service; others defended it was useless as residents cannot be fully invisible (they are visible in their groups, for instance). The group also talked about online monitor scripts used by those who have very long lists of friends, or should we call them contacts lists?! Getting notified when someone unfriends you and other similar features seem to fuel unnecessary drama in Second Life, everyone agreed. Another topic was Redzone, the SIM scanner that searches for copy bots and their alts. This led to a lively and controversial argument and counter-argument discussion. Some defended that it is totally unacceptable for a scanner to gather IP information, as Redzone does; other stated that if used correctly, it was not a problem. It was also stated that some people were being banned from SIMs for sharing the same IP information of a banned resident, not being the same person or an alt, while others defended that if you are not doing anything wrong, you have no reason to fear Redzone. The use of this scanner, especially by owners of SIMs with high traffic, clubs for example, to identify griefers and defend themselves from copy-botters was supported by some of those present. Others presented the counter-argument that anyone really wanting to grief would be able to hide their IPs and override the scanner. To the moderators question whether these tools are ethical to use, some said an assertive no, others maintained it depended on how they were used, being the intent of the user a key element. There is no simple answer! Everyone agreed on one thing though, that privacy issues should be taken very seriously! It was a very interesting discussion, lively and fast-paced! Great group, lots of interesting arguments! See you next time!
~Lizzie~
On Thursday (28th July) at 2pm SLT, l'll be hosting another discussion in the Lounge. This week - Editing Beauty We'll be discussing beauty and attractiveness in SL. What makes an avatar attractive? What are the parallels between RL beauty and SL beauty? Is beauty of any significance in SL when it can be created and changed on a whim? Hope to see you all there. ==Lewis (moderator)
LnL G30-O137 is a black and red outfit with absolutely fantastic details on the top (worn as a shirt), buttoned, with a black lapel over a red background and a white laced jabot adorned with a silver cross, also a detailed cobweb design visible on the back. The pants (mod) are in red and match the top. This outfit brings a unisex gothic collar and a coat bottom for the male avatar (both black on the outside and red on the inside for a dramatic look), and white laced cuffs, also a gown skirt for the female avatar, partially open in the front (all these accessories are resizable).
LnL G29-O-120 is a black unisex outfit with a red jabot and a silver cross necklace. It brings a top (worn as a shirt), unbuttoned in the front, revealing the red jabot, and decorated with silver buckles, black pants (mod) with matching texture, and black gloves decorated by a red criss-cross effect discreetly covered by white lace cuffs (resizable) . This outfit is completed by a black gothic collar (resizable) and a coat bottom for the male avatar plus a stunning flexible train skirt, for the female avatar (also resizable).
Fresh out of the press, here are the new discussion topics sent in by Lewis, our moderator!
On Thursday 21 July at 2pm prompt, we'll be having another discussion in the Lounge. This week: Privacy concerns. First, Linden Lab's database was hacked. Then there was Emerald. Then there was Redzone. How worried should we be about privacy in SL and the security of our data? Is privacy even possible in a virtual world? We'll be discussing these questions and more. Hope to see you there!
K-6 is fantastic unisex kimono! Its reds, blues and golds bring out elegance and joyfulness. It features a traditional dragon with unique details in the texture. This kimono brings pants, a top worn as a shirt, a kimono skirt, a flexi hakama and obi (for both the female and male avatar and resizable), flexi sleeves, the gettas (shoewear) and matching socks.
LnL G28-O119 is an all black unisex outfit with an impressive rubi brooch. It brings a top (worn as a shirt), buttoned in the front and showing very sober black silky ruffles, black pants (mod) with a very discreet texture emphasizing the silk, almost leathery look, and black gloves. This outfit is completed by a black gothic collar (resizable) and a coat bottom for the male avatar plus a gown skirt, partially open in the front, for the female avatar (also resizable).
You land in the Dragon's Den where you have to click the chest (check pic) and you'll receive a folder with a few important elements - a notecard with the story of the Spring Slaughter, a few indications on the game and a HUD. This HUD will be filled out with the information you collect as the game progresses! Finally, also in the folder, a texture of a grid that you can print and use as a database to take a few notes.
And the story starts... "It was a dark and stormy night... out at sea, the storm brought an unknown ship closer and closer to the shores of Heart of Dragons...
Wrecked upon the rocks, 6 rival En Garde players struggled ashore and looked at the tempting land they had happened upon. The six rivals were Ryan Retreat, Petrushka Parry, Annabel Attack, Lord Serious Alt (aka LSA), Damon Double-Lunge and Frieda Forfeit."
But something lurked in the darkness of their minds and they were obsessed, wanting to win the En Garde tournament although they lacked the skills to... "They sent out messages that they wanted to hold a tournament with the 6 best players the Champions of En Garde, Robin Rapier, Kelly Katana, Freddy Foil, Sam Sabre, Eddie Epee and Dana Dagger. But before the tournament could start, the champions were all dead."
The challenge is for you to solve the mystery, saving the noble game and the land from evil! Now, the champions were alive before noon and they were all dead after 10pm that same evening.
They all died in different places and times, having been killed by different weapons. Find the 18 clues hidden around the 2 two sims - Heart of Dragons and Dragon Nest - in the shape of murder weapons or paper scrolls. In the folder given to you at the beginning is also clue #19!
This is an extraordinary sim with amazing hidden spots and great places to sit for a while and simply enjoy. It is very well built and it provides the right environment to this murder mystery.
Use the wonderful locations to regroup and organise the information you have found so far!
Explore every corner and every possibility, even the most unlikely one. Sometimes a concealed area might offer an extra clue!
Don't get intimidated by firey creatures (by the way, absolutely fantastic!) nor dark grottos (with twists and turns that will amaze you)! Click all the TP spots as they might offer new chances!!
London and I had a lot of fun especially because this is not the type of game you solve in an hour or two. It needs work, patience, power of deduction and a good eye! Congratulations are in order to Edenlee Fallen and Aries Oh, the creators. :) Drop by the Heart of Dragons for the Spring Slaughter and drop a comment here on how the game went for you and what you thought of the sims. We would love to know! Oh, and London and I did solve the mystery! Yay! When you fill out the HUD with the correct info, it will give you a message showing that YOU GOT IT!!
London and I are now listed as having solved the Springtime Slaughter Mystery! Yay!
On Thursday 14 July at 2pm prompt, we'll be having another discussion in the Lounge. This week:"Profiles". We'll be taking a look at SL profiles and the varied ways in which people use them. What do people think of Web profiles? What can be done to improve them? Should profiles be more like a social network, ie Facebook? We'll be discussing these questions and more.
Thursday, July 30, LnL met for its weekly discussion. The topic at hand was “Subcultures in SL – BDSM, Slavery and Goreans in SL”. We counted on everyone’s help to keep this discussion a Mature one, respecting the sim rating and it couldn’t have worked out better!
After clarifying what BDSM was (Bondage Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sadism and Masochism), the group went on to exchange ideas about what was inherent to BDSM, namely the power exchange up to an agreed level. Some disagreed considering that the submissive does hold the power rather than the dominant, although it is often possible to see that the power dynamics are not as clear at times. The interdependency of Master/Slave is extremely powerful both in Real Life (RL) and in SL, everyone acknowledged.
The group also discussed the correctness of the designation “top/bottom” related to Dom/Sub. The majority agreed (not everyone though) to the fact that this expression was not the right one in the BDSM domain because it could point to other contexts, namely gay sexuality.
It was interesting to register that BDSM is not necessarily a sexual issue, but also a mental issue. The complexity and durability of the relations established is very serious, and based on trust and mutual exchange.
Issues like an abusive relationship or emotional insecurity should not be confused with the dynamics of a BDSM relationship, where the Dom offers emotional safety, guided by rules and strong protection. In return the Sub offers total openness. Some defended that despite this situation, the Sub did remain actively responsible for his/her actions and duties.
Regarding BDSM and Slaves in SL, the groups referred the fact that they seem more prevalent in SL than in RL, perhaps due to the anonymity offered by the virtual world, allowing people to be more open about themselves. This works as a source of interior balance, whether emotional, sexual or other. There are dangers as well; the normal dangers present in a relationship or excesses of misuse, hence the need to exercise some self-protection.
The group also talked about the meaning of elements like the collar or the leash as being like a wedding ring, although some argued that they could be much more than that, they could represent an extra level of control.
Then the discussion moved on to the Goreans. Some stated it was a subset of BDSM, others an RP system being more rigidly defined than BDSM and not gender relevant, contrary to what one might think. Gorean could also be a lifestyle, expressing more than just RP and sexuality, namely reflecting on furniture, clothes, and a fantasy feel.
As it was mentioned, this is an open group with open minds and that made discussing a topic like this possible! It was a very interesting discussion! Thank you, everyone! Join us next week for a new topic and a fun discussion at LnL’s Lounge!
~ Lizzie ~
CORRECTION: This was not a discussion from the future, as someone pointed out in the comments quite correctly!! LOL The date was June 30! :)
London and I prepared the Ballroom to welcome everyone! We set up some light effects, some particles and.. yes!.. a birthday cake! LOL We also had a rotating platform with two gifts - an awesome purple LnL bike and a cuddly shoulder pet!
As everyone started arriving, the music was already on! London set up the playlist and started spinning those tunes! We welcomed so many of our SL friends. It was fantastic to see everyone!
Jad took this picture above showing us all wearing the balloons Janie gave out! The balloons congratulated LnL on its 2nd anniversary! Hehe that was cool!
The DJ did an amazing job and here he is, looking very professional and giving everyone pretty good reasons to dance and spin!!
DJ London doing his part in this awesome celebration!!!!
The party continued with song after song being played and in the company of great friends!
As the party ended, a few final words. Time flies! And these two years have been a lot of work and a lot of fun! London and I want to thank every and each one of our friends and LnL'ers who came to the party to share this special moment with us! Without you, SL wouldn't be as fun! Knowing you has made our SL a lot more meaningful! Hugs to all!!!
Manu and Paco have created this awesome congrats card for LnL's Anniversary! Thank you guys! Also thank you for the fantastic words in your blog 22769 - casual couture! :)
Tomorrow, Thursday, July 7 at 2pm SLT, LnL will throw a PARTY to celebrate its 2nd Anniversary!! Time flies and two years have gone by. TWO years!!! Wow! We would like to invite everyone to join us in LnL's Ballroom to celebrate this special occasion! :)
It was time to remove the Cathedral, LnL's project this year. The photo above was taken while London and I were collecting all the 200+ prims used to create "The Gothic Experience".
In the end, this is what we had, and this is what we started with, an empty plot with all the potential to become something amazing! And that did happen, the magic of SL! LnL is looking forward to SL9B! We'll be there! :)
Now, we can't have pilots and planes without airports, right? :) So, it was time to get to an airport! We checked the Destination Guide and found the Hollywood Airport (a private sim open to the public). After exploring a bit through the hangars, the flight school, and a few other services, London and I decided to... fly! Oh, yes! We got the LnL helicopter out of our inventory (the magic of SL!) and flew about for a while!
Above, only one of the 180 sims where you can explore your piloting skills!
LnL is the featured store in Grettony during the month of July
