The competition was huge, 99 pieces and participants of over 40 nations of 6 of the 7 continents around the planet gathered for this challenge. But what gave us the Big Price, was a very big surprise!! The winner of the Workhouse & Art place d-oo-b Prize, Gfresh Botha, with his fantastic piece I GOT 99 PROBLEMS AND THE RICH AIN'T ONE, decided to share his prize with us O.O!!
"I'm no artist and have no idea about art. In RL I have never really taken an interest in art, other than my namesake Leon Botha, who died earlier this year. I have always been a little creative though and SL has given me a medium in which to express this. I make stuff and I enjoy it, if others like it then it's a bonus. I don't know much about art but I know crap when I see it. For the longest time in SL I was in search of "art" galleries/sims/exhibitions in SL, all of which seemed somewhat disappointing, made up mostly of uninspired twisty prims and textures. Then one day I found UWA and my cravings were fulfilled, a rich and thriving art environment full of what I consider the best examples of art and it's in SL. I've been coming back ever since and I'm always pleasantly surprised by the volume and variety of new creations. I would like to give half (of my prize) to my own favourite piece by London Junkers called "Waiting for Theberge". I really really liked it. The rest of the prize I will divide between my friends in SL who have more use for it than me. A big thank you to everyone who liked my work, and thanks to UWA." Gfresh Botha.
Topic: Trick or Treat!! & the seasons in SL!!
The Haunted Forest 2 Hunt starts at midnight and we are looking forward to it! LnL has prepared this fantastic prize, a complete unisex outfit (see photo above). Click the red "i" by the hunt posters for an updated hint! You are looking for a sculpted ghost! Oh, the prize is marked 1L but it is TOTALLY worth it! A FULL LnL outfit. We hope you enjoy it. Happy Hunting!
The Dirty Little Secrets Hunt is on and this is the prize LnL prepared for you this time. The complete unisex outfit in black with redish and gold decorations, brings a flexi bottom coat and a straight collar (both elements resizable). Click the red "i" (hint giver) by the hunt posters for an updated hint. This hunt will last till November 20. Happy Hunting!
Discussion Thursday, 2pm SLT
LnL G36-O126 is a dark purple unisex outfit. The top (worn as a shirt) is rich in details like a criss-cross effect in the front and a white necklace-like long decoration. The purple pants (mod to fit all types of shoewear) show the same criss-cross effect. This outfit is completed by a pair of amazing purple gloves, an impressive Gothic collar and a flexi wide double layered gown skirt for the female avatar and a coat bottom for the male avatar. All accessories are resizble.
Last Thursday at LnL, a group of discussers gathered to talk about Linden Lab's approach to SL. London, the moderator, introduced the topic: "Lindens are like an urban legend, everyone has heard of them but lots haven't even seen them. AR's are sent on a daily bases but only a few of them go through, copybotting is still a concern for many creators, lag is our daily companion and crashes are just around the corner. Do you think Lindens have abandoned us, or are they just up there playing their own "game" while we create their content and give them our money? Should they be more friendly? What would you ask a Linden if you had the chance to talk to them?" The floor was then open to all and the first question was what the group thought about the Lindens. Those who had actually met a Linden didn't have a positive opinion about them. They seem to give an impression of aloofness. The group thinks this could be due to the fact that LL is understaffed, causing lack of time to be in the grid, or the philosophy of the company, building the infrastructure and leaving the creation of content in the hand of residents thus promoting a strong diversity. The group was very vocal about the need for the Lindens to be more present in SL to facilitate the identification of the real problems residents face. Third party viewers are an interesting alternative to the offical LL viewer, some have interesting features and their usability is higher, yet they are overlooked by LL. To the question "Does the lack of assistance by LL open the doors to copybot, crime, laundering money, extorsion, highjacking accounts, etc etc etc? Or is this too exagerated?" the group agreed that it did potentiate dubious situations, some of which end up causing serious damage to many residents. One of the topics adressed as well was the fact that the Lindens seem to benefit a few "elite" residents by having them in the picks of their official Linden avies. As the discussion drew to an end, a wishlist was drafted just in case we met a Linden! ;) Less lag, fix existing problems and only then add new features, don't try to turn SL into Facebook, review the rules for posting Events in Search, shut down the grid with forewarning for proper maintenace of the system, stop capped IMs/notices and be a part of inworld activities. As a conclusion, London stated: "Reachable leaders have proven in history to be able to change the world, a little more of attention by the Lindens would certainly make a difference. They may have their reasons, but listening to us would help them make SL a better place, perhaps we need to give the first step so let's go find a Linden, and when we find them...let's give them a hug!". Join us next week for a new discussion, this time about the future of SL! Same time, same place - Thursday, 2pm SLT in LnL's Lounge. Looking forward to seeing you!
nL's Lounge at 2pm SLT, a new discussion and a new topic! This time we will talk about the Lindens and their impact on the grid! Dear Mr.Linden Where are you? Lindens are like an urban legend, everyone has heard of them but lots haven't even seen them. AR's are sent on a daily bases but only a few of them go through, copybotting is still a concern for many creators, lag is our daily companion and crashes are just around the corner. Do you think Lindens have abandoned us, or are they just up there playing their own "game" while we create their content and give them our money? Should they be more friendly? What would you ask a Linden if you had the chance to talk to them? Join us for a lively discussion about this hot topic in LnL's Lounge at 2pm SLT! Looking forward to seeing you! Join us! :)
Thursday Oct 6, LnL hosted its weekly discussion. The topic was "HELP!! I've fallen and I can't get OUT!! Is SL an addiction?!!". Most replied YES! while some defended that it can become addictive but not necessarily, depending on the personality type. Things like meeting new friends, exploring, creating, becoming who and what ever you wish to be, and yes, organising inventories, that dreaded activity, are some of the aspects that contribute to the many hours residents spend inworld. Some of the consequences of SL being addictive include neglecting the household (although some thought that didn't count!), the family, losing a job, and in a broader sense Real Life. Things are not as simple as this though. Often SL becomes one's RL, for instance in situations of disability or health issues. Can one really draw the line between SL and RL then? The level of immersion is often deliberate and not really an addiction. A bit on the side of the topic at hand, the group discussed SL and how it is portrayed by the media, usually in a negative and incomplete way. As to the time spent inworld, many felt a bit "guilty" about the long hours spent in SL (as a result of judgemental comments by people who are not in SL and who don't know nor understand it?) although others felt they conciliate SL and RL perfectly! The moderator asked the group if we had ever taken a vacation from SL and the answers were quite diverse! Some did without a problem, others "tried" their best not to! Don't we all...!! As a factor contributing to the amount of time spent in SL, an interesting aspect discussed was the fact that many know people who met in SL and ended up establishing a relationship in SL and/or in RL. Related to this, the group moved on to aspects such as giving out personal information or not, the dangers of SL dating, while some specific cases were shared. The discussion ended with a fun question, what were the funniest things you had done in RL that you usually did in SL, for example trying to rotate a static picture? Well, beware, this might be shocking! Some count prims in stores, others mentally try to figure out how many prims were used to build an object, others look at trees and wonder where the amazing textures came from, in RL, yes! This writer is guilty as well...! To conclude, the moderator stated that anything can become an addiction. It is up to us to make the best of all things! For that reason, grab a refreshing drink, enjoy the sunset, call a friend, and when the concert is on, log in and start virtual dancing or sim hopping! In the right proportion, SL is definitively recommended!! Join us next Thursday at 2pm SLT for a new topic with a fun and friendly discussion group!
LnL G35-O125 is an amazingly luxurious unisex outfit. Blacks and grays strongly contribute to the elegant look. The top (worn as a shirt) is decorated by a texture of refined lines, buttoned up in the front, and a skull brooch on top of a lace detail. Black pants (mod) match the top perfectly. This outfit is completed by beautifully detailed black gloves, a gothic collar, laced cuffs and a gown skirt with a flexi short overskirt decorated by a black bow in the back, for the female avatar plus a coat bottom for the male avatar. All accessories are resizable for a perfect fit.
LnL G34-O124 is an absolutely amazing unsisex outfit in rich tones of blue. The top (worn as a shirt) is adorned with riveted and buckled straps in the front, back and sleeves, plus a silky jabot and a rubi brooch. The blue spiderwebish pants (mod) match the top to perfection. This outfit is completed by a pair of blue gloves, a gothic collar, and a gown skirt, partially opened in the front, for the female avatar and a coat bottom for the male avatar. All accessories are resizable so you can adjust them perfectly.
HELP!! I've fallen and I can't get OUT!! Is SL an addiction? We spend hours and hours inworld letting the sun rise up and set down in our real life world, and not even noticing it. Is this metaverse just a great passtime, or an entrapping addiction? Join us for a lively discussion about this hot topic in LnL's Lounge at 2pm SLT! Looking forward to seeing you! Join us! :) * London Junkers (moderator)
Thursday was discussion day at LnL! The topic for this week's event was "SHHHHHHH!! I'm huntin' wabbits!! Sane "Game" or abrupt obsession in SL?!!". The group started by defining what a hunt was. All agreed it was a fun way of promoting sales and of finding new stores and the right products to buy, not to mention meeting new friends. Despite the fact that nowadays one can dress up an avatar simplywith hunt prizes and get a good look that way, it was interesting to see that many discussers thought the "freebie-factor" was a secondary issue. Despite the fact that many new residents have no idea about hunts (some suggested it would be a relevant information to add to SL tutorials), hunts could be a interesting activity, though frustrating at times. Many of the group members refuse to do hunts where a fee is charged per prize, unless it is for donation purposes. On the other hand, it was defended that the symbolic fee could serve as an incentive to boost quality amongst the participant stores. Hunting in SL can easily go from being a game to becoming a compulsion; some of the participants (well, the majority... but shhhhh!!!) said they have a lot of unopened boxes from previous hunts! Now, one aspect a lot of the participants agreed upon was the fact that there is an overflow of hunts especially during certain times of the year when celebrations are held; there are so many different hunts, grid-wide hunts, store hunts, mini hunts, with so many diferent themes, that it is often difficult to decide which one to select. The group then went on to discuss aspects they find annoying in hunts, such as store owners making it too difficult to find the prizes, too many decoys (this writer adds, extreme resizing and recolouring of the prize ...), or when it's a pay hunt having no pictures available so the hunter can decide whether to get the prize or not. On the topic of cheating, all agreed that it does defeat the purpose of a hunt but when it gets frustrating and after several failed attempts to find the prize, then...! Curiously enough, not many thought that the proliferation of hunts could be one of the causes for less sales in SL, because where there is quality, there will be sales regardless of any hunts, freebies, Midnight Mania boards or other types of gift givers. In relation to the quality of the prizes, the group agreed that hunt organisers would definitely benefit from being more selective regarding the stores they approve for their hunts, and that they should also do a follow-up on the prizes to check if they match the quality of the items sold in the store. Time was up so quickly! So, as a conclusion, the moderator stated that "Consumerism in SL is certainly a tricky question, it serves the purpose of showing who and what we are, or the expectations and ways of living that we have. But at the end, whatever makes us virtually happy is what counts, never forgeting that this metaverse is just a "Game" made for us to enjoy and be happy. So get the nets out, wear comfy shoes and LET'S GO HUNTING, we might find something pweety cool!!". Thank you everyone for a fun discussion! Join us next week, Thursday at 2pm SLT, for another interesting topic!
