Commentary: Why The Furry Fandom Isn't A Community

By Cyfiremmerich

The furry fandom, in both real life and Second Life, can be a protective bunch. It’s perfectly natural to protect something that you’re a part of; especially when that something hasn’t necessarily been portrayed in a positive light in many cases. However, sometimes things need to be put into perspective. Those who have been part of the fandom for a while have no doubt heard about groups of furs with mob mentality going after someone for doing something perceived as going against what everyone has been working towards in the “community;” that being respect and acceptance from the outside world. This is not something that only happens in the fandom, but it’s very prevalent within it.

Let’s put things into perspective, though. The furry community isn’t a community in and of itself. Having a common interest doesn’t mean that you’re part of the same group and that other groups who have the same interest are going to like your group or want to look out for the interests of other people with the same interest. Being a furry is an interest and has nothing to do with being part of a group, family, club, community, etc. I’ve seen many people who have viewed the furry fandom as a whole as one big extended family get disheartened and burned out, myself included. However, I’ve come to realize that you don’t have to worry about others that you don’t know, and letting go of that weight can greatly improve your well being.

There are many pockets of communities, groups, etc. within the furry fandom. That doesn’t mean that any one person or group speaks for the fandom as a whole. There is no president or committee of the furry fandom. This applies not just to real life, but Second Life as well which has a number of different furry communities and hangouts independent of one another.

Relax. Enjoy your day. Failing that, there’s plenty of other things to worry about in 2020.

Cyfir

How To Maintain a Community in Second Life

By Cyfir

Over the course of my time in Second Life, I got the opportunity to lead and maintain a couple of communities that I was a part of as a sim co-owner and sim manager. I never actually wanted these positions, but at the time I believed in the community's efforts so much and put so much time and energy into them that the main owners gave me the positions. However, I learned a lot from the experience about what to do and what not to do in these positions. I hope to pass on what I’ve learned here so that others won’t make mistakes I’ve made or have seen time and time again from others.

Know Your Community       

Don’t treat the position like you’re above and removed from everyone. You are just as much a part of the community as anyone else. Get to know everyone. Be friendly. Be compassionate. Make friends. Only then will you truly understand everyone and get to know your community’s needs.

Don’t Fall Into The Tribe Mentality

It’s perfectly natural for humans to group up and become an “in group.” Before there was the Internet; and modern electronics for that matter, humans grouped up in tribes for safety and security. However, this can keep your community from growing. If others walk in and find that it’s hard to break into the group, they’ll go elsewhere. Welcome everyone. Invite them into your conversations. Make them feel like they belong.

Don’t Talk Behind Others Backs In Private Staff Chats

Unless it’s an obvious troll, talking negatively about other people in the group will eventually get out; even if it’s in private chats that the person isn’t in. This can cause massive amounts of drama that will make your community look bad. It may be tempting to blow off steam about someone with friends, but do that elsewhere.

Don’t Go Beyond What The Whole Of Your Community Wants

I’ve seen sim owners introduce things randomly that just end up making community members upset. For instance, one sim owner introduced a parcel area just for a group that liked to role play as children. This did not go over well with a large majority of the community, and the sim disbanded within a week. The sim owners just saw this as a way to make a certain group happy, but ended up causing drama for themselves.

Be Transparent

It’s natural for people to be apprehensive of those in power from time to time. A way to deter this, aside from being down to earth and friendly, is to be open about why you’re doing the things that you’re doing.

Don’t Treat Staff Like Employees

This isn’t real life. People have real jobs and don’t want to come home to another. Staff are volunteers and real life comes first. You will find that you will have a constant rotation of staff if you treat things like a real business, even if you pay your staff in Linden Dollars.

Have Fun

Life, especially now, is too stressful to worry about Second Life as a make or break project. Have fun. Make friends. Be yourself. People will come if it’s a cool place to hang out and the people are nice. This will never be a permanent gig. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Cyfir

SLPonyCon

By Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich)

In a recent article, I wrote about how virtual conventions can temporarily be an alternative to real life conventions. It seems that more people are coming to this conclusion as well as there is now a My Little Pony convention called SLPonyCon that will take place the whole month of June (June 1st-30th). I had a chance to interview the two con chairs Pop Princess Sakairi (Sakairi Melodious) and Braniac -Piper- (rosetheunicorn).

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Cyfir: What are you both in charge of in regards to the convention?

Sakairi: Piper and I are the Co-Chairwomen of SLPonyCon. We`re both in charge of making sure the convention runs smoothly, as well as making sure the rest of the staff and guests have what they need to make their jobs easier. Planning, building, delegating staff tasks... We sort of have our hands in a little bit of everything!

Piper: I mostly take care of our panelists and the general artistic direction of the project.

Cyfir: How did the idea for this convention come about?

Piper: It started as an idea to bring attention to the wide pony community in Second Life, which was already starting to dwindle due to the end of the show as well as the final brony convention. But when the COVID-19 virus happened, the idea was kind of pushed forward.

We wanted to help make up for all the conventions that were cancelled. Many people were affected by it. Since it's on SL and everyone is home due to the corona virus we decided to do it in game with all the stops we could pull for the fandom we love.

Sakairi: The main idea in all was to bring a morale boost to the community and invite people to it!

Cyfir: Who else is involved and what do they do?

Sakairi: There are so many people involved with SLPonyCon. It’s a little hard to name specifics. For starters, we have every major pony sim in Second Life representing embassies at the convention. Carbondale, Neighberry, RubyHills, Trotsdale, Ponytown, Trot Springs, Canterlot, Luna`s Empire, and even a brand new Anthro Pony Sim called Riverside Bay, will all be there to welcome people and show SL what our community has to offer. We also have many many vendors joining us like Ambix, Inzoxi, and Blackback Studios just to name a few. All of the popular pony avatar creators such as N.E.I.G.H, Flower pony, and even some newer bodies like Sparklepony and the long awaited NutBusterz Pony body, which we will be hosting a release party for! We have many many performers and panelists like Captnhoers, Haymaker, and Somberpony. But I think the most important people would be our Staff like our security team lead by Geminai Mills, TDMayo, Nick, and Akasa, Our wonderful Vendor manager Kokuma, our Social media expert Ember, and not to forget our owners LAMP, Serendypity, and Michi. Like I said.. there's just so many people who got involved!

Piper: We have so many people involved with this naming them would take forever but we have quite the team who have put a lot of effort into this project to make our little dream a big reality.

Cyfir: Who are the special guests and what panels can fans look forward to?

Sakairi: This is definitely a question for Piper. She's worked so hard to gather all the amazing panelists we have.

Piper: We have Somberpony; the author of Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons doing Writing Workshops. We have Captainhoers, an animator on YouTube and comic artist doing DND style table top one shot sessions. I will be doing how to draw ponies panels personally. We have Molly doing How to use Second Life panels for newbies. We have many shows including live music from bronies like Haymaker and WoodenToaster (aka Glaze), various gaming events, dj sessions, galas, and other fun activities to participate in.

Cyfir: Who will the live DJs be?

Piper: Various people from our SL community like Serendipity and Kota.

Sakairi: From Carbondale and Neighberry respectfully. Many of our Sim Embassies have volunteered to host many events for the convention.

Cyfir: You mentioned merchants that will be involved. Will there be an artist den?

Piper: Yes. We have a museum actually.

Sakairi: The Art Museum will feature walls for all kinds of artists to not only show off previous work, but give information about them like where to find their gallery online and how to commission them if you'd like a special piece done for yourself! It also has a really pretty interactive walkway out front that plays chimes when you enter, Hehe!

Piper: It’s pretty rad, actually.

Cyfir: What have been the challenges of pulling off such an endeavor and how have you overcome those challenges?

Sakairi: SLPonyCon has had a fair share of challenges, like most conventions would. But one of the more challenging aspects would be coordinating a team of varied individuals. The Pony Community is one big family. And like any family, we don't always agree on everything. There's always going to be differing opinions, especially with a group as big as this convention team. But in the end, the important thing is we always find a way to compromise and move forward. Our community looks to us all, and it's our hope that this convention shows them that we are all here for them no matter what!

Piper: We have a no nonsense policy as well for backup.

Cyfir: Backup?

Piper: Meaning if anyone decides no not play ball with everyone else we have a three strike policy and then they are out.

Sakairi: We have a very top notch security team who are on top of things should anything happen. <3 br="">
Cyfir: What have you learned from putting this convention together so far and is there any advice you could give to anyone thinking about putting on a convention in a virtual world?

Sakairi: Being our very first convention we've ever run, we've already learned a lot.

Piper: Teamwork is important. We wouldn't be able to pull this off without all of our amazing staff, and I think it goes without saying that friendship is magic! I would say try your best to get as many people who would like it on board as you can and play to their strengths and show how much you appreciate their hard work all the way through. Your team is what makes things happen.

Cyfir: How did you both become fans of My Little Pony?

Piper: I have been a fan of MLP since I was a little kid. My favorite pony was Sugarberry in generation 1... though these days I am more well known in the Fallout Equestria side of the fandom.

Sakairi: I became a fan through other friends of mine. I used to be one of those people who thought it was just a show for little girls. My friends, who were bronies, told me about it, and I had the excuse at the time of having kids, so I gave it a shot and watched it with them. I fell in love with the messages of kindness the show sent, and later on, the kindness and acceptance I found in the brony community. One thing led to another and I became hooked. My Favorites would be Celestia, Cadence, and my spirit pony, Pinkie Pie!

Cyfir: What about My Little Pony do you think created such a loyal fan base?

Piper: I think the show has such a loyal fan base due to it’s creative community and wholesome content in a world where it's truly needed.

Sakairi: Mostly I feel it's the positive messages it sends out to it’s fans. It teaches people that we can all be different and still accepting of everyone. The cute artwork is a big plus too!

Cyfir: Do you think that the My Little Pony community is much different than the furry community or is there overlap?

Piper: I personally think it's vastly different especially in energy.

Sakairi: I personally differ there. There are differences, sure, but it's a lot alike in other ways. It's a way to express yourself as an individual. There's things in both communities for all kinds of different age ranges and tastes. It's not really about the entire community as a whole as much as the individual and how they choose to use it. There are even Furries and Anthros IN the pony community.

Cyfir: Anything else you would both like to mention?

Piper: I sure hope this  makes people’s year just a little bit better.

Sakairi: We can't wait to see all of you! Visit our website and our discord if you would like any more information on the event!

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You can check out the SLPonyCon website here: https://www.slponycon.com .

You can check out the convention’s Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/hsD34cH .

Their Twitter can be found here: =https://twitter.com/pony_con .

Finally, for a full schedule of events, go here: https://www.slponycon.com/events-1 .

Cyfir

News and Commentary: Have a Second Life Contingency Plan

By Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich)

In college, I took a whole course on business contingency. Contingency is “a future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.” Everything is contingent. Whether you go in to work tomorrow depends on if work is still there. Whether you go home at the end of the day is contingent on if  home is still there. For many in my real life community, both are not still there. Not only has COVID-19 shut many businesses in my area down, an EF3 tornado dropped down a few blocks behind where I live on Saturday afternoon, and tore through the business district, grew into a massive wedge, and leveled homes. There were no casualties thanks to advanced warning and many being home because of COVID-19, but many people no longer have jobs or houses to go back to. The local mall and a handful of businesses are practically destroyed. If the tornado had dropped down sooner, I wouldn’t be writing this.

Here’s the important part: Second Life should be the furthest from your mind in life threatening and/or natural disaster circumstances, but wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to worry about it at all? Why wait until it’s not possible to do anything about your rent meter running out? Who will inform your Second Life friends of your whereabouts if you’re not able to get online? There have been a few instances when this publication has had to send out a call for help to discover the whereabouts of a missing Second Life resident.  

In my business contingency courses, we learned to write up a contingency plan for when the unexpected should occur. For instance, who would be in charge of things if the manager is out? A Second Life contingency plan doesn’t have to be as elaborate and drawn out as a business contingency plan, but think of who you would trust to help you pay your rent meter or tell your friends of your whereabouts if something should occur. Be sure that you can contact them offline or at least let them know that if you disappear one day to please help you with contacting friends or paying rent for a certain amount of time until you get back. I always keep at least two weeks on all my meters in case something happens like a week long power outage. Do you run a blog or website based around Second Life or do you run a sim or a club? Who do you trust to run those while you’re gone? Think of any possible thing that you can see not being taken care of if you vanished for a month and write it down and think of who can back you up in a time of need.

In these times of uncertainty, it’s good to have a plan in real life as well as Second Life for when things go horribly wrong. COVID-19 has had me thinking about this, and the tornado this weekend finally inspired this article. Don’t wait until it’s too late.


Cyfir

My Decade in Second Life

by Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich Resident)

I didn’t start regularly using Second Life until 2012, but I’ve spent the majority of the decade being a part of the furry community in Second Life. I actually first logged in to Second Life a year or two before but I couldn’t quite grasp how it worked at the time and ended up forgetting my username and password so I had to start over with a new account and this has been the account that I stuck with. I mainly was pulled back in to Second Life at the time by one of my exes. I spent most of my time with him on his little parcel at first, but I started meeting other people and I eventually met someone that introduced me to Fox Haven after my relationship went south.

I started out there renting a little house and hanging out with my new friends. It wasn’t like before I felt like I belonged there, which is honestly something that I had never felt before. I had always felt out of place anywhere I was and this got me hooked to the platform. I began to believe in the potential of the platform to do the same thing for others and I wanted to help anywhere I could. I began by volunteering my time as a “sim checker.” Since the sim was also rented out by others, many residents would lose their objects around the sim and it was my job to find them and return them. Many objects would get captured by the bottom corner of the sim, and I always thought that this was a weird bug.

I slowly became friends with the sim owner and took on more roles to help the sim grow. I learned how to DJ from real life DJs at the time. I managed the club, did security, and eventually became a sim co-owner. I went to the main sim-owner’s house in real life a few times to hang out. I was there when he purchased a new sim and I got to learn how that works and what the initial processes are.

Unfortunately, Fox Haven closed, and I had to find a new community. I ended up applying at Furry Fashion as a DJ and got the job. I met new friends there as well as my current boyfriend. However, I originally got to know the sim owner first and we ended up clicking and dating for over a year. In that time I was given opportunities to manage their club and sim and I helped turn some things around for them even while the sim owner was away on medical leave. I felt really accomplished in regards to this. But unfortunately my relationship with the sim owner started becoming less and less healthy for me. And after we broke up I started to be treated differently and by that point my mental health had deteriorated to the point where I realized that I needed to make an exit because I could not effectively make improvements that I thought were needed. We’re all human and stuff happens. I wish things would have turned out differently, but there’s nothing I can do to go back.

For the past year I’ve mainly used Second Life to be with my boyfriend on our parcels, which is oddly how I started out. I have not found another community that I’ve really meshed with and aside from maintaining my store, for the most part I don’t really pay attention to it and just have the browser open in the background most of the time. I reverted back to real life hobbies to fill my spare time, and since writing was one of those hobbies I started writing for the Second Life Newser. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from Second Life it’s that it’s not real life. I spent so much wasted time in Second Life worrying about it like a career and dealing with trolls and politics when in retrospect the only thing that’s real on the platform are the relationships you foster with others. The only thing that separates a sim owner from anyone else is that they’re willing to pay Linden Labs a stack of money. The only thing that ever separated me from anyone else was that I was on friendly terms with the sim owners. It doesn’t work that way in real life. Second Life is not worth losing sight of what’s really important because in the end it doesn’t last and your real life will still be there.

What’s next for me on the platform? I don’t know. If an opportunity came to maybe help out another sim I don’t know if I would take it. I might if the situation was right. I’m focusing more on my real life. I’ve racked up plenty of experience to manage a whole sim and create something fun for others if I had the money but I don’t. At this point, I’m assuming that once my long distance relationship is no longer long distance, I may end up abandoning Second Life as there would be no reason for me to be there. That might sound like I’m being negative and dramatic, but it just means that it’s possibly run its course in my life and real life will go on when my Second Life ends. I really don't know where to go from here, it's been a year since I've been involved in the Second Life community beyond writing articles.

Cyfir

Interview With Nydia Tungsten: 11 Years, 11 Questions

By Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich)

Nydia Tungsten has been around in Second Life for over 10 years. In fact, her 11th rez day is coming up, so I thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to meet up with her and ask her 11 questions regarding her time in Second Life as well as her other projects.

Cyfir: How did you get started in Second Life?

Nydia: Someone I met randomly gave me the downloader. I forgot I even had it for over a year. Then I found it, BARELY remembered that it was supposedly a game, and tried it.

Cyfir: What initially drew you in to Second Life and why did you stay?

Nydia: I can't say anything drew me here but luck. I almost deleted the installer. What made me stay is I had found furry art on the internet, as well as furry comics such as "Sabrina Online." That kind of drew me to the furry fandom and I didn't even know it. Hell, I didn't even know there was a fandom until I came here and I met some many wonderful furs. THEY are why I stay.

Cyfir: What were your first few years on the platform like?

Nydia: I was shy, unsure of what to do, where to go. But that was only a few days. My first friends in Second Life were Skylark, Treminari, Limly,  Rita, Lomgren, just to name a few. They took me under their wings and helped me to grow here. They taught me about land, clubs, and tried to teach me building and scripting but, I don't have the mind for it. But they helped to mold me and helped me to grow here and to be honest I have grown a lot.

Cyfir : I understand that you are a sim owner. As I am a previous sim owner, I understand that there are many challenges involved. Can you give any aspiring sim owners any pointers for running a sim?

Nydia : Friends! Hee-hee. They are always a good thing, and are your best renters. I have known a few of my renters since they started Second Life and a few others since 'they have started SL. And don't be greedy. Be fair to everyone. Sometimes that’s difficult because it might be a dispute between your friends, but you HAVE to remain neutral or it could ruin everything. And each time has a good reason, and have people you trust completely as admins. Another trick is to create "Bank" accounts. That way if anything DOES happen to the AVI that owns the sim, you still have the money to take care of business, and have a "Sim owner" account as well. Again, to save your main account from Linden Lab.

Cyfir: What do you feel is most rewarding about being a sim owner?

Nydia: Helping people. Making sure they have a SAFE home, not just a parcel but a HOME they can enjoy and feel safe.

Cyfir: What have been your favorite memories thus far in Second Life?

Nydia: There are so many… Mostly, having fun with my friends. Sometimes making a fool of myself, *laughs* and yeah, I have done that a LOT. Oh, I have some doosies. *laughs* Like... I logged into a convo in the Hidden Vally chat, which is one of the groups I am in "Tiny Empires" and someone asked about watersports, and I piped up with “I LOVE water sports!" and the chat DIED and someone asked  "YOU like water sports?" and I told them hell yeah!  I LOVE swimming and fishing and the chat exploded in laughter. I had no idea why until someone explained what type of "Water sports" they meant. ... There have been others, but lets just say I was very, naive. And when people talk about "Scat" here, it is NOT the music genre.

Cyfir: How long do you think that Second Life will continue to stick around?

Nydia: I think it has a long life ahead of it. I know they were trying to get people to the other world they made. I went ONCE and I was shocked at how primitive it was. You could not interact with 99% of the stuff there. You had no volume control, no way of controlling where you could go reliably. It was just a new form of IMVU I think it is? So nothing new was done. They tried to reinvent the wheel and failed. So Second Life is going to be here for a good long while.

Cyfir: If Second Life shut down, where do you think that you would go?

Nydia:  I am not sure, to be honest. I have plenty of ways to keep in touch with a lot of my friends here in Second Life, mostly my Angels.

Cyfir: You mention in your about section that you run a radio station in Second Life. Can you tell our readers about that?

Nydia:  KVXN Internet Radio. It started as a kind of joke. I DJ'd for almost twelve hours just on a whim, and Rita said I should start a station in Second Life. So I did. *laughs* We are now a licensed Internet radio station.

Cyfir: You previously did Second Life music videos on YouTube. Do you plan to make any more in the future?

Nydia: Because of the latest “COPPA" debacle, I have closed my Youtube channel until the dust settles.

Cyfir: I understand that you’re also a novelist. Can you tell us about your previous novels and where to find them and are there any future novels on the way?

Nydia: Yes. I am waiting on my daughter to finish a family chart. Then I will be releasing the second book. Book two,  "Switched Destinies: Kevin's Return," continues with Kevin's adventures in his new world. (The synopsis of the story is) "Two souls, viewed by many of their kinds’ as eccentric lunatics, suddenly find themselves switched within their parallel universes. Now in strange new lands, each is having to learn about the other side of the mirror. In the all new Switched Destiny's.”

You can visit Nydia’s radio station “KVXN” here, and you can check out her latest novel “Switched Destinies” here.

Cyfir

Interview With Umber (Vermillia Urnestone)

By Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich Resident)

Umber (also known as Vermillia Urnestone) is a talented Second Life mod maker. She makes mods for multiple avatars, many of which are based on popular characters from series such as Pokemon and Digimon. I’ve known her since she first started her store in Fox Haven so I had to take the opportunity to interview her for the Second Life Newser.

Q: What got you started in creating things for Second Life?

A: I think the first thing I ever actually made in Second Life was a mod of my fursona on the Curious Felis avatar. It wasn't pretty! But it got me interested in working with textures. Then when I started taking 3D animation classes in college, I started experimenting with mesh. I figured, "Why not sell these things?" And MOOPA Inc. was born. We started as a little hole-in-the-wall store back when Fox Haven was still around, and I never expected to go this far with it.

Q: What have been the challenges of getting started and creating mods in Second Life?

A: The first time you ever look at a texture map for mesh, the first thing that comes to mind is "What am I looking at???" and that was my exact reaction. My first mods were very messy and minimal in what I actually did with them. Over time, though, it gets easier to understand how textures and UVs work.

Q: Is there any advice that you would give to new or experienced mod makers?

A: I've found that the most efficient way to texture for mesh is through trial and error and being able to preview your changes as you work. The Edit menu has an option for "local" textures - absolutely use it! This will save you a LOT of L$. I can't tell you how many times I have to test the seams of texture maps to understand exactly where they match up. That's just part of being a texture artist.

Q: You mention in your profile that you have social anxiety, which I do too. For those who may also suffer from this, do you have any suggestions for how to deal with it and still run a store or otherwise have a public image?

A: I think the idea of seeing customers so happy and satisfied with my work is a big part of what helps me work past that social anxiety. Do I still get anxious when I get a PM from someone who's mad or someone who found a major issue with a product and needs help? Sure I do, but those are few and far between and the idea that my brand is recognizable and loved by so many people helps me keep going! I guess my advice is to consider your limits when it comes to anxiety and not push yourself too hard. Put your stuff out there, but if you need some time away, then do it. Take a deep breath and take your time responding to messages.

Q: What are the inspirations for your work?

A: As can be seen in my current selection of mods, I've been really inspired by franchises like Pokemon and Digimon. I've seen it as a fun challenge to try to recreate these things using a premade avatar and my own (limited) mesh skills. Sometimes I just have a vision in my head and say "Yeah, I need to make that real." When it comes to clothing, it's just a matter of "I want this kind of outfit for my kobold avatar, let's make it."

Q: What have been you favorite mods to work on?

A: I think my favorite one that I made so far was the dinosaur mod for kobold. I love dinosaurs, man. That was also the first mod that I actually used specular maps for, after learning how to make them for a set of clothing me and my rigging partner had finished.

Q: How did you come up with the name for your store?

A: It's based on a really, really stupid inside joke started by a coworker at a club I used to host at quite a few years ago. My avatar glitched while changing outfits and I was a mix between a koopa and a cow. My nickname for the remainder of my time working there was "Moopa.” Fast forward to making my store. I needed to think of a name on the dot, and, inspired by the store DERP, I came up with the goofy store name of MOOPA Inc. and now I'm stuck with it! Hahaha!

Q: Are you currently working on any new products?

A: Right now, the only projects in progress are for the upcoming Gacha Guild Halloween event. Unfortunately, production of new clothing and mods has slowed dramatically since I graduated college. I've been busy with a part time job as well as commission work. I absolutely want to create more, and plan on releasing more mods in the near future. However, the future of our clothing line is currently unsure, as my rigging partner may no longer be able to keep working with us. I myself am unable to rig.

Q: What has been your favorite aspects of mod making and being part of the Second Life community?

A: My favorite part of mod making is just bringing my ideas to life and then watching others take that creation and make even more diverse and amazing things out of it with outfits and shapes and other moddable parts. As for the community itself, I just love how it feels like home. It's comforting and allows for and inspires so much creativity. I love seeing what other people do with all the possibilities on here.

Thanks for having me be a part of this. I hope anything I've said here has helped anyone even a little bit. Hahaha!


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-Cyfir

Interview With Sugar Paw / Casio Microline (Casio2000)

By Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich Resident)

Casio Microline (also known as Sugar Paw) has been part of the Second Life community for over eight years. In that time, she’s been a valuable asset to the scripting and building scene and served as an admin and sim owner. Ever generous and kind, she helps communities, stores, and other creators with her skills. It’s no wonder that she’s well known and respected throughout the Second Life community. I had a chance to interview her this weekend and pick her brain for the Second Life Newser.

Q: What got you started in scripting and building for Second Life?

A: I got into Linden World in 2002 and was so fascinated with how this virtual world works with it’s physics which were more than the simple interaction you get from most of the other games that are limited and not simulating a world but rather just being an action point of interest. I found it interesting till Linden Labs had announced a new and improved product called Second Life. I had joined Second Life in 2003 after the announcement of L$ but as I continued in it's community on through 2005-2006 new features were introduced with more options and tools for building during that time. There were places that we were able to learn basic scripting and builds, and from then on, I have seen lots of users building art and homes with just basic prims. From my experiences of being in the community for so long, it gave me the idea and impression that this world can improve more with it’s contents and it would be my favorite playground. I had been inspired to continue building and scripting as part of showing my ways of arts and fun to the community as they also share their experiences of their own. Therefore, as a builder, it would always be inspiring to build and continue pushing the limits of quality and creating more for the community.

Q: How did you come up with the name for your store?

A: In 2012, I had created a club sponsored by a few friends called Mirco Heaven. After that, in 2013, I had made my own club called "Toxic-Illusion.” After that same year, we had continued on and merged both clubs to be one and named it "Toxic-X Club and Lounge.” When I started building mods and put them to the test on marketplace in October of 2013, I just thought that having the product brand as the club would be easy to remember. My first product was an animated tattoo mod for the VRPS Sergals.

Q: What resources did you use/currently use to build up your scripting/building skills?

A: In 2009 I found a book called "Scripting Your World: The Official Guide to Second Life® Scripting By Dana” The book was used by me as a guild to understand more about scripting. The programs I use to create textures and plan are GIMP, Photoshop, and Blender. I also use tools and plug-ins supported from Second Life Wiki pages. For most updates and future knowledge, I read up and ask in the Second Life Community Forum.

Q: Sandboxes are a valuable resource for creators in Second Life and you seem to frequent many of them. Can you suggest any good sandboxes for those just starting out?

A: I would think of in-world sandbox as a place to present some ideas including taking notes of ideas that others saw as you progress. Some of the sandboxes are peaceful and quite empty and some could be crowded with users and can be annoying. It depends on what you are working on or if you are just hanging out. Each sandbox has a different community type. I would choose a few for different concepts depending on what you are looking to do. Most of the time I would build on my private parcel/sim or at my home. The best way to look up a sandbox is to just use the search and the "Places" tab and type "Sandbox.” If I was looking for a place that welcomes furries, I would search for "Furry" also. It also depends on the rating of the sandbox which content (General, Moderated and Adult) is allowed. Also, I would recommend reading the rules and guides of that region. There are six sandboxs I hang around or work in currently and those are Sudden Stop Sandbox, Sandbox Mirificatio (Premium), Fluffy Sandbox, MAGE Sandbox, Aldora Sandbox, and Pixel Hills Sandbox.

Q: What do you think brings success in the creative world of Second Life?

A: Having lots of friends and getting random ideas leads to knowing what needs to be produced. Some of my ideas are just for fun and some might be interesting to put on the market. Most success from creators in Second Life come from builders who mostly follow their dreams and enjoy creative builds. The phrase I would always tell myself when it comes to building and being creative is "Keep on moving and never give up!" because the failing of a build gives me the knowledge of the mistakes I made. I would continue on building to avoid and improve from the mistakes I made.

Q: Do you have any suggestions for those who want to learn how to script or build but may feel intimidated in learning to do so?

A: The first suggestion is to have fun with the build and be creative. Find resources like books or the Second Life Wiki where there are references of the tools, samples, and functions. If you’re stuck with any builds and can't find a solution, it would be best to try asking around places like sandboxes or friends that has experiences with builds. If all this fails, there are in-world learning centers which anyone can apply to at Builders Brewery.

Q: What have been your favorite projects to script and build for?

A: Mostly I would love building random things just for fun. Some of the items can be funny or cute and some may be useful in roleplay and effects. Most of the common builds I enjoy is making random fun toys, attachments, and decorative objects as long as others enjoy the creative ideas.

Q: Can you talk about what else you've done besides scripting and building in Second Life, such as admin work?

A: The most common things I would do aside from building is just hanging out with friends and family. Other than that I sim-hop (explore the world) and find random people to talk to. Some random conversations are interesting and some places can be fun to explore. Mostly, in the end, I like making more friends. Aside from this, I would volunteer by moderating groups and advise region club administrators or managers.

Q: Can you talk about any projects that you're currently working on?

A: There are a few. The main projects are creating HUDs, a roleplay system, tools for Ravenlock Pokemon sim, and other project commissions for a few creators as part of their tools for their products.

Q: Are you open to any scripting or building work for those who might be interested?

A: I am open to new ideas and new challenges to build or script for. I mostly do simple scripts just for fun but any scripts or works that take time would have a cost. Any projects involving weapons and violence would be a no.

Q: What keeps you scripting and building and being so generous and helping the Second Life community?

A: Enjoying making examples of creative possibilities in Second Life experiences. I would always enjoy seeing others having a good time as I enjoy watching them. I don't believe that being harsh or rude to any simple question solves anything so ask away and I will respond as much as I can.

Cyfir

Resident Spotlight - Albright

By Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich Resident)

Albright (username Nihilisticloupe) is a talented digital artist whom has a large plateful of responsibilities in Second Life for both TWI (Timber Wilds Industries) and Furry Fashion. Her titles include Beta Tester and Sim Moderator for TWI and the General Sim Manager for Furry Fashion where she overlooks every department for the sim. Since she’s so instrumental in both sims, I thought that it would be a good idea to interview her and give her a chance to talk about her art, what she’s currently working on in Second Life, and how it all started for her.

For starters, I asked her how she got started as an artist and what her inspirations were. Albright answered, “I started making art when I was five years old. There was an old PBS (Public Broadcasting System) show that I used to watch that was basically a kids' version of Bob Ross. You'd draw along with the Host. And that's how I discovered my love for it. I always loved drawing animals primarily. When I was 19 I discovered the Furry Fandom and that really got me inspired. I started creating my fursona, taking requests, and eventually commissions. By observing other artists, studying figure poses, and challenging myself with different styles and perspectives, my art really took off and evolved into what it is now.

"A lot of my inspiration comes from several different sources. They include music, nature, movies, dreams, and real life situations. I always found myself turning to drawing or creating to vent strong emotions. I would put my feelings and thoughts down on canvas. It's sort of like I'd take all the negative energy that I'd be experiencing and transfer that to the piece that I was working on.”

When asked if she was currently open for art commissions, she told me that she currently takes them on a situational basis. She is currently open for small pieces such as headshots and busts as well as Second Life texture skin work.

I then asked her how she got started in Second Life. Albright told, “I discovered Second Life through the circle of friends that I had made through the DeviantART chat rooms about ten years ago. We were all very close and they eventually migrated from the chatrooms to Second Life. I decided to join and see what it was all about. I picked up on how to use it pretty quickly, and my curiosity developed into something that is now a big part of my life.”

I knew that she had discovered the TWI sim before she was a part of Furry Fashion, so I asked her how she got started there and what was currently going on there. Albright responded, “I have been part of the Timber Wilds team since its conception around 2008 or 2009. I met Rand when I was part of a roleplay sim run by Lost Ferals. I became friends with him and the rest of his team as they were starting up and we've been good friends ever since. I am their Beta Tester [for their avatars] and Sim Moderator. We currently have a large Sky Mall that is open for rentals for anyone that sells TWI or feral mods or accessories, a sandbox, and the entire ground level is a beautiful roleplay area built by Bird-E's Birds (Raven Seraph). RP is pretty free-form and there's a lot of fun secrets and landscapes to explore! Currently, we are working on our next Feral Avatar that will be released sometime this year.”

When asked for more information about the new feral avatar being worked on by TWI, she had the following to say. “TWI's next Avatar is going to be a Feral Deer. It'll come with all the usual quality that people have come to expect from our products. It will have full customization capabilities, tons of animations and sounds, as well as a few fun secret things that many of our past avatars have (But many people don't discover!). It is not yet in Beta Testing, but we expect to have it finished soon.”

I then focused my questions on Furry Fashion and how she discovered the sim and what she is currently doing there now. Albright answered, “I actually discovered Furry Fashion because of TWI! We had the Release party for the initial launch of the TWI Mesh Fox and I was in attendance. I really vibed with the staff and enjoyed the atmosphere so I decided to apply for Security. I ended up being hired and here I am, three years later. I am now a General Sim Manager. I overlook all departments of the sim as well as co-run our bi-annual hunt, that being Quest Fur Cover. I also manage our extensive Mall, Avatar Den, and Artist's Alley. I'm a jack of all trades you could say.”

I asked her to explain in more detail what QFC, the Furry Fashion Mall, Avatar Den, and Artist’s Alley were. Albright told, “Quest For Cover, or QFC, is Furry Fashion's bi-annual hunt that includes many Furry creators from all over the grid. All you do is hunt for the hidden icons!  We have one in the Spring and one around Halloween. We are currently over-hauling some aspects of the hunt and even trying to implement a HUD system to benefit both hunters and merchants. The build for Halloween 2019's QFC is currently in progress.

"The Avatar Den is where we feature some of the community's best furry and creature Avatars, all in one spot for patrons to shop for that new look! Spots in the Avatar Den are 100% free. Creators can just drop me a message! We offer free Release parties and advertisement for those in the Avatar Den!

"The Artist's Alley is meant to be a free space for artists of the community to show-case their Art and advertise their commission business! Spots in the Artist's Alley are all totally free and those that are interested need only to contact me! Artists of any skill and style are welcome!

"And now to the Furry Fashion Mall! Our mall boasts a large selection of some of the best Furry creators on the grid! Spots in the mall vary by price and are actually very popular. I'm afraid the Mall is 100% full at the moment, but I do have a waiting list for those interested in nabbing a spot as they become available! Being a mall merchant has many benefits. Not only do merchants get a spot on a sim with high traffic, but they are also free to use the many services we offer, such as advertising new releases in the FF group and Discord server. They also can take advantage of release parties, automatic approval for future FF events and Hunts, and so much more!”

In closing, Albright had the following to say, “I'd like to add that Furry Fashion is also currently hiring staff! We are hiring for Hosts, Models, and Security! We are a fun bunch, and we offer training, wages, and free Staff Homes!

"I'm very happy being part of the wonderful Furry community in Second Life. I feel like I fit in marvelously and we all look out for each other and share knowledge and talents to make a fun, creative experience for everyone! I hope to keep being a part of it, and if you ever find yourself at Furry Fashion or TWI, don't be afraid to say hello!”

Cyfir

Interview with Cyfir

By Deaflegacy

When I heard that SL Newser had gotten another new reporter, I was excited.  I was curious to see who the new reporter is.  The new reporter is Cyfir (cyfiremmerich).  I had the chance to give him an interview for the SL Newser's upcoming anniversary.

When I met with Cyfir, my first question was, “Could you tell me something about yourself?”  He responded, “ I feel like I'm actually pretty boring. I just try to help out and stay busy. In addition to writing, I have many interests including technology, the paranormal, extreme weather, and video games.”

I moved on to the next question: How long was Cyfir planning to write for the Newser? He answered, “I plan to continue to write for the Second Life Newser as long as I can. I just started a new job as a manager for a retail company, so that might eat away at my free time ... If I can't do it once a week like I am, I would still like to continue as a regular guest.”

I was wondering who or what is Cyfir's inspiration for writing. He responded, “I believe that it started back when I was first getting online back in 2001. I used to keep a personal blog because all the people I would talk to online did. I used to be a part of Wil Wheaton's community and was writing for Chris Pirillo before I was even in the furry community or on Second Life. I continued to write through my college years but then dropped off after about ten years or so because I felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. I needed to focus on things that would make me money at the time. However, I just recently took it up again because I feel like it's a good way to give back to this community.  I also helped a friend move his furry community back in to Second Life by allowing him to build on my parcel.”

I asked Cyfir if Cyfir is a part of the furry community now.  “I'm currently a bit distant," he answered, "but I'm still involved from that distance. I create bumpers and gestures that are mostly furry related. Most of my friends are furries. It's not like back in the day when I was deep in to staffing for a furry convention or co-owning a Second Life sim that catered to furries. I've sort of learned recently to give from a distance and not get too involved to the point where I get caught up in any drama, because unfortunately that's part of any community. I'm happy to stick to my friends and support the good facets of the community however I can.  I also helped a friend move his furry community back in to Second Life by allowing him to build on my parcel.”

“I've been using Second Life regularly for nearly eight years," Cyfir went on, "and it's a bit difficult for me to figure out what else to do with my free time. It's a bit of an addiction and I'm aware of it. When you're with friends or doing something that makes a difference and helps others Second Life is great. The only issue I've had with Second Life in the past is that many community and sim owners tend to fall in to the trap of being an authority figure and famous first and foremost and they end up treating others not so well. That obviously doesn't help anyone and puts a bad taste in my mouth. It should never be about you. It should be about how you can give back. I've honestly been disheartened recently over an issue involving that situation and thought about leaving. But I'm too invested and I don't want to leave my boyfriend alone on here. (chuckle)."

I took some pictures of Cyfir before going on my way.  I'm glad that I have a chance to interview the new reporter for the SL Newser.  Once again, welcome to the Newser team, Cyfir.

Deaflegacy