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

Last Names In Second Life

By Grease Coakes

Last names to add to whatever first name you picked when you started your account on the grid. My example is that Your first name is just coffee by itself. The second name adds character to your first name like coffee creamer adds flavor to coffee. Bixyl sounds ok but Bixyl Shuftan sounds better.

I've noticed that a lot of avatars who were created before Second Life made the change to give everyone Resident last names had last names to fit their last name syllable wise. (Maybe it was just a happy accident.) For example

Bixyl Shuftan each name is two syllables.

Gemma Cleanslate same deal.

Zero StarFlare again each name two syllables.

Grease Coakes Each name is a single syllable. Funny thing is I picked Coakes when I started my SL account not caring about a last name I just wanted to start exploring whatever Second Life was.

Not every last name follows this formula, but most name combos do. It's a part of Second Life that adds to your account and reputation.

I remember talking to a random person around the time of my 7th SL birthday and she was around my SL age. She happened to say I was the only Coakes she ever met. I tell her, "Really?", not really buying it. But it's a good conversation starter.

“What you met a Dagger? That's cool!”

“You mean there's another Griswold? I thought I was the only Griswold in all of SL!”

“Pffttt I see Ishtaris all over SL.”

I make this comment to Bixyl, my boss at the SL Newser in IM. He says the same thing, “Yes Grease you're actually the first Coakes I met.”

When I think about it, I imagine Bixyl might be right. I maybe know a few other Coakes people, which would be under the fingers on my hand. Maybe two or three? Of all the avatars of Second Life that's not really a lot.  What's werid is I barely talk to these people. You'd think having the same last name would make us cousins or somehow connected but I guess not.

Bixyl's right though. I logged on to SL just to see something. I looked through my friends list and there's an Inhandra Birdsong here a Healer Ladybird there and a Amehana Ishtari and Bejita Imako over there. Oh and I only know one Avila as Aurora Avila.Maybe I saw two Roffos and two Faltas but for the majorty of friends everyone had a Second Life last name (excluding residents).

Second Life has many features and neat sims as is created not just by the Lindens but by the many Ladybirds and Birdsongs and Shuftans oh and I know a Brenner too. And there's areas and sims in SL I haven't even seen yet. Oh and there's only one Kim Ms. Tantari Kim the Vixen scout leader who is now a decade old. (Trust me I looked through the name search option).

I don't understand why Second Life took away the “Pick a last name option.” Picking a last name and matching it with your first name was one of the many cool and original things of Second Life. In real life you're stuck with the last name you were born with. (unless you get married.) I have two last names Krauss in real life and Coakes in Second life. I think what the Lindens should do is give everyone with the last name Resident a chance to pick a matching last name from the same list I saw years ago. If the last name you want isn't there just suggest a new one. Or make a whole new name from the create a name option.

If Second Life just turned 11. (I'm writing this the day after I djed for SL11B.) It would be a nice birthday present for everyone in Second Life.

Who knows Aldaida Resident (one of my friends from Brahma Yoga class.) into Aldaida Avila has a nice ring to it. Aurora could use a sister or cousin.

Grease Coakes

The Oldbie Project: Caliandris Pendragon

By DrFran Babcock

For months I have been sending out notecards to individuals on various lists of Beta and early users, without any responses. This scattershot technique has not resulted in a single hit. Luckily, I happen to be in Second Life™ enough for serendipity to take effect. I was dancing at the Second Life Universe 10^th anniversary party, when I started looking at profiles, and following the chat. I asked innocently (hehe) who the oldest person was at the party, and Caliandris Pendragon said she was one of the oldest, so I passed her my notecard with the oldbie questions on it. I was staggered when I received back her answers while I was still at the party. Cali is no stranger to the press, and just recently figured in a story about Second Life™ that was on The Verge (http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/24/4698382/second-lifes-strange-second-life ), detailing the persistence of the SL community, despite the belief that it had disappeared. In this article I learned that Caliandris had been Misty Mole! In addition, what really comes across is her undying love for and admiration of this virtual world.

Caliandris has a blog (http://caliinsecondlife.blogspot.com), and I loved what she said on one of her earliest posts: "In the end, you have to tell the truth, I think, for people to respect your integrity and to take notice of what you say. So that's what I plan to do." Lovely. I won’t spend any time writing about Cali’s First Life, because you can read the article in The Verge. The purpose of The Oldbie Project is to share the lived experience of being an avatar in a new world. So, here are Caliandris Pendragon’s answers to the usual questions:

SL Newser: How did you find out about Second Life™?

Caliandris Pendragon: I’d been in the closed Beta and then the open Beta for Uru (an MMO).  When it closed one of my friends told me about There and SL..

SL Newser:   What are your earliest memories of Second Life™?

Caliandris Pendragon: I remember being confused by the leader boards, and they fooled me into thinking this was a game— having been used to challenges and games in Uru, I took the suggestion that I find Ben's Auto as an instruction.  I spent my lindens on a motorbike I didn't want because I wanted to win.

I found it necessary to explore from the hub in Ahern and easily got disorientated.  I worried about being lost and unable to find my way.  People hanging out in Ahern in those days were more benign and helpful.

There were only about 100 sims when I joined, and about 1,000 accounts, although I kept bumping into the same group of 20 or 30 people over and over at events.  The Lindens announced all events just before they happened when I first arrived, then at the top of the hour and gradually they abandoned that.

I saw quite a lot of the Lindens.  Partly that was because I was making an entry for the game development contest, but also because they used to run training and mentor events.  I became a mentor fairly early in my SL career and feeling that I was helping people kept me coming.

SL Newser:  What kept you logging back in during the early days?

Caliandris Pendragon: Initially I had been seeking to replicate the community I found in Uru Live, and even for a way to remake the places I had known there.  I quickly recognized how much more was possible in SL, and I wanted to make my own stuff and build. I could see the enormous potential for creation and it absorbed me with the limitless opportunities to make things.

SL Newser: What are your fondest memories of the early days?

Caliandris Pendragon: I entered the Game Development contest within a week of joining SL, and won a place in the contest, having first checked I could use as many helpers as I could find.  The team that developed on that project was much more than the sum of its parts and they achieved amazing things.

SL Newser: What are your funniest memories of the early days?

Caliandris Pendragon:  Oh, really hard to choose!  I bought myself a vagina and then found that the box was stuck tight to my head when I'd TPd to the most interesting party (and most of my friends hadn't got into the sim).  I made the box transparent as I couldn't take it off, but I spent the party sure that the Lindens at the party were seeing what the box on my head was!

Some friends and I made a party for Ratt Foo, the scripter who did most of the work on our game.  I made a giant rat, and then my friend put remote control scripts into them.  He spent ages making numbered tabards for everyone and writing out instructions and made a race track with a bridge for the players to stand on. He tried REALLY HARD to get everyone to get set up, but we weren't very adept at the remote control thing—rats went shooting off everywhere.  Then one of them realised you could sit on the rat and not lose it that way, and it was chaos... rats with people going in all directions. 

I tried really hard to do what we were supposed to, but in getting on to the bridge I knocked a group of people off again.  I’ve never laughed so much in my life—it hurt!

SL Newser: Did you fall in love in Second Life™?

Caliandris Pendragon: Yes.  We are still together and have spent a lot of time in real life too.

SL Newser: Who was your favorite Linden?

Caliandris Pendragon: Ekim. (ED NOTE: Ekim was one of the managers of the Moles and the Department of Public Works, thus Cali’s boss when she was a mole from 2008-2013.)

SL Newser: What were your favorite activities?

Caliandris Pendragon: Building.  Building games. 

Caliandris Pendragon: Do you still log in? If not, why not? If yes, what keeps you coming?

Caliandris Pendragon: Yes, to meet friends, to build.

SL Newser: What would you like the world to know about Second Life™?

Caliandris Pendragon: It has the amazing ability to make you feel you are in the same space at the same time with people who are in very different places in Real Life.

Nautilis, some Linden Homes, Pyrii Peaks, Cape Ekim, parts of Linden Realms, The Sea of Fables, and those fabulous SL10B fireworks I have—all are the work of Cali as Misty Mole. Sometimes she did the builds, sometimes the music, but always a valuable contribution to the feel of Second Life™. If you have not seen or visited these builds, please make an effort to do so. While you are looking, try to imagine what SL was like before flexis, sculpts, and mesh. That was the original world of Caliandris Pendragon, and she has grown with it.

 Image Credit: last two pictures by Marianne McCann

DrFran Babcock

The Oldbie Project - Hikaru Yamamoto (Kamui)

By DrFran Babcock

Thus far, the Oldbie Project has been challenging and exciting experiment. I have had a few conversations with residents from 2003, and all have agreed to provide me with interviews. However, none of them have been as accommodating and cooperative as Hikaru Yamamoto, whom I will call Kamui from now on, as that is her current display name. I am glad she is current, because she had a lot to share with me, and provided me with insights into some of the earliest events and trends in Second Life™. I have been blessed with photos and history that really speak to the aim of this project—to get at the lived experience of being a member of SL back in the days when everything was new.  

Kamui was rezzed on February 28th, 2003! She did not know how to teleport or how to make money. There was no economy yet, and the hair was pretty awful. This video from 2003 can give one an idea of what things were like back then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHH2CAE9Y6o  

Join me in a visit with a remarkable woman: 

SL Newser:   How did you find out about Second Life™? 

  

 Kamui: Well, one day I was sitting in my room feeling bored and wanting to do something. I thought about searching for a game in beta to play so I went on gamespot (http://www.gamespot.com/ ) and checked out the beta section. I saw Second Life™ there and read the description. It said you could build anything you want. I remember thinking it must be too good to be true, so I signed up for it. I remember having to write down my computer specs and a paragraph on why I wanted to be a beta tester. I was going to be named Sakura Yamamoto on my first attempt. I waited for about a month to get in. I kept daydreaming about it all day every day, thinking about all the things I wanted to create. I read many articles on people already in SL and things they had created. I finally got a notice that I had been rejected because my computer wasn’t good enough. So I signed up for a second time and lied about my computer specs, and I got in almost immediately. 

 

SL Newser: What are your earliest memories of Second Life™? 

 

Kamui: I first arrived in a sim called Prelude. It was a bit similar to Orientation Island. Pretty much the same items but a different layout. I arrived inside a white gazebo and had a look around at my surroundings. I remember thinking the graphics were decent enough to keep my interest so I had a walk around. The first thing on my mind was wanting to change my appearance. I also wanted some privacy so I wandered down into the water and quickly found the appearance mode button. I started changing my avatar into the anime character I had planned to be. I changed my hair and basic clothing and then suddenly I got a message pop up. It was asking if I would accept a calling card from someone. I don’t remember who exactly except that it was a Linden. I didn’t know what a calling card was so I just clicked the decline button and went on changing my appearance. 

Pretty soon that Linden approached me underwater and asked if I needed any help. I said no thank you and he walked off. When I was finished changing my appearance I wandered off back on land and started following the path. At the end of it was a gazebo and a large gap in between. I couldn't cross over by walking. But then I spotted that Linden on the other side in the gazebo. He told me I needed to learn to fly to get across. So I just took a giant leap instead and I fell all the way down the gap into the water. I looked up and around and saw some words on the side telling me to hold up to fly. So I followed the instructions and flew upwards. I flew over to the Linden and he told me how to exit into the mainland.  

    When I arrived at the mainland I was at yet another gazebo. This one was a bit different and there were people around me and there was a sign showing a schedule of events. I remember following another path that went over a small bridge and then just stopping. I was used to games showing me where to go but this was different. It was just open for me to go anywhere I wanted.   

 

SL Newser: What kept you logging back in during the early days? 

 

Kamui: Everything. The people, creating things, the events, the games, and our group. 

 

SL Newser: What are your fondest memories of the early days? 

 

Kamui: So many memories to choose from. One of my top memories was when I had found Philip Linden (aka Philip Rosedale) sitting alone on top of the highest mountain in SL back in 2003, right after the new sims were launched. I didn't know they could create new sims before that. So I asked him how many sims he could create. He replied to me infinite, and my real life jaw dropped. I told him that I thought SL was going to be big in the future, and he said he thought so too. 

 

SL Newser:  What are your funniest memories of the early days? 

 

SL Newser: There was a rumor going around sometime in early 2003 about an alien in SL abducting people. Then one day I was just walking along and I saw my avatar lift up into the air all of a sudden with no warning and found myself inside a spaceship. A green alien by the name of Ope Rand approached me and informed I had been abducted, but instead of the probe I was given a tee shirt that read: “I was abducted by aliens... and all I got was this stupid shirt.” 

 

SL Newser:  Did you fall in love in Second Life™? 

 

Kamui: That I can’t really go into... I’ll just say no. (ED NOTE: I am finding this to be a question that many people evade. However, I will leave it in the list of questions I ask, because, well, I am nosey.) 

 

SL Newser: Who was your favorite Linden? 

 

Kamui: So many... all of the early Lindens... Philip, Char, Dan, David, Ian, Tanya, Hamlet, Lee, Michael, Haney, Andrew, Bub—to name a few. I had already known Torley before he became a Linden. It still says Torley Torgeson in my inventory, but when opened reads Linden.  

 

SL Newser: What were your favorite activities? 

 

Kamui: I mostly built things, designed my avatar, and created anime items.  

 

SL Newser: Do you still log in? If not, why not? If yes, what keeps you coming? 

 

Kamui: Of course I do. I will always be around SL as much as I can. I feel like this world was built for me. I love being able to create what I want, it’s something I had dreamed about when I was a child for a very long time and now I have it! 

 

SL Newser: What would you like the world to know about Second Life™? 

 

Kamui: I want them to know about how wonderful it is. A lot of people don’t really know much based on reviews or advertisements. They assume it’s just another sims game or an IMVU type game, or that it’s all about sex. But SL is much more than most of them can imagine. The diversity, there are some things you can only see in SL. 

 

Imagine spending your days with Lindens all around! By the time that I joined Second Life™ the Lindens only showed themselves during office hours, and seasonal special events such as the annual holiday snowball fights. Now, I only see Lindens during office hours. Thanks, Hikaru, for an enlightening and enjoyable interview. 

 

NOTES: 

 

Darwin Appleby, a good friend of Kamui’s in 2003, was known for many things in SL. He started the legend of the hippo in SL, and his short-running talk show, Late Night with Darwin Appleby ( http://secondlife.wikia.com/wiki/Late_Night_With_Darwin_Appleby ) , was popular with the early beta members. Although it only ran a few times, it was attended by Philip Linden, and others. What most people never knew, but Kamui told me, is that at the time of the shows Darwin was only 12 years old! I hope he’s running some big tech company now. 

Kamui kindly shared event schedule notes from the early days. My inspection of the notecard showed that it was created by Char Linden in 2003. It seems you had to pay to teleport, and good hosts would reimburse you for attendance at their events! Here it is (greatly edited for space by me):  

*  *  *  *  *

 

Welcome to today’s schedule! You will find all of today’s events, times locations and more! Events are a GREAT way to meet people. Host your own event too! 

 

To copy a landmark double-click on the thumbtack. It will ask if you want to copy to your inventory. This landmark will help you to find the location of the event! Click on the landmark now that has been copied to your inventory and next choose to fly (free) or teleport! Have Fun! 

 

3:00pm PST     Virtual Basket Weaving 

 

Virtual Basket Weaving. Join Candie Apple to learn how quick & easy it is to make baskets for decorating your home or store, or to give as gifts. Make as many as you like, and then enter them in a contest for Best Baskets. $500 total Cash prizes will be awarded.   

 

Hosted by: Candie Apple  

Date: Thursday, June 19, 2003  

Time (PST): 3:00pm-4:00pm  

Duration: 60 minutes  

Category: Fun & Games  

Cover Charge: No  

Location (simulator name): Native American Village on Oak Grove  

___________________________________________________ 

4:45pm PST     Tour New Sims! 

 

Come to the Guided Tour start in Ahern and let’s see what new exciting sims have been added. Take this opportunity to teleport for free (reimbursement) and meet some new people!  

 

Hosted by: Char Linden  

Date: Thursday, June 19, 2003  

Time (PST): 5:00pm-6:00pm  

Duration: 60 minutes  

Category: Fun & Games  

Cover Charge?: No