June 2009 Treasure Hunt – ~*Forest Floor*~ Gardens and Dreamscapes

As the name suggests, ~*Forest Floor*~ Gardens and Dreamscapes evokes a fantasy feel from the moment you arrive.  Lush green grass, colorful flowers, and mature trees are growing within a border of moss-covered stone arches, suspended in mid-air by thick metal chains.  The vibrant garden plots are bordered with fantastic trees that can be changed to match the seasons with a touch.  Right near the landing point for the gardens check out some wonderfully detailed bonsai, bringing a bit of forest to any size home for just two prims.

To find the featured item, you need to teleport down to Port Amaranthine.  There is a swirling purple portal in the gardens which will transport you safely down to a region within Winterfell.  Here, Uni Ninetails has a flower stand, a lucky chair, and some  stores featuring home and garden furniture.  In one of the grassy squares within the sim, you’ll see the featured item on display.  Check in one of the small shops to find the listing of the prim counts for Garden Furniture Set 3.  Total it up and write it down as part of your entry in the treasure hunt competition.

If you’re new to the treasure hunt, you can find general information about the hunt, its wonderful prize, and the due date for your entry at the link below -
June 2009 Treasure Hunt – Introduction

Have fun and best wishes with the hunt!

Designing Worlds – from the Main Stage at SL6B – today!

One of the stunning builds at SL6B

In the second of two programmes brought to you live from the Second Life Sixth Birthday sims (SL6B), we’ll be on the air at approximately 12 noon SLT today, Monday, from the Main Stage of the SL6B build, where we’ll be looking at some more of the stunning builds at this year’s event, where the theme is “The Future of Virtual Worlds”.

Another of the stunning builds at SL6B

The time of the start of the show is a little uncertain, as we’ll be coming live from the main stage immediately after the closing ceremony, but 12 noon looks very likely. We’ll be talking to three key figures involved in the event: Dusty Linden, Linden Lab Liaison for Residents organising events like SL6B and Burning Life; Phaylen Fairchild, the Project Manager for SL6B; Prad Prithivi, Lead Architect for SL6B; as well as Dellybean North, of True North Designs, who was definitely key to us, as she built our exhibit! – and who has spent the week finding some fascinating builds. And we’ll also be taking a look at some of the fantastic builds that we’ve discovered, through film and also the stunning photographs of PJ Trenton.

And yet another ...

The good news is that although the official part of thecelebrations is over, the exhibition is open for another week, so you still have time to come over and see this fantastic place for yourselves. And although the major musical events are over on the main stages, there are still plenty of events and parties planned. And, of course, there are plenty of gorgeous freebies available throughout the site – including at our own Prim Perfect/Designing worlds pods!

And a final one!

You can see the show live by joining our viewing party at the Designing Worlds studios on Northpoint. As always, there’s a special gift for everyone who comes to the studio, and an exhibition to see in our Hall outside. And if you come early, you can watch the whole of the closing ceremony in great comfort on our large Treet.TV screen! The closing ceremony starts at 11am, and our show follows immediately afterwards. Make sure you’re there early to be sure of getting a seat!

All photos in this post are by Mr PJ Trenton

June 2009 Treasure Hunt – Introduction

After exploring the wonders of the SS Galaxy in the June 2009 issue, Prim Perfect Magazine now gives you the opportunity to live for a month in a suite on that grand cruise liner.  These rooms have been beautifully decorated by Pamela Galli of La Galleria.  The winner of this issue’s Treasure Hunt competition will win one month’s rental of the four-room cabin, putting you close to all sorts of activities and special events happening aboard ship.  When the month is over, the winner can keep the furnishings.

So how do you enter the competition?  You need to visit each of the stores participating in the treasure hunt and find the featured items shown on page 67 of the magazine or in the clues that will appear in this blog over the next few weeks.  When you find each item, write down its prim count.   Right click on the item and select the Edit menu.  Please note that the location of the prim count has changed in the latest version of the viewer.    It used to be in the general tab, beneath the creator and owner.   Now it’s located above those tabs, on the right hand side.

Collect the prim counts for each item you find and send them in an email to primperfect@gmail.com with the subject line Treasure Hunt – June 2009.   Also include your avatar name and your way of completing the sentence “Prim Perfect is…” in fifteen words or less.  The winner will be the person who is closest to an accurate prim count, and in the event of a tie, the tiebreaker question will be used.  Entries are due by July 20, 2009.

Two runners-up will win the chance to select a prize from the Prim Perfect prize cupboard, including items and shopping vouchers for some wonderful stores around the grid, donated by their generous and talented store owners and designers.  How great is that?

Oh, and remember that you don’t necessarily have to find all the prim counts to win!  Find as many as you can and send them in.

Keep watching this blog for clues, and enjoy the hunt!

Join the Prim Perfect/Designing Worlds Party at SL6B – today!

Prim Perfect / Designing Worlds exhibit at SL6B

A message from Elrik Merlin:
Dear readers and viewers, we are pleased to invite you all to a special Prim Perfect/Primgraph/Designing Worlds party, to be held this coming Saturday at our unique exhibit at the Second Life Sixth Birthday sims.

It’ll run for two hours, starting at 12 noon SLT. I (Elrik Merlin) will be playing the music, which will go out on Radio Riel’s Main Stream if you can’t get there in person, and the theme, as is fitting for a birthday set on an asteroid speeding through deep space, will be Classic Electronica and music featuring space. Knowing me, a fair amount of weird stuff such as Steampunk will no doubt creep in, and you’ll be able to dance to it.

The dance level at the DellyBeanstalk

Do please join us at 12 noon. Here’s a SLURL for the exhibit: http://slurl.com/secondlife/SL6B%20Aeon/45/36/23 and we will be found on the perfomance level halfway up the incredible DellyBeanstalk , so either fly up to where you find the big rotating sign, or climb the spiral staircase.

Saffia Widderhsins adds:
You’ll also be able to explore the “DellyBeanstalk”, designed by Dellybean North of – True North Designs.  Each of the pods contains images of great virtual design from editions of Prim Perfect and The Primgraph – and there are presents for you to claim in many of the pods too.  And don’t miss the very top level – with information and gifts from our new web comic – The Quest for the Golden Prim.

Prim Perfect Issue 18 – Out Now!

Prim Perfect Issue 18 - cover

Prim Perfect 18 is out now – and we think you are going to love it!

Two years ago, a new cruise liner was launched with much fanfare and celebration.  No champagne was broken on her hull, however, for this ship was The Galaxy, the three sim-long cruise liner created by Bill Stirling and the largest single build of that time in Second Life.  We were there for her launch … and two years later we have returned, to see how the Galaxy has been thriving with a new owner.  We give you a taste of the places to see, the things to do, the special events and parties to attend … and Sigmund Leominster meets some of the people who work on the Galaxy, who visit the Galaxy, and who make the Galaxy their home.

And we talk to Bill Stirling about what he has been up to since giving up the ownership of the Galaxy.

Prim Perfect Issue 18 - Our Sim of the Month

Our designer of the month is Pamela Galli of La Galleria, and she has created a really spectacular cabin on the Galaxy, with a super array of her trademark extras … the special dishes, snacks and decorations that makes her lovely furniture quite unique.

Prim Perfect Issue 18 - Furniture from La Galleria

Nika Dreamscape visits her on the Galaxy, and in her store too, to learn all about this very special designer.  And you can revel in the glorious pictures supplied by PJ Trenton, Twisted Lemon and Nika Dreamscape.

We have a review of the 2nd Annual Home, Garden and Patio Expo – with top designers picking out the builds that they liked best – and we have news too of our build at the Second Life 6th Birthday celebrations.  We hope you’ll visit us there at Aeon – and later in the week, we’ll have news about our party!

Our landscape of the month is rich in pirates, mermaids and a rich backstory leading to some stunning builds.  It’s Armada Breakaway, and Miss Annechen Lowey tells us of the fascinating visit she paid there, while PJ Trenton supplies some gorgeous photos!

Prim Perfect Issue 18 - Landscape of the Month

This month, our Pathfinders have been mentored by Luna Bliss of Bliss Garden Center (and a great many more projects).  Read her interview with Viv Trafalgar – and also the key advice she gives our Pathfinders.  And one of them, Aarcher Zenovka, reflects on what the advice means to her.

We have a wonderful article from our gardening correspondent, Kaye Robbiani, on creating a seaside garden.  This will, sadly, be her final regular column as the exigencies of real life and maintaining her only lovely region of Giverny are taking up more of her time.  We wish her well – and hope to see an occasional column from her as a treat!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/primperfect/3654248501/

Perry Applemoor meets Vryl Valkyrie, the maker and purveyor of textures, who talks about the opportunities for textures in Second Life.  Qwis Greenwood and Annechen Lowey have columns of advice, while Gwen Carillon explains how the Content Creators Association can help – and what it is important NOT to do in cases of content theft!

Prim Perfect Issue 18 - The Pegasus

Nika Dreamscape has found a fascinating build, while Coughran Mayo tells of a tireless worker for non-profits in Second Life.  And we have another Moodyloner quiz for you to enjoy!

Plus, there are articles to smooth our Second Lives from Qwis Greenwood and Ceejay Writer on how to smarten up our inventories, while Annechen Lowey gives some very useful advice on how to adjust attachments.

Our team of talented photographers bring you some of the most gorgeous design eye candy in Second Life!

All this – with News from the Grid … and more!

So how can I get Prim Perfect?
If you prefer to read the magazine online but not inworld, there are choices. Firstly, there’s the wonderful Calaméo system, which allows you to moves smoothly through the pages, giving you the feeling of reading a real magazine. You’ll find Issue 18 here – and please do leave a comment!

But, if you like to download your magazines to read as you commute to work, or in the bath, or wherever, you can also obtain a standard pdf for downloading and printing.

It is also available through XStreet (just search on the site for Prim Perfect). This will deliver you a copy in the form of a Thinc book that you can rez and read inworld.

We also have subscribe-o-matic kiosks throughout Second Life (these are taking over from our older vendors) – so you can just click to subscribe.  You’ll be sent a copy of the latest issue, and then you’ll receive your issues regularly!

Prim Perfect Issue 18 - Treasure Hunt

Another inworld option is to buy from our inworld vendors (located at various stores). Sometimes we have had problems with these, but you can help! If you see a vendor still selling an earlier issue, contact primperfect@gmail.com, and we’ll send someone to update it.

Or you can have it delivered to you each month as a Thinc Book, by joining the Prim Perfect Readers group inworld. It costs nothing to join and, apart from delivering the magazine each month, we won’t overload you with chat or messages!

In addition to delivering the Thinc Book version of the magazine, you’ll also get a link to the online Calaméo version of the magazine, so you’ll be able to access that too.

How to Join Prim Perfect Readers

• Inworld, open Search.
• Search Groups for Prim Perfect Readers.
• Click to join

So … enjoy! And let us know what you think of our new edition!

Designing Worlds – Live at SL6B!

Prim Perfect / Designing Worlds exhibit at SL6B

In the first of two programmes brought to you live from the Second Life Sixth Birthday sims (SL6B), we’ll be on the air at 2pm SLT, where we’ll be looking at some of the stunning builds at this year’s event, where the theme is “The Future of Virtual Worlds”.

And we’ll be starting off with one of our own: the Prim Perfect/Designing Worlds exhibit, created by Dellybean North, which rises high above SL6B Aeon like a gigantic plant, with many fronds, each containing displays from Prim Perfect & The Primgraph magazines, and Designing Worlds (with its predecessor, Meta Makeover). At ground level there is a series of panels introducing the new in-world graphic adventure, The Quest for the Golden Prim, and a TV screen on which you can watch a recent Designing Worlds episode.

Then in the second part of the programme, we’ll be visiting Jackie Rexen’s fascinating exhibit, Maslow’s Hierarchical Hideaway. Jackie is involved in teacher training and she’s created this amazing exhibit as an example of how Second Life can go way beyond the limitations of traditional teaching techniques, by offering extensive opportunities for interactivity and co-creation.

And finally, we’ll see something very different. We’ll be looking at a remarkable steampunk “Yesterday’s City of Tomorrow”, created by Blakopal Designs of New Babbage. In keeping with the space theme of this year’s exhibition, the city represents an outpost of this thriving steampunk community, built on an asteroid far out in deep space.

You can see the show live by joining our viewing party at the Designing Worlds studios on Northpoint. As always, there’s a special gift for everyone who comes to the studio, and an exhibition to see in our Hall outside. The show starts at 2pm SLT, but you should be in our Northpoint studios by 1.30pm to make sure of getting a seat.

The Midsummer Grand Tour – for RFL

Invitation to the Grand Tour

The Grand Tour of the Vintage and Associated sims is back! And it is happening this weekend – starting with a traditional German celebration in Neufreistadt, starting at 11:30 AM SLT on Saturday 20th June.

Saturday 20th June – 11:30am SLT: A Taste of Oktoberfest!
The Confederation of Democratic sims starts the party with A Taste of Oktoberfest! The Tiroler Eck Show Band Music will bring its mixture of Bavarian and Austrian schlager and traditional music. The band consists of 11 live musicians all playing together. Wear your lederhosen, dirndls or whatever you wish, but be ready to smile! You may find yourself dancing polka in the streets!

Neufreistadt “New Free State” is a typical medieval Bavarian village in a cloudy mountaintop. If the “fog” bothers you, touch ctrl, alt, shift and the minus sign, all together, and it will be turned off.

CDS celebrates its 5th year of Democracy in Sl this year and is proud to participate in the Grand Tour III.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Neufreistadt/187/191/173

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Ascot Ball in Victoriana

Saturday 20th June – 1:30pm SLT: Ascot Ball in Victoriana
After the Germanic Oktoberfest, we move across the Channel for the event of the Grand Tour – the Ascot Ball in Victoriana!

Orchestra leader Benton Wunderlich was playing tunes from “My Fair Lady” on the piano; female guests were attired in the finest gowns and the most glorious hats, and everyone was nibbling on cucumber sandwiches and smoked salmon and sipping champagne.

No, it wasn’t a garden party in the country in merry old England. It was the Ascot Ball in Victoriana!

Held this year on Saturday June 20, at 1:30pm SLT, it is certain to be the social event of the season, it’s an event you won’t want to miss.

The Annual Victoriana Ascot Race will be held beginning at 2pm, so enter your favourite horse & jockey before the race.Entry fees are donated to RFL.

In addition, there will be fabulous auctions and the art exhibition Victoriana Views by Callipygian Christensen in the Town Hall.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Victoriana%20Square/128/87/33

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Saturday 20th June – 3:00pm SLT: Winterfell Solstice Fire Dance
For the third event of the Grand Tour, the pace changes again, as we head to the mysterious haunted sim of Winterfell and the Winterfell Solstice Fire Dance!

Miss Serra, Senechelf of Winterfell invites you to join her and her residents for a traditional bonfire dance in the heart of WInterfell, Taure En Lor at 3pm SLT.

Winterfell is a dream fantasy region inspired by the magnificence of medieval castles and the romantic elegance of Victorian manors basking in the splendor of twilight, designed and inspired by stories, dreams and creative interpretations of reality.

This event will be medieval casual but you are invited to come as you are to enjoy some lively music and friendly company!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Winterfell/128/99/24

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Saturday 20th June – 4:00pm SLT: Marzipan Tearoom Midsummer Ball
The theme for the Marzipan Teahouse Grand Tour Ball will be Midsummer Night, for pixie, faerie, sprite, woodland folk, and, of course, humans. It will have an open air feel, with a warm breeze full of the scent of summer flowers and a hint of peat. The music, by Radio Riel, will be all period music with a hint of the wild abandon of summer and merriment.

There will be dances in the garden, for the enjoyment of the warm summer night and gifts of summer flowers for the ladies’ hair and boutonnieres for the gentlemen.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Magellan%20Kinvara/128/128/2

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The Illusions - White Theme Ball in Babbage

Saturday 20th June – 6:00pm SLT: The Illusions – White Theme Ball
The Illusions White Themed Ball at Piermont Landing, Wheatstone Waterways will bring glitter and dazzle, beauty and illusion to New Babbage and the steamlands, beginning at 6pm on June 20.

But the main event will also (for two lucky bidders) mean the joy of victory and (for the rest of us) the agony of defeat as two one-of-a-kind items go up for auction to benefit Relay For Life.

Silent bidding began June 12 on both Ms. Kembri Thompson’s stunning Shepherdess Gown and Ms Canolli Capalini’s amazing Resignation Music Box and bidding will continue through Saturday at 9pm SLT, when the winners are announced.

We’ve got magic to do… just for you
Hearts to warm, as we go along our way.

Music by the Amazing Mister DJ BATS

Sponsored by House of Rfyre, Capalini Fine Furnishings, Black Opal Designs, and Hatpins.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/54/49/109

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Saturday 20th June – 8:00pm SLT: Circuits and Relays Ball
Please join us in Steam Sky City to celebrate all that has been Wrought by Man.

Robots, Mecha, Jaegers, Clanks, and all other creations are invited to come and Celebrate the Wonders of Science!

And as a special treat, the winner of the Duchess Sandwich Auction will be announced and will be treated to the attentions of two of Caledon’s Naughty Duchesses….

So shine up your Brass, oil your Gears, and come Relay for Life!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Steam%20SkyCity/108/216/2

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Ole! for Life Party with Joaquin Gustav!in Al-Andalus

Saturday 20th June – 10:30pm SLT: Ole! for Life Party with Joaquin Gustav!
Al Andalus invites you to continue this special evening with Flamenco and other Latin music and dance to the fabulous spanish guitar of Joaquin Gustav, Second Life’s best latin musician.

The Al Andalus Sims recreate the beauty of the Moor Alhambra and 13th century Granada, Spain. Spanish and Arabic costumes are appropriate and look especially wonderful with the many latin dances, but all manners of dress and costume are welcome. Al Andalus is pleased to announce its upcoming merger with the Confederation of Democratic Sims, the oldest democracy in Second Life, celebrating 5 years this year!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Al%20Andalus%20Generalife/207/126/40

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Sunday 21st June – 12:00 Midnight SLT: Trance Revolution
Emperor SteelCobra Calamari brings to you the wonderful sounds of trance. The very best from DJ Tiesto, Alex Megane, etc.

The event theme may be trance, but the Steeltopia sims are anything but trance-like! This is a 19th to early 20th century themed area with a emphasis on steampunk and tesla electric power.

Come as you are, no pressure, but bring your neon and sparklers! (no nudity or bdsm wear please!) Don’t forget to see the train station!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steeltopia/34/221/27

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Sunday 21st June – 3:00am SLT: PUNCH OUT CANCER!
The Justice League Unlimited welcome you to the Grand Tour in Steelhead.

Join us for music, a demonstration of our special powers, a tour of the Adventurers’ Club facility, and a Q&A session.

Music by Edward Pearse of Radio Riel
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steelhead%20Port%20Harbor/212/49/26

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Sunday 21st June – 4:300am SLT: The Principality of Fauve Welcomes You!
Our stop on the Grand Tour will be a nature inspired Haiku and freeform poetry reading and composition opportunity where you can take your ease Sunday at dawn in our lovely Ochaya (Teahouse)…formal Asian dress encouraged.

Visit the Fairytale sim of Fauve where we realize our dreams in SL at an interactive playground, sea, land and sky, art and nature and lots of fun! Mirrors are Teleporters around the sim points, feel free to explore and enjoy.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fauve/192/192/2

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Sunday 21st June – 6:00am SLT: Celebration of St. John’s Eve, Congo Square in New Toulouse
In the old city, they would gather in Congo Square, those dragged from their homes an ocean away. They would tell the old tales and dance the old dances. Miss Marie was there, in the shadows with her wisdom and her potions and her knowledge of the old ways, the voodoo. On St. John’s Eve, when the spirits were very close, they would dance the whole night long. Those who came to watch and jeer found themselves drawn into the dance, and their lives were never the same.

In New Toulouse of the 1920s, they say, some still gather on the shortest night of the year, down by the river. They come up from the bayous and down from the fancy houses because they know: on this night, the spirits are with them.

Join us, Grand Tourists. Come in the bright colors that please the spirits. Come with an open mind: come to watch, come to dance, come to remember how it was, back in the day…
http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse/144/174/23

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V is for Victory in Caledon Rothesay

Sunday 21st June – 7:30am SLT: V is for Victory!
In the fight against cancer,and that is what we’re hoping to have. Welcome to the USO dance stop on the RFL Grand Tour!!

Come dance with us while listening to Big Band, Swing, and a smattering of jazz spun by the Caledon RFL Captain, Kiralette Kelley.
We will be gathering high above Caledon Rothesay on a specially created dance floor.

We will have liberty bonds for sale, and the dj will play anything you wish, for a small donation to RFL!

Come dressed in your best 1940’s duds, bring your best guy, gal, or pal, and dance those feet off while helping a great cause!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Rothesay/155/128/22

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Sunday 21st June – 9:00am SLT: ROMA PRO VITA’s Apollo’s Masquerade
Come dance in Imperial Rome in your best mask and toga
on the day when Apollo shines on us the longest
and help us raise funds to defeat cancer for good.

Roman classical dress preferred, any formal dress welcome

To be held in the beautiful Imperial Throne Room, ROMA

http://slurl.com/secondlife/ROMA/215/25/22

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Farmers' Market in Giverny

Sunday 21st June – 10:30am SLT: Farmer’s Market in Giverny
Soliel Snook and Kaye Robbiani will be hosting an old-fashioned Farmer’s Market with music, face painting, typical market fare, dancing if you like, and more.

In addition, feel free to explore the village and Monet’s gardens, or take a boat ride down the Seine River, visit the musee d’art Americain, browse the art galleries, or just sit and sip wine, and visit with friends.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Giverny/205/129/26

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Sunday 21st June – 12:00 noon SLT: Steelhead Airship Ceilidh
We will be celebrating the Tour with the first Steelhead Airship Ceilidh. Dancing, refresments, and a RFL benefit auction aboard the Airship Ballroom, moored above Steelhead Harborside.

Music provided by Radio Riel presenter Otenth Paderborn.

Steelhead CIty is a Steampunk/VIctorian Town set in the late 1800’s in the Pacific Northwest, Washington Oregon territories.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steelhead%20Harborside/236/164/2

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Sunday 21st June – 1:30pm SLT: Waltz Night At the Wunderbar Ballroom!
Wunderbar co-owner ha Tenk will host ” Waltz Night” at the beautiful Wunderbar Ballroom

Dresscode: Ladies, gown; gentlemen, tuxedo
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oneiros/159/123/63

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Sunday 21st June – 3:00pm SLT: The Duchess’ Closet: Dance and Gown Sale
As part of the Summer 2009 Grand Tour…

The Prim Minister of Edison Gabrielle Riel cordially invites all lovers of fine ladies’ fashions to The Duchess’ Closet Dance and Gown Sale.

All proceeds go to Relay for Life Team Caledon

(get ready for Grand Tour IV!)

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Thank you to Miss Annechen Lowey and Herr Baron, KlausWulfenbach Outlander, for being truly wonderful ambassadors and Conductors for the Grand Tour III.

Join us today for an Extropian Makeover!

A view of Extropia

Join us at 2pm SLT (Tuesday 9th June) on Designing Worlds, when we have a fascinating Meta Makeover on the show – where we make over someone’s home.

This week we are on the futuristic utopian sim of Extropia, with beautiful clean lines and open spaces. The pod homes might be small, but they all have fantastic views and side sweeping windows. So how does a designer create an ambiance to match, for well under 100 prims?

Faced with a challenge like this, we turned to Salome Strangelove of Facade Furnishings, who was last on the show to make over a beautiful London townhouse over a year ago. Salome talked to Alesia Markstein, whose home was subject to the makeover, and came up with a design concept that is really fascinating – and extremely low prim!

Housing pods on Extropia

So … join us at 2pm SLT (Tuesday 9th June) as we talk to Alesia and Salome to see just how a bare pod can be made into an exciting and unusual living space.

And you can join our viewing party to watch the show at the Designing Worlds studios on Northpoint. As always, there’s a special gift for everyone who comes to the studio, and an exhibition to see in our Hall outside. The show starts at 2pm SLT, but you should be in our Northpoint studios by 1.30pm to make sure of getting a seat.

We’ll see you there!

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Don’t forget, even though our show is now called Designing Worlds, we are still doing our Meta Makeovers, where we bring in a top designer to make over your virtual home or garden!

So if you would like to have a virtual home or garden given the treatment by a top designer, send an email to us at metamakeover@gmail.com with three or four pictures of your home or garden attached, and stating your reasons why you would like a makeover.

And if you know a special place in Second Life that we should really feature on the show, drop us a line too!

Could YOU be a comic book character?

The Quest for the Golden Prim

The Quest for the Golden Prim is seeking CHARACTERS who are hungry for fame, fortune, and possibly terrifying danger around every corner.

If you are:

• a villainess, swarthy flyboy, brilliant and misunderstood ward, and/or an insouciant tiny
• willing to dedicate at least a portion of yourself to the cause
• interested in plurking, tweeting, and blogging your character’s backstory for even greater fame and danger
• and desirous of wearing fantastic gowns and/or performing daring deeds while vying for fame, fortune, and the secret of the golden prim,

Look No Further.

And so it begins

What is The Quest for the Golden Prim?
The Quest is a new web comic, appearing firstly in the pages of The Primgraph magazine, and also on the dedicated web-site: http://goldenprim.blogspot.com/

The individual frames are created in Second Life, edited in Photoshop, and then published.  This gives a rich and detailed look to the web comic – and is great fun to create!

The idea is to appeal initially to the denizens of Second Life (particularly the vintage and steampunk regions), but also to a wider web community who may enjoy steampunk and gaslamp fantasy, or even just web comics!

There is an adventurous and amusing story arc planned which will unfold over the coming months, as the characters embark on The Quest for the Golden Prim!

What playing a part will involve:
As a character, you may be called upon to take part in a photoshoot once every six weeks.  This should not be too onerous – it will probably last about two hours.  And you may not be called for each and every episode.

An equally important role is promotion.

The mysterious librarian - Keeper of Secrets

What we do want our chosen cast to do is to help build the webcomic through their activities.  We would like our characters to build up a background and to support and drive on-going interest through a wide use of web tools.  We will be expecting our characters to contribute to the main blog on a regular basis, following guidelines that we will agree together (i.e. we might decide that the character is likely to keep a journal, to write letters (or postcards) to a friend, or might prefer to contribute in the form of extracts from newspaper articles).   We’ll also expect you to create Twitter and Plurk accounts in the persona of your characters, and, if you wish, develop other social networking tools too.

We are hoping that our characters (and our cast) will become well-known – through your activities.

But we also want to make it clear that, by and large, we will be asking you to play characters.  This means they will have a different name from your main avatar (who will, nevertheless, be credited for the role).  Think of yourself as an actor appearing in a science fiction series on television.  We want you to be associated with the role, but for the role to be separate from you.  And like actors in a TV series, you may be asked, from time to time, to give interviews as yourselves to the Press, whether written or podcast, or inworld TV  (the personal appearances at fan conventions we see as being some way off).

A few people will be appearing as themselves (such as JJ Drinkwater).  These will be minor roles – the people we choose through the auditions will be the stars.

At the moment, there is no financial reward for appearing in the series.  If we can monetise the project later, we hope to be able to pay our characters.  But that isn’t going to happen soon – and people who are looking for paying employment in SL will not find it here.  We are, however, hoping that designers will be interested in becoming involved, donating skins, hair, clothes and furniture.  This will count as sponsorship of the series, and will lead to them receiving advertising on the blog.  It will also mean that our characters will gain free goodies.

One final point – we accept that people may enter projects with the best will and the best intentions, but that real life has a nasty habit of intervening.  Therefore we will be creating a database, and asking you to provide full details of your avatar appearance so that – in the unlucky eventuality of our having to replace you – we can create a character who looks very similar.  Please that this will be the character avatar appearance you assume for the webcomic – we have no desire to re-create your personal avatar!  It is, in fact, an argument for your seeing your character avatar as something distinct from your regular appearance.

If you have ANY questions, please feel free to contact Saffia Widdershins or Viv Trafalgar at: the.primgraph@gmail.com

What we need from you:
Answers to the following questions:

your primary avatar name

your timezone

your sim-of-residence and/or preferred area of second life

acting or RP experience

contact email

ability of time to contribute to the project

do you desire a major role or a minor role?
Do you have a preference a particular role (e.g. hero/heroine/villain/villainess/insouciant tiny)?

experience with plurk, blogger, twitter, people, prims, death and dismemberment

We would like you to write a short piece (250 – 400 words) on one of the following:
A background story about your character OR
Your reaction to the news that one of your close friends has been killed by mysterious agents of the enemy (perhaps a journal or a letter) OR
Your nefarious plans for the heroine, should she fall into your clutches

The expedition to discover the secret will, we envisage, involve other people in addition to the heroine and heroine.  You might like to offer an interesting character who would have some reason for being part of (or joining) the expedition.  We will certainly have a place for convincing characters with a well-thought-out story to tell.  You might wish to offer such a character in addition to an application for a major role.  Think: Cliff*

Casting will run from June 22 through June 26th. The deadline for applications is June 21st. You will be notified if you have been successful; the results will be publicly announced at a party to open the new Primgraphh offices on Sunday July 5th.

* John Ratzenberger originally auditioned for the part of Sam on Cheers and it was clear at once that he wasn’t getting it.  As he was leaving, he suddenly stopped and said, “Hey, do you have a know-it-all in your bar?”  “What?” they asked, and Ratzenberger did an improv on the spot of a character who was a store of useless knowlege that he would share at any opportunity (or no opportunity at all).  Thus was Cliff born.

Join us for a stunning Designing Worlds with Glyph Graves’ Strangers Also Dance!

Strangers Also Dance: The Arrival

Join us at 2pm SLT (Tuesday 2nd June) on Designing Worlds, when we are visiting a new and fascinating art installation – Strangers Also Dance - by Glyph Graves. Glyph Graves is an Australian-based artist whose work in SL is currently focused on the interplay between form, structure and texture. As well as the normal digital tools of graphic and 3D modelling programs, he also freely makes use of Linden Scripting Language as both his chisel and his paintbrush, he says! But that doesn’t convey the stunning, liquid and luminescence of Glyph’s creations – something that we’re going to see on today’s show!

Strangers Also Dance: The Swamp

It all begins deceptively mildly … a walk in a very standard Linden Lab landscape. The first intimations of strangeness come with the unusual plants … the strange bubblings in the water. The tantacles that reach towards you … and then you become drawn into the story – in a rather dramatic way. For this installation is a story and – with the help of Glyph – we’ll be exploring it and learning that it is not just about us looking at the installation … for the installation (or elements of it) also looks at us, and makes us see things in a wholly new light.

Strangers Also Dance: The revelation?

But as well as telling a story, it presents some vivid and breathtaking images too – none more so, perhaps, than in the final breathtaking dance itself. So … join us at 2pm SLT (Tuesday 9th June) as we talk to Glyph Graves and explore this fabulous installation. And you can join our viewing party to watch the show at the Designing Worlds studios on Northpoint. As always, there’s a special gift for everyone who comes to the studio, and an exhibition to see in our Hall outside. The show starts at 2pm SLT, but you should be in our Northpoint studios by 1.30pm to make sure of getting a seat. We’ll see you there!

Strangers Also Dance: The dance begins ...