Winner of Equinox Ice Sculpture Contest Announced!

The winner of Equinox's Second Annual Ice Sculpture Contest and $5,000 Iz's is LaToymaker!

Eight lovely sculptures were entered by IWz creators Koda Rae, TenBears Running, Noble Sionn & Bridget Jennings, Safar Fiertze, Wolf Hartnell & Teal Freenote, Cataplexia Numbers & Mike Chase, Strand Starsider and La Toymaker.
(also reported on http://inworldz.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=11541

). A panel of six judges, all creators in their own right, evaluated the entries against 6 metrics for a possible total of 300 points:
1. Meets rules
2. Effective use of Space
3. Clarity of Design
4. Effective Use of Ice/Snow Textures
5. Creative Use of Prims/Sculpties
6. Wow Factor

To give you an idea of how close the contest was, only 6 points separated the top two placed entries! There were very creative "visions of physX" which was the theme. One even represented speed, collisions and the effects of gravity.

A special Equinox Award for Humor was given to TenBears Running, for his excellent portrayal of patience in visions of physX. (See photo below.)

Please join me in congratulating these wonderful artists! It was fascinating to see their interpretations come together!

The Sculptures may be seen on Equinox and Equinox 2. Visitors should follow the ice road around and through the Village and the harbor. Do hurry though, as spring is coming and the sculptures will be melting away!

A replica of La Toymaker's entry will be featured on the Equinox Mardi Gras float on Tuesday!

Second Annual Ice Sculpture Contest on Equinox Nearing Final Decision!

The six creator judges have voted. The results are being tallied! It is a very competitive contest! The challenge was to address the theme: Vision of PhysX.

The winner will be announced at a swinging pre Mardi-Gras party on Friday, February 17, featuring Cataplexia Numbers from 6 to 8 PM IWT at the Equinox Lodge. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Equinox%202/77/11/28

Wonderful prizes are being offered..... more on that tomorrow!

Building Zoological Gardens in Western Magellan

"What would be a different, fun attraction for Magellan?" Magellan residents Cepheus Ceriano and Anna Neutron asked themselves. What would be a beautiful attraction that IWz doesn't yet have, that would be a great destination for sailors, fliers, and everyday residents alike?

After exploring IWz, and much thought, an idea took shape: The Pink Flamingo Zoological Gardens, a beautiful place to relax and look at animals in natural environments, currently under construction on Nautilus. On the sim, you will not only find all kinds of animals, but also themed areas to look at, and a very romantic lovers lake, which invites cuddles under the stars. For more active visitors, a bike/cycle track circles the sim for all to enjoy.

Next door, on Firedog Island, a Biker's dream is taking shape. This will be an exciting country ride with lots of twists and turns. For thirsty Bikers, the new club Tequila's House of Blues is being built.

With frontage on the Iz Ocean, moorings are under construction for IWz's jolly sailors to come ahoy. Anna and Cepheus invite all to feel free to drop by and take a look. "But wear a hard hat," cautions Cepheus, "because we are still under construction!"

A Special Post from Anna Loom

The Magellan Sea: Community and Fun over Land, Sea and Air

Originally the vision for the Magellan Sea area was inspired by the Blake Sea in SL. The concept was that Magellan would be created by sim owners with one or more sims clustered together in ways that encouraged community AND the ability to boat and fly. The concept of scenic water sims is one of the tools envisioned to help important connecting areas remain affordable and accessible.

The intention was that the Iz Ocean should connect between the two mainlands, though the Eastern side still presents some challenge.

All of this means that planning and coordination is required for placing sims, so that all of the area communities - including the Mainland folks and all those around the Iz Straits - can enjoy the benefits of IWz and the foresight of the Founders to create these common waterways. Magellan established a Charter, approved by the Founders, to help manage this process.

With the prospect of a sizeable area becoming available for new development, we ask that all who are interested in joining this community to contact Anna Loom (Chair) or Taika Wirsing (Community Development). Per the Charter, an application should include the name of the Estate and the regions that propose to be part of the Magellan Sea, the full avatar name of all the owners of the Estate, a contact email address for the sim owner, and a landmark to the Estate. If the sims do not yet exist, a statement about the planned themes is requested. Sims must conform to the Magellan Charter which limits height and commercial areas and specifies no ban lines and high sky platforms, if any, and the theme in place in that area. Upon inquiry, the full Covenant will be sent to the applicant. Upon acceptance of the application, there is a one time payment of $3,000 Iz's per Estate (comprised of however many sims) due prior to sim placement.

It would also be helpful to include some information on applicant hopes for expansion or other considerations that may be helpful in planning.

As of this writting, there is no announced timetable, and the Magellan Committee will post information as it becomes available. Thank you to all who would consider Magellan as their home, and the many, many IWz residents who would enjoy the resource. And, as always, thanks to our Founders for their willingness to experiment and innovate in this virtual community setting.

Magellan News

After a long absence, the Magellan Blog is Back! And not a moment too soon! The Iz Ocean and the Iz Straits can be sailed and flown. There have been a stream of craft, and even freighters, with non-physX scripts, plying the waves. PhysX is almost imminent, as the grid's foundation code has been declared just about ready to handle it.

Magellan residents are busily building docks and harbors, helipads and boat rezz places, motorbike tracks, all sorts of resources to take advantage of PhysX when it is unveiled.

This blog (and the attendant twitter account) will do its best to keep up with some of the happenings in Magellan. This will include fun things, and - if there is reader interest - regular updates from the Magellan Committee on the duller, but important, committee meetings - as well as info on new residents, activities and so on. It will need everyone's help to do so! So pictures and descriptions and notes about upcoming activities will be totally welcomed (as will decent lead times for posting time sensitive items!)

Reflections of Us Vemo

by Mera Kranfel & Leanna Caerndow


Us Vemo and Anna Loom, founders of Magellan InWorldz

1. How did you find IW and when was that?

I have been following the OpenSim development for quite some time because I have been involved in the OpenSource world professionally. I thought that it was more interesting than SL. Some things happened in SL, and I started more actively to look for an alternative and stumbled on IW by coincidence really... and I liked what I saw. That was in July 2010. After a few days I asked Anna if she would like to come and see. We thought that IW may just be a place to come to relax every now and again - little did we think that after two days it would become home and we have never looked back.

2. When did you think of creating Magellan and why?

It was just after a week or so. I saw all these scattered sims, looking like the homesteads in SL, and I never liked that. We had been quite active in the sailing scene in SL and I have been participating in some races there, the last one was the huge America’s Cup that was so much fun with RL sponsors. However I really disliked all the intrigues and drama among the yacht clubs there, so I thought it would be good to start something fresh in here. For sailing, you need connected water, and so I posted the idea in the forum about creating a new kind of colony/community without the drama and that it should be run in a democratic way...

Most of the reactions were quite positive but some forum trolls did almost make me go away, give up the idea and leave IW. If it hadn't been for Anna and her support and encouragement, there would have been no Magellan. By the way... the Magellan name was Anna's idea. I soon realized that the founders did like the idea and that they were willing to support it... so I moved on.

3. How do you see the future of Magellan?

The committee has made changes which have remained along the original ideas. Having a committee proves that Magellan is a democratic group, not just a few people deciding everything. That is why I didn't volunteer to stay on the committee after six months at the helm (In the charter it is stated that one should serve for a six month term as a committee member). I also think it is important that the majority power should not be concentrated with a few big landowners taking over. For the future success of Magellan it is important to keep those original thoughts and ideas in mind and to elect new people in the leading roles for the future.

I hope that when the Physics arrive and the new script engine is in place Magellan will be in the center of IW and a lot of activities will be going on there. Not only sailing and yachting, but also aircraft, spaceships and balloons. To be able to go between the two mainland continents and visit some of the greatest sims in IW will attract a lot of people. My wish was to make Magellan open for all the people in IW not just the sim owners there. No borders, no ban lines and no stupid security orbs! Just open friendliness! We can make a better virtual world together if we keep that in mind.



4. Does it cost extra for a sim to become a member?

If I am correct the committee decided for 3,000 Iz’s for each estate. That means if you have 2 sims it is still 3,000 Iz’s. The conception for this payment which was in the original charter was to be sure that we had funds to move any disruptive sim out from Magellan. Magellan should not have too much commercialism, no violence and no porn. People can do what they like in their skyboxes but in the open and in public their actions should not be too provoking. The founders were clear about how they would assist the committee, in the case of a removal, but their costs needed to be covered... that was the reason for the fee. However up until now this has never been used... so it is just giving us interest rate... that was a joke. Of course there have been some minor disputes between neighbors, but they have always been solved in a friendly and positive way.

5. What are you doing when you're inworld, and how do you relax?

We like to build all the stuff we use here. On our sims we have I think three objects we have not created ourselves. There is this amazing tree from Julia that I would never replace. Hmm, I don't remember the other two things... lol, we might replace those...

I like to try and figure out how things are made, to fix the sculpties, textures and scripts... that’s my relaxation really. I have been a professional developer all my life, everything from assembler, C, and PHP even though the strategic part of it has been growing the last couple of years.

Anna loves building anything and everything that appears to be a challenge has to be tackled. Live Music plays an important part in relaxation and it is a chance to meet others and go to other sims.

Well, I have met some amazing people in here that I really like to talk to and learn from. My life has not been without troubles and I have found here people with so much wisdom and perspective. I have met love and some amazing friends in here and I hope I am able to be supportive to them in the same way they are to me.


Mera and Leanna on the Magellan map
Address: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Alinja/171/40/25

Fasten Your Seatbelts!!!

Everyone who is reading this blog has at least a faint idea of Magellan Sea InWorldz and knows the main goal of the community: To connect various sims by sailable water once the physics engine is introduced to our marvelous grid.

We thought it might be a good idea to introduce you to the various sims belonging to Magellan Sea InWorldz and provide you with ideas on how to spend your spare time inworld.

However, there is something we would like to address before we entertain you with our adventures.

First of all, the order in which we visit sims is in no way intended to be a rating and should not be understood as such. Our writing for this blog does not mean we look down upon other sims not in the Magellan area. Both of us enjoy exploring the entire grid and spending time on different sims, and we will continue to write about it in our private blogs and praise whatever tickles our fancy at a time.

We are Mera Kranfel and Leanna Caerndow; both of us have our private homes on a sim belonging to Magellan Sea.

Mera Kranfel came to InWorldz in [...] 2010. At the end of July, she bought her first sim, Lost River. A bit more than three months later, Mera moved her sim to Magellan and renamed it to Midsomer County. Here's what Mera said on why she decided to become a part of Magellan:

"The Magellan area did appeal to me the minute I heard about it first time. But then I already had a sim on mainland so I didn’t do anything about it. But time changes, and we felt it was time to eventually take this step. I like the covenant in Magellan and it suits me a lot better than mainland with no covenants."

Mera by Leanna

Leanna Caerndow came to InWorldz in August 2010. In early December, she heard of Midsomer County and went there to explore and meet Mera. They quickly became friends, talking a mile a minute about nothing and everything. Leanna is a huge fan of Scandinavia and likes to confuse the Scandinavian community with her odd mix of Norwegian and Swedish, with the occasional Finnish curse word tossed in for good measure.

In the next blog, we'll talk a bit more about Magellan and its founder Us Vemo. We hope you'll stay tuned and enjoy our exploring the Magellan Sea. Just you wait until you see us trying to hop on a boat O.O