Fantasy Faire 2014 - The confluence is upon us....

High up in the forward lookout pod, the on-duty 'glasser strained his eyes against the glare of the incessant sun. Peering straight ahead, the young man squinted at the shapes forming on the horizon. Lifting his head for a moment, he blinked, rubbing his eyes, before placing an eye to the spyglass once more and to look again at the dark mass. "By the gears!" He cried, beckoning urgently to the older man, "quick Fred, I need yer to four eyes that storm, I don't think it's normal". Frederick Lee, the most experienced lookout in the fleet, looked out across the cloudscape, hardly needing the glass now, as great purple clouds swirled ever larger, looming ever closer.
"Aye lad, that's them all right. That's the confluence storm, we've found it." Turning to the brass speaking tube to his right, Lee sounded a klaxon to attract attention on the bridge far below them. The klaxon call was acknowledged with an anxious voice.
"What did you see?"
"Fairelands, Right ahead!"

---

Asperatus - An airborne community living high above the clouds which hide their broken homeland far below, is just one of the treats in store for visitors to this year's Fantasy Faire. The Faire which opens to the public tomorrow (1st May) and will run until the 11th promises to be every bit as fun, exciting and full of tinies, as previous years.
Always my favourite RFL event, perhaps my favourite event of any kind, the faire is a wonderful mixture of fantasy styles and themes. 2014 is different for this seasoned Faire reporter, having journalled, filmed  and photographed previous conjunctions of Fairelands, this year I have had the honour of bringing you a Faireland from within my own head, Asperatus.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Asperatus/135/127/62
Come visit the faire and enjoy all the creations we have for you. Anything you could wish to buy in a fantasy related theme is available some where and there are many new treats to be found this year too.

Designing Worlds heads to Arkansas in Second Life for a fascinating lesson in social history

Johnny Cash's boyhood home, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

 Join us today, Monday 31st March at 2pm at the Designing Worlds studio in Garden of Dreams for a special viewing party of today’s Designing Worlds show as visit a fascinating project at the University of Arkansas region that recreates Johnny Cash's boyhood home, as part of a broader look at the effects of the Depression in the state, and some of the routes from the rural poverty that began there.

The Dyess Colony, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

 Painter Merriman, the well-known designer, has created many of the builds here, and he takes us through many of these as we explore a really fascinating social history project, learning not only about Johnny Cash's boyhood home, but also about the New Deal community of Dyess and the Southern Tenant Farmers Union (which now houses the Southern Tenant Famers Museum).

The Southern Tenant Farmers Museum, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

You can read more about it on Painter's own website. But even better - you can join us at 2pm for a really fascinating show!

The cafe in the Dyess Colony,photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Or – if you can’t attend in person – tune in to the web at 2pm SLT on Monday for a showing on Aview TV or on Treet – or catch it later in the week on our shows page on the Treet.tv web site at http://treet.tv/shows/designingworlds – or on the Designing Worlds blog – our very own version of the iPlayer!

Bedroom in Johnny Cash's boyhood home, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Designing Worlds gets onboard with the Pirates of the Trade Winds!

Trade Winds - photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

Join us today, Monday 24th March at 2pm at the Designing Worlds studio in Garden of Dreams for a special viewing party of today’s Designing Worlds show as we sail the seas (and drink in the taverns) with the magnificent pirates of the Trade Winds!

We talk to some of the pirates and boat-builders active in the Trade Winds, including Blithe Binder, Kirsten Blackheart, MizLucie Winterwolf, Karnac Binder, GM Nikolaidis, Evvva Viper, Amber Murfin, Flops, Paddy SaltyDog Goldsworthy and tessa Vespucciano, and are entertained by the fantastic Deelah Halostar.

We learn about the pirates, the Trade Winds, the history of pirates in the Caribbean, the wonderful craft they sail in - and we get to take part in a battle too!

Trade Winds - photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

Join us at 2pm for a really exciting and colourful show! It's one you won't want to miss!

 Or – if you can’t attend in person – tune in to the web at 2pm SLT on Monday for a showing on Aview TV or on Treet – or catch it later in the week on our shows page on the Treet.tv web site at http://treet.tv/shows/designingworlds – or on the Designing Worlds blog – our very own version of the iPlayer!

Trade Winds - photograph by Wildstar Beaumont

Designing Worlds explores the amazing Dreamscenes

The Atelier - the newest of Kayle Matzerath's Dreamscenes, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Join us today, Monday 17th March at 2pm at the Designing Worlds at our studio in Garden of Dreams for a special viewing party of today’s Designing Worlds show as we explore the beautiful Dreamscenes created by Kayle Matzerath.

The Asian Loft - another Dreamscene created by Kayle Matzerath, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Kayle has been creating his amazing Dreamscenes - a portable and expandable system of stunningly designed skyboxes - and landscapes for a number of years, and we have featured some of these as settings for shows - a Thanksgiving Dinner featured the Piano Bar and Dining Room, and the gorgeous library was used in The Blackened Mirror.

The Fest Theatre - another Dreamscene created by Kayle Matzerath, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

We also look at Kayle's stunning work for Fantasy Faire.

His ability to move with the times and incorporate new ideas and developments in the platform has led to his latest creation (which I wrote about earlier in the year) the Atelier. And there's a special surprise to be glimpsed through the windows here for all steampunk fans!

The Atelier - the newest Dreamscene created by Kayle Matzerath, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Join us at 2pm as Kayle talks about his work and shows us some of his amazing creations. It's a show you won't want to miss!

The Roman Baths - another Dreamscene created by Kayle Matzerath, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Or – if you can’t attend in person – tune in to the web at 2pm SLT on Monday for a showing on Aview TV or on Treet – or catch it later in the week on our shows page on the Treet.tv web site at http://treet.tv/shows/designingworlds – or on the Designing Worlds blog – our very own version of the iPlayer!

The Winter Cabin in the Woods - another Dreamscene created by Kayle Matzerath, photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Designing Worlds heads into the clouds with the new way to access Second Life - SL Go

In an exciting new development, Second Life will be going into the Clouds with OnLive’s new SL Go package.

The news has been announced by Linden Lab today – and you’ll be able to find out more in our special Designing Worlds show at 2pm SLT today, where we talk to Nate Barsetti, Senior Manager, Customer Relations, OnLive, and also Danger Linden, aka Don Laabs, Senior Director of Product at Linden Lab. The show will be followed by a live discussion in our Garden of Dreams studio, which will be streamed live on Aview.TV.

SL Go is launching today in its open beta format, and offers the opportunity to access Second Life on tablets (although not yet on iPads). But it’s much, much more than this - you will also be able to access SL Go through the OnLive micro-console to TVs, or just connect through the OnLive app to lower-end PCs and Macs.

SL Go on the Android

  The package will deliver not “Second Life lite”, but Second Life with the full range of bells and whistles graphics. SL Go will show the Advanced Lighting Model, complete with materials - something that has been difficult for people accessing Second Life on some laptops and older desktops.  

This is an OnLive initiative, developed in co-operation with Linden Lab, but not a Linden Lab product. When I spoke to Danger Linden, Head of Product at the Lab, he said he saw it as more analogous to Linden Lab working with a third party viewer.

Nate Barsetti and Danger Linden will be discussing SL Go on today's special Designing Worlds show

Designing Worlds will be broadcasting a special show at 2pm SLT today, where we’ll be talking to Nate Barsetti, Senior Manager, Customer Relations, OnLive, and also Danger Linden, aka Don Laabs, Senior Director of Product at Linden Lab. We’ll also be showing how SL Go works in different formats.

You can join us to watch the show at our Garden of Dreams studio, or watch live on Treet TV, or on Aview TV. The post-show discussion will be streamed live on Aview TV.

Designing Worlds takes a last chance to see Seraph City - now on the web

Designing Worlds' final visit to the wonderful dieselpunk Seraph City is now on the web!

This, sadly, really is the last chance to see the city as it closes on March 16th, and many of the iconic buildings have already closed.

The Streets of Seraph City - photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

We toured some of these beautiful buildings– and also talked about how episodes of The Blackened Mirror were filmed there – and were the basis of some popular games during the first season of the show.

Zander Greene (in real life Scott Simpson) who plays Harland Quinn in the popular series said of the closure:

Worlds come and go. Occasionally they endure long enough and embody a meaning deep enough that they leave indelible marks on those who are fortunate enough to have known them. Seraph City is such a realm. To have been a part of its lore, if only briefly, is a great honor. And on behalf of Harland Quinn I must add this: "Thanks, Seraph. For a safe haven. For the closest thing I'll ever have to a home."

This is a show you won't want to miss!

Seraph City - photographed by Wildstar Beaumont

Designing Worlds Special at 2pm SLT Wednesday 5th March

Stay tuned for news of a special edition of Designing Worlds at 2pm SLT today - with a viewing party followed by a discussion in our beautiful studios on Garden of Dreams.

The Designing Worlds studios on Garden of Dreams

 The post-show discussion will be streamed live on Aview.TV.

More news about this show (including details of how to watch) will be released later today, so please keep an eye on this blog for details.