O c t o b e r
2 0 2 1
Contents
36.
THROUGH THE LENS
84.
Hayden, Mauro and Taylor show us their cozy take on autumn.
70.
THE KITCHEN CORNER Taylor Wassep shares his favorite spaghetti sauce recipe.
Page 12 | ECLIPSE October 2021
PROUST SPOTLIGHT
112.
Showcasing the talented blogger, Kulaan D. Dragon.
96.
STEALTHIC An interview with the man, the myth and the legend, Hunter.
THE WAYFAR
Join the Wayfarer as he expl Deer R
132.
THE FELLOWSH
Learn more about this fan inspired ev
48.
COVER STORY Someday I’ll Be A Farmer
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Ara Dethly
WRITER
144. VOICES FROM THE GRID
Cajsa Lilliehook
Asked the same question, see what residents have to say.
RER
lores River.
154.
ACROSS THE GRID Wicca introduces to the world of mermaids and sirens.
HIP
162. THE ART PERSPECTIVE
ntasy vent.
Featuring a review of the Linden Gallery of Resident Art.
ECLIPSE Magazine is dedicated to not only offering an aesthetically pleasing publication, but to also be considered a platform that offers rich and relevant content. Each month, we showcase residents and groups that have taken the concept of “your world, your imagination” to such great heights that they have impacted the culture and lifestyle of the Second Life community. ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 13
Page 14 | ECLIPSE Octoberr 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 15
the contributo
TROUBLE DETHLY
CAJSA LILLIEHOOK
PUBLISHER
COPY EDITOR
TAYLOR W
CONTENT M
HAYDEN DETHLY
JUNE FALLON
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR
ors
WASSEP
MANAGER
PREVIOUS ISSUES
WRITERS Cajsa Lilliehook Daffodil Crimson Gidge Uriza Novaleigh Freng Taylor Wassep Wicca Merlin
PHOTOGRAPHERS Ara Dethly Hayden Dethly Mauro Rosenfeld Stef Nova Sylvia Olivier Taylor Wassep Wicca Merlin
STYLISTS Hayden Dethly Mauro Rosenfeld Skye Nefekalum Sylvia Olivier Taylor Wassep Vivien De’Lancoure Wicca Merlin
Page 26 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 27
Page 28 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 29
Welcome to the October 2021 issue of ECLIPSE Magazine! I have to say I do enjoy not having a set publishing schedule. It makes each issue I do publish far more enjoyable to work on, and it gives me more free time to work on other projects in-world. Currently, The Solstice: The Fellowship, an event I manage, is running until October 14th. I am working on the third annual interactive trick-or-treat neighborhood, although this year it will be a bit bigger. In the next few days, I will be dropping more information on my Facebook and blog. There is also a collaborative photography project, “A Thousand Words.” I am working with twenty other photographers, and I am very excited for the final outcome. Lastly, KPop United is coming along nicely and will open on November 13. With that, I think a nice December release would be good. I think I would enjoy a holiday issue. Regarding this issue, I feature the owner of DFS (Digital Farming System) on the cover. It’s the biggest and most popular farming community and system on the grid. There was a point where I was converting all my friends to farmers. One of the things I like best about it is that it is a closed system, essentially. You tend your crops and animals, and cook with what you harvest. The food you cook is used for energy that you need to take care of your farm. I think it is pretty cool, and I have a lot of fun doing it. We also have two feature articles, one on Stealthic and another on The Fellowship. For “The Kitchen Corner” we have shifted how we will present each recipe, and this month Taylor shares his favorite homemade pasta sauce recipe. There are ten pieces this month, and I do hope you enjoy them. Happy Readings!
from the publisher
through the lens
s
Each issue, ECLIPSE Magazine invites the many talented photographers from Second Life to collaborate. With this piece, they style, create and share a glimpse through their lens. For this edition, Hayden Dethly, Mauro Rosenfeld and Taylor Wassep showcase their take on the cozy autumn season.
Page 38 | ECLIPSE October 2021
Photographer: Mauro Rosenfeld
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 39
Photographer: Taylor Wassep
Page 40 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 41
Photographer: Hayden Dethly Page 42 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 43
Photographer: Hayden Dethly Page 44 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 45
Page 46 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 47
someday i’ll be a f
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARA DETHLY & taylor wassep. writt
armer
en by cajsa lilliehook.
Someday I’ll be a farmer, working the land I wish I was a farmer, to work with my hands ‘Cause it’s been too long a ride, too high the fare Well, I built and climbed a mountain But it wasn’t there And I been lookin’ all around looked everywhere Well, I built and climbed a mountain But it wasn’t there It isn’t there, dum ta dum It isn’t here, it isn’t there, nor anywhere There is something about farming that captures our imagination. In the Seventies, Melanie Safka released “Someday I’ll Be a Farmer” as a single and it spoke to those who dreamed of escaping the city where they build and climb mountains for nothing but can find peace in communion with the land. This is not a new sentiment, in the first century, the Roman poet Juvenal advised the world “Be a gentleman farmer.” The concept of the “gentleman farmer” captured the imaginations of the United States’ founders who believed “those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God.” Thomas Jefferson included himself among those farmers though the actual laborers were those he enslaved. The founders also suspected city people, Jefferson wrote, ”I view great cities as pestilential to the morals, the health and the liberties of man.” Melanie echoes that in her song “The Citiest People” when she sings “just look what the city, the dirty old city, is doing to you.” The belief that farmers were noble and city dwellers were not is the foundation for the disproportionate power of rural states in the Senate and Electoral College in the United States. This is not just a Western notion. In China, there is a proverb that says “There are only two ways to reach the truth, through literature or through agriculture.”
Page 50 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 51
Page 52 | ECLIPSE October 2021
Luckily for us, whether we live in a town of 100 or 31 million people, we can take Juvenal’s advice and be a gentle farmer in Second Life. In fact, more than 22,000 Second Life residents have taken up their hoes, donned their shitkickers, and grabbed their pitchforks to become a farmer working the land. Digital Farming Systems founder Ice Dover [Ice12192 Dover] and friends were inspired by the viral success of Farmville on Facebook and wondered about a farming system in Second Life. There were plenty of folks in SL eager to farm but with no adequate and modern farming system that was not part of the Gorean role-playing life. They wanted to be sure it was not too tedious, easy to learn, and lovely to look at. They weren’t asking for much at all. They launched their beta test in October, 2016. The rest, as they say, is history. Digital Farming Systems now employs twenty people, four in management, five in design, two in marketing, and the rest in customer service. With 22,000 farmers and growing by nearly 500 farmers a month, it has become a cottage industry. So how does it work? The easiest way to learn everything you need to know is to subscribe to the DFS YouTube channel and watch tutorials. The first tutorial begins with your initial purchase of the starter pack that will bring you a complete farm to table experience by making a tomato soup from tomatoes you have grown yourself. It’s virtually delicious. So what drew 22,000 fellow residents to farming? For Sungyoung Holloway-Zhao [Jangsungyoung] it was something to do with her friends. “I like the mechanics of having to nurture your crops or cook food for an “x” amount of time. It makes the whole experience more rewarding.” Passi Littlepaws [Passiel Littlepaws] enjoys seeing “what I can create through cooking, what new animals I get and I like harvesting crops.” Olga Minor has always been interested in breeding in Second Life, “and farming was something new for me.” According to Ice Dover, even some real life farmers farm in Second Life.
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 53
I’m gonna pick an apple right from the tree I’m gonna eat the apple ‘cause it grew there for me And it’s been to long a ride, too high the fare Well, I built an-climbed a mountain But it wasn’t there And I been lookin’ all around, looked everywhere To build and climb a mountain if it isn’t there It isn’t there, dum ta dum It isn’t here, it isn’t there, nor anywhere These are just three of the more than 22,000 farmers in SL, but other than interest in the mechanics of farming, there is also the pleasure of being part of a large, active community. People often ask where they can meet other people in Second Life. Clubs are often filled with people all conducting private conversations in IM without saying a word in public chat. There’s something haunting about being in a small crowd of twenty silent people, dancing beautifully in sync while not talking to each other at all. DFS has active in-world groups, a trading market, and Discord channels. The give and take of trading your products with other farmers encourages talking to each other, a lost art in our socially distanced first and Second Life. A lot of effort is put into making sure there is a true sense of community. They dedicate space for community connection with a community market and community sims where people can live among their fellow farmers raising their crops and livestock. There are not just the social media and in-world groups, but the DFS staff have many events that foster connection. According to Ice Dover, “We have a monthly cooking contest and recipe of the day where you get a bonus EP for cooking the dish. A leveling system where farmers can compete with one another with their levels as well as achievements. Game days, fishing contests, and FB contests as well. Our flickr is growing and we are always looking for new farmers to highlight on our FB page.”
Page 54 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 55
Page 56 | ECLIPSE October 2021
DFS Design Team Lead Krysta Ember thinks connection is created by “the contests and the events that DFS holds, helps you get to know your fellow farmers. You can watch your achievements and see your accomplishments in the hood.” Aria Songlark, who works in branding and marketing, gives Ice a lot of the credit. “From the top down. Ice has always been super friendly and it filters down through the staff and spreads through the chat channels. We’ve always been proud of how helpful our farmers are to each other, and the banter in our chats is great craic! I also think having sims where you can rent parcels and literally be in a DFS community was a great help in this regard, because some rental companies assume we’re more script-heavy than we actually are.” Kitty Heartsong, a mesher for DFS, thinks it is because the staff listens to the farmers. “We listen. We are always watching. It is sometimes hard to meet everyone’s needs all at once. I watch our CSR’s a lot. Mostly though we always try to make things new, fun, and cute, and pretty, and something they would WANT to do and have in their homes or on their dinner table.” The farmers all go to market at least once a week. Sung says that she visits the market every time she logs in, but mainly interacts on Discord, “Mainly ‘cos I needed to ask something like how many times a cow gets pregnant, etc. Even with my little interaction, I can see that the community is very helpful and new farmer friendly.” Passi goes to the market every week, but talks to people in trade and support chats. She also likes going to auctions. Olga goes to the market every day and even though she is “used to working alone, but for me, all my friends at DFS are like one big family. I am confident in these people who will always come to each other’s aid.” In commercial farming, technology has brought new efficiencies that increase the harvest and decrease costs. For example, a modern combine can measure the wheat as it is harvested. The farmer can take that data and create a field map that they can use when planting so they plant
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 57
the more seeds where the yield is greater. This ensures they use fewer seeds while getting greater yield. Here is one farmer’s experience. They can also use GPS so that their irrigators spread water precisely, not overlapping and not wasting water. DFS also provides “Smart Pots” and “Clickies” to maximize farmers’ efficiency and reduce the workload. The clickies work without the game HUD and don’t consume energy. It’s almost like having a hired hand. One of the popular innovations of DFS is the table in the farm to table. There are cooking events, new recipes, and nearly everyone has a favorite. Owner/founder Ice was, perhaps not wanting to share his true preference, claimed DFS Oopsie as his favorite, it is a repellent green sludge with no nutritional value available for one linden in the marketplace with the warning, “Eat at your own risk.” Krysta was equally circumspect saying it was impossible to choose. Some staff were open to stating their preferences, Aria loves the Double Bacon Cheeseburger, Fries, and Root Beer Float and Kitty is a fan of the Gourmet Cheese Tray. The farmers, though, voiced their preferences. Olga’s favorite is Jello Sangria Cake. Passi prefers the Lemon Pie. Sung goes whole hog, literally, preferring the DFS Runefalls Roasted Hog Platter. Ernest Hemingway was another roast suckling pig aficionado, so she is in good company. DFS will be celebrating their fifth year October 8th through the 10th. According to Ice, there will be live events, stalls for secondary markets where DFS farmers can sell their products. A search of Marketplace brought up 84 merchants selling their wares. There will also be many new releases including new livestock. Krysta added “Get ready for more, cause our team is really working on some great stuff. That’s all I’mma say about that.” Then she winked.
Page 58 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 59
Page 60 | ECLIPSE October 2021
I wish I was a farmer, working the land Some day I’ll be a farmer to work with my hands ‘Cause, it’s been too long a ride, too high the fare You know I built and climbed a mountain But it wasn’t there And I been lookin’ all around, looked everywhere Well, I built an-climbed a mountain, but it wasn’t there And I been lookin’ all around, looked everywhere To build and climb a mountain if it isn’t there It isn’t there, dum ta dum It isn’t here, it isn’t there, nor anywhere I wish I was a farmer, working the land Some day I’ll be a farmer to work with my hands Hah da da ti da ti dum dum ti dum da da da dum DFS is a unique farming system compared to something like Farmville or other systems. As Aria explains, “ It costs less, and a lot of things are a one-off buy, like the seeds, which will always give you a seed as well as the crop when you harvest it. We designed it so almost everything can be resold, and some, like our limited edition stuff can turn a good profit. When I joined, I loved how I could store everything in my Inventory with no loss of product, which was amazing for moving sims or just taking a break.” Krysta thinks it is uniquely community-oriented. She says its main difference from other systems is “the way it integrates the community. You never feel alone here. The people are excited, it shows.” Kitty thinks the code is what really makes it unique, code and listening. “It’s a smart code, everything has a flow. Mostly, working behind the scenes, I know that it is run by people who REALLY love it, and love the people. So, as a result....we listen, we watch, we adapt, we learn.....but mostly, it is simplified, and enjoyable.”
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 61
Code is important. Ice spends eight to ten hours a day working on DFS and most of his time is spent on coding. The process of creating a new crop or food item, once you have the idea, is fairly straightforward. One of the meshers creates the mesh. Textures and general beautification follows. Then the code is added, verifying that all the necessary items are in the system. If it’s a new recipe, you need to be certain all the ingredients are there, the animals and the crops. Then the ads and marketing begins. DFS has created a game within a game, one that integrates people into a large community where they work toward a shared purpose. Sung thinks DFS makes Second Life more fun, “I would like to say a HUGE thank you to the makers of DFS! Thank you for making Second Life more interesting and fun! I used to only login to take photos but now, I have “chores” and farm goals that I want to achieve.” Olga is confident nearly everyone would enjoy the game. “I would like to add that we are always happy to see new people in DFS. Don’t be afraid to learn something new, everyone will find their interest here and I am sure that you will be able to love DFS as I love it.” Passi found herself surprised at its effect in her own life, “It is strange that a game can have such a positive influence on my life. I have learned so much and made such great relationships through the game.” Not ones to rest on their laurels, they are planning new and exciting products for the future. They have also launched a sister company, Digital Living Systems to make sure you bathe, eat, exercise and keep your avatar healthy, happy, and alive. Yes, it’s very much like The Sims, but there are real people behind the avatars which makes for so much more spontaneity and surprise. And if Digital Farming excites you, wait until you try Digital Living.
Page 62 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 63
Page 64 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 65
Hayden dethly Page 66 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 67
Page 68 | ECLIPSE Octoberr 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 69
The Kitchen corn photography by TAYL
If there is one thing that brings people together, it is food. The Second Life culture is as rich as its residents, and “The Kitchen Corner” celebrates and showcases the talents of content creators that will appeal to all “foodies.” Collaborating with different residents ECLIPSE Magazine presents an innovative approach on all things food related with fantastic imagery and an equally tried and true accompanying recipe. Taylor Wassep shares his favorite homemade spaghetti sauce recipe that he would cook during a romantic date with Mauro. Buon appetito!
ner OR WASSEP.
Page 72 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 73
homemade
Ingredients 1-2 Cans of Crushed Tomatoes 3 Garlic Cloves (minced finely) 2-3 Tbsp of Tomato Paste 1/2 Onion (diced or 1 1/2 Shallots) 1 tsp Dried Basil 1 tsp Dried Oregano 1 tsp Parsley 1 tsp Rosemary 1 tsp Savory 1 tsp Thyme 1 tsp salt Splash of Milk (Half and Half or Heavy Cream) Parmesan Cheese (or Romano) 2 Tbsp of Cooking Oil Pasta, of your choice
1. With a saucepan in hand, turn your stove medium low heat and add your cooking oil that will leave oil residue in your sauce, but sauteing and cooking of your ingredients. I ball the amount of oil. Once poured into yo oil to warm up before adding your minced g (Cooking Tip: if you sprink in a little amount garlic and onions, they won’t burn or caram
2. Around this time, I grab my big cooking p half to 3/5 of the way up with hot water from place the pot on the stove and turn the bur my stove, I have a setting for quick boiling. setting, just keep an eye on the water and d pot.
3. Once your garlic and onions are cooked t your 1 to 2 cans of crushed tomatoes. This is much sauce you want. Adding more cans w and you would need to add more seasoning could mean not as much sauce to enjoy.
4. While your sauce is cooking, you can add water. Remember to add some salt to the w added.
5. Allow your crushed tomatoes and sautee for a few minutes, and the sauce to warm th your tomato paste and stir that. I find tomat punch of tomato flavor and possibly even th bit. Just don’t go overboard and add too mu
6. Remember to check on your pasta water, it will be ready for the pasta to be added. Ad forget that there can NEVER be too much p do too is lower the temp now, so you don’t forming and overflow your pan.
7. It is at this point that you can now add yo the sauce. I gave rough estimates of how m but you can add or remove as much as you those ingredients gives the best flavors to y the ingredients are added to the sauce, low Page 74 | ECLIPSE October 2021
e spaghetti sauce by taylor
e on to medium to l. Do not add too much just enough to allow for pretty much just eyeour saucepan, allow the garlic and diced onions. t of salt into your sauteing melize as quickly)
to medium-low to low and let that simmer while you check your pasta once more or go about the kitchen. Just don’t leave anything unattended for more than a few minutes. Anything could happen in those couple of minutes.
pot and fill it up about m the tap.Then I simply rner on to full blast. On If you don’t have such a don’t forget to cover the
9. Once the pasta is cooked, I save a little bit of the pasta water in a 2-cup measuring cup (to add to sauce later if it’s too thick) and then pour the pasta into a colander to drain. DO NOT RINSE YOUR PASTA YOU FOOL! Just place it back into the pot it was in, or add it into your pasta sauce. Whatever your preference is for administering your sauce and pasta together
through, you can add s a preference as to how would dilute the sauce g. Adding fewer cans
10. Regardless of if you add your pasta to the sauce or not, I really find adding in a splash of milk or half and half to the sauce just makes a huge difference in the mouth feel of the spaghetti. The sauce seems to coat the pasta a little more, and it makes the sauce color a tinge lighter. Then plate your pasta for the ultimate romantic dinner dish with you and your partner. Also, don’t forget the parmesan cheese to grate over your completed dish.
d your pasta to the boiling water before the pasta is
8. Check your sauce for season and flavor, add what you want if it needs it. Remember, this is your recipe and meal to enjoy. Go with your own taste and opinions!
ed ingredients to marry horoughly. You can add to paste adds another hickens the sauce a tiny uch paste.
, hopefully by this point dd your pasta and don’t pasta. Something I would get those bubbles
our seasonings to much seasoning I use, want. Adding all of your sauce. Once all wer the temperature ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 75
Page 76 | ECLIPSE October 2021
Dust Bunny: Pasta Love - Full Set
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 77
Page 78 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 79
Page 80 | ECLIPSE Octoberr 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 81
Page 82 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 83
the proust spotli
photography by Kulaan
The Proust Spotlight is our monthly feature where we highlight one of the many creative residents of Second Life®. Utilizing the Proust Questionnaire, whose namesake comes from the late 19th century French writer, we will offer a glimpse into what makes them tick. The blogger we feature this month is the talented Kulaan D. Dragon. He shares,”Aaaaaughibbrgubugbugrguburgle! Also, hello. I am Kulaan, the drinker of coffee, the too-little-sleep-er, and the I’veordered-my-food-two-hours-ago-why-isn’t-it-here-er. I’m passionate about roleplay and all things stories. I love meaning in the smallest of things. I’ve been accused of being an extrovert, a statement which I vehemently deny - /but/ I have adopted at least one introvert. ”
ght
D. Dragon.
Page 86 | ECLIPSE October 2021
What is your ideal of perfect happiness? Family, if one is to follow the teachings of Dominic Toretto. Personally, I think having a little bit of everything is happiness enough. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? The chivalric virtue of “do ill to no man, nor consent unto such.” Mostly because knights, swords, heads. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? My guy… If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? I’d like to reincarnate as an organic avocado, just so I can see what the inside of a Whole Foods is like. What do you most value in your friends? Honesty. Honestly, if you can keep dishonesty at bay, and sincerely focus on being truthful even when it’s difficult, I’m good. Which historical figure do you most identify with? There are far too many. But if I were to settle on one, I could comfortably pick Alexander Hamilton. Yes, because of the musical. I hear Trouble loves it.
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 87
Page 88 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 89
Page 90 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 91
Page 92 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 93
Page 94 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 95
stealthic
PHOTOGRAPHy by stealthic and wicca merlin. written by tayl
lor wassep.
A prime example of what keeps people in Second Life™ would have to be the customization of our avatars. From skin tone to age, eye color, and even species, every aspect of our avatars is an import from someone’s creativity and hard work.. It’s up to the individual to collect these pieces and form them into our virtual representations. There is no better place to start with all things customizable than our hair; it is at the very top of our avatar’s heads after all. Hair in Second Life has gone on its journey from being part of the system avatar you could modify by moving sliders to the most current iteration of avimesh, multi-styling hair pieces that give even more to the customer base in terms of options to use. One brand that has been on the forefront of hair design would be a little store named Stealthic. Owned by Hunter, Stealthic is a hair store that caters to the masses with its realistic hair designs matched with its ability to stay fresh and innovative with its styles. Stealthic is a great example of someone from a small town who blossomed with creativity once he was given the opportunity. Being a part of communities and growing from them seems to be a constant thread with Hunter. I wanted to get some basic information from Hunter about Stealthic, like the name, where did it come from? Weirdly enough, “Stealthic” has been Hunter’s username in many console games since he was in middle school. One of his long-time best friends came up with the name on a whim, and it just stuck for years now. No real meaning comes from the name, it just sounded cool in the moment.
Page 98 | ECLIPSE October 2021
Hair: Stealthic - Cordova
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 99
Page 100 | ECLIPSE October 2021
“My life was very humble before, as I lived in Michigan, US within a very small town. After Second Life, I made a lot of friends and moved across the country a little. I now live in New York, and have been enjoying it very much.” - Hunter Hunter began creating mods for other virtual communities long before joining Second Life. He has created content for The Sims™ and even Skyrim™. Hunter thrived in those creator communities as well. It was there he heard about Second Life. You can still find some of those hair creations he made in other games on the Stealthic Marketplace. The transition was a little strange for Hunter. He pointed out the intricacies that Second Life offers when it comes to making stuff within its grid. He had to learn what HUDs are and how to create them along with how to craft scripts from scratch and implement what he makes into this new system. Once confident enough to pursue what he has a fiery passion for, Hunter wanted to try his hand at it in Second Life.
Hair: Stealthic - Clarity
This could not have happened without a slew of amazing people helping him run Stealthic along the way. NarciCism, who also goes by Alex, has been a friend for quite some time now. Alex has come on board as Stealthic’s second Mesher; Hunter has been the sole mesher for the brand since it opened (YEAR). Newsea, who also goes by Jujujam, is from The Sims community, and he has been helping work on some hairstyles released by Stealthic as well. Last, but not least, Toksik, who has been by his side for years and has also helped inspire and create a couple of hairstyles too. With such an important group around Hunter and Stealthic as a brand, he felt like he could take on the world. It’s important to have groups of friends like this, because they can help you better yourself and if you have a store, better you store as well.
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 101
To stay competitive now, Hunter looks to places like Instagram™ and shares inspiration among his close-knit group of friends. He did specifically name Toksik, the owner of another wildly popular brand, “Toksik”. This kind of ties into his process when it comes to meshing his hair for Stealthic. The process has to be “fun” for him since he is putting so much time and energy into each product.
“I process the concept in my head, lay down my base strands and just go from there. It’s hard to label my process since I change it up every time, even though it’s been years.” - Hunter Having been creating content for over eight years now, including his time creating mods in The Sims and other games. Hunter has seen a lot and is able to give his two cents when it comes to improvements he feels Linden Labs could take with creating in their game. Polycount limiting would help reduce a lot of the lag we feel in Second Life on a daily basis. When there is almost no limit to how many polygons there are in a mesh product, that creates lag on the system as a whole. That along with limits on texture size and the number of textures allowed on mesh products could all make the user experience better.
“This would also give creators less stress for creating such intensely high quality meshes. They are beautiful, but we can also optimize these beautiful meshes and make them look just as nice.” - Hunter
Page 102 | ECLIPSE October 2021
Hair: Stealthic - Rebellion
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 103
Page 104 | ECLIPSE October 2021
This would be a great example of having to balance quality with detail-oriented precision when it comes to creating mesh in Second Life. Hunter has confessed that for him, doing shorter hairstyles is a challenge. Compacting everything into a much smaller area means more focus on the details. Overall though, Hunter tries to gravitate towards an equal medium when it comes to styles and tastes of hair. So maybe we might see some more shorter hairstyles in the future, *crosses fingers*. Speaking of the future, with this brisk fall season approaching for much of the northern hemisphere, Hunter mentioned that he does have some interesting products on the way. Still, he is going to keep mum about what exactly Stealthic will be releasing over the next few months. So we’ll just have to be patient people and wait to see what wonders they will be. In closing with Hunter and Stealthic, he wanted to speak directly to you, the readers. “I’d like to give you guys a hug and thank you for sticking with me through the years! I read every comment and message you guys send me, seriously. A lot has stuck with me and I reflect off of each one, all of the feedback.” After interviewing Hunter, I got to see a really charming side to the mind behind Stealthic. Someone who came from humble beginnings and was able to build this brand with those he loves and cares for. Usually at the end of my interview, I like to ask people if there was anything I missed or didn’t touch on that you felt was important to share with ECLIPSE Readers, what would it be? Hunter wanted to shout out all those who helped him get to where he is today. Some new people he did want to touch on, Nightcralwer and Anto who taught various tricks and hints on meshing. Lastly, he wanted to thank Kalilies, from Skyrim, who along with Toksik are two of Hunter’s closest friends who help by allowing him to bounce ideas off them.
Hair: Stealthic - Vesper
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 105
Hair: Stealthic - Otome
Page 106 | ECLIPSE October 2021
Hair: Stealthic - Narcotic
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 107
Page 108 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 109
Page 110 | ECLIPSE Octoberr 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 111
THE wayfarer...
“The Wayfarer” is a monthly feature showcasing some of the most aesthetic places in Second Life®. Upon his arrival, the first thing he noticed was the way the crisp, autumn air mingled with the breath of the ocean. Inhaling deeply, he paused for a moment, before he began to explore. His footsteps tread carefully upon the weathered dock, as he climbed stone steps that led to a worn dirt path. The Wayfarer discovered hidden places in this fall themed paradise, and it was on the wooden rope bridge that he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. Here in this moment, he found his peace. Immerse yourself in Deer River.
Page 114 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 115
Page 116 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 117
Page 118 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 119
Page 120 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 121
Page 122 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 123
Page 124 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 125
Page 126 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 127
Page 128 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 129
Page 130 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 131
the solstice: The fello
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAYLOR WASSEP. written by tayl
owship
lor wassep.
Page 134 | ECLIPSE October 2021
Fantasy literature has a prominent position among the many literary and cinematic genres. Spanning the gamut from fantasy horror like Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” to high fantasy, like J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” novel series, imaginary universes are crafted to squeeze out as much creativity as possible and bring the consumer into a world unlike their own. It is Tolkien who is credited with reviving the Fantasy genre with his books and the films based on his novelsFor this, he is often called the father of modern fantasy literature. The world he created in Middle Earth captured the hearts of millions all around the world and inspired a new wave of writers to follow their imagination into their own new worlds. Tales of Enchantment, a creator group in Second Life, were so enchanted by Tolkien’s work they wanted to create an event dedicated to the high fantasy series. This led to a special event from The Solstice Events called The Fellowship.
“It makes for great inspiration if you’re new to designing in fantasy themes and helps support a wider range of RP communities.” - Potato Pancake
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 135
I was able to snag an interview with Potato Pancake, the Blog Manager for the event, and pick their brain on Solstice and their Lord of the Rings and Hobbit-inspired event. Solstice is a quarterly event that was brought to life by the amazing support of content creatures in Second Life who have their hands well into the fantasy-based role-playing community. In addition to the work Potato is contributing to The Fellowship event, Tales of Enchantment is hosting the Solstice Event, both owned by Crybaby Darkheart. If you are unfamiliar with Tales of Enchantment, they are a roleplaying community of nine fantasy-based sims. Aiming for a 2022 opening, Tales of Enchantment’s lore is based around the darker aspects of fairy tales. Their inspiration for creating the event is to help give the fantasy roleplay community its due and bring to light what a wonderful community they are a part of. Though Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are not strictly viewed as fairy tales, Tales of Enchantment and everyone running The Solstice Event wanted to give as much time and energy into the event as they are giving towards this new role-playing space. In fact, when creating the event space for The Fellowship, they wanted to showcase major elements from Tolkien’s work such as Bilbo’s Birthday celebration that worked well to provide a communal, welcoming layout. These ideas were brought to life at the event venue by the talented Ky Darkheart.
Page 136 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 137
Page 138 | ECLIPSE October 2021
“My favorite part of the build is all the extra little details like the fireworks which bring back memories of specific scenes in the movies.” - Potato Pancake The Solstice is a quarterly event, thus something will be popping up from them in a few months. When asked about it, Potato was appropriately discreet, but gave ECLIPSE Magazine readers some little nuggets of information. Around the end of January, The Solstice will create an event revolving around love, but with a twist. Don’t forget, The Solstice presents: The Fellowship opened September 16th and will be running until October 14th. So please, make like Bilbo and Sam and travel to the event. I can’t promise you the same adventure they had, but the memories and nostalgia will be worth it. Just maybe don’t look down the water pool when you teleport in there, it gave me some bad vibes.
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 139
Page 140 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 141
Page 142 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 143
Voices from the g
Voices From the Grid is a monthly survey of opinions and ideas of Second Life® residents on the salient issues of the day. For this issue, ECLIPSE Magazine we asked residents to share “What does the end of gacha mean to you?”
grid
Photograph provided by Luah Benelli.
Page 146 | ECLIPSE October 2021
luah benelli
L
uah Benelli was born in SL in May 2007 in Brazil. She got to know this new world on social “islands” and interacted with new friends. She soon was introduced to the RPG where she starts “playing” as celestial and this went on for a few years.She has always been interested in fashion and created her blog to help other people set up their AVs with FREE products that existed in SL. Today, after 14 years in this Second Life that she loves, she has a well-established blog with many designers who like and trust her work. She is a blogger, photographer, store and event manager and doesn’t intend to leave this fantastic world of Second Life. I believe the end of GACHA in SL is the end of many more accessible business opportunities for people who love to play SL but who have little money (RL/SL) to invest in their Avs. Many designers also got their businesses compromised, I believe, because now they have to sell their products in bigger and more expensive “packs”. So I think it got a little harder for everyone in SL. On the other hand it could also be considered a “game of chance” because we had to keep investing our L$ until we got what we really wanted and we were full of additional copies until that happened. So like everything in life (RL/SL) we have to make choices, but this is not the end of the world. Check out her Flickr, Blog, Facebook, Instagram and Marketplace.
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 147
Photograph provided by Freya Pancake.
Page 148 | ECLIPSE October 2021
F
freya pancake
reya Pancake [freyanata resident] began her Second Life in 2015. Very quickly she discovered the fencing game ‘En Garde’ where she has enjoyed competing in and occasionally winning some of the weekly tournaments that are held in-world. She loves exploring beautiful sims, putting together creative outfits, visiting clubs and hanging out with her friends. Over the past year she has started using Flickr to express her appreciation for the wonderful and creative world that she is a part of. What does the end of gacha mean to me? Well, as someone who rarely ever played gacha machines, I am actually saddened to see this form of shopping disappear from Second Life – and I think that for many people it will be sorely missed. When I first discovered gacha, I played a few times, but it really didn’t take too long before I moved from an initial sense of fun and novelty to complete frustration with the randomness of it all. I couldn’t help but feel like I was wasting my lindens on the off chance of getting the one item I wanted, whilst filling my inventory with plenty of other things that I had no use for. So, in the end I moved from playing gacha to simply looking for the items I wanted on Marketplace so that I could buy them specifically. This was a sometimesexpensive way of doing it, especially when looking for rares – but it did offer the guarantee that I wasn’t going to be disappointed. So why am I sad to see it go? Well, gacha did provide a wealth of items on a huge variety of themes. As designers filled out a set on a theme, they brought into existence a wealth of carefully crafted minor items to compliment the main ‘rare’ piece, rather than just offering a new dress or a piece of furniture. This, to someone who is increasingly interested in photography, is really helpful for finding props to fill a scene. Not only that, but gacha are unusual in that they are transferable – which meant that I could share things with my friends… So for example, if I needed a large scythe for a picture, or a specific look for a one-off party, I could ask around and borrow one, rather than spending more money. So, gacha could provide a cheap means of pulling together a variety of different outfits and accessories, even on a limited budget. It might have initially been infuriatingly random to me, but I eventually came to see its benefits.
That’s why for me, the end of gacha is a sad thing. I won’t miss it as much as some, but it does leave me hoping that another, similar means of shopping will step up and fill the void.
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 149
Photograph provided by Azra Miray.
Page 150 | ECLIPSE October 2021
A
AZRA MIRAY
zra Miray [Azramiray18] has been part of the SL community since 2018. She joined after a good friend mentioned that some of her interests in creating, decorating and photography could be cultivated in Second Life. This topic piqued her curiosity and she decided to give it a try. During this time she has explored various areas of what Second Life has to offer, from photography, modeling, hosting, and blogging. Currently she has entered into a new venture creating a store with her good friend. Together with her close friend she has created CELESTIAL, a store that is based on creating shapes for Second Life avatars, makeup and more. She likes to keep expanding the store’s offering by exploring even more of Second Life. She hopes to continue exploring and learning more from Second Life, since it has enabled her to explore all the areas she has interest in and shown even more things she would like to learn and make part of her future on the grid. Second Life without gachas for me is something that I believe will affect stores and creators more than other people. I used to enjoy visiting the gacha events, but will admit the frustration in trying to receive a specific one to no avail. To be honest the money I have spent on getting specific gachas cause me to laugh at myself. The worry I have now is the fatpack option will lessen the appeal since the allure of gachas and their rares was based on getting an item most people in SL won’t have. You only want that item, and now it is going to be sold as any common item. The thing that captures my attention is how it will be sold and what new things could be introduced to Second Life that have that flair of obtaining something everyone won’t be able to have. So the end of gachas to me is something interesting to watch, not only observing the reactions as a consumer yet also as someone interested in creating. I was in fact planning to make gacha items in my store when the news broke out and It took me a minute to decide what way I would be marketing the items. The crackjack effect in not knowing what you might get, is something a lot of people enjoy. What am I going to get feeling?, Until you get 300 of the same and you decide maybe I should stop. In my life I don’t think it will make much of an impact as to some. I am looking forward to what newness creators will do to give us that “only I have this fix”, because in Second Life there aren’t many things that have that appeal to get you to want to race towards it and be the first one to get it. They were our sort of RPG quests and now we have fewer “quests’‘ to keep us entertained. Also for those who only earn through gachas will have to look for another outlet to make their lindens. Since we have to admit SL is an expensive game, it is very similar to real life. So gachas will make an impact on all of us including myself, directly and indirectly. Check out her in-world store, Marketplace, Flickr and Facebook.
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 151
Page 152 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 153
across the grid
photography by wicca merlin. written by wicca merlin & DAFFODI
Second Life is vast, where in every part of the grid pieces and themes of fiction can be found. Wicca Merlin curates “Across the Grid” introducing ECLIPSE Magazine readers to fashion and places less known. For this piece, Wicca delves into the world of mermaids and sirens with fashion and places to visit. She styles with Vivien De’Lancoure and Aramis De’Lancoure.
L CRIMSON.
Stylists: Vivien De’Lancoure, Aramis De’Lancoure, Wicca Merlin Page 156 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 157
“Come join me into my embrace, I will take your pain away, do you wish to see another world beyond what your eyes can see oh sweet, gentle one?” A hand reaches out to you from the veil of waters surrounding the beauty before you, their gaze and hypnotic words try to draw you to their embrace. Will you resist or succumb to their spell? What would you do when you hear the enchanting song of the sirens of the sea? Some were kind, others full of mischief, but mermaids or sirens are usually dangerous to humans. Their gifts could bring misfortune. Often seen as an omen of a shipwreck if seen on a voyage or the cause of floods and other disasters if they are offended or wounded, their pain is tied to the oceans currents. These beings of mythology and folklore, long living mortals but with no soul, famously depicted with the head and upper body of a man or woman and the tail of a fish are natural beings that have magical, prophetic powers. The most famous mermaid is Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid which was adapted into musicals, movies, including one well known redheaded princess, and even immortalized with a bronze statue on a rock by the waterside in Copenhagen. Needless to say the silhouette of the mermaid has led itself into the fashion world, with gowns cinched at the waist and clinging thighs before flaring out like a fishtail around the feet, he shape is commonly used with wedding dresses and evening attire, your curvaceous form shown off and celebrated. The fish scales also have a contribution into fashion from the pattern of scales in fabrics to the iridescent colors allowing the light to refract over the fabric skin.
Page 158 | ECLIPSE October 2021
Heaven of Mermaids
The Deep Sea ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 159
Stylists: Vivien De’Lancoure & Wicca Merlin Page 160 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 161
the art perspect
PHOTOGRAPHY BY gidge uriza. written by gi
Each piece, ECLIPSE Magazine discovers, reviews and highlights the work of some of the most creative and talented artists on the grid, offering a fresh perspective in the vibrant and vast world of the arts. For this month’s feature, Gidge Uriza visits the Linden Gallery of Resident Art.
tive
idge uriza.
In my quest this month to show off the interesting talent available on the grid I stumbled into something I expected to feel like a plot of yesteryear. The land and setting did not disappoint, bringing to life all the memories of mainland and the vagaries of it. There are the requisite bouncing FOR SALE signs in the background and that never ending use of stained glass freebie builds but yet, there in the Linden Gallery is actually also some lovely artwork. Color me surprised. It’s easy to forget that while the Lindens are our overlords they are also the facilitators of a great many things for us to enjoy in this pixel world including pieces of art. This little gallery tucked away on a corner spot of mainland is a great example of things it’s easy to overlook once we’re no longer noobs. I first ran into some pieces whose style looked familiar but I couldn’t quite place it until I noticed the placard. Nylon Pinkney - OF COURSE. Her talent and impact in both art and fashion are synonymous with creativity and I was intrigued to see these pieces that I was unfamiliar with. Her characters come to life in simple colors of detailed representations of themselves, each imparting a story to you. She’s smoking too much, she’s in love, she’s lost, she’s lost her mind. Whatever they’re saying, each character looks out at you imploring you to look deeper and see them. You might think you know them but you don’t. You only know the glimpse you’re allowed to see. If only we could see the next frame and the next, we might know these characters more but we’ll never get to, as Nylon has captured a single moment in time for us to ponder.
Page 164 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 165
Page 166 | ECLIPSE October 2021
There are also a variety of sculptures available to view and thematically the works of Seifert Surface all interplay knots of various cultures, as well as the math behind such structures. According to the notecard most of the artwork is mathematically inspired - there are many constructions which can be admired for their visual beauty, not to mention the beauty of the mathematical ideas behind them. Displayed here are “Wild knot flower 2”, “Alexander Horned Sphere” and “(13,7) torus knot”. A wild knot is a knot which cannot be represented by a finite number of straight lines - something infinitely complex is going on, which would require an infinite amount of work to disentangle. If you look very closely, you’ll notice that unfortunately this sculpture is not infinitely complex, although it is easy to see how the fractal structure would be continued. The sculptures are beautifully complex and would work well in almost any modern garden. I found myself wishing these works were for sale so that I could pick them up for some future use. Who knows where I’ll live in the future? I might have a need for garden sculpture.
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 167
The last piece that really drew me in and caught my eye was an animated piece that seems to speak to the oldbie in me and my love of new and different things. A sculpture by Sasun Steinbeck sings to me in sounds reminiscent of deep space, or some space ship with an odd ambient sound track. It’s an interactive piece called Morph Sculpture v3 & Stand @ Linden and there is no photo in the world that would quite do it justice, it must be experienced which I think is the point. Upon clicking it you can choose to morph the dancing sculpture, change colors, change the music and upon right clicking you can choose “ACID TRIP” which then positions you above the sculpture to look down into it - watching the dancing lights and colors whirl and spin. It is amazingly relaxing. It’s a ghost, it’s a cloud, it’s an angel, it’s nothing. As you watch it changes and soothes you somehow at the same time. I rather love it. If you’re interested in being included in this resident gallery hosted by Pathfinder Linden this is the information in the notecard at the site. This Gallery features artwork created by the Residents of Second Life. There is an amazing range of artistic creativity in this world, and we want to showcase it! Artwork will be rotated on a regular basis, and all Residents are encouraged to submit pieces to be displayed. Please contact Pathfinder Linden for details, or leave a notecard comment in the suggestion box next to this kiosk. Sasun Steinbeck maintains a wonderful list of Resident Original Art Galleries in Second Life. Please click on “The Galleries of Second Life” sign right next to this kiosk one to get a copy of the notecard, and please contact Sasun directly if you would like to be added to her growing list!
Page 168 | ECLIPSE October 2021
ECLIPSE October 2021 | Page 169