A Look At The VWBPE Grounds

by Gemma Cleanslate

I had my first peek at the new site of the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education. My mouth is still agape at the build! I don’t know how the participants are going to be able to just sit and listen and react with the lectures, workshops, and discussions. This year it is a wildly different venue than any other year in Second Life. If you are not familiar with the event check it out here and perhaps come visit March 26 through 28. https://www.vwbpe.org/ Look at the program to see what is going on each day.

I have been volunteering as a greeter for several years so I was lucky to get an overview on Saturday on the various sites that will be available to presenters, participants, and the other many visitors to the program. Bluebarker Lowtide escorted us on a tour around the universe of the site. There will be a convenient hud for all  at the Gateway along with a swag bag.

Sponsors and members have some marvelous exhibits all of which seem to have their own floating island . The hud will take you to each. Some are interactive and look for gifts . Loads of information on virtual education is available at the exhibits.

Draxtor Despres had many participants as he filmed Sunday hi-lighting an overview . There was a huge pre-party in the social area which is very popular with attendees and presenters in off times. We also had a videoing of the building activity of some awesome and also basic builders at the social site that was great fun  and demonstrated what Second Life is all about , This video will be on the official Second Life you tube channel Wednesday to wet your appetite for the event .

Make sure you visit the social area and look for the freebies section there . Have a talk with the Emobot too . He needs to tell you his woes.  If you visit once I think you will visit again and if looking for something new to do come along and attend one of the programs that sparks your interest.

Here is the Gateway, say hi if you find me there .

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VWBPE%20Gateway%20Pyxis/100/128/23

Gemma Cleanslate

New Arcadia Asylum Freebie Store Opens in Sunweaver Estates

By Bixyl Shuftan

Longtime readers know about Arcadia Asylum. These freebie stores, or libraries as they're officially called, have extensive collections of goods that can be picked up for free. A few days ago, a new one opened. This one was quite litterally down the street of the Newser office, in the HV Community sim. Like the others, Prof. Grey (BrianL61 Landar) is the builder and owner.

"Opened the doors yesterday (February 29)," Prof. Grey told me, "Full line library, including YadNi's Junkyard and Freebie Folly." The Sunweaver library's items are on three separate floors. The middle or ground floor has the works of Aley aka Arcadia. The lower or basement floor has the Freebie Folly items. The top floor, also accessible by the railroad line, is where the items that were part of YadNi's Junkyard are. The Junkyard had been one of Second Life's most popular freebie centers until it's closure in July 2015. Freebie Folly was a freebie store in Skidz, but it, "suddenly went vacant. The land still bears the Freebie Folly name, but it's a empty shop now." After attempts to contact the owner, Arcadia started displaying her free items.

Talking to Prof. Grey, that the Newser was nearby was an interesting detail for the place's location, but that wasn't all. "The land and road /water access was to die for." The railroad system got his attention as well, "I'm loving it. Can't run my SLRR stuff, but hey, a train's a train." Shortly after the store opening, the Sunweaver passenger train service was adjusted to stop at the Arcadia location.

The number of items packed in the place is truly massive. "This locations tops out at 9487 free items," Prof. Grey told me, "The only other location to match this is Anilis." Most of the items are not shown individually, but are in vendors that can be browsed with left/right arrows on the bottom. One can find avatars, vehicles, homes, furniture, plants, ships, boats, clothing, and much, much more. While some of the items are simple compared to what's available today, others are of decent quality. But in either case, one can't argue with the price.

By all means, give the Sunweaver Arcadia Asylum Library a look. Even if you have plenty of stuff, you just might find something interesting, or something you may want to tell a friend about. And if you haven't been to the Sunweaver area before, feel free to look around. This of course includes the Newser office, which is a little to the west down the road.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HV%20community/211/93/26

Bixyl Shuftan