Something for the Weekend

 Next weekend is going to be a busy one for opensim - isn't it almost always? For starters, it's the Opensimulator Community Conference held on a dedicated grid - this is the 13th year for the event that brings together educators and developers, with speakers like Valibrarian Gregg, Lone Wolf, and Sally Cherry.

Rhiannon Chatnoir and the team at Avacon organize the OSCC every year

On Saturday at 12.00noon SLT there's a panel presentation all about the Hypergrid International Expo! Mal Burns, James Atlloud and I will be discussing how the HIE event came into being, some details about the history, technical aspects, and aims of the event. SO if you're available to come over and hear it, check the HG Addresses at the bottom of this post. OSCC events are filmed and streamed in Youtube also. Subscribe if you haven't yet done so, and visit the OSCC Expo Zone 2 to see more information about HIE. 

There's more going on this weekend though. 

It's the final party on Discovery grid, next Saturday. They have 4 DJs lined up. from 12 noon SLT, to serenade the grid offline, or should I say transitioning  to O3DE. 

The End of Discovery

 Discovery Grid is closing, and will be gone by December 15. The news was announced at a grid meeting last Saturday. If, like me, you're busy on Saturdays and missed the meeting, you can get a recap of the main points of Balpien's announcement here. 

It seems the main reason why Balpien decided to shut down Discovery is that the internal economy of the grid has ground to a halt, with few merchants and money making sims, and a general decline in residents and regions.

It's always a shame to see a grid go offline, and one that's been around for over eight years is a loss to the general hypergrid community. But you still have a few weeks to go around and take one last look!

If you can't quite place Discovery among the many grids we have visited, here are a few reminders. The Safari has been lucky enough to tour here once or twice, beginning with a visit to Spirit Rock Ranch when the grid was just one year old. 

At that time our guide, Angel Discovery, explained how the grid was born out of friendships forged in Inworldz, so it's no surprise that, in his statement about the closing of Discovery, Balpien makes reference to that shambles of a shutdown that happened to Inworldz back in the summer of 2018, and vows to do better.  

Titanic going down

More recently we made a return to Discovery to see Kayaker Magic. He has a fabulous interactive Titanic build which is the scene of an annual party, to memorialize the sinking of that great ship - he very kindly let us see the dramatic sinking play out - so many details, with icebergs and lifeboats and flotsam and even rats deserting the ship!  The sporty Panthalassa region, with its opportunities for surfing, riding, hiking, and shooting dinosaurs, will surely survive on some other grid, it is a jewel of a sim.

Magic in Panthalassa

Kayaker Magic, armed and dangerously clever

Our first Safari of the season continued on Discovery Grid with a... Safari destination! Lost World Safari is just one part of the vast Panthalassa region developed by Kayaker Magic. 

Take a moment to Favorite his Website, it's full of treasures, explanations, and hints.

 As you might expect the scripter extraordinaire had endlessly entertaining details for the group to enjoy, as we gathered together at the Lodge, perched high above the dinosaur enclosure. Panthalassia isn't the first 8x8 var region we have visited, but it's the first on Discovery Grid, so that may have contributed to the cloudiness, and - interestingly - selective nudity, that the group enjoyed. 

Weefolkenshire

A hillside village on the edge of the sea was the first destination for the Fall 2023 season of HG Safari. We're on Discovery Grid, one of a handful of grids that require you to make a quick trip to their website to accept the terms and conditions before you teleport over. It's a small and painless step, and you only have to do it once, on your first visit, but interestingly, the idea can be off-putting for some grid jumpers. That's a shame because Discovery Grid contains some gems well worth seeing. We were on Discovery for both destinations, something that rarely happens on Safari where we tend to jump about like crazy. 

If you're thinking of opening your region to a Safari trip, that's great news! Please don't hesitate to get in contact. Please also read and review carefully the 6 main points explained on this page. They are the fruit of many years experience of group hypergridding, and will offer some simple low tech tips that will improve the Safari experience for both yourself and your visitors.

Here we are, a cloudy but enthusiastic crowd, in the main town square of Weefolkenshire

ShalHeira Nailo: I want to thank everyone for joining us today, it really means a lot

Belfast and Japan - Photo Finish

History featured strongly in this week's safari as we visited little slice of Asia and of Europe on two grids, Discovery and OSGrid, and found out about a past that may have passed some of us by. It's also a journey into the passion of builders, scripters, and virtual residents, as the kaleidoscope of creativity continues to enthrall us. HG Addresses as always at the end of the post. 

First up, the new project on the Belfast regions of Stiofain Mactomais. Known best perhaps for his music venue the Maritime, modeled on the real club of the same name where Van Morrison got their start, there's much more here - poetry, real world architecture, an exhibit celebrating the Belfast-built Titanic. 

This visit was to the Falls Road, and a project that can be enjoyed using your phone, Oculus rig, or as we did simply inworld.  Called the Belfast Archive Project, t's all about bringing the social history of this part of the world back to life in a vivid and accessible way. We met outside the inworld version of the historic Conway Mill.