Wagner James Au / New World Notes

Author, strategist, virtual world reporter

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Hypnotic Romance, an SL sim with secluded spaces for couples. Click here to teleport.

“TV POWWW!” by Tom Boellstorff & Braxton Soderman. Read about the first televised videogame here.

The Fitting Room: Try out new SL fits in a secure, private space. Click here to teleport.

VRChat Android Smartphone Downloaded Over 10,000 Times in First Week

August 23, 2023

In case you missed it, VRChat launched the Alpha version of its Android mobile app last week. (User-made tutorial above.) It's already been downloaded 10,000 times, though to be honest — given VRChat's user base of 5-10 million active users — on first glance, I'd have expected a larger download rate. Then again, the Android app is basically the Quest 2 version of VRChat, which means lower graphics quality and less interactivity options.

Then again (again), VRChat will need to get the mobile version right to grow the user base beyond its hardcore user base primarily composed of VR owners. Like I mention in Making a Metaverse That Matters, VRChat's user base was originally 30% VR-based, but that fairly quickly changed:

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Today’s Second Life Flickr Pick: Excellent Slice-of-Virtual Life Photos by Bavometh Beurling

August 23, 2023

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Bavometh Beurling shoots slice-of-life pics of him and, frequently, his friends in Second Life. I was drawn to the naturalism of this photo. He called it “Down and Out in New York City” after the James Brown song that inspired him.

For more slice of SLife shots, click here:

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Listen: Pondering the Potential of The Metaverse for Dystopian Purposes

August 22, 2023

Here's an interview about Making a Metaverse That Matters on the Plutopia News Network, hosted by Internet OG Jon Lebkowsky with fellow OGs Wendy Grossman and Scoop Sweeney. Watch above, though please disregard my disheveled look — I realized only at the very last moment that this was an on-camera interview!

One spicy topic we get into that other interviews about the book haven't yet brought up, starting at around 43 minutes in:

The desire by many technologists to turn the Metaverse into a dystopian pacifier for the poor of the world. While little discussed (it's only one of many dystopian possibilities, and not the most likely), I do think it's worth knowing how many serious and/or successful technologists really do think a VR-powered metaverse could ever be satisfying escape from real misery.

Excerpt from the book:

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Cajsa’s Flickr Pick: Curious Fox’s Delightful Travelogue Through Second Life

August 22, 2023

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Foxx Ghoststar has some gorgeous landscapes in his Flickr stream which is largely a photographic travelog of his wanderings in Second Life. He occasionally shoots pics of himself out and about, enjoying a sunset or the ocean breeze. His more unique photos feature his fox avatar on the trail of beautiful places. “A dream of leaving to anywhere” is my favorite. It has the feeling of an illustration for a children’s book. One I want to read.

For more foxy photos, click here:

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Top 6 Posts: Roblox’s Low Growth Hamilton Launch, ChatGPT’s Flounder & Selling Memes & Fundraising for Maui in Second Life

August 21, 2023
Starting This Weekend: Second Life Shopping Fundraiser to Benefit Maui Families in Need, on a Sim Shaped Like the Island

August 18, 2023

Click here to teleport to a Second Life fundraiser to help the people of Maui now in desperate need due to the wildfire tragedy. Dozens of top SL brands listed here are donating content to the project, Maui Wildfire Relief SL, with all Linden Dollar proceeds converted to USD and going to the Maui Food Bank.

The fundraiser starts August 19th, 9amSLT and runs to August 26. (The teleport link won't be live until then.) And yes, the island sim has been shaped to look like Maui itself — the creation of event manager Wendz Tempest, who is herself from Maui. (As are several other members of the volunteer team.)

Go here for more info, and if you're a content creator, consider signing up to participate!

The sim itself has a chill beach party / flea market feel, with a gorgeous stream of Hawaiian music setting the vibe. Wendz even created a tribute to Lahaina's vast famous banyan tree, which now struggles to recover from the blaze:

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Fashion Friday Blog: Lily’s Diary, a Terrific Tumblr Feed of Stylish Looks

August 18, 2023
Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Lily’s Diary is brought to you by Lily Bunny who makes me happy by wearing clothes regularly. Virtual Menace is her most recent post. I really like those ombre boots and the way they complement but don’t entirely match her hair.
- Violent Seduction – Virtual Menace Sweater (FATPACK) @Kustom9
- Violent Seduction – Virtual Menace Boots (FATPACK) @Kustom9
- Violent Seduction – Psyche Stockings (FATPACK)
- *Tentacio* Joana fatpack (bag)k)
For more darling looks, click here:

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Meme Means Business: Second Life Creator Sells TWO THOUSAND Copies of Combat-Ready Foldable Chair, Latest in a Meme-to-SL Business Model

August 17, 2023
A few days after the folding chair combat meme went viral (for hilarious and horrible reasons) earlier this month, the proprietor of Bad Unicorn, a Second Life content brand, went to work on bringing that meme in all its deranged glory to Second Life. It's now available in the Marketplace:
- 6 texture options
- Hit your friends or foes!
- Animate people you are attacking.
Last weekend, it was only available in Bad Unicorn's in-world store, but it still sold super-well, Mr. Unicorn tells me: 2000 copies going for L$ each.

I boggle a bit at the numbers.

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ChatGPT Has Been Slumping on Google Trends Since April — And Outranked by Leading Metaverse Platforms Roblox, Minecraft & Fortnite

August 17, 2023

According to Google Trends — which is actually more or less the collective global brain — interest in ChatGPT peaked last April, for a brief time, and has been trending down ever since — even though there have been numerous updates and expansions to the program last May, June, and July.

More key for this blog, ChatGPT only briefly outpaced leading metaverse platforms Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite on Google Trends in April. Before and since, however, it's trailed behind, usually by quite a lot.

Why? For one thing, platforms comprised of live, active, masses of creative people will always be more popular than an automated service. For another, ChatGPT like all other Large Language Models are by definition mediocre content generators:

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Incredible Second Life Screenshot Photos Inspired by Emily Dickinson & Other Poets

August 17, 2023

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

Emily Dickinson

Becca Ordinary’s image “Hope Is the Thing With Feathers” is anything but ordinary. I love how she captures the idea of the poem in a way that takes note of the birds, but goes in another direction. It’s imaginative and truly captures the spirit of the Dickinson poem. And poetry is what inspires Becca’s work.

For more poetical pictures, click here:

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