Alphaville Herald

Eat THIS, Ludologists! EVE Fan Vid Made of Win.

by Urizenus Sklar, from the Narratology Roolz Desk

Those of you who don't track the eggheads on Terra Nova may not be aware that there is a VERY SERIOUS debate between narratologists and ludologists. Ludologists think that MMOs are all about play. Narratologists think that MMOs are about spinning collaborative narratives. Then there are people like me who think they are obviously both (or rather, that there isn't much difference between play and narrative). The best MMOs not only provide comvat systems and tools for building things but also provide a kind of artistic framework in which online narrative can evolve (like the dungeon master in table top D&D games). In Second Life those narratives have to evolve organically in the lore of places like the Jessie Simulator, Fort Longcat, Fur communites, Gorean communities, and, let's face it, the pages of the Herald. In MMOs like EVE Online, however, the game company (CCP) provides back stories in the form of their EVE Chronicles. Back stories help direct the gameplay somewhat, but they are also framing and direct the narrative being developed in the gameplay. Good back stories have uptake -- users pick up on them, expand on them, and write them into their own narratives and game play. I submit to you now an example of such uptake -- an EVE fanvid made by one Dire Lauthis, based on the EVE Chronicle The Breakout.

For some narrative covering "current events" below the fold is a vid that Dire made regarding an operation by the Coreli Corporation.  Oh, and since this is the Herald after all I've added a vid of GoonSwarm dropping a Titan in June of 2007. 

The History of OWK in SL -- Part I

A personal account of a Second Life FemDom community

by Barbie Starr, SL and RL Dominatrix

[This story is a collaboration of those who worked hard at OWK in SL and kept at it through thick and thin. FemDom in Second Life is a growing part of the BDSM community. FemDom stands for Female Domination. Female Domination has many facets in the real world. OWK in SL is a depiction of a real life location in Czech Republic where Women rule men supremely. OWK(tm) is now owned by Shayna Theti-Sheri and is part of a real life project to be used as a venture for FemDom Related Resorts in the United States.]

Once upon a time, Michaal Ulstch, the webmaster for http://www.owk.cz, The Other World Kingdom, LLC. discovered Second Life. This is the story of how OWK started its adventures in Second Life. Iin the early days, Michaal made friends with a few women and they started a parcel. Later on, due to real life issues, Michaal had to withdraw his efforts and wait to come back - and when he did came back, he came back with a big bang! OWK in SL was created and started on its way to be the best FemDom region in Second Life. Since his original crew, Storm Day and Nymphetamine Lake were nowhere to be found, Michaal put an advertisement out seeking new Domina to help with the OWK in SL venture.

In October of 2007, BeeQueen, a Sublime Lady of the Real Life OWK, had received the newsletter about OWK in SL. She wrote Michaal and asked him if she could help. In early November that same year, BeeQueen created her Second Life Identity, BeeQueen Smythe. She met up with Michaal to talk about what kind of help he needed in OWK in SL. At that time BeeQueen was new to Second Life, and she spent some time learning the system.

Bimbo Cheerleaders of Second Life

Parties, dancing, and "fun" activities at the Bimbo Ranch House - the story of the Bimbo Cheerleaders

by the Bimbo Cheerleaders

Las Vegas Nevada can be a pretty exciting place to visit but even it could be improved - if it followed the model of the Vegas Sim in Second Life and had a real Bimbo Cheerleaders Sorority House. Sim owner Stroker Serpentine has done the real Vegas one better by inviting the Bimbo Cheerleaders of Second Life to locate their main headquarters on his sim. With over 1000 active members now wearing the the Pink and White , The Bimbo Cheerleaders are by far the largest Cheer Squad in Second Life. Their ranks are filled with beautiful girls who love to have fun and participate in the many levels of activities the group has to offer. These range from social activities such as parties and dancing sponsored by the club, to other even more “fun” activities involving the use of the facilities their house has to offer.

With SexGen owner Stroker Serpentine as a sponsor you know The Bimbo Ranch House is well equipped with all the latest and greatest he has to offer. As you can probably guess also, the Bimbo Cheerleaders know how to make the most of it too.

Incidentally, the Ranch House is not a bordello and just like RL, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas! The Ranch house provides a place for the girls to relax after a hard day of cheerleading to open a sim, or maybe raise money for a worthy charity. The Squad always welcomes a chance to wind down with a little nude sunbathing at the pool, or dancing on a pole, or otherwise “relaxing” visitors in one of the many private rooms. Head cheerleader Cheergirl Allen has truly created Bimbo Cheerleader heaven in SL. She makes sure the girls always have something to do and the guests are always happy to visit. Starting from humble beginnings, The Bimbo cheerleaders are today one of the largest and most active groups in SL.

The Great Goon Holocaust of 2006 Anniversary Observed

by Pixeleen Mistral, Subrealism Affairs desk

Outside Hurfzateer HQ in the W-hat’s sim “what”, a solemn vigil was held Friday September 19th, to observe the second anniversary of the great goon holocaust of 2006.

A small crowd gathered near the grave sites, and took a few moments from running “talk like a pirate day” animations to consider the fate of the Voted 5 group and Satyr sim - for on this day in 2006, the entire sim of Satyr was repossessed by Linden Lab and all objects in Satyr were deleted.

At the same time time Satyr was wiped clean, Philip Linden told the metaverse that a grid crasher crackdown had taken place and some 60 accounts were perma-banned. Friends and relatives of the notorious Voted 6 group could only identify the names of 22 accounts that had gone missing - not surprising given king Philip’s tendency to perhaps accidentally overstate figures on occasion.

Immediately after the destruction of Satyr, the W-hat goons vowed to "Never Forget" and erected a memorial to the fallen which said, "This Memorial stands so that we may remember those that lost their accounts, of the innocent furs and humans alike that were lost to us".

The History of Neko

by Stacia Villota, virtual Neko

Think of this lovely photo as the cover to your History lesson today… designed to reflect the artistic style of Japanese manga covers (for a very specific reason, as you’ll come to see). Open it up and turn to the chapter titled “History of Neko 101.” Are you wearing your perquisite Japanese schoolgirl uniform? Excellent. Let us explore the history and evolution of Nekos, shall we?

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The History of Neko (as best as this schoolgirl can tell)

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In the early 90’s, a Japanese girl named Aoi Hiiragi wrote a manga (Japanese “comic book”) series called “Whisper of the Heart” (or Mimi o Sumaseba 耳をすませば). In them, she introduced a mysterious but elegantly dressed silver cat named The Baron. Her mangas inspired an anime movie in 1995, as well as a sequel in 2002 called “The Cat Returns” (Neko no Ongaeshi 猫の恩返し).

Although both animes featured The Baron, it was the storyline of the second anime that likely contributed to the birth of Nekos. The story went like this:

A young schoolgirl was captured and taken to the Cat Realm by force, where she was expected to marry the Prince of the Cat Kingdom against her will. During a pre-nuptual feast, she began magically transforming into a Neko (human shape with paws, ears, and whiskers), in preparation for the ceremony. Before the transformation was complete however, The Baron and other cats helped her escape.

Yet… like so many Nekos I’ve spoken to in Second Life, a strange thing happened: The tail and ears gradually began to “feel right” as she discovered her true self, and acknowledged her feelings for The Baron.

The True Story of How Plastic Duck Saved The SL Economy

History of the Voted5 goons includes amazing revelation -- Philip Linden caught in-world accepting bug reports!!

by Mötör Vöted5

[this story appeared in a slightly different form at the Griefer Herald, where the author describes an exploit allowing free transfer of L$ spacebux - part of a tell-all account of a bygone era. While the exploit has presumably been patched, the level of close cooperation between dark lord of the goons, Gene Replacement, and Philip Linden, ex-CEO of the metaverse finally confirms what many have long suspected. - the Editrix]

I was a member of Voted 5 way before the great purge that razed Satyr to the ground and led to the revival of the then defunct w-hat. I joined sometime after the great w-hat civil war (where Voted 5 was splintered from w-hat) and many months before the removal of Satyr from the grid and the banning of several prominent members of Voted 5. Let me tell you, things back then were what one would consider fun. Back then was when griefing was an art.

Gene Replacement was a glorious leader. Gene Replacement, whom many know as Plastic Duck, was what made Voted 5 so popular and famous. The scripts, items, and everything that streamed from him was a marvel to behold. I can even remember Gene Replacement taking a few moments to modify the Linden popgun to exploit most Gorean combat meters. Everything was always done with a fluid motion including keeping all of the SA goons in check.

There was no faggotry allowed in Satyr. The second you came up with the idea to type a 4chan catchphrase was the second you were swiftly kicked from the sim by Gene Replacement. That was, unless you were part of the in-crowd. My memory is fuzzy in regards to those who were in the tight knit clique that circled Gene Replacement and maintained the majority of the power of the group. Names that I can summon from the top of my head are Schwartz Guillaume, Decomposing Monstre, and the "guy in the power ranger suit" whose name escapes me. People like NiceAaron Thetan and Ben Kerensky were overly prominent, but I'm unsure if they made it into the clique that surrounded Gene. Being from the outside one doesn't know all of the facts.

Shuless - Episode Eight

The Dimension of Sound

by Iona Nikolaidis

Alexandra Shu: Did you say you are going to do the voice thing?
Iona Nikolaidis: Yeah, I am gonna do it
Iona Nikolaidis: so I can whisper in your ear
Alexandra Shu: and I can moan in yours.
Iona Nikolaidis: ooooh
Alexandra Shu: hehe!
Iona Nikolaidis: hehe!
Alexandra Shu: wow. I wonder how that would sound.
Alexandra Shu: I digress.
Iona Nikolaidis: Um, I will spend some time thinking about that I can assure you!
Iona Nikolaidis: Is this a digression?
Iona Nikolaidis: Or a diversion?

Shuless - Episode Seven

Smart Chicks are Hawt

by Iona Nikolaidis

So meeting Alex and getting hit on by her was a welcome, welcome development in Iona's SL. It gave Iona a reason to go into SL beyond going into the Brew, playing "So who's a man?" and harassing Newbs in sex Sims. When Alex told me she was 25, I had a hard time believing her (HA!), both because of her intellect and because the level of her cyber far surpassed that of the average 25 year old (I am guessing). She made me feel incompetent in comparison, but she put up with me, and I learned a lot from the experience. Some people are verbally gifted. And although I am most certainly orally gifted, I did and still have a hard time expressing myself in matters most, um, intimate. This post is one of those times. I am tired.

Shuless - Episode Six

Cyrano

by Iona Nikolaidis

Alex and Iona were involved for a few weeks before the idea of pulling back the curtain came up. Other avatars I had met in SL asked me for photos of “myself” before I met Alex. I brushed them aside, telling them some variation of “Second Life and Real Life are separate.” But the connection I felt to Alex made me want to know more about her, and to reveal myself to her. Part of this grew from the amazing word play we had in our chats.

[19:44] A slap on the ass can communicate a lot.
[19:44] Iona Nikolaidis: I am communicating something......
[19:44] Iona Nikolaidis: Can you guess what?
[19:46] Uh, hmmmm.... a mossy stone, half-hidden from the eye...
[19:46] Iona Nikolaidis hugs the poet
[19:46] Mmmmmmm!
[19:46] Iona Nikolaidis: yer so cute
[19:46] Touches are like words too.
[19:47] Iona Nikolaidis: mmmm
[19:47] Iona Nikolaidis: you are much smarter than me
[19:47] And touches can be poetry.
[19:47] Iona Nikolaidis: it is a huge turn-on
[19:47] Iona Nikolaidis: uh huh
[19:47] Iona Nikolaidis: you are beautiful
[19:47] (Blush)
[19:48] Iona Nikolaidis smiles broadly
[19:48] Iona Nikolaidis: seriously!
[19:48] I thought I settled that in the negative by sending you my picture!
[19:48] Iona Nikolaidis: Are you kidding me?
[19:48] Yes.
[19:48] Iona Nikolaidis: HAHAHAHAHAHA
[19:48] Iona Nikolaidis: Love that healthy self-esteem

Shuless - Episode Five

On the Day That We Were Born

by Iona Nikolaidis

[21:02] Iona Nikolaidis: I have a little photo album
[21:02] Iona Nikolaidis: hold on
[21:02] hehe...a butt shot!
[21:02] Iona Nikolaidis: yeah!
[21:02] Iona Nikolaidis: I am Annie fucking Leibovitz
[21:04] Colona castle....hmmm....one of those sex dungeons?
[21:04] Iona Nikolaidis: yeah!
[21:04] That we used to frequent?
[21:04] Iona Nikolaidis: That was the one where the dumb ass guy was like “Hey ladies.....”
[21:04] and make fun of the patrons?
[21:04] Iona Nikolaidis: YEAH!
[21:05] Iona Nikolaidis: Good times
[21:05] Oh yeah!!
[21:05] Iona Nikolaidis: I think that was the night you hit on me!
[21:05] Meeeee????
[21:05] Iona Nikolaidis: I hope so.....
[21:06] Yeah, it’s true.
[21:06] I am glad you did
[21:06] Me too!!
[21:06] Iona Nikolaidis: uh huh!
[21:06] Iona Nikolaidis: You fell into my lap so nicely
[21:06] You caught me in my extrovert.
[21:07] Iona Nikolaidis: Lucky lucky me
[21:07] We sure can sure tear a place up.
[21:08] Iona Nikolaidis: oh yeah
[21:08] But you lead the way.
[21:08] Iona Nikolaidis: Yeah man
[21:08] Iona Nikolaidis: Let’s fuck shit up again soon
[21:08] Yeah! Sounds like fun!

There comes a time in every avatar’s life when you need to figure out how, when and why you are going to approach others for virtual intimacy. I imagine, in some regard, what you bring to this endeavor mirrors what you bring in real life….or perhaps I am too reality-based (strike this…I AM too reality-based for SL).

Nevertheless, after her amateurish attempts at cyber with Vhaera and her “Um, why am I doing this?” interludes with Zigma, Iona was pretty much all bark, no bite (which, most of the time, is true for me too, even though I think I am a bad-ass). So, it was a comfort and a joy to know Alex, who is funny, smart and knows how to turn a clever word, and to be able to have quality fun time without the pressure of coming up with scintillating virtual sexual escapades.

Shuless - Episode Four

I left her in the dust of my tp

by Iona Nikolaidis

[20:04] This girl comes up, says hi, and then offers friendship.
[20:04] Iona Nikolaidis: Oh, did that just happen to you?
[20:04] I left her in the dust of my tp.
[20:04] Iona Nikolaidis: haha!
[20:05] Iona Nikolaidis: That's awesome
[20:05] Iona Nikolaidis: You broke her avie heart!
[20:05] I hate that!
[20:05] Hi. blah blah is offering you her friendship.
[20:05] Iona Nikolaidis: Didn't I offer you friendship immediately?
[20:05] Iona Nikolaidis: hehe!
[20:06] No, I offered first...three seconds.
[20:06] Iona Nikolaidis: hehe!
[20:07] Iona Nikolaidis: see? aren't you glad I don't follow your rule?

In RL, you meet someone, you hang out, you maybe get a phone number or you maybe run into them at a party. Your friendships develop over time as you share experiences. Those experiences are like layers in a cake, each of which, hopefully, make that cake more delicious. Despite the fact that I have spend a lot of time over the last year in SL (which, I am suggesting, might make me kind of socially retarded), I have a lot of friends in RL. In SL, you can have as many friends as will "accept" your offer of friendship, generated by the simple act of right-clicking on the avatars you see on your monitor.

When Iona first started SL, she was "friend offering"-happy. I had more than 70 avatars on my friend list (hey, I spent my early days in sex Sims and Festival Island - those are a discerning bunch!) Over time, the friends list became the bane of Iona's SL. You can use the friends list to manage your contacts. For example, you can give a friend the ability to modify your objects in-world. These are, hopefully, the sober friends that you would let drive you home after a night of drinking. You can click a box on the list to let that avatar see you on a map in-world. This is convenient if you want the friend to be able to join you when they log on without requesting a teleport; not so convenient if you are carrying on a second or third life within your SL that you might want to hide from a significant avatar (Yes, Alex could see Iona on the map and yes, at times I turned that off).

Shuless - Episode Three

Music, Poetry and Tasteful Vulgarity

by Iona Nikolaidis

I am not a novelist. I am not even a creative person. When I tell a story at a party, and I do, it has a logical beginning, middle, end. Prologue, Epilogue. There is an order to things. People need to be able to follow the lines. SL isn’t like that. Blogging isn’t like that. I have never blogged before, and in writing this blog for what, 2 days now, I understand that it takes discipline to stick to a linear narrative (not that anyone is forcing me to).

This blog, like Iona’s Second Life, is a living, breathing, shifting thing, as elusive as a wave breaking on the sand, the pools of water left in shallows. But if I don’t try to stick to a linear narrative, I will spoil the big reveal. And to my mind, a good story teller needs to be able to communicate the story to the greatest number of people at a time (not everyone is going to understand Finnegan’s Wake….). I have to resist the terrible urge in me to jump ahead, to pull back the curtain. So, I won’t let you jump to the end of the book either, and you will have to see the movie.

People enter into Second Life because of real life compulsions. There are no casual players of SL. You either want to play (me) or you see no value in it and have no interest in it (French Fry). For some, those compulsions are rather base – the free pecker crew. I am not judging this. Picture some man (yeah, although I can make up any reality, I will go to my grave knowing that every avatar I ever met in a sex Sim – “male” or “female” – was a dude IRL….except for me. Trust me!) For others, they want to participate in some community, and may do so by organizing behind a specific idea.

Shuless - Episode Two

Iona finds a home

by Iona Nikolaidis

When I created Iona as my avatar in Second Life, I only had a vague idea of the effort and real work required to explore the metaverse. So, after leaving Orientation Island (for you non-Second Lifers, Orientation Island is where you go to learn a few basic things about your newbie avatar before you unleash her on the world), I thought what to do, what to do, what to do with this strange new avatar that is and isn't me. Luckily, SL has databases to tell you where to go for its residents who don't want to think too hard about it or otherwise ponder.

Yes, I speak of the "Popular Places" search in the in-world database. Much like RL, the residents of SL seem obsessed with, um, err...well, with exploring the Sims of the flesh. At any given moment, the most popular places in SL involve multiple pose balls that will contort your avatar into any number of sexual positions.

Me, not being immune to curiosity, visited a place or two. One thing I quickly learned is never jump on a random sex pose ball in an online sex club if you don't want your avatar to be immediately mauled by some dude avatar with a free pecker.

That got old, really quickly. At this point, I had been playing SL for about two weeks. I had hit a wall. I needed to go other places. So, I again turned to "Popular Places." Where to go, where to go...

Shuless - Episode One

How It Began

by Iona Nikolaidis

Hello, dear reader. My name is Iona Nikolaidis. I am an avatar in Second Life, and this is the story of how I came to meet a fellow avatar named Alexandra Shu. This blog is an effort to get her out of my head. This is not my choice, but if I don't take some action I feel like I will drown. Because although Iona is not real, the person behind the curtain is, and that person is suffering.

How's that for foreshadowing?

The idea for this blog was forged over drinks at the Yellow Dog Tavern in Baltimore, Maryland, where I (the operator of Iona) live with my partner and our children. I am a lesbian. That's enough background, for now.

And so begins the story of how I came to meet Alexandra Shu. But first, a statement about what this blog is not. This blog is not intended to "out" anyone's real life identities, including mine. I will never, ever do that. Despite everything that has transpired, I don't hate Alex. Not in the least. I want nothing more than for her to be happy. Well, maybe I want her to talk to me more....but I don't think that will happen. So because I wasn't done talking, I will blog.

Remembering Djduerer Zou

by Pixeleen Mistral, Sports desk

I met Djduerer Zou as he was trying to sort out how to sail a Flying Tako sailboat in Sanchon - and having a rough time of it. I'd been racing sailboats in Second Life for a while, and I spent some time showing DJ some of the tricks - and made a friend. This was back in the days when the main thing I did in Second Life was organize and run sailboat races, and occasionally indulge in some small amounts of yacht club politics and drama. That sort of thing was what seemed to come with playing the big time virtual sailing game, back in the day.

DJ was playing a different game, though. For him, Second Life was a way to re-live some of what he was missing in RL - sailing and dancing. On bad days, DJ was probably the slowest typist in the metaverse and would go AFK without warning. This used to drive me nearly crazy. In time I learned the unpredictable disappearances and uneven typing happened because DJ was ill - terminally ill. Second Life was more than an amusement for him - it was an escape. On good days DJ could sometimes manage to complete a race or two with the rest of the metaverse sailors. He also gave me advice - some of which I took to heart.

LEVELING UP LINDENZ

By Prokofy Neva, Kremlindenologist

More missing Lindens : (

Mournfully, I moped around Sutherland, steeling myself for that lonely, chilly vigil out on the Sea of Omidyar once again. Looking to the darkening synthetic skies and the overlarge angry sun, I felt my heart sink. I needed some other strategy. Uri had whispered, "Don't think they all swim with the fishies..." I wracked my brains, wondering what other Linden Places I could seek. None of them pulled up anymore on the search...but then, nothing else pulled up either. I flew around Waterhead listlessly, then headed out to Pooley. It was hard to imagine there'd be any clue buried in the brilliant white porcelain and steel men's room build...I dodged some hurtling newbs and stared at the gleaming arches of the build...the scaffolding of the Metaverse...then at the map again...

Suddenly, spying the Temple, I got an idea.

My Transformation

True story of how hermaphrodite hyena turns humans into furres via intercourse!

[An exclusive first hand account of how human avatars are turned into furries. Names have been changed to protect the yiffilicious from the officious. If you are (i) at work or (ii) under 18 or (iii) easily offended by things like yiffing STOP READING NOW! -- the Editrix]

by Leda Swanson

Those who know me in SL know that I am not the kind of girl to serve a master, and yet one day, as I stepped back and took stock of my place in SL, I realized I had become a slave. Not literally, or it would not be much of a story as there are thousands of slaves, pets and subs in Second Life, but figuratively. No, my enslavement was in the form of addiction and my master was furry. I had grown addicted to sex with furres, and I could see no end in sight.

After my first couple of sessions of furry sex I knew I was hooked. I found myself picturing little scenes from the night before at work, growing excited and distracted and though on the inside I was in heat, my friends assumed by the level of my distraction that I was in love.

Second Life Back Stories: The City of Lost Angels

[All the fanfare about Second Life and virtual worlds more generally has to do with the builds and the things you can capture with Fraps and screenshots. But in my view that isn't where the action is. The builds and textures and skins and clothes are just eye candy designed to facilitate the creation of in-world narratives and histories. But those histories are being lost and the content is evaporating into the aether. Or are they? While groups and guilds record their histories, we we seldom get to see them and share in them. I thought it would be a virtual public service to begin publishing more second life RP back stories. Today we begin with the back story to The City of Lost Angels. Screenshots are mine. --Uri]

The End of the Beginning: The Story of the City of Lost Angel's

by Suzanna Soyinka
©2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 - Angel's Respite

The conceit of the human race has always been its most curious aspect. It was the early part of the 21st Century, a century that had been much lauded in fiction and fantasy alike to be the next great Golden Age of humanity where all the ills of the world would be erased by technology and all of mankind would finally be working together for the greater good.

Writers though, are often idealists. The 21st Century came, and the technology came with it. But instead of saving the world, it was compartmentalized and corporatized, copyrighted, registered, trademarked and patented, and turned into the chains of the system that bound the whole world into dependence upon it. Much of the world fell under this new technology based domination without even a single protest, but some of humanity resisted, some turning to logic, others to activism, but many turned to religion.