The Coronavirus Crisis Near Me – March 2020 Update


I will be posting regular updates on how the coronavirus crisis is effecting my local area and the UK as a whole. It’s become clear over recent weeks that the virus is having a huge impact across the world and now in Second Life.

Today my health is very good and I hope it will continue that way during this outbreak. I live in North Devon in the southwest of the UK and it’s in lock down along with the rest of the UK. I work at the supermarket and I still have to go work (see #4 in list below). The cases and deaths have been low so far in Devon.

Here are the UK lockdown measures which came into effect this week. The lockdown is due to last 3 weeks but it’s most likely going to be extended for months. More restrictions could be in full force in the weeks ahead.

I’m staying at home as much as possible with perhaps the odd occasion doing exercise (a little walk), shopping (basic top ups) and working..

Nearby towns near me are like ghost towns with closure signs on every shop window. The local transport and other key services are running ok at the moment.

  • Shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible
  • One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household
  • Any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
  • Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.

The number of people who have died with coronavirus in the UK has now reached 1, 019. So far there have been 17, 086 cases and it’s set to rise further. It’s heartbreaking hearing more people across the world are dieing every day.

I plan on blogging more and being in Second Life more going forward. I have added some helpful coronavirus links and the latest breaking news on the right side of my blog.

Stay safe everyone.

Lab Gab Episode 19 Summary – LL staff say “stay safe, stay virtual”


On Friday 27th March Lab Gab episode 19 was broadcasted live with Ebbe Altberg CEO of Linden Lab and Brett Linden Senior Director of Marketing. There was discussion about the coronavirus outbreak, Second Life and Sansar. It was a pretty interesting show.

Here is a brief summary on the latest new updates.

Coronavirus Outbreak

  • All Linden Lab offices are closed. The co-lo data centre is open for access.
  • It is not anticipated that Second Life should experience any significant service interruptions going forward.
  • The lab have been saying “stay safe, stay virtual” during meetings and calls.
  • The lab have concerns about the virus and its impact it may have on family/friends.
  • Linden Lab formation is to work remotely from home (its been like that for years).

Second Life 

  • Second Life is a very established & profitable company.
  • Name Changes just a very few weeks away from launching.
  • New registrations for Second Life are up by 60% with a rise in concurrency around 10% overall due to cities around the world being locked down.
  • Returning users are up in Second Life – increase in those that have not logged into Second Life for some time.
  • IOS Mobile Companion (IMs & group messaging) is now very close to Alpha status. Work has started on the Android version.
  • Linden Lab is committed to the cloud uplift to AWS / Google until the end of 2020.
  • New Second Life Book Club will launch on 8th April 2020 along with a monthly event. Showcase streams will be a series of “drop in” video streams that will showcase music and art events in Second Life.

Sansar

  • Around 30 staff at Sansar have been offered to join the new Sansar under Wookey Project Corp.
  • Sansar new focus will be on virtual events in the music and entertainment sectors.
  • Tilia will continue to be used for Sansar Dollar transactions

Here is the full episode below…

Full Video: VWBPE 2020 Above the Book: What’s up at the Lab?


For anyone that missed that yesterday’s VWBPE 2020 Above the Book: What’s up at the Lab session here is the full video. Mal Burns interviews Ebbe Linden and Patch Linden. The session runs for one hour and 15 minutes.

Everyone should give it a watch and spread the word about this special session at VWBPE 2020. 

Summary

  • Linden Lab have now introduced a limited time offer for education and non-profit organisations to get full regions. Reducing full region tier to US $99.00 per month
  • Linden Lab focus is transitioning the Second Life infrastructure to the cloud
  • Second Life is seeing a rise in concurrency and engagement
  • Last Changes is just a few weeks away from launching 
  • IOS Mobile Companion is very close to Alpha status. Work has started for the Android version
  • Ebbe Altberg is 100% devoted to Second Life and Tilia 

VWBPE 2020 runs until 28th March 2020.

Second Life Maximum Daily Concurrency Peaks At 56, 148 During Coronavirus Crisis


According to the Second Life Grid Survey the maximum daily concurrency in #SecondLife reached 56, 148 on 22nd March 2020. The median daily concurrency average at the moment is around 42, 000. It’s getting a little higher every week but no huge peaks in the max daily concurrency yet due to the current Coronavirus crisis.

If things get worse in the next few weeks and months then I think the Second Life daily concurrency levels will go up due to the strict lockdowns across the world. If any new huge peak occurs soon then I will blog about it.

Second Life Grid Survey Data

What do you think the concurrency levels will be in the weeks and months ahead ?

Wookey Project Corp. Acquires Sansar


Breaking News

On Tuesday 24th March Linden Lab officially announced that Wookey Project Corp. a San Francisco-based technology company has acquired Sansar.

The lab released another press release on the Sansar blog. It’s a new day and a new chapter for Sansar. Join us.


Why did Linden Lab sell Sansar?

Linden Lab chose to streamline its focus to continue the development and operations of the leading virtual world Second Life and licensed money services provider Tilia

Who is Wookey Project Corp.?

Wookey Project Corp. continues to create a new generation of online AR/VR experiences that allow users the power of collaborative interaction through knowledge immersion.


Here is the full press release…

WOOKEY PROJECT CORP. ACQUIRES SANSAR

2020-03-24 00:00:00 UTC

Linden Lab has had some inquiries from the public and media about the current happenings of Sansar. We are very excited to witness the unfolding of Sansar getting a fresh opportunity to thrive under the ownership of Wookey Project Corp., a San Francisco-based technology compan that has assumed all operations without any interruption to operations or the Sansar community.

We are proud to have given birth to this amazing platform for creativity and live events, and encourage our community to continue the process of supporting Sansar as it shifts to new ownership. We’ve assembled a quick FAQ to address key inquiries about this transition.

Why did Linden Lab sell Sansar?

Linden Lab chose to streamline its focus to continue the development and operations of the leading virtual world Second Life and licensed money services provider Tilia.

Is Second Life also being sold to Wookey Project Corp.?

No. Second Life and Tilia both remain under the independent ownership of Linden Lab.

Who is Wookey Project Corp.?

Wookey Project Corp. continues to create a new generation of online AR/VR experiences that allow users the power of collaborative interaction through knowledge immersion.

Will my Sansar account and personal information be safe?

Yes! Your Sansar account information remains secure and safe during this transition. Please refer to the revised Privacy and Terms and Conditions on Sansar.com to learn more. If you have comments or questions about the privacy policy, feel free to email legal@wookey.com.

Will Linden Lab retain any ownership or management with Sansar after the transition?

No. Effective immediately, Wookey Project Corp. assumes all operations and management of Sansar. Wookey Project Corp. has contracted with Tilia Inc. as a third party service provider to perform certain back office functions for Sansar, including the issuance and redemption of Sansar’s in-game virtual tokens.

What will be the focus of Sansar under the new ownership?

Sansar will continue to evolve as the premier platform for live events and entertainment including (but not limited to) support for VR, while Second Life is positioned as the Internet’s leading user-created virtual world platform. Both Linden Lab and Wookey Project Corp. will continue to develop our respective platforms independently.

What does this mean for Second Life and Linden Lab?

Operations at Second Life are not impacted at all. The Second Life community will continue to be able to login and enjoy SL without any interruption. As for Linden Lab, many members of the Sansar team formerly employed by Linden Lab are staying with Sansar as employees under its new ownership.

For more information about the future of Sansar, please see the announcement on the Sansar blog.

 

The New Log Home Continent Opening Pretty Soon


New Log Home Continent Opening Soon

It’s estimated there will be around 4, 000 new log homes becoming available within the next few weeks. The new log home continent is a huge land mass and it’s currently being worked on by the Moles. There will be new community areas, waterways, roads and much more.

A closer look

Latest Updates

  • The regions are closed to the public as of now
  • The continent coastlines have to be completed around the edges & new homes built/new water areas
  • New red squares are dotted around the continent (work in progress)
  • When regions are named the regions are ready to go live
  • There are 10 theme styles the lab are looking at for future Linden homes

On 15th April 2020 it will mark one year since the first Linden Homes were officially opened. Just look how small the Bellisseria continent was back then with only 384 regions.

We now have Traditional, Houseboats, Campers and Victorian homes. Soon there will be Log homes with many more new styles in the distant future. The Bellisseria continent is expected to grow in the months ahead. Very exciting indeed for all those that staying up to date with the latest new developments. 

I’m super excited for the release.

The wait is almost over.

Virtual Cities To Visit During 2020 In Second Life


London City

There are many virtual cities in Second Life worth visiting for those that are in lockdown in real life due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). There are many attractions to enjoy with friends without no restrictions or having to panic.

There are many cool international places worth exploring on the Second Life Destination Guide like London City, Paris Eiffel, Japan, Rio, The 1920s Berlin Project and Moscow.

The 1920s Berlin Project

There are great real life 3D replicas of famous landmarks and locations in Second Life. These include Hollywood, Brighton (UK), Kattinge (Denmark), Vieux Colmar (France), Barcelona Virtual, Oahu Vacation Resort, Lake Tahoe Ski Resort, Tower Bridge, Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk, New Cardiff, Rieri – Town in Tokyo and Dachstein West.

Paris Eiffel

There are places like the Eiffel Tower, Hampshire Harbour, The Great China Wall, St. Louis Arch, Bay City, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Terra Egypta and Guadalajara Mexico which will be a great adventure for everyone.

Please spread the word.

Lab Gab Episode 19 With Ebbe Linden & Brett Linden – 10am SLT Live This Friday


Ebbe Linden & Brett Linden will be speaking live on Lab Gab episode 19 from 10am SLT on Friday 27th March 2020. You can expect to hear the latest news on the Coronavirus public health crisis and how the lab are dealing with it.

There could be updates on Linden Homes, Last Names, Sansar and much more.

The full blog announcement…

Join our host, Strawberry Linden, as she speaks with the CEO of Linden Lab, Ebbe Linden, and Senior Director of Marketing, Brett Linden. Ebbe and Brett will be discussing how Linden Lab is responding to the public health crisis to ensure uninterrupted Second Life operations, as well as how the company is offering new remote turnkey solutions for conferences, events, or classes.

Do you have any questions for Ebbe or Brett about any of these or other topics that you’d like Strawberry to ask them on your behalf? Fill out the Google Form and submit your question today, and it may be selected!

Tune in on Friday, March 27th at 10am PT/SLT. Watch us live on YouTubeFacebookMixer, or Periscope!

Please spread the word.

Sansar appears to now be owned by Wookey


Wookey mention at the bottom of the official Sansar website

Latest Developments

  • Updates will appear here soon

Today it appears in the Sansar Terms of Service and at the bottom of the official Sansar website it looks like Wookey may be taking over Sansar. 

There is now active discussion going on the SL Forums and via the Sansar Discord channel.

Linden Lab have not yet made any official announcements on this. Sansar no longer appears on the official Linden Lab website either.

Official Wookey website – a new world coming soon

New mass of regions added east of of Bellisseria


During the past 24 hours the lab have added roughly 96 new regions east of the Bellisseria continent which are currently closed for public access. It’s believed this new mass could be the new log cabin regions which Linden Lab have been talking about recently.

When you zoom into these new regions there are many cloned groups of regions and most them have been named now. Thousands of new Linden homes will be available very soon.

See below for screenshots that I took today.

New regions within the white highlight area
Most regions can be seen and others not
New water areas and homes opening soon
Loving the new names

These new regions could be released next week or the week after. I’ll post more updates when newer developments happen.