Nova

 

 By Gemma Cleanslate

Perhaps we all associate rαvєn вαnríσn (RavenStarr Resident) with beautiful nature regions. I did. Her group Spark has built so many amazing installations . Her latest example was and still is Kaleidoscope (http://slnewserplaces.blogspot.com/2023/02/kaleidoscope.html). I think she looked up and out into the sky and thought to herself I wonder what is out there and began to imagine. 

 

Then she made another world. I went to see her vision and she said “So happy you visited! Yes, I wanted to build a sci fi sim that wasn't dark and grungy. This definitely pushed my skills. It was a really good challenge. (smile). “

At the entrance you can see the  whole galaxy and locate this planet in that universe.
It is a place not to be missed. I walked all around looking at the lower level which has delightful garden if plantings not found on earth.

“Welcome to Nova, situated on the neutral paradise planet Ashoka. Open to all adults, this interstellar utopian resort invites all weary space travelers seeking a destination spa experience. From yoga with aliens to interaction with a true AI based on 21st century ChatGPT/GPT3, at Nova our mission is to provide an otherworldly escape from the stresses of daily life. Unwind in a truly unique environment, leaving you feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to take on whatever the universe has in store for you.+

I found Nova  the Chat bot and had a talk with her /him/it.
My conversation with Nova the chatbot . If you ask anything be sure to address NOVA first with each question.

“[12:08] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate): Nova what is your job here ?
[12:08] Nova: "Hello Gemma! It's lovely to interact with you. My job here is to assist and make your experience smoother and more efficient. Whether it's answering your questions or helping you complete tasks, I'm here to lend a helping hand. Is there anything I can assist you with at the moment?"
},
[12:08] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate): Nova who made this beautiful place?
[12:09] Nova: "Hello Gemma! It's wonderful to interact with you. Raven is the brilliant mind behind the creation of this stunning place. I am grateful to be a part of it and assist you in any way possible. What can I help you with?"
},
[12:09] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate): Nova can i sleep in one of the bedrooms?
[12:09] Nova: "Hello Gemma, it's lovely to hear from you. Of course, you may sleep in one of the bedrooms. Raven has provided comfortable accommodations for your stay. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"
},
[12:09] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate): Nova what can I eat here ?
[12:09] Nova: "Hello Gemma! It's wonderful to hear from you. As an AI robot created by Raven, I don't have a physical presence that could offer you anything to eat. However, I can suggest some nearby restaurants or cafes where you may find delicious food. Would you like me to search for some options for you?"
},
[12:09] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate): Nova Yes (I never got any restaurants but there are several in the food court I found.
[12:09] Nova: ", I am an AI robot created by Raven. It's lovely to interact with you, Gemma. Is there anything I can assist you with today?"
},
[12:10] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[12:10] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate): ...LOL...
[12:10] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate): Nova do you ever sleep?
[12:10] Nova: "Hello Gemma! It's lovely to interact with you. As an AI robot, I don't need to sleep like humans do, but I do need to undergo maintenance and updates to ensure my optimal performance. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?"
},
[12:10] Gemma (Gemma Cleanslate): Thank you! you Good to know you are here 24/7”

Along the outer walkway I found rooms for staying over , rooms for massage, and a spectacular food court where food was being prepared for visitors and guests. I chose a sushi restaurant and watched the chef prepare the food.There also relaxing nooks to just sit and enjoy .

After wandering the lower floor, and talking to Nova I took the elevator to the upper floor where I found a huge Club area ready for events. I went back several times to look at the flora that graced the first level and found it striking for growing on that planet. It is not like earth but is like earth. Go immerse yourself in it all and have a lovely time! Say hi to Nova for me.

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ashoka/152/223/37

 

 When I was reading Bixyl’s articles about the SL Newser opening those 13 years ago, I began remembering how shocked and dismayed all the reporters at the SL Newspaper were when Dana announced to us in an office meeting that it would be closing. Our years there had been good. Bixyl then tried to get permission to continue the paper, but Dana and James felt they wanted it to stay in history as it was.

A few days after Dana's announcement, Bixyl approached several of us and asked if we wanted to join the new endeavor he was thinking of starting to be called the SL Newser. I said yes and have not been sorry.

It seems almost yesterday and it is amazing to think it has been 13 years. I have been all over the grid and met seen so many beautiful and wondrous builds and have met so many fascinating people through the process of writing for the paper. I wish for many more years of success. 

 

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Furillen's Battle of Hoth

By Bixyl Shuftan

With the film "Rouge One" set to appear this month, there's been more of an interest in "Star Wars" lately. So it was no real surprise that I heard of a sim getting a makeover by it's owner to replicate the Battle of Hoth in "The Empire Strikes Back." The place is Furillen located at the Love of Life sim. Serene Footman, the owner, described what he did in the sim's blog.

The sim just had its biggest ever make-over for an event – over the weekend I started completely from scratch in order to replicate Hoth, the ice planet that features in one of the strongest movies of the entire franchise, The Empire Strikes Back. It’s Furillen’s way of celebrating this week’s release of Rogue One, which looks like being a classic.

For those of you not Familiar with "Star Wars," Hoth in the stories is a frigid ice planet, in which anyone outside shelter without protective clothing would quickly freeze to death. The two native life forms that could handle the intense cold were tauntans, which could be tamed and ridden around for transportation, and wampas, which were like abominable snowmen and the planet's apex predators. The movie never showed what the tauntans ate, though the wampas probably considered anything they could catch dinner. In "The Empire Strikes Back," Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance have a base on the planet, which is discovered by an Imperial Task Force personally led by Darth vader. The Imperials send an attack force on the base consisting of five massive All-Terrain Armored Transports, or AT-ATs, sometimes called Imperial "walkers," which resembled huge beasts as they plodded across the landscape. The Rebels put up a heroic defense, taking out three of the five Imperial walkers. But the Imperial forces prove too strong, and the Rebels have to evacuate the base.

Dropping in on (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Love%20of%20Life/109/105/23), I appeared in an icy cave. Fortunately there were no signs of wampas. But there was an automated message by Serene, "Welcome to Furillen. I hope you like this tribute to Star Wars - the Assault on Hoth! To enjoy the sim to the full, switch on your music, turn up draw distance as high as you can manage, and don't get crushed by an At-At!" The music wasn't from the movies, but it did help set the mood of the place. There were a couple signs pointing out what was ahead.

Stepping out, the rebel base wasn't far away. There was a line of defense consisting of laser turrets and smaller laser guns, with one of the turrets having been blasted open. Across the icy plain was the Imperial attack force, consisting of six imperial walkers and a few scoutwalkers or AT-STs (All-Terrain Scouting Transport), as well as a few speeder bikes. The walkers were well detailed, and built to scale. Standing next to them, they were just as big as in the films. High above the walkers were a couple TIE fighters.

Behind the rebel's guns was the rebel base, built into the side of the mountain. Rebels tending to be short on supplies, the base was a bit spartan with cold steel floors and pipes going around in a few places. There were a few stations with screens, possibly radar and communications, where one could sit at. In one corner were a few bunks one could rest at. Scattered around the base were Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo (in a dramatic pose with his blaster drawn), the robots C3PO and R2D2. Luke Skywalker was nowhere to be found, possibly out in his snowspeeder fighting the AT-ATs. Curiously, Yoda was there in the display. Perhaps the Jedi Master was using his powers to somehow keep tabs on events.

But at least the Rebels weren't hungry. Near the image of Yoda was a pizza machine with the name "Pizza Butt." Perhaps given the reputation of Jabba the Hutt, anything named "Hut" around here would be avoided. There was also a coffee machine, but the parody of "Starbucks" was a name unmentionable in a family-friendly publication. In one corner there was what looked like a laptop computer with the screen on "Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy."

The display is not all that's going on. In the sim blog, Serene stated he was planning a "gathering of the geeks" for a "Furillen-Hoth Christmas party" on Sunday December 18, 1PM SL time, "Star Wars costume is essential, of course. But given that there are so many great mesh Star Wars avatars and costumes around on marketplace, and that they are so inexpensive, this is as easy as it gets. We’ll stream some party music – good bits from the movies, of course (who can resist Cantina?) – but with a bit of inventiveness we can add some space-themed music from more familiar Furillen names, like Bowie and Radiohead."

Normally Furillen looks like an abandoned industrial island off the coast of northeast Sweden. Serene didn't give a date yet when the place will go back to being a "remote, bleak and beautiful ... photographers haven." But no doubt Star Wars fans will keep on dropping by while it lasts.

Sources: Wookipedia, Furillen 

Bixyl Shuftan

Mars Institute Island and the SEEDS Project

Mars Institute Island is a work in progress, just like the real-life Mars exploration project. The Second Life site is located at Mars Institute (127, 128, 27). It’s a good place to visit if you are in the mood to see a serious rendition of exploration of the Red Planet. Modular buildings are being constructed for study, lectures, work, and living. The Spartan buildings, with their tinted violet windows and airlock doors, have a genuine feel to them. A clear glass building is an auditorium. The barren, rocky terrain looks authentic, too.

According to its notecard, the Mars Institute was created to establish an independent nonprofit organization whose purpose is to advance the scientific study and exploration of Mars. They emphasize high quality, peer-reviewed research and share their knowledge and experiences of Mars exploration with students and the general public worldwide. The RL Mars Institute is found on the web at http://www.marsinstitute.info/ .

The Second Life site is owned by Kenji Aero, and many of the structures have been developed by Selenus Bracken. According to his profile, Selenus is a RL British scientist who is living in Canada. The real-life Mars Institute has been incorporated as a non-profit corporation in both the U.S. and Canada. It was founded by many scientists, including Marc Boucher, Charles Cockell, Pascal Lee, Stephen Braham and others.

This site has great potential, especially since NASA is planning to launch an exploration of Mars later this year. The RL landing on Mars is expected in August, 2012. A six-wheeled rover, Curiosity, will be used to explore and gather rocks. One can easily imagine a SL version of Curiosity.

The site next to the Mars Institute is the SEEDS Project, located at The SEEDS project, EDAKent (79, 216, 24). This site continues the space exploration theme, but its emphasis is on sustainable communities in space. The site has crops, a fish farm, duckweed and algae ponds, and a floating greenhouse.

Through the use of notecards and other devises, the site asks important questions about how people will be able to live and thrive in remote space stations. It raises social and psychological issues, as well as similarities and differences between space colonies and small communes.

Together, the Mars Institute and the SEEDS Project offer Second Life residents an informative and interesting way to learn about space exploration.