Another Regrettable Loss in Second Life

 

The quiet sense of something lost.

Alfred Tennyson

 

 

          Recently, Second Life (SL) has been losing many beautiful sims, some, IMHO, which border on being works of art.

          My last blog entry was about the loss of many of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World in SL which have closed. Earlier, I’d blogged about loss inworld. 

          As in Real Life (RL), we cannot go for long without experiencing loss.  A short while ago in RL, I’ve had to deal with personal loss. 

          It’s not nice, it hurts.

          So, when I read a couple of days ago about the pending closure of another phenomenal build inworld, it saddened me.  Although, I can no longer say that these announcements surprise me.  I do worry about my blog turning into an obituary for the worlds within SL.

          The sim whose coming closure was announced is Phaze Demesnes, one of the most

beautiful and creative sims inworld and which also demonstrated the true spirit of building and collaboration that characterized SL in its early, halcyon days.

          Phaze Demesnes had been originally created five years ago by Ferd Frederix.  Ferd is possibly the most creative and prolific scripter inworld. He also made many of his scripts available for free to all who visited his sim.

          The sim itself is what SL was originally meant to be, a wildly beautiful and chaotic

place overlooked by an impressive castle.  Flowers, birds, and other wildlife coexisted in a seemingly natural state of harmony.  The flocking of birds is especially impressive.

          Visitors were friendly and helpful just like Ferd and wavinggirlsav Voom, Ferd’s sidekick and fellow scripter.  All were made to feel welcome.

          The airborne crane tours were, and are, still awe inspiring.

          Phaze Demesnes was one of the first sims I visited after rezzing into SL.  It was definitely the most creative and, still after all my travels inworld, the most impressive.  For a while, until I moved into Nowaki, I used Phaze as my home destination when I’d log into SL.  During my infamous 24 hour stay inworld, I spent time in Phaze Demesnes.

          Sadly, like so many other beautiful places inworld, I took it for granted, assuming it would always be there to return to.  (Significant Other gives me that I told you so look.)

          I wonder and worry about the implications of Phaze Demesnes for SL. 

          Older, extremely creative sims like Phaze which has taken five years to build are closing.  They cannot be replaced by anything nearly as creative any time soon.  There appears to be a hollowing out of SL. 

What will be left?

          What does this mean for the revenue base of Linden Lab?  It can’t help and without places like Phaze Demesnes to visit for how long will residents keep coming back? 

          The creative side of SL will also take a major hit without Ferd’s scripts and no one to add new ones.

          This is truly a sad moment in the history of SL.  A vaccum has formed inworld and it’s an ominous sign for the future. 

          Thoughts must turn to the future after an event like this.

          Is SL approaching a tipping point (Significant Other winces at my overuse of this overused phrase.) where the closures will accelerate to a point where it returns to its beginnings when it was nothing but empty space?

          Is SL becoming like many of America’s cities in its Rust Belt?  Ghost towns populated by the indigent struggling to survive while prosperity passes them by on the freeway?  (Significant Other arches an eyebrow.)

          I don’t know why Phaze Demesnes is closing.

          Maybe tier became too much of a drain.  Dealing with mesh might have become too aggravating.  Or, possibly the uncertainty of SL 2.0 just pushed Ferd into throwing in the towel.

          I don’t know but I’ll try to get some answers.

          I do encourage all who have not yet visited Phaze Demesnes to do so before it finally closes and to also pick up some of Ferd’s wonderful, free scripts before they’re gone forever.

          Phaze Demesnes will close at the end of December 2014 which I’m interpreting to mean that New Year’s Eve will be their last night open.

          Check it out, you’ll be glad you did! 

          Ferd will be reopening part of Phaze Demesnes in Opensim on the hypergrid at Outworldz.  The sim will be called Virunga Mountains.  As I learn more, I’ll report back.

          I wish Ferd and wavinggirlsav all the best in their new world and ventures! They will be missed!

          Adieu!

          More pictures from Phaze Demesnes can be found here.

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.         

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!