I was so excited to see Kuni at Hair Fair this year. It’s one of my favorite hair brands in Second Life. The textures look especially gorgeous when you turn on materials because there is a realistic shine that brings everything to life. It blends beautifully with SL skins and really adds to the realism of your avatar.
If you have not checked out Hair Fair yet, you definitely should. Every single item donates a percentage to Wigs for Kids, a smaller charity that could really use the support, especially right now. You get amazing hair and help a great cause at the same time. It’s a win win.
Raw Second Life screenshot – Same EEP setting for both (mine)
What’s a tone mapper? A tone mapper adjusts the brightness and colors in a game to make it look good on different screens. It helps ensure bright and dark areas are clear and detailed, without being too washed out or too dark.
For ages, we have been using the ACES tone mapper in Second Life, but then suddenly, Second Life introduced the Khronos tone mapper, which I have been told is better for video games. I’ve seen various tone mapper options in the Alchemy viewer before, but I decided to venture back into the latest Firestorm beta viewer to see how everything appeared with Khronos.
First impressions: it’s brighter. I think it’s nice, but if you choose to switch to Khronos, be aware that you may need to adjust some or all of your EEP settings.
I suppose I’m making the switch, so going forward, all of my EEPs will be created for Khronos unless I am using the Alchemy viewer, which has not yet integrated this new tone map.
It’s worth noting that Khronos does not fix the issues with broken Second Life PBR water or skies, but the skies are slightly better. The water still has a long way to go before it’s good.
I’ve been enjoying creating my own simple backgrounds for blog photos. I am particularly obsessed with the new Mae wall panels from Apple Fall. However, if Apple Fall is reading this, I wish they would consider revisiting the Bramble Panel and create a HUD for it. To make the background even cuter, I added some Wildflower Garlands from Dust Bunny.
Anthology has just opened for another round! I am thrilled about this Bruna purse from Alma. It is modifiable, which allows me to tint the bag in any colors I desire! Additionally, it comes with a nice selection of colors through the HUD. I was particularly excited to tint the gold hardware a little darker to match the gold hearts on my top. This top is the Mia top from Aurica, also available at the event. I truly appreciate items that are modifiable, as it enables me to create a cohesive look. I do not understand the rationale behind “no mod,” but I assume it is because brands believe they can sell more colors or want to maintain control over their aesthetics. Personally, I prefer softer colors, so I value the ability to tint items slightly. Furthermore, it has become quite challenging to match colors now that PBR lighting is the standard. Being able to adjust this little bit of gold on the purse made it work perfectly for me.
DID YOU KNOW? On Flickr, you can tag people or add tags to anyone’s photos. If I have featured your brand, please feel free to tag yourself in my photos! I do not mind at all. Sometimes, I struggle to locate a brand on Flickr.
I came across this ReShade (MagicBorder) tutorial on X (Twitter) created by a resident named Kody Black and felt compelled to try it. If you are a fan of engaging photo effects without resorting to third-party editing software like Photoshop, ReShade is the perfect add-on. I previously wrote about ReShade; while the installation and usage can be somewhat challenging, once you master it, the results are remarkable.
One drawback of ReShade is that it does not allow for high-resolution photos, but you can take display-sized screenshots. Using the Second Life snapshot tool does not capture any of the ReShade effects. Therefore, I believe ReShade is better suited for videos, as it enables you to create eye-catching borders like this and replicate a widescreen video format, along with stunning blurs and lighting effects that are not achievable with the Second Life viewer. I have yet to explore the full range of effects that ReShade offers, but I have been diligently working to learn it for several months.
I encourage you to give ReShade a try if you are looking to do something different with your Second Life photos.
I know it’s still November, but I’m already in the mood for winter lights and Christmas festivities in Second Life. There are several things I look forward to during this time of the year, including Black Friday sales, the LeLutka Christmas tree gift, and clothing options that go beyond dresses that barely cover one’s bum. I need to find a way to wear this Everfaery Frostlight Jacket year-round, as it comes with so many color options and optional string lights. Everything is better wrapped in string lights.
To distract myself from the issues with the Second Life mobile app, I decided to visit Winter Love Valley and enjoy some snow. This region is simple yet truly exceptional for photography! I was especially impressed with the chairs by What Next; the poses are all great and appear very natural. I immediately messaged Sparkle to ask if we had those chairs in our region, and she confirmed that we do.
In all the years that I’ve blogged about Second Life, I have never felt appreciated by Linden Lab. Therefore, when I read about the secret invitation-only blogger’s Zoom meeting, I was not surprised at all to not receive an invitation. A few other bloggers expressed similar sentiments, as feeling excluded is regrettably nothing new here. Second Life gains a significant amount of free press from its residents; we take millions of photos and create videos daily to promote the platform. Second Life bloggers are essential to the platform’s success; without us shopping, buying regions, and showcasing our experiences online, brands would not be able to thrive here.
If you read the blog post I linked, you will see that in Brett Linden’s email, he mentions plans for even more secret meetings with selected creators. If you are a creator, consider how you can get on that list, as your competitors may receive invitations and obtain information that could significantly impact your livelihood before you do.
There’s more I want to express about how Linden Lab has handled these matters, but I am not particularly impressed with recent developments, and I worry about Second Life’s future. With tickets going unanswered and numerous hacking incidents reported on the platform, I question whether we are safe. Is Second Life in trouble?
Please share your thoughts in the comments! Do you believe Second Life is better than ever, or do you think it could improve?
The new Ariella skin from Glam Affair has me absolutely thrilled! This beauty was featured in the Saturday Sale for just L$75 for the fatpack, and it might still be available at their main store. One of the things I truly appreciate about Glam Affair is their commitment to keeping their blog updated with the latest product releases. While their Flickr is a great resource, it doesn’t always showcase all the new offerings, so having a blog I can rely on is fantastic. Many brands have shifted away from blogs and are constantly hopping between social media platforms, but I value consistency. My main SL shopping catalog has always revolved around Flickr, but it’s nice to have that backup.
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Glam Affair’s recent skin releases. The shading is much softer now, and the skins have a beautifully smooth finish that I can’t get enough of.
On another note, I’ve been wearing the Nysia Aviator Jacket from ISON, which is also part of this weekend’s sales events. Unfortunately, I can’t recall exactly which sale it’s in, as it’s not yet up on their Flickr at the moment I’m writing this. What I love about this jacket is its versatility; you can customize the colors of the jacket, shearling, and sweater. Plus, if you’re feeling a different vibe, you can turn the sweater off and layer it with another shirt underneath. I’m all about roomy jackets that offer mixing and matching possibilities with other pieces in my wardrobe. Happy shopping!
Gacha is making a comeback, but this time, the items inside the gacha machine will be NO TRANSFER. I can hardly believe that Linden Lab thinks this is a good idea! If you’re a fan of gacha items, your best bet is to stick with the MiePon version. It not only reveals what’s coming next but also keeps items transferable.
Seriously, what’s the rationale behind NO TRANSFER gachas? They seem utterly pointless and downright predatory. Why would anyone want to pay multiple times for something they can’t trade? It raises some serious questions: Why are some brands on board with this? Why would anybody play no transfer gacha machines?
I loved the thrill of receiving gifts and sharing my extra gacha items. So, in the spirit of Gachas, I truly hope that Second Life merchants will think twice before opting for NO TRANSFER gacha machines. Such a stance will undoubtedly come off as greedy to the average shopper.
If you asked me about my top two favorite skin brands on Second Life, they’d definitely be Amara Beauty and Glam Affair. Shout out to these amazing creators for making faces that are both sweet and easy to wear. My favorite brand at any given moment really depends on their latest release. I was a dedicated Glam Affair fan for months earlier this year, but around May, I switched to Amara Beauty. The reason? My favorite tone, Beige, started looking too orange. I suspected that PBR was affecting my tone preferences, so I tried a lighter shade, Flower. Still, it didn’t resonate with me. Given how much skin tones rely on shading and highlights, I made the switch.
I was happily wearing Amara Beauty for a while, but no brand is perfect. I still layered dozens of Izzie’s products on my face to fix the skin. This is why I don’t really do skin reviews anymore—it’s hard for others to replicate the look after I’ve customized it so much.
Anyway, today I’m back in a Glam Affair skin, and it’s not without its challenges. When I tried on the Nicta skin, I saw so much potential. It felt like “me” for a moment, though there were issues. I didn’t like the heavy highlights on the lips or the odd side highlight on the forehead above the brows. What’s going on there? I called my go-to skin doctor, Izzie Button (Izzie’s), and asked her to create a custom fix for the lips so I could wear my favorite lipsticks again and to remove the bizarre forehead highlight. She did it! One thing I appreciate about Izzie is that she’s always willing to create custom fixes for skins. If you need Dr. Izzie, feel free to message her in-world—she says I can tell you that. 🙂
Face Shine 25% Opacity & Face Shine 100% Opacity
Now that we have PBR lighting, I find myself drawn to face highlights, but not the overly baked-on kind. I like options, and Glam Affair included a Face Shine layer at 100%, 50%, and 25% opacity. If you prefer your own face shine, just wear the skin as-is and add on Izzie’s Highlighter Set to your liking.
This Glam Affair Nicta skin isn’t perfect to me, mainly due to the face and lip shine and the freckles on the nose that can’t be removed or fixed with Izzie’s tattoos. The freckles mean I can’t use Izzie’s Nose Shading fix, as it removes freckles only on one side. So you might be wondering, “Gogo, if you have to make so many adjustments, why wear the skin at all?” Just look at it! With Izzie’s help, I managed to fix about 90% of the issues, and now it feels like me. I decided that my new tone from Glam Affair is now Ivory, because it looks the best in PBR lighting and matches my current body tone.
Do you wear a skin without any additional tattoo layer fixes? Let me know in the comments, because I haven’t been able to do that in a very long time. I almost never wear the original brows that come with any skins—I guess I’m just complicated like that.
I recently had the pleasure of attending MachiniconSL, an exciting event hosted by Bay City Studios and brought to life by the talented Feorie Frimon. Known for her passion for machinima in Second Life, Feorie has provided countless tutorials on YouTube that have proven invaluable. Thanks to one of her videos, I even learned how to create a PBR mirror in Second Life!
This is the inaugural MachiniconSL event, open to visitors until September 26th. Upon arrival, you’re welcomed onto a clear path reminiscent of a theme park, setting the stage for a self-guided tour brimming with helpful insights and creative filming tips.
One of the highlights for me was the immediate immersion into various meticulously crafted scenes, perfect for snapping photos or capturing videos. The opportunity to support the event is also present, whether through shopping at the numerous stores or donating to the Child’s Play charity at designated kiosks.
The experience was not only enjoyable but incredibly inspiring. I even ended up filming an impromptu dance video! MachiniconSL offers numerous engaging activities—bring a friend, dance, re-enact a fight scene, explore an underground bunker, or simply have fun experimenting with an array of animations.
Don’t miss out on this fantastic event! Visit MachiniconSL and let your creativity soar!
It was time for Gogo to get a fresh new portrait to celebrate the new PBR lighting in Second Life! The last time I changed my profile photo was 4 years ago. Despite taking selfies all the time, I rarely think a photo is good enough for a profile update. Hopefully, this one will last for the next four years!
My friend Sparkle has crafted the most darling Emily Pearl Headband set. You can snag it at her main store on Sparkle Skye. Right now, it’s 50% off the fatpack, and there’s a special discount pack for the weekend sale. It pairs beautifully with the new Destiny hairstyle from Doux—a match made in virtual heaven!
These photos were taken at my Linden Home using the JuicyBomb – Country Skies EEP Settings. Even though I made these settings pre-PBR, the viewer automatically adjusts the lighting—it’s fantastic that they still work so well for photography. If you have this pack, you can easily tweak the lighting to suit your needs.
