Ponyland's Closing

By Bixyl Shuftan

On the evening of  December 31 2015, ScentualLust announced in the Luskwood Community group (and presumably Trotstale's as well) that the Ponyland sim would be closing.

Fe-fe, fi-fi, fo-fo, fum
I smell a skunk in the auditorium!

We're gonna close the sim, just you wait and see...
What a perfect way to ring in 2016 ?

Fe fi fum fory, I have wrote my own story.

The end! Of Ponyland...cause nothing can stop the smooze.

Happy new year everypony! Come celebrate it and say farewell to Ponyland.

Chatting with ScentualLust, she told me the sim was indeed closing tim for the place, "Farewell time, we made it many months longer than anticipated. I had half a dozen ponies IM me saying how the sim made them cry from childhood nostalgia. Michi Lumin's heading over later. Her and I were the sims only admins, it was just my labor of love for G1. And all the thanks goes to her and OldVamp (he did the builds) for making it happen." I asked where the idea for the sim came from. Scentual answered, "It was a secret I was keeping so none of the other pony sim owners would jump on either a G1 sim, or naming their sim Ponyland (which is where Firefly's Adventure and My Little Pony Tales takes place). I sent Vamp pics of the builds I wanted, and he built a majority of the sim before I bought the sim itself to place the builds in."

Scentual had only planned for the sim to be online for a short time, "I planned on three months. But donations from people like JeanetteDJennet and LeatherTail kept it going, combined with Lindens I had saved up since my rez day. Many nights of Primtionary, etc. $30L here and there can add up. (smile) ... I had a list of intentions, a party in the skating rink, a party in the sky (which you were at), a party in the ice cream shop, and a party in Dream Castle. There was a whole skating "conga" line at the skating rink party. Limited edition MLP roller blades and inline skates were created for it, complete with an AO. This is the kinda stuff that makes it worth it to run a place like this." Amehana Arashi (Amehana Ishtari) commented, "You have no idea how cathartic it was for me to explore it."

Anticipating I would write about it, Scentual added, "I'd want to say to anyone reading that article, that if they missed out on this sim, they can still watch the G1 material it was based on. Firefly's Adventure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kknbjwYWwaU&list=PLfp_59rbOG-gDt_c0VZO4qlu306Kg3XTF and My Little Pony Tales: http://yp1.yayponies.no/prevgen.php ." Her plans for the future? She told me, "I'm going to work on the Trotsdale Museum of Pony Past, which is an attraction ran by DC the cyberPony in Trotsdale. We'll get Ponyland added in there, DC got quite the handful of pictures for us to hang in there, and I even got a video archive of the sim thanks to Flutter Riff (who has also helped with scenery and a lot of ground work here)."

I hung around the place long enough to take a few pictures. As New Years Eve was a busy night for me, I was elsewhere when Scentual messaged me when the sim finally had closed, " Michi Lumin got the last words in the Ponyland farewell party, 'My heart will gooo oooon and oooooooon!' Everyone at the party made a gesture of going down with the sim. It was touching." Scentual then sent me a picture, the last that would ever be taken from the sim, "This was the auto screen grab as the sim went down, a wonderful final snapshot of what was."

When asked if she had anything else to say, "I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for Michi Lumin providing a solid role model as a sim owner. Watching her carefully led me to running Derpyland (which is a sim that Dashy and Cera founded) and having it go from not only being an overnight sensation, but turning into a self sustaining pony sim for over 3 years and counting. In a world where your average SecondLife sim only lasts a few months, one would think looking to Luskwood would be common scents since they're the oldest running community in Second Life. I'm a big believer in divine luminous wisdom and experience. And I attribute a lot of those qualities to what lead Ponyland to 9 months of sim life, instead of 3. With no specific community group, and no rentals...it has very much surprised me." Scentual would later remind me Derpyland was the second oldest of the pony sims, Trotsdale being around first.

And so, the sim had it's final curtain call. But it won't be forgotten as there will be an exhibit on the place should all go as planned. And of course there's the memories of those who had fun there.

Bixyl Shuftan

*Addition* I had accidentally left out a couple paragraphs of the interview when the article first went up. When discovered, the error was corrected. 

*Second Addition* The Newser was asked to note Derpyland is the second oldest of the pony sims, with Trotsdale, run by Michi Lumin, being the oldest.

Trixie's Magic Show

By Bixyl Shuftan

I was recently informed that a magic show in the pony sim of Thessalia would soon be having it's last one for a while. So wondering what the show was about, I headed over to the LM provided in the announcement. The location was a clearing in some woods with a number of pillows for seating with a cartoony-looking wagon in front. On the cushions were an audience of about a dozen and a half, mostly ponies but there were a few others. Over the next few minutes, a few more arrived, bringing the number to about two dozen.

Finally the wagon snapped open into a stage, a few pyrotechnics went off, and a blue pony in a purple star-speckled cape appeared. "Come one, come all!" she called out, "It's time once again to witness, the AMAZING show-stopping ability,  of the Mare of Magic! Presenting the most magical unicorn in Equestria! The one! The only! The Great and Powerful TRIXIE!!" There was applause from the ponies, "Yay Trixie!" The magician continued, "That's right, ponies, The Great and Powerful Trixie is finally back to astound and amaze you all! Trixie will ask for volunteers later, to come on stage with Trixie, like a true fan! Decide now if you will help and be ready! Prepare for an experience never before experienced by pony eyes! It's time to get started!"

Trixie started things off with a card trick, showing a set of cards inviting the audience to make a mental note of one, then with a flash, there was one less card in the set, "And ... your card is gone!" After another illusion trick, she called out, "Trixie now wants to present the most dramatic stunt, discovered in another land! Trixie presents the amazing..." and a large wooden crate appeared on stage, "...SCARY BOX 5000!!" There were a couple gasps from the audience, "Oh my." The magician continued, "Trixie will need a volunteer from the audience... some pony brave. Who will help Trixie?" One of the ponies trotted onto the stage. The magician had her hop on top of the crate, "Now, stay there no matter what. Trixie will now lower you into the box... Good, now just stay very still. Trixie now presents the SCARY part!! Give Trixie a little room here..." 

Then a number of saw blades appeared, and there were more gasps from the audience, "ooooohh!" "Yikes!" Trixie continued, "Trixie will just step out of the way now.. excuse Trixie... Nopony spoil the surprise for our friend in the box, now! Now, Trixie learned a story to go along with this trick.... It goes like this: In a world before time, 10 saws faced one crate in eternal battle! And the great Queen Neighfertiti decreed... Oh, ponyfeathers. Trixie isn't going to tell the whole silly story. Let's just give our friend a push, shall we? Keep your eyes on the box!" And the box was moved into the spinning sawblades, cutting through it right in front of the audience of ponies, "Holy celestia!" Then the walls of the box collapsed, and there was nothing inside. The voulenteer then trotted out from behind the stage and the audience cheered and claps, "Best yet!" The magician took a bow, "Another amazing trick by the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

The show continued with the next act involving a tale of pony lore, Trixie acting with her usual boastful bravado. Then came the stage transforming into a castle for a few minutes, until the crystal shattered into a thousand sparkles, leaving behind just the stage. Not having watched the cartoon, yours truly wondered if this was part of a roleplay in the spirit of the show. Those donating into the tip jar got an autographed picture of the magician.

Eventually, the show came to a close, the magician saying. "Thank you all! Trixie hopes you have enjoyed the last show of her comeback tour!" And the audience cheered, "That was incredible." "This made my new year a lot better. (grin)" One lady broke the proverbial fourth wall with her comment, "(My) daughter watched on my screen, she says thank you too Trixie." "You did spectacular, and Im happy I saw the whole show." The pony took a bow, "Trixie wishes you all a fantastic 2015, and hopes all the best for you in the new year. May it be as Magical as I am!"

The magician thanked the following people for technical help, "Trixie would like to thank Marjan Tomba for technical and pyrotechnical assistance! Trixie would also like to thank Wandy and Lady Silvermane for mixing advice and support, and Sheruka for animation support! Thank you also to Rina-Chan for giving Trixie voice, and to Kiteless Dragon for the introduction voice over! Most of all, Trixie thanks all of you for still being loyal fans after so much time! Trixie hopes to meet each and every one of you at her next show!"

But her next show might not be for a while. I later met up with Crim Nip, who told me that most likely there wouldn't be another of Trixie's performances for a year and a half due to the person behind the avatar's increasingly busy real-life. It might actually be the last show.

Bixyl Shuftan

Trotsdale's Third Birthday Celebration With Musicians Jaycatt and Frogg

By Bixyl Shuftan

 Last Saturday, September 20th, the Trotsdale pony sim celebrated its third anniversary, with a party high above the sim. A few dozen locals in their characteristic "My Little Pony" avatars, along with some visitors from Luskwood and other places danced away to the music of a live performance by Jaycatt Nico and Frogg Marlowe.

"Frogg and Jaycatt are now playing at Trotsdale's third birthday here at Trodsdale Heights. After F+J, Suri will be DJing, and we're going into the night."

Michi Lumin, one of Luskwood's founders, was among the two-legged visitors helping to celebrate.

The locals came out in pony avatars large and small, one whom dressed up for the occasion.

Eventually Jaycatt and Frogg finished their routine, and the audience applauded, "Thanks for the the music-ings!" "It would be nice to see you two perform at Trotdsale more regularly." "Thanks again, Jay, Frogg." "Thanks for playing F&J you two are awesome." "Hopefully we don't have to wait till next year to hear you guys again." "Dont' worry, Trotsdale has a catch and release policy for musicians I'm sure."

There were a few comments about making the pair honorary ponies, "We could declare them already ponies by fiat," as the tender part of a horse's hoof was sometimes called a "frog," "We're walking on our frogs." That got a few chuckles from Frogg Marlowe, "never heard that before! Cool!" There were also a few jokes about their avatars being contagious, "You will get ponied in your sleep. It happens." "Unleash the ponification ray!" "... ponification isn't required, it just sorta ... happens around here (grin)."

Jaycatt and Frogg thanked the crowd for their well wishes, "It was a lot of fun." "Always glad to be a part of special occasions like this ... Thank you all so much!" Then they headed out as the local DJ,  DJ Dash (shurikenangel), began playing, "Thanks again everyone. Happy anniversary Trostdale!" Michi also headed out, "Thanks everyone for being here and I'll be back later tonight. But mostly, thanks for three years of this, putting up with our growing pains, and the changing pony sim scene, and sticking by. It really is appreciated, and you guys being here is what makes this possible."

*Addition* I later chatted with Michi. It seems she's not exactly just a friend to Trotsdale, but the owner of the place. She told me she was co-owner for a time, then made full owner.

Bixyl Shuftan