SciFi Convention 2019, An Interview With Merky (Richmerk)

by Marcel Mosswood

So I’m ready for the SciFi Con 2019 that is held on May 17-26, 2019! I’m wearing my Star Trek costumes which I made for my Dinkie avatar months ago specifically to present the SciFi Convention 2019. I’ve done with my booth so today my agenda is to meet Merky (richmerk), the Coordinator of the committee for my interview about the SciFi Cons 2019. Here is the interview:

Merky (richmerk), The Coordinator of The Committee

Marcel: Hi Merky, let me introduce myself, I’m Marcel Mosswood, I would like to interview you for the SL Newser. I see that the Scifi Convention is very well prepared by your team. The landscape and the concept of the buildings are very attractive and professional. How long have all these preparations been made from the start?

Merky: Actually, because of real life issues, we got much less warning this year that we needed to build a convention, so everything you see here was created in just a few weeks.

The SciFi Con Sims

Marcel: Wow, that’s a really fast preparation for such a great event! I’ve read from the website that the event is held annually. Can you tell us the beginning of the idea of making this sci-fi event an annual event? Who are the avatars involved at the initial event?

Merky: The Scifi Cons go way back to the early days of SL. I don’t know the exact year because that was before I joined. Back in those days, it was a different group of people. I think originally a Real-Life group called the ‘International Federation of Trekkers’ was the force behind the conventions. When they caught the notice of the RFL, the Cons became more regular and larger.

Marcel: So, why do you associate Scifi Con with raising funds for RFL? Are there special reasons?

Merky: The Scifi Con has been with RFL since I joined the team. It’s a wonderful and worthwhile cause. They’ve always supported us, and because of their encouragement and advice, the Con is more successful now than it has ever been!

Marcel: I can say that is a good collaboration. What is your fundraising target for this year? And besides the fundraising, is there another goal that you would like to achieve?

Merky: In past years, I think the Cons have made around 1 million lindens. Last year we were a little smaller and only got 750k. This year though, Our goal is at least 2 million! There are a lot of generous people out there, the Con team is working overtime, and we have a lot more experienced help this year, so I’m sure we’ll reach it.

Marcel: About your great team, who are your team members? And how do you manage your teamwork to achieve your goals?

Merky: Myself and Debbydo are blessed this year with some great new helpers. We have a dedicated event manager this year, VєηυŞ (shayna.paine), who has worked tirelessly for weeks now to put together a solid lineup of shows and entertainments. The immense central domed building was constructed by Beth Delaunay (isilmeriel). The sims were built by Benjamin Brougham, StarWolff, and Varahi Lusch and Minions. Wolferein Foxdale’s job is basically to fix and make better all the stuff that I build, and mesh things. Kendra Mollsen (koreeah) is the troubleshooter and customer service girl. There are a bunch of other people also that were invaluable helpers both before and during the Con. We keep everything organized through Google Docs and Discord servers. Constant good communication is the key.

Marcel: Wonderful! I can see your work through the appearance of the Con. The last question but this may be inspiring others: Would you like to say something to our readers, maybe some quotes, which always motivates you during this fundraising activity? 

Merky: One of the things we did before the Con this year is come up with a theme song that reflects our core philosophy and what we try to accomplish in Second LIfe. Paul McCartney’s Hope for the Future (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=163_C5UVU-I).

Visit here to enjoy the sci-fi world, shop and donate for the Relay For Life: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SFC%20Atlantis/127/128/34

Marcel Mosswood

GeekSpeak Science Discussion: Leaving Earth

On Saturday January 20, I attended the "Geekspeak" science chat and discussion event. For those who don't know, the event takes place about every few weeks on a Saturday at 12 PM SL time, and is hosted by Erik Goff. The event takes place at Danmu (143/127/51).

Usually the topic is a science related one. Among them, how will the development of artificial intelligence affect humanity and society in the next ten to twenty years? Could tapping the large "pool" of magma just under Yellowstone help stave off a massive eruption while at the same time give the United States a large source of energy? What would factories on the moon be like? For last Saturday, the topic was a subject that's been the plot of a number of science-fiction stories, and the preliminary story of a few world-builder computer games: the emergency evacuation of Earth due to an impending disaster.

Let’s suppose we need to leave Earth in a hurry in a few (20? 100?) years’ time.  Maybe because of a nuclear winter, maybe because of an asteroid strike or maybe because the sun is about to explode.  How would we go about it?  Who will we select to go?  Could we, should we, turn anyone away?  If we have to travel for several generations who will be kept in stasis and who will be woken up on arrival?  Who will run the ship?  What animals and seeds will we bring with us?  How will we know what will be needed when we arrive?  Will we bring some animals and plants just because we like them? How will we organise life on the ship so as to keep social structure intact?  And when we arrive at a habitable planet will we dare leave our comfortable ship?  Maybe we will decide that life on an endlessly traveling ship is better. Come and talk with us about our future because, one day, we may need to pack. 

Someone asked about the possibility that politicians might try to keep such a disaster under wraps so only they and a few select friends would be saved. Erik responded, "You would think that, ... but you know, the Internet, everyone, including scientists, are vloggers now. Such a disaster could not be contained ..." Someone else commented, "I'm thinking that an asteroid scenario would be like 'When Worlds Collide.'  We'll send our best in a space arc, and the rabble will try to destroy it at launch, out of envy." And whom would be the colonists? Someone suggested perhaps only women would be selected to double the number of people able to give birth, relying on a sperm bank to have children.

It's a fair guess that if humanity had to pull off such a thing in the near future, it could barely be done and with close to the minimal number of people able to continue the survival of the species. "Could we do it?" Erik asked, "would we be able to build arks in 20 years?" "If we put our minds to it, sure," he was answered by one, "I would say that a concerted effort would do in in six months, tops." "In 6 months we could have a generation ship," someone else suggested. Another was a little skeptical, asking if space travel wasn't such a huge undertaking, why didn't we have men on Mars yet. I suggested that the reason was there had been no large deposits of gold or any other valuable minerals found.

 Reasons for an immediate evacuation wouldn't necessarily be due to nature, but by fellow beings. I recalled a friend's science-fiction story in which the alien race humanity first runs into are in two factions. Over much of the history of their homeworld, there are two major civilizations. One was driven by science and democratic rule. The other was driven by a religion that compelled them to try to conquer the other. The first could beat the second in warfare, but never could convince them to change their ways. Finally once faster-than-light travel was perfected, after the next war the first civilization ordered the people of the second off the planet, many millions ordered into cramped spaceships and shipped to another world.

Erik brought up one interesting possibility. Living in a space ark wouldn't be a comfortable existence. But once people were used to it, would they prefer it to settling on a world? As Erik put it, "would they *want* to live on a planet will all kinds of weird diseases?" Someone commented, "There was 'Orphans of the Sky' by Heinlein, where, at first, when they *finally* arrived at Far Centaurus, they had acrophobia, but it was so much better than the ship, they adjusted. Or at least we are left with that impression, as the story ends with arrival." I brought up in some stories, the colony ship was often the first structure of the colony, and remained the largest one for some time.

And would it be necessary to leave the solar system? Someone suggested a space ark (or a fleet of them) might just hang around until Earth was habitable again. Once you could build a large enough ship that could house a population indefinitely, would finding a colony be such a big priority, "Maybe once you go to the trouble to build a large generational ship that can have a seriously large population, a planet doesn't buy you much." I wondered if someone would bring up the idea of tunneling deep underground and wall-up against any disaster and spend generations in a self-sufficient underground area. But that less romantic idea wasn't discussed. There was one idea I didn't expect that was: what if a colony ship arrived at it's destination, but there was no one to colonize the planet as they had all committed suicide, "speculating on the overwhelming depression that generations of people in a generation ship may feel."

Someone did bring up one topic that I haven't seen in too many sci-fi tales, the idea of large numbers of humans moving to an alien civilization to live. That was a concept I had seen in some stories about the Chakats and their homeworld. But the Chakats did not evolve there; they were a genetically-engineered race created on Earth. The humans were going to a world where the natives spoke a dialect of English.

There were other topics discussed, such as the Metric system and why it wasn't adopted by those stubborn Americans. Eventually, the hour was up, and it was time for me to go.

Bixyl Shuftan

Sci-fi Convention in Second Life

By Grease Coakes

Most people in second life know that Relay For Life is a huge force in the grid as many teams compete to raise lindens to turn into real money to fight against cancer in the real world. Second in itself is a virtual experience with a sci-fi theme. Log in into a world where anything is possible from creating a fantasy or sci-fi environment. Also you can meet people from around the globe whether in your own country or somewhere else in the globe. So Second Life is an excellent medium to present a sci-fi convention which is subtitled passport to Hope.

The 2017 Sci-Fi Convention is held at Forty Two (103/124/23) and you learn about it here https://slscificonvention.wordpress.com/. From March 24th until April 2nd this year you can stop by and have a galaxy of fun with vendors, DJs, and events. I was surprised to find a Klingon city that was empty (I guess the Klingons killed everyone and went back to Kronos). And also I was surprised when I found  Jadziyah Resident’s shop which had rockets from Tintin the European comic. I couldn’t help it but to buy the rocket where Tintin flew to the moon in one  of his adventures.

The sim was spilt up into earth,fire,water,air,life, and equilibrium as themes. All throughout the convention I saw lots of exciting things such as a RP area based on Star Trek. Also a theater which had real life photos of actors and a special actress that passed away recently. It showed actors such as Alan Rickman who played Snape in the Harry Potter movies. Also Carrie Fisher who was princess Leia in the Star Wars movies. Inside was a stargate from the Stargate movie and a huge Doctor who display.

At 3pm SLT I found a theater play called “The Lucid Journey.” Where a woman’s husband named Lewis Liddell is presumed dead. His wife still alive to take a journey in a dreamscape and beyond to find him. The character’s dialogue was in green text as the avatars were on stage. It was great to watch. There’s also scheduled events and a dj here and there. I saw lots of vendors selling Star Trek goodies and a few Star Wars vendors selling lite sabers.

I grabbed Ariadne Fall, who was one of the people in charge of the convention, and asked her what her thoughts were about the sci-fi convention and she had this to say, "It's wacky and fun, exhibitors form all over the grid, and events every single day....  it's proof of what pixel people can do when they believe in something. We love sci-fi and we hate cancer.  It's that simple."

I asked her, "What's your fave sci-fi movie, book series, whatever?"

Ariadne told me, "Ooohhhhh, good question!  'Biting The Sun' by Tanith Lee for favorite sci-for book. ...and favorite movie is a choice I cannot possibly make... if 'Earth Girls Are Easy,' 'Evolution,' 'Demolition Man' are on, I watch!"

One of the things people hope for in the future is that the human race destroys cancer. We always look for a future such as star trek where racism is a thing of the past and equality for all is what people strive for. The sci-fi convention here in second life is one cosmic leap in that direction.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Forty%20Two/103/124/23

Grease Coakes

Scenes From Yuri's Night 2016

By Bixyl Shuftan

Tuesday April 12 was "Yuri's Night," an international celebration among space fans to celebrate the anniversary of the launch of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin, in 1961. Sometimes called the "world space party," there are small events around the world. Among them was one set up by the International Space Museum and the National Space Society's chapter in Second Life (more info can be read at the event's website - https://yurisnight.net/)

 The party started at Noon SL time high above the Spaceport Bravo sim at (124/128/1601), with Arisia Vita playing "Russian-inspired piano selections." From 12:30 to 4PM was the "long party," with Eifachfilm Vacirca and Emileigh Starbrook DJed "An eclectic supersonic flight through space and time." I arrived a little after 3, one telling me, "It's thinned out some since the start, but we've had great music and discussions."

There were freebies available for those dropping in, "Be sure to grab the goodies from below the stage." The package contained a jumpsuit, pendant, helmet, a "I (heart) Yuri" t-shirt, a mug with a drinking animation, and a Russian dance animation.

Some people were enjoying them right at the scene.

"Oh, and for the curious, the bread and salt on the tables here is the traditional Russian symbol of hospitality. ... During Apollo-Soyuz, the Cosmonauts greeted the Astronauts with salt tablets and crackers! ... ts a big cultural thing in that part of the world." Someone made a joke about salt licks for deer, "explains a lot about the Russians, I think."

Someone had a cosmonaut suit from the first Yuri's Night celebration in Second Life.

And where there is space, there are aliens.

Asterion Coen gets a little "cubed."

A look at the dance area from a distance with the viewer at Midnight. It looked pretty "Far out."

At 4PM, the party moved to the Sagan Planetarium at Aspen (200/120/3730)

The Planetarium's designated dance area was set up in their Solar system display. Normally the music stream would be playing "the audio portion of the tour." This time it was playing music. For a few minutes, it would show the Sun and planets going around it.

Then it would switch to one at a time.

Clicking on the planet would show a cross-section view.

Above the planets, and the moons in orbit around them, there were some statistics displayed overhead.

This included Pluto, which since the discovery of certain bodies beyond it's orbit in the first years of the 21st Century has been reclassified as a "dwarf planet" and not a full one since 2006. Still a source of controversy among space nuts

There was a contest for the best science-fiction look, and there were a number.

 Among them, one guy in a saucer abducting a steer, "Eep! It's molesting a cow!" "Yay cow molestation!"

And yours truly got into the act: "Foxes in space."

At one point, someone rezzed a platoon of "Star Wars" stormtroopers. Oddly, one of them was pink, for reasons not given.

There was a "symphony of science-fiction mashups," from theme musics of "Star Trek" and "Star Wars," to "Doctor Who," "Star Blazers," Battlestar Galactica," "Mars Attacks," and more. Of the "Star Wars," someone joked, "Careful ... , this is technically Disney music now, and you know how lawsuit happy they can be about public performances."

There was also a triva contest, in which winners for a few Lindens for right answers. And there were a number of discussions about science-fiction and space science.

It was a fun time for sci-fi fans and space nuts alike.

Bixyl Shuftan

Yuri's Night 2015

On Sunday April 12, the "Yuri's Night" celebration took place in the Sci-Lands in Second Life. To begin with, Yuri's Night is not an event specific to the Grid, but a worldwide event among space enthusiasts that began in 2001 as a celebration of manned space flight, held on both the anniversary of the first manned flight in space by Yuri Gagarin in 1961, and the date of the first flight of the space shuttle exactly 20 years later.

The event's website states, "Yuri’s Night is a global celebration of humanity’s past, present, and future in space. Yuri’s Night parties and events are held around the world every April ... Yuri’s Night events combine space-themed partying with education and outreach. These events can range from an all-night mix of techno and technology at a NASA Center, to a movie showing and stargazing at your local college, to a gathering of friends at a bar or barbecue." The 2011 celebrations were described as being attended by over 100,000 people in over 500 events, including the one then in Second Life then.

The event was sponsored by the National Space Society's Second Life chapter and the International Space Museum. From Noon SL time to about 4PM, the celebrations took place high above the Spaceport Bravo sim. Cypress Rosewood performed music from about 1 to 2 PM. After that, Emileigh Stanbrook DJed the music.

There was a variety of avatars, often with space themes such as spacesuits.

And of course, aliens.

At 4PM, the party moved to the Sagan Planetarium at Aspen (199, 140, 3721).

The place had a number of exhibits where one can fill up on space knowledge. But today, the action was in the star and planet display room.

The place took advantage of what Second Life could offer, showing stars, constelations, and planets all around, not just the ceiling. And yes, there were moons, "We're getting mooned here."

There was a costume contest, with the first prize being a free Kerbal Space Program game from Steam. One guy showed up in a Kerbal astronaut avatar.

As time went on, more people showed up. People would chat about various things from the space program, to astronomy, to science fiction movies. And there were the jokes, "Robin are you dressed as an asteroid or is my client dying?"

Drinks were available, thanks to an astromech droid avatar.

 Spacesuits weren't just among those with two legs.

 As more people showed up, along with the music, the display provided visual as well as audio treats. Among the tunes were "Surprise," about the Sputnik launch, and "She Blinded Me With Science."

 With Uranus in view though, sometimes the jokes got a little cheeky. "Do you have Asteroids?" "No but my Dad does. Some days he can hardly sit down." Funny how the seventh planet used to be pronounced "yer-ay-nus," and after the Voyager probe flyby people began saying "yer-uh-nuhs."

Of the contest, the winner was ExpeditiousPony Resident , who won the Kerbal Space Program game and  664L of a 2000 Linden pot. Honorable mentions were JustinEvander Resident, BrinleyTaliesin Resident, and Gyro Muggins.

And so another Yuri's night came and went, as only Second Life's science fans could deliver.

Bixyl SHUftan

Scenes From the Science Fiction Convention in Second Life 2015

From Friday February 20 to Sunday March 1, the Science Fiction Convention in Second Life took place. There were a number of exhibits among several sims. This was a chance for a number of sci-fi roleplay groups to get more players. It was also a chance for fans to meet up and chat with one another. The event raised money for the Relay for Life, one of the last RFL related events to take place before the start of the official season.

There were six sims of exhibits, Fhloston Parside, Pern Sound, New Vegas, Risa, Shinon, and Margalthea. Fhloston Parside and Pern Sound were mainly water and walkways over and across them. One could also walk to the American Cancer Society sim, which was next to Fhloston Parside.

Dropping by the ACS sim, Trader Whiplash of T-1 radio was there, among with a few others. He was broadcasting from there, and happy to help out at another fundraiser for the cancer charity. One of my neighbors from Sunweaver, Shadow (the naga) showed up to look around as well and joined me.

There were a few events going on, such as a cake baking contest. No doubt a few involved some unusual varieties of wheat for the flour and eggs.

An amusement park area, complete with a ferris wheel.

Stargazer Creations, one of the shops.

The thing about science fiction conventions is many of the visitors look like part of the exhibits themselves, such as this lady whom in real life was an ethnic Indonesian living in Ireland.

The Apollo 17 Visitor Center by the National Space Society's Second Life chapter,

 Part of a Dr. Who exhibit.

Chatting with these two convention-goers took on a roleplay theme. The lady in slacks described herself as from a space station run by her parents. The pink rubbery bunnygirl described herself as once being human, but ended up being tricked into undergoing a procedure that changed her into what she was. Fortunately her memory was restored.

 A classic "little green man," or in this case a female.

 A reptilian huntress trying to hold a conversation with a small android.

A statue of "Kahless the Unforgettable," in Trek lore the man who founded the Klingon Empire.

Going on a dragon ride.

After the passing of Leonard Nimoy, the actor behind the Star Trek character Spock, many exhibits put up a tribute to him, notably some Trek ones.

 The "Alien Culture Dating" event. At first I thought this was a discussion about concepts of dating in science fiction. It turned out to be a roleplayed speed dating.

 Shadow and I trying out a shuttle.

Flying it proved to be a little tricky.

The "BSG-82" exhibit, a Battlestar Galactica roleplay group. Talking to Ito Naminosaki who was there, he described the group as one of two remaining roleplays based on the science fiction show remaining, "our sim has more Combat Elements ... but still (an) RP Sim." Their own roleplay involved elements of both shows, "the Colonial fall in (the) Miniseries (had) not happened ... so we are in an still running second Cylon War."

What happened to other Battlestar Galactica roleplays? Ito seemed to be saying the actions by Universal against them a few years ago had a rather chilling effect on morale, even though there was an agreement and the company backed off. Ito did say that a third was around when the convention was being planned, but dissolved before the sci-fi con began.

Another exhibit I stopped by was Black Gaza Prison. Talking to one of the people there, Spirit Wolf (wraith.solo), he described themselves as, "We're SL's oldest running sci-fi themed prison RP. We're mainly furry, but we accept all regular size AV types, furry, human, alien, neko, etc. We have several roles within, medic, guard, robots, inmates, K9 units for feral avatars: We also have mechanics guild." He thought they had been around for six years.

So what were the challenges of a prison roleplay? " Not knowing what is going to happen. As an inmate, it is all about loss of personal control. Every encounter with a guard, you never (really) know what is going to happen. As a guard, it's rolling with the flow, and trying to guide things along ..." Taking a look at the notes, the setting was a rather dark one, described as being influenced by a corrupt corporation. "White knight" behavior by guards was discouraged. Still, they have their chuckles, "especially late at night. Everyone has late night typos, and your brain isn't working 100%...things come out wrong or you don't describe everything like you had invisioned in your head, and it begins to turn out like that old game, 'Mad Libs.' "

For more information on the Second Life Science Fiction Convention, one can check out their website at https://slscificonvention.wordpress.com/ . Daniel Voyager has a few more on his Flickr page.

Bixyl Shuftan