SL9B: Time Capsule

This press release just in! The SL9B Time Capsule competition is open! Now don't fret. Just because I won it a couple years ago and I'm entering again doesn't mean you don't have a chance. Read on and send your entry!!

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Creating a new time capsule is a wonderful tradition we’ve kept alive each year at the Second Life Birthday event. Residents are invited to try and create a capsule that represents something significant from that year (SL4B’s capsule had flexis, SL5B’s used glow) or something inspired by the theme of that year’s event (SL6B’s capsule was a meteorite chunk for its space theme, SL8B's was a modified version of the event logo).

We’re inviting Residents to propose their ideas for this year’s time capsule, so if you’re interested, here are the guidelines:

• * The capsule should be (relatively) low-prim. Some of the older ones reach up to 96 prims, and some years it gets difficult to display them all. If at all possible, please be prim-friendly! This will only get worse as more and more capsules join the ranks every year.

• * If you choose to make it look like a chest, box, or anything that would open in RL, we’ll need an open version AND a closed version. This allows us to keep up the illusion of “opening the capsule” at every year’s event. (SL3B had a vault, SL5B an intelligent particle system, SL6B had an asteroid container that could open, SL7B was a portal with a vortex that could activate) Don't worry too much about scripting the open/close, we can help with that. Sometimes we can ask for modifications to the design to accommodate the look.

• * Overall, be creative; this year's theme is "Community" if you want to go theme-based.

• * Size: Don't go too big, the SL3B Vault is about 6meters cubed and you might consider that the upper size limit (it certainly looks massive), although nobody will be disqualified for going over it on one side or so, if the design warrants it. A tall spire won't be rejected, a Death Star sized megasphere just might :-)

• * Some particle activity is allowed, but keep it manageable. No giant fireworks fests, but some minor activity is fine. For an example of a previous model: SL5B's capsule has particles that float inside it, defined by the amount of items in its inventory.

• * The capsule should have full perms. This is very important, as modifications may be needed; plus, it is of course needed for the adding of the contents, the most important part of the capsule.

• * If you submit a capsule, it will not be returned to you. So be sure to keep a copy if you want to keep it! If you do manage to screw up here, a return copy can always be arranged upon request; we're not ogres :-)

• * If you have any low-prim pedestals or display cases, please feel free to submit them. For that matter, don't be afraid to make a smaller capsule that stands on an independent pedestal (and yes, you may design the pedestal too; the SL5B and SL6B capsules did that very same thing)

• * No guarantees that you'll win. You may have the nicer design technically, but someone else's might fit the theme better.

• * To submit a design or to ask any related questions, please contact Will Webb, the official keeper of the capsule. (Ed.: If it is a MESH item, include a pic as Will doesn't have a MESH viewer yet.)

• * Last but not least, the previous capsules may be seen upon request, for those of you that need a bit of inspiration and guidance in choosing your design. Good luck :-)

SL7B: Time Capsule

Once again, Will Webb has taken time to create a Time Capsule for the Second Life Birthday. Exhibitors are encouraged to donate items that will eventually be examined in generations henceforth ... however long an SL generation is, if anyone knows. Each year a clever build is used for the capsule itself, often something looking like what you might expect a high-tech time capsule to look like. Usually. One year an asteroid was used.

This year, Will was short on time and wanted to honor the event theme, Unexpected Collaborations, so he put out a call for low-prim designs from all the builders. I don't know how many he received, but he showed me a really clever one that was a "time-released cold pill" which spilled out little beads when you clicked it. I thought it was far more clever than the design he eventually chose, but I suppose it used too many prims or wasn't chosen for some other reason. Fortunately for me, I guess, as the one he picked was my design. I liked the "pill" better but I won't complain.

My design was inspired by Star Trek's "Guardian of Forever," the time portal from the original series. Not only was his final choice unexpected, but it turned into an unexpected collaboration, too, because Will asked if he could make some mods, I agreed, and he made it much better. Now the whirly rainbow you see in the picture above fades in and out when touched, for example, and some other changes that helped the over all utility. Unfortunately, if you leap through it there is no affect on your timeline.

Be sure to check out the SL7B Time Capsule exhibit when you visit (SLurl). Previous time capsules are on display and you might even run into Will, one of the original generations of SL Residents. Try "editing" each time capsule there to see the contents and get a flavor of birthday's past. After your visit, use the near by tram station, fly around, or use the Destination Guide (Web) to find other great experiences. More information is available on the official SL7B blog (Web), too.