This plainly isn’t right, it’s a well known fact that nothing is permanent in Second Life, but when you have something that is totally a work of art, something that would have been around for a very long time, to the delight of many, many people, for it to be suddenly gone, is a complete travesty. The spectacular sim Victoriana is to close and I’ve heard that it isn’t because its creator Mayor LittleBlackDuck Lindsay tired of it, it’s purely because of huge technical problems which the guys at Linden Labs could have worked on and resolved to give the Mayor support and keep things going. I’ve always marvelled at the wonderful Nation of Victoriana, 12 simulated areas in all, which must have cost a fortune for the Mayor to run, and I can’t believe that more help hasn’t been given to solve the technical issues to keep Victoriana alive. Just recently the Mayor also created Tinytoriana, a miniature version of Victoriana, where people who wear tiny avatars could also enjoy the Victorian delights, this too is to close.
I’ve travelled a fair bit in SL and can honestly say Victoriana is the most beautiful, detailed and exquisitely designed place out of everything I’ve seen. The Mayor paid so much attention to making it perfect that you felt you were walking down a real Victorian street with its little tea rooms, taverns, houses and shops. The shops sell the right merchandise for the period and people dressed accordingly as well, greeting each other with polite conversation befitting a much gentler age. The Mayor had also created wonderful gardens, beaches, and a harbour as well as breathtaking landscapes.
As I understand it, the Mayor ran into difficulties maintaining the sims after an update from Linden Labs on their servers, he was no longer able to modify the objects on the site, which left him unable to repair and move his possessions about. I would only hope that the good people at Linden Labs may yet save the day by contacting the Mayor before it’s too late and we lose what must be the ultimate showcase item in SL. After all the Mayor has achieved everything that the Lindens must dream of, he not only spent an awful lot of money on the purchase and the monthly tier payments of 12 sims, he also put a lot of hard work in to create the ultimate SL experience for so many people. It sounds as if the Mayor has had enough of struggling uphill to sort his problems out and he is determined to close The Nation of Victoriana down. I just hope someone from Linden Labs realises what a total loss this will be to Second Life and how it doesn’t look too good for customer relations either.
Janey Bracken
It is terribly sad that Victoriana is coming to an end. As you say, it is beautiful, detailed and well designed. While I was greeting in Victoriana Square a couple of weeks ago, a teacher brought in her rl English as a Second Language class, to show them the sim and to practice their English. This is an example of how people from far and wide could enjoy the sim, which I was fortunate enough to call my home. It is a sad day, indeed.
ReplyDeleteI feel upset for you Hib because I know how much you loved your home there, and I expect all the Victoriana residents feel the same way.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrible, terrible shame! Sims like this are what make SL worth inhabiting, as far as I'm concerned. You would think LL would be more concerned, if only about their bottom line. Sadly, they are not known for their customer service.
ReplyDeleteI am so very sorry. This is indeed a loss.