HyperGrid Zone Magazine - Oct. 2019

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Cover Photo by Martin Glom

Martin captured the spirit of our nearly departed resident witch, Morticia Soulless, in her finest ‘black on black’ attire.

Look for her story in this issue >:-}

Welcome Everyone!

Table of Contents

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Dear Reader, “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his own, familiar pillow.”

– Lin Yutang Stepping out to visit other places broadens our perspective by changing our view from one through a small peep-hole to that of a vast landscape as seen through a huge window. It is there that you will have more opportunity to experience a wider variety of artistic creations, and to expand your Contacts list which is our intention in OpenSim. Best Regards, The HGZ Magazine Team

Page 6: Ella Mckenzie of EMK Page 10: A Hopping Halloween Page 13: Out of the Dark With Morticia Soulless Page 21: The Hypergrid Traveler: Zweet ZurroundingZ Page 26: Review: TanGle Grid EXPO Page 28: Spiral Silverstar’s Light vs Dark Page 35: Review: An Awakening Page 38: What’s GOT Beth?

Page 46: HGZ Magazine Halloween Poetry Contest -Thank you for reading!-

www.digiworldz.com

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Meet Our Team Orb Emerald: Publishing Director/Columnist - Orb has been in virtual worlds since 1995 and says, “If you work hard and stay busy you’ll learn something new every day.

I love that reality.”

As a staff member of DigiWorldz she strives to support the program from within the community and help it to thrive and grow.

Ricky Maya: Publishing Editor/Columnist - “ I bring my knowledge as a writer of the technical and scientific aspects of my training and work experience to Virtual Reality. With my respect for the fine arts, I am finding the virtual world a rich place to release my artistic side, and to aid all who may come here in that same endeavor.”

Contessa Lacombe: HyperGrid Traveler/Columnist - Contessa has been traveling in VR since 2009, and now calls DigiWorldz home. “I began my VR journey while helping build a university sim in SL and quickly realized what a fantastic outlet VR can be for learning and creativity.” Tessa has had several business ventures in VR, including Metaphysical Mercantile, Elemental Jewelry, & is currently a co-owner of Guild. She is the owner of Brigantia, a medieval/fantasy roleplay estate in DigiWorldz.

Martin Glom: Staff Photographer - “Being an avid resident of virtual worlds, I have met a lot of friends and am proud to call myself an OpenSim Traveler. Starting off in Second Life in 2008, I have joined many grids and have active avatars on several. I work closely with RFL and many other fundraising teams. I'm also a virtual DJ, Photographer, Modeling Agency owner and now the HyperGrid Zone Magazine Photographer.

Meet Our Team cont...

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Sibbie Becker: Writer/Columnist - “I started in SL in 2007 and found Digi, where things are more laid back and enjoyable. I have dabbled in just about all that these worlds can offer. You can find me dancing or hyper-gridding to find things to add to my growing inventory. I am a total nut that is up for just about anything. So if you see me don't be afraid to say 'Hi’.

We’re looking for another writer. There is a vast array of subjects to cover in OpenSim and as many different ways to write about them. If you want to be part of a team that is a creative and productive force in the virtual metaverse join us and help show the world what we’re about. This is a paid position. We write 300-1500 word articles… so whatever time you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

YOUR PHOTO HERE

Legal Disclaimer HyperGrid Zone Magazine makes a constant effort to be sure that the content is accurate on the date of publication. The views expressed in the articles reflect the author(s) opinions and are not necessarily the views of the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content is published in good faith. HyperGrid Zone website & HyperGrid Zone Magazine cannot guarantee and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by this publication and errors and for the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers.

In this publication you may find links to websites, third- party content and advertising. By using our website or magazine you acknowledge and agree that HyperGrid Zone website & HyperGrid Zone Magazine cannot be held responsible and shall not be liable for the content of other websites, advertisements and other resources.

HyperGrid Zone Magazine reserves the right to make changes to any information on this site without notice. All rights reserved and nothing can be partially or in whole be reprinted or reproduced without a written consent.​ ​By using this site, you agree to all terms and conditions listed above. If you have any questions about this policy, you may contact us.

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Ella Mckenzie of EMK

Finding out about one of the many people who produces and drives the merchant market here in DigiWorldz and across OpenSim can be a pleasant and informative experience. Meeting and speaking with Ella Mckenzie was no exception. Talented, hardworking, and down to earth, she tells a story that follows along a serendipitous path of observation and opportunity. I asked recently how she discovered Virtual Reality (VR) and how and when she got involved in making and selling clothing. I share her tale now with all of our readers: EM: “I got involved in Virtual Reality Worlds many years ago, since 2007. That is a long time when looking back at it. It

was through a friend who introduced me to a world called Second Life, where you can do anything a mind can think of. So, I gave it a go …

- Clubbing, eating out with friends, (Thank Goodness you can't put weight on on here) - Going to the cinema and theaters, - Walks through forests and parks, even some camping and other things that blew my mind back in those days. So I started as an explorer from world to world, meeting people along the way. First with Secondlife, then to Opensim: Inworldz OSGrid - Zangrid - GCG - then worked my way into Digiworldz.”

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I got tired of exploring for a while as I kept seeing everything the same in all grids of OpenSim. It was like ‘Has no one got their own imagination any more(?).’ I see the world as your Oyster, and anything is possible. There was nothing unique in most of the grids I visited in Opensim, so I stopped touring around, but wanted to do something creative that the public could use and enjoy.

So, thinking about it one day, and looking at what people were wearing on Opensim before Opensim started to look like Secondlife (that many years ago), I opened my own clothing store. This was on some other grids, about 6 Years ago.

After that, I put my store in Digiworldz, about 2 Years ago, now.”

As I am always interested in how people find their way to DigiWorldz, and what aspects encourage them to stay, I asked Ella about this: EM: “I found my way to Digiworldz through a friend who had been on the Digiworldz Grid nearly 4 Years ago. After joining, it was the Digiworldz Community that kept me on this grid until the present day. The people I know are happy and polite and loving Life here on the Digiworldz Grid. Also land rentals are very well priced, and costs affordable. Of course, my store also keeps me on my toes.”

"What’s my style is not your style, and I don’t see how you can define it. It’s something that expresses who you are in your own way.” —​Iris ​Apfel

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Ella Mckenzie of EMK cont...

I asked her to describe her daily routine when she finds herself able to come in-world: EM: “My involvement inside Digiworldz is Customer Service, I would say, providing clothing for the Digiworldz Community and for the Community outside of Digiworldz. I have my mainstore on Buckingham Square, set out in two currencies on two regions. One is set to Podex Currency and another on a Gloebit Currency Region, and all is set at affordable prices for everyone. So no one is left out in Opensim when they go grid hopping for shopping.

And what do I do daily as a rule in Digiworldz, you ask? Well, there is my store that I tend to. And I create clothing

for my store, and also make time for my friends in-world. I enjoy a good game of Greedy or relaxing on the beach, catching up with those friends.”

I followed with a few questions that I ask of many here: What have you learned of significance here that you would pass on to others who spend time here or are considering choosing DigiWorldz as a home, and what plans or projects ongoing or in you future can you tell us about?

EM: “I would say, speaking as a community member of Digiworldz, it is to follow your heart and the brain will follow.

If you feel comfortable here in Digiworldz, then enjoy your Digiworldz Life to the fullest! No matter if it’s Creating, Building, Entertaining or being an Explorer, don't let anything stop you from your Dream!

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My plans are to work more on the Male side of clothing, as right now I have more Female clothing in Digiworldz at the moment.”

Shop EMK for Quality & Style ​ Ricky Maya ~ -------------------------------------------------------

I finished by asking if there was anything she would like to add?

EM: My Main store is called EMK Quality Clothing For Your Lifestyle Fashion Store, elegant and casual, for Men & Women's clothing.

Discover the latest essential clothing to enhance your life every day, all year round, in DigiWorldz.

Gloebit Region Store: hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Buckingh am%20Square%20Gloebit/129/178/31 Podex/Digits Region Store: hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Buckingh am%20Square/128/165/31

THE WOODLANDS SHOPPING CENTER​,

Woodland (294, 453, 22) http://login.digiworldz.com:8002 -------------------------------------------------------

10 A Hopping Halloween!

Well it is that time again, pumpkin spice time and scary places! I was once again popping around the metaverse and found a few cool places. Fun either alone, with a group or that someone special.

Another place that I found was Halloween Island. Make sure you read the note it gives you when you land because you’ll need to sign a user agreement. Once you make it out of the landing spot you will find that it’s a nicely laid out grid. You The Wonderful World of Nancy has a cool will see the Stage area where events are Halloween area. Once you get there just planned for Halloween. Walking a bit click on the TP that will take you to more you will find free items and a Corn Spooky Island. It did take me a little while Maze. It’s not fair to cam up high to find to rezz there but once I did It was the exit. Not only is there a scary spider enjoyable. From the Haunted House to cave there is also Bates Motel along with the little nooks and crannies with things to the Bates Mansion that are ready for you find. to explore. You will also find rides, bobbing for apples and more. Make sure hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/seren you look around because there are dipity/816/136/21 interesting things everywhere. Please note this is an Adult Sim. Halloween Costume Party on Saturday October 27th - 8pm PDT!! lfgrid.com:8002:Halloween Island

11 I found one more spot as I crept around...

Dark Manor. You will find a haunted house ride. There is a warning at the beginning of the ride... so if you have asthma, heart conditions, seizures or any kind of related health problems they want you to know that the haunt uses fog & strobe lights. I also found an amusement park, water park and more. The ride took a bit of time and was a bit jerky, but it was enjoyable. hg.thatplace.online:8002:Dark Manor

I then popped around and found Spooksville at the Tranquility grid. The place is set up really nicely. Make sure your settings are set as they have requested to get a really scary feel. This is an old abandoned town now renamed Spooksville and will be a permanent Halloween region. Events for Halloween will be held here every year! It's open to the public so come and visit anytime. tranquility-grid.info:8002:Tranquility Spooksville

I hope you take a little break and have a peek at these locations. Please enjoy the upcoming events across Opensim.

Now I’m off to explore more for the holiday season! ​~Sibbie Becker

11 I found one more spot as I crept around...

Dark Manor. You will find a haunted house ride. There is a warning at the beginning of the ride... so if you have asthma, heart conditions, seizures or any kind of related health problems they want you to know that the haunt uses fog & strobe lights. I also found an amusement park, water park and more. The ride took a bit of time and was a bit jerky, but it was enjoyable. hg.thatplace.online:8002:Dark Manor

I then popped around and found Spooksville at the Tranquility grid. The place is set up really nicely. Make sure your settings are set as they have requested to get a really scary feel. This is an old abandoned town now renamed Spooksville and will be a permanent Halloween region. Events for Halloween will be held here every year! It's open to the public so come and visit anytime. tranquility-grid.info:8002:Tranquility Spooksville

I hope you take a little break and have a peek at these locations. Please enjoy the upcoming events across Opensim.

Now I’m off to explore more for the holiday season! ​~Sibbie Becker

Out of the Dark with Morticia Soulless 13 She squints her eyes while telling us, “I have been decomposing in DigiWorldz for the past 2 horrific years. I’ve barely begun to fully rot or truly stink the place up. Morticia is an extension of who I truly am in real life, what you see is pretty much what you would get if you met me on the streets. I don’t, however, look as fabulous as I do in Digi. But, everything revolves around Halloween and anything macabre, abnormal, unwanted or completely disturbing. Like ghostly whispers in your head, ‘won't you come and play with the dead?’ ” If I had my choice of whether to interview a group of creepy clowns or our dear and slowly departing friend Morticia, well, let’s just say the choice I’d make is an obvious one, so we won’t die laughing just yet.

Morticia is always so forthcoming when speaking about dark themes where she shines like a blazing pyre at a funeral. I had the hair-raising pleasure of meeting up with her to pick her oozing brain and you know what (?), that witch is so busy!

But, after we cut through some of the doom and gloom, she opened up and let us have it… and it hurts so good!

Of course my first question was an obvious one (How long have you been...

Morticia?), but her answer is more like something from the depths of dark matter.

So to further prove that we are in touch with a force not of this world, I asked: If you were a dark star in Horrorwood, which role would you want to play and why?

14 “My Avatar in Digi - is a Dark and Demented...”

Her answer of course was illustrated in a way that only Morticia could, she glared and said, “Why in Hell would I want to play just one? I mean there are so many amazing dark creatures. How about I name a few that I’d love to possess my very soul?

Let us start with Annabelle. Honestly, who doesn’t love creepy dolls? I know I most certainly do, especially murderous dolls. Then there is Penny Wise, tormenting children and dragging their lifeless bodies into the sewers. Now that is a killer job! Zombies I just adore, they are falling to pieces for me, and they smell pretty awful, which I enjoy. Pinhead the glorious bondage enthusiast of those demonic cenobites, sheer ecstasy. The list could go on for days, but you get the picture.”

She doesn’t want to be confused with ghouls and zombies and the chain rattling lot, she’s a not-so-damned witch! But I had to ask if she qualified as a tortured soul. *shuffles my foot* I’m feeling her reality is only a moment away as Morticia declares, “I would never say that my soul is tortured nor is it damned! The soul is happy and content.” she continues as she glows...“My Avatar in Digi or what my Avatar represents is a dark and demented wild witch. She plays with dark spells and magick, calls to the Demons and Demonesses in worship and is hidden away deep within the swamps. However, that is not very far off the beaten path of who I actually am in real life. Just remove the swamp and replace it with thick forest and there my world resides. I am very

15 blunt, honest and believe it or not have ethics that most, only wish they could possess. To quote, ‘I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadows and the soul’ -pablo neruda.”

Digging deeper, I asked her in all seriousness… Morticia, If you were human what advice would you give about the dark side, because I NEED to know!?

(Don’t you?) So she tells me, “RUN, no one gets out alive!! I would suggest you not fear the unknown, but embrace it.

Kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates. Value, cherish, and defend the Earth Mother for without her life itself will not exist.

Humans are easily swayed and or frightened of things they don’t understand or if it is the total opposite of what society deems as normal. I say walk against the grain, be interesting, and learn to be accepting of others. Step into the darkness, we/they are always waiting to play.” Did you get all that? You might want to read that last paragraph again, because she is keen in her beliefs. I can relate to so much of what she expresses and I find it honest and truthful.

I think she somehow set me up for this next one because I felt a pin prick. The question: Have you ever had a

paranormal encounter? I guess I expected her answer as she divulged, “Yes, I have. Am I going to share with all of you my encounters, no I am not. I honor the dead and have too much respect for them to try and explain to those that do not understand or see what I experience. I do however see people’s Auras very clearly.” See what I mean? I had just better keep typing… brrrr!!

Right, so I was putting you on, I’m not scared, I’m not scared, I’m not scared... *Follows the little dimly lit path with this next question*: Who appears to you in your darkest nightmares Morticia? Her shriek, “My husband, LOL …. No I actually really like him, he’s as dark as I am and we feed off each other very well.

I do however, truly enjoy a good fright while sleeping. To wake with your heart racing, sweat pouring off your body, your mind racing to comprehend and process what is going on. Only to realize it was a dream and get let down. That is my nightmare, having to wake from all the fun.”

16 Out of the Dark with Morticia Soulless cont...

Wondering whether that last answer was TMI? I’m feeling confused. So now I’m wondering… Morticia Soulless, do you own a Sunlight Maggot? If so, where do you like to keep it? She looked at me in horror (it’s quite becoming on her face, you know) and she stated, “I have NO idea what a Sunlight Maggot is, other than a headpiece for gaming so, no I don’t have one of those!”

You can all Google-it... so getting back to her answer, “I am an avid collector of bones and odd curiosities. Owning approximately 200 skulls (in RL) as well -------------------------------------------------------

i-Rent offers FREE luxurious homes surrounded by a beautifully designed landscape. See Orb Emerald for details DigiWorldz Crystal Valley II (609, 439, 26)

as a few full skeletal pieces. I love Ouija boards, tarot cards and pretty much anything that is macabre. I also adore old post-mortem photography.” She is so much like Morticia Soulless in real life that I hardly know where the avatar ends and the real life witch begins. *cackles* Ok I’m going to be serious in a minute, but first I have to run to the cupboard and break out that bag of Jr. Mints I had stashed for the Trick-or-Treaters. BRB… The devil made me do it, I swear! *chomps* -------------------------------------------------------

i-Rent II offers islands (approx 1 full sim +/- in size). They are in a large boating & flying grid inside of DigiWorldz. $1 usd per month per 1000 prims. WOW!

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We tried to reel this interview in but it was like we kept feeding off one another. No matter, the next question was about her greatest battle in the virtual realm. Her story goes like this, “Long, long ago in a land now dead and forgotten there was an epic battle of Demons versus Angels.

The Angels questioned why the Demons had arrived and brought chaos and turmoil. The residents lost faith and turned their backs on their beloved angels. Soon the cunning Demons took over the land bringing torture and torment. No soul was free from the despair. The battle was long, lasting 6 months... when in the end the angels fell from their heavenly post and the Dark Days began.”

*shaking my head, then nodding and raising an eyebrow… w-w-wanting to hear more* “Those were the good old days of Role-play which I enjoy very much.

Personal hurdles that would be learning to build. That was just prim building at first and was extremely frustrating. I did however find out rather quickly that I enjoyed building and soon started creating many items for sale of the dark nature. Full builds from Hell to Halloween décor. I love playing in Blender, I’ve taken countless classes although I have to admit textures and art are my strong suits in Photoshop.”

18 The Dark ones are near...

Morticia explains a bit about her region, Isle of Nightmares in DigiWorldz: “The Isle of Nightmares is more than just a region dedicated to classic horror, it’s a celebration of the things that have historically been the nightmares of our psyche, and showing that such things are not to be feared so much but understood, embraced and enjoyed. Just as everything in the real world is not sunshine and rainbows, not everything in virtual should be all about sunshine and rainbows, there is a time and a place for the Darkness and we have given it a home here in Isle of Nightmares. Tour the graveyard to celebrate death, and then don't forget to visit Frankenstein's Tower to celebrate life, visit the Freak Show to celebrate our differences.”

This is also about life (?) on her region: Does anyone ever leave the Undead Asylum?

“People are dying for a space within the walls of the Asylum. The health benefits are miraculous to say the least. Where treatment is sure to be given daily, there is never a need to worry about your loved ones receiving the attention they so do not desire. They are treated poorly and get 3 meals (if that is what you wish to call them) and a filthy cot to rest those weary bones. The staff is highly trained and skilled in the arts of mutilation and amputation. So to answer your questions, no one ever really leaves without leaving a little piece of themselves behind.”

So I said to myself, I’ll bite, and asked her to describe her caged beasts.. and what she fed them. “Those are not beasts, but our loved ones that never quite made it back into their skins after a glorious night of debauchery. We keep them safe and secure for their own safety. They do not need to be hunted down as if they were lowly animals. As for what we feed them, we are not so sure you are ready for this, but they are very fond of the little humans whose parents are not paying any mind to their whereabouts. They make good quick snacks and are rather filling.”

19 Reading Morticia’s answers is eerily like looking into a crystal ball. I have this sneaking (vision-like) suspicion that there will be a spooky event on her region very soon. Please keep your eyes peeled for the DigiWorldz Events notices about happenings coming to us in October. The moral of this story is… when you talk to a spirit who’s got a story to tell, bring it to light. ​ ~Orb Emerald ​(Photos: Provided by Martin Glom) UPDATE: By the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes!!

The Isle of Nightmares invites you to join ------------------------------------------------------us in hellacious adventures as the earth You don’t want to miss this next event: rumbles, beneath our feet. The Dark -Event Detailsones are near, Prepare mortals for you MVU: Blenderful Blunderful Class with are about to behold the wonders of the Noxie Hellmouth Venue, where we plan to Description of Event devour your very soul. Grab a warm body Learn Blender in bite-size bits! Class and come dance with the DEAD and not includes a video followed by time for so dead….. in-depth discussion and questions.

You will need to have Blender installed The Hellmouth Halloween Bash (any version) to follow along. Class Event will be on Oct 26th @ 4pm held at Metaverse University, Room A3. Instructor: Noxluna Nightfire. in the Hellmouth Venue, Isle of Education - PG Rating Nightmares (549, 288, 25) Oct. 4, 11, 18 & 25 - 6:00 to 7:00 pm Moderate @ (Grid Time) http://login.digiworldz.com:8002 Region: DigiCenter hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/DigiC www.digiworldz.com enter/115/203/41

20 Martin Glom is Preparing for a Show!

Core Productions modeling agency is a high quality fashion show production company in the virtual world of Digiworldz. We have a sister company in Second Life and previously in another grid which is closed now. We have done many shows for a lot of awesome merchants.

We're ready to make your dreams come true! Nothing screams ‘wear me’ more than seeing your clothes on another avatar. When you see your designs on the runway and LIVE avatars wearing them it gives you a sense of accomplishment and a real buzz.​ Nothing creates that ​buzz​ more than a fashion show.

Core production Agency, is on hand to make your dream show become a reality.

Our shows are fully organized by us. We know designers can become busy with many events and various new releases so we take the pressure from you. We will organize the whole show, either on your sim or on our own sponsored sim. We will handle all model casting, descriptions, speech and LIVE MC to announce the whole show! So all of the attention will be on your designs and not reading chat.

We will organize all promotions of your show, advertisements, invites. We will choreograph all walks, outfits and finale, so all you have to do is enjoy the show!

We are also a ‘learn as you go’ agency.

This means that we hire inexperienced models and train them to be models for FREE. We show you how to ​walk the walk​, how to ​talk the talk​, how to ​style​, photography basics​, ​poses​, ​timing​ and so much more. All this for FREE.. that’s right 100% FREE. So if you’re interested in joining the ​Fashion World​ and want to learn to become a model why not come to us and let us give you the right step.

More information can be acquired from me, ​Martin Glom. ​Please feel free to contact me at any time. Thanks for reading and we look forward to working with you.

The Hypergrid Traveler: Zweet ZurroundingZ 21 out of prims! A genuine aha moment: A Virtual, 3D canvas to explore. The first time I logged in, I didn’t log out for 3 days!”

Zweet ZurroundingZ is a 64 sim VAR region in Osgrid, owned and designed by Amsterdam Bingyi (Peter, for short). In real life, Peter has professional experience as a teacher of languages and computing for both children and adults.

On a more personal level, he has developed skills in arts and decoration, with an interest in restoring and refurbishing ancient houses in France.

I asked Peter how he became interested in VR, and he told me, “In 2007, while eating dinner, I watched a television program about a local university graduate student’s project in SL. While the ‘blah blah’ went straight by...what caught my eye was an avatar quickly making a chair

Peter says he was lucky to meet a group of professional users of SL, as well as a mentor who taught him all about VR. During his first year, he learned the basics of building and terraforming.

“Having a good computer background was a huge help. I started renting a tiny plot within a week, and expanded until I had my own full sim in 2008. It may sound silly, but I felt a bit like a cosmic gardener, walking through my ZweetZ, while sipping my morning coffee before rushing off to work!”

22 “...just because I could!” steps which lead up the hill to The Ballroom, a forest path leading up a long hill to The Castle, another path behind you leading up toward a cave entrance, and a path down through a tree tunnel to The Canyon. (Note: If you click on “About Land” at the top of your screen, and click on Amsterdam’s name to pull up his profile, look at his “Picks”. You’ll find landmarks to all of the Hot Spots at ZZ—very helpful considering the size of the region.) Peter’s Castle is…enormous.

It is fashioned of grey stone with deep blue roof tiles and shiny gold trim. There are layers and layers to this complicated “Also at that time, I met one of the castle, and yet it has an open, airy feel. developers of Opensim, so I learned “When I first started to develop ZZ, I firsthand what was coming up. They made a tiny castle, but when I moved to invited me to Osgrid to help out with sims, OS I decided to make it seriously big, just and to have my own sim to play with. because I could!

Then, in 2012, I decided to move ZZ to Osgrid, and within a couple of months figured out how to host my own sim.”

When you visit his home, Zweet ZurroundingZ, give it just a few minutes to load because it’s a complex mesh build with stunning textures. Your patience will be rewarded with a spectacular view. At the main landing point (hg.osgrid.org:80:Zweet ZurroundingZ) you will find yourself on the largest land mass at ZZ, and at somewhat of a crossroads. You will see a set of stone

23 People who saw the original castle will recognize the new one instantly. It has the same ambience, textures, etc. The present castle is version 2.0, in mesh, reducing the prim count from 5000 to around 600 land impact. The Ballroom on the hill opposite the castle is similar to the castle in texture and composition.

My personal favorite spot at ZZ is The Canyon, which is down the hill from The Castle and the Ballroom. You walk down through the tree tunnel and begin to notice the vibrantly colored flowers, foliage, and ground. Peter is indeed a cosmic gardener! As you walk down the hill, do stop to admire the water.

Zweet ZurroundingZ

There is a waterfall to your left with a cave behind it, and a bit further on the left is one of the most beautiful stream/waterfall displays I’ve ever encountered. Then, there is a pool with bathing nymphs in the middle of the Canyon. (Peter told me that it took him several days to get the textures and water animations just right!)

In the Canyon, you will notice several golden bridges, and you will also notice several nymphs holding glowing lanterns.

These lantern bearers always seem to lead to special spots, often to cave entrances. There is a vast cave system with four tunnels, a large central cave, and entrances throughout this main island of ZZ. One of the golden bridges (near the white unicorns) leads across the stream to a lovely gazebo/bath house.

If you turn toward the right just across this bridge, you can follow some streams down toward The Beach. But, if you wander behind the bath house, you’ll come to the entrance of a cave with huge blue crystals. If you go further down that path, you’ll come to yet another cave entrance, which seems to be the main one, again marked with a lady with a glowing lantern. The forest area is beyond this, and there are large bridges that connect some of the tall peaks

The Hypergrid Traveler: Zweet ZurroundingZ 21 out of prims! A genuine aha moment: A Virtual, 3D canvas to explore. The first time I logged in, I didn’t log out for 3 days!”

Zweet ZurroundingZ is a 64 sim VAR region in Osgrid, owned and designed by Amsterdam Bingyi (Peter, for short). In real life, Peter has professional experience as a teacher of languages and computing for both children and adults.

On a more personal level, he has developed skills in arts and decoration, with an interest in restoring and refurbishing ancient houses in France.

I asked Peter how he became interested in VR, and he told me, “In 2007, while eating dinner, I watched a television program about a local university graduate student’s project in SL. While the ‘blah blah’ went straight by...what caught my eye was an avatar quickly making a chair

Peter says he was lucky to meet a group of professional users of SL, as well as a mentor who taught him all about VR. During his first year, he learned the basics of building and terraforming.

“Having a good computer background was a huge help. I started renting a tiny plot within a week, and expanded until I had my own full sim in 2008. It may sound silly, but I felt a bit like a cosmic gardener, walking through my ZweetZ, while sipping my morning coffee before rushing off to work!”

22 “...just because I could!” steps which lead up the hill to The Ballroom, a forest path leading up a long hill to The Castle, another path behind you leading up toward a cave entrance, and a path down through a tree tunnel to The Canyon. (Note: If you click on “About Land” at the top of your screen, and click on Amsterdam’s name to pull up his profile, look at his “Picks”. You’ll find landmarks to all of the Hot Spots at ZZ—very helpful considering the size of the region.) Peter’s Castle is…enormous.

It is fashioned of grey stone with deep blue roof tiles and shiny gold trim. There are layers and layers to this complicated “Also at that time, I met one of the castle, and yet it has an open, airy feel. developers of Opensim, so I learned “When I first started to develop ZZ, I firsthand what was coming up. They made a tiny castle, but when I moved to invited me to Osgrid to help out with sims, OS I decided to make it seriously big, just and to have my own sim to play with. because I could!

Then, in 2012, I decided to move ZZ to Osgrid, and within a couple of months figured out how to host my own sim.”

When you visit his home, Zweet ZurroundingZ, give it just a few minutes to load because it’s a complex mesh build with stunning textures. Your patience will be rewarded with a spectacular view. At the main landing point (hg.osgrid.org:80:Zweet ZurroundingZ) you will find yourself on the largest land mass at ZZ, and at somewhat of a crossroads. You will see a set of stone

26 Review: TanGle Grid - EXPO (TanGLe Grid) or Email to lesliekling@tanglegrid.com They have added Gloebit to their EXPO region so it is now possible to sell your items as well.

(Ed Note: After visiting the region we have discovered that there are many As I was HyperGridding, looking for something that I thought I needed, I found creative entries set up as Expo displays.

It’s worth a trip to see what other people myself in one of those places that after are experimenting with. There are you land and rezz, you know you won’t Seasonal/Holiday Expo Events Here) find what you are looking for. As I was about to TP out I decided just to wander around for another minute or two and to my surprise I had found an Expo. A huge space that was not only an enjoyment to walk around in, but interesting as well.

Exhibits from different makers from all around OpenSim had placed their items.

Leslie Kling is Co-Founder of the TanGLed Grid and been around Virtual worlds for about 10 years. TanGLed Grid has been around for almost 6 years. The Steampunk Expo is taking place there now and runs from Aug 27th - Sept. 24th.

You are encouraged to vote for the display you enjoy and like the most. Not only are the displays great, they are full sized. There is even a steampunk town you can walk through. If you would like to be involved and place something out for all to see, please contact Leslie Kling...

27

If you cross the bridge outside of the Expo you will find a Mall with vendors like Donna Anna, Tip Toe and TMAC. Besides the Mall you can find Story Village, Vyro and other places to explore.

There will be More Expos coming up for you to check out or even place a display there if you like. The next event will be the Halloween Expo running from October 16th till November 19th. I know I will be heading back to see all the new Expos when they come out.

But back to the beginning. I still have no idea what it was I was hopping around looking for. It all seems worth it in the end when finding a fun, exciting place. Now back to HyperGridding to see what else I

can find. If it’s interesting or fun I will let you know! ​~Sibbie Becker VISIT~ tanglegrid.net:8002:EXPO Isle

28 Spiral Silverstar's Light vs Dark

I spoke recently with Spiral Silverstar about his work and his history in Virtual Reality (VR). Creating digital and fractal art for 20 years or more in real life, he began his artistry in VR through Second Life (SL) around 2006 and left there in 2016. He moved on to OpenSim (OS) for about a year, left OS and went to Sinespace. Although still in Sinespace, he decided to return to OS through DigiWorldz and reintroduce his collections here. I feel we are very fortunate to have such a unique artist in our community, as he has built his digital and fractal art galleries here, along with a dark art and surreal art galleries. Almost all of the dark art and surreal art images were found on the web, and these are available to take copies for free. Seeing his focus on fractal art, I posed the question of how such interest in fractals came to be within his scope, and which other fractal artists interested him.

SS: “Actually, it was the numerous spiral shapes in fractals that initially drew my attention. Spirals are found in art that dates back to the Stone Age. They are seen to be representative of the cyclical nature of life. But, so much more than that, fractals are infinite in shape, form and color. It helps that one need not know or understand the math involved in order to create gorgeous fractal art.

As for the artists that interest me, there are so many of them. One of my favorites is Julius Horsthuis, who creates 3D fractal animations that are mind-blowing. (​https://vimeo.com/juliushorsthuis​) Another is Kerry Mitchell (​http://kerrymitchellart.com/​). In truth, all one has to do is Google fractal art and a vast world of art is available to anyone.”

(Ed. Note: Spiral has added a new gallery since his last interview with a different magazine.)

29 We then spoke of how someone might go about creating fractal art, and what knowledge was needed to make such endeavors successful and unique.

SS: “There are many fractal art software programs on the market, some are free while others can be rather pricey. They each have their own pros and cons, but it usually comes down to what each individual likes. A few programs are: Fractal Explorer, Ultra Fractal and Mandelbulb 3D. Simply Google the names to get more information.

Basically one selects a particular fractal formula to use in the software, then changes a multitude of parameters to change the shape of the resulting fractal.

All of the programs have a high learning curve involved before one can truly begin creating appealing art. However, there are many tutorial videos on this topic as well as fractal internet groups.”

Spiral has created several galleries and given all of them a different theme. Each is intriguing it it’s own way. Besides his fractal art, I know that he is interested in dark art. I asked what lures him to it, or if there were other styles of art he might consider, or be interested in developing.

SS: “I suppose we all have a dark side to our natures, some more than others. As I sit here thinking about this question, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that draws me to the ‘dark side’.

30 “I suppose we all have a dark side...:” As the Oscar Wilde saying goes,” ...life imitates art more than art imitates life... ”. ( Ed. Note: See http://www.thewestologist.com/ideas/whe n-life-imitates-art​ ) Being in VR, I’ve started to notice a tendency of my personal life taking on aspects of my time in-world, such as dreaming of VR related scenarios, and having VR related quandaries or nightmares. The Halloween Season being upon us this month, I asked Spiral if he ever had dreams or nightmares about his art, or even unrelated to it.

Perhaps it is about exploring art in all its forms, good and bad. I am fascinated with many types of abstract art, surreal art as well as ‘dark art’.”

I then asked what his advice would be for anyone who may want to create a gallery.

SS: “Art is a niche item. Some people could care less about any form of art.

That being said, my only advice would be to set reasonable and realistic prices for the art. I've never listened to those who have told me that my art was priced too low and that it denigrates the value of the art itself.”

31

SS: “LOL, now this Is a strange question. I can honestly say that I have never dreamed of my art. I'm not sure if that is representative of anything, either good or bad. As for unrelated, mine is a fairly common dream. I sometimes dream of being in confrontational situations with muggers or attackers and must run for my life!�

29 We then spoke of how someone might go about creating fractal art, and what knowledge was needed to make such endeavors successful and unique.

SS: “There are many fractal art software programs on the market, some are free while others can be rather pricey. They each have their own pros and cons, but it usually comes down to what each individual likes. A few programs are: Fractal Explorer, Ultra Fractal and Mandelbulb 3D. Simply Google the names to get more information.

Basically one selects a particular fractal formula to use in the software, then changes a multitude of parameters to change the shape of the resulting fractal.

All of the programs have a high learning curve involved before one can truly begin creating appealing art. However, there are many tutorial videos on this topic as well as fractal internet groups.”

Spiral has created several galleries and given all of them a different theme. Each is intriguing it it’s own way. Besides his fractal art, I know that he is interested in dark art. I asked what lures him to it, or if there were other styles of art he might consider, or be interested in developing.

SS: “I suppose we all have a dark side to our natures, some more than others. As I sit here thinking about this question, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that draws me to the ‘dark side’.

33

34

Something Special @ Fangle’s and Love & Stuff

Review: An Awakening

35

Review of “An Awakening” - Event by Safar & Verdant “This past month, I was fortunate enough to attend Safar Fiertze and Verdant Homewood’s “An Awakening”, a multi media show to kickoff Safar’s -Onerios: Once Upon a Time- region on the HGluv grid. I found the whole experience one of the most novel, innovative, thought provoking, and moving shows I’ve ever seen (Real Life or Virtual Reality). What follows are some other’s thoughts and observations on the show, and hopefully, we can get Safar and Verdant to repeat the performance. I would encourage all to attend … You won’t be disappointed.”

-Ricky Maya @ DigiWorldz “The “An Awakening” event was extremely well organized by Safar and her husband Verde. The theme was about the condition of our earth and how it's affecting life on our planet and vice versa. It was incredibly moving... to the point where I cried. A huge thank you to Safar and Verde for this spectacular show! *Secretly hoping for an encore* ” -Orb Emerald @ DigiWorldz

36 Review: An Awakening cont...

“The opening program at Oneiros, called "An Awakening" was a well thought out, truly eye opening work of art. The music and visuals drove home the fact that we have not been very good stewards of Mother Earth. This was certainly very sad, yet there was also a message of hope for the actions we can all take as individuals to help heal the damage that has been done. Thank you for an entertaining, moving program!”

Contessa Lacombe @ DigiWorldz “Knowing my dear friends, Artists Safar Fiertze and Verdant Homewood, I went to see their collaborative effort- An Awakening, knowing already it was going to be something I would not easily forget - I was not disappointed. The setting itself was like being in some sort of storybook where the mountains were pages and every little detail was fascinating. I thought that was pretty much it, There was so much incredible art within the landscape itself. That was only the backdrop to what turned out to be a true awakening and journey of the spirit, told in story, in music and well orchestrated special effects! I actually cried during the show, for our planet and for the people, animals and plants who inhabit it. I was not alone, it moved us all and my whole outlook of the world has changed and grown because of it. THAT is indeed art in its truest sense! Extremely well executed and moving! The two artists worked so well together, their own harmony reflecting the perfect world we could live in - if we really try hard!”

- Cataplexia Numbers, Alternate Metaverse Grid

37

“An amazing experience, both thought provoking and entertaining, a perfect coming together of sound, vision and ideas.�

- Clifford.Hanger @alternatemetaverse.com:8002 Encore Performance: October 16th @ 1pm (Grid Time) To Get to the Show From DigiWorldz hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Eclectique/229/623/23 -ORgrid.hgluv.com:8302:Oneiros:134:92:24

38 What’s GOT Beth?

Venturing over to explore the Game of Thrones regions we bumped into Beth Tyrell, one of the active role players there, and she gave us an extensive tour. She is pleasantly talkative, especially when it comes to the topic of role playing and the whole Game of Thrones experience in DigiWorldz. The regions that she showed us are packed with creative builds that can only come from hard working experienced builders. There are a lot of details in the various areas and they comprise of an overall believable environment. But, before we dig into the nuts and bolts of GOT let’s find out more about Beth. She explains, “I have been in virtual for a few years now and enjoy it very much. I have a very active real life and so it is nice to have a place to come

to, to meet friends and relax and generally have fun. Virtual worlds are a good place to explore my creative side and I enjoy role playing primarily but I also enjoy building, shopping and socializing.”

You’ll find that most of the people that are interviewed by us have some stake in DigiWorldz in one way or another, and the staff of HyperGrid Zone Magazine are also residents here. We sure do like to hear about other’s encounters here and basically how they found out about DigiWorldz. Beth informs us, “DigiWorldz? I had an interest in opensim and had ventured to a few grids to see what they had to offer. DigiWorldz had a wide range of sim packages at very

39 competitive rates and the grid seemed very stable. The staff were very friendly and approachable. Everything you could want from a grid.” If I were not already hooked on DigiWorldz I’d be checking it out for those important reasons. As Beth said, the support is excellent here and notice that they offer a lot of prims with our sims. Have a look on their website: www.digiworldz.com​ . ​ Check out the “Land Store” on the menu (left side of the page).

of the many refugees forced to find a new home after the demise of Inworldz.

It never occurred to me to simply give up.

I was involved with the Game of Thrones sims in Inworldz and knew that as a group we did not want to fold so the hunt was on to find a place that could accommodate our needs. As I mentioned Digiworldz offered a great Roleplay package, which has suited our needs. We are in the process of creating Westeros, have an active group of over 90 role players, Our next question: Beth, we know you roleplay daily and we have a strong enjoy roleplaying a great deal, specifically storyline with lots of twists and turns. It’s with Game Of Thrones RP, and in your very exciting.” profile you mention that GOT was forced to move from IW, tell us about that? She Then we wanted to know more about writes, “I and the GOT rp group are some what inspires her on a personal level and

Review: An Awakening

35

Review of “An Awakening” - Event by Safar & Verdant “This past month, I was fortunate enough to attend Safar Fiertze and Verdant Homewood’s “An Awakening”, a multi media show to kickoff Safar’s -Onerios: Once Upon a Time- region on the HGluv grid. I found the whole experience one of the most novel, innovative, thought provoking, and moving shows I’ve ever seen (Real Life or Virtual Reality). What follows are some other’s thoughts and observations on the show, and hopefully, we can get Safar and Verdant to repeat the performance. I would encourage all to attend … You won’t be disappointed.”

-Ricky Maya @ DigiWorldz “The “An Awakening” event was extremely well organized by Safar and her husband Verde. The theme was about the condition of our earth and how it's affecting life on our planet and vice versa. It was incredibly moving... to the point where I cried. A huge thank you to Safar and Verde for this spectacular show! *Secretly hoping for an encore* ” -Orb Emerald @ DigiWorldz

41 and is a much harsher landscape.”

There’s a whole lot of contrast and realism lending to the inspiration for creative roleplaying.

To explain more about how to create a character, and getting started in a roleplay, Beth explains, “When you decide to rp you should look on it as if you are an actor and take on the role of the character wholeheartedly. It is important to get into the mindset of your character’s traits so that you are true to form. When our roleplayers arrive on the sim they are in character from the moment they arrive.

An immersive rp sim is not like other sims... like themed areas or clubs which are social hangout areas for people to socialise. Consider immersive rp sims to be like a stage and everyone has an important part to play in moving the story forward.” She’s very serious about the time she spends while fully enveloping herself in the role. It’s an artform.

She emulates a few characters and is specifically favoring a few from the famous story that most of us are familiar with. She said, “I personally have a few characters that I liked in the GOT series and books. Brienne of Tarth, Jorah Mormont and Tyrian Lannister are a few of my favorites along with Jon Snow and Arya Stark, of course.”

Those are some of the characters that I really liked too. Especially Arya when she was left, separated from her family, only to be forced to learn things the hard way.

Where she happened upon a secluded island and got some training in and about the condition of being “no one”. Pretty interesting twist of fate. But, as most of you know, the whole concept of Game Of Thrones was quite twisted.

Beth doesn’t roleplay on any other grids but enjoys exploring the HyperGrid. She suggests, “It would be lovely if there were a Roleplay Hub in Digiworldz where rp groups could place information regarding their sims. There is of course the DigiWorldz Interchange, and GOT has a booth there, but a dedicated rp hub would

42 Game Of Thrones Roleplay help to unite the smaller groups. It would give someone who is specifically looking for a rp sim a good starting place to be able to see that choice available in Digi.”

Beth Tyrell is genuinely immersed in the Game Of Thrones roleplay and wants the community to know that “GOT plans to continue to expand and build stunning areas to enhance our unique rp. We welcome residents from Digiworldz who

are interested in the rp and would be happy to arrange a tour of the sims. We hope by the end of the year to have a formal event in the form of either a ball or a staged rp and will be making announcements when the time is right. In the meantime if anyone is interested in taking a look or joining our innovative group please IM me or Raelyx Valyrian and we would be very happy to answer any questions.” ​~Orb Emerald ​(Photos: Provided by Martin Glom)

Have You Been to JS Landscapes Yet? 43

Join the JS Landscapes Group in DigiWorldz! We are OPEN! JS Landscapes Garden Center!! Digi's one stop shop for all things plant related.

From flowers to trees to meadows. Courtyards, waterfalls, gazebos. Set in a park like setting. Please feel free to wander the shop grounds. Be sure to click on what you like as it just might be for sale. We are currently updating our regions to include so much MORE!

44 Please Support Our DigiWorldz Creators

hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Woodland/456/150/22 ______________________________________________________________________

hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Taiga%20Merlin/490/761/24

45

We’re saddened to say that Phayze Mirage has gone to a better place.

She passed away in September after a courageous battle.

If you’d like to own a keepsake from her collection VISIT: Exquisite U Collections hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Black%20Swan%20Lake/204/737/23 ______________________________________________________________________

“I Love the Feeling I Get When Shopping for Halloween, It’s Almost As Good As...

Spending the Night in a Haunted House.”

41 and is a much harsher landscape.”

There’s a whole lot of contrast and realism lending to the inspiration for creative roleplaying.

To explain more about how to create a character, and getting started in a roleplay, Beth explains, “When you decide to rp you should look on it as if you are an actor and take on the role of the character wholeheartedly. It is important to get into the mindset of your character’s traits so that you are true to form. When our roleplayers arrive on the sim they are in character from the moment they arrive.

An immersive rp sim is not like other sims... like themed areas or clubs which are social hangout areas for people to socialise. Consider immersive rp sims to be like a stage and everyone has an important part to play in moving the story forward.” She’s very serious about the time she spends while fully enveloping herself in the role. It’s an artform.

She emulates a few characters and is specifically favoring a few from the famous story that most of us are familiar with. She said, “I personally have a few characters that I liked in the GOT series and books. Brienne of Tarth, Jorah Mormont and Tyrian Lannister are a few of my favorites along with Jon Snow and Arya Stark, of course.”

Those are some of the characters that I really liked too. Especially Arya when she was left, separated from her family, only to be forced to learn things the hard way.

Where she happened upon a secluded island and got some training in and about the condition of being “no one”. Pretty interesting twist of fate. But, as most of you know, the whole concept of Game Of Thrones was quite twisted.

Beth doesn’t roleplay on any other grids but enjoys exploring the HyperGrid. She suggests, “It would be lovely if there were a Roleplay Hub in Digiworldz where rp groups could place information regarding their sims. There is of course the DigiWorldz Interchange, and GOT has a booth there, but a dedicated rp hub would

HGZ Magazine Halloween Poetry Contest 47 We’d like to thank all of the participants of the Poetry Contest, both those who entered the contest and those who voted. The poems are so creative and interesting and it’s been a pleasure reading them. It was a very close contest, especially between 2nd and 3rd place, since it was only a matter of a few deciding votes. Let’s read the winning entries now.

1st Place Winner: Morticia Soulless ------------------------------------------------------On the darkest of nights at Digi’s back door Came a horrendous screech and hideous roar That rattled below from us evils unspoken.

Our eyes saw the Hell Gates start to open.

Then one by one they began to appear: A Demon, a Witch - both filled us with

fear.

They mumbled and grumbled for being displaced The Witch shouted, "Digi will be our new place!"

“This sim they call ‘Nightmare’ can be our new fright.”

“We’ll make a new hell. It will be quite the sight.”

The she-demon dove to the depths of the grid To make the new hades, deceptively hid.

The Witch flew away deep into the swamp Where she would trap mortals, whose bones she would chomp.

But other things crawled out of Hell on that day With machetes and knives and contraptions that flay.

And by light of dawn saw the darkness had covered Corpses and death too horrific to utter.

So take care where you step and try not to disturb The Demons are listening, each step will be heard.

48

HGZ Magazine Halloween Contest cont...

Your body on edge, responding to phantoms, Boo!! shouts your friend with a fan in one hand, Blowing a horn, he’s laughing a treat, Your senses are shattered, assaulted and raw!

Indignant, you hold up a cross in your hand …

The fabric is rent and the fun has begun ..

------------------------------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT

2n Place Winner: Iona Waters ------------------------------------------------------All Hallows All Hallow’s night is waxing near, The fabric of time and space to shred, The shadowy breath of malevolent fear, Blood curdling whisperings conjuring dread.

Oh sinister tidings of impending doom.

To toy with your mind, to sharpen your senses, Small forests of hairs on the back of your neck, Apparitions, flirting, once seen and now lost …

On the edge of hearing, luring beguiling, a Thank you Jack Stone. whimper, A curtain billows, in the absence of wind, … AND NOW BACK TO THE CONTEST You spin to discover that nothing is there,

44 Please Support Our DigiWorldz Creators

hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Woodland/456/150/22 ______________________________________________________________________

hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Taiga%20Merlin/490/761/24

45

We’re saddened to say that Phayze Mirage has gone to a better place.

She passed away in September after a courageous battle.

If you’d like to own a keepsake from her collection VISIT: Exquisite U Collections hop://login.digiworldz.com:8002/Black%20Swan%20Lake/204/737/23 ______________________________________________________________________

“I Love the Feeling I Get When Shopping for Halloween, It’s Almost As Good As...

Spending the Night in a Haunted House.”