When I was building my home sims, I discovered I needed rocks and well, I couldn't find what I wanted. Hence, I made rocks and a sky island, I also made some for the beach with flat tops for sunbathing. You never know where you will want to sunbathe.

Well, I made the male goldfinch and afterwards I felt like I really should have done the female as well. So, I did. My apologies to anyone that took the box yesterday, I added the females to the same box. I just felt like he looked lonely.

Well, I released a novelty item today. Every once in a while (well, maybe more often than that) I get obsessed with something goofy. I always thought stick men were cute, don't know why, I just do. So, I made animesh and avatar stick people. There are regular ruth size and also tiny versions. I put them on the second floor of the shop building right in front of the elevator. They are dancing in the landing zone purely for my entertainment :).

The Art Factory is about art and artists. At The Art Factory, we display art; we appreciate art; we learn about art; and, we promote art. We have over a dozen galleries dedicated to in-world artists, where they show their innovative creations. As such, we are continuing our feature - Meet the Artist. This week, we interviewed Antonia Ling, owner of Antonia Ling Gallery, Inspired By Gallery, Metropolis Poster Shop, and a 2001 themed gallery.

Antonia, tell us about yourself and your art.
“It's not easy to talk about myself. What have I to say about my person? Not much... really. I like photography and I like to photograph. I love to photograph old churches when I'm in Denmark. Or ships in the harbor... often details. Not the big ones, I prefer little old boats of the local fishermen. I like to photograph old cars and colorful flowers. I love art from the 1920s to today, I love a lot of the german BAUHAUS and their Master like Kandinsky, Alberts or Lazlo Moholy-Nagy.”

What are you doing currently?
“I try to photograph a bit. At the moment I deal with cyanotype. It fascinates me...”

What is your inspiration for art in world?
“I do what I do because I like to do it. When one in a million likes it... I'm happy.”

Thank you so much for your interview, Ms. Ling. We love your ongoing contributions to The Factory.

It's really not that hard to be ranked #4 on OpenSim when you plant 8 avatars in your region and just keep them there. I really think that is being very deceitful and skewing the OpenSim numbers to raise yourself in the rank. Regions that have been found to have avatars that are just put there 24/7 should have the region deleted and it should not be allowed. Not only is this grid owner stealing people's regions but now they are lying about who is actually occupying their region to raise themselves in the ranks. Awful!

Come for the freebies. Stay for the sites! Take your time exploring this beautiful sim, filled with picturesque views, large forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and beaches. Don't forget to visit Santa along the way.

JAPANESE MAPLE TREES PACK with animated leaves ** FREE and FULL PERM ** Available at BOX 02 at FOREST AREA (ground). Many options of trees sizes and seasonal textures (spring, summer, 8 kinds of autumn and 2 for winter). Also included leaf particles rezer for this time of year. Enjoy :)

SIX KINDS of sculpted wild grasses and weeds for ur place! ALL FREE and FULLPERM at GARDEN AREA BOX 01 with seasonal textures (and this time I put the standart size and also the reduced 128x128 pixels one that helps reduce graphic lag when many are rezed).

I had the pleasure of attending one of Gertie's sets. What I loved the most about her was her upbeat and exuberant personality. I wanted to create something to remember her by. This charm bracelet has a music note with her name. Free-Full Perms
hop://continuum.Outworldz.net:8002/Monentes%20Jewelry/114/...

A statement:

This is a world for avatars. If you put your avatar face in the profile, instead of the standard default picture, you get much more reactions and attention for your posts here in the forum. A standard profile picture does not specifically encourage you to open an account and take a closer look. If a profile is not maintained, the contributions and grid are usually the same. It takes effort, patience and perseverance to get people on his grid. Action = reaction. This is never quick! ;-)

Governor Heron

***

Eine Feststellung:

Das hier ist eine Welt für Avatare. Wenn Du Dein Avatar Gesicht ins Profil gibst, an Stelle des Standardes Vorgabe Bildes, bekommst Du wesentlich mehr Reaktionen und Aufmerksamkeit für Deine Posts hier im Forum. Ein Standard Profil Bild animiert nicht speziell einen Account zu öffnen und näher anzusehen. Wenn ein Profil nicht gepflegt wird, sind meistens auch die Beiträge und Grid so. Um Leute auf sein Grid zu bringen, braucht es Anstrengung, Geduld und Ausdauer. Aktion = Reaktion. Das geht nie auf die schnelle! ;-)

Governor Heron

Needful Things – News

1. Sim Renovation
Needful Things is now 8 years old—and it’s time to replace the old houses with updated versions. Unfortunately, this will take some time, as a few shops are also moving to different locations. At the landing point, there’s a notecard at the Region Guide Terminal showing the current locations of the respective shops.

As always, we recommend searching for the items you’re looking for on HyperCat first and then locating the objects on Needful Things itself using the area search.

https://ww2.hypercat.info/

Once the renovations are complete, we plan to implement our own search and teleport system—Sixtus Majus will take on this project later.

2. No Public Nudity

Unfortunately, it occasionally happens that visitors enter the region unclothed. It’s difficult to tell whether this is intentional or simply because their clothing hasn’t loaded. However, the following rule applies to all my public regions:

!! NO PUBLIC NUDITY !!

I want all visitors to have the freedom to shop at Needful Things without feeling disturbed by the sight of naked avatars. Adult content in the shops (e.g., the NPC Factory with its sex NPCs) is arranged in such a way that you have to deliberately seek out these rooms yourself or with the camera and won’t accidentally stumble upon unwanted content.

I expect the same respect from all visitors. I really hate to put up “No Entry” signs, but anyone who stands naked in the kids’ shop in the future (like the woman in the recent photo) will be removed without warning.
I deliberately offer a small selection of accessories for children’s avatars, so the sexualized depiction of a visitor—especially in this particular shop—is completely out of the question!!!

3. Dinkie Accessories

Until now, Needful Things was a Dinkie-free zone. That has changed since Sixtus and I fell head over heels for these cute avatars. There are already quite a few shops in HG that offer Dinkie stuff—we don’t want to compete with them. But you’ll now find a few little items at Needful Things as well.
Have fun!


* * * * *
Needful Things – Neuigkeiten

1. Sim Renovierung
Needful Things ist inzwischen 8 Jahre alt - und wird es Zeit, die alten Häuser durch überarbeitete Versionen zu ersetzen. Das nimmt leider etwas Zeit in Anspruch, da zusätzlich ein der paar Shops in andere Häuser umziehen. Am Landepunkt gibt es eine Notecard am Region-Guide-Terminal mit der aktuellen Lage der jeweiligen Shops.

Nach wie vor empfiehlt es sich vorab auf HyperCat nach den gesuchten Artikeln zu suchen und dann auf Needful Things selbst die Objekte mittels Umgebungssuche zu ermitteln.

https://ww2.hypercat.info/

Nach Abschluss der Umbaumaßnahmen ist ein eigenes Such- und Teleportsystem geplant - Sixtus Majus wird sich diesem Projekt später zuwenden.

2. Keine öffentliche Nacktheit

Leider kommt es hier und da mal vor, dass Besucher unbekleidet die Region betreten. Ob aus Absicht oder ob die Kleidung nur nicht geladen ist, lässt sich nur schwer unterscheiden. Grundsätzlich aber gilt auf allen meinen öffentlichen Regionen:

!! KEINE ÖFFENTLICHE NACKTHEIT !!

Ich möchte, dass alle Besucher die Freiheit haben, auf Needful Things shoppen zu gehen ohne sich am Anblick nackter Avatare gestört zu fühlen. Adult-Inhalte in den Shops (z.B. der NPC Factory mit ihren Sex-NPCs) befinden sich so angeordnet, dass man bewusst diese Räume selbst oder mit der Kamera aufsuchen muss und nicht versehentlich über unerwünschte Inhalte stößt.
Den gleichen Respekt wünsche ich mir von allen Besuchern. Ich stelle nur sehr ungern Verbotsschilder auf, aber wer in Zukunft nackt im Kindershop steht (so wie die Dame auf dem Bild vor kurzem), wird in Zukunft ohne Vorwarnung entfernt.
Ich biete bewusst ein wenig Zubehör für Kinder-Avatare an, darum geht die sexualisierte Darstellung eines Besuchers - besonders in diesem speziellen Shop - überhaupt nicht!!!

3. Dinkie Zubehör

Bisher war Needful Things Dinkie-Freie-Zone. Das hat sich geändert, seit Sixtus und ich einen Narren an den putzigen Avataren gefressen haben. Es gibt schon einige Shops im HG, die Dinkie Stuff anbieten- denen wollen wir auch keine Konkurrenz machen. Aber ein paar Kleinigkeiten findet ihr inzwischen auch auf Needful Things.
Viel Spaß!

screenshot of Firestorm running on steam deck/Bazzite CloudDeck

We aim to provide the easiest way to run Firestorm viewer on Linux.

beta testing
https://github.com/holoneon/org.holoneon.FirestormOpenSim

Get your grid listed in the login drop-down here:
https://github.com/holoneon/opensim-grid-directory

I just realized that I had a mistake on the original post so I fixed it and if you didn't see it I'm not telling you what the typo was. :D Anyway I want to take this time to wish everyone in Opensim a very peaceful, relaxing, fun and safe 4th of July as we celebrate our nation's 250th birthday. May our nation know 250 more years of peace, prosperity, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Blessings and much love, Lavia. (And yes that's the real me in the picture)

Meet the Nexari, Ancient travelers. Silent explorers. Keepers of the stars.

The Nexari have arrived at Gallumbits! This all-new alien species is now available as a complete male and female avatar set, featuring sleek biomechanical designs, luminous cosmic colors, and an unmistakable extraterrestrial presence.

Whether you're exploring distant worlds, building a sci-fi roleplay, or creating your own interstellar adventures, the Nexari are ready to journey beyond the stars.

Available now at Gallumbits — where imagination has no limits.
three.hills.grid.outworldz.net:8002:Eccentrica Gallumbits

🎧 Tribute to Maldrul Smith
(Written in your voice, with your heart)

Today, I lost one of the dearest friends I’ve ever had in OpenSim — Maldrul Smith. My heart is breaking in ways I can barely put into words. Mal wasn’t just a friend… he was one of those rare souls who made life feel lighter just by being present. Kind, compassionate, gentle, and always a true gentleman — that was Mal.

He had a sweetness about him that never felt forced. A warmth that wrapped around you the moment he spoke. And oh, his wit — always sharp, always playful, always ready to make me laugh when I needed it most. Mal was fun, interesting, thoughtful, and full of life. He was one of the few people I could talk to openly and honestly, without fear, without hesitation. He understood me. He listened. He cared.

And when he DJ’d…
He brought magic into the room.
His sets weren’t just music — they were moments.
He knew how to lift spirits, how to create atmosphere, how to make people feel connected.
He played from the heart, and you could feel it every time.

Mal, I’ll miss you so much.
I’ll miss your voice, your humor, your kindness, your presence.
I’ll miss the way you made the world feel a little softer.
You were one of the few and far‑between people who truly mattered to me.
One of the dearest friends I’ve ever had in OpenSim.

Thank you for being exactly who you were — a sweet man, a compassionate soul, a gentleman, a friend.
Rest in peace, my sweet friend.
You will never be forgotten.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

💛 Prayer for Maldrul Smith
Father God,
Another dear friend has left this world, and my heart is breaking. Maldrul Smith was such a close and precious friend to me — kind, compassionate, gentle, and full of warmth. He was the kind of man whose presence made life feel lighter. A sweet soul, a true gentleman, and one of the most genuine people I’ve ever known.

Lord, I thank You for the gift of his friendship.
For his wit, his humor, his kindness, and the way he made every conversation feel meaningful.
He was one of the few people I could talk to openly, honestly, and without fear.
He was rare — one of the dearest friends I had in OpenSim, and losing him leaves a space that hurts deeply.

Father, hold him close now.
Let his spirit rest in Your peace.
Let him feel the love of those who cherished him.
Let him be surrounded by Your light, Your comfort, and Your eternal rest.

Mal… I’ll miss you so much.
Rest in peace, my sweet friend.
You will always be remembered with love.

Amen.

A gentle reminder to the self-appointed critics of the metaverse:

When you visit a curated experience and leave a one star review because you could not follow the rules, the theme or the personal boundaries set by the sysop, you are not exposing a flaw in the build. You are exposing YOURSELF.

Dismayland works like a carnival ride. You must be this tall to enter. This is not a suggestion. This is not negotiable. This is not a personal attack on your creative choices. It is a sign on a gate; read it.

Dismayland has height restrictions. It has had them. The compliance system has been OFFLINE for TWO WEEKS and people are STILL offended by the concept of it. That is remarkable. The gate does not even have teeth right now and the outrage is fully operational.

YOU READ THAT RIGHT ... the GATE has been down and these ORACLES of Wisdom never even bothered to check, no need to mention names, their self indictment is already on the wall.

This is the beauty of themed experiences; they are not for everyone and they are not supposed to be. If the child gate offends you, congratulations; it is working exactly as designed. Dismayland is a demusement park. The clue is in the name. The misery is the point. THE INCONVENIENCE IS THE ART.

As a bonus feature, the same system that checks your height also has opinions about poorly imported stolen Second Life meshes, that is an intriguing and welcome side effect. Dismayland enforces restrictions fairly as part of the user experience.

One star because you "dislike the policy" is not a review. It is a confession. One star because "the region recognized your self entitlement and processed you" is far more truthful and entertaining.

We thank you for your contribution to the experience. Your reaction has been noted, cataloged, and will be used as evidence that we are doing something right.

DISMAYLAND SECURITY IS DOWN until the MAIN LK EVENT (TBA)
At that time: COSTUME MANAGEMENT and ENFORCEMENT goes into effect.
I promise... that will end the complaints about the HEIGHT SCANNER... Muah ha ha ha ha ha!

In OpenSimulator, some region creators are choosing PBR materials—and the results are impressive! ✨ PBR makes textures truly come alive: it accurately conveys reflections, roughness, and light refraction. Stone appears cold and rough, metal smooth and shiny, wood warm and textured. Landscapes, buildings, and details—everything looks more three-dimensional and realistic. Even clothing takes on new, beautiful properties. This isn't just a graphics upgrade, it's a new level of immersion: every corner of the region, every object, makes you want to look at it again and again. Explore the worlds of OpenSimulator—they're especially beautiful now! 😍

New Video out! Thank you for watching. Thank you for liking, if you do, subscribing if you feel moved, and I would welcome your comments. There are a couple of fun only AI can do glitches. :)
https://youtu.be/J-9I0GxC67w?si=yRYDj8cwWhfsHg71

I have added a modified Auto Return script.

The original behavior could be inconvenient when using vehicles for exploration. For example, if you traveled by boat, car, or another vehicle and then exited it at your destination, the vehicle would immediately auto-return, leaving you stranded. The alternative was for region owners to disable auto-return entirely, which isn't always desirable.

This modified script changes that behavior. The vehicle will now only auto-return if the driver leaves the region. This allows you to park your vehicle while you enjoy an adventure, picnic, sightseeing, or any other activity, and still have it available for your return trip. Once you leave the region, the vehicle will automatically return itself, keeping the area organized without interrupting your outing.

Update: I’ve also added a water bobbing script for the boat. The bobbing effect is active when the boat is stationary, and it automatically suspends while underway so you can sail smoothly. Once the boat comes to a stop, the bobbing resumes, allowing it to float naturally on the water until movement begins again.

Update: Fixed an issue where the script would not automatically return when a player logged out. Also resolved a bug that caused returned vehicles and objects to lose their original rotation.

Update: Fixed issue where ship would eventually list: Latest is beta 3c.