Starbase C3's new sim-wide Skybase Vigilance

all photography by Wellington Bahram

Cube Inada (aka Larry Rosenthal), has been creating and running 3D virtual worlds online since 1996, beginning with Starbase C3, the first real-time 3D world on AOL. Since 2006, Cube has integrated Starbase C3 and its active membership into Second Life with numerous builds throughout the grid, including the Interdimensional Alien Flying Circus.



Now Cube has launched Skybase Vigilance (teleport directly from here), an open-ended role-playing sim and Starship building/Sci-Fi community, consisting of a large floating space station, a command ship, space docks for the fleet, and a hidden alien moon base, all located above a mysterious gas giant planet, Olia.



"We created a unique back story and an immersive 3D environment that not only fits within the larger Starbase C3 Universe, but also works well with our many other locations," said Cube.



Primarily staffed by bio-engineered avatars and remote telepresence drones, Starbase C3 functions as a 22nd century "Area 51." You can read up on the storyline here. Cube has also created over a dozen ships, fighters, gunships, shuttles and other vehicles for his active community.

The Interdimensional Alien Flying Circus

This is Part II of a notice that was issued in-world to NPIRL members on September 7th

A NPIRL Preview

NPIRL'er Cube Inada (Larry Rosenthal IRL) tp'ed us in for a preview of his new "Interdimensional Alien Flying Circus, which he created for the Starbase C3 online Sci-fi world project.

With this build, Cube takes Lucas' concept of a grimy, used universe "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." and pushes it into a darker place. Cube is quick to point out that the designs and the world of Starbase C3 are wholly original and unlike the other sci fi in SL.

Run by Mon-ti (play on Monty Python?), a multi-legged snake-oil sales-alien from parts unknown, the space station is a throw back to the road show carnivals and circuses of old earth in the 1800s.

The multi-tiered space station will offer boxing matches between known and heretofor unknown species, a dance club worthy of any Wookie or Ewok, and shopping areas for...um... strange things. Vendor areas are just becoming available.

Slurl: Interdimensional Alien Flying Circus

You are the engines of change

Notice posted to the group on August 17, 2007

Dear NPIRL members - So many new things hit our desk this week that we had to be picky and choosy. Without further ado, here's the tip of the NPIRL iceberg... Yours, Bettina Tizzy

THIS WEEK'S FEATURES

* SENUKA HARBINGER'S studies of fractals and formulaic art forms in-world have resulted in the creation of two true fractal generators. DON'T miss her breathtaking, meandering spline generator sculpture.

Senuka Harbinger's SENASY



Senuka's Cyber Arachnid avatar is unquestionably NPIRL, as is nearly everything this extraordinary woman takes on. Ask her to give you a demo of those fractal generators but you'll have to get permission in the sandbox... 4000 to 10,000 prims in under 5 minutes!

* THE REALITY FACTORY - not!
New NPRIL member and sculptor Blackthorn Hare (RL Doug Anderson, working on his art masters at Mass College of Art) agreed that this angry place - which he completed last month - could be called "The Un-Church." He invites you to "poke around... there are lots of clues, little easter eggs here and there."
The Reality Factory

(A Meditation)- Also by Blackthorn Hare. Look underneath you. Hang around a moment and watch the moon rise.
A Meditation

* SKY CINEMA
Cube Inada - who believes in "space-age design optimism" - doodled this spruced up Googie-romanticized/retro sci-fi drive-in in the sky that should please anyone who grew up, or wished he grew up "inside" a Jetson's cartoon. Park your spaceship and hang with your buds while taking in a B-film... "Plan 9 from Outer Space," perhaps?
Sky Cinema

* ESCH SNOAT'S' "See What's Inside Esch's Head!" - This is just pure folly and fun, but first a pile of instructions to make it easy for you to find this. Use this slurl - See What's Inside Esch's Head! - TP to the 3rd floor and walk to the back of his show... Now then, let's "See What's Inside Esch's Head," shall we? Use Mouselook! BTW, two NPIRL members have shows in this building as well: Finny Yates and Douglas Story.

* THINKERER CHALLENGE AWARDS
Just cause you'll want to know...

Thinkerer Studios - founded by NPIRL member Thinkerer Melville - has announced the launch of an awards program to identify and encourage the development of creative products and services that use SL capabilities to enrich experiences in RL.

Recipients of the Thinkerer Challenge Award will receive 30,000L and the use of a land parcel (or an equivalent arrangement) for one year. In addition, they will be invited to become judges of future Thinkerer Challenge Awards which will be given as often as once a month, depending on the volume and quality of nominations. You can read more about it here.

* THIS JUST IN...
Juria Yoshikawa is like the Energizer Bunny; just keeps going and going... I keep thinking I'll hold back and not mention Juria's work at least one week, but darned if it isn't just too good to hold back. The sound effects, as you hop in and out of the cubes... well, you'll hear. I wish Jimmy Hendrix was here to hear this, too. I do.
The Awful Cubes Meet Terraformal Duplicity

WELCOME to new members (in order of appearance):
* Desdemona Enfield
* Seifert Surface
* Vlad Bjornson
* Milan Brynner
* Owl Demina
* Kiyup Ingraham
* Cube Inada
* Blackthorn Hare