Designing Worlds

The traditional business model of virtual worlds in which the user pays for land rental is being challenged by new approaches, such as that from Kitely, where space is free but you pay for your access time like a cellphone call, and individual regions are brought online only when they are going to be used. In this edition of Designing Worlds we discuss Kitely and other new business approaches that are springing up, in a detailed studio discussion with analysts Maria Korolov of Hypergrid Business and Mal Burns of Metaverse Broadcasting, and with Ilan Tochner, CEO of Kitely.

This week we pay another visit to New Babbage, in the heart of Second Life's Steamlands, to take a tour of a most impressive build - at Piermont Landing, in the company of noted society host Mrs Breezy Carver Fabre. She will be telling us about some forthcoming events and showing us around this fascinating building, which has a number of rather special features. We also hope to have an opportunity to view the fabulous Carver Diamonds. Thankfully, as we are in New Babbage, nothing can possibly go wrong...

For St Patrick's Day, Designing Worlds visits the remarkably atmospheric Irish-themed worlds of Alchemy Immortalis, created appropriately enough by Alchemy and Immortalis Cyannis. We take you around the country roads by roadster and on horseback and visit the mist-shrouded far-flung islands; we explore some beautiful buildings and Saffia gets to try her hand at market gardening. We also visit the delights of the Patisserie, and if that sounds a bit strange... well, you'll just have to watch the show. And then there are the sheep...

This week's episode of Designing Worlds presents a detailed illustrated studio discussion on the recently-established Open Sim-based virtual worlds of Kitely. Kitely uses a rather different business model from the land-based one that is employed by Second Life and the majority of worlds based on the Open Sim platform. Saffia and Elrik talk to Kitely CEO Ilan Tochner about Kitely and how it works, and to artists Karima Hoisan and David Denton about their work there. The programme includes visits to three worlds within the Kitely domain.

There are several representations of London in virtual worlds, but this week Designing Worlds takes you on a tour of the original: the London sims in Second Life. We meet two of the partners behind this extremely popular region and visit a resident's home, as well as seeing the sights, from Piccadilly to Big Ben and much more. We also visit the place where Saffia, Elrik and the founder of the London sims, Debs Regent, first met in real life.

In a special Designing Worlds for Valentine's Day Eve, Saffia and Elrik visit the extensive regions of Avilion in Second Life, a complex of mediaeval-themed roleplay, residential and communal areas with an extremely strong sense of community. The regions date back to 2006, and are home to the famous and extremely romantic Avilion Ballroom. Saffia and Elrik also explore combat areas, visit a gypsy encampment and elf circle, and discover the Avilion Library, where the history of the community is maintained.

This week, Saffia and Elrik further explore the extensive railway tracks that spread across the continents of the Second Life mainland, in the company of Marianne McCann and Moundsa Mayo of the Virtual Railways Consortium. In addition to seeing some amazing locos, riding the rails and visiting numerous locations along the way, we learn about the history, organisations and technologies that lie behind the railways of Second Life.

Saffia and Elrik visit the beautiful estates of Costa Rica in Second Life, where this highly successful group of regions has modelled itself on real-life Costa Rica. We talk to RL and SL Costa Rica resident Giancarlo Takacs, event manager Mariella Anna and fashion event organiser Mimi Juneau about the life and history of the estates and visit some of the spectacular features of the area.

Believe it or not, this is the 150th Episode of Designing Worlds and its predecessor, Meta Makeover. To mark this anniversary, Saffia and Elrik bring you a bumper programme that takes you on a tour of our beautiful new studios, designed and built by Kayle Matzerath on Garden of Dreams2. At the same time we'll show you some excerpts from our favourites among the past 149 episodes - including the very first show ever.

To open our new season, Saffia and Elrik meet the ChangHigh Sisters - a performing arts troupe who are well-known throughout Second Life, where their popular performances draw significant audiences. Elrik and Saffia try some of the Sisters' acrobatic poses themselves, and discover a little of the deep spiritual and esoteric background behind the ChangHigh Sisters' Fireshow of Light, Life & Love. The programme culminates with the Sisters' unique show - staged especially for Designing Worlds - of stunning acrobatics with fire and dazzling colours, including inspiring narration and music from leading in-world and RL composers and musicians.

Saffia and Elrik tour the Ancient-Egypt themed Laurel Arts Isle, where Circe Broom has created extensive multiple music stages in a beautiful Ancient Egyptian environment with the help of her colleagues, including the longest-running music venue in Second Life, which has been operating for over eight years. They learn that sadly, the venues may have to close in the near future due to the costs involved, unless they receive additional financial support from patrons. Regrettably, therefore, this show may represent another "Last Chance To See".

To close the season, Designing Worlds visits the small town of Pleasantville to see how they celebrate Christmas. Consisting of three regions, with an elementary school and downtown area, Pleasantville is devoted to the increasingly popular activity of family roleplay. Saffia and Elrik talk to some of the kids, their parents and teachers, share in their Christmas activities, and find out why family roleplay is such a special thing in so many people's Second Lives.

Saffia and Elrik are visiting New Babbage to deliver a shipment of seasonal gifts from Prim Perfect Publications to the urchins of New Babbage. Saffia will be meeting our old friend, the Assistant Maceholder of New Babbage, Victor Mornington, to deliver the gifts, while Elrik hopes to get a look at some of the exciting new steam-powered technology developed for the winter season by their ingenious engineers. And this is New Babbage, after all, so absolutely nothing at all can go wrong...

Saffia and Elrik visit the extraordinarily varied region of Retropolis in the company of its creators, Tricia Farella and Terra Volitant. From a ship on a stormy sea, to a tropical treasure island, to an eerie tower and an atmospheric swamp, Retropolis provides all you need to create your own quest, roleplay or simply hang out in these beautifully-detailed environments.