Post Apocalyptic Metaverse

If you are a fan of apocalyptic and cyberpunk areas in virtual worlds, you can't miss this sim called Ombra della Notte, recently discovered by Liqueur

The quality of the images on Koinup

If you visited Koinup at later today, probably you saw that we changed dramatically the image interpolation algorithm (quality). The quality of Koinup images was a serious issue, and many users reported that the same image looked quite different once uploaded on Koinup if compared with other photo services.

We tackled the issue very seriously and now you can see there is a "net" improvement in the image quality. Pics are now sharper and more "clean".

In order to deploy the improvement, we have asked some Koinup long time users to test various pool of images, based on different algorithms. We wanna still hear from you, and hear if the quality is improved for you and what aspects of the image are getting the most evident benefits.

We also wanna hear if the quality is now quite exhaustive and you're completely satisfied about the results

Following are the first images, after the upgrade





It seems that even the postcards looks much more sharp and clean. The quality seems to be improved for all kind of images



Thanks to
Magggg
Eves Rodemberger
Don Hosho
Trixibelle


image above by:
lookatmyback
giu
pier

Your Previous Second Life (2004-2006)

If you are a long time member of Second Life, you dont' want to miss this amazing group called The Golden Era of Second Life 2004 - 2006

As stated in the group description: "This is a group for all photos and machinima that was taken in Second Life between 2004-2006"

You can't help being tempted to search old Second Life screenshots in your HD and add these elements to the group. Have you filmed a machinima or took Second Life Photos some years ago and you hadn't the courage to showoff? This is your chance to do it! Join the group and share your unpublished virtual life


Image above depicted my avi about one year ago (it is not 2004-2006, but maybe conveys the idea)

The dystopia of the virtual life

Doubledown Tandino just founded a group to aggregate dystopian images and contents in virtual worlds.

"Utopia is the creation of an ideal world. Dystopia is the opposite: creation of a nightmare world, where utopian ideals have been subverted" Read more in the Dystopian Society Group

Virtual Worlds could be a projection of our ideals, but they can also be subverted in the virtual life and turn the dream in a nightmare.

Arowhena followed Tandino and started an interesting topic about the dystopy in World of Warcraft. I invite you to take part in the discussions....

The new AM Radio Second Life Art Installation

If you're a fan of the AM Radio Second Life Creations, you can't miss the new installation made up by the well known artist!

You can have a preview of the new sim called IDIA Laboratories, here on Koinup and then, teleport in Second Life to see with your eyes!

You can contribute to the pool of images of the sim, by posting photos of IDIA Laboratories and add the exact slurl to your pictures!

Here's the IDIA Widget!

Koinup: Your <a href="http://www.koinup.com/">Virtual Life</a>

Second Life strips: A builder's Dilemma

I invite you to read (and watch) this nice Second Life comic created by DigitalJackBlackhawk called A Builder's Dilemma (lets say a Second Life Builder's Dilemma)



I took the advantage to announce that the Second Life Comics Contest is over. Now, the judges are starting to review the entries and pick their favourites! You can browse the submitted virtual worlds comics, in the group pool!

LoweRuno's Science Fiction Machinima featured on Hiperia 3d News

Hiperia3D's Machinima Selections chooses a video directed by LoweRuno: "Anime Space Exploration Team", that shows the adventures of sci-fiction heroes. Lowe Runo is producer and also actor, alongside with other actors as Janet Gilks, Wes Palen, and Smacky Weezles. Read the story on the Hiperia 3d news Blog or watch the machinima

World of Warcraft tales. Horus's rise

If you think that virtual stories could be settled only in Second Life you should change your mind. World of Warcraft could be a perfect set to imagine, build and plan stories....look at this amazing storyboard created by Gorrechild (its called the Horus's rise)

Photo Session: presentation of MURKU, the HUD to make comics in Second Life

Always wondering how to make comics within Second Life? This next session will be a good occasion to discover a great tool: the Murku Comic HUD. As you can see in the picture below, Deep Semaphore, the creator of Murku, did an amazing job gathering all the features you need to make a good looking comic book without leaving Second Life. Read all the story, here

Contests are very exciting for photographers. Beside getting prizes, they are a great way to meet people and exchange about making artworks in SL. That’s why the Koinup Second Life Community is pleased to participate in the SL Comics Contest. (rules)

Join us Thursday 23rd of April at 12.00pm SLT on the Orange Island Photo Gallery



Behind this contest is Deep Semaphore, creator of the Murku HUD. It is a great tool that lets you create comics frames within Second Life.

You can view a tutorial for using the Murku HUD here. To grab the HUD inwolrd, please visit here.

You can submit your entries for the metaverse comics contest, here!

Read further information about this photo session on the Orange Island blog

Naturalistic places in Second Life: Glimmer

There are many naturalistic sims in Second Life, so far. But it seems that Glimmer is one of the most beautiful and fashinating. Look at this amazing stream by Winter!

Virtual Mashup: a real backgrounds for your avatars

Doubledown Tandino founded a group to collect all the images depicting virtual people in front of real world backgrounds.

The goal is to direct the attention on mixed media and avatar art mashups, based on the mixing of virtual worlds images with real world pieces.

(image above by MedeAthena)

Life on Line, the metaverse show has its own Koinup group

Life on Line, the amazing and well done metaverse show, created and directed by Steve Cropper, now has its own Koinup Group.

You can join the Life on Line group to stay updated with the latest episodes of the show, or to share opinions about the videos with friends!

Open Sim Community. Some other new grid groups on Koinup

Kevinleake01 founded a series of Opensim groups on Koinup. I welcome these groups, cause you know we at Koinup are actively supporting the Opensim development.

I invite you to join the following groups and if you will happen to visit those grids, remember to share stuffs in the groups!

Myopengrid
Legend City Online
Your Alternative Life

These groups are going to increase the number of the Opensims active communities active on Koinup. Other Opensim groups are here

Virtual Worlds Mushroom Photography Contest

The indefatigable DoubleDown Tandino just launched both a group devoted to Funky and Psichedelia in Virtual Worlds and a related contest called: Best Inworld Mushroom Photographic contest

Members of the group are invited to snap the most beautiful mushrooms they stumble on in virtual worlds and add the photos to the group. The rules are simple.

TAG YOUR ENTRIES WITH "CONTESTMUSHROOM"
1) Join this group
2) Photograph the most amazing mushrooms from any virtual worlds.
3) Add your mushroom photos to this group

Second Life as tool for professional photographers

I invite you to enjoy this amazing second life photo created by Bark, called LagNmoor.

Its impressive the potential of Second Life as a tool for professional photographers. In Second Life, you can customize environments, setup light choose the best resolution, personalize the wheather.

Isn't this virtual world the definitive tool for Professional Photography? Photoshop is going 3d

Twinity Pictures. An amazing gallery

Twinity is a growing and fashinating virtual world. Graphics, Textures and builds looks really well done and beautiful. It seems that the inworld quality is improving each week.

They have also enabled the Twinity postcard feature, allowing members to take snapshots and share by email to friends.

So, invite you guys to explore this world and send tons of postcards on Koinup. Here you can view a series of Twinity images posted by Jurin Juran

The boundary between social virtual worlds and online massive multiplayers

Not alway the boundaries between virtual worlds and mmorpgs are sharp and clean. As you can roleplaying in social worlds, in the same manner you can get involved in social activities also within online massive multiplayers.

So, why not play in this Second Life football match

Virtual identity. Be pregnant in a virtual world

The other day, I stumbled on this IMVU image, depicting a "pregnant female avatar".



It often happens that virtual worlds are more and more used as platforms for roleplaying and/or environments where users have the chance to play with their identities. So maybe it could be useful to know if you're roleplaying, too?

If you have any experience, please share in the comments

Set-up one or more default recipients email address for Second Life Postcards. A Talia Tokugawa Tutorial

Second Life Postcards are one of the most widespread activities within the Second Life community.

Postcards allow people to invite friends or share in real time the places they are visiting and the events they are joining in SL.

Koinup provide you with the chance to create and setup your Koinup Upload Email Address (if you're logged, visit your Koinup Account) and send Second Life postcards directly from SL to your Koinup gallery.

One of the main problems for people sending postcards is that they have to type their Koinup Upload Email each postcard they want to send to Koinup (or elsewhere).

Now, Talia Tokugawa made a tutorial to set up one or more default recipients email address. This will help you to save your time, cause you won't have to type (and remember) each time your Koinup Upload Email. Read the guide

Contact Talia Tokugawa if you need some further informations

Koinup is one of the finalists of the startup 2.0 competition

We're so glad to announce that Koinup is one of the 11 finalists of the startup 2.0 competition. You can read the announcement, here

There were more than 200 projects competing, from which around 160 were approved. They come mainly from Italy and Spain, though there are projects from 15 different countries. There are many social gaming and twitter-based projects and also some very interesting business 2.0 apps.

Startup 2.0 is one of the most authoritative competitions for the young internet startups. As you can read on the official website: "Startup2.0 is a competition of European web 2.0 sites whose objectives are to promote and reward the European startups (either created or willing to do so in the future) that work in the field of 2.0 technologies." (read more)

Kazuhiro Aridian's dreamed creatures - Tomorrow's featured NPIRL-Koinup Safari

Tomorrow, April 18th at 10:30am SLT, and awaiting on the other side of your teleport (directly from here) will be Kazuhiro Aridian in a newly created environment that simply begs to be photographed.

Read more on NPIRL blog



Disclaimer

Once a month, NPIRL and Pierluigi Casolari's (aka Koinup Burt in SL) Koinup - an inclusive social networking site for all Virtual Worlds that permits storage and sharing of imagery: photography, Machinima, and "storyboards" - are offering the NPIRL Safaris - with many of Second Life's best content creators, exposing the participants to new sims, new content, and new ideas that are leaving the old world behind and breaching the future.



Among the Virtual Worlds you'll find images of on Koinup: Second Life®, World of Warcraft, Lively, The Sims, IMVU, vSide, Kaneva, There, and more.

The Not Possible IRL (NPIRL) and Impossible IRL (ImpIRL) groups are dedicated to identifying and sharing well conceived and realized content creation in Virtual Worlds which would not be possible in Real Life: architecture, landscaping, art, animations, fashion, particle effects, building tools and scripts... show me, I'll show you.

UPDATE: Bettina Tizzy founded the group: NPIRL Koinup Safari to collect images,opinions and experiences related to Safaris. I invite you to join, and if you were with us during the Kazuhiro showcase, share some photos of the event

Hiperia3D News Launches Machinima Group In Koinup

April 16, 2008 - Hiperia3D News has founded an art group today, hosted in Koinup (the prestigious social network, online community and web portal dedicated to virtual worlds users), and named "Hiperia3D's Machinima Selections". Its aim is to promote the works of machinima directors.

Every week, a new machinima video will be featured, based on the suggestions of the members of this group. Everyone can join and suggest their own videos, or their favorite ones. Hiperia3D's administrator will pick one to be showcased, giving their creators additional exposure.

Join on the group (now!!!) and be sure to check it out periodically also the Hiperia 3d news blog

If you are a machinima directors, this could be a great chance to increase your exposure. If you're a machinima fan and enthusiast you can help your fav artists and directors, by spending a word for them. Here's your Machinima Selections

A Second Life Strip. Don't Try this at home by Damian Delacroix

If you love comics and especially virtual worlds comics, as me, you can't miss the cartoon series called: Don't try this at home.

You can follow the various episodes on the Damian Delacroix Koinup Page. The latest episode is about "Second Life and Nature"

The mime and the fairy. A Second Life machinima by hadji

Blue and Torley Linden. Two special Koinup streams

Metaverse Explorers could take advantage from two special Koinup streams. I'm talking about Torley and Blue Linden. They are both undefatigable explorers and following their streams, you can discover tons of new places.

Bluelinded is also writing for the new amazing Eureka Second Life Official Blog, devoted to the best Second Life sims. While Torley is creating such amazing Windlight Settings to download and use in Second Life (click here)

I invite you to add to your contacts these two special members and follow their virtual adventures and explorations!

Photo Session: Introducing the SL Shakespeare Contest

We’re launching a new kind of event this coming Thursday: Contest inauguration.

In fact, contests are very exciting for photographers. Prizes aside, they are a great way to meet people and exchange about making artwork in SL. That’s why Koinup’s Second Life Community is pleased to participate in the SL Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act 1 Contest run by Ina Centaur.

Join us on Thursday 16th of April at 12.00pm SLT on the Orange Island Photo Gallery.

The session will consist in a presentation of the company by Ixmal supermarine and some points about how to take good pictures during a live event. There will be also Wildstar Beaumont showing off some amazing pictures taken during the Shakespeare show in SL.

The SL Shakespeare Company’s long-awaited open-ended run of Twelfth Night, Act 1 is on!

Koinup and the SL Shakespeare Company have teamed up to offer a photography contest with prizes totaling L$100,000 for artwork derived from the SL Shakespeare Company’s open-ended run of Twelfth Night, Act 1. They innovate in invitating all the photographers to join them in creativity! Read more about the contest

MaxMoney Selected Favorite Sim Among Koinup Users/New World Notes Readers

A couple of weeks ago, Hamlet Au posted a survey on New World Notes of the top Second Life sims.

The one chosen by the NWN survey was Maxmoney. The island was gorgeously terraformed by Poid Mahovlich, with the dramatic, shell-like building created by famed virtual architect/designer Scope Cleaver. Read the piece, here.

Browse amazing photos of Maxmoney.

You can also grab the widget of the sim and install on your blog/facebook profile. Code here

Virtual Worlds Dragons Unite!!! From Second Life to World of Warcraft

Cienega founded a nice groups aimed at collecting dragons images based in virtual worlds.

All virtual worlds are eligible to be featured on the pool. So, if you stumbleupon some dragons while in Second Life, IMVU, World of Warcraft and other MMOG's join the dragons group and share with others those creatures.

Join it now!

The California Legacy Machinima featured on Hiperia 3d News

Hiperia 3d News, Koinup Media Partner, is featuring this week a fantastic machinima, called: California Legacy in SL . Watch and Enjoy the video on Hiperia 3d news blog

Previously highlighted on this blog, The California Legacy Video tackles serious issues. Its a proof of the maturity of the medium and it welcome a new way of using machinima

Virtual Worlds images and videos most faved by the community

Ami Beattie created a series of groups dedicated to the most faved images on Koinup

If your virtual worlds images (and machinima) are getting considerable number of favs (and comments), you should consider to join the following groups:

Favorites 10+ (add elements with at least 10 favs)
Favorites 25+ (add elements with at least 25 favs)
Favorites 50+ (add elements with at least 50 favs)
Favorites 100+ (add elements with at least 100 favs)

IMVU fine art. Deathly Vain by jojobabe

IMVU potential for avatar art is well known to readers of this blog. So let me highlight this cool art work, called Deathly Vain, by jojobabe

Second Life Bunny Contest. A machinima by RockerFaerie

Linden Lab is running a banny contest for its Second Life residents. Rocker Faerie filmed a series of bunnies created by SL 3d builders and designers and made this cool "un-official trailer". Enjoy the video

The best second life sim! Vote for your favourite!

The first quarter of 2009 is over, and Koinup partnered with New World Notes to launch a survey and give the community the chance to elect the most beautiful Second Life Sims!

There are just a few days until the announcement of the winner. So, vote now for your favourite!

Creating comics in Second Life

Deep Sempahore is gradually improving his MURKU Hud, the awesome inworld device that you can use for creating comics strips and cartoons directly in Second Life.

Here, you can read how to grab the HUD.

You may also consider to take part in the SL Comics Contest.

I suggest you to join the Murku Comics group to stay updated with the new releases

Below you can watch a demostration of the Hud potential

Shopping in Second Life. Competition launched by metaLIFE

metaLIFE is launching a contest about Shopping Experiences in Second Life. Contest Invites You to Create Art about Shopping and Win over L$ 50’000 in Prizes! Read more on the metaLIFE group.

Image by Valeria Pienaar

The best Art you have ever seen in World of Warcraft

Arowhena created this amazing picture in World of Warcraft.
The image called Blood Sky is also the winner of "the best march landscape" competition runt by the group Evocative Landscapes