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FUSION

Creative DirectorLibby Farleigh

Business Director Lily Holsworthy

Managing Editor Jordan Whitt

Fashion Editor Daija Arida

Senior Writers Jude TathamAuryn Beorn

WritersCompe LockwoodMeldina Ashbourne

PhotographersMicah KalinakovArya Braveheart

Fashion TeamAlex1985 DiabolitoDrakkje DaileyMicah Kalinakov

Cover photography by Spyder Silverfallhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/silverfall/

www.fusionmagazinesl.com

STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS

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Page 22WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN

HEARTED?

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M A R C H

CALAS GALADHON

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FEATURES

INTERSTELLAR CHIC GET THAT STYLE!

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LIFE is filled with ups and downs, good times

and bad times, happiness and sorrow, and as adults we learn to deal with this roller coaster of events and

many of us come to SL to escape from it all......but not always successfully.

For some of us finding a connection in SL is important and more often than not that connection becomes an attraction and a virtual relationship is formed. Everything

is great for a while and you find yourself rushing to log in each day to make sure your avatar looks its best, and before long you are spending ever virtual moment with each other.

Friends get overlooked, favourite hang outs are substituted for a cosy cuddle couch in your jointly rented skybox, and there is serious talk of making an SL partnership and even a lavish virtual wedding.

But then something goes wrong.

Perhaps someone’s RL keeps them from logging in, or there is a misunderstanding and the green eyed monster isn’t happy about another SL friendship you may have. Often the breakdown is the result of something more trivial like disagreeing on which animated

bed to get, or whether you want to go to a strip club rather than ballroom dancing. Either way this wonderful, beautiful thing you had quickly turns sour and before long you have parted ways, shell shocked and disappointed.

So how do we recover? The one place we came to in a hope of escaping any pain or bad emotion has let us down. SL has suddenly become a struggle, a place that makes you feel empty and some of the simple things you enjoyed about the game are lost on you. I spoke to a few people I knew had been through

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LIFE is filled with ups and downs, good times

and bad times, happiness and sorrow, and as adults we learn to deal with this roller coaster of events and

many of us come to SL to escape from it all......but not always successfully.

For some of us finding a connection in SL is important and more often than not that connection becomes an attraction and a virtual relationship is formed. Everything

is great for a while and you find yourself rushing to log in each day to make sure your avatar looks its best, and before long you are spending ever virtual moment with each other.

Friends get overlooked, favourite hang outs are substituted for a cosy cuddle couch in your jointly rented skybox, and there is serious talk of making an SL partnership and even a lavish virtual wedding.

But then something goes wrong.

Perhaps someone’s RL keeps them from logging in, or there is a misunderstanding and the green eyed monster isn’t happy about another SL friendship you may have. Often the breakdown is the result of something more trivial like disagreeing on which animated

bed to get, or whether you want to go to a strip club rather than ballroom dancing. Either way this wonderful, beautiful thing you had quickly turns sour and before long you have parted ways, shell shocked and disappointed.

So how do we recover? The one place we came to in a hope of escaping any pain or bad emotion has let us down. SL has suddenly become a struggle, a place that makes you feel empty and some of the simple things you enjoyed about the game are lost on you. I spoke to a few people I knew had been through

WHAT B

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ES OF

THE B

ROKE

N HEA

RTED

?

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SL heartache and their invested affections had been left broken and unwanted. I asked how they coped and what they would recommend to someone going through it, but in truth few had any really useful advice to give. They all admitted that mistakes had been made and there were often regrets, but the only way to overcome this pain is time.

The saying is true, ‘time is a great healer’, but so is distraction or a change of pace.

One friend decided to leave SL for a while, as it became too painful to log in. This unfortunately seems to be a common way of dealing with virtual heartbreak. Other friends threw themselves into a project, picking up hobbies and interests they had left behind when their SL relationship had begun. Examples of these are building and creating, clothes designing and my personal favourite, extreme shopping. Little by little the sadness fades and we can continue with our virtual adventures as if nothing had happened. Many jumped into another relationship, whilst others are sworn off of them for life, but however we choose to mend our broken hearts and however sad we are feeling, always try and remember that happiness is just around the corner, just give it time.

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Sometimes the call of nature takes on a secondary meaning, but in this case it happens to refer to those moments where you step outside, and you’re taken away by the beauty that is the simplest little things, the smallest flower, the

heat of the sun, the way the world makes its own music. Those same moments where you wake up with the urge to go running in a field, or in the park. You can’t quite explain that urge, you simply have to follow through.

But how do you get that same warm feeling in Second Life?

Where can you go to find something so natural, so beautiful, that it almost beckons you to return time and time again?

The Destination Guide is where I normally find myself in an attempt to answer these questions, and in the midst of one specific search I came across a park by the name of Calas Galadhon.

Upon my first time visiting, I was greeted with 10 equally beautiful sims, and that same sound of nature that I absolutely love hearing when I step outside. Each one equally as stunning as the other, from the deeply forested areas, to the marshes. From the vistas located everywhere, showcasing stunning views of what I personally have to call one of the most gorgeous parks I have ever visited in my time in world. Whether you go to unwind, take a small day trip or perhaps a picnic with the family, or even for a romantic date, Calas Galadhon provides the perfect setting. On Halloween this year, their Halloween themed sim opened specially for the holiday was my favorite go to place, and their Christmas sim, Noel, now closed for the

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year, was an absolute winter wonderland, and just like the rest of this beautiful destination a true sight to behold. It is an absolute pleasure to read their group chat, and to see the support and incredible comments they receive from their many fans, and watching the owners Ty Tenk and Truck Meredith’s interact with their visitors’ shows just how much they truly enjoy providing this labour of love to the residents of SL. With live events, and OZ Nightclub located on their Armenelos sim, Calas Galadhon is sure to provide a little bit of something for whatever it is you seek. So go ahead! Take a walk, or even a run! Just make sure you stop to smell the flowers.

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O'HARE'Sarticle by Compe Lockwood & photography by Arya BraveheartSecond Life's Ireland

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Of course O’Hare’s Gap is a happy place; it’s Irish.

With rolling hills, ancient castles, and a community pub with fun flowing like the River Shannon, tis Second Life’s wee bit of the old country. Aye, me lad, anymore Irish and you’d be a leprechaun.

“Because today we are all Irish,” said the sim’s owner, Willy Sandalwood, standing at the bar and happily announcing his impromptu Celtic resolution. “We try to make O’Hare’s as close to real life Ireland as possible.” It works.

Before crossing tavern door thresholds, guests are treated to vistas of Blarney Castle’s Main Tower, complete with a kissable Blarney Stone, and equally kissable countrymen. There are replicas of the Cliffs of Moher, castles, and textures from real Irish paths and walkways.

A nearby up and running Abbey, with up and running nuns and monks conduct nightly vespers. Mixed in an Irish stew of a working movie theater, art shows, dances, and concerts, this is the quintessential virtual Emerald Isle.

We have visitors from around the world,” added Willy. “And those who have lived in Ireland tell me it is a very close representation.” Actually it is so close; Willy reports some people have cried, after landing here, out of homesickness for the old country. “Seeing this place, many want to either visit Ireland for the first time or return forever,” he said. “It reminds them of what they left behind.”

O Hare’s Gap in Second Life is about 5 years old. Since start up, over 40,000 visitors

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have walked through the doors. Many became friends. Some have been here since day one. And Willy laughs, “Spend enough time here and we will make you more Irish than the Irish.”

Like all good community bars, this is where friends not only discuss second life but the first one as well. It is a spot to mix, mingle, seek help, and help others, all while partaking in imaginary beverages of Celtic origin.

The four sims, all connected, represent geographical renderings, including Western Ireland and a typical rural town. It has over 60 residential rental homes and shops and cottages. Ironically, in a cyber-world so painstakingly detailed to resemble Ireland, its creator has never seen the real one.

“I am of Irish descent,” noted Willy. “But sadly, I’ve never been.” However he was inspired.

“The sim was born out of a love for Ireland, the hospitality, the history, and the people,” he said. “I am a student, always researching. I use Google Streets a lot.” But he firmly believes a good sim depends on a good hands-on leader. Willy is here all the time.

Unlike real life counterparts, weekdays are busiest for this pub. Come by and meet the locals, from Ireland, and across the cyber world. Have a beer, swap news, and find out for yourself why Irish eyes are smiling.

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Things you need toknow aboutmesh bodies

………• Part Two •by Auryn Beorn

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Greetings everybody! In the previous issue of Fusion, we started defining what a mesh body is, what the UVs of the mesh body are, and why this means a lot more work for skin and clothes creators... Particularly when some parts do not conform to the SL avatar UVs.

In this issue, we're going to talk about alpha zones.

Similarly to when we wear clothes over our SL avatar, some clothes will completely cover the avatar in the areas they occupy, and some other clothes won't, resulting in the effect that the mesh body pokes out of the clothes. When using the SL avatar, the solution consists of using a special clothing layer called the alpha layer. These alpha layers, as we know, will make the indicated areas of the SL avatar transparent. In the process of rebaking, the server shows the avatar's skin, minus the alpha areas indicated in the alpha layer.

We might think that the same process could be translated to mesh bodies: Have a texture as an alpha layer, and apply it to the body. The bad news: Currently, we cannot do this to prims (Remember that mesh items, in the end, are also prims. That's why creators of mesh bodies adopt this approach: They decide where to create slices of the body (alpha cuts, or alpha zones), and then, by using a HUD, a script makes those alpha zones hide or show, as needed.

Now, keep this in mind: Each mesh prim may have a maximum of eight texturable faces. This means that for every eight alpha cuts, maximum, a new prim will be required, to be able to have more alpha cuts. It's not something that affects the final user, but when you ask to a creator to make more alpha cuts in their body HUDs... remember that this creates more technical issues for them. They can be overcome, but thank them for taking all the hassle.

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We'll finish this issue with a note: If you're wearing a mesh body, and you have to alpha all of it, to wear your mesh clothes... just take the mesh body off! Your graphics card will thank you for it, and the graphics cards of those around you will, too.

The reason? Transparent or not, that geometry is still there, and so, is still transmitted. We don't want to add extra stress to servers and our own computer (and those of people around). Living in SL is also living in a community; be the nice neighbour and try to minimize the impact you cause on others' machines.

That's it for this issue! We'll finish the mini series in the next one, talking about appliers and the Omega system. Enjoy your SL.

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Blake SeaSAILING

THE

article & photography by Meldina Ashbourne

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In the middle of Second Life lay a vast collection of open water sims, that of which draw the attention of sailing/boating enthusiasts, and aerial enthusiasts alike. The Blake Sea and Nautilus waterways offer hours upon hours of exploration and relaxation, featuring many different locations to discover along the way, with a combined total of over 900 sims the options of location are plentiful.

A personal favorite location of mine when I begin my voyages is a beautiful tropical retreat by the name of Lago De Prata, A place so beautiful you simply cannot sail by, or simply visit, and not look around, absorbing and taking in the rich warm landscaping and attention to detail. Lago De Prata offers vacation rentals, live entertainment and many other amazing events, and now also offers an airport as well for those not travelling by sea! It is incredibly welcoming with some of the friendliest staff in SL, I definitely recommend to anyone wishing to plan a tropical vacation. Upon departure, it is easy to lose countless hours sailing and navigating around seemingly endless amounts of islands and coves, discovering hidden beauty on some of second life’s oldest sims.

From Yacht Clubs, to full sim sized Airports, to beautiful waterfront estates privately owned, you never pass the same thing twice. Thanks to many different aviation services provided in SL, perhaps you would rather be a passenger and take in the sights from the air on the way to your destination of choice! Sailing itself takes some getting used to, learning the controls of adjusting the sails to the specific direction of the wind and doing your best to slow down through the tight fitted areas without hitting islands or other obstacles you may encounter, the hobby itself is easy to get addicted to and it comes as no surprise to me how many sailing related activities there are, yacht clubs, marinas, races, these waterways are full of them.

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I always feel a little pang of personal excitement when passing another resident also sailing. On a recent expedition, over six hours were spent enjoying the sights, sounds, and splendor that sailing provides as we navigated numerous sims to reach our destination at the SS Galaxy, a three sim long cruise ship destination that has always been a personal fascination, it was rewarding to complete that long journey and be somewhere so far away from where we started and knowing not a single teleport was taken to get there. If you haven’t had the opportunity, or perhaps have not even heard of these watery wonderlands, I definitely recommend a day out, especially on one of those stressful days where nothing seems to relax those tensed nerves. I can promise you that you will not regret your adventure.

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Nardya R o u s s e l o t

article by Jude Tathamphotography by Spyder Silverfall

Nardcotix: https://nardcotixsl.wordpress.com & https://www.flickr.com/photos/nardcotixThe Loft: https://theloftblog.wordpress.com & https://www.flickr.com/photos/colleendesmoulins

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Our cover star this month is the fabulous designer/creator of Nardcotix footwear and The Loft Furniture, Nardya Rousselot. I was lucky enough to spend some time with her at her private sim and to also see where some her designing magic takes place.

You have been in SL for a number of years Nardya, what first drew you to SL?A friend from school told me about it. He asked me if I liked the Sims game and I had mentioned before that it would be cool to make stuff for the Sims. I was hooked on the novelty of SL from the word go, not so much for the creation at that time, but for the social aspect. It was cool to explore, get your own house, clothing and all that stuff.

NX-Nardcotix has been a brand name in SL footwear for many years, when did you start designing and why?The shoes began around the end of 2009. I originally had a clothing store, but truth is I love shoes. I usually try to challenge myself into creating certain things and well shoes is something I love, so I started designing them more than anything else.

Who or what are your designing influences, where do you get ideas for your styles and creations?I am an artist so inspiration can come in many ways. Movies, music, books, a rainy day; it depends a lot on my mood too and how much sleep I am getting, that kind of thing. I guess you could say I have my 'seasons' and sometimes I will be influ-enced by a trend or a holiday, it really all depends if it moves me I guess.

After what appeared to be a break from designing footwear, you are back with

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a fantastic range for mesh bodies and feet, how has the transition from prim to mesh been for you?It was actually a relief! As a RL 3D artist I couldn't wait to do mesh. When I came to SL it was hard for me to learn prims, although I did learn a lot from it, don't get me wrong and there was a transition process of learning exactly how mesh works with SL. I mean, the work flow varies and there are certain differences when you create mesh for SL than say for a virtual visualization of architecture for example. I plan to bring back some of the old Nardcotix styles, not all, but there are a couple that I personally miss and some people have asked me to bring them back as well.

You are designing for The Loft Furniture, a fantastic store with some original and exciting pieces, how did that come about? I met Colleen Desmoulins, founder of The Loft, when I was just starting to design clothing and she bought one of my dresses. I went total fan girl on her and we kind of hit it off right away and became friends. She kept telling me to join The Loft, but I didn't want to do furniture with sculpties and I said I would when mesh came to SL. So when Linden Labs introduced mesh I started designing furniture with her.

When not designing, creating or blogging, what do you like to do in SL - how do you relax?By decorating, hanging out with friends, etc. I like to be a regular SL player once in a while. It helps me know what people want/need.

If you had to leave SL, how would you like to be remembered?I guess I would like to be remembered by the work I do. I think good work speaks for itself, so to me that is what I would like for people to remember.

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Going It Aloneby Jude Tatham

I am single in SL, yes hard to believe, I know (!!) but I haven't been in an SL relationship for many years. Partly this is because I cannot invest all of myself into SL as I have a RL family, but also because I haven't met anyone who would put up with me, even in a virtual relationship!

I have, however noticed that choosing to be single in SL is becoming more common and although relationships and connections are being made all the time, others come into this virtual world for very different reasons. So I flew off around the grid to pester a few unsuspecting citizens to find out why they have chosen to avoid the SL love trap.

Interestingly what I found were a lot of heartbroken people choosing to be single in SL after a bad experience. There were various tales of relationships breaking down and all too familiar stories of being betrayed or rejected. I found this very sad, but of course understandable – I am certainly a champion for self preservation. I couldn’t help wonder if the people on the other side, those that did the breaking and betraying, realise the effect they have had.

On a more positive note, I was delighted to meet a select few people who had never really entered into a relationship in SL and as the years go by the idea of partnering up in this virtual world is a distant, if not non-existent thought. So what on earth are these people doing with their SL time you may ask, well the answer is everything!

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Many of these pixelated singletons are creators, designers and builders, models, live performers, artists and business owners. They love their work and are proud of their position in this world, and quite simply don’t have the time or interest in a virtual relationship.

The final group of people I talked to walk a variety of paths in SL and have chosen to keep romance and sex out of their life on the grid. Their reason for doing this is very real and something we often overlook or make excuses for not considering - our RL relationships. It seems that the lines can get blurred and for those people who are attached in RL, to them having an SL relationship is being unfaithful. There are so many reasons one might choose to turn your back on a romantic SL connection and if you are one of them, whatever your reason, you have my respect. We can do it alone!

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F a s h i o n E d i t o rN O T E

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!!! I hope you all have an amazing and SAFE day!

We have remixed up the section! And we will continue mixing it up until find a good

fit for the section as a whole. I’m telling all of you this, so you can bear with us. If we

have some things in the section and it’s not there the next month, that’s why. But I

would like to thank you all for your continued support, and hopefully we make you

all proud with what’s to come. Because we WILL bring you awesomeness!!!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me in world or via email,

daijaarida@gmail.com

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item

Outfits

RIGHT:Hair: Emora from ILLMATIC

Skin: Anais in December from Glance Shirt: Unbuttoned and Tucked Shirt from Blueberry

Necklace: Lydia Lattice from Maxi Gossamer

OVER LEFT:Hair: Salome in Almost Goth from Lelutka

Skin: Anais in December from GlanceBlazer/Shirt: Valeria Blazer from HYSTERICAL.GLAM

OVER RIGHT:Hair: Kendal from [e]

Skin: Anais in December from GlanceTop: Bandage back top in plum from ISON

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IN

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Skin: Sia from Glam AffairHair: Heidi from ISON

Top: Celestial Bell Sleeve Top from ISON

Pants: Visionary Pants from Pixicat

Shoes: Empire Plats from Reign

Neck Piece: Celestial Neck Piece from ISON

Cosmetics: Glitter Eyebrow from Nylon

Outfitters

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Skin: Sia from Glam AffairHair: Heidi from ISONDress: Interstella from

JunbugShoulder Piece: Spiky Fur

from GizzaNeck Piece: Celestial

Neck Piece from ISONCosmetics: Glitter

Eyebrow from Nylon Outfitters

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THAT

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GET

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THAT

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Trench: Chloe trenchcoat in beige from Erratic

Pants: Nikita Leggings from ...Mutresse...

Shoes: REBEL in Black from N-core

Bag: Sophmore Satchel in Matted Black from {mon tissu}

Hair: Momoka from [taketomi]

Glasses: RACK Shades from * S O R G O

Skin: Sia Europa in 02 from Glam Affair

Styled, modeled, & photographed by Drakkje Dailey

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MARCHhere we come!I am so over February! It is cold outside, the commercial explosion of Valentine's Day is being rammed down our throats, and I am tired of getting up each morning in the dark.

So what is coming up to give us something to look forward to? Here are my top five reasons to wish March was here already!

1) It is Mother's Day in the UK! For many of us our Mother's are definitely unsung heroes and it is always nice once or twice a year to make them feel special. Being a mum myself I can't wait to put my feet up for the day and watch old movies whilst eat posh chocolates.

2) It is the beginning of spring! Goodbye snow and cold damp days, hello to bright mornings and the appearance of some lovely spring flowers. Also, welcome back to the birds and wildlife that have been sleeping or sheltering over the winter months. There is nothing I like more than standing in my kitchen watching the Sparrows fighting over the breadcrumbs I put out in the garden.

3) Menswear Fashion Week kicks off at the end of March and some fantastic SL designers such as Akeruka, Gizza Creations and SWAGGA will be showcasing their

by Jude Tatham

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holiday lines. Also my good friend Jaylen Oh will be making his MWFW debut showing his wonderful designs from his store Me Sew Sexy.

4) Fusion favourite Samm Qendra will be performing not once, not twice, but three times at Coconut Beach this March. Head on over and enjoy her beautiful voice on the 1st, 15th and 29th of the month – not to be missed!And last but not least.....

5) It is St Patrick's Day on March 17th! Also known as the feast of St Patrick, this is a cultural and religious celebration of the life of St Patrick. So dust off your green outfit, down a pint or two of Guinness and party on down with our Irish friends.

Whatever you are doing in March, have fun and don’t give February a second thought.

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