Below is a short summary of the latest Community Meeting, followed by its chat logs – which have been gently edited for formatting, to put questions and answers in bold for easy skimming, and to omit greetings and farewells and other such asides. Meetings are hosted by Estate owner NeoBokrug Elytis at 2:00 pm on the first Saturday of every month at The Potato Farm in The Wastelands, and the discussion is typically divided into three main topics: Estate, Game, and Roleplay & Events. Everyone is welcome to attend!
ESTATE:
Northgate Community Gateway: Now Open!
➳ Phase I of the Northgate Community Gateway is now open! New users can sign up for SL through our very own portal – https://join.the-wastelands.org – and go through our our basic movement, camera, and interaction tutorial.
➳ Current residents can also teleport to Northgate to check out the tutorial.
➳ Future phases will cover more advanced interactions.
➳ Neo gave the Community Gateway group a tour, and they seemed pleased with the progress so far.
➳ With the recent news that Phillip Linden, founder of SL, has returned as CTO with a focus on growth, we may be in a good position to attract some of those potential new users to The Wastelands!
➳ The Tier Leveler seems to be working as expected so far, though the documentation didn’t save to the Wiki; Neo will fix that.
➳ Neo is still investigating whether it could be possible to allow users to pay for tier in a way other than using L$.
➳This would involve using a Merchant of Record as a middleman so Neo doesn’t have to know residents’ RL details, and they don’t have to know his; this would allow users to pay for tier using credit or debit, PayPal, ApplePay, Android Pay, or other methods to save the 10% fees involved in buying L$.
➳ The tier system at large is stable, but could use some updates; this will be Neo’s next big project.
GAME:
Halloween Event: The Battle For Burnt Oak
➳ In lieu of the Black Rider’s rampage, Neo has created the game’s first raid-style boss fight against a new Rekker enemy: the Burnt Oak!
➳ This fight costs no resources to begin: it uses a special light version of the HUD with no hunger, no EXP, no friendly fire, different healing, and its own temporary attachment weapon – the legendary Hot Knife.
➳ The Burnt Oak cannot be killed by fewer than four players. Scythejaw will send a message in the Ruin Nation group chat when the event begins; players have two hours to defeat it.
➳ Whether the Burnt Oak is defeated or not, the next fight will spawn at a random time between 3 and 5 hours later.
➳ Winners receive this year’s WL: Jack-o-Lantern (with fancy new PBR textures!)
➳ Neo will keep track of victories and defeats: the outcome will affect some future roleplay events. Consequences!
➳ RL emergencies delayed the start of the event until Halloween itself, so it will stay up until November 7.
➳ After the 7th, Neo may put it out once a month or so as an all-day event.
➳ The Trigger Treat Fight Night rewards included not only the special variant WL: Jack-o-Lantern but a new food designed by Sandusky Kayvon: WL: Baby Bird Dragon Feet!
➳ This new food will become obtainable through gameplay later on, and the Stew will be able to accept it.
➳ New locations are still welcomed for Aeg’s Potion Quest! If you’re a landowner and you’d like your location to be part of the task, see the relevant page of the Wiki for more details! (Already submitted your location? Please resend it; it was lost in the hard drive crash!)
ROLEPLAY & EVENTS:
➳ Trigger Treat took place on Saturday, October 26. Costume contest winners were Tayasha Tammas for Creepiest Costume and ThePaleOne for Funniest Costume!
➳ The three-day party gauntlet of WL18B: The Wastelands’ 18th Birthday will take place January 17-19, 2025 – and it’s already time to start planning! Interested in performing? Contact Neo or Apo!
➳ Reminder: The roleplay character template has been added to the Wiki – add yours today! Or review it to see who’s who and get some ideas for interactions.
Weekly Event Summary:
(All Times SLT)
Sundays:
– Storytime with Wasteland Drifter – 2pm
– Gomi’s Garbo Cinematic Expulsion – 5pm
First Sunday: [RP] Readings by the Oracle – Noon
Occasional Sundays at Dass’s Discretion: [RP] I’m Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today Trade Event – 10am
Mondays:
– Mutant Drum Circle – 6pm
Tuesdays:
– Film Night with Wasteland Drifter – 5pm
Wednesdays:
– HOSTILE BROADCAST – 7pm
Thursdays:
– Unstructured Playtime w/ Dia – 5pm
– Booze & Blather [RP Event] – 6pm
Saturdays:
– Sandling’s Evening Madness – 1pm
– Apo’s Audio Atrocities – 5pm
First Saturday: Community Meeting – 2pm; Fight Night – 3pm
Second Saturday: Barrelhead Bazaar [RP Event] – 11am
Third Saturday: Wasted Raiders’ Raid – Noon
Occasional Saturdays at Neo’s Discretion: Saturday Morning Cartoons / Saturday Morning Sci-Fi – 8am, Enjoying Other People’s Suffering – 3pm.
Occasional Saturdays at Apo’s Discretion: Wasted Karaoke – 5pm.
Want to host an event? Let Neo know the event details by Wednesday night and he’ll add it to the weekly group announcements, Discord announcement, and Plurk feed!
If you want to keep in touch with other Wastelanders when you can’t be inworld, our Discord server is now public! The Unbridled Rage greeter bot can give a link.
I. THE ESTATE
NeoBokrug Elytis: IT’S… TIME.
NeoBokrug Elytis: I am going to give folks another 2 minutes to roll in fashionably late.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): I was late due to the day light thing, I fogot I’m an hour behind most of you >O<
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): well, SL time anyway
Candide LeMay: US changes time this weakend right?
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): Storm says so
NeoBokrug Elytis: Alright!
NeoBokrug Elytis: As per the usual we’ll talk about the three main aspects of our community; The Estate & Land, The Game, and Role Play & Events. We’ll have time for questions and comments between each section, where RP & Events is an open floor discussion.
Angharad Greggan waves to Candide and smooths her skirts
NeoBokrug Elytis: To start. Not much terribly exciting news with land. Occupancy has remained steady-ish.
NeoBokrug Elytis: A little bit of a slump, but, I got time to work on it now.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Two big things to announce though
NeoBokrug Elytis: 1) Northgate is open, and if you want to bring friends to SL through The Wastelands tutorial, you can sign them up here: https://join.the-wastelands.org
Aposiopesis Fullstop: wooo!
NeoBokrug Elytis: Or you can teleport to Northgate to experience the tutorial.
Candide LeMay: neat
The Digger (sandusky.kayvon) cheers!
NeoBokrug Elytis: It is not 100% done to what I wanted, and I will be continually adding to it as time allows.
NeoBokrug Elytis: We had other Community Gateway folks go through it, and for as little as we have they were thoroughly impressed.
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Yaaaay!
NeoBokrug Elytis: I want to thank everyone who’s helped make contributions to it so far.
NeoBokrug Elytis: And if any of those folks are here now, I want to see if you’d be interested in continuing to help develop it.
Candide LeMay: i have been talking to someone who keeps a google doc explaining SL to new people in their community – would you like to see that?
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): Sure
Candide LeMay: @neo
NeoBokrug Elytis: Also, if anyone is comfortable with helping brand new people get familiarized with SL, I can add you to the mentor system we have here. Basically, if someone clicks help, Unbridled Rage will send you an IM letting you know they need help.
Sandling Honey: I’m obviously a part of it too as guidance etc, but if more audio support is needed, sure thing as always :)
NeoBokrug Elytis: Candide, yes.
NeoBokrug Elytis: I plan to revamp the mentor paging system we have, but I wanted something up.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa) can’t hear the music over the fireworks going on outside her house x_x
Sandling Honey: I am not trying hard enough yet then
Candide LeMay: mute the ambient sounds
Sandling Honey: *Kicks up the volume*
NeoBokrug Elytis: This next week I am going to work on getting it’s search-ability up, inworld, and out of world. Right now it’s “Open”, but not really “Out there” yet. I wanted to make sure it was working as intended.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): I’m turning in up lol
NeoBokrug Elytis: So if you do visit, it is really short, and I will be adding to it one wing at a time.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Any other questions about Northgate?
Dassina Andel: Can we visit Northgate without going through the Join page?
NeoBokrug Elytis: Yes.
Candide LeMay: what about the custom last names, any good ideas?
Sandling Honey: I want to chime in on something, since it’s sort of indirectly related to northgate as well as the estate etc in general
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Heya, Falco!
NeoBokrug Elytis: I may poll on that still — kind of an elimination style.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Go for it Sandling.
Sandling Honey: Not sure whom all saw the recent news, Neo is likely on top of it all – Phillip Linden has returned full time to SL to help guide SL into a better future (once again)
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): oooh nice
Sandling Honey: While that in itself is likely good news in its own right (imho), I also watched the recent meeting he had himself, and discussed several matters
Sandling Honey: one of which is that SL will soon start actively advertising itself again with the focus on growth
Candide LeMay: there’s a recording of his townhall from yesterday on SL’s official jootubes
Sandling Honey: Yups
nnoiz Papp: ah good
NeoBokrug Elytis: I have yet to watch it, I have been in full relax mode.
Dassina Andel: So uhh… how do we find Northgate, without the Join page? >.>
Sandling Honey: I can at least assure you that it’s a nice watch
NeoBokrug Elytis: Search map for Northgate.
Candide LeMay: you open the map and scroll up a bit
Candide LeMay: it’s like 3 sim tiles north
NeoBokrug Elytis: I plan to make a teleporter there in time. It is purposefully disconnected from The Wastelands.
NeoBokrug Elytis: I do not want new folks to be overloaded.
Dassina Andel: Ahh. I was trying to search using “Places”, and it was coming up with nothing.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Yeah, I mentioned I was going to work on that this week Dass.
Sandling Honey: But yeah, basically – if SL is planning these kind of steps, let’s hope we might have a more active surge again of new people, in which we’ll hopefully see that result trickle in here as well
The Digger (sandusky.kayvon): a ‘fast travel’ trade caravan maybe…remember the wagons in Skyrim? haha
Sandling Honey: including North Gate, so it’s open at the right time for sure
Dassina Andel: Sorry, I’m still waking up from a catnap.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): hehe
NeoBokrug Elytis: Moving on. Give me a moment to explain this next thing.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): all sounds good and promising :)
The Digger (sandusky.kayvon): that would be cool to see a resurgence of SL in some way.
Candide LeMay: in the interest of lore, what scandal happened in the north? since Xgate means a scandal related to X these days
Sandling Honey: ths Mutsy! :D
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): yw! :D
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): wow, right now i have the privalege of watching fireworks outside my window :)
The Digger (sandusky.kayvon): north got caught pretending to be south
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): the universe loves you and wants you to be happy, our mutsy X-D
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): lol Tora! xD
Aposiopesis Fullstop: I hope they don’t come *through* your window.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): Nah, they are like, two streets away
NeoBokrug Elytis: A few residents have shown interest in paying for tier outside of using L$. Generally I have been against it because I think our lives should primarily stay within Second Life, and I don’t want folks showing up on my doorstep with grievances, just like I am sure you don’t want me to show up at yours shaking a jar of kneecaps. I have been doing research on such a solution. There are new payment processors that act as a “Merchant of Record”, which is sort of a man in the middle for transactions. You get their info, I get their info, I can TECHNICALLY maybe get some your info, but I don’t care to keep it. I think I can only ask for the bare minimum to make the transaction work, which is your email, your country, and postal code. Even then, I’d discard what I don’t need. Research shows that if we went this route, and if you were comfortable with transactions like that you’d salve 10% on you rmonthly tier because you don’t have to buy L$. If you’re already buying buckets of L$, or have income that pays
NeoBokrug Elytis: for it, you can still pay in L$. I am merely contemplating offering it as an alternative.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Thoughts?
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): more os on the right side *leans to her left a lot*
Dassina Andel: Yes, oh gods YES.
NeoBokrug Elytis: They take paypal, credit cards, apple pay, android pay, etc.
Candide LeMay: can you name some of those processors?
NeoBokrug Elytis: paddle.com is what I am looking at as my first choice. They primarily deal with Software as a Service, which I think we fall in to with me renting the wastelands as a service.
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane) whispers: *snickers* “jar of kneecaps”
NeoBokrug Elytis: There’s a couple fallback ones I am looking at.
NeoBokrug Elytis: But all would be a “Merchant of Record”.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): mmh, it’s a nice idea. more options are good?
Candide LeMay: ok
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): i could dig that. 10% of my tier ain’t a small amount
NeoBokrug Elytis: Without being public, of those who are here, if you think this sounds good just shoot me an IM saying you’re interested, and if not and you want to express why so I can work on the issues, shoot me an IM as to why not.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Or just ask more questions here.
NeoBokrug Elytis: I have been thinking about it a lot, and I’ve come to the conclusion without significant bot help, I think folks need to still buy the parcel with L$.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): I might consider it some day if it’s worth it, but for now I think I’m good with inworld payments :)
NeoBokrug Elytis: From there on, it’d be akin to an automated subscription service.
Candide LeMay: for my tier it wouldn’t make much difference but in general i think it’s a good option to have
NeoBokrug Elytis: Yeah.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): I agree with Candide
NeoBokrug Elytis: A few big estates have it.
The Digger (sandusky.kayvon): I dig it.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): haha
NeoBokrug Elytis: And again, I don’t care to know jack-shit about anyone IRL. I feel like I know you all well enough inworld.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): there’s a rimshot there
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): and we love you too Neo :D
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): hahaha!!
NeoBokrug Elytis: That’s I guess my next “big” project. The whole tier system needs some updates. It’s something like 12+ years old on poorly thought out (but stable) database design.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa) is having her rum and apologies in advance
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): wow
NeoBokrug Elytis: I do want to say that for the first time in over a year or maybe two, I don’t have a looming deadline over my head.
Candide LeMay: now you jinxed it
NeoBokrug Elytis: So for now I can work on things as I need it
NeoBokrug Elytis: I know, I know.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Any questions about estate stuff before I move on?
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): I’m so glad Neo :)
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa) does not like the looming feeling when at work
Dassina Andel: Get to the part about the big tree! :D
NeoBokrug Elytis: It’s coming.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): Winter?
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa) nods
II. THE GAME
NeoBokrug Elytis: Before I go on about this halloweens event. I just wanna say that I had plenty of time for it, but many minor RL emergencies came up, especially in the last few days before halloween. Work had an internet upgrade, and I needed to help with that migration, then my cat got severely ill, and I probably shouldn’t have stayed up as late as I did several nights in a row — but I got this years event done.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Before I explain it, I hope that the tree will be a good interim boss for the Rider this year. I am really just… beat. Physically and mentally.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): awww, I hope your cat is better now
Aposiopesis Fullstop: :(
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): :(
NeoBokrug Elytis: I was on schedule to get this event done, but the RL emergencies, plus the northgate finishing, and the northgate tour. Sorry for it being ON halloween, I wanted folks to have time before and after — but I did extend it to the 7th
NeoBokrug Elytis: Having said that. The new event is pretty much a “raid style” boss fight in The Wastelands.
Dassina Andel: And it is… AWESOME.
NeoBokrug Elytis: It takes a minimum of 4 players to beat, you cannot beat it with less. So it is important to communicate and gather people to play. And even if you get your rewards, please help others get theirs.
NeoBokrug Elytis: It uses a simplified version of the HUD, and gives you the oh-so-desired Hot Knife of the Black rider to use to fight it (because our simple weapons do not work).
NeoBokrug Elytis: The full event is completely automated. It spawns every 3-5 hours after it ends, so it’s cyclical.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): :◯
NeoBokrug Elytis: I will however be forcing a spawn after community meeting.
Dassina Andel: You have no idea how many years I’ve waited to wield the fabled WL: Hot Knife….
NeoBokrug Elytis: So everyone here will have the opportunity to work together.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Also, you can’t hurt each other in the fight.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): sounds hot :D
NeoBokrug Elytis: I am keeping track of the wins and losses, I am going to go one of two ways with some role play events depending on how often Wastelanders win vs loose.
Candide LeMay: also there are these nice tentacles that give you a gentle massage on touch
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Ooooh.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): :o
Dassina Andel: Yeah, those thorn Roots can really send you flying sometimes when they hit!
NeoBokrug Elytis: Scythejaw is pretty badly hurt, but keeping tabs on when he sees the tree. He’s calling out for help in the Ruin Nation group when he sees something.
NeoBokrug Elytis: It doesn’t cost any pumpkins, or quest timers, or anything. Just show up, bring some friends, fight hard.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Any questions other than tactics about the fight?
NeoBokrug Elytis: As per the usual, when the fight starts, click the table by scythejaw, enter mouselook to swing.
NeoBokrug Elytis: More people == faster finish.
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Why DO the healing dots shove people? Haha
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): ahh
NeoBokrug Elytis: Because I forgot to change something. :)
Dassina Andel: Yes, is it okay for me to make a Wiki entry about this, waiting until maybe a day or two before the event itself ends?
Candide LeMay: it also helps if you sing the lumberjack song in your head
NeoBokrug Elytis: No, only after it ends Dass.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): hahahaha
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): oh yah, that was a rather fun thing, getting pushed off the healing rock! :-P
Dassina Andel: Gotcha.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa) thinks of the one that Monty Python did
Candide LeMay: yes that one
NeoBokrug Elytis: No spoilers, but feel free to help people during the event with instructions.
Sandling Honey: Thanks :D
NeoBokrug Elytis: Thanks for the Tunes Sandling.
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): g’dammit, candide, NOW i got that dang song in my head!!
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): https://youtu.be/FshU58nI0Ts
Candide LeMay: and i’m okay!
Sandling Honey: Most welcome! : )
NeoBokrug Elytis: Are you OKAY, Tora?
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Haha!
Dassina Andel: I had to make a notecard with info to hand out, because I got tired of typing it all out each time defending time came up to explain to those present what to do. >.>
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): HAHA!!! i think it’s pretty well agreed i’m in the spectrum of ok, but…
Candide LeMay: are the official names for the different enemies?
Dassina Andel: Defending kills my hands… but it’s so worth it to me. ❤
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): yah, i sure appreciate all the time you took giving me the info, dass. that was really kind :-)
NeoBokrug Elytis: It’s all one enemy
Candide LeMay: i will call the red spawns SAP ’cause that software just spawns more problems
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): hehe…
III. THE ROLEPLAY & EVENTS
NeoBokrug Elytis: Okay! 20 minutes for an open floor about events and RP discussion.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa) keeps hummoing the song
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): humming*
Dassina Andel: I’ve given nicknames for various parts of it, but have recorded actual object names for Wiki information AFTER the event ends.
NeoBokrug Elytis: There’s a couple bugs with the event, but fixing them would make it the same amount of hard in different ways.
NeoBokrug Elytis: This IS packaged up so i can re-use it on not-halloween.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): :◯
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Events-wise, believe it or not, it’s already time to start thinking about WL18B – January 17-19,. 2025! If anyone’s interested in performing in some fashion, lemme know!
NeoBokrug Elytis: It might be a once a month thing for a whole day.
Dassina Andel: Seriously cannot thank you enough for bringing us this awesome WL: Raid, Neo.
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): w000t!
Dassina Andel: And everyone else involved, for that matter.
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): yah, i know it’s gotta be tough coming up with stuff to keep us yoiks amused, but we appreciate it with all our besmirched hearts! X-D
NeoBokrug Elytis: Working on game stuff usually brings me sanity. RL was just very hard this year, and those last couple days were extra hard.
Dassina Andel: I better get started on the next Ultimate Power Hour mix for WL18B….
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Yes indeedy!
NeoBokrug Elytis: Yeah, we better start organizing for that.
Tora the Explorer (toraonna.thane): *:-.,_,.-:*’“’*Yayyyyyyy!!!!*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): WL18B!!!! \o/
Dassina Andel: “Barely Legal”
Candide LeMay: so are the sim ratings changing to adult at wlb18?
NeoBokrug Elytis: Fuck no.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Sorry, my brain is so slush I didn’t get the joke.
Eve (eve.zeminoba): haha
NeoBokrug Elytis: As I said, I need some recovery time still.
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Oh shit.
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Neo – would it be possible to spawn the tree again as a combat event for WL18B, too? :V
NeoBokrug Elytis: Yes.
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Yesssssss.
Dassina Andel: Yes! Yes! Yes!
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): Woooooo!!!!!
NeoBokrug Elytis: Oh
NeoBokrug Elytis: I forgot to mention the tier leveler; or did I do that last month?
Aposiopesis Fullstop: You did last month.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Okay.
Verity Goodnight: I love it
Dassina Andel: And it is a godsend.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Everything is blurs.
Verity Goodnight: my tier is all even
NeoBokrug Elytis: It is funny how you’ll only really use it once.
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Well, if you change jobs or something, have a different payday or such, you might use it again to nudge.
Candide LeMay: is there wiki page for that?
Verity Goodnight: until someone donates to your donation plate
NeoBokrug Elytis: I think it is on the main meter page?
Dassina Andel: I practically use it every month, because I usually have one or more parcels ahead of others, due to Donashun Plates.
NeoBokrug Elytis: There’s a question mark you can click too
The Digger (sandusky.kayvon): Tier leveler love.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): oh, yes the tier leveler, it’s great :D
NeoBokrug Elytis: I guess I forgot to hit save on the tier payment wiki page.
NeoBokrug Elytis: I will have to redraft that.
Mutsumi (mutsy.kaligawa): bummer :(
Dassina Andel: Speaking of the Wiki, that reminds me: Where will we be able to acquire the new WL food item in the future? And, what’s the general moratorium on adding new content to the Wiki after something is released?
Aposiopesis Fullstop: I also wanted to give a shoutout to Drifter and Gomi for all the spooky media features they’ve been doing throughout October. It’s hard to get in the vibe of holidays sometimes – but not Halloween, here! :V
NeoBokrug Elytis: New food will be available in the near future, and the stew will be prepped for it. I like to wait a few months for new content.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Haha yeah! They’re still doing regular events all the time, and it’s great.
NeoBokrug Elytis: Seems like we’re done. Folks who want to win that Jack-o-lantern 2024, lets all meet in Burnt Oak. :)
Aposiopesis Fullstop: Thanks, Neo!