A Virtual Bricklayer Competition on Second Life

On 2/19/08 a weekly event at New Citizens Inc. will celebrate two years running. It is a ‘Blitz’ building contest, 8 to 9 pm SLT Sunday nights, where any Second Life (www. secondlife.com) resident over 90 days can enter and build to a theme using 40 prims or less in 40 minutes or less. Winners are judged by the audience and awarded cash prizes, normally $L300, $L200, $L100 for First, Second and Third, from New Citizens inc. The event held on 2/17/08 had a larger purse due to donors at the event. Through the generosity of the winner, Flea Bussy, all 5 contestants entered received cash prizes totaling $L2,850. Builds Sunday night, on the theme of “Carnival” included a Kiddie carousel, a frog float, a Ring the bell strength test, a dunking booth and a human/avatar cannon. An experienced contestant, Toady Nakamura, winner of the contest twice in January, says, ” I think it is the most fun thing I do in Second Life. NCI is one of the most active educational groups inworld.” The host of the event, Heiko Decatur, says, “Oldbie and Newbie blitz building run once a week each and anyone is welcome. For me, the most interesting thing is seeing the newbies progress in their skills from week to week” NCI Event Coordinator, Gramma Fiddlesticks, told me, “We hold a similar event on Monday evenings at the same location , Oldbie Show and Tell. This event gives people the opportunity to display and talk about, some inworld content creation they have made. There is audience voting and prizes awarded in a similar manner as the blitz-building contest. I am constantly amazed by how quickly some can come up with ideas for something and get it out there in the blitz events.” NCI’s first event was a Newbie Show & Tell in May 2005. An 3rd year anniversary event is planned for April 24th. Builders, newbies, anyone wanting to learn, visit NCI http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kuula/54/175/29. Their slate has nearly 60 classes and events about building, making clothes, working an Animation Overrider, Land ownership and much more. from CNN's Jim Sella for iReports.