Lo Lo Goes Fishing Loco...

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It was a spur of the moment when Caroline and I thought of relaunching Lake Lo Lo as an ideal 7Seas fishing destination. Just the perfect time to officially release our LnN custom sets to the public, which were first given away during Alice Xue's rezday at Dragon Beach as a dry run.

It was a nervous start (as it always is for me anyways hahaha) having no idea how the public's reception would be like. So far, I thought they were quite pleased with the neko couple, which convinced me to make more of them bug-eyed cuties. But nothing beats Sindy Bracken's sexy nekos though!


Go Jump In The Lake!
Lo Lo Style...

Lo Lo had been absent in the fishing circuit for quite some time now, though fishing was pretty much available throughout the whole year. This weekend's tournament is the first for Lo Lo in 2009! Grey Nacht, iPala estate owner and manager, arrived to give us some support (many thanks chap!) with his super-large electro magnetic fishing gear in tow!

Grey's huge electro-magnet seems to attract more than just fishies. As the picture shows, he's surrounded by hot legs! Well apart from that long haired AVi in the background - that's Twisted Streeter hehehe. It seems Grey's sex-appeal hasn't totally greyed out on him yet winks!

At least 26 7Seas fishers came to Lo Lo's 2009 relaunch tourney. It was a quite a strong show of force from some of the community's die-hard fishing enthusiasts. The only fisher missing though is Lizzy who had been kidnapped by RL aliens in the past couple of days! o.O nanu nanu

We still have to convince Lisa and Drei to join us, and how can we forget Ellynore and Sammie? Dang! All of them have 7S fishing rods but are so lazy to fish hehehe. Maybe they are just too afraid to get sunburn, from all that summer weather we've been getting over the weekend? Use sunscreen gals, hotdammit! Besides getting a little tan shouldn't hurt! hahaha


Smooth Sailing and Fishing
No crashes... just sunburn!

Lag meter levels were stable, with no glitches and hitches recorded during the event. It was so unfortunate that Zolo Boyoma's rod was somehow acting up; her rod wouldn't autocast. Good thing that her knight-in-shining-armour, Sir Olive Pickles was there to save the day! Other than that, all went quite well.

Now where can my Princess Lizzy Mornington be on such a romantic moment like this? grumbles

7seas royal couple! Now if that doesn't make you feel in love, I don't know what else will! Aren't they lovely together? Hugz!

Adding a Lo Lo Golden Ticket was probably a good idea to keep those who aren't able to land their names on the score boards to fish. If you have not a clue on what I'm talking about here, think Willie Wonka (less the oompa-loompas of course hahaha). The prize for catching a coupon would be one Bulk Bait Bucket (redeemable upon surrendering the stub). Unfortunately, someone has yet to claim a single coupon. They are still out there, so just keep on trying!

Alright, I know! But having Ferrero Rocher is better than having some golden glow worms staring at you from the bucket, isn't it? hahahaha. mmmmm Ferrero.... yummy! Have you caught one today?

Glamour is Synonymous to Lo Lo

Indeed it must be summer as fishers donned their best outdoor outfits! Blyxa Darling, probably the best dressed fisher of the day catches the first custom: a Buttercup Nets A Fish. Call it a coincidence but I swear with all that black hair, green eyes and a net hanging around her waist; she is the human avi version of Buttercup!

SadieMae Jameson in an all A/X purple sexy outfit (try figuring that one out hahaha) catches fish with utmost finesse and poise. Somehow she reminds me of Alice Xue! Also check out her popular dragons at Dragon Beach, an innovator (and inventor) for multi-purpose customs.

People power! Lo Lo's 7Seas fishing relaunch was a success thanks to all who graced the event with their participation.

With the impressive attendance in this year's first tournament in Lo Lo, the probability of having impromptu contests (perhaps) on a bi-weekly basis is high.

The sun always shines for 7Seas Fishing, as the growing number of fishers is evident of its ever rising popularity among SL residents. With so many fisher folks to go around with, having conflicting schedules between two or three venues shouldn't pose a problem. Besides the sim has limits in handling multiple avis with various scripted attachments (including the rods) working all at the same time.

And the envelope goes to...
... drum roll please...

60 minute contests are usually quick, and to those who are on 7th-6th place it just isn't enough! hahaha With names going on and off the top 5 spots in an hour of endless casting and reeling, it will always be a battle between the lucky, the not so lucky and the very lucky peeps!

The top 5 players are:
1st: peppermintanne Diesel (and who said diesels never win over petrols?);
2nd: Blyxa Darling (must be her fancy rod or Buttercup netting extras);
3rd: ruzz3 Alcott (triplet fishing perhaps, or the phrase "all caught"?);
4th: NeoQueen Serenity (being a queen definitely has its perks!)
5th: Trixi Barbosa (being an early bird has its own tricks!)

Prizes were pegged at 600 (1st), 400 (2nd), 300 (3rd), 200 (4th) and 150 shiny lindens for 5th place... and in the spirit of Lo Lo tradition, random surprises to those who stayed after the contest. smiles

Oist! Caroline, wanna run away with the loot? hahaha. Many thanks to Ms. Apollo for her generous prizes!

What next for Lo Lo?

With Caroline Apollo releasing her own customs soon and LnN adding more to their sets, we may have just put Lo Lo back in the virtual fishing map. Lizzy is yet to surprise us with her own versions, and I am sure she has heaps hidden in her closet!

Hopefully this would be start of something more routine. In the mean time, this is where I go and say... let's keep fishing and building!

Tournament aftemath... stating the obvious on what's on these people's minds?

Okay! Okay before people get any crazy ideas what this picture is all about, Caroline has a new puppy! A cute and fluffy Great Dane! Congrats on your new and lovely Scooby Doo! hehehe

As for me? Well I'm just missing mah Lizzy-babes! sighs

Roll call, in order of arrival
Luckie Mendicant, Adena Benavente, Jefst Jolles, Trixi Barbosa, jodie0903 Palmer, Emo Biedermann, Davethenurse Petrovic, SadieMae Jameson, Twisted Streeter, Laura Polke, Zinbaco Kattun, billyjean Silvercloud, oopsie Oppewall, Jocelyn Finesmith, Davethenurse Petrovic, Grey Nacht, peppermintanne Diesel, pit Sharple, Caliba Sassower, Zolo Boyoma, Billybob Taggart, Fazed Lewinter, Georg Osterham, Sossa Heron, Georg Osterham, Dallas Russell, NeoQueen Serenity, Each Silversmith, Blyxa Darling, Aniri Tinkel, ruzz3 Alcott, Neon Jameson, MastersBabySlave Broome, Penni Praga

Who Is Lizzy Mornington?

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They say that in every success of a man is a shadow of a woman...

... Lizzy Mornington an epitome of everything that is great and good in my life, is never a shadow. She is the lighthouse that helps guide me through all of life's stormy endeavours. A reliable beacon that constantly lights up a safe passage when darkness seem to cloud up logical reasoning and good judgment. She is a ton of morning stars that shines brightly in the horizon, as if Aphrodite herself had sprinkled the heavens with golden stardust.

... yes she is that beautiful... and yes she is absolutely awesome.

Hanging out at my condo in Hale Hakuna right after the wedding. We spent hours laughing and taking the mickey out of each other. Good times that still continues to this day, never a dull moment with Liz.

It's exactly a year today when I first met her at a common-friend's nuptial ceremony. An event which brought together some of the brightest and the most sophisticated people in Second Life. Who would have thought that on that very same day I would get acquainted with someone so amazing and true, that her simple "hello" had made my world stand still? (now I know what Renée Zellweger meant by that!)

Was it fate that brought us together, or serendipity perhaps? For whatever reason, I'm just grateful that I had crossed paths with such a remarkable person.


366 days in a roller coaster.
Yep 2008 was a leap year.

You are always unsure what awaits you on a roller coaster until you go through a lift hill. Despite all the anxiety and the uncertainty that comes along with the ride... with all the twists and the dizzy turns... those hair raising loop-the-loops... you end up realising that the journey ain't too bad at all. You would simply just want to go through the same experience all over again... and again... and again, reliving every single moment once more.

House warming at Royal Tropical with Liz and best mates Lisa and Drei, the special peeps who has been part of our roller coaster ride.

That's how Liz and I are the whole time we're together, a roller coaster ride. Not in the sense of having a lot of those ups and downs that couples usually have in a relationship, but more of the adventure and fun side of things. With her around, there is no way you would ever feel down and low...


There is no love where there is no trust.

I can't remember a time when we totally disagreed with each other. I believe that trust and respect always played a huge role in keeping things pleasant for the both of us. With so much pretensions going around in Second Life, not to mention how easy it is to create alternative avatars (alts); the absolute surrender of trust to your other half is the golden ticket to a long and lasting relationship... be it virtual, in real life or both.

By the power of Greyskull! Lizzy and I do a She-Ra and He-Man skit on our second day together in SL. We had ventured across the grid both enjoying the things we love doing most and everything just got exciting from there.

Yeah, it was a truly amazing year for us. Even if I had a chance to go back in time and switch everything back to default, I would go through the same experiences all over again, relive every single moment and not change a thing... BUT ONLY with the assurance that Liz would be there by my side. I would not want things to be in any other way, everything is awesome just the way it is.

For countless times, she has done great things aplenty to which I will surely remember for the rest of my life. How much she believes in me and the way she inspires me can move mountains, and trust me when I tell you this. If it does ever sound that she has done something so good that it goes well beyond Second Life, then... you are absolutely right!

Hanging out in Barcola at one of our Pay-It-Forward moments. The peak of our SL careers as self-proclaimed in-world NGO. The good times baby, yeah the great old times!

Some may think it sounds too ludicrous to say all these things for something you only get to experience in a virtual universe. Phantasmal as it may sound, but the impact of how much effort Liz has poured into every special occasion, on every given opportunity goes right through my heart. Uncanny yet unparalleled... Surreal, but fine.

Organising my first rezday which turned out to be even more grandeur than any of my past RL birthdays is just the tip of the iceberg. How she pulled that one off is what truly makes her an amazing woman.

The little surprises she leaves for me; the love notes which I get without fail when I log-in; messages she leaves on our Nokia answering machine; the personally crafted v-cards (which inspired me to create my own version of v-cards for her); the offline messages and e-mails which bridges SL over to our RL... and so much more!

I can go on and on counting all the lovely ways she can come up with just to nourish this special relationship we have for each other. The bottom line is, she has done more than enough to tell the whole world how important this is for her... for me... and for us.

She is very brilliant in transforming her feelings into action, while I am more expressive with words. I guess that's where we compliment each other, she is after all my superwoman... my better half!

Yes, she does complete me.
A day without her is definitely a day without sunshine!

On occasions when time difference and unholy working hours robs me of the only SL spare time I have got, being alone in-world feels like a lost cause. Utterly and bitterly lost I may say, it's simply just losing the whole plot. I guess everything is comparable to a daily dose of honey and lemon tea. Once you have tried them together, having one without the other is never the same.

They say that LDRs never work, but that was before the introduction of Second Life. The oceans between us did not seem to pose a problem at all. Thank heavens for modern technology and of course constant communication.

There is absolutely no one in the universe who can make me feel as special the way Lizzy does. In spite of having 10,496.09 miles and an incredible time difference between us (+9 hrs GMT), it always seems that she's just right there sitting in front of you as we talk the night away. It only is a shame though that both our RL work have taken some much needed attention, since both of our professions are directly (or indirectly) affected by the current financial turmoil.

Nevertheless, we always find a way to work around things, isn't that right babes?


She loves me... she loves me not... she loves me!
But of course she does!

With a very special occasion just looming in the horizon, you're just left amazed on how fast time really flies. Sometimes it does feel like we have spent a whole lifetime together. Getting ever more familiar with each other, and most of the time even words aren't needed to express how we feel.

Sitting in one corner sharing sweet nothings can be enough to uplift the spirits. Just mere presence alone can spark some magic. With the assurance that in spite of being clueless on what tomorrow may bring, everything is going to be alright.

Look into my eyes and tell me what you see? One of those special moments where music simply does all the talking.

... there is no substitute...
there can be only one Lizzy Mornington.

In the whole 12 months that had passed since, I carry with me memories that will always see me smiling. The whole Second Life experience has been a truly amazing journey, thanks to you. With everything in RL so chaotic at the moment (work and family related), it is comforting to know that you are still here with me.

Your patience... your thoughtfulness... your understanding is incomparable. With our 1st year anniversary just around the corner, the thought of going beyond what others deem to be improbable is good enough reason to celebrate 366 days of pure heavenly bliss.

Lizzy, you are such a keeper, and only a fool would want to let you go. Any man, be it in RL or SL would be very lucky to have you. As much as I tell myself that Lady Luck has eluded me for such a long time, you had finally broken that jinx.

I am both hopeful and optimistic the future would indeed be brighter for us both. It's a fact of life that everything surely gets tougher when you are about to cross that line: like in a marathon; deadlines at work; final exams at uni; roasting the perfect Christmas turkey; child labour; the last glass of Long Island iced tea; the final stage of your job interview; resignation letters; moving out of home on your own; mortgage payments; contest finals; engagement proposals; well just about almost everything. But with perseverance, confidence and the motivation to carry on; all that and a heaps of T.L.C. , nothing is be impossible.


A year down... and many more years to go.

Now tell me, how hard can it be if you have a good co-pilot for a companion in every journey? Better yet if your co-pilot is your bestest-best friend!

Thanks babes! It was the greatest adventure ever! Now the next question is, are you ready for the next one? Why not start another expedition by climbing that higher mountain over there. hahaha

Back to the question, Who is Lizzy Mornington? Well she's the love of my life... and I love her to bits!

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The Twilight Zone: Mermaid Salvages

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Nope, I'm not going to talk about those classic horror flicks from the 60s (the unforgettable Nightmare at 20,000 Feet is the reason why traveling by plane freaks me out hahaha), that's a different "twilight". I am actually referring to Amara Twilight, the creator behind 7Seas community's famous mermaids. Like Migizi North, her custom catches are as popular as the official 7Seas fishes. The mermaids are fantastically textured with most variants having their own specially-scripted effects. Obviously crafted with passion and a lot of hard work, she made sure her mermaids are easy to collect.

Amara's Salvage-craftable sets: the high-tech (TC) MerMech Cybermaid and the ghoulish (TC) MerGhost DeceasedMaid. Oh did I mention that these beauties also "talk".. yep folks, non-stop wit!

Amara is a strong advocate for building customs with a (reasonably) high percentage catch rate. Which means completing the whole TC set would not be as hard unlike other builds. But mind you most of her mermaids are Rated-R, something most of us should be excited about! wooot!



(TC) MerMech CyberMaid
Who ever said water and electronics don't mix?

It is Amara's attempt to produce her first ever "assemblable" salvages, but with a touch of her trademark textures and effects. The MerMech is a mechanical/cyborg mermaid that records your casts, catches and misses.

The % catch-rate for each salvage varies depending on which area you are fishing. Just like some of the mainstream custom builders in the community, Amara's CPGs are found in various popular fishing venues.

Each salvage, as seen in the pictures below are so carefully crafted that the details and rendering of each part reflects the the creator's desire for perfection. The salvages themselves are considered works of art, surely your whole Twilight Creation collection would not be complete without them.

Creations speaking for themselves: the very presentable Blueprint, Salvage: Android Spare Parts, Salvage: Hydro-Electric Tail Segment, Salvage: Central Mercore, Salvage: Silicon Jellyfish Implants (my favourite hahaha)

The MerMech's blueprint alone goes way beyond traditional methods: a pageantry of lines and dimensions that shows how talented the very meek (but sometimes fiery) Amara Twilight is. It is something done with vector-layouted precision, the stuff you normally would see in actual architectural and engineering blueprints (ahem... something in which I am actually very good at hehehe). And that's just the blueprints we're talking about; think of what the other salvage parts would be like?



(TC) MerGhost DeceasedMaid
Just pushing the envelope further...

The latest salvage-based production of Twilight Creations pushed the boundaries of custom-salvage building even further. Having been given the opportunity for a first look prior to its release, I was struck in awe. Amara described her next creation like it was something that came out of a fantasy book. It would require a lot of super-hard work just to bring that one out.

Admittedly I thought it could never be done, well at least for the meantime... until she rezzed all the items in front of me making my jaw drop... literally!

Not that I would ever doubt her ability to produce amazing creations, no... it's not like that at all. It simply just sounded so incredible at first, as no one has ever attempted to produce anything in that caliber ever before... until now!

Taking us to the mystical world of Arcanum, Amara Twilight's amazing set of salvages; the Blueprint: Magical Scroll of Binding, UltraRare Salvage: Magical Brew, Uncommon Salvage: Arcane Ritual Altar, Rare Salvage: Enchanted Chains, Uncommon Salvage: Mermaid Tombstone... simply marvelous!

True to what was discussed during our first-look preview, the blueprint has special effects not featured on previous releases (both 7Seas and other customs). The Magical Scroll of Binding is truly an amazing piece: the mystical arcane symbols would go brighter and more prominent as salvages are infused into the scroll (blueprint). Blueprints have never been this complex and innovative since Migizi North's Haunted Galleon AVi.



Interactive Menus and HUDs
Customising things to the dot!

Thanks to the 7Seas bigwigs for offering us with their open-sourced paraphernalia, customs are now created with so much added features. Gone are the days of having to just stop your fish from swimming, or turning off its bubbles. We now have full control of our pets with cool commands that goes well beyond the sterotypical "sit, roll and play dead".

A picture of things to come as menus evolved further since Migizi North first introduced to us a "fire cannon" feature with his customs. Most prize catches are now menu-driven: some infused with music, while others give out the occasional banter. That makes you wonder what other cool tricks our dear beloved builders have under their sleeves, eh?

Amara Twilight's famous mermaids can be caught at SkyBeam Tradewaters, 7Seas fishing area is courtesy of Tamsin Ireton.

... stay tuned for more!

Conquering Migizi's Salvage Customs

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My long wait is over! I finally caught up with the "not-fer-yer-average-mama's-boy" salvage set from Migizi's Custom Catch collection. Probably one of the few who first came out with alternate salvage catches outside the official (7S) label, Migizi North gave us one of the most sought after custom fishing rods:

The Nautilus and Squid Rod.

Despite of having to catch only three salvages, the blue print being designated as an SUR was as elusive as trying to catch a glimpse of a Coelacanth in the open seas. The fishing rod variant is a spin-off combining Migizi's separate Nautilus and Squid customs, both available to catch from any of his popular CPGs (Custom Prize Givers) around the 7S fishing community. Similar variants of the Nautilus and Squid from other builders and creators have soon followed.

The completion of my salvage set took me quite a long and patient wait, before I finally got the chance to claim the much coveted fishing rod. Having to complete 5 sets before redeeming any bounty is never an easy task.

On why I have to complete 5 (five) sets of the same fishes, customs and salvages would be discussed at another time (winks).

Migizi North has added two more unique fishing rods to his collection: the Ice Fishing Bone Jig Rod and the Migizi's Skull & Bones 5 Rod Holder, both of which can be freely caught on MN/CPG (Migizi North-Custom Prize Giver) enabled waters. If you're not the patient type, you can purchase them directly from any of his on-site vendors. For those who are interested in hosting an MN/CPG, just contact Migizi for more details.

Inset photo: the assembled Nautilus and Squid fishing rod. Clockwise from left to right: SuperUltraRare Blueprint: Nautilus Fishing Rod, UltraRare Salvage: Squid, UltraRare Salvage: Spool of Ectoplasmic String, UltraRare Salvage: Nautilus.

Migizi's Haunted Galleon Avatar

The first non-human avatar shape offered as a fishable prize. It would also be known as the benchmark that started the AVi-giveaway trend. With 6 (six) salvages required to catch and complete, this quest would be more of a "jump in the lake" than a "walk in the park" (laughs out loud).

Most salvage parts are not that hard to come by particularly the Red Medallion which is the easiest to catch, while the Blueprint (the first animated BP ever to be crafted) and the Captured Male Spirit both being SuperUltraRare (SUR) are the very hardest! Did I already mentioned "very"? hehehehe

Unlike the Nautilus and Squid fishing rod, the avatar is no transfer making trading for the assembled custom impossible. The unused or unactivated salvages however can still be given away freely. As an added feature, the Haunted Galleon avatar is combat ready and can fire its cannons on active role play.

Inset: Spanish Galleon aka Haunted Galleon AVi Clockwise from left to right: Salvage: Red Medallion, Salvage: Blue Medallion, Blueprint: Haunted Galleon AVi, Salvage: Captain Ahab Fish 2, Salvage: Captured Female Spirit, Salvage: Captured Male Spirit.

Want a piece of the action? Then come visit Migizi North's Haunted Pirate Island at Beek Zuiden Zee. A friendly word of advice as the fishing area is located in a role-play pirate battle sim, pirate gear or mermaid/mermen outfits are a must. There are free garments available at the vendor area BUT please do mind yourself for any "surprises". hahaha pirates you're dealing with, don't forget that!


Combine and Activate

Putting together salvage catches for an assembled custom is not complicated at all. On a free-rezz area, just drag the salvages to the ground... click the items one at a time... and wait for the blueprint to respond and deliver your assembled item.

Waiting for a "confirmation" from the blueprint "whispering" that the item was loaded successfully is important, so do take your time.

On a rez-restricted area, you can hold the salvages on your hand or attach them to any available part of your body (meaning parts not having any attachments) and click them one at a time for the blueprint to load them up.

Take note that there are a lot of other salvage sets out there just waiting to get discovered. It's just a matter of who's builds or what custom set to catch first.

Apart from these Migizi variants, creations from Amara Twilight, Sugar Rush and Pala are quite interesting to catch and fun to collect as well.

More talk about that very soon... keep looking up for this blog.
Adios mi amigo!

Understanding 7Seas Custom Catches

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The "unauthorised" sale of Custom Catches (CCs) has been the source of so much controversy within the 7Seas Community. For the benefit of the doubt, others (especially the new fishers) may have been clueless about courtesy/protocol on how virtual novelties are to be distributed and circulated in Second Life. There were some instances where Custom Catches were deliberately being sold without prior consent from its creators, upsetting the latter. To make matters worse, others have even listed them up for sale in trading sites such as XStreetSL.com and even in popular auction sites like eBay.


Guard It As If Your Life Depended On It

Creators would spend a lot of man-hours in the conceptualisation and "building" of Custom Catches. Just trying to come up with a brilliant idea can be brain draining, especially if the inspiration and the motivation isn't there. We must try to understand how the creative-process behind a Custom Catch works. I'm definitely sure they don't appear with just a click of the mouse, albeit not even overnight. A lot of hard work, tired-sleepy eyes and headaches would be part of an investment that builders would have to focus onto a single custom.

The Pirate who started it all. Migizi North was perhaps the first builder to create custom catches outside the 7S label. His "exploding" ships pushed the boundaries on how custom variants are to be made. Migizi's Haunted Pirate Island can be found in Beek Zuiden Zee. Inset photo is one of his sought after SURs, the Flying Dutchman.

What Do CC Builders Get Out Of It?
... they must be getting a lot?!...

You would be surprised... (if I am not mistaken) about 4L$ for every standard bait bucket. That is IF you do ever purchase your bait or gear at their vendors. So basically, they do get a small commission not for being Custom Catch builders but for simply having a 7Seas gear-vendor set-up at their fishing spot.

Why do they build customs then?
It's probably just being creative as an artists, not to mention the joy of creating stuff (... and I'm not only talking about Jen Shikami or Meissa Thorn here /me winks) . Perhaps seeing fishers and collectors very pleased with their work is what drives them to carry-on building for more. For whatever reason, there is surely an act of selflessness and thoughtfulness in every creation they make in their CPGS (Custom Prize Giver Servers).

The only way for a return of investment.
Some creators have put up their own personal vendors for those who wish to purchase their creations without having to fish customs out of a server (those that are not patient enough to wait for a specific CC catch). It's probably one of the few ways they can generate some income (about 75-300L$ per item) for their hard work to which, in my opinion isn't that much: About a fraction of what we actually spend on virtual clothes and accessories or the equivalent of a bulk-bait in some cases.

Builders don't earn that much for offering collectors and enthusiast FREE customs, but we can support them by purchasing bait from their 7S vendors and by showing a little bit of "linden love" in their tip jars. Every little helps and goes a long way!

Custom Builders may get a big break through special requests for a unique customised item. Creators would be glad to offer their services for a minimal fee, and mostly are guaranteed to be a one-of-a-kind item. They are really amazing as Lizzy-babes got me a few for my rezday as a present. Sweeeeeeet!


Why Am I Not Allowed To Re-Sell...
... paid for the bait and fished it myself, isn't the catch considered mine?...

While it is true that anything we catch is ours, there may be some limit to what we can actually do with them, apart from wearing as ornamental pets. Majority of the catches being offered are no-copy/no-modify/free-transfer giving us the option to offer them as gifts or for the really hard-to-get ones (SuperUltraRare in particular), trade them with fellow 7Seas collectors for an equivalent item in rarity...

Trading and giving them away is just about what we can do with the items we catch. Selling them however has its conditions and limitations. While some creators do specify that the unauthorised sale of their creations are prohibited, other builders do offer their personalised vendors with a percentage of the profit going out as a commission to a patron.

A few established creator-owned vendors are quite popular in the 7Seas Community; creations by Migizi North (pirate ships and unique CCs) and Amara Twilight (animated mermaid variations) can be found in other fishing areas apart from their own. While Custom Catches from Nya Raymaker (Grumbles the cat and "Neptune's Orchestra"), R&L Wharf (Snoopy variants), Sugar Rush (crabcakes, fed jellyfish, teacups etc) and Celeste Cazenove among the many others, offer their creations from vendors located on-site.

Custom Catch vendors by Migizi North (located at Rails Bailey's Van Deimen's Land), Mialissa Masala and Skinny Paigne (Sugar Rush), and Amara Twilight (Twilight Creations) are just one of the many you will find around the 7Seas circuit. Most custom creators would gladly be willing to set up their vendors to other fishing areas. Those interested, just IM the CC builder for more details!

Basically, the bait we use is officially for catching 7Seas fishes and stuff. Custom Catches are being offered FOR FREE as a plus/incentive to fishers patronising their fishing area. One may say they are gifts for habitués, others would see them as an attraction to keep the venue interesting enough for frequenters.

There may be a way to get a return-of-investment for all the baits you consume while fishing. You may simply exchange your CCs for bait to those who are willing to trade. I'm sure that is acceptable, going around the idea of customs being openly tradeable.

Why can't I sell what I catch?
Out of respect and courtesy, most especially if you are in direct competition with the CCs creator. It is worse when the sellers intentionally offer customs below the suggested retail price (SRP). "Give to Caesar what is for Caesar", as the saying goes. After all the builders and creators are the reason (apart from the latest official releases from 7Seas) why fishing has been exciting lately for enthusiasts and collectors like us.


Reselling without proper consent...
... helps kill the desire for the creators to produce more customs!

It may even start a trend for catches to be made as no transfer rendering them untradeable, eventually taking off the fun in the fishing. Trading in my opinion is one major factor why we have gained so many friends from fishing: think the desire to Interact.

Official 7Seas catches are admittedly exciting enough for us already... But try to imagine a virtual fishing world without these Custom Catch variants? I shudder at the thought of it, it's like having my cuppa without any sugar... horrible... bleaughhhhh ack!

With more talented 7Seas fishers joining the existing roster of CC builders, a lot of fishing areas are now home to multiple CPGS (Custom Prize Giver Servers) from popular mainstream creators.

For fishing venue owners who don't have time to make their own customs, CPGS can now be rented on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. The popular ones have proven to be very effective in attracting sim-traffic as well as luring die-hard fish mongers into sims. Pictured above from BlaksleeWorld Beach are rentable custom servers from Migizi North, Alice Xue and Amara Twilight (please IM them for particlulars), and I am sure there are others more!

I'm not violating any IPR rules, just re-selling.
True, not re-creating or copying the work is not a violation of any Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy.

Comparable to buying a music CD or a DVD movie: To which we may be able to convert music into digital format (mp3, aac etc) or movies into mp4 or mpeg (plus any other similar formats) provided we only use them for our personal portable devices (PSP, iPod, mobile phones, digital players etc).

We may have the option to "convert" media but NOT NECESSARILY the rights to distribute or re-sell for profit. Unless of course we have acquired the permission or consent from its copyright owners. The unlawful sale and distribution violates anti-piracy laws, and you surely wouldn't want record labels and distributing companies breathing behind your neck, would you? (laughter)

The same can be said for all virtual items in Second Life, and in this case the various Custom Catches offered FREELY to be caught in 7Seas Fishing enabled areas. Catching these customs gives us ownership for the virtual item BUT does not give ownership for the copyright of the item. We may be allowed to trade the items or give them away for as long as we do not profit through selling without the consent of the copyright owner.

No, you don't have to register your copyright to have a copyright.

Be smart and be aware! Why spend for customs sourced outside of Second Life when you can get them for free? A lot of fisher-folks in-world give-away their duplicate catches to those who wish to "adopt" them? Have you ever heard of a FREE fish-giver? (pictured: auction listing and bidding accounts are non-existent, photo for illustration purposes only)

How different is it from reselling a book I recently bought?
A very good topic which was discussed in 7Seas Social Chat. While the thought of that is very true, in comparison there may be a difference. Publishers have been paid for the books being sold in book shops. What we do with the book after purchase: give it away, resell it, burn it or make paper airplanes with it, wouldn't affect the profit of the publisher.

However, the unauthorise sale of someone else's creation in Second Life would always mean profit loss for any creator/builder/owner, which may have negative RL implications as mentioned in the article below.

PLEASE READ THIS: very interesting and relevant: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/10/dutch-court-imposes-real-world-punishment-for-virtual-theft.ars

A Smörgåsbord of sorts. FREE doesn't necessarily mean we are allowed to do as we wish with the customs we catch. Take for example a free promotional CD single, free as it is but the redistribution and the sale, in analogue or digital form, whether for profit or not is stricly prohibited. I guess this is why they print "NOT FOR RESALE" on its sleeve, don't you agree? winks

Disclaimer: Before anybody here violently reacts and report me to the SL Police for "piracy", and to the creators of the above mentioned customs for "theft", these vendor boxes are for illustration purposes only and are not actual vendors.

Seriously though, if you do want a copy for storing your precious customs, just IM me. As long as you don't USE the bloody boxes as click-able vendors. lololol

To make it simple:
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Buying a CC from one of the official vendors at retail price and resell it, assuming it's quid pro quo, meaning sell only the same quantities you have bought may be acceptable. Trading up your FREE catches or simply giving them away as gifts is commonly acceptable. Putting up a FREE Custom Catch/fish giver in your fishing area, property or shop is very much accepted.

Selling the Custom Catches of others in your vendors and/or shops "without proper or prior consent from the creator/builder" is unacceptable.

Custom Catches as well as 7Seas fishes and stuff can be freely given away via FREE FISH dispensers. You can also help sponsor your favourite fishing area's tournament by giving donations where kiosks are available. (iPala featured in the picture)

7Seas Fishing As A Community

Although the 7Seas creators guild wouldn't be as harsh and severe when talking about being protective of their work, respecting their creations and giving professional courtesy (with much consideration to the efforts they have poured into their customs) would avoid us all the unsolicited drama. With so much RL drama going on in our lives, why bring some more to Second Life? lololol


Just thinking of the keywords mentioned here:
Respect, professional courtesy, generosity, understanding, consideration, support, friendship... we could go on forever citing all the good virtues we can get out of the 7Seas Community, but the bottom line is 7Seas Fishing has become one big happy family to most of us if not all. Since its inception to Second Life almost a year ago, I am not surprised that it has evolved to be one of the most popular in-world games to date and why more and more people get hooked into it. It simply is FUN and I haven't started talking about the social chat yet, have I? hahaha To readers who havent tried 7Seas Fishing yet, oh boy you are missing a lot mate!

Custom Catches may not necessarily be the only reason to what makes a fishing venue attractive. Let us not forget the picturesque views of some of SL's well built-up areas. Amara Twilight's fishing spot, courtesy of Tasmin Ireton is located at the arcadian Skybeam Tradewaters.

It's but normal for a family to have the occasional quarrels, squabbles and drama. A little hair pulling here and there and face scratching is normal (growling and snarling included...) I guess hahaha. But one thing is certain, 7Seas Fishing is one heck of a family that doesn't believe in contraception as we will grow bigger, better and brighter (and as I have observed in social chat, even more hornier hahaha JK) in the months to come! whoopie!