1920s Berlin project celebrates its 13th anniversary!

Our 1920s Berlin Project is celebrating that it opened its doors to the public 13 years ago and also that it has been flourishing ever since!

As is tradition, we’re having a week of events to celebrate our birthday and it’s going to be the bee’s knees.

Our anniversary schedule;

• Monday 30th May
  2pm: Anniversary dance under the stars on Pariser Platz with kapellmeister Myron Byron and hostess Jo Yardley, followed by fireworks.
• Tuesday 31st May
  2pm: Open stage at the Volkshaus, earn tips by performing!
  Recite a poem, tell a joke, do a dance, sing, make music!
  Anyone can jump on the stage and earn some drinking-money.
• Wednesday 1st June
  2pm: Opening Biergarten for the season.
  After months in that dark, dingy basement bar, the evenings are finally warm enough for us to go outside into the Biergarten again!
• Thursday 2nd June
  2pm: Berlin Run!
  Footrace through Berlin, big prize for 1st 3!
  We’re having a foot-race through Berlin, start training!
  2500, 1000 and 500 L$ reward for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place!
  3pm: Supporters & long term dinner at Kranzler
• Friday 3rd June
  2pm: Adlon Anniversary dinner & Dance
• Saturday 4th June
  2pm: Eldorado Anniversary Special
• Sunday 5th June
  1pm: Relaxed Rules day!
  After the official count-down at 1, we suspend our 1920s dress code for 24 hours and everyone in SL is welcome to visit our sim as they are, in modern clothes, as a non-human avatar, in whatever look they want, as long as they’re not naked, a Nazi or a naked Nazi.
  A great excuse for the regulars to bring some of their non-Berliner friends to the sim and show them around.
  Some locals will also leave their front door open, allowing visitors to see how we live.
  1:30pm: Beach blanket Berlin, DJ Holocluck Henly plays tunes at Wannsee beach.
  4pm: Jive Dryke performs.
  

The schedule may change and events may be cancelled, altered or added to this list.
Keep an eye on posts in our Facebook group or inworld group for the latest news.

1920s Berlin project celebrates its 12th anniversary!

Our 1920s Berlin Project is celebrating that it opened its doors to the public 12 years ago and also that it has been flourishing ever since!

As is tradition, we’re having a week of events to celebrate our birthday and it’s going to be the bee’s knees.

Our anniversary schedule;

• Sunday 30th May
  2pm Anniversary dance on Pariser Platz
  Hosted by Jo Yardley and DJ Myron Byron.
• Monday 31st May
  2pm Open stage at the Volkshaus!
  Anyone can participate with any kind of performance, jump on stage, read a poem, sing a song, do a magic trip and let the tip jar overfloweth!
• Tuesday 1st June
  2pm Berlin Run!
  We’re having a foot-race through Berlin, so put on some good shoes.
  2500, 1000 and 500 L$ reward for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place!
• Wednesday 2nd June
  2pm Opening Biergarten!
  After it’s been shut all winter we can finally enjoy our drink, dance and chat under the stars again.
• Thursday 3rd June
  2pm Voice Happy Hour
  Voice will be activated in the Biergarten, you don’t have to use your voice if you don’t want to of course, but it might be fun to hear what we all sound like in real life, some may even do a little (drunken) singing!
  3:30pm Supporters & Long Term tenants dinner Special dinner at Restaurant Kranzler ONLY for supporters & long term tenants. Hostess; Jo Yardley
• Friday 4th June
  2pm Opening brand new location
  Top secret brand new location just outside the city will be revealed.
  Hostess; Charlotte Von Weiß
• Saturday 5th June
  Noon; public parade
  Parade for and by Berliners, anyone can take part, but it has to be 1920s Berlin themed.
  Represent your workplace, your club, your sport your hobby, walk, use a vehicle, make a float, etc.
  We walk to Parisen Platz and when we arrive there we have a little celebration and then we start…
  Relaxed Rules day!
  After the official start we suspend our 1920s dresscode for 24 hours and everyone in SL is welcome to come explore our sim and join us in crazy going-ons.
  On this day we will also have Open House, which people can open their houses to anyone to visit.
  2pm there will be a beach blanket party at Wannsee lake.

The schedule may change and events may be cancelled, altered or added to this list.
Keep an eye on posts in our Facebook group or inworld group for the latest news.

1920s Berlin celebrates its 11th anniversary!

It is that time of the year again, our roleplaying community is celebrating its anniversary!

Yes it has been 11 years since the 1920s Berlin project opened its dingy smelly filthy backstreets to the public and as we’re still thriving, this occasion should be celebrated, again.

As is tradition, we’re having a week of events to celebrate our birthday and it’s going to be the bee’s knees.

Our anniversary schedule;

• Saturday 30th May
  2pm Anniversary dance on Pariser Platz
  Performance by Sonatta Morales and DJ Myron Byron.
• Sunday 31st May
  2pm Flapperettes Black and White Ball
  Hostess;Tequila Krovac
  With Flapperettes dance troupe performance!
• Monday 1st June
  2pm Opening Biergarten
  Der Keller’s daily happy hour moves outside for the season.
• Tuesday 2nd June
  2pm Wannsee picnic
  Host; Florian Blaisdale
• Wednesday 3rd June
  2pm Voice Happy Hour & Open stage
  Voice will be activated in the Biergarten en a small stage built, people can perform for tips.
  3:30pm Supporters & Long Term tenants dinner Special dinner at Restaurant Kranzler ONLY for supporters & long term tenants. Hostess; Jo Yardley
• Thursday 4th June
  1pm Kids day!
  Special events for the youngest Berliner!
  A bicycle ride through the city, followed by a go-cart race and finally a street party in front of the orphanage on Alexanderplatz.
  Hosted by Frau und Herr Winter
• Friday 5th June
  Noon; public parade
  Parade for and by Berliners, anyone can take part, but it has to be 1920s Berlin themed.
  Represent your workplace, your club, your sport your hobby, walk, use a vehicle, make a float, etc.
  We walk to Parisen Platz and when we arrive there we have a little celebration and then we start…
  Relaxed Rules day!
  After the official start we suspend our 1920s dresscode for 24 hours and everyone in SL is welcome to come explore our sim and join us in crazy going-ons.
  On this day we will also have Open House, which people can open their houses to anyone to visit.

The schedule may change and events may be cancelled, altered or added to this list.
Keep an eye on posts in our Facebook group or inworld group for the latest news.

The Emergency Fund

This donation box has been set up to collect funds for those people in 1920s Berlin who due to the Coronavirus are getting in financial trouble and can’t pay their rent in the city.

Some of us can’t work in RL because of the pandemic, others may have extra unexpected costs.
We know this horrible situation is temporary and it would therefore be very sad if people lost the houses they’ve sometimes lived in for years just because our real life world is turned upside down at the moment.

So we decided to set up a fund that we can use to pay the rent of those in Berlin who can’t afford it or who are perhaps not able to come online for a while because of the emergency situation.
I wish I could afford to just pay people’s rent myself but that’s not the case.

Anyone can call me and tell me they’d like to make use of this fund and I’ll pay their rent with it.
No questions asked.
Just tell me that you’re sick or can’t be online for some time due to the Coronavirus, I will use the fund to pay your rent when you’re away.

When the pandemic ends and the world gets a little bit back to its old “normal” state, the fund will continue to exist to help people who have rent trouble.

Either way, every Linden Dollar donated will be used to help people.

If you’re not having financial or other problems related to the current pandemic and want to help out, you’re invited to put some money in the donation box here;
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/1920s%20Berlin%20Project/232/228/1929

1920s silent movie completely filmed in Second Life (and 1920s Berlin!

The very talented Machinima maker Amelie Marcoud, well known for several Second Life videos, has jus released her biggest project yet.

Her 16 minute long film in the style of an 1920s silent movie is called ‘The Fiancée’ and was filmed in our 1920s Berlin sim.

The story is that typical of an old fashioned melodrama.

Anyone who has ever made a video or even just a picture in Second Life knows how much of a challenge this is.
Making a long film with an actual story, lots of actors, extras and props is therefor quite an achievement!

We congratulate everyone involved on a job well done and look forward to seeing Amelie’s next production!

Enjoy the film;

1920s Berlin celebrates its 10th anniversary!

Yes it has been A DECADE since the 1920s Berlin Project opened its doors to the public!

And not just has been our historical roleplaying neighbourhood survived all this time, it thrived!
After 10 years it is still an active, creative, vibrant, exciting, fun and very alive community.
We have daily events, our parties and shows still draw crowds and the city keeps evolving and improving.

There are people who have lived here for many years who won’t even consider leaving.
For some Berlin is the only reason they’re even (still) in Second Life.

In short, we’re celebrating more than having a sim that managed to pay its tier all these years.
We’re doing great.

So of course we’re going to celebrate again, there will be a week of celebrations and everybody is invited.
We’re going to kick it off with our annual dance at the foot of the Brandenburg Gate and we end the week with the infamous Relaxed Rules day where we lift our strict rules for 24 hours and welcome everyone who doesn’t like having a realistic avatar or wear 1920s clothing.

Happy anniversary dear Berliners, you made my crazy dream come true, you turn my pile of glued-together prims into a living community I love dearly.

And of course thank you Linden Lab for making all this possible to begin with and thank you for allowing everyone in SL to lower their tier and increase their prim allowance.
I hope you continue on this road so Berlin can keep growing and I can afford to start another project…

Our anniversary schedule;

• Thursday 30th May
  2pm Anniversary dance on Pariser Platz
  Performance by Sonatta Morales and DJ Myron Byron.
• Friday 31st May
  2pm Special event at the Hotel Adlon
  Hosts Tequila Krovac, Herr Clarrington & Berlin Ladies Social Club
  With Flapperettes dance troupe performance!
• Saturday 1st June
  Noon opening exhibit
  “Neue Sachlichkeit” art exhibit at the Bibliothek
  Host; Florian Blaisdale
  2pm Eldorado Cabaret
  Performance by Sonatta Morales and DJ Myron Byron.
• Sunday 2nd June
  2pm Opening Biergarten
  Der Keller’s daily happy hour moves outside for the season.
• Monday 3rd June
  Noon opening Exhibit
  Retrospective of Adele’s work and the formal reopening of the Fotostudio
  Hostess Teruumi Simoneaux
  2pm Miss Berlin Pageant
  Hosts; Henry Payne & Teruumi Simoneaux
• Tuesday 4th June
  2pm Military parade & ceremony
  Commander; Ernst Osterham
  3pm Supporters & Long Term tenants dinner
  Special dinner at Restaurant Kranzler ONLY for supporters & long term tenants.
  Hostess Jo Yardley
• Wednesday 5th June
  Noon; public parade
  Parade for and by Berliners, anyone can take part, but it has to be 1920s Berlin themed.
  Represent your workplace, your club, your sport your hobby, walk, use a vehicle, make a float, etc.
  We walk to Parisen Platz and when we arrive there we have a little celebration and then we start…
  Relaxed Rules day!
  After the official start we suspend our 1920s dresscode for 24 hours and everyone in SL is welcome to come explore our sim and join us in crazy going-ons.
  On this day we will also have Open House, which people can open their houses to anyone to visit.

The schedule may change and events may be cancelled, altered or added to this list.
Keep an eye on posts in our Facebook group or inworld group for the latest news.

We’re banning face-lights

Face-lights are the lights people attach to their faces because they think being well-lit makes their avatar look better.
And it does, it is a great tool for when you’re doing a photo shoot.

However they can look rather odd for those around you, imagine being in a nice dark bar staring through the smoke filled air at the glowing face of your loved one as red light from a small table lamp shines on you both… as suddenly someone with a flash light as bright as a solar flare tight to their face walks into the place making it seem like an atomic bomb is exploding.
It can ruin the atmosphere, especially in a city like Berlin with many dark streets, small dingy clubs, etc.

We can disable them in our viewers but that won’t stop them being a nuisance to those who are new to SL and haven’t quite figured out how to do that.
That also doesn’t lower the impact yet another portable script & light source has on the sim’s resources.
In short; it adds to all those things that together cause lag.
And we all know Berlin has plenty of lag already.

Fraulein Morales was kind enough to demonstrate the effect of facelights on atmospheric locations;

Without facelight;

With facelight;

And of course during busy events there may be more people with facelights, all adding to the general brightness of the scene.
The facelight used in this screenshot (at medium graphics setting) isn’t even a very bright one!

So for the sake of immersion, atmosphere and lag I’ve decided to now officially BAN face lights.
I’m sorry if you love using them but I’m sure you’ll soon get used to being without them and will realise how it will actually improve your experience in our sim.

A sign will be added to Teleportplatz and visitors wearing one will kindly and politely asked to remove it, in IM, by one of our admins.

1920s Berlin celebrates its 9th anniversary!

Yes it has been 9 years since the 1920s Berlin Project opened its doors to the public and amazingly, after all these years our community is as active, vibrant, exciting, fun and alive as always.
All the apartments are still rented and it is generally still very difficult to find a home!
We still pull in crowds at our events, even the daily one in that dark smokey pub with the cheap lukewarm beer from dirty glasses served by a grumpy Dutch barmaid!

In short, our time traveling community is still a success and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

As every year, we’re celebrating by organising a week of special events, starting with the annual dance at the foot of the Brandenburg Gate and ending with the Relaxed Rules day where we for 24 hours lift our strict rules and welcome everyone who doesn’t like having realistic avatars or wearing 1920s clothing.

Happy anniversary to all Berliners, Berlin’s friends and that poor Linden Lab server that must be crying every day keeping our busy, uber-laggy sim working.

Our anniversary schedule;

• Wednesday 30th May 2pm
  Anniversary dance on Pariser Platz with Sonatta Morales & DJ Myron Byron
• Thursday 31st May 2pm
  Special outdoor Happy Hour by the coffee cart on Unter den Linden with Morgan G Dowd and DJ Maegara Hesse
• Friday 1st June 2pm
  Special Dinner with the newly unique 9th anniversary champagne followed by a dance in the Mirror Ballroom at the Adlon hosted by Morgan G Dowd and with LIVE music by Joaquin Gustav!
• Saturday 2nd June 12pm
  Library reception & book discussion (Host Florian Blaisdale) 2pm Eldorado (hostess Sonatta Morales)
• Sunday 3rd June 2pm
  Sailboat race & picnic at Wannsee (Hosts Florian Blaisdale & Amelie Marcoud)
• Monday 4th June 2pm
  Opening Biergarten 3.30 Supporters & Long Term tenants only get-together at the secret clubroom
• Tuesday 5th June
  Relaxed Rules Day

The schedule may change and events may be cancelled, altered or added to this list.
Keep an eye on posts in our Facebook group or inworld group for the latest news.

More prims!

I’ve just asked Linden Lab to raise the prim limit for our Berlin sim, that means we now have 10.000 (!) extra prims to play with!

Soon you’ll start seeing more things being rezzed everywhere, such as parked cars, litter, etc.
It will also help me avoid having a heart attack during huge busy events when we suddenly are down to 100 available prims!
Yes that has happened.

But some of these new fresh clean prims (they still smell of brand new plywood) can also be rented by the people of Berlin.

Tenants can already rent 50 prims extra on top of their allowance and supporters were able to rent 100-200 prims, but if you’re a supporter you can now rent AS MANY PRIMS AS YOU WANT!
And when I say as many prims as you want, I mean as many prims as you want as long as the supplies last.
I want to keep a healthy buffer of available prims for emergencies and big events so not all the 10.000 new prims will be available for rent.
So the renting of lots of extra prims is going to be allowed on a first come first serve basis.

You can use these extra prims to finally decorate your home the way you want or to build a private skybox high up in the air.

Extra prims for supporters cost 3 L$ per prim per week.

Just get in touch with me if you have any questions or if you want to rent extra prims.

To become a supporter, simply rent the empty portrait in the supporters gallery at the Amtshaus on Alexanderplatz.

 

New amazing machinima about 1920s Berlin made by Amelie Marcoud

Long term resident, active member of the 1920s Berlin community and talented machinima maker Amelie Marcoud has made a fantastic video about our sim.

You can see it here;

https://vimeo.com/248702685

And if your French isn’t up to scratch, here are the song lyrics in English;

In the desert sands
On the seabord dunes
Even if you get lost
Look for the rose

In the jail toilets
Where we dream of forgiveness
Where a song dies down
Look for the rose

Under the bogs and nettle leaves
In the puddles of rain
On the forgotten graves
Look for the rose

Where the suburbs get sad
At the blinds’ and at the deaf s
Where night dreams of day
Look for the rose

And roaming all around
If you didn t find it
At least you’ll have dreamt of it
Look for the rose
Look for the rose

The rose…