Exciting New Initiative: Stamp Hunters Award Stamps! | Improvements to all Passports | Firestorm’s 14th Birthday | Events & Announcements | New Locations
09/07/2024
Attention all avid passport collectors and explorers of Second Life—get ready to embark on an exhilarating new adventure! Whether you're a seasoned traveller of virtual worlds or just starting your passport journey, this announcement is going to make your heart race with excitement.
The BBB is thrilled to introduce holders of all Second Life® passports powered by its technology to Stamp Hunters Award Stamps —a fantastic new way to celebrate your dedication to the art of stamp collecting! It will officially reward explorers who have tirelessly collected stamps from events, landmarks, and special occasions across the grid. By reaching specific milestones, you'll not only earn prestigious titles but also receive exclusive award stamps to display proudly in your passport. These stamps are more than just ink on virtual paper—they are badges of honour that show your commitment to exploration, discovery, and community engagement.
So, what's the deal? Here’s how it works
The Title Tiers
The program offers four distinct milestones for you to aim for. As you collect more and more stamps, you’ll ascend through the ranks, earning both a special title and a one-of-a-kind stamp to commemorate your achievement. Let’s break it down:
- Stamp Hunter Apprentice: For those just starting out, collecting 101 stamps earns you the title of Stamp Hunter Apprentice. This is the first major milestone in your journey, marking the moment when you’re no longer just a casual collector—you’re a full-fledged member of the passport-hunting community.
- Stamp Tracker: Gather 251 stamps to become a StampTracker. By this point, you're well on your way to becoming a master collector. You know your way around Bellisseria and its many treasures like the back of your hand, and your passport is a testament to your dedication.
- StampWrangler: At 401 stamps, you’ll be recognized as a StampWrangler. No stamp is too elusive for you! This title and stamp symbolize your prowess at tracking down every unique piece of digital ink and adding it to your collection.
- StampMaster: Collect 651 stamps, and you will earn the prestigious title of StampMaster. This rank is for the true élite among stamp collectors—the crème de la crème! As a StampMaster, your passport will showcase an award stamp like no other, a mark of greatness that tells everyone you’ve explored the farthest reaches of Second Life® – and then some.
The Adventure Awaits! These special awards aren’t just about recognition—they're about pushing you to explore even deeper into the hidden gems of SL. Every stamp you collect tells a story, whether it’s from a major event, a charming little café, a scenic nature spot, or an unexpected pop-up party. The programme not only encourages you to find new places but also to revisit old favourites, uncover new updates, and immerse yourself in the evolving landscape of Second Life®.
With hundreds of stamps already in circulation, from underwater utopias to mountaintop retreats, there’s no shortage of adventures to embark on. And remember, this programme is not only for the die-hards who have been stamping for years—this is the perfect motivation for newcomers to dive into the fun of passport stamping!
Special Events and Exclusive Stamps
We love a good celebration, so keep an eye out for exclusive stamp collection events coming soon to mark the launch of the Stamp Hunters Award Stamps initiative. These events will offer limited-time, must-have stamps that will help you climb the ranks faster. You’ll also get the chance to meet fellow collectors, share stories, and maybe even engage in some friendly competition. After all, who doesn’t want to be the first in their group to snag that coveted Stamp Master title?
And don't worry—if you're already an enthusiastic stamp hunter with hundreds of stamps in your collection, we are ready to honour your past efforts. Your existing passport will be counted toward these milestones, so many of you are closer to earning an award stamp than you think!
Passport Pride
There's something incredibly satisfying about flipping through a filled passport, each stamp representing a memory of an adventure you’ve had in SL. The Stamp Hunters Award Stamps programme amplifies that sense of pride, offering you tangible rewards for your virtual travels. Imagine looking back at your passport years from now and seeing not just the places you've visited, but the award stamps that symbolize your place among the greatest explorers!
How to Get Started
Getting started is as easy as visiting BBB HQ or any of the Bellisserian Embassies in-world (SLURLs are in the sidebar to The Gazette). You can apply for (in the case of Bellisserian or CDS passports) or just grab the other kinds at the embassies and begin your quest to become a Stamp Master.
Don't forget to check out events and gatherings—these are excellent opportunities to gather unique stamps and even trade tips with other passionate collectors. This is your chance to join an exciting new era of passport collecting in Second Life®. Whether you're going for Stamp Hunter Apprentice or aiming straight for Stamp Master, the journey ahead is sure to be filled with discovery, joy, and a few surprises along the way.
So, what are you waiting for? Start collecting, and let the world know that you are a proud member of our élite stamp-hunting community! Happy stamping, and may your passport always be full!
Article and photographs by Liberty Fairelander
As of now, all our passports will automatically have these two handy new features;
- Stamps are now automatically displayed in order of date/time of acquisition: In the past, stamps appeared on your passports in a non-transparent sequence. This made it difficult to check what had or had not yet been collected recently. The new improvement means the most recently collected stamps are always shown immediately on the first page (button <--), followed by older ones on the next pages (button >>). Adding stamps will shift the display automatically but displaying a newly-collected stamp with required a click on the <-- button to update the display.
- Grey Squares Removed: We've made a cosmetic fix for passports that were showing grey squares on the last page. This affected only passports with fewer than six stamps collected. It had no negative effects and disappeared when a seventh stamp was added.
In addition, here's an optional self-service way to fix a cosmetic issue some passport holders have experienced.
- Over-Sized Stamps on Lower Right of Page: Some passport-holders will have noticed the bottom right stamp appears too big on the page. To fix this, wear your passport HUD and right-click to edit. Check edit linked in the edit window and click the right-arrow below until link number 12 is shown. Then click on the object tab and copy the X or Z value (which should be same). Then click the left-arrow to see link number 11 and paste the new value into X and Z. Then close the edit window. The stamp will now be correctly-sized and the change will automatically apply to all the other pages of your passport.
There is no need for any passport upgrades. All passport holders will benefit from the first two improvements automatically and have the option to apply the third one.
Hint on PP nav buttons:
<-- takes you to the first page, most recently collected stamps
>> takes you to the following page showing the stamps in in sequence according to the date you acquired them
<< takes you to the previous page
>>5 skips over 5 pages
--> last page, oldest stamps
Robert Rhodan and North Crannock
FIRESTORM’S 14TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IS TODAY!
Firestorm is turning fourteen! As is our tradition, we're throwing a huge party to celebrate, complete with gifts. The party starts at Noon today (Sat Sept 7) and runs til 3 PM SLT, which some amazing entertainers. The gifts are available starting at 11 AM SLT today and running until the end of the month. Also there is a stamp machine where you can pick up the limited edition FS 14th Anniversary stamp through month end.
You can read about it in our blog. You will notice that the location is missing from that article. Typically we put that in at 10 or 11am the day of the party, so check back near the party start time. Instead of repeating what is in that blog, here is a bit of “behind the scenes” information you may enjoy.
This last year has brought some changes to the Firestorm Team. Our founder Jessica Lyon remains but in a less active role. She stepped down from Project Lead at the start of the year due to RL demands.
Beq Janus has taken over the Project Lead role. 2024 is officially Beq’s first year at the helm. She is also a talented developer. When we were planning the party, Beq asked if we could try and get her very favourite singer… and we were able to!! Yay!
Ansariel Hiller (affectionately known as Ansa) is the Lead Developer. Ansa codes/develops so fast, efficiently and skillfully that it makes a person’s head spin to watch. I suspect that if Ansa had a race with AI to develop a new feature, AI might lose that race.
Also, Anastasia Horngold got a very well deserved promotion to become the “buck stops here” top lead of our fantastic Support Team. Anastasia had been in charge of English support for sometime, but now heads all of support. Enigma Conundrum is her right-hand assistant, overseeing the international (non-English speaking) support teams. Fun Fact: Ana’s favorite vodka is Pear.
There is one more team lead we would like to introduce you to; Miro Collas. He is the “buck stops here” senior manager for everything related to the Firestorm Gateway. He has a team of five managers under him, as leading the gateway is a pretty big job. Fun fact about Miro: Miro enjoys sailing for fun, exploring old SL. Also, Miro believes he is the "typo king.”
Now that you know some of the team, we hope you will come by and party with us as we celebrate our 14th birthday!
Article by Teresa Firelight
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
| If you have one of our stamp terminals and you're having an event or would like to make an announcement, just let us know and we'll be happy to feature it here. Please drop a notecard on the Editor, Dave (Lord.Junibalya) in-world or use the Email the Editor link in the sidebar to send us your information, posters and/or photos. |
...XaandarRaain Resident's Drows Delight
est. 8/2024
Taken my love of dungeons and dragons and mixed into Second Life. A fantasy house that has the style of an Elven house but the darker aesthetic of the Drow from the Underdark.
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Latest stats on stamps and passports
All stats as at 31st August 2024.
Statistics and Graphics by Robert Rhodan
NEW LOCATIONS
Firestorm is turning 14 this week and there will be a big party to celebrate. See Teresa Firelight's article above for all the details (including how to find the party locations). There will be a special commemorative stamp to collect at the event.
Of Mere Being is a special end-of-summer pop-up until September 30! Kick back, stretch out, look out to sea or up at the stars, and think of the palm at the end of your mind, beyond the last thought.
| Firestorm's 14th Birthday Celebration PE | ||
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Event: September 7-30 |
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Brilliant new Incentive for us Stamp Collectors! It gives me an even better reason why I must get my butt out there and explore more! Thank you, Robert and North, for making this a possibility!
THANK YOU for the Hard work, hours, and sleeplessness you put into making things right when they are not, Robert, North, and Dave! You sorted out the passport issues and Typepad site issues where the Gazette lives. Thank you, Thank you, my Brilliant BBB Team members!
Posted by: Amanda | 09/07/2024 at 08:16 AM