Cattrina Careless

How many of you have read Spider Robinson's Callahan's series? I loved it! Not the puns so much because I am a horrible punster, but I loved the community feeling, the fact that so many different people would appear and hang out.

I wanna make something like that in SL, but obviously I cant call it Callahan's, and I suspect I couldnt even refer to it as the Crosstime Salon. And honestly with so many places you can hang out and RP in - would it even be worth the effort?

Another consideration is I dont spend a hell of a lot of time in SL these days. I would like to spend more, and the crosstime saloon idea strikes me as a relaxing way to get to meet people. I'm not very good at meeting people either

Yes I ramble but Do you think it would work, even with relatively minimual effort on my part? (I spent too many hours on a clothing business that really didnt work out all that well and I aint going to do that ever again) And what would I call it?!?!?

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Cindy Claveau

I loved that series!

OMG - you could do so much with the ideas, without violating IP rights.

Now, brothels have been done to death in SL but who has brothels with alien madams?

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Ned Easterwood

Maybe you just want to come hang out at the SLU clubhouse? The other day we had two Aussies, an Irishman, and a Yank. It's a nice mixed bag.

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Cattrina Careless

I've popped over to the club house several times even spent a happy 1/2 hr or so fishing the other day. But each time I've been the only person there. I guess thats what I was also worried about if I started a new place. It's no fun if its always empty

Sooz Pascale

I would be interested in hanging out anywhere that attracts interesting and intelligent people. I'm not familiar with the series, but it sounds interesting. Hopefully, it would be one of those places where people actually converse in open chat as opposed to private or select group IMs?

I usually visit the clubhouse almost every time I log on....but its always deserted.

If you open up such a place, I will certainly be there, as long as I'm not sitting there alone. I can do that at home.

Sooz

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Carter-Madhu

Yep, as the owner of a multi-culti place that at its best functions as a gathering place for people from all over the world, I can tell you it's very frustrating to try and get people to come and stay. My place gets 25-30 visitors a day but most of them arrive, find the place empty, and leave. The only way I seem to be able to accumulate even a small group is if I sit there and wait for someone to come, and then talk to them long enough for the next person to arrive. In that way my presence can nucleate a group.

I have dreamed of having even 1/4 of the crowd that a place like Mill Pond gets but have thus far been unable to achieve it.

Having said that, I don't mean to discourage you - it's wonderful fun running my cafe and you could have great fun with yours too. You should just be prepared to either have the place sit empty much of the time, or have it take up most of your second life trying to keep people there.

If you want to chat more about my experiences running my place, please feel free to IM me - I'd love to tell you more about what I have found that works and doesn't work, or anything else I can help you with.

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Briar Bing

Me!

I loved that series too. Damn, I read those a LONG time ago...

I would love to see something like that in SL.

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Ned Easterwood

We need a HUD like the Forum cartel folks have that lets us know when someone is there.

Kyllie Wylie

That actualy sounds like a fun build, try and make it as close to the books as possible.

Ned Easterwood

If you really want to try to do this, Catttrina - and I have read the books - Steve Jackson Games did a Callahan's Crosstime Saloon book for their popular GURPS RPG that included a floor plan. Don't know if it is still in print, but it may be available used.
I have done business with NOBLE KNIGHT GAMES - Role Playing Games, RPG's, Board Games, Miniatures, Dungeons and Dragons - New & Out-of-Print and they are quite satisfactory.

Lewis Luminos

I never read the books but years ago I did hang out in a popular bulletin board based off the same premise.

As an aside, lately I've been visiting the SLU club house at random times in the day and I always find at least 1 person there. This morning I logged on really early (UK time - about midnight SLT) and found an insomniac East-Coaster, with whom I spent a fun hour or so being taught how to play Greedy-Greedy. Then this evening I was on again and there was quite a crowd.

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Cattrina Careless

Thanks guys! Specially you Ned for the suggestion. Am going to go look see if I can find something. And I think I need to reread the books. It will be a hardship for me I know, but if I want to stay true to the theme ......

I have to really think about it tho. I do want to spend more time in SL but I dont want to devote more time to SL, if you know what I mean.

MaxDesoto

There already is a Callahan's in SL. There's even a Stonebender in charge, although I can't remember his name. Do a search, and you'll find it. They have Punday nights, and all that good stuff.

Max

P.S. I was Spider's sound man at Worldcon in Toronto!!

Cattrina Careless

OMG! ok gotta find it !!! thankyou thankyou thankyou

Tess Whitcroft

It does. And I current have a mess-o-prims ™ available to play around with. Hmmm...


Tess

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Cattrina Careless

I was ...... disappointed. The place was locked! Now I've always imagined the saloon to be a little more rustic, darker in some of the corners, more woodsy. I'm not sure if that's the way it is written (its been a while since I read the books) so I would love to hear how others had imagined it.

This place is very clean, very cottagy, no long tables, actually there weren't any tables at all. It had the requisite huge fireplace, but otherwise it was definitely too clean and wayyyyy to "cute".

So, I need a sanity check. What does the saloon look like in your minds eye?

Circe Timtam

I loved those too


In fact, it's high time I reread them

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Ned Easterwood

Cottagy? Callahan's?

Gotta be at least one long table. It's well-lit - Spider makes that quite clear. Big fireplace of course.
A bit woodsy maybe - but not rustic. Definitely not "cute". It is an establishment where serious drinking can take place.

Addendum:
I just popped in. This looks more like the joint might have after they moved to Key West, in Callahan's Key. Except they seem to feel the need to have dances, like every other place in SL, so they have a big dance floor.
I wonder if Spider knows about this? The GURPS volume was properly licensed.

Kyllie Wylie

I bet not, unless he is a second life player... I would say 99% of the non playing public have no clue what people can do or create here in SL, including copies of their real world work.

Ned Easterwood

Well then these folks are ripping Spider's IP rights. I might try a tactful IM or notecard when I go in world.

Addendum:
Here is the IM I sent to the owner, SeanMcPherson Senior.

"Hi Sean. I just happened to stumble upon your SL Callahan's. I assume that, as an obvious fan of Spider's work, you've got his permission to build this, so that you're not violating his Intellectual Property rights. I love the Callahan yarns myself."

And here's what he says in his Pick:

He's modeling after the Key West place then, not Long Island.

Ned Easterwood

Followup IM from him.
] SeanMcPherson Senior: You may be interested to read Spider Robinson -- Post Toast from years ago when he found us in alt.callahans, where I'd been active for years by that time, and also I can send you a later letter from him regarding our #Callahans channel that's existed on efnet/undernet for going on 15 years, and he's been informed of Callahan's in SL as well I think his PostToast explains his opinions on the matter pretty well, as does his Melancholy Elephants story. Callahans is a money loser in SL, just like the real bars would have been without time travellers and claurichauns, so we're good. Thanks and Welcome to The Place!