Large events such as Miss Virtual World pose special challenges in Second Life. When huge numbers of avatars gather on one sim, issues with lag and crashing can grind classy affairs to a halt. In an effort to ensure that the pageant would run smoothly, Frolic worked with Second Life builder, Patch Thibaud to create the Patch Thibaud auditorium. The structure sits on four sims to accommodate hundreds of guests and its modern deco design provides an elegance fitting the Miss Virtual World competition.

The push for a non-traditional appearance stemmed from Frolic's desire to deviate from the number of traditional auditoriums in Second Life. Instead, the build is a fresh style that is unique and classy. Patch attributes the quality of the design to his evolution as a builder and discovery of the way prims lend themselves to the style of modernism and deco design.

"Deco typically uses a lot of flat surfaces and simple curves, and when the ornament appears it tends to be flat," Patch says. "Deco uses a lot of bas relief or tile/painted surfaces rather than the geometrically complex and highly 3D details of so much of the form and detailing of buildings in the two great western style traditions - Roman and Gothic. You can now do some of this style of detail in SL using sculpties, but I tend to avoid this whenever possible because of the limitations of sculpties - especially when they are likely to be viewed at a distance. I've had details made out of sculpties actually disappear 'into' other prims when you move too far away!"

For the same reason, Patch often uses Moroccan styles and other, similar, traditional builds. The flat designs fit well with the limitations of Second Life building materials without the distortions sculpties often create.

Despite the ease of using a modern deco look for the auditorium versus the more traditional look which would fight the basics of the Second Life prim, Patch faced difficulties when it came to building on multiple sims. The idea of a four sim theater would offer reduced lag, larger audiences and less likelihood of performer mishaps.

However, problems arose with building across the sims. According to Patch, "Having all those sim boundaries so close is also a problem when it comes to making sure avatars don't fall through the floor or end up stuck in a prim. When we started, we thought all the audience would be in the box seating with only the judges seated on the floor area. And so I felt free to use giant prims to make the whole floor area in curving tiers."

Patch regretted his choice due to the need for more floor seating, the nightmare of floor division and issues with avatar rendering. Rezzing large numbers of avatars can crash computers, so the build was created to limit sightlines from each audience box. Additionally, the audience was warned not to cam to see who was arriving or what was on the fashion list for the event due to the possibility of crashing. In order to prevent performer crashes due to avatar rezzing issues, a wall was created between the performers and audience that allowed the audience to see the contestants, but prevented the contestants from seeing the viewers.

Patch elaborates on another step that was taken to help reduce lag: "The three lobbies with their separate forecourts were also done so that that the sections could be shut off from each other if necessary for 'crowd control,' so that everyone could be prevented, when needed, from jamming the central sim and lagging it to death or crashing it."

Although he is fond of the chandeliers, Patch is most proud of the total design of the auditorium. It is, as intended, an elegant backdrop to the people who occupy it. Whether the event is the Miss Virtual World Pagent or the Make a Wish Charity Auction, Patch's ingenuity and creativity have provided us with a venue that fits the quality of the affair.

-Written by DeMerick Creeley