I love the start of October. Not only is the weather finally starting to cool down a little and the fall colors are coming in, but it’s also the one time of year when I feel really inspired to pull out all of my spooky-cute things. And what could be more perfect for October than spider hair jewelry? I’m wearing Sparkle Skye’s Along Came a Spider set, which includes spiders and spider webs that you can arrange pretty much any way you like. Scatter them throughout your hair, crawl them onto your clothes, or completely cover yourself in spiders if that’s the mood!
Another thing I love around this time of year is pulling out all of my bloody lips, cuts, scrapes, and other slightly creepy little details. I scored these free Glitter Tears from Pity Party at an event recently, although I can’t remember which one. They’re just the cutest way to cry in Second Life. If you’re going to cry, why not make it glitter tears?
My outfit today is the Dusty Outfit from Ricielli. Ricielli has always been known for quality ensembles and sexy lingerie, but one thing I’ve especially admired about the brand is the way they texture fabrics. There’s something really distinctive about their clothing that looks different from a lot of other brands in Second Life. This knit set is to die for, and I love that the dress and cardigan work just as well together as they do mixed and matched with other pieces in your wardrobe. You can find the Dusty Outfit at the Ricielli store (temporary location).
Sparkle Skye’s latest jewelry set, the Devon Autumn Earrings & Tiara set, immediately reminded me of Thumbelina, one of those childhood movies that I absolutely loved. The tiara is meant to be worn as a diadem across your forehead, but you can also flip it around and wear it over your head like I have here. I love jewelry that gives you options, and something about this particular set made me want to go full tiny fairy princess.
So I sat down on the rocky coast in the Second Life rain and suddenly felt very small and very Thumbelina. Even though AI editing is all the rage right now, I still love taking a good raw Second Life snapshot, and everything you see here is raw, even the rain. Second Life weather has come such a long way! I don’t actually know which rain effect Sparkle used to decorate this spot, but it might be the best rain I’ve ever seen in Second Life. It completely made the atmosphere of this photo.
You can get Sparkle Skye’s Devon Tiara and Earrings at The Fifty!
Happy Fall, y’all! I decided to move back to my original Copperfield Heights 1024 Linden Home, just in time to enjoy the autumn colors and seasonal landscaping. I really do have a soft spot for this little place, despite abandoning all of the other homes I’ve had in Copperfield Heights. Apparently this is the one that survived my revolving door of Linden Homes!
As for my Linden Home addiction… it’s managed! I only have three Linden Homes today, so that’s progress, right? My friend Fay did an amazing job with the landscaping and decorating the interiors here, and it feels so cozy for fall. I won’t post the SLurl publicly, but if you happen to come across this house while exploring, you’re more than welcome to peek inside.
Despite everyone chasing the 2048 Linden Homes, which are constantly sold out and obviously in high demand, I still like the 1024s way more. They’re a much better bargain for me, and I prefer the squarish land parcels. I’m not really a fan of the long rectangular parcels on many of the 2048s, and the price increase doesn’t appeal to me either. Even though I’m a Premium Plus member, I’d rather use my extra tier elsewhere on Mainland.
Now, if only Linden Lab would fix the EEPs on the older themes and update some of those textures to PBR! Please don’t abandon the older Linden Home themes. I think the Victorians and Traditionals, especially, could benefit so much from those two updates and get a whole new life without needing to be completely redesigned. And while we’re making wishes, could we please get some more natural exterior colors for the Victorians instead of so many pastels? That would be a great little Christmas surprise. HINT HINT
DLSS 5 vs Raw Second Life snapshot (Slide to view before/after)
Thanks to Hamlet at New World Notes for the mention! Be sure to take the DLSS 5 Survey and share what you think.
DLSS 5 is so much fun to experiment with, but it’s not magic. It’s not going to suddenly make your avatar look drastically different, and it’s definitely not like AI editing that can sometimes turn a cartoon avatar into a realistic human. My Second Life avatar still looks completely recognizable. The textures may look a little better, details may stand out more, and there’s additional shading around the face, hair, clothing, and environment that gives everything a little more depth. Sometimes the difference isn’t even that dramatic, but there’s just enough added dimension that I really like the overall look.
Of course, there are going to be critics and purists, especially people who are against anything involving AI, but I don’t understand the need to loudly discourage other residents from experimenting with it. Whatever happened to Your World, Your Imagination? In real life, people put filters over their photos every day using phone apps, Photoshop, and a million other things. Second Life photography has always involved experimenting with lighting, advanced Third Party viewers, graphics settings, post-processing, etc. DLSS 5 is just another thing to play with.
I’ve posted thousands of raw Second Life photos across my social media over the years, so I don’t think using DLSS 5 suddenly means someone lacks photography skills. Sometimes I want a raw SL photo, sometimes I want to edit, and sometimes I want to press F6 and see what DLSS 5 does. If you want to try it, try it! You might love it, you might hate it, or you might decide the difference isn’t worth the trouble.
As I sit there pressing F6 to turn DLSS 5 on and off, though, I can’t help thinking that I’m getting a tiny glimpse into what Second Life might eventually look like. I can imagine creators continuing to push textures and materials in this direction, especially with hair and face skins, where more detailed shading can add so much depth. Maybe someday we won’t need an experimental filter to get this look at all.
Every year I make my way to the Spoonful of Sugar Festival to support Doctors Without Borders and, of course, pick up some goodies from some of my favorite Second Life brands while I’m there.
Just like last year, AlaskaMetro has an amazing L$10 gift at the event. This year it’s a pack of Vintage China nails, which I’m wearing today and absolutely love. Izzie’s also has a Chest Details pack at the festival, and you wouldn’t think I’d willingly add imperfections to my perfectly good pixel body, but apparently I do! The pack includes chest freckles, redness, and moles, but I like the chest redness, so I’m wearing that with today’s look. Sometimes those tiny imperfections are exactly what make a Second Life avatar look a little more interesting and realistic.
The Spoonful of Sugar Festival runs through September 27, so you still have time to shop and support a good cause. There’s also a gacha and raffle area where you can win even more goodies and gift cards from some popular Second Life brands. If you’re going to shop anyway, you might as well do a little good while you’re at it!
Previously, I shared my first DLSS 5 photo and promised I’d return with the full process, comparison photos, and everything I learned while getting it working in Second Life. What I expected to be a quick installation turned into a much deeper dive, but after plenty of reinstalling, troubleshooting, and comparing files, I finally found a setup that works for me.
DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, an NVIDIA technology that uses AI to improve graphics. DLSS 5 goes beyond simply sharpening or upscaling the image by enhancing lighting, textures, materials, shadows, and small details in real time. The result still looks unmistakably like Second Life to me, only more polished and realistic.
The process may seem confusing at first, but once you have the correct files, installing it on another viewer should take about five minutes.
TL;DR: The Short Version
If you don’t want to read this entire post, here’s the condensed version:
Add Firestorm-Releasex64.exe, or the executable for your preferred viewer, and select OpenGL, ReShade (default) and DLSS5-Feeder (No DLSS / Incompatible DLSS).
Let DLSS 5 Swapper install the required files.
Replace the renodx-dlss5.addon64 with the older file posted by Krish as v4.55 in the official RenoDX Discord. It appears as approximately 1.61 MB in Windows or 1.62 MB in Discord.
Launch Firestorm and check ReShade’s Add-ons tab for DLSS 5 Feed 0.15.1 and DLSS 5 Neural Rendering.
Press F6 to turn neural rendering on or off.
If the optional Swapper controls say NOT CONNECTED, DLSS 5 may still be working.
The Videos That Helped Me Find the Answer
FlutterWonder’s DLSS 5 video led me to the solution. I reached out in Second Life and learned that the older renodx-dlss5.addon64 file was the missing piece. Thank you, Flutter!
I also found Athena Felicci’s DLSS 5 video. Athena has a Discord with instructions for another method. I haven’t tried it, but it appears to work for other residents.
How to Install DLSS 5 in Second Life
Step 1: Make a Separate Firestorm Installation
Copy your Firestorm folder and give the copy a different name. This lets you install ReShade, replace files and troubleshoot without risking your main viewer. Once everything works, keep a backup of the entire folder because newer experimental files may not work as well with Second Life.
Step 2: Add Firestorm to DLSS 5 Swapper
Open DLSS 5 Swapper, add a new game or installation, and select Firestorm-Releasex64.exe from the copied Firestorm folder. Be sure you modify and launch the same installation.
Use these settings:
Rendering API: OpenGL
Rendering backend: ReShade (default)
Installation route: DLSS5-Feeder (No DLSS / Incompatible DLSS)
Let the installation finish, then check the Firestorm folder for reshade-shaders and the required .addon64 files.
Step 3: Replace the RenoDX File With the Working Version
Join the official RenoDX Discord, open the #dlss5 channel, and check the Pinned Messages for the renodx-dlss5.addon64 file posted by Krish as v4.55. Discord displays the file as approximately 1.62 MB, while Windows displays it as approximately 1.61 MB.
Close Firestorm, open its installation folder, and overwrite the existing renodx-dlss5.addon64 with the older working version.
Step 4: Launch Firestorm and Check the ReShade Add-ons
Launch the Firestorm installation you modified, open ReShade with the Home key, and select Add-ons. My installation shows:
DLSS 5 Feed 0.15.1
DLSS 5 Swapper Overlay
DLSS 5 Neural Rendering
DLSS 5 Feed and DLSS 5 Neural Rendering are the important ones. DLSS 5 Swapper Overlay is optional, so its absence doesn’t mean the installation failed.
My ReShade Tips
The default ReShade controls can be annoying in Second Life, so these small changes make the setup much easier to use.
Change the ReShade overlay shortcut under Settings if you don’t want to use Home. I use the ~ key.
Set Settings > General > Input Processing to Pass on all input so you can control Second Life while ReShade is open.
Drag the top of the ReShade panel to move it anywhere on the screen.
Press F6 to toggle DLSS 5 neural rendering on or off.
Important Notes Before You Try This
This is an unofficial and experimental method.
Use DLSS 5 in short bursts for photos or testing instead of leaving it running all day. My viewer eventually felt slower, and my graphics driver crashed.
I tested this on Windows with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, not on a Mac.
Other graphics cards, drivers and viewers may produce different results.
Back up your viewer folder and working RenoDX file.
Download executable add-ons carefully and only from sources you trust.
If you try it, let me know which viewer and graphics card you used and whether the older RenoDX file worked for you. This setup is changing quickly, so something that works today may behave differently after a future update.
Need Help with Installing DLSS 5 to Second Life Viewer?
Join the Second Life Cafe Discord, dlss5 channel if you need more help: https://discord.gg/cdKVGHmYjq. I will answer all of your questions there!
I’ve seen DLSS 5 exploding all over Second Life social media for the past few days, and after seeing so many residents post their results, I had to try it for myself. I’ve been playing around with ReShade for a while, so I decided to install DLSS 5 through ReShade and see what it could do with Second Life.
DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, and it’s an NVIDIA technology that uses AI to improve graphics. DLSS 5 goes beyond simply sharpening or upscaling the image. It enhances lighting, textures, materials, shadows, and small details in real time. To me, the result still looks like Second Life, only more polished and realistic.
It’s really late, but I couldn’t wait to share my first raw image with DLSS 5. I’ll write a more in-depth post soon explaining the entire process, along with my settings and plenty of before-and-after comparison photos. For now, here’s my first attempt. Stay tuned for more!
I tried on the new Celia skin by Mila, and my immediate reaction was, “I don’t hate this.” For me, that’s good enough to keep going and see if I can make a skin work. The shine is intense, but since nearly every skin maker in Second Life seems to be adding more shine, pores, and shading directly onto their skins, I thought maybe I should embrace it. It’s supposed to create a realistic, slightly wet look, but it can look strange when your face is glowing and your body skin is completely flat. Some body skins are getting shinier too, but realistically, who wants to look that shiny all the time?
I was pleasantly surprised to find that Celia includes a Shine Reducer layer, although “reducer” might be generous because it barely made a difference. I still needed several layers from Izzie’s to tone everything down, but I didn’t want to make the skin completely matte either. I bought it because I wanted something different, so removing all the shine would defeat the purpose. What bothered me even more than the shine was the pink shading around the sides of the face and chin. If you try Celia, look closely at those areas and decide whether it’s something you can live with because once I noticed it, I couldn’t stop looking at it.
Mila – Celia Skin (with a ton of Izzie’s tattoo fixes added)
This skin is giving me Megan Fox, and although I tried wearing it as a blonde, I don’t think that does it justice. I’ll wear it as a brunette instead. My bigger complaint is the current trend of baking everything directly into a skin. Why not let customers choose whether they want shine, pores, heavy shading, or any of the other extras? Celia even has baked-on eyelashes, which is a total crime against skins. I generally think Mila is a very good cosmetics brand, and Celia was cute enough to convince me to buy it, but between the shine, pink shading, and eyelashes, I don’t think it’s a skin I could wear all the time.
Happy birthday to Truth Hawks! Without your presence in Second Life, we would all be a little less stylish, so naturally, your birthday should be celebrated grid-wide.
I went to The Arcade. I recently told you how burned I felt after the last round, but apparently, I don’t learn my lesson. I went again and found so many schoolgirl outfits, which is perfect for the back-to-school season. As if I don’t already have 100 schoolgirl outfits in my Second Lifetime, but I played, and I conquered.
My friend says I look like a bad schoolgirl, but whatever could she mean? Gogo is so sweet, definitely not a mean girl. The Seniha Back to School outfit is actually pretty reasonable for a gacha. You can easily put together a complete outfit with just a few plays.
I also love everything Movement makes, so I was happy to see their darling gacha offerings. If you love accessories, check out the Movement Zodiac Girl set. The set includes a planner, bag, and tablet.
It’s officially autumn in Second Life! The Bellisseria regions have changed seasons, and the best season has arrived. Bring on the cozy vibes and pixel sweaters.
At the height of Bellisseria, I started attending the Concierge & Land User Group meetings because I wanted the latest tea on what was happening with Bellisseria, Mainland, and land in general. The meeting has since been renamed the Land & Support User Group, and in the beginning, I actually thought it was pretty productive. The Lindens in charge listened to feedback, answered questions, and residents had a chance to bring up things that mattered to them.
Over time, though, I started wondering how much these meetings represent what the average Second Life resident actually wants. The people who attend regularly are obviously going to have the loudest voices, and sometimes those voices result in things the rest of us have to live with. I will never get over the ugly bridges connecting parts of Bellisseria. Instead of one long ugly bridge, couldn’t we have had a cute little island between the two themes, with little boats or walking paths connecting everything? There were so many ways they could have made it cute, but somebody wanted bridges, and now we have bridges.
There are actually a lot of official Second Life user group meetings happening regularly, and I think more residents should attend them, especially if you care about where Second Life is headed. You might be surprised by what other residents are asking Linden Lab to change, and some of those changes will eventually affect YOUR Second Life.
I’ve also been watching recordings of some of the other Second Life user group meetings on Pantera’s YouTube channel, and that’s actually where I first heard some of the discussions around the recent Marketplace changes. One of the new policies will automatically unlist products that haven’t sold in a year AND belong to a merchant who hasn’t logged in for a year. I think requiring both conditions makes the policy way too lenient. In my opinion, it should be products that haven’t sold OR merchants who haven’t logged in. Otherwise, we’re still leaving a lot of unpopular products and potentially unsupported products sitting on the Marketplace.
Sometimes I listen to these meetings and think Linden Lab may be listening a little too closely to whichever residents happen to be the most vocal in the room. Maybe some of these ideas will work out, but I suspect they’ll eventually find out that a few of these policies didn’t accomplish much, or made things worse overall. That’s also why I think more people should attend these meetings. If only the same group of residents shows up every week, those are naturally going to be the opinions Linden Lab hears the most.
My look for the recent Land & Support User Group meeting reminded me of a peasant, which felt very appropriate for a land meeting, LOL. Landed Peasants, reporting for duty! If you own land or care about what happens to Second Life, I really do encourage you to attend one of these meetings sometime. The more residents who show up and speak up, the more voices Linden Lab gets to hear.
