We started about one year ago, talking, meeting, planning, doing research, making layouts, models. The task was straight forward, yet daunting: to create a representation of the real city of San Diego in cyberspace. The generic “private island” (sim) was terraformed, as a child might use modeling clay, making a virtual map of the actual city. After that came the placement of crude “life size” models, the making of roads and bridges, the finished untextured buildings, then final texturing inside and out, and finally the landscaping and other finishing touches. It’s not a photocopy of San Diego, but rather an idealized version of the real thing, with familiar landmarks and places of interest, constructed with the utmost care and attention to detail. It is a place filled with historical significance and a community of real people interacting in real ways, all of this in the setting of a virtual world known as “Second Life”. Our grand opening was May 5, 2007 (Cinco de Mayo). Since that time, many thousands of visitors from around the globe have come to enjoy the experience of Diegoland: music, dancing, shopping, exploring, meeting people and making friends, even finding romance… becoming a community of “Diegolanders”. We have hosted fashion shows, sidewalk “Spanish” markets, festivals, art exhibits, charity events (including a virtual auction), a college classroom, a church “service”, and a virtual wedding. Why Diegoland? Because sometimes a dream can become a thing of beauty, to be shared, cared for, and loved. It can become a familiar destination, a safe harbor, a home in a vast virtual universe. And for many folks, including those who have never set foot in the real place, a chance to experience the spirit of the city of San Diego, America’s finest, now lovingly represented for all the world to enjoy. Champion Valiant, owner of Diegoland, December 2007
