If there's one thing I've learned from minimal techno music production, it's that the most basic elements (bass, kick + snare drums) need to be done right before any overlaying accoutrements can be added. Without a solid foundation, the house may as well be made out of cards — inevitable collapse.

I recently attended the Tiny Universe Convention. Sensational, splendid, and bursting with the vibrant creativity which exemplifies the best of Second Life. Tiny avatars in Second Life look like what they sound like, often consisting of the default humanoid avatar mesh scrunched into a "meatball" position (with an animation overrider) so prim attachments can surround the outside. Sometimes, invisiprims to hide the default mesh are used too. Tinies are often cute, and have become a unique SL cultural tour de force. Although many are to cheer for their continued success, Wynx Whiplash & ExtroVirtual are recognized as the originators of the form. Sure, other environments have things that look like tinies, but only SL has a burgeoning industry with accessories, vehicles, dance moves, and more. Many new Residents, upon their first sight of a tiny, wonder "How do they do it?" or "Where can I get an avatar like that?"

It's a delicious curiosity.

Today, I experienced what can only be described as a joyful saturation, an explosive abundance of the latest phases of tiny evolution. Like minimal techno music, it started with an essential theme, a core idea — tinies! — and wove supplementary layers of aesthetic genius around it.

My jaunt began when I heard from Nock Forager, then saw some pictures on Happy mood (yuyu Flores) and Miyaoka Hitchcock's photostreams of some Torley-colored (watermelon!) tinies who were waiting for me, Torley-san.

Photo by Giorno Brando.

FOR ME? I'm honored and surrealized. As you'll now know if you didn't already, I have a resonant kinship with talented craftsmakers in Second Life who are high in exemplariness and low in st00pid drama, and focused pods of them can be found in our Japanese communities. I don't speak Japanese, but am incrementally amazed by their brilliance which transcends the written/spoken word. From technical advances in sculpted prims to laser-sharp design which inspires others to improve their store layouts to their overall niceness, one can only gain and be bettered by their flowing festitude.

[Today (2008-06-01), the Convention ended at 8 AM PDT, and I'm happy I woke up early with my wife. I didn't get a chance to attend earlier due to sheer lack of time, and am thankful to the tiny mavens who waited for me.]

Upon entering, I instantly made a number of observations, lessons which could and should be applied by future convention organizers seeking design excellence…

They choose a theme of "space", and the kiosks reflected this: each tiny model stood on a unique "planet", with a transparent floor showing you planetoids and other astronomical esoterica underneath. In an open courtyard at the end, they even had a moon you could "walk" on. While not every tiny avatar was space-oriented, they all benefited from a cohesive theme.

More about the kiosks themselves: arrangement simplicity. A curved path was laid out from beginning to end. It's linear, you walk on it, and along the way are avatars in spaced increments — basically, merchandise on display, but definitely not crude. A copy of the actual tiny avatar is shown (in 3D, not just a cardboard cutout), and to the right is the "buy this avatar" panel on top, with an info-panel on the bottom. While diverse artists had different stylistics — I'll note some avatars were only available for the duration of the event — this, too, helped bond all of the creators by way of a common format, allowing them to show off shared strengths and make it easier for any casual visitor (such as myself) to easily learn about and purchase said tiny avatars.

There were flavorfully-sculpted bipedal animals (the initial tinies' form), micro-humans, mini-mecha, a cactus plant, and even an electric fan. This particular fan proclaimed itself to be a Torley fan.

Juxtaposed with such neatness, after you complete the "space walk" through the space-spheres, I was joyed to see a messy moggling of boxes, stray scraps, and other creative chaos. It was like their basecamp, where many of them waited for me. But guess what? It came after a well-assembled section of freebies, the history of tinies in SL (to be translated to English, I'm told), and even a DIY tiny kit.

I don't know if this is the first DIY tiny kit, but it's the first I've seen, and while I haven't explored it in-depth yet (still have lots of goodie-unpacking to do), that's a remarkable idea in itself. It'll both help make it more easy for newcomers to get started making tiny avs, and propagate the culture.

Relating it to what Seth Godin often preaches/teaches: make your ideas easy — smooth! — to spread. No coincidence that TED's motto is "ideas worth spreading", and I hope that cultures like Second Life tinies get more coverage in outside media. Beyond the surface cuteness, there's deep psychological intricacy of why we choose these tinies to represent ourselves. And if the likes of NeoPets and Pokemon can succeed to the masses, so can this.

I give my most exalted THANXIES! to the main staff of Tiny Universe Convention: Nobunaga Ogee, Cue Fride, Tomoneko, Mayo, Fake Fitzgerald, Zig March, and Achamo Paine. I also need to thank Nock Forager, Miyaoka Hitchcock, and the HPMD (Happy Mood) members for getting me so excited in the first place. Furthermore, gracious thanks to Hiroaki Rhino for being my friendly tour guide and translator, and thanks to each and all the great tiny and non-tiny avatars I traveled with onsite — we were like this organic swarm headed forth, THE BEST RPG PARTY EVAR, and it was nothing less than epic thrill to see those of you who dressed in watermelon colors. My colors stand for positivity, and it's clear you do too. My only disappointment is that I didn't take enough pictures, but many of you are named within.

For more information, visit the Tiny Universe Convention pool. While the event is over and the grounds are empty, you can check out the Tiny Kingdom region for a continuation of the excellence I had the pleasure of being a part of today.

Only in Second Life.