One of the benefits of having been a resident of SecondLife for several years is an ability to evaluate the past and make well-founded suggestions for charting a path into the future. Enter Thea Papp, a long-time resident of the SL Grid, and she has graciously agreed to share her perspective on where things have gone well in this Virtual World, as well as suggestions for improvement for the years ahead.
For nearly two decades, Thea has been a strong and creative presence in Second Life. Known for her commanding role as a Mistress, her uncompromising standards, and her bold new project The A-Club, Thea has experienced SL through all its changes. In this interview, she shares her journey, her vision, and her honest thoughts on what SL gets right, and what could still improve.
Josh
(Thomas1 Bellic) (JB): So Thea,
thanks for agreeing to meet with me today.
To begin with, I am hoping you can share something about who you are and
your interests in SecondLife?
Thea Papp
(TP): I’ve been a Mistress for 18
years now. Everything I’ve done in SL has been connected to domination in one
way or another, and I’m still doing it.
Domination
isn’t just a roleplay style for me, it’s about control, responsibility, and
vision. Those same principles guide how I build and create in SL. Perfection is
the only acceptable outcome. If it’s not done perfectly, it’s not ready. That’s
my philosophy, and it’s what drives me now as I build The A-Club, my boldest
project yet.
JB: In 18 years you certainly have a
perspective that not many people have achieved. Can you share with our readers some
of the changes you have seen in SL over your time here?
TP: In the beginning, it was raw, a
frontier. Everyone was experimenting, trying things, and the philosophy was
that anyone could build something unique and instantly find their place. It
wasn’t polished, but it was alive.
Over the years, the visuals became sharper, avatars more detailed, and builds more realistic. Clubs, shops, and communities also became more structured and professional. SL is more beautiful now, but sometimes I miss the wild spirit of the early days.
JB: I understand you have a project underway
called “The A-Club”. Can you tell us about that please?
TP: The A-Club is still under construction,
but it’s a project I’ve been shaping for some time. It’s designed as a
cathedral-inspired structure, Gothic architecture on the outside, but inside
it’s all about the energy of house music and similar styles.
I don’t want
another old-fashioned playlist. The A-Club will bring house, vocal house, deep
house, music that feels alive, modern, and international.
The design
itself is as much a statement as the music. Soaring walls, vaulted rooflines,
intricate details, a space that feels historic, yet modern with its lighting
and sound. It’s not just about creating a dancefloor, but about creating an
atmosphere. A place where you step in and feel you’ve entered something
unforgettable.
And I’m
patient with it. I’ll open the doors only when it’s as perfect as I can make
it. Quality over speed. That’s rare in SL, where many clubs launch quickly and
fade just as fast.
JB: Based on your experience, what would you
say are some of the best things about SecondLife?
TP: The best thing about SL is the freedom to
create without limits. You can build a cathedral, a script, a dress, anything
you imagine, and share it with others immediately. There’s nothing else like
it.
I also love
the way SL connects people across borders. I’ve had conversations and
friendships here that never would have happened in real life. SL collapses
distance. You meet people you’d never cross paths with otherwise, and you
create memories together.
And one of
my favorite moments is seeing my builds come alive with people inside. When you
put so much work into a place and then see others enjoying it, that moment
makes it worth it.
JB: And you must also have seen some things
that could stand improvement? What might they be?
TP: Second Life has always been full of
brilliant ideas from its residents, but the platform itself hasn’t always kept
up. Things like lag and slow updates can hold us back, when we all know SL has
the potential to be even better.
Another
concern is the concentration of power in the hands of a few. What I notice is
that many clubs and stores in SL can feel surprisingly similar, almost like
they’re run from the same playbook. Sometimes you even wonder if there’s really
more than one person behind it all. Either way, the effect is the same: a few
big names dominate the scene, and smaller independent voices struggle to be
seen. That’s far from the open, diverse spirit SL started with.
I don’t try
to compete with the giants. My goal is not numbers, it’s meaning. I build for
those who appreciate what I create. That, to me, feels truer to the original
philosophy of SL: freedom, individuality, and diversity.
JB: Looking ahead, what do you want your role in SL to be?
TP: My focus now is on bringing The A-Club to
completion. But more broadly, I see my role as a reminder that SL is still a
place where vision matters.
I want
people to remember that SL is not about doing the same thing everyone else
does. It’s about creating something personal, something new, even if it doesn’t
reach millions. That’s the magic of SL: your space can be small, but it can
still be unforgettable.
Second Life is what we make of it. If we accept mediocrity, that’s what we get. But if we raise the standard, demand more, and dare to build what we dream, then SL can keep surprising us, just like it did the first time we logged in.
So there you have it, Folks. Straight from the heart of one who has been around long enough to know, and is not shy about sharing that knowledge with others. Whether you are curious about the BDSM Lifestyle in SL, or just want to see a one of the most amazingly creative builds to hit the grid in a while, “The A-Club” promises to be a build that you simply will not want to miss. And when you do, tell ‘em Josh sent ya. You’ll be glad you did..
For more information about THEA PAPP and her Build, check out the following:
SURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Thea%20Isle/75/154/23
DISCORD: https://discord.gg/gkmxBmGt5T
DISCORD: Thea Papp, 1121828066239459449,
EMAIL: theapapp@yahoo.com
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