Frighteningly (in some respects), it’s been almost a decade since my first visit to Mother Road – Mirage Motel 66, a homage to the original Mother Road region created by Paul Cutter (Xtreme Paule) – see Get your pics on Route 66 in Second Life. However you look at it, that’s a long time, so I recently decided to hop back as see what has changed. And the answer is a lot – but without actually changing in nature.
Route 66 has tended to be a popular inspiration for region builds in SL (hence the original Mother Road design) , and Paul opted to use the history of the Route and the original Mother Road region to offer a setting mindful of Nevada in general style, with the tarmac of the the titular road running arrow-like straight through it. At the he initially opened the setting, Paul noted to me that it was something of an experiment; a 1/2 region design built as both a showcase and what might be possible in the future.
Well, that 1/2 region has since ground into a total of three regions and has brought forth a healthy community. The original Full region is now completely occupied by the setting, and has been joined by two more, each a Full region leveraging the Land Capacity bonus, one to the east of the original region and one to the south.
Much of the expansion is given over to rental parcels – so visitors should be wary of residents’ desire for privacy when they are exploring – but these are mixed with numerous public spaces and buildings to add atmosphere and a sense of space. There are also more roads, both paved and unpaved, allowing residents within the community to enjoy the freedom of driving (as can those joining the local Group – LS $250) whilst again giving a feel of reality to the setting.
They variety of homes is rich, running from a trailer park to expansive houses with solar, patios, pools and plenty of parking, with smally houses and cabins filling out the middle ground. Some sit roadside with proper drives, other sit at the ends of dirt tracks. Together they all form a sense of Americana that’s unmistakable in setting and style – if perhaps at times over-egged by Hollywood.
Nor does the setting exist purely on the ground. As well as a rental – umm, office -, the Landing Point(s) offer(s) teleports up to a series of sky platforms. These comprise:
- The Road and Camping Theatre: space to drive, featuring a drive-in that has seen much better days.
- Camina Madre: a residential platform continuing the overall theme from the ground level in its mixing of rentals.
- Lost Oasis: a desert setting apparently largely forgotten by time, through which the main routes hurries as if anxious to leave it behind.
The Road and Camping Theatre and Camina Madre are directly connected to one another as well as to the ground level, allowing for direct teleporting between them. Lost Oasis, however, sits at the end of its own teleport that only connects between it and the ground. All three sky platforms appear to be more welcoming / better suited to visitor vehicle rezzing than might be the case on the ground.
The motel that greeted visitors to the original version of the setting remains, and appears to have undergone a small revamp down the years, with “suites” now available – nice to see places making the effort to keep up-to-date and welcoming 🙂 . Those looking for a meal can find one in the diner next door or perhaps in the bar across the road which has apparently replaced the gas station that used to sit across from the motel – ah, progress, progress!
I would also point out that the bike rezzers I remember from my first visit can still be found – just be wary of the region boundaries!
As I noted back in 2017, this is not, the most affluent of locations; rusting hulks of cars are scattered around, together with the detritus of civilisation and the homes are somewhat tired. But it is, without a doubt effective and engaging in its presentation – and given the number of rental occupancies, it is appreciated by the local inhabitants. It also remains ideal for photography, with rezzing rights available, as noted above, on joining the local Group.
If there were one thing I would note about Mother Road in this form is that it is rich in objects and textures (as one might expect from three regions adjoining one another and two of them with the Land Capacity bonus). This makes for a lot for the viewer to handle if you wind Draw Distance up. This is a bit of a shame, as Mother Road really deserves to be seen as a continuous setting; however, if your system is liable to get upset with you for playing with settings, just keep things low and just enjoy the views as the materialise.
One thing you should not do, however, is avoid the setting on the belief Draw Distance must be dialled up; it has a lot to offer for the keen SL explorer.
SLurl Details
- Mother Road – Mirage Motel 66 (Mishiland, rated: Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 