Kaya Angel is a long-term resident of Second Life, having been involved in the platform for over seven years. He is also the creator of Angel Manor and The Rose Theatre, one of the largest and most creative builds in Second Life: a grand English estate now spanning three regions. The build features a huge, Regency-style palace which encompasses The Rose Theatre (a long-time labour of love), an opera house, art gallery and more, and which is in turn surrounded by attractive formal gardens.
This truly is SL building on a grand scale – a place which has to be more than just visited – it has to be experienced. Whether you are a casual visitor, or attending a production at the fabulous Rose Theatre, opulent opera house or art gallery, Angel Manor deserves time to be explored inside and out – and by “time”, I don’t mean fifteen or twenty minutes; this is a palace one can wander within and around four hours and never stop finding something new which catches the eye.
From the moment you arrive, you know you’re in for something special; the main entrance to the palace presents a magnificent frontage overlooking the clear waters of a lake, broad steps leading up to the huge front doors, and paths leading off to either side along the formal gardens, inviting you to explore. Even the teleport / information boards are tastefully positioned so as not to ruin the feeling that one is in a period setting, being set well back so as not to intrude too much into a view of the house.
Follow the paths around the house and you’ll find trellised walkways, follies, places to sit, sculpted water features where swans glide peacefully – and more. Everywhere the attention to detail is clear, and the opportunities for the avid photographer obvious. I particularly like the way the entire build has been planned so that as much use can be made of Linden water as possible, rather than a reliance on prim water for fountains, etc. This adds a lot of depth to the build, especially when it comes to photography and using reflections.
Inside, and the attention to detail becomes even more abundant; the palace is rich in content – and I don’t just mean furnishings, statues, and so on; the attention to texturing floors, walls and ceilings adds tremendously to the feeling of authenticity and that one really is in a stately home – albeit one on a truly huge scale. The public function rooms offer outstanding venues for events and weddings – the estate’s chapel is one of many “must see” parts of the build – and I’m going to be keeping an eye on any upcoming events slated for the opera house; at the risk of wearing the word out, it truly is magnificent, with a stunning ceiling dome.
While exploring, make sure you follow any stairways which lead down as a well as up – there are a few surprises to be found in the vaults under the main house as well.
World of Beauty is the home region for Tableau Vivant, supplying skins, clothing, animations, mesh items and more, with goods spread across two stores, one at ground level, and the other some 2000m in the air.
The region is also the home of something of a “secret” and somewhat dark build by the Tableau Vivant team which though small, is nevertheless spectacular – particularly when viewed using deferred rendering.
Tableau Vivant’s sky build at World of Beauty (click to enlarge)
Is this a world struck by a natural catastrophe, or the aftermath of a man-made apocalypse? That’s for you to decide. For me, and for reasons I can’t adequately explain, looking around the build kept bringing excerpts from T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets to mind, starting with the opening of Burnt Norton.
Tableau Vivant’s sky build at World of Beauty (click to enlarge)
Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future, And time future contained in time past. If all time is eternally present All time is unredeemable.
Tableau Vivant”s sky build at World of Beauty (click to enlarge)
It’s perhaps unfair on both Eliot and the build to take both somewhat out-of-context in this way, but I was unable to shake myself from much of Four Quartets in camming around the ruined streets and shattered buildings. Although given the generall tone of the piece, perhaps a part of the third stanza from Burnt Norton has something of an understandable resonance.
O dark dark dark. They all go into the dark, The vacant interstellar spaces, the vacant into the vacant, The captains, merchant bankers, eminent men of letters, The generous patrons of art, the statesmen and the rulers, Distinguished civil servants, chairmen of many committees, Industrial lords and petty contractors, all go into the dark,
Tableau Vivant”s sky build at World of Beauty (click to enlarge)
Nor should it be taken to mean that the build is in any way depressing. Yes it is dark; the feeling of emptiness is palpable and the desolation obvious. But then, as Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin reminded us as he stood on the surface of the Moon, there can be a certain magnificence within a scene of desolation.
Go see for yourselves!
Tableau Vivant”s sky build at World of Beauty (click to enlarge)
“Naughty Mole, Sylvian Mole, Opti Mole, Earthy Mole – these name might not ring out as mightily (or ’cause some need to offer up “innocent” explanations!) as does the name Magellan Linden, but they all pioneered many of the frontiers of Second Life, building roads, raising up towns, sculpting parks and rivers, fearlessly throwing bridges across deep gorges, taking the wilds of the Mainland and opening it for all who would follow.
“Until Pyri Peaks; those strange hills standing above the shoreline of North Forepaw, which the moles believed would be an idea spot to site a fun fair, high up on a plateau overlooking the sea, For a time it seemed as though all was going well; building work was progressing well, steam engines were shipped in to power the rides, the sideshows were taking shape. Then came the reports of caverns being found under the site of the fair, and then – nothing.
“I’ve no idea if The Powers That Be attempted any form of investigation or rescue (were one needed), but the way in which attention was suddenly diverted away from those strange hills and the remaining moles directed towards new projects did seem a little odd, although I’d hesitate to use the words “cover-up” (the Rodviks, after all, do have ears!). So, in the interests of journalistic endeavour, I set out to visit the now largely deserted fun fair and see if I could unravel some of the mystery…
“It is, one has to say, a strange place. North Forepaw is innocent enough…but the climb to the fun fair; that’s something else entirely, lined with strange, silent trees, which stand like sentinels, their trunks carved into strange faces, which seemed to watch me every step of the climb. Looking up at them, I had to wonder why, in passing them all those years ago, the moles still thought this an ideal place to site a fun fair.
“Nor did things get any better as I approached the entrance to the fun fair itself, seemingly guarded as it is by one more of these strange trees, a hand-like branch stretched out, ‘palm’ upraised, a single glowing “eye” in the middle. A last warning, perhaps, to turn back?
The Great Debate over the impact of the Marketplace on the in-world economy is not new; nor is it likely to run its course any time soon. Even with its bugs, quirks, issues and annoyances, the Marketplace is a convenient means of shopping for many of us; so much so that it is easy to dispense with in-world visits to stores at all, unless looking for something very specific which requires a visual once-over prior to purchase.
However, while the Marketplace may well be of great convenience, it does mean that often when using it, we can miss out on an important aspect of in-world shopping – which is that many stores are part of some really creative and eye-catching builds.
I was reminded of this while visiting Pure Dreams recently. The home of Amelie Knelstrom’s Vespertine Home and Deco is a beautiful sim currently lying under a blanket of snow, the water around it frozen, and the high mountains tinted blue in the fresh, crisp air.
The store itself features a coffee shop, where patrons can sit and chat if they so wish, and is surrounded by a beautiful winter scene worthy of a visit in its own right. This is a place where visitors are positively encouraged to take their time not only shopping, but in exploring and enjoying themselves.
Regular readers may have spotted that many of the destinations I’ve covered in this blog are actually connected to commercial ventures – Tatty Soup, The Looking Glass, Cerridwen’s Cauldron, Black Spot, Sleepless Nights – to name but a handful. There’s no coincidence in this – it’s because these regions are, to me, some of the most outstanding and photogenic places in Second Life, and are often a tour-de-force of what the imagination can create when given the tools available to us through the viewer. By turning to the Marketplace first, they are also places we can all too easily miss in the rush to find whatever knickknacks we’re seeking; and that’s a shame.
Of course, it could be argued that not all stores offer such enticing – even romantic, at times – opportunities to explore, and finding them is pretty much a case of trial-and-error. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Within the Marketplace there is an option for a merchant to provide a SLurl to their in-world store – where it is provided, why not give it a go before making a purchase? It may not always lead you to a winter wonderland or a spring garden or a similar place of beauty and imagination – but if you don’t try, you’ll never know. And it’s not as if you’ll have to waste time getting there; the teleport is a wonderful thing…
While the Destination Guide may not be perfect, it does at least offer something of an alternative to blind chance in finding a store in an eye-catching location. And never forget the value of perusing blogs – I’m far from alone in featuring the beautiful builds often associated with stores in-world, as a visit to the likes of Honour McMillan and Ziki Questi will demonstrate.
The effort taken to find places like Pure Dreams or the Cheeky Tiramisu Cafe and others is not only in finding wonderful places to explore, it is also in finding places you can share with friends, and can return to agin and again – Cheeky Tiramisu’s cafe has a warm and friendly run of patrons happy to sit and chat, while places like Tatty Soup encourage quiet contemplation.
And even casual visits can help a business or merchant – even if you don’t drop in and buy something, there are always opportunities to show appreciation, both through telling others about your visit and the build, and in dropping a few lindens into any handy tip jar or donations box.
The Marketplace is great for the quick grab-and-go when you’re looking for something very specific or have limited time; it’s fast and convenient for most of us; but in an age when instant gratification tends to over-rule other considerations, it’s sometimes good to remember that window shopping can also be rewarding, can be shared – and may even lead to some wonderful discoveries.
I stumbled over nostos deer entirely by chance recently – it was literally a case of paging through the Destination Guide and then clicking on something that set a small bell ringing. It wasn’t until I arrived and started exploring that I realised why: Honour McMillan had posted on the region last year (I swear I’m going to have to superglue her shoes to the floor and hide her teleport button one day 🙂 ).
The region is home to Dora Nacht’s Little Hopper store (located inside a rock floating high in the sky), with the sim itself landscaped into a delightful park rich in whimsy and with just a touch of eye-catching surrealism, both of which make it an ideal destination for the foot-wary Second Life explorer who is looking for a place to rest and recuperate, and which offers to bring a smile to the well-travelled face. Indeed, given “nostos” is the Greek word for “homecoming” and the idea of returning home from a long journey, perhaps it is the ideal destination for those wanting a break in their SL meanderings …
nostos deer is one of those places which is full of things to do in a not-really-doing-things kind-of way, something which greatly adds to its charm, as even doing nothing will leave you smiling and wondering. You can, for example, sit on the beach and relax, look out to the sea, and watch the fish serenely swim above the waves (which should not be taken as a sign they’ve been incorrectly placed – nothing within nostos deer is the result of wrongful placement).
You can roam wherever you will on the island – old sleepers mark what appears to have once been a busy tram service. Only one set of tracks now remains, running from a little station overlooking a river valley and out towards the sea – literally!
If you tire of the beach, there’s a little kitchen serving sushi, or there’s a walk up the hill to a small church where you can sit in quite contemplation with other members of the rather unusual congregation…
Take a walk over the bridge spanning the river valley (gorge?), and you’ll find more to see and maybe do. Dara’s own swan boats sit against a waterfront pier on the west side of the island, waiting for you to take a ride, while further south is an inviting campfire and chairs offering warmth and a chance to sit and chat – although not entirely without a further measure of the surreal! Down at the river itself you can grab a canoe and go a-paddling or, if you’re up for a little surrealism on your own part, you can sit in the middle of the river and enjoy some time in a rocking chair, hovering serenely above the water…
Teleports up to the Little Hopper store can be found around the island, notably as pictures hanging on walls, although I much prefer the mineshaft teleport. The store shares a similar sense of the whimsical, with Dora’s swan boat displayed atop a forklift truck, and the entrance to the “underground” store is guarded by a LandRover and a tricycle.
nostos deer is, in every sense of the word, a delight and more than worth visiting. Should you decide to go and have a little wander, make sure you give yourself a little time – while the region is open and apparently lightly built-out, there are a lot of little details which can be so easily overlooked but the hurrying traveller.
And besides, to hurry through would be to miss the point; nostos deer is about unwinding from the need to hurry, and giving oneself a chance to breathe, smile, and linger …
I recently had the opportunity to return to into Aero Pines Park, Cindy Bolero’s multi-region recreational / residential / training estate.
For those unfamiliar with the estate, Cindy offers a rich environment where visitors can partake of a range of activities – horse riding, flying, canoeing, motorbike riding, show jumping, balloon flights, rodeo bull riding, etc., as well a providing open spaces and some fabulous homes which people can lease from her through her region sponsorship system.
Currently comprising six regions, Aero Pines is, rather interestingly, modelled on the area in which Cindy grew-up in RL: the Aero Pines Air Park in the Northern California Sierra Foothills. The impact of these childhood environs is very clear as one explores the SL parklands – all of the pursuits Cindy enjoyed growing up are reflected in the park’s activity options, and there is much that goes on which is related to the larger community surrounding the RL Aero Pines Air Park.
It is the sheer range of activities available at Aero Pines which can serve to make them very attractive – and well worth a visit for those seeking “something to do”. Exploring the regions of the park present all of the activities mentioned above, plus a range of other options, all of which are landmarked through a notecard “brochure” delivered to you on your arrival in the park (if it doesn’t arrive automatically, click the green sign).
Where you go from the arrival point is up to you – just pick a road / path and follow it; the scenery is more than inviting, and there is a lot to see around the place. Or if you want to try your hand at something specific, use one of the landmarks contained in the notecard.
Aero Pines Park is designed to be low-lag, so it is appreciated if you keep your script load low, and most of the region crossings are relatively stable – I’ve only ever encountered the odd problem of sinking into a road surface on crossing between regions, other than a lone occasion of being thrown into the sim boundary on the edge of the estate and ending up stuck until I relogged.
One of the attractive elements of the estate is that, while there are some vendors on public display – the ones alongside the jeep rezzer, for example, and others at the airstrip and around the centre of the equestrian activities, most of them are indoors, or completely hidden from view – such as inside hills – which helps maintain the rural feel of the regions.
As you explore, keep in mind this is also a residential park, and while the stores, etc., are all regarded as public places, the homes which can be found scattered across the regions are not. These are pretty easy to identify, although some have helpful “Private” signs on the fences surrounding them, and it is asked that residents’ privacy is respected,
In terms of residency at Aero Pines Park, Cindy offers a rather interesting approach: rather than renting out properties per se, people become sponsors. On the surface, this might sound little different to renting – at the end of the day, you have a parcel of land, a home and pay a monthly fee.However, by promoting the idea of sponsorship, Cindy is also promoting the idea and ideals of the Aero Pines community as a whole, and that someone is effectively investing in the community itself.
Parcels come complete with themed houses – although sponsors are free to replace them with one of their own, so long as it fits with the theme of the estate – all houses cost towards the prim allowance in the parcel. Prospective sponsors will also go through an interview process prior to taking up residence, again to help ensure the look and feel of the park will not be adversely affected. It’s also worth pointing out that parcels come at cost; Aero Pines Park is a non-profit park, and there is no additional mark-up on land above covering tier costs.
As well as offering visitors the opportunity to partake of a range of activities, the park also holds events throughout the year, some of which are themed to the season (there has recently been a Valentine’s Ball for example, and the pond at the centre of the estate is still frozen over for ice-skating).These events also help foster a sense of community and encourage visitors to spend time in the park exploring and enjoying themselves.
For those wishing to use their own form of transport rather than those provided through rezzing systems, visitors can join the Aero Pines Park group and obtain object entry rights within the park. However, whether taking to the road or the water – please keep in mind that this is a park, not a racing circuit. Visitors are expressly asked not to rez road vehicles (especially not emergency services vehicles or military vehicles) but are welcome to rez their own horses, traps, etc. No such restrictions apply to using the waterways or the Aero Pines airstrip.
If you’re into caves an caverns, Aero Pines Park also offers you a treat with the chance to go underground – just make sure you set your viewer to midnight when you do.
There is much on offer here for role-play groups, photographers and even machinima makers. Role-play groups should refer to the park’s brochure notecard, and machinima makers would be best served contacting either Cindy or one of the park rangers about filming. For photographers, the park offers some beautiful scenery and works well with a wide range of windlight settings.
All-in-all, Aero Pines Park is a great place to visit and explore. At six regions (currently), it offers plenty of room to make exploring interesting while avoiding tripping over other visitors / explorers, but it is not so big as to be overwhelming.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 