Category: Exploring Second Life

Cube Republic (of landscaping fame) poked me recently concerning Viper Heaven, a skyborne installation built by Markarius Viper high over one of the regions of Viper Estate, which Markarius runs along with JimSqu Sunbelter. An artist, builder and regions designer, Markarius’s name is not new to me, although I had to go all the way back to 2016 to find the last design I’d blogged about in which he played a role in designing (Osprey Ridge, which he designed with Flo (SweetFloXO), a place now gone from SL and the region repurposed as a marina). Given this and – most importantly – Cube’s recommendation – I stepped on the pad, figuratively speaking and ordered “energise.”

And am I ever glad I did; Viper Heaven is one of the most visually engaging, photogenic, imaginative, potentially romantic and mysterious designs it has been my pleasure to visit. Built high over a Full region utilising the Land Capacity bonus, Viper Heaven seamlessly brings together elements of fantasy, mythology, ancient civilisations, art, lighting, and a light smattering of religious iconography in a genuinely captivating setting which is an utterly Must See destination.

However, before getting into specifics – no easy task in itself, given the visual richness of the setting – there are a number of points worth keeping in mind ahead of any visit. The first is that everything within the setting has been carefully orchestrated – including the environment settings. It’s therefore vital it ensure your viewer is set to Use Shared Environment (World → Environment menu) prior to visiting. Alongside of this is the fact that Viper Heaven uses a localised Experience to handle seamless transitioning between the different environment settings as visitors move between locations and levels. This Experience also allows for automated teleports when the setting’s various portals are encountered, therefore, it is essential you join the Experience when the pop-up dialogue is displayed by your viewer.

Finally, and while Shadows do not need to be enabled during a visit (in fact, because of the surrounding shell of the “sky”, I would suggest leaving shadows off, even if you do normally explore with them enabled), due to the use of projectors, it is vital you make sure Advanced Lighting Model is enabled in your viewer (Preferences → Graphics → check Advanced Lighting Model if not already checked – and am I ever glad the occasions when I’ll have to give that reminder will start to draw to a close in the future!).

To describe Viper Heaven is something of an exercise in futility; the simple truth is that this is a genuinely rich and immersive setting folding so much into it, and to appreciate it properly, it has to be seen first-hand. That said, and just to whet appetites, visitors will, within the three primary levels of of installation, find touches of ancient Egyptian and Grecian religion and mythology. For example Isis, Anubis, Bastet and Sobek occupy a setting that might easily suggest a location on the banks of the Nile at Thebes or perhaps Memphis; elsewhere, there is a ruined temple of an Oracle – still visited, it would seem, given the fresh fruits laid out before her statue in the hope of receiving divination by those leaving the gifts. Then, perhaps most noticeable of all – there are the three mighty Titans holding aloft the upper level, as if in honour of Atlas as he held aloft the celestial spheres, whilst  Ganesha / Ganesh sits on a stone plaza, offering another touch of religious mythology.

And that’s just to start; also awaiting discovery are touches of Elven and Fae fantasy – particularly in the form of plants and structure by the Master Elf himself, Elicio Ember, whilst one corner of the setting carries a strong hint of Fritz Lang, another carries a Lovecraftian air, and still another a suggestion that dwarfish tools have been at work in hidden caverns. As all this is just for openers. From the landing point on the uppermost level paths wind around the main island as it is held aloft by the Titans, bridges reaching out to islands floating close to hand, stairs rising to different levels and exotic plants floating among the trees to cast a further air of alien fantasy into the mix.

As mentioned, portals link the various levels, and these take various forms. Some are animated and rather indicative of their purpose. Others many appear as doors partially opened or tight shut. Still others might appear to be just a blank face of rock or wood into which the path seems to collide. No clue is given as to where they might lie or where they might lead – so if you want to discover all of Viper Heaven’s myriad secrets and appreciate its beauty and design to the fullest – walk is the order of the day!

Nor is Viper Heaven alone within the estate; also awaiting discovery is Viper Hell, as well are several other public locations. These are separate to Viper Heaven – giving me an excuse for return visits in the future! – but Markarius has developed a HUD to help people get around, which will hopefully soon be generally available at landing points, etc. But in the meantime, if you do pay a visit and catch Markarius on radar or in person, he’ll be happy to provide you with a copy of the HUD on request.

And all that said, I’ll leave you with my impressions of the setting on video – the first I’ve been able to produce of any reasonable length in a good few years thanks to ne hardware. I’m not sure how many videos I’ll produce going forward (I have some outstanding obligations to fulfil now I have everything sorted once more!), but frankly, Viper Heaven was simply too beautiful not to attempt to film it.

My thanks to Cube for the pointer, and to Markarius for taking the time to chat with me.

SLurl Details

• Viper Heaven (Viper Isles, rated Adult)

Coffee in large mugs and books I like reading
Bright covers calling and fresh beans for grinding
Stories that soar just like birds on the wing,
These are a few of my favourite things.

with apologies to the estate of Oscar Hammerstein II

Well, the above isn’t something you’ll find in the actual lyrics of any song coming out of the most unusual adaptation of The Sound of Music, let alone Favourite Things, but they are more-or-less what trundled through my odd little caffeine-fuelled mind on visiting the latest region design at Tripty’s (triptychlysl) Full region, Reality Escape.

Books, Coffee & Chairs – Oh My! is exactly that – a celebration of three of Tripty’s (and dare I say, my own) favourite things in life; I personally love curling up with a book and a but mug of freshly-brewed coffee (straight from my own grinder by way of the coffeemaker and milk frother). More than this, however, is the fact that it is a genuinely engaging region worthy of a visit.

Trippy is not new to SL, although her Profile might suggest otherwise at first look. Who she might have been previously is not important; as she notes herself, sometimes in life, all one can do is walk away from something for a time. However, I’m glad that she has decided to return, because whilst I’ve never (knowingly, at least) met her, she has a core of creativity and imagination which results in the richness and beauty of her region builds.

This is a simple, quiet and elegant region design that is easy on the eye and which can be easily enjoyed with a pleasant stroll; it is also a place with its own little quirks that add to the setting. The latter is evident directly at the landing point, sitting at the southern extent of the island. Here three little humps of grassy rock rise from the water, like mossy shells of turtles swimming along. The watery gaps between these three and the rest of the setting are spanned by bridges in the form of oars supported by books.

In addition, just across the water, at the point where the local stream reaches the surrounding waters, is an arch of chairs held aloft by statues. Shortly before reaching the sea, the stream passes over another channel of water by means of a culvert formed by the heavy forms of giant books. This not only marks the landing point as being separated completely from the main body of land, it further adds another element of quirky charm to the setting. The water channel is also crossed by a footbridge linking the fullness of the region with the landing point, beyond which a series of paths cross the grassy lands, offering multiple points of exploration.

The land itself is home to a single building, located on one bank of the stream. A former wooden-framed greenhouse, it now formers a cosy, inviting café; a place where books and a beverage can be enjoyed indoors and out, according to one’s preference. It is a place packed with details and bric-a-brac which deserves not only a visit, but time taken to appreciate how much has been put into it.

For the rest of the setting the paths offer the best means of exploration as they meander gently northwards and into the hills towards that end of the setting. Exactly which of the two main paths you take from the café matters not. Both depart the riverside decking at the café (or if you prefer, you can saunter up the loosely laid stones of the café’s garden path to re-join the path leading away from the landing point). Whichever path visitors take, they will be guaranteed a reunion with the other main path around the mid-point of the island before they separate once more.

The shorter of the two paths then continues on to a little east-facing bay and a campsite – one of many places visitors can sit and enjoy time or a quiet read. Further to the north, reached by the other path, the landscape climbs gently upwards to where a thumb of rock is raised over the rest of the setting, water tumbling from one side to feed the region’s stream. Crossed and re-crossed by the trail, the stream helps the many fields and meadows around the setting to bloom and the local trees to grow, offer fingers of shade to travellers and splashes of colour.

Throughout all of this are multiple places to sit and pass the time. Some are what might be called “conventional” – a rocking chair here, a tepee there and deck or two over the water, and so on. Others are more unusual -, or quirkily unexpected – a rack of bus-stop seats arranged as waterside seating; garden chairs converted to swings , benches forming steps and more oversized books helping to form the landscape, stepping up a slope like a garden fence.

However, the truth is that this is a setting for which words are not enough; there is a beauty to Books, Coffee & Chairs – Oh My! that is captivating (not to mention photogenic). Add to this the attention to detail and decorative touches by Trippy, and this is the kind of place which should be seen first-hand. That said, I wouldn’t leave doing so for too long; Trippy tends to rework the region periodically, so Books, Coffee & Chairs – Oh My! might soon disappear; which in some respects will be a shame – although I’m also curious to see what new magic Trippy cooks up for people to enjoy.

SLurl Details

• Books, Coffee & Chairs – Oh My! (Reality Escape, rated Moderate)

Briarwood Estates is an all inclusive, family role-play community and luxury residential estate. The work of Frankie Jade LaFoxx (Frankie Foxpaws) and her team, the estate covers multiple regions and offers a wide range of amenities and facilities for local residents and for visitors. These include a equestrian hub with horseback riding trails, a hotel and spa, farming, games, a marina and boating, shopping, live music, and more.

One of the more public elements within the estate is the Briarwood Wildlife Refuge which has recently been featured in the Destination Guide. Located on a homestead region, the refuge is linking to several of the surrounding regions via footbridges. Perhaps most notable among these for incoming visitors is the main information (and event?) centre, sitting to the east of the refuge. This presents a model of the estate in which available rentals are highlighted, as well as showing the public routes through all of the regions, with the walls presenting event schedule boards and general information for both visitors and residents, and which does much to present a picture of a well-run estate.

The refuge proper starts across the bridge from the information centre, and carries the following description:

Briarwood Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge within SL. It is one of the first wildlife refuges operated by Briarwood Estates. The refuge protects more than 14 acres of marshes, grasslands, and woodlands.

Bounded by a sandy-shingle beach and open waters, the refuge is also cut through with watery channels that have the feel of being both human-made and more natural inlets, steams and a large pond. Together, this break up the landscape in such a way to suggest a natural location curated by human hands and eyes in order to offer the best environment for the wildlife and animals within the refuge.

The majority of the landscape is low-lying, suggestive of the wetlands of the description, with cart tracks offering various routes through and around the grasses and up into the few hills which also help to break-up the landscape. Most of the refuge is fairly open, the trees numerous enough to line the trails and tracks and provide shade, but not so numerous they overwhelm the park.

Most of this landscape is given over to the local wildlife, although there is also a meadow bounded by dry stone walls to one side, it and the barn within it home to sheep and goats. A second meadow, this one bounded by a fence and water, can be found across the grasslands, the home of a mare and her foal, the stables here suggesting more horses might also call it home – or they might equally be home to the donkeys wandering a little further away, but still within the boundary marked by the white fencing.

The local wildlife includes bears, deer, foxes and waterfowl, and is spread fairly broadly across the refuge as one might expect, offering opportunities for photography and discovery. The trails offer an excellent means to explore the setting, but if you have a wearable horse, they also offer the means to enjoy a little riding whilst exploring.

Considerable care has gone into presenting Briarwood Wildlife Refuge as a wholly natural environment, perhaps most notably in the time spent blending the mesh forms of the rutted tracks into the terrain. This is something which if not done properly, can lead to jarring results when gaps or holes are spotted or the texturing of the mesh does not match that of its surrounds. Here, however, the blending is a tour de force in how to do things properly to the point of near-perfection (aided by the inclusion of terrain textures in Alex Bader’s landscaping kits, allowing them to be applied to terrain), and does much to add to the expressive gentleness of the refuge.

The main exits from the refuge link to Briarwood Village to the west, which appears to have public access, allowing visitors to extend their explorations, and Briarwood Oaks to the south. The latter link takes the form of a cut stone, paved bridge spanning the water channel between the two regions. However, as this bridge is gated at either end and the gates are apparently locked against public access, I assume Briarwood Oaks is for local residents only, and their privacy should be respected, rather than attempts made to cross the bridge and go a-wandering among the houses.

True, the weather within the refuge is a little rainy – but again, this is in keeping with the overall tone of the setting, and it offers its own opportunities for photography whilst also working across a range of EEP settings for those who would like to de-emphasise the rain – as I hope the images in this article show.

Overall, a very engaging and photogenic setting in which to explore and take photos.

SLurl Details

• Briarwood Wildlife Refuge (Isthmus of Briarwood, rated Moderate)
• Briarwood Estates (rated Moderate)

Shawn Shakespeare pointed me towards Orcinus Isle, a homestead region designed by Lana (Svetlana Pexie), and which offers an engaging and intriguing setting that will be attractive to explorers and photographers alike.

The regions draws on several influences, which in turn can lead to additional influences playing on thoughts about it, leading to some interesting musings – or at least, that was the case for me.

The first of those influences is that of Perissa Beach, Santorini (or Thira) – which is also the first of the attractions for me with Lana’s build. There is a mysticism and beauty with Santorini which has long attracted me. Famed for being a part of the Minoan Civilisation, the island was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history, which took place in approximately circa 1600 BCE, destroying much of the island and perhaps helping contribute to the legend of Atlantis.

Today, Santorini is both a site of archaeological import and also a major tourist attraction. With towering cliffs, its famous buildings perch along the cliff tops and hills – such as Oia – the natural bay formed by the flooded caldera crater and its beaches, it is easy to understand why. With their distinctive red and black “sands” of volcanic dust the beaches of Santorini – Red Beach, Black Beach, Vlychada – are eye-catching, if not always easily accessible. As such, Perissa, with its rich black shores, has become the most famous, attracting tourists from all over Europe and the world at large.

From there, as Lana notes, the build draws on her love of coastal cliffs, waterfalls and oceans and – in another twist of attraction for me – mythology, to present a setting of the imagination, two island rising out of the sea on shoulder of cliffs, linked by a single arch of rock spanning the gorge which separates them, lending weight to the idea that there were perhaps once a single landmass which at some point became mostly split.

What caused the division is down to the imagination; perhaps it was the work of the sea, relentlessly pounding a weakness on the cliffs, eating away at the rock over the ages, deepening an opened crack, drawing down the mass from above and washing it away down through the years. Perhaps this island is influenced by volcanic or tectonic activity, the forces of nature breaking it enough for the sea to take over and create the gorge and bringing down the rock above until only  the mast span remains.

Whatever the cause, the two island masses now sit apart, the northernmost offering the most varied topography, with lowlands curving around a deeply cut bay, quickly giving rise to the sing to a curtain wall of high cliffs across the bay’s width, down which falls plummet in force, most likely adding to the bay’s expansion down the centuries and generating clouds of water vapour that hover cloud-like over the heads of the cliffs. Stratified and uneven, the back of this island suggests it may have been laid down by some form of process, again perhaps one volcanic in nature, successive eruptions adding another linear deposit of hardened volcanic rock.

To the south, the second island is more even, its near flat top covered in a head of grass and home to the remnants of a church at its southern end, whilst both island present a ribbon of volcanic shingles of a beach further suggesting they were once a unified mass of rock. Although split by the eastern exit of the gorge splitting the land the beach and landscape at the foot of the cliffs on either side of the water are sufficiently enough alike in terms of elevation and shingle / grassland mix to suggest both once run uninterrupted down the east side of the island.

But what of the mythological links? These can be found in the region’s name: Orcinus. Rather than a direct reference to the genus of Delphinidae we tend to refer to as “killer whales” (although a number of these majestic creatures can be seen swimming off the islands, Lana uses the term in its original meaning: “kingdom of the dead”, and / or “belonging to Orcus”, the god of the underworld in Etruscan and Roman mythology (the name Orca also being applied by the Romans to the genus of Orcinus).

The use of the name within the setting might be taken as a reference to is somewhat foreboding look, the evidence of ancient fortifications having once stood proudly here, perhaps long before the arrival Christianity and the church-builders, providing evidence that this was once a fortress or outpost, and thus may have had its name aligned with the god of the dead thanks to its remote location.

“Orcus” also has another connection to mythology, in that it is at times seen as being the origins for Tolkien’s “orcs”; from this use, countless other fantasy games and works of fiction have borrowed the concept of the orc. However, whether Tolkien directly derived his creatures from the name (by way of Anglo-Saxon) is debatable – not the least by Tolkien in his lifetime. However, there is something decidedly “Tolkienish” to the ruins and landscape here (or at least, faintly Nordic), which adds to the allure.

Wild and open and with numerous places to sit (not all of which may be easy to reach!), Orcinus Isle is an engaging and photogenic visit.

SLurl Details

• Orcinus Isle (Ravenmore, rated Moderate)