Category: Exploring Second Life

February 19th, 2015 sees the start of the new year – the Chinese New Year, that is. With it, we say goodbye for now to the horse, and hello to the goat. It’s a time for celebrations, with lanterns, firecrackers, colour, Lions Dances and more; and doubtless, there will be lots of celebrations taking place across the weekend to mark the Festival.

For those wanting to get a feel for China – ancient China in particular –  there are lots of Chinese-themed locations to be found in Second Life. Some associated with role-play, others offered as places to visit and enjoy, some which offer a gateway to shopping in SL, and some which mix Chinese and Japanese elements into a happy blend of the ancient oriental, reflective of their past histories and interactions. Others offer what might seem more curious mixes.

China Grove, for example, describes itself as offering a beachfront location with private accommodation, jet skis, swimming, and even topless bathing. But above an behind it sits a beautiful Chinese palace. The work of Selene Nirvana, and featuring creations by designers such as Ryu 竜, the palace sits atop a great rocky outcrop rising about the surrounding lands, protected by broad, strong walls and guarded by its very own terracotta army, complete with chariot-riding warlords.

Reached via a small waterfront village sitting in the protective arms of the palace walls and watched over by dragon canon, the place offers a wealth of colour and opportunities to wander through its cobbled terraces and courtyards, and through its great halls. Tai Chi is offered for those wishing to clear their minds, while a dragon atop a tall tower keeps a vigilant watch towards more open waters, his fire perhaps a beacon for ships trying to find their way to the docks below his high perch.

For another feel of ancient China, one can also visit Jomo, the home of Xiaoduo Abbot’s store, is set amidst a glorious build I wrote about in November 2013. With walls, gardens, places to relax and stages for entertainment, it encourages the visitor not only to shop, but to tarry awhile and explore.

Or, for a different flavour and feel, you can hop over to Aston Leisen’s artful and slightly surreal design called, simply, China, which has been a delight to visitors for several years now, sometimes moving up or down in the sky, but always offering a visual treat and a place were hanging-out and AFKing is welcomed.

I’m barely scratching the surface of things in mentioning these three; but hopefully they’ll be enough to whet your appetite and get you searching things oriental in your SL explorations this weekend, and perhaps enjoying the New Year celebrations.

And while we’ve already seen Yuandan for this particular New Year, if you are worried about bumping into Nian while you’re out and about, just make sure you’re wearing red and carrying a firecracker or two before you leave home!

Kung hei fat choi!

Related Links

• China Grove SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• Jomo SLurl (Rated: Moderdate)
• China SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

 

 

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Spring has come once more to The Pines at Jacob’s Pond, and with it another beautiful make-over by region holder Holly  (Dacotah Longfall). It is Holly’s well-planned seasonal changes that keep bringing me back to what she disarmingly calls her “backyard”, which forms part of the End of Time family of regions, because every time she reworks the region, something extraordinary appears.

With the snows of winter long gone, Holly presents visitors with her take on a part of the world she loves: the Black Hills of Dakota. Drawing inspiration from Custer State Park in South Dakota, she has created a place of gently undulating countryside through which a trail winds  over grassy plains and under tall trees, looping past a lake and onwards towards her white-painted house (at which visitors are kindly requested to observe her privacy via a polite sign at the gate.

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Throughout the region wildlife can be found, offering some wonderful opportunities for photography. Elk graze within the shade of tall conifers while American bison roam the grasslands, carefully avoiding the gopher holes as geese pass overhead. Elsewhere, behind strung wire, domestic cattle also graze peacefully and horses meander towards Holly’s house, perhaps seeking their barn for the night. There’s a lot more in the way of animals to be discovered, but I’m not going to catalogue them all here; that would spoil an actual visit.

This is a place where hiking boots are perhaps best required, together with a jacket and hiking stick to really feel the part, because Holly has done a wonderful job in creating the look and feel of the Great Outdoors. Those seeking a lot of things to “do” might be a tad disappointed. Those who enjoy photography, and still getting away from it all most likely won’t; there’s enough simple beauty here to capture the heart and eye that the visitor is naturally drawn-into the region, gently and enticing encouraged to follow the trail and discover all there is to be seen.

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond (Flickr) – click any image for full size

If you’ve never been to The Pines at Jacob’s Pond before, I really do urge you to do so; It’s always a place of beauty and delight. And when you do, don’t forget to hop over the water to visit the rest of the End of Time regions.

Related Links

• The Pines at Jacob’s Pond SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

“”” oporuto””” (Flickr) – click any image for full size

“”” Oporuto “”” is one of those places in Second life that can defy definition. Designed by ダックスフンド (Dachshunds), this homestead region is a curious blending of intent and motifs. There is a small mall here, to be sure, offering avatars, household items and more from a number of creators; but finding it might take a little time, as there are curios visible on your arrival which offer distraction and demand investigation as you wade through the ankle-deep water, heavy with a blanket of low-lying mist.

Aside from the store area, ringed by trees and quite hidden from view behind ancient walls, four island-like areas present themselves to visitors, scattered between which are individual pieces of sculpture and other items that give the place something of a feel of being an art display.

“”” oporuto””” (Flickr) – click any image for full size

There are dark elements to be found here; graveyards rise from the mist, shadowy forms floating through them, and cages and sharply-pointed instruments can be found. But so to are themes of love, and hints of fairy-tale memories.

Charm and menace can also be found intertwined, perhaps most noticeably through the tiny figure peeking through the window of a shattered house at an empty bed. Depending on one’s mood, the painted smile on the little face can at first give a poignant feel to the tableau before perhaps turning a little more sinister  – or can do exactly the reverse: first appear sinister and threatening before become gentler and more caring.

“”” oporuto””” (Flickr) – click any image for full size

There are elements of whimsy to be discovered as well, such as with the oversized cats frolicking around a rowing boat with translucent fish. For those of a contemplative mood, and snowbound window opens out onto a warm summer sky from the pages of a fairytale book, offering a place for one to sit and ponder.

All told, this is a strange place, rich in imagery and not above odd little contradictions in tone, as noted. Rezzing is closed, but the opportunities for photography are many, although I would perhaps warn that there is a lot going on in places in terms of particle effects, etc., that I found my GTX660 labouring at times. Wandering the region is a little like wandering through a landscape shaded by the memories of dreams and nightmares; what can be found here might not appeal to everyone, but that doesn’t make it any the less captivating.

“”” oporuto””” (Flickr)

Related Links

• “”” oporuto “”” SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

“The Lost Town” – Purple Crayons (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Update, February 26th: I’ve received a note saying that Purple Crayons and Square Pegs in Round Holes will be closing on March 5th, 2015.

My recent visit to The Lost Town, Jordy B. Zipdash’s build on Rawh’s homestead region of Square Pegs in Round Holes, reminded me that I had yet to blog about another of Rwah’s builds, that of Purple Crayons, which I visited a little while ago, but had yet to write about; so I decided to correct that oversight.

Rwah charmingly describes Purple Crayons as a place where “colouring outside the lines is the norm,” and “nothing makes much sense, where there is little reason or rhyme as to why, it just happened.” The result is a build with mixes urban, rural and coastal builds into an interesting and photogenic whole, and which offers the curious much to explore.

“The Lost Town” – Purple Crayons (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Visitors arrive at the mouth of a tunnel, from which stretches a paved road lined on either side by somewhat run-down shops; clearly a place which has seen better days. Several of the premises lining the street are façades, but equally, several are not, and can be entered. It’s worthwhile taking a little time to discover which these are, as some contain small art gallery spaces, including a studio by Thorn Arisen, who offers evocative portraits of SL avatars and life through his Flickr stream.

One of the things that makes Purple Crayons so natural in appearance is the “stepped” nature of the urban build; above and behind the main street is a raised section of the town, reached via steps. It is something that helps give the place more of that feeling there there is no rhyme or reason to the design of this little urbanised corner of the world – it just happened.

Beyond the buildings sits a small area of woodland which separates the urban grunge from a pristine beach to the north, complete with a prim little pier which appears to be far better maintained than the buildings in town. The beach itself seems to grow a little shabbier the further it travels to the east and west and approaches the edges of the town. To the east, for example, sits another wooden jetty, this time with was appears to be a slightly beaten-up bar promising Girls! Girls! Girls! To the west, shade from the sun is provided by the hulk of an old bus.

“The Lost Town” – Purple Crayons (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Yet there seems to be more here than meets the eye; the questions is, is it intentional, or purely happenstance, as the region’s description might suggest? The aforementioned bar, for example, is anything but, and if you look around carefully enough, a story seems to suggest itself, perhaps involving lost love and regret. The walk through the woodland to the pristine beach to the north also nudges the subconscious into perhaps making connections and drawing conclusions: past times of happy picnics, carefree vacations, all separated from the present just as the beach is separated from the town by the trees.

Or perhaps it really is just a design of contrasts, without intent, existing simply to be enjoyed. Only you can decide.

With rezzing open, and auto-return set to 30 minutes (but, as always, do please clean-up behind you anyway), Rwah invites people to make use of Purple Crayons for the photography, if they wish, and provides a few simple rules she asks people to observe during their visit.  Do abide by them and enjoy your explorations.

“The Lost Town” – Purple Crayons (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Related Links

• Purple Crayons SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

Ziki Questi posted word that there’s a new build on Verdigris, home of the fabled (and quite lovely) Vintage Village by Oriolus Oliva (a place I last wrote about in July 2013), what’s more, it’s by none other than Haveit Neox, someone whose work in SL I’ve come to really appreciate and enjoy over the last few years.

The Centaurs’ Hall was apparently put together fairly rapidly, the majority of it being put in place in just three days from the start of the month, which is really quite remarkable given the complexity and beauty of the build.

The new build occupies the opposite side of the gorge above which Vintage Village is perched, the great wooden bridge built by Oriolus linking the two. When first viewed, there is something of a similarity between both the Vintage Village and The Centaurs’ Hall. Both occupy hilltop locations bordering the deep gorge which cuts through the region, and both are built out over huge piers rising skyward, their weight cantilevered to a degree: the Vintage Village in a south-north direction, The Centaurs’ Hall along an east-west line.

However, that the two are different builds quickly becomes apparent as you cross the amphitheatre that forms the entrance to The Centaurs’ Hall; Haveit’s distinctive style is unmistakable, not only in the architecture, but in the overall harmony of design and use of textures and colour, and the presentation of space.

Inside the arched vaults of the Hall there is much to see, including a reproduction of The Miniature Goal, originally displayed at the Art India Galley exactly a year ago (see my review), and included here on Ziki’s suggestion. Follow the dusty tracks through the upper halls and they well lead you past some of Haveit’s glorious sculptures to the Czardas Greenhouse. While there might not be a lot of floor space available for dancing, this great room with its huge, glass-panelled walls and ceiling, offers plenty of food and drink in keeping with the origins of the name upon which it draws. Beyond the greenhouse, a broad stone terrace, dizzyingly set over the waters at the edge of the region, offers a panoramic view across the gorge to the Vintage Village.

This is a quite a magnificent build, one while compliments the vintage village perfectly. Long may both continue together.

Related Links

• The Centaurs’ Hall SLurl (Rated: General)

“The Lost Town” – Square Pegs in Round Holes (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Update, February 26th: I’ve received a note saying that Square Pegs in Round Holes and Purple Crayons, Rwah’s other region (see my post on it), will be closing on March 5th, 2015.

When I last visited Square Pegs in Round Holes, the region hadn’t long been opened. As I reported at that time – September 2014 – it was largely a water-based region, with a series of islands visitors could explore. Since then, much has changed.

Rwah, the region holder has decided to offer the homestead region to those builders with a serious desire to build a region-sized installation which can be enjoyed by the public at large. To start things off, Jordy B. Zipdash was invited to create something in the region, and he came up with a darkly atmospheric build in the form of The Lost Town.

A lonely wind moans its way down a long road from a distant tunnel, passing between the careworn buildings of a run-down town. Tumble-weeds roll their way across the asphalt at the wind’s behest, while tall hills, bare rock denuded of vegetation, hem the town in, their bulk adding a sinister edge to the fading light.

“The Lost Town” – Square Pegs in Round Holes (Flickr) – click any image for full size

At the far end of town, the road makes a hard right turn before running arrow-straight to the mouth of another tunnel, passing a deserted trailer park and other human detritus before finally leaving this shabby corner of the world behind.

This might once have been a thriving town; there’s the imposing form of a bank on one side of the street (long-since converted to a bar), and the place even boasted a casino – the Starlite, although this has also gone through something of a transformation, becoming some kind of church; and even this seems to be well beyond any regular use, the desert sands drifting in through a back doorway and taking up residence between the pews.

But this isn’t to say the town is deserted; across the road from the shell of the old casino sits a small store and three well-maintained houses, the gleaming form of a car sitting on the driveway to one of them. Fires glow in the hearths of both places, and all have a feeling of cosy warmth about them, and by day look as if they’ve been lifted from quiet suburbia. Even so, within them, things seem a little odd; where are the occupants, given all three houses appear to have been in recent use? And why are all three bedrooms devoid of any furnishings whatsoever…?

“The Lost Town” – Square Pegs in Round Holes (Flickr) – click any image for full size

“Have you ever heard of a little mining town called Centralia?” Jordy asks by way of citing the inspiration for this installation. “If not, fire up your  search engine and read up on the place and how it came to be a little deserted town. Here in the Lost Town, the same abandonment happened.  Not by fire or elemental damage  but something far more sinister.”

Indeed, the air of mystery here, with its sinister undertones, is hard to avoid. It comes not only in the perpetual, wind-shrouded dusk that lies over the place, but also from the signs and portents hidden within some of the buildings. However, to find the whole truth, you may well have to venture out into the desert, beyond the little lake with its dilapidated barn. but be careful! “Don’t venture out too far in the desert,” Jordy warns, “Mighty strange goings-on out there, if you ask me.”

So don’t say he didn’t warn you…

Related Links

• Square Pegs in Round Holes SLurl (Rated: Moderate)