Category: Exploring Second Life

Isla Okiddo

In November 2013, I was allowed a sneak peek at Liara Okiddo’s work-in-progress designing and developing her homestead region, Isla Okiddo. It’s been a long road for her, only reaching a point at which she was happy with everything to announce the region as officially open to the public on Wednesday February 25th.

I’ve been a fan of Liara’s work ever since coming across her old home. Garden of Eden, and to be perfectly honest, I’ve been eagerly awaiting getting to see her new place once it was ready for its public debut (I resisted the urge to hurry over prior to the opening, as I wanted to experience the same reaction as a new visitor, rather than seeing any work-in-progress).

Isla Okiddo

And I can say without a doubt that it is a marvel to behold. Already stunning when I saw the early work back in November, the island has been somewhat reworked – particularly the gallery spaces – and the results really are magnificent.  This is another of those regions I love for the attention to detail, the careful placement and design, all of which comes together to present the visitor with something completely awe-inspiring.

From the wooden quay arrival point, the visitor walks under a rocky arch and along flagged stones. Signs point the way to the dome house, the beach – reached by a wooden walkway and with the upper levels of the island beyond – and the Expodome.

Isla Okiddo

The Expodome is Liara’s gallery space. It an incredible tour de force is design and execution, a place that makes wonderful use of space both above and under water, and which presents artwork in a thoroughly creative way.

The first part of the exhibit space is underwater. Do make sure you have your graphics cranked-up as far as you can, particles enabled and Advanced Lighting Model checked to fully appreciate all that has gone into this area of the build. And don’t hurry through too fast, or you’ll miss the art items which are being displayed through the use of particle projectors alongside the footpath. Beyond this, the path winds back up above the waves and takes visitors to the three exhibition domes, each with its own display and theme.

Isla Okiddo

I spent several hours camming and exploring the island; there really is a lot of see – some of it which can be easily missed if you’re not careful, so take your time while wandering, and give yourself time to soak up the environment. You really won’t be disappointed.

Thoroughly recommended.

Related Links

• Isla Okiddo SLurl (Rated: Adult)
• From Scotland to a preview of a tropical paradise

The Pines at Jacobs Pond, End of Time, February 2014 – click any image for the full-size version

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond is a part of the End of Time estate, which I first visited in September 2012 (and which I really should get back to and re-explore). The region gained a lot of exposure over the winter period, when it was covered in snow and was featured  in a number of blogs. While I did drop-in back then, I decided to wait for the snow to melt before paying a “proper” visit.

The Pines at Jacobs Pond, End of Time, February 2014

As with most of the rest of the estate, “The Pines” is open to the public to wander and enjoy – and it is a beautiful place to visit and photograph. Central to the region is the “pond” from the name, although given its size, “lake” would perhaps be a better description! Around this sits a fabulous landscape in places heavily wooded, in others relatively open, with all of it being a haven for deer.

The Pines at Jacobs Pond, End of Time, February 2014

From the arrival point, paths wind around and through the island, offering plenty of opportunities to explore and discover photogenic views and spots as well as one or two hidden secrets.  One the far side of the island from the arrival point sits a small farm, complete with a thatched roof barn, with horses grazing nearby.

The Pines at Jacobs Pond, End of Time, February 2014

Wandering along the paths and up over the hills, the amount of care put into the region is obvious; there is a completely natural feel to the lay of the land and the various elements all roll together to present a genuinely natural environment which feels much larger than the region in which it sits. It is also a place where  not everything may reveal itself to first looks; patience and care will be rewarded the longer you explore and take the time to carefully look around.

This is one of those regions where it would be so easy to wax lyrical about, and in doing so perhaps sound like you’re over-egging it. But the fact is, it really is gorgeously done. Don’t just take my word for it, however, go see for yourself 🙂 .

The Pines at Jacobs Pond, End of Time, February 2014

Related Links

• The Pines at Jacobs Pond SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• End of time Teleport Crow SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• End of Time website

AERO Golf Club, Lavender, February 2014

Golf really isn’t my forte, inasmuch as I’ve always sided with Mark Twain – or at least what he is attributed to have said: that golf is a good walk spoiled. However, Second Life gives us opportunities to try things we can’t or wouldn’t try in real life.  In my case, that means things like taking wing in a Spitfire (which I’d actually love to do in real life), scuba diving, and skydiving. And now, thanks to Jeff Goodnight, I’ve actually tried my keyboard at golf – and I like it.

But, before I wibble on about SL golfing, if you’ve not come across Jeff Goodnight before, you really should check out his Flickr stream and his blog. I did, and had to gather my jaw off the floor after seeing images like this one.

AERO Golf Club, Lavender, February 2014

In his blog, Jeff provides an entry for the AERO Golf Club, a region-wide 18-hole golf course, complete with club house and places to simply sit and relax. Intrigued, I set off to have a look.

Surrounded by the mountains of a sim  extender, the region is beautifully landscaped and very photogenic, so even if you’re not into golf, it’s worth taking the time to visit. Just make sure you keep an eye open for golfers and avoid trundling across the greens and fairways when any are in use!

AERO Golf Club, Lavender, February 2014

If you do fancy a round yourself, you’ll need to join the club, a simple matter of signing-up in the clubhouse by joining the group associated with the region. Once you’ve done that, and with the group active, walk through the back of the clubhouse to the rear terrace, where you can collect your clubs and HUD (which is optional when playing, but cuts-down on using a menu). These are free, but for the keen golfer, a scorecard can be purchased for L$250, which is a lot easier than trying to remember things. There’s also a map showing the best way to play the holes.

The course has been carefully arranged to make full use of the region, with the first tee directly off of the rear terrace of the clubhouse, and the 18th hole to one side of it, making it an easy walk to the 19th for a drink.

Play instructions are clear, concise and easy-to-grasp, so I won’t bore you with those. Suffice it to say, you have a choice of three clubs, have sand traps, water and trees to negotiate and the wind to contend with. One thing I will say is that if you use an over-the-shoulder camera offset (as I do), you might want to centre your camera up when playing a round.

AERO Golf Club, Lavender, February 2014

Along the way there are places to sit down, take a break and enjoy the view. If you prefer to forget the walking bit, there are golf buggies you can use to drive around in, but I found the terrain a little too much for the one I tried. Besides, the scenery is much too pretty to simply roll right past it, and you might even miss seeing the tiger …

If you don’t fancy a slurp at the bar after playing a round, there’s a pool and spa area off to one side of the region as well.

The work of Kaja Ashland / Kaja Lurra, AERO Golf club is beautifully conceived and executed and well worth a visit. If you do, show the little donation buckets a little love along the way. for those who might be interested, I have a few more snaps on my Flickr stream.

AERO Golf Club, Lavender, February 2014

What was that? Oh, my score? Umm… well I ended-up nine over par after things went a bit wonky after the 7th …

Related Links

• AERO Golf Club, Lavender SLurl (Rated: General)

Aldous Huxley is the name given to the home of Tree and Ocean SL (TOSL), owned and operated by Quinlan Quimby, or QQ as she prefers to be called). It is also the home of a remarkable art piece she has created under the banner of Project PossUM (which I believe stands for “Possibilities Unlimited Museum”).

The name of the region marks QQ’s penchant for authors, the former home of TOSL having been Herman Melville. However, given the nature of Project PossUM, one might be forgiven for thinking the name was used as a nod to the great man’s use of psychedelic drugs, and that one had arrived in one of his milder dreams while under the influence.

I say this because you arrive on  a giant porcelain dinner-plate balanced 200-ish metres up in the air atop a rocky island and apparently floating in the clouds. Upon which sit some exquisite porcelain pieces big enough to sit under and walk inside.

It’s actually a stunning build, beautifully crafted, wonderfully detailed and yet delightfully minimalist. In fact, it all looks deceptively easy  – which is generally the hallmark of great works of art.

Pay particular attention to the “glaze” on the plate itself. By making the surface somewhat translucent, QQ allows the outline of the hilly landscape of the land under it show through, which creates an interesting interplay with the texture of the plate’s surface as one cams around, suggestive of the interplay of different lighting sources on the plate as one moves.

The trees and little buildings are wonderfully designed and delicate looking; so much so, that I’m convinced that were someone able to touch them, they would feel as if they’re made from the finest porcelain

Huxley once stated that one source for his novel Brave New World came from his time spent working in a chemical plant, which he described as “an ordered universe in a world of planless incoherence”. That’s quite possibly a description which might be applied to a good part of Second Life. I wonder what he would have made of it, had he had the chance to see it …

Related Links

• TOSL Project POssUM SLurl (Rated: General)
• TOSL store SLurl

Toru: The Enchanted Forest – “In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit…”

Update July 2014: Toru appears to have closed. 

I was first drawn to Toru, Waynenz’s homestead region, back in September 2013. At that time, it was openly inspired by Wendy Xeno’s Hazardous. Since then, it’s been through a couple of transformations and is now “an enchanted land dedicated to NZ and the Hobbits” – and the last part of that description was bound to get my attention.

Now called Estesil Lega, the Enchanted Forest, the region is precisely that; a mist-shrouded forest set between the shoulders of steep-sided hills and surrounded by mountains. Paths wind through the trees and over bridges of wood and stone, leading the explorer around and through the forest to reveal its secrets in turn.

Toru: The Enchanted Forest

Chief among these is a hobbit hole – although sadly, no hobbits were to be seen when I visited. But then, they are shy folk and tend to hide when they hear us Big Folk coming – which they can do from a good distance away.

As we know, hobbit holes are neither nasty, dirty, wet holes, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor are they yet dry, bare, sandy holes with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat. They are hobbit holes, and that means comfort.

Toru: The Enchanted Forest – “Remember! do not stray from the path!”

This one is in slight disarray, it must be said; books scattered over the floor, the bed unmade, the pantry strangely lacking and a meal unfinished. It’s almost as if the occupant found him or herself taking An Unexpected Journey …

The design of the region is such that it is clearly intended to be explored on foot; flying isn’t disabled, but if you opt to do that, you’re likely going to miss the various little treasures scattered under bough and branch. The default windlight gives considerable atmosphere to the place, although I confess, I’ve opted to most use alternative settings for my snaps here and on Flickr.

Toru: The Enchanted Forest

Keep your eyes peeled as you do explore – some of the trails and paths may not be as obvious as others, so take your time. Do make sure you have sound on as well, as the ambient sounds really give the forest even greater depth and texture.

Definitely recommended.

Related Links

• Toru: The Enchanted Forest SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

Given the nature of the region at the moment, here’s an interpretation of some of the music from The Lord of the Rings from Stephen and John.

 

Kats, Love Kats

Love Kats is the home of Kats – knowledge acquired through simulation. It a quite lovely Mediterranean-themed full region operated by Kat Chauveau. It’s a place I’ve been meaning to drop-in on for a while, and I’m glad I finally had a little time to do so, albeit as a flying visit.

Roughly a third of the region is given over to a small hilltop village with charming houses / shops huddled together and served by narrow, cobbled footpaths, with terraces and squares offering places to sit, eat, dance or simply enjoy the sun.  The shops look like they are intended for rent, each having a “logo” sign hanging outside the doorway, although it’s not clear if they are “on the market”, so to speak, as yet.

Kats, Love Kats

Follow the path down from one of the terraces, and you’ll find yourself in more open countryside, through which a spring-fed stream meanders before tumbling down a rocky cliff next to a broad ribbon of beach. If you stay on the foot path, you can either climb up a hill facing the village or descend down to a small quayside where sits a Canadian tramp steamer. From here, the beach can be reached via another foot path and short tunnel.

The beach offers places to wander and sit or dance and ships and boats sit out on the water and a lighthouse gives warning of a low, rocky natural breakwater sitting just offshore.

Kats, Love Kats

I’m not sure quite where the “knowledge acquired through simulation” comes into things; the region is connected with an real-life organisation called ComplyEx, which describes itself as providing “an innovative way to achieve in-depth understanding of learning and development” through its “3D virtual space”. There are a number of courses listed on the website, but it’s not clear from a quick examination as to whether they are actively taught within the region.

With or without the learning aspects, Kats is a lovely place to visit, offering itself to a wide range of windlight settings as well as many photo opportunities. For those wanting a little time with a friend, there’s also the dancing, as well as the tables and dining areas found in the terraces offering places to sit and talk. Or if you prefer, you can look down at the steamer and imagine the journeys it has made and the places it has seen. The choice is yours!

Kats, Love Kats

Related Links

• Kats SLurl (Rated: Moderate)