Category: Exploring Second Life

The Back 40, Richfield (Flickr)

The Back 40 has closed, SLurls have therefore been removed from this article.

I’ve often remarked that you don’t require an entire region – full or homestead – to create something very special, and I’ve blogged about a number of places in Second Life that prove that very point, such as Melinda Palianta’s beautiful Crystal Oak Falls, where she presents the wonderful gardens around her house for visitors to enjoy. Or perhaps the Moonlight Teahouse, the work of SL entertainer Myron Byron, or Kusanagi by Framboise Werribee.

I recently came across another such treasure which, like the Moonlight Teahouse and Kusanagi, sits in a mainland region. Called The Back 40, it is the work of “Dicky” Dick Spad, and it’s an absolute must for anyone with a love of nature.

The Back 40, Richfield (Flickr)

Sitting just off Route 8A on the continent of Satori, and so reachable by road for those who fancy a drive, The Back 40 covers a mere 3568 square metres. But within that space, it presents visitors with a delightful woodland setting, complete with local wildlife, opportunities for wandering, places to sit, and of course the chance to take pictures – something Dick welcomes in the About Land description for the land, where he also invites people to come and relax.

The parcel really doesn’t require that much of a description, as it speaks well enough for itself. Extensive use is made of Alex Bader’s terrain scenery, which presumably allows the woodlands to change colour with the seasons, if desired. Right now they are rich with the golds, reds, oranges and greens of autumn. Mist rolls between tree trunks and over the long grass, offering a photogenic opportunity for those who love misty morning  / evening scenes. Care has also been taken to blend the woodlands into the surrounding area, so they appear quite natural, with a couple of screens have been used to good effect on two sides of the land to add a further sense of depth.

The Back 40, Richfield (Flickr)

There’s a considerable amount of detail packed into the scene, some of it obvious, some of it perhaps easily missed if time isn’t taken in exploring, and there is plenty of wildlife to be found. It’s also worth having local sounds enabled, as Dick has taken care in blending bird song and deer calls into the scene, again adding to the immersive feel.

All told, a lovely corner of Second Life, well worth a visit.

The Back 40, Richfield (Flickr)

Nigh on two years ago I blogged about Black Kite, the home of Black Cloud (Theblackcloud Oh), and a region open to visitors to enjoy. In the intervening time I’ve been back there on a number of occasions, drawn in part by the fact that it is a water-themed region. As regular reader know, I have something of a soft spot for such places.

Truth be told, not a lot has changed with the region in that time – and that shouldn’t be taken as a critique in any way, because that’s certainly not how it is intended. That Black Kite continues in look and feel as the months go by, so does the feeling of comfort and familiarity one gains with each subsequent visit. When so much can be subject to chop and change within Second Life, it is sometimes nice to have anchor points which can be returned to and enjoyed without the uncertain surprise of change; hence another reason for my visits.

For my part, I love how Black Kite mixes the natural and surreal, presenting an environment which is at once familiar and yet faintly alien. A place where wooden board walks and telegraph poles sit alongside the twisted, ball-topped forms of snake trees, and water droplets rise by the dozen from around armchairs sitting in the water while fish swim through the air indoors.

In my original post about Black Kite, I commented that it is very a much a place where one can get away and simply *be”. It still is; here are places – such as the aforementioned chairs – where one can sit and / or share with a friend or two. Nor are you restricted to ground (or water!) level: ladders provide access to the rooftops of several of the wooden buildings scattered across the region,  where additional chairs and benches might be found.

One of the delights of the region is that almost everything is carefully spaced across the region that conversations and the scenery can be enjoyed without the feeling of being overheard or sitting within earshot  / view of someone else’s privacy.

For those of a photographic bent, the default windlight presents Black Kite beautifully – but it is also a place where twiddling with settings can yield some quite unexpected and delightful results. A Flickr group is available for those you like to share their shots.

Visitors are free to wander where they will when visiting Black Kite, but if you’ve never dropped-in before, do be aware that Black Cloud has her private house in the north-east corner of the region, so do please respect her privacy.

I couldn’t resist a further attempt at doing a little video recording while visiting the region, so I’ll leave you with that – and a reminder of the Black Kite SLurl.

Related Links

• Black Kite SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• Black Kite Flickr group

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond, Jacob (Flickr)

I last visited The Pines at Jacob’s Pond in February 2014, when an early spring was in the air. Now, with many regions embracing an autumnal feel in keeping with the turning of the seasons in the northern hemisphere in the physical world, The Pines has embraced a wintry scene.

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond, Jacob (Flickr)

The new scene brings with it a new design for the region. The lake is frozen, snow lies heavy on the surrounding farmlands and in the boughs of the trees; deer forage for grass and horses exhale colds of warm breath into the cold morning light.

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond, Jacob (Flickr)

Dacotah Longfall, who designs Jacob’s Pond, offers a warm welcome to visitors arriving in the small cabin on the south side of the region, inviting them to enjoy her backyard – and noting that clothing is optional. With the snow on the ground and the misty look to the air, I’m not sure this is advisable!

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond, Jacob (Flickr)

Snowy paths wind across the region, with lamplit bridges helping to guide the way over the frozen streams, guiding the way around the lake and to the barn, and to farmhouse up on the hill to the north. These don’t have to be followed, visitors can wander as they please, and – as ever – there are plenty of opportunities for photography.

All told this is a another delightful redressing of a region which never fails to please. It might seem a tad early for thinking about the depths of winter, but The Pines at Jacob’s Pond presents the perfect image of snow and crisp skies we probably all love.

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond, Jacob (Flickr)

The Pines at Jacob’s Pond forms a part of the End of Time group of regions, if you’ve not visited the estate, I can only recommend that once you’ve explored The Pines, you pop across to Nu Haven, Tide, Eotia, Wabe, Crow, and Gyre. All make for wonderful exploration.

Related Links

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

Just Another Tequila Sunrise, Isle of Love (Flickr)

I was led to Just Another Tequilla Sunrise by Kate Bergdorf, who mentioned it in her blog recently. A homestead region, it is currently painted in rich autumnal colours which make it an absolute delight to visit on these (for those of us in the UK at least), damp and dreary days.

The work of SL photographer Arol Lightfoot, the region’s name is a perfect reflection of its look and feel under the default windlight (although I admittedly used others when taking my own snaps).  Photographers are warmly invited to explore and take pictures, and Arol has created a Flickr group where images can be shared, if people wish.

Just Another Tequila Sunrise, Isle of Love (Flickr)

For those who explore SL a lot, there are a number of familiar motifs here – the offshore lighthouse, the craggy upthrust of a rocky plateau, the low-laying lands broken by bodies of water, the sweeping white curve of a beach… Which is not to say that Just Another Tequila Sunrise is in any way derivative; quite the reverse in fact. In a world where people are limited in how they can take an island 256 metres on a side and blend it into the surrounding sea, it is inevitable that regions come to share familiar elements while still retaining their own individuality from one another.

More than this, however, is the fact that such familiar elements within individual region designs help to give a feeling of continuity as one travels through SL. When encountered, they can help make individual islands feel as if they are different elements of the same country or coastline, rather than being individual places, more-or-less standing on their own.

Just Another Tequila Sunrise, Isle of Love (Flickr)

Two areas of habitation mark the island. On the west sits a small farm, the ribbon of a lake reaching almost to the front door of the house. To the east, and built out over one of the two beaches, sits a wooden pier topped by a sun-bleached house. Between them the low-lying grasslands offer plenty of space to wander, with places for individuals, couples and groups to sit and enjoy the surroundings. Bridges, both stone and wooden, allow easy passage over the water, and a path cut into the rock guides those so minded to the top of the southern plateau.

With the sounds of nature throughout and birds wheeling overhead, Just Another Tequila Sunrise is, as noted above, an absolute delight to visit, and guaranteed to brighten the dreariest of days. Highly recommended.

Just Another Tequila Sunrise, Isle of Love (Flickr)

Related Links

• Just Another Tequila Sunrise (Rated: Moderate)