Category: Exploring Second Life

The other day I was pondering on my wanderings, and how effective / readable they are (or indeed, how “samey” they might be to one to another);  thank you, by the way,  to everyone who responded to positively to my questions. All the replies were most welcome.

At the time, I mentioned I might try mixing things up a little and adding things like urban developments in SL to my list of places to visit. Well, as it happens, I have a list of role-play regions and estates (some of which I started to visit last year, but still haven’t actually got around to writing-up), and places people have suggested to me from time-to-time, or which I’ve stumbled upon when poking at the Destination Guide. One of the latter is the Forgotten City. As “city” and “urban” go together (as a rule), I decided to pop over and take a look.

Forgotten City is the brainchild of Jenne Dibou and Mandy Marseille, and it is immediately intriguing. The main build is a blend of several styles (possibly best described as Steampunk, Wasteland and Art Nouveau) which present a wonderful, multi-level city with a degree of industrial development and with little pockets of rural scenes tucked into it here and there. The arrival point will present you with a notecard which offer a number of places to visit via direct teleport, but I really recommend that you ignore it to start with and take time to explore on foot.

This is a place where the residents were once served by miraculous automatons, which took care of the city and saw to the needs of the people. But now it seems the people have gone, leaving the city behind, still watched-over by the faithful automatons. some of which can be interacted with when encountered.

The attention to detail is wonderful. I’ve often said when reviewing various places in SL that you need to keep a sharp eye out to see everything, and with Forgotten City this is certainly true. Whether you are simply out exploring or looking for something to do, Forgotten City has a lot going for it.

From the upper levels, with the museum and dance hall, you can travel down to the ground level and explore the streets of the Citadel of the Forgotten, the Marketplace and past the Abandoned Villas to the lighthouse and windmill. If walking isn’t to your liking, you can catch an airship tour of the city, but walking is good for you, and the exercise is, as I’ve mentioned, worth it.

The original inhabitants of the city may well have long-since departed, but part of the intrigue of this build is discovering what they have left behind.  Who were the city’s royalty? What purpose did the Time Wolves serve? A simple member’s club, or something more?

One point I should make about exploring is that while much of the city is open to people to discover, please do keep in mind that some of the houses and apartments are private residences. Most of these are clearly denoted as such, and visitors are requested to observe the privacy of those occupying them.

For those who are seeking things to do, then the city is certainly worth a visit. There’s the airship tour, offering a view of the city from overhead, our you can grab a row-boat and explore the canals on your own. For the adventurous there is a steamboat which periodically stops at the row-boat station and which will take you “out” of the city to the post office and back…

Those seeking more active pursuits in the city can try the teleport destinations in the notecard. Theres a simple oval race track and vintage racing cars, the toy factory, and a winter park, complete with a ski jump for the really athletic. You can even take part in a couple of shoot-’em-ups or play (SL-legal) poker – and don’t forget the 8:00 SLT daily circus!

Those looking for an unusual venue for photographs would also do well to pay the city a visit; not only does the region windlight suit the place, it is ideal for tweaking and playing with other viewer-side windlight options.

All-in-all, it’s a great build to explore, and I’m actually keen to see whether Jenne and Mandy enhance it now that materials has all-but-arrived; the use of normal maps in particular could very well make this even more of a stand-out region.

Again, well recommended when you have the time! In fact, so good is this build that it has been one of the locations in which the Lab has been testing Oculus Rift!

Related Links

• Forgotten City SLurl (Rated: General)
• SL Destinations in this blog

Looking  through my SL photography folders, I was surprised to find one for Sea Salts, the home of Nalena Fairey’s Zigana store, which contained a number of images of the region I’d taken in late 2012. Surprised, because while there can be anything up to a couple of weeks between my taking snaps and then blogging about a destination, it’s rare that I allow months to pass.

As it had been a while since my last visit, I decided to jump over and take another look. I’m glad I did, as Nalena is re-working the region, and the new layout is already pretty stunning, her store sitting in a beautiful wilderness which is already a photographer’s delight. However, it’s not the region I want to discuss per se; I’ll save that until Sea Salts is nearer to completion. In the meantime, I’m going to go off at a tangent, so please bear with me.

I generally prefer to explore Second Life on my own, particularly when it involves a place I might blog about. It’s not that I’m anti-social – I’ll happily shared a visit to somewhere I’ve found with a friend or three; rather it’s because when I go somewhere with a view to blogging about it, I prefer the peace and quiet necessary to capture snaps and to be able to wander for as long as I like, my attention on the world around me.

There are unintended side-effects of exploring this way, however. In my case, it means my mind is sometimes prone to wander, which is not always wise, as I’m not sure it should really be allowed to go anywhere on its own without adult supervision. Which brings me to the point of this missive.

In wandering through Sea Salts, I found myself thinking about my “destination” reviews, and wondering about how well they are received. I could potentially run a poll in order to find out, but polls can be terribly artificial, and I’m really not one for them (only ever had the one to date). So, I’m going to take a chance and just throw the question out there: do you enjoy the “destination” reviews I provide and / or would you like to see a wider variety / different approach?

I ask, because the feedback on my profile feed whenever I post about places I visit, the feedback seems to be as consistent as when I post to my feed on other matters I blog about. However, the feedback on the blog articles themselves is somewhat more sporadic.

Compared to items on SL news and / or viewer reviews, the overall level of feedback for destination reviews is a lot lower. Granted, news is bound to generate more commentary, etc., and reviews of things like the viewer tend feedback from people as to their own experiences. But that said, and while I am definitely not using this post to try to garner more page “Likes” appearing on my destination reviews or anything remotely akin to that, it does leave me curious as to whether people enjoy reading my “destination” items, or whether perhaps they come across as the “same ol’, same ol'”?

Another reason for asking is that one of my aims in writing about places is that I hope to encourage people to go visit the places I blog about. While I certainly don’t expect people all to go running off and visit places based solely on the words which appear in these pages, it would also be nice to think that one or two at least read these entries and opt to hop over and take a look for themselves…

This doesn’t mean I’m necessarily going to stop writing about the places I discover in Second Life which appeal to me. I like sticking my nose into the Destination Guide and seeing what I find, and I still have a list of “recommendations / requests” to work through. But I’m curious as to what people think.

Related Links

• Sea Salts SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• SL Destinations in this blog

I didn’t intend to make another visit to Mediterranean inspired destination so soon, but today’s rolling restart decided to chase me around SL a bit (notice how that tend to happen? You teleport someplace only for the Restart notice to pop-up and you randomly pick another place, and *poof* up pops the notice again within minutes of your arrival?).

No? Oh well. Such is the life of a Pey …

Anyway, given I was hopping around and avoiding restarts, I ended up at FuriZona, Home to LaPerla and Port Mo Chalmaig, two complementary builds by Addy Hax and Maryjane Riddler respectively.

If I’m honest, the region had been on my list of places to visit, as LaPerla features in the Photogenic Spots of the Destination Guide; however, given Honour McMillan recently blogged about the region, and I’m trying to avoid giving her the impression I’m stalking her (I leave that to Crap to take care of :)), I’ve been shying away from dropping-in. But Peys can’t be choosers, as the saying goes.

LaPerla is billed as a tribute to the real-world town of Tropea, nestled towards the toe of Italy’s “boot”, and a part of the build recreates the cliff-perched nature of Tropea, with a church and houses surrounding a square, with steps leading down to waterfront and the rest of the town, which is reached by crossing a stone bridge.

Head north after crossing the bridge and you’ll skirt the town and reach a stretch of open countryside which sits between LaPerla and Port Mo Chalmaig (and which forms a part of the latter). This is altogether a more rural environment compared to the town, with grassy walks, various little clusters of houses and shops, and a beautiful little fishing port.

The two builds are very different in architectural style, yet they blend together into a unique whole, each with its own character and attractions. In LaPerla, one can roam the narrow streets, encounter little shows and scenes which make photography here very attractive. The local cinema offers movies and a place to meet friends, and there as plenty of places to watch the world go by. Within Port Mo Chalmaig’s rural setting you’ll find a forest walk, a pub, and live music venue within the grounds of an old fort / castle built into the side of a hill and the fishing village on the north coast.

Both LaPerla and Port Mo Chalmaig are testament to what can be achieved within a region when using the right mix of mesh and prim builds; the extent of the builds and the level of detail is incredible and really draws the explorer in.

Did I mention the region is also the home of two major stores as well? To the east of LaPerla one can find Savy Sands’ Macho main store, while just along the coast sits Dreamland Designs, Venora Magic’s store. Taken with the smaller shops scattered through the region, these make FuriZona and interesting destination for the confirmed window-shopper!

Given everything which has been packed into FuriZona, there is a lot to see and do, and wandering the streets and footpaths can be a delight. Just mind the odd local or two who might have had one (or two) over the eight …

Related Links

• LaPerla SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• Port Mo Chalmaig SLurl (Rated Moderate)
• SL Destinations in this blog

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At the start of May, I happened across Baja Norte after it appeared in the latest updates to the Destination Guide’s Photogenic Spots section. As I noted at the time, Jac Mornington has created something very special with the region. So much so that I’ve been shuffling around looking for any of his other builds in-world. Thanks to Ziki Questi, I came across Jac’s work at Sol Existence.

The home of the Casa Sol Manarero group, the region is a collaborative effort by Jac and Sunshine Zhangsun (of RFL of SL fame), who is the region’s owner, Sol Existence is a beautifully-crafted region. so much so that to arrive there is like setting foot inside a watercolour painting; the colours and composition are such that wherever you look, you can’t help but feel the region has somehow slipped off of a canvas somewhere and found its way in-world.

Not that this is simply a place to sit and admire – allowing for the private house overlooking the central lake – the region offers a lot to see and explore , and a number of things to do. From the arrival point, you can follow the path up to a barn and stable and admire the horses and Llamas, then follow a trail around the edge of the lake (don’t disturb the deer as you walk around the barn!) to one of two lookouts offering views across the region and opportunities to observe the wildlife.

For those who like messing about on the water, there are boats you can take to row across the lake – or to the floating pontoon in the middle – allowing you to watch the beavers and ducks, if you’re so inclined.

The attention to detail here makes this an ideal destination for the avid SL photographer. Not only does the overall composition of the region mean that it has a painting-like look and feel which is ideal for capturing in snapshots, it also means that it offers a photo opportunity at just about every turn as you explore. Nor is the region restricted to the one windlight option – tweaking with settings and playing with the time-of-day can result in some marvellous opportunities for the perfect snapshot (and I’m pretty sure my own efforts in tweaking and snapping don’t do this fact justice).

The wildlife to be found across the region is rich and diverse, from the aforementioned horse and Llamas, through deer, ducks and beavers to birds in the skies overhead or busy in trees and otters sitting at the side of the lake and pools. There’s even a bear out fishing for his lunch! All of this makes the region a great place to explore and the light, bright colours are liable to lift the bleakest of moods, offering a late summer / autumnal feel to the region.

I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m not a great one for region (sim) surrounds. Lately, however, I’ve found them being used to great effect. Sol Existence is another example of this – the region blends near-seamlessly with the surround when viewed from the avatar’s perspective, and this does a lot to enhance the feeling that this is a home on the edge of the wilderness. I’m still not entirely convinced on sim surrounds, and this one did seem to cause me some of the same lag and other issues I’ve come to expect from many regions employing them (you may only want to flip Advanced Lighting Model & shadows on when you find a subject / view for a photo), but the way in which this surround adds to the depth and feel of Sol Existence cannot be denied.

All-in-all, I’m really pleased I peeked inside Ziki’s blog and saw her entry on Sol Existence. Thoroughly worth a visit.

Related Links

• Sol Existence SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• Baja Norte review
• SL Destinations in this blog

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Earlier in the month, I noted how the weather here perhaps hasn’t received the memo about spring passing and summer arriving, something which prompted me to set off exploring SL in search of something to counterpoint the large number of summer-like snaps inhabiting my posts and Flickr stream. That hike led me – most happily – to Winter Moon, Dream Shadowcry’s beautiful and evocative homestead region.

Well, the weather here in RL has remained pretty bleah; if it’s not been raining, it’s been overcast and the wind less than polite. Up until today, that is, which has seen relatively clear blue skies, sunshine and the chance the lawns might actually dry-out sufficiently for me to get the mower out … tomorrow …

To celebrate, I set out to find the sun in Second Life, I found in Lula, Turnip Sorbet’s marvellous region and the home to her store, Turnip Homes, as well as Lamb and Tres Bleah (Mon Tissu having relocated to Mayfair).

Lula is another of those marvellous regions where care and attention has gone into presenting visitors with a warm and inviting experience which encourages them to stay, shop and wander. The main stores themselves are clustered, village-like, towards the centre of the region, which has been terraformed into a gently undulating landscape which merges with the green hills of a sim surround.

This is a beautiful rural / rustic scene, the colours of the buildings giving something of a Mediterranean feel to the village, the trees a mix of greens and browns suggesting the season might be late summer, although the young fawns, keeping close to their mother suggest the time might be early spring – so you can decide for yourself which season you prefer.

The village is small and easy to explore, an added touch of authenticity coming in the form of wooden board nailed over the entrance to the buildings which once house Mon Tissu, and there are places to sit and mark the passing of the day and paths to follow down from the village into the fields and glades surrounding it. Cross the river over the stone bridge and bear right, and you’ll come across a strange little tea party scene, complete with a dormouse nibbling away; not that the Alice reference might be intentional, although the armchair in the tree suggests someone as mad as hatter has some unusual thoughts on the subject of a “room with a view”.

Cross back over the river via a small wooden bridge and you’ll find the fawns and their mother I mentioned earlier and, as you wander on, other little points of interest and little whimsies to delight the eye as hot air balloons float overhead and offer further platforms to observe the passing world.

Were someone to ask me how to sum-up Lula, I’d probably use one word: carefree. This is a place where the worries and concerns of the outside world – virtual or otherwise – can be left at the teleport point and the heart, mind and eyes can wander and explore happily.

All-in-all a wonderful place to visit, be it for shopping or to simply enjoy the views.

Related Links

• Lula SLurl (Rated: General)
• SL Destinations in this blog

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There are lots of examples of the cross-over between real life and Second Life to be found in-world: historical builds, the presence of real-world organisations, the (still surviving) links between SL and education, not to mention the many and varied activities which go on in SL in support of real life charities.

One of the most recent examples of the cross-over in terms of in-world builds to get my attention is that of La Baule. I admit ignorance as to how long it has been around – but I caught it as a new entry in the Photogenic Spots of the Destination Guide, and had to go take a look.

A full region, La Baule is home to the Brussels Grand Place, a complete reproduction of the famous UNESCO world Heritage site, with the market square, the City Hall and all the guildhalls – and it is quite simply magnificent. So much so, that I doubt these images really do the place justice.

Designed and built by Pascale Boucher (Passie), the build includes a museum, an art gallery and cafe, and hosts a range of events through the year, including outdoor music  performances, ice skating in winter, and weddings held inside the magnificent buildings.

“I spent nine months doing it, sweating, bleeding and weeping,” Passie says of the build, “because i want to let SL know how marvellous my home country is.”

Well, she’s succeeded.

Having visited the real Grand Place many a time, I can vouch for the attention to detail with the exteriors which are a tour de force of prim and sculpt build.

This is a stunning place for photography – although you may find it taxing on your GPU; I have to admit my Ge 9800 GT struggled mightily to try to manage things – and wasn’t entirely successful. However, this is no reason to avoid a visit; if your own card can manage the load, the rewards for seeing the place with Advanced Lighting Model (deferred rendering) are plenty, even without shadows enabled. If you can manage the full monty, then it’s well worth flipping shadows on as well the results under a range of windlight conditions are stunning and really bring home the beauty of the build.

Highly recommended.

Related Links

• La Baule / Brussels Grand Place SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• SL Destinations in this blog