Category: Exploring Second Life

Back in September last year, I visited Keisei, Daddio Dow’s fabulous region, and was captivated. To my shame, I admit I’ve not had any real opportunity to get back since, despite the region being so evocative.

However, when a personal invitation arrives from Daddio, asking me whether I’d like to pay a visit and see what is new following some work he’s carried out, I was grabbing my camera and heading straight on over.

“I’ve done a bit of remodelling,” Daddio told me, “but what I think you and your readers will really get a kick out of is not so much the sim, but the trees I’ve found by Mitsuko Kytori of Hayabusa Designs. These trees and plants are marvels and deserve to be recognized, photographed and admired.” I have to admit that having seen them, I can only agree.

The changes made to the region are both subtle and widespread, and definitely make Keisei a place to visit once more. I’m just irritated that due to the “ERROR: LLDrawable::destroy: Illegal deletion of LLDrawable!” crash when using the snapshot floater, and which seems to be prevalent in SSB/A-enabled v3 viewers, I’m restricted grabbing screen caps a lot of the time on regions which are either busy or (as in this case) use a sim surround. This tends to make for a Growly Me.

Among the changes made are a number of new private residences – so please take care should you explore; the majority of the region is open to visitors, but some of the houses are equipped with security systems, and all visitors are asked to respect residents’ privacy.

Other changes within Keisei include a relocation for the bath house, which comes down from the sky while the tree house spa now sits up at 1,000m. The arrival point has been beautifully re-worked, and elements of the coastline remodelled; all of which adds up to a lot to see and enjoy.

The region remains a photographer’s delight, and I really do urge anyone into SL photography who has not visited Keisei to do so; there are so many opportunities here for some stunning images – and the entire region naturally lends itself to a host of windlight settings.

I have to confess that I’d actually missed the place as I nosed around and snapped away. This is a region which really is worth the time to visit. And if you’re looking for an oriental-themed home, there are a couple of parcels available for rent as I write!

Related Links

• Keisei SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• Keisei: garden haven and photographer’s delight – September 2012
• SL Destinations in this blog

When I first hopped over to Taiga after coming across it in the Destination Guide, I think the region may still have been under development, as there was a small lake in the middle surrounded by trees – and not a lot else.

It’s changed rather a lot in the couple of months or so since. The coniferous forest, common to the region’s real world namesake is still there, but the land has been a little more terraformed, and the lake now has a couple of buildings on the shore, an arrival point has been added and there are various other points of interest to explore.

Walk outwards from the arrival point and follow the banks of the lake to where a small river leads into it, and you’ll find a bridge upstream and a track you can walk along and into the forest. Or you can walk around the lake to the buildings on the far side and then on to a campsite with sleeping bags ready, tents pitched and a pot of coffee simmering over the flames, all ready for a night under the stars. And keep an eye out for the local wildlife!

Object rezzing is open here, so those who wish to add their own items to a scene – props for a photo session, say – are free to do so. The return time is set to 300 minutes, so make sure anything you do put out is taken back before you leave. It may eventually come back to your inventory anyway, but my explorations were a little spoiled as I walked under the trees and tripped over three abandoned clothing and shoes packs someone had left behind after unpacking.

The Russian / Siberian feel to the place isn’t limited just to the landscaping either; the primary language used in the introductory notecard is written in cyrillic script, as was much of the text in open chat. I’ve no idea if the region is the hub for a Russian / Balkan / Northern Eurasian community – but seeing it did add to the ambience of the place as I wandered around.

There are some rules within the note card which should be read – the region is General rated, so the owners request no nudity or adult activities (which include portrayals of drug use, violence, etc.), or the use of adult poseballs  / gestures. All quite reasonable enough and a mirror of the ToS for General-rated areas.

I’m not sure how frequently items and objects might be put out by the group operating the region, but at the time of writing a steampunk flying boat was hovering over the lake, offering some interesting photo opportunities for those so inclined, and the sim surround gave a real feeling of flying over a wild and largely untamed land when standing on the deck.

For those of a photographic inclination, this is the kind of region where playing with Vincent Nacon’s natural cloud maps (either self-installed or by using Firestorm) can be an interesting experiment. I flicked between the various options and settled on Altocumulus for a number of shots.

Those looking for a natural, open region will probably enjoy Taiga. Things can occasionally get a little busy around the arrival point, but there are plenty of places to wander and simply enjoy. For my part, I finished my trip with a quick “flight” on the flying boat.

Related Links

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

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There is a theme running through many of the locations in Second Life that I’ve visited and blogged about. It may not be obvious to some, but it is there all the same; so much so, that I thought it was about time I blogged about it. Or the person behind it. Or his own regions. OK – all three.

The theme is not that I tend to opt for more rural / country-like regions over urban developments or that water and trees feature rather a lot (although the latter are somewhat closer to it than the former). The clue is actually in the picture below.

See the bridge? Does it seem familiar? Well, possibly because you’ve seen it here, or here, or here, to mention just three of its appearances in this blog. It is the work of Alex Bader and while he is probably best known for his stunning and evocative castles, is also perhaps deserving of the title, “landscaper to the sims” because the chances are than when you are visiting one of the many picturesque regions across Second Life, you’re going to be seeing / walking on / crossing / standing under one of his creations – and more than likely passing many of them.

The home for Alex’s works are his twin regions (one full, one homestead) of Skye Elgol and Skye Neist Point. Both are nome to Alex’s Skye Studios and his range of landscaping accessories and impressive castles.

I’ve previously written about the value of in-world shopping in terms of the opportunities it brings to experience some truly marvellous regions.  Both of Alex’s regions are further proof of that – although I suspect people will be more drawn towards the somewhat less developed (in terms of castles) Skye Neist Point.

These are both regions which have been creatively designed as showcases for Alex’s work. In fact, it’s fair to say that while exploring them, and outside of the castles themselves – all of which are quite magnificent – it would be very easy to overlook the fact that just about all that is on display has been crafted by Alex.

Because it is a homestead, Skye Neist Point is the more natural of the two, with the focus on woodlands, walks, Alex’s distinctive bridges, and coastal scenes (which again will be instantly familiar to the seasoned SL traveller).  Here lay deep gorges, winding paths leading up hillsides, all of which offer breathtaking vistas and viewer guaranteed to delight and get cameras working.

Things are a little more crowded in Skye Elgol – but this is to be expected, given it is primarily the home of Alex’s castles, as mentioned; but even here there are places to wander and explore and vistas worthy of the camera’s eye.

Both Skye Elgol and Skye Neist Point stand as stunning examples of what can be achieved in 16 acres of virtual land given time and a sprinkling of imagination. As such both serve as excellent demonstrations as to what can be achieved when seeking to landscape a region and present something which is going to enthrall and delight.

Whether or not you’re into castles makes no difference; I cannot overstate the value in visiting Alex’s regions and taking time to explore them. You don’t have to buy a castle – although I’m sure he’d appreciate it were that to happen! – but there is more than enough here to tempt the eye and pocket, from the bridge featured at the top of this article through to Alex’s marvellous rutted tracks and his oh-so-life-like trees.

It’s hard to imagine anyone not enjoying these two regions – again with the emphasis possibly on Skye Neist Point. However, you don’t have to take my word for it: go see Alex’s work for yourself!

Related Links

• Skye Neist Point SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• Skye Elgol SLurl (Rated Moderate)
• Studio Skye website
• SL Destinations in this blog

(view slideshow full-screen)

Isle of Myrth is the home of The Noble Storybook, an homage to the tales of Beatrix Potter and the work of members of the Noble Family group in Second Life.

Now, while it may draw its share of hisses and boos my way, I have to confess that the tales of Beatrix Potter are not – and never were – a favourite read; either as a child or in reading bedtime stories to my godchildren. However, when it comes to The Noble Storybook, such a lack doesn’t really matter; this is quite simply a stunning and beautiful build from which nothing is lost if you’re unfamiliar with Peter Rabbit et al, and which richly rewards the Second Life explorer.

Superlatives tend to get used a lot when it comes to SL builds – but this really is one which is deserving of them; everything has been put together with an eye for detail and placement, making the entire region a delight to explore and photograph. Just be aware that the house atop the hill is a private residence and home to the Noble Family – so please respect their privacy.

The rest of the region, however, is open to meandering explorers and camera-happy snappers, and there is more than enough here to keep the most addicted snapper clicking away contentedly for hours.

The initial arrival point for visitors is some way up in the air. Here you get a hint of the region’s theme before teleporting down to the ground itself. There are no greeters passing out notecards, so it’s best to read the description in the Destination Guide if you want to get a feel for the place – not that it really takes much; as I’ve said, this is a beautiful sim which will enchant right from the time you pop-up outside the lighthouse above the beach.

Wooden steps lead down from the cozy lighthouse to the bach and the more “public” areas of the region – the Noble Cafe, a little quay and boat, shops and deck chairs. Footpaths and wooden bridges also lead around, over and along the hillside, offering shaded walks under trees and across open fields.

As you wander, you may well come across characters and creations from Potter’s books; you’ll also come across some stunning scenery. I’m not always a fan of sim surrounds – or at least my GPU isn’t; a combination of sim surround and active shadows tends to send it into paroxysms of flashing and stern NOT RESPONDING messages. However, I have to say that the surrounds used here are used to great effect and add enormous ambience to the region.

The real problem with a region of this kind is that words aren’t enough. There is only one way to really appreciate it – and that’s to go visit it for yourself.

So don’t let me keep you – go! 🙂

SLurl Details

• Isle of Myrth SLurl (Rated Moderate)

As regular readers will know, I love very natural and / or whimsical regions. I also love to see the amount of artistic expression store owners put into the region / parcel surrounding their store. It’s for this reason I was originally drawn to Cours, the home of Vitamingirl’s “🙂 BCC” – although I’m ashamed to admit that after my first visit, I didn’t actually get around to writing-up a post.

Well, now spring has arrived, and with it Cours has had something of a redesign which again demonstrates Vitamingirl’s creativity. The store now sits at the top of a hill and is reached by stone steps leading up from the arrival point. Heading off across a watery landscape is an old, broken railway track, inviting you to explore the region.

Follow the track across the watery landscape and you’ll find a locomotive, seemingly determined to make its way off across the Linden Sea. Elsewhere is a Romany caravan and a table set for tea where you can sit and chat or simply watch the world go by. Not far from the locomotive sits a windmill.

This is a minimalist build which is extraordinarily picturesque. The waterlogged areas, bright with yellow rapeseed-like flowers, both frame and separate the “islands” scattered across the region into a series of linked visual vignettes which beckon to the newly arrived traveller.

As well as the 🙂 BCC store itself, Cours is also home to the three house-like shops of Adelia, ADTL, and Honey Pang, all of which offer the window-shopper even more reason to drop into the region.

All-in-all, 🙂 BCC offers an enjoyable and very photogenic destination.

Related Links

• “🙂 BCC” at Cours SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• SL destinations reviewed in this blog