Category: Exploring Second Life

November has rolled around once more, and in the northern hemisphere, winter is wrapping its arms slowly around us, prompting thoughts to turn towards thoughts of white Chirstmases, snowy holidays, skating, jingling bells, a chubby chappie with a bushy white beard (as he has become, courtesy of Haddon Sundblom), and more.

All of these “traditions” tend to come to the fore in Second Life as the end of the year rolls rapidly closer, with regions across the grid being re-dressed with snow and decorated trees to offer the opportunity for winter walks and /or romance, winter fun and photography. These regions take many forms, so much so that we are often spoiled for choice in terms of where to visit, what to see and do, so I’m getting this one in early, after taking the recommendation of my “sim sleuth”, Shawn Shakespeare.

Monverdun is a Homestead region designed by yoyo Collas with the support of AmyDenise which offers, as the About Land description notes, a variety of winter / seasonal offerings liable to suit anyone, no matter what their wintertime preferences. And for me, that description is not wrong, as I’ll get too shortly.

Whilst describing itself as a “city”, the setting is really far more rural than that. Cut through from east to west by a broad river bordered on one side by a major road which does suggest it is a major artery leading to / from a major conurbation, and beyond which lie high snowy peaks suggesting this is a place sitting within a broad (and possibly formerly glacial) valley.

Between the river and road and the mountain slopes, the landscape is largely wooded, the southern side of the setting dominated by a large country-style house. Across the frozen waters of the river are two former boathouses, now converted into riverside cabins with plenty of cosy warmth within them. Sitting between the two cabins is a large skating rink, blazing braziers and a hot chocolate kiosk offering the chance to warm both hands and insides for those who find the air and setting a little cold.

The rink – which offers the visitors the chance to skate – and cabins have attracted the attention of a string (or stud) or horses, the line of which passes behind them to stretch across the river and back through the woods near the country house. Okay, so maybe the rink and cabins aren’t the attraction for the horses; they are more likely moving to find pastures that are possibly easier to reach through the snow to be found on the north side of the region. However, their passage past the cabin and rink offers an additional sense of magic to both rink and cabins.

However, these horses, making their way over the frozen water, form a rounded pointer back towards the large country house on the south side of the region suggesting they may have come from it – a suggestion possibly supported by the fact the house has stables along one wing. And it is this country house that actually attracted me to the region – although the reason for this is slightly convoluted and has little to do with Second Life.

This is because – a fair while ago now – the Christmas period for me was a time spent away from home at a country house hotel that offered a complete “non-Christmas, Christmas” – good company among friends, warm fires, wonderful meals, the opportunity to go to the local parish church services for those who wished, and most of all (as selfish as it might sound) the chance to just escape the rest of the world for a few days.

Whilst that country house did not feature a Christmas market sitting before its main entrance, nor does it sit alongside a major road, there is something about the looks and styling of the house within Monverdun which carried me back to those days of Christmas getaways. For others, the region’s setting might offer different attractions and memories.

For example, with the hints of the 1940s in some of the traffic together the snow and lights, it’s not too hard to imagine Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey rushing along one side of the road, running back to town and home to face his future in It’s A Wonderful Life; while the hansom cab outside the gates leading to the country house offer a suggestion of Victorian Christmases (something not entirely unconnected to Capra’s 1946 film mentioned above).

Richly photogenic and engaging Monverdun makes for a visit that will likely sit one’s imagination, offering much of the seasonal spirit without being overbearing.

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• Snowy Monverdun (Monverdun, rated Moderate)

Asian Mist is a Full private region offering a mix of public spaces and private rentals. Designed and operated by JasmineSnow (jasminesnow333) as a part of her Jasper Estates, it offers a lot for the casual visitor to appreciate as well as those looking for a new home to consider.

In keeping with some of her previous region designs, Jasmine has been careful to keep the public and private elements of the region somewhat separated, the latter sitting to the north and south of the region, offering a total of nine furnished and unfurnished properties of varying sizes for those looking for a home.

The public spaces sit on an east-west line through the middle areas of region, largely separated from the private residences by a body of water that forms a series of interlinked pools sitting with smaller islands between, bridges and stepping stones allowing renters to reach the public spaces whilst offering a clear, natural buffer between there homes and the more open parts of the region and the risk of trespass.

As the name suggests, the public areas of the region have a distinctly Asian feel, mixing a range of Asian and Oriental elements together in a setting ringed by high peaks, and with a central peak rising from the region in a manner that offers the faint hint that this is a place sitting within the bowl of an ancient impact crater – albeit it one with ridiculously high surrounding walls.

The landing point sits on the east side of the central peak, a place taken up by series of decks for live music / DJs and dancing, flanked to one side by a café and terrace and on the other by an open-air video space and a small bathhouse reached via tiered gardens and steps. These garden spread north and south around the central spire of rock, paths leading to further gardens, outdoor pools, places from rest and falls which tumble from on high.

Romantic Asian Rain Forest theme sim. Enjoy large garden and pond. hidden cave with dance Intan and many detailed areas for cuddling or visiting.

– About Land description, Asian Mist

To the east, the gardens extend outwards and downwards to the water’s edge, encompassing a large koi pond, walks under Torii gates, more places to sit – and a pair of elephants as they lend their own uniqueness to the setting. African they may be, but again, as I’ve oft mentioned in reference to Asian settings, it’s not easy finding good examples of Elephas maximus within Second Life.

Those who follow the paths around the island will inevitably find their way to a cavern offering a home to an inner cove of water and sand, open to the sky above thanks to what might be a collapsed sinkhole, the detritus of which has long been cleared away from the cavern so that it might offer a further retreat for romance, music and dancing, the mouth of the carven looking towards a view between the surrounding peaks to the world beyond.

Beside the elephants and koi, the region is home to a range of birds, wildfowl, pandas, squirrels, and cats – although whether the latter are feral or domesticated is hard to tell. Meanwhile, the rich diversity of flora within the region gives it a deeply natural look and feel, suggesting a setting where wildflowers and shrubs are cultivated just enough to keep them under control, leaving the island both wild, but not so wild that paths, trails and places to sit are lost or hard to find, but rather sit as much a part of the landscape as the surrounding plants.

With lanterns floating overhead, a warm soundscape and caught under a blanket of cloud that reflects the late Sun, Asian Mist offers far more to see than the words here present, all of which is – needless to say – highly photogenic. As such, and for those who enjoy exploring / photographing public spaces in Second Life, I highly recommend a visit.

SLurl Details

• Asian Mist (Real, rated Moderate)

A fair while ago – January 2014, in fact – I dropped into the Full region of Tempelhof and spent time exploring and taking photos. However, I didn’t actually get around to writing about it. So it’s about time I put that to rights.

To be honest, I have no idea if Tempelhof today is under the same management as it was in 2014 – not that this is particularly important, admittedly. However, in its current iteration, the region has been designed by Misty Payne with the region’s group created by Caps Wertmuller. Utilising the Land Capacity bonus available to private Full region, the setting is most easily defined through its About Land description:

Once a highly fashionable coastal resort – now run down and forgotten by the world. Come see what’s left, explore – and pick a home here if you want to be part of our BDSM community – we often have interesting vacancies.

While the comment on the region being home to a “BDSM community” may initially put some off, I’ll just note that this is not in any way overt, and the public aspects of the region can be easily enjoyed.

What we do have is a setting which carries within it shades of World War Two. At the dockside, for example, sits a military Kübelwagen, whilst across the region sits a coastal defence bunker and accompanying blockhouse, sitting diagonally opposite a smaller waterfront area, the entrance to which lies blocked by the carcass of a Kriegsmarine U-boat, whilst two more are moored at the main quayside.

Given the signage on the buildings, it is clear this is somewhere in Germany or along the country’s coast. Perhaps it might be a  part of Berlin’s Westhafen – even if this is in the Mitte borough rather than that of Tempelhof-Schöneberg, as might be suggested by the region’s name; or perhaps it isn’t intended to represent any single place. Whatever the case, it is an atmospheric setting.

The outer sides of the region represent the core of the town, with cobbled streets, running between places of business and manufacturing and a mix residential properties, whilst the bulk of a theatre looks like it may have recently been struck by munitions of some description – although whether bombs or the result of shelling is unclear.

The centre of the region along with the east side is more open and rural in appearance, roads giving way to rutted tracks, houses mixing with trees and fields, ponds and the odd folly or two. The roads and tracks offer the most obvious routes for exploration and wandering – however, do remember that there are private residences scattered across the region, and not all of them might be houses standing in their own grounds so do be cautious about entering the buildings – not all may be open to the public.

Despite the possible wartime nature of the setting, there are multiple signs that life here is continuing as usual: the waterfront café  is still open for business, fishing boats still appear to be plying their trade out of the little port, and the waterfront red light bar remains open for business (or should that be morale?!).

Richly detailed throughout, with plenty of opportunities for photography and exploration, Tempelhof offers a lot to see – and, potential for those so interested – the potential of a place to live.

SLurl Details

• Tempelhof (Ceiriam, rated Adult)

 

Once, in the days of yore in Second Life, Scottie Menges set out to build a place of romance with a sense of antiquity and – for those with the interest – of learning. Originally built entirely using prims in 2009, The Pillars of Hercules remained open for over five years as a place of exploration, meditation, dance, and photography, before closing its doors in late 2014.

Now the build is back; Scottie has spent around 10 months rebuilding a new Pillars of Hercules, one which retains much of the feel of the later iterations of the original as well as utilising newer designs for the likes of the great temple and adding a sprinkling of mesh elements in terms of some of the statues and some of the landscaping elements, and the setting opened to the public once more on November 4th 2022.

According to legend, the original Pillars of Hercules were the promontories of Calpe Mons and Abila Mons, said to flank the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic. They marked the furthest west Hercules travelled whilst completing his twelve labours (as wrapped into both the Greek and Roman myths of Heracles / Hercules). Here the name might be seen of representing the fact that Scottie’s build wraps within it elements of both Greek and Roman mythology – including Heracles / Hercules himself, with the largest structure on the region raised as temple to him.

As with the original, the best place from which to start a tour of the region is at the southern harbour, which forms the main landing point. Here visitors can find a map of the new build, which includes direct teleports to the places indicated on the map. However, I would – in keeping with the signage – recommend exploring on foot before hoping around via teleport (or flying – some of the more remote locations may required visitors take to the air.

Also available at the harbour are boat and flying tours of the region – the former located alongside the landing point, and the latter on the far side of the harbour, where a pictorial history of both The Pillars of Hercules and Scottie’s other Second Life works can be found.

Exploring on foot will allow visitors to discover the more historical elements in the region – such as the reproductions of famous statues from Greco-Romano history – and the more hidden places within the build – such as the walk down into Hades and across the River Styx – just beware of the Gorgon who lies in wait; or the hidden way to the Underhill Library from the water garden (and vice-versa). Signage throughout offers the opportunity for visitors to learn about Greco-Romano mythology, such as the Greek god Astraeus or Hermes / Mercury, and touch briefly on the legend of Apollo.

Throughout all of this – and in keeping with the style of the original – are multiple poseballs offering places to sit and places to float. More modern sit points and places to dance also await discovery – both above ground and under water., whilst for amateur astronomers like me (and those interested in cosmology, the Tower of Astraeus is well worth the climb (or the TP…), as the uppermost floor presents a unique planetarium-style environment – and do be sure to sit at the telescope and switch to Mouselook; and I look forward to seeing what else Scottie has planned for these parts of the build.

Rightly “old school” in looks, the return of The Pillars of Hercules to Second Life is both a welcome harkening back to the first decade of the platform’s life, and the times when prims (and in-world individual and collaborative building) ruled the roost, and also a reminder of how awkward morphing the terrain mesh could be when trying to landscape large differences in elevation – and how easier things are today thanks to rigid mesh landforms, and items such as mesh rock formations, etc.

Rich in substance and history – both in terms of the human history it enfolds and in terms of the SL history it represents, The Pillars of Hercules makes for an engaging visit.

SLurl Details

• The Pillar of Hercules (rated Moderate)

November is a notable month for many reasons; however, for budding (and some established) writers, it is National Novel Writing Month (often shortened to NaNoWriMo) – a 30-day challenge to write a novel of at least 50,000 words. The brainchild of San Francisco freelance writer Chris Baty, the project was actually first held in July 1999, but moved to November in 2000 to take advantage of the “miserable weather”.

During its first year, the project saw 21 people take part. In 2000, 140 participated, and the project gained the attention of US national press and also bloggers such that by 2001, the numbers taking part had grown to 5,000; and things snowballed from there. By 2005, the project had been registered as a non-profit organisation in the US and had gained international status with budding writers the world over participating annually.

I mention this because Kestrel Evergarden has established Come Write In – a Writer’s Retreat, a place where Second Life writers can visit, relax, hone their writing skills and develop their NaNoWriMo entry – or simply write for their own pleasure or talk writing. Occupying a cosy parcel on the north side of Heterocera, Come Write In offers numerous points of retreat, indoors and out, where writers might relax in-world and listen to the voice of their muse.

The home of a small, but growing community of writers – visitors are welcome to join the local Come Write In (CWI) group – the setting offers, in the words of its Destination Guide entry:

Private tents and communal space, games to unwind with, and an inspiring setting beautifully landscaped to call for your Muse … CWI offers prompts, resources, and more to help you reach that 50k in 30 days goal, and more.

Nor is this purely a Second Life only adventure – Come Write In is an officially recognised NaNoWriMo virtual write-in location, open to writers from outside of SL.

From the roadside landing point, CWI offers a number of indoor spaces (one of which looked to be a new development at the time of my visit) built around a deck and open-air café. Alongside of these sits a terrace space for discussions, a games area with table-top games and a winding path that winds through a landscaped setting visitors and writers alike might explore.

This meandering path wanders past a round pond fed by a stream that tumbles its way through the setting, passing under a pair of bridges which bracket the pond, before vanished into a tunnel. The path also offers access to the private tents mentioned in the DG description. These are available for short-term rental (L$50 a week, and provided with their own furnishings. These are offered for the purposes of unwinding and (again) retreats where one might exercise one’s writing muscles – or use as a place to toss around ideas with a close friend or two.

Rich in plants and wildlife, with plenty to see, CWI forms an excellent retreat for both budding writers and for those looking for a quiet, natural retreat.

SLurl Details

• Come Write In (Sprawler, rated Moderate)

Tango with Nottoo started life some three years ago as a tango dance venue occupying a Mainland parcel. The brainchild of Nottoo Wise, the club has expanded over the year, both in terms of size and offerings, and in August of 2022, it completed a move to its own Full region, where it continues the original club lounge as well as offering a range of dance venues, a movie theatre, beach, art gallery – and an eclectic mix of “hidden” attractions.

With its primary function being dance, music and entertainment, the region is styled differently to the majority of those featured in these pages, in that there is little overt terraforming within the region. Instead it present a largely flat aspect, the surface area given over to the various venues for music and dancing. Which should not be taken to mean it is without character; it’s simply that its character is invested in the venues and facilities offered.

The dance settings take multiple forms, from the main ballroom, through the outdoor Always Tango area, where – as the name implies – an opportunity to dance a tango is always available (and, for those seeking a dance partner, the opportunity to find one through the Tango with Partners group) and the venues for both blues and jazz, to the outdoor dance expo garden and the very Deco inspired outdoor dance floor.

These all share the region with the Roxy Theatre, where dance performances may be held, the Bijou movie theatre, an art gallery, a 1950’s style diner and multiple places to sit outside and relax. Chief among these are the fine dining area, the beach and and an over-the-water bayou-style bar. Dancing is available through thanks to well-placed dance machines ,and the region boasts over 300 couples dances, a Spot-on Group Dance System, male and female individual dances and even a 3-person dancer!

All of these points of interest are accessible from the main landing point – just follow the labelled paths leading away from it. The landing point also provides a wealth of information via notecard givers (and some gifts for visitors), as well as the daily schedule of events. A bicycle rezzer is available for those wishing to explore by means other than using their feet, and the Landing point is also home to one of the stations’ little railcar stations.

The  latter provides access to the region’s public “hidden” areas, sitting beneath the land and the waves. To explore them, click the railcar sign at the station and hop aboard the little two-seater car it rezzes ((if you are riding on your own, make sure you sit on the right-hand side). Take the car to start the ride, and the car will carry you through an eclectic series of settings linked by tunnels. Each setting has its own little station in the form of a barrier that will stop the car (allowing you to get out and explore) and a further rezzer (allowing you to resume your ride). Should you opt not to explore any of these settings, touch the barrier to make it raise out of the way, and your car will resume its journey.

Off to the east side of the region are two smaller islands. Accessible via jet ski, the northernmost of these islands presents a garden space open to all and, at the time of my visit, caught in the colours of autumn. south of this, the second island is a “members only” area, only accessible to those joining the Tango with Nottoo group (at no charge). Reached via a members-only teleport at the main landing point, the member’s island is one of the many benefits offered to group members – for details of the rest, check the Tango with Nottoo Member Benefits notecard available via the information board at the landing point for full details.

For anyone who loves dancing, Tango with Nottoo offers a lot, whilst the additional facilities – including the art gallery, which I barely touched upon here despite it hosing an exhibition of Milly Sharpe’s fabulous fractal art at the time of my visit – means the region has a lot to attract Second Life explorers as well.

With Nottoo being out-world for much of her time, the region is largely cared for by Mona Layla (Monalayla) – who extended an invitation to me to visit;  and Rachela Rossini – who gave her time to answer my questions during my visit as well as providing a pleasant welcome. To both of them I offer my thanks.

SLurl Details

Tango with Nottoo (Tango, rated Adult – but using Moderate rules within the public spaces)