Category: Exploring Second Life

Bambi (NorahBrent), is known both for her Oh Deer brand, and for her Melody region designs – Missing Melody (see here and here) and Longing Melody and, most recently, a little corner of Second Life called Soft Melody.

Sitting on a sky platform over Longing Melody (which I wrote about in Visiting Longing Melody in Second Life), this is place very different to the setting on the ground, carrying as it does more of an Oriental touch and style.

An Island Hidden in the sky.

As you will walk down the alley the blossom scent will lift you. The soft warm wind will hug you so very gently. The chimes will guide you and the cats? Well the cats will ignore you because they are still cats after all…

– Soft Melody About Land

This is a small setting, perfect for photography, at first appearing to be little more that two alleys such as might be found within a corner of a town in Japan, lined by buildings so as to form a ravine-like feel. Some of the buildings are furnished, others are empty. However, first appearances can be deceptive; there’s a lot to take in, much of it watched over by the local cats.

There is for example, the little stall at the crossroads landing point, whilst down one of the alleys sits a little teahouse / restaurant. Find your way into one of the empty houses, and you may find a door to where an external stairway leads to the upper floor and a ladder from there to a little rooftop space, one offering a little escape from the world. Across the alley from it sits another rooftop spot, this one the home of an artist’s studio.

Climb the steps rising one of the one of the alleys and you’ll come to a bridge crossing a nullah and leading to a garden space where Japanese and Chinese themes meld through the presence of Torii gates and panda bears; a further retreat that also includes rabbits and little bouncing balloons.

Rich in sakara blossom and with further little secrets awaiting discovery – look out on the water for some and under the hills for others –  this is a place that is easy to visit and appreciate, all of which makes Soft Melody as an inviting a location to explore as both Missing Melody and Longing Melody.

SLurl Details

• Soft Melody (Celestine, rated Moderate)

It’s been a year since my last visit to Vivian Pearl’s (Vivian Ewing’s) Where Our Journey Begins, and following a suggestion from Cube Republic, I decided to see what has changed since that time. And the answer is, rather a lot!

Now located in a Full private region leveraging the private island LI bonus rather than a Homestead (as with my previous visit), the setting has literally bloomed in both name (at the time of my visit, the setting was called Where Our Journey Begins – The Bloom) and design with the move, presenting a richly varied location with much to see, admire and photograph as one sets out to explore.

This is a setting this is broken into three major areas by the waters that flow through it from the curtain of cliffs sitting within its north-east corner. It is here that high falls have carved a broad, shallow pool that in turns feeds into a second from the midst of which rises a small island that perhaps helps the water branch into two channels, one flowing to the west and the other to the south, so as to split the land.

None of this is readily apparent to visitors on their arrival, hidden as it is from their view. Instead, they arrive on a nub of an isle tucked away to the south-west, the broad back of the region’s major landmass blocking any view of the falls. The landing point sits within a glass house on the little isle, a covered bridge connecting it to the rest of the land to where a mix of dirt and semi-paved paths point the way forward.

Westward, the path curves gently to where a summer house sits between the coast and the uplands, its grounds shaded by weeping willows. The house is simply and comfortably furnished, the courtyard offering seating for a meal and for refreshments, together with a view out over the sea.

The path from the landing point curls around the summer house garden to split into two, with a wooden bridge spanning one of the region’s tow waterways to reach a beach sheltering in the lee of the northern uplands, whilst the main path continues onwards alongside the river, becoming a lamp-lit boardwalk that passes under a great stone bridge.

Finding your way to the latter is a case of finding the stairs that allow the flat-topped hill in the centre of the land to be ascended. These lead the way to further paths that offer the means to discover a cylindrical bathhouse and onwards up to the lush hilltop, where a garden and place for weddings awaits, together with the broad path of the bridge to where the north-western lands sit over the sheltered bridge, complete with a more formal gardens space overlooked by a large glass rotunda.

The bridge leading to these northern gardens is not the only such structure in the landscape; to the east, a second bridge spans the water that flows down from the falls. Shaded by trees intentionally deformed into an arched walkway of rich blossoms and lit by more street lamps, it provides access to the eastern arm of the land that stretches out from the waterfalls, and upon which stands a paved road fronting a parade of townhouses and places of business.

With its high buildings, cars parked at the roadside and people “walking” its footpaths, this little touch of suburbia sits in something of a stark contrast to the rest of the region’s design. But at the same time, the trees and blooms that line the street and surround the buildings soften their lines and helps them to blend with the rest of the setting such that they form a natural part of it.

And still there is more to discover. For those wishing their find their way up to the central highlands, turning right after crossing the bridge from the landing point will offer the quicker route; whilst those turning to the left may avail themselves of the horse rezzer along the path leading to the summer house; it offers a choice of mounts – but those on low-to-mid-range systems may want to disable shadows when riding in order to make things a little easier.

I’ve also not really touched upon the ways out and over the waters from the falls or to the island at the centre of the second pool or the many places which visitors can sit (and enjoy cuddles if they so wish, or many of the smaller details across the land that both await discovery and / or present opportunities for photography. All of which ensures that Where Our Journey Begins remains an inviting and eye-catching visit.

SLurl Details

• Where Our Journey Begins (Whispering Windz, rated Moderate)

For those who are missing the likes of Halloween and ideas of the spirits that might lie beyond the the veil of death and / or dark magiks, then a visit to The Endless Graveyard might be just the ticket.

Occupying a Full private region making use of the LI bonus, it is a setting designed by Lady Death Valiant (Death Ravenhurst) that presents quite the adventure / opportunity for exploration., with multiple levels and locations lying within its boundaries. Visits commence close to the ground level, where sits the the landing point – and an invitation.

A forest in Sweden that exists at the edge of the land of the living. Can you find the hidden doorway to the realm of the dead?

The Endless Graveyard About Land

The first thing to note about the setting is that – as per the notices at the landing point – this is an environment which uses dedicated EEP settings throughout, and for the fullest appreciation of the region and these settings, it is best to set the viewer to Use Shared Environment (menu → World → Environment), and to make sure Advanced Lighting Model (ALM) is enabled (Preferences → Graphics). The notice at the landing point suggests Shadows should also be enabled, but I’d leave this to a matter of choice and your system.

Beyond the landing point is the Forest of the Veil, a cold, snowbound setting (which is appropriate, given we’re in the wilds of Sweden). Here and there, braziers light the way, while a cold light, seeming to descend from an aurora-like sky, pieces foliage and lights grassy trails. The latter wind around the semi-rugged landscape, leading to various points of interest – a small lake fed by waterfalls and lit by lanterns, a farm ostensibly producing milk caught within the eerie glow of light and mist, a lonely cabin, and more besides.

And, for those who find it, the ruins of a church, and the start of the journey through the realm of the dead. Triggered by the acceptance of a region experience, this will carry visitors to a land similar to that of the ground level, but which sits in darkness and free from snow. Here the church stands intact, although it is not a place given to the glory of God.

Outside, tracks again curl through the landscape, leading the way to a graveyard and a music hang out, or onward to a castle that sits atop a high plateau or over a hill to the River Styx – complete with a ferryman waiting (and who left me with the words of the Chris de Burgh song echoing in my head).

To be honest, it’s here that I admit to getting a little confused; on finding my way to the high castle, I entered it and got growled at by a security orb – although as nothing actually happened, I continued exploring unsure as to whether the castle was supposed to be public access or not. I’m hoping that it is, as it is an intriguing mix of furnished rooms and teleport doors and portals that lead to additional rooms and spaces at different levels within the region, all of which offer their own secrets and portals the lead to further locations when discovered, all of which added further depth to the setting.

Similarly, across the river lies a further building – the actual gateway to death’s realm (I think). Again I was a little confused by it, but once inside, I found a further teleport portal lead me on to a series of chambers connected by tunnels and snaked and curled from point-to-point, offering still more opportunities for exploration.

Rich in detail, and  – assuming the castle is open to exploration -with plenty to see and discover, The Endless Graveyard is a dark (literally and figuratively!) place worthy of exploration – particularly if the likes of witchcraft, the  realm of death and mystery are your thing.

SLurl Details

• The Endless Graveyard (Legio a Morte, rated Adult)

I was drawn to the setting of Aurora Falls after coming across it within the Destination Guide. The work of Suite Belle Stark (Suitelady DeCuir) and Zaccai J. Stark (Robesz), it utilises the western half of a Full region furnished with the private island LI bonus to present a mix of public and private spaces available for exploration and / or rent.

With a north-south orientation, the setting offers a rugged coastal setting, a place that would look perfectly at home along the northern coastlines of the United States or Canada, or perhaps along the Scandinavia or more rugged parts of the Baltic. To the south and north are upland regions, the former somewhat higher that the latter, the lowlands between largely given over to an inlet that cuts into the landscape to form a curling bay, a single channel, crossed by a bridge, facing the open sea to the east, and high peaks rising to the west that give the sense that this is a small island hugging the coast.

The landing point sits on the southern highlands, where a broad road emerging from a tunnel; quite where the tunnel, topped by a crown of trees, might lead is left to the imagination. From it, the broad road rolls down from the uplands to double back on itself as it reaches the lowlands and what might have once been a little fishing hamlet. Here it eventually comes to an end facing the furthest reach of the inlet.

What appear to have been the original buildings around the bay have a distinctly working appearance: a warehouse here, a boathouse, shacks built out over the waters as if ready to receive fishing boats as they come alongside. However, if this had once been a little commercial fishing haven, those days are long gone. The buildings built out over the water and the old warehouse have all been repurposed; the former has been converted into an over-the-water restaurant, the piers close by now home to an old houseboat that has been converted into a little bar. The warehouse, meanwhile, as become a den for music and, shall we say, other recreational activities!

In its current design, the island now appears to be given over to a vacation retreat. A little grocery has been built close to the local gas station, and a pair of small holiday cabins have been built along the curve of the bay cutting into the land. Part of the old fishing village even seems to have been knocked down and turned into a Zen garden; a place to release the mind and spirit (if the items available at the warehouse haven’t already done so!), in meditations and / or yoga. Only the old boathouse appears to have retained its original purpose – although perhaps this is just to support recreational fishing trips off the coast, rather than any commercial enterprise.

The vacation cabins form the core of the rental properties in the region. Two sit on the inner meanderings of the setting’s inlet, the third facing the open waters on the east side, where the land points towards the northern highlands across the single wooden bridge. Whilst within their own parcels, these cabins are located directly adjacent to public spaces such that it is possible to visit all of the latter, such as the local camp site, without passing them and possibly invading privacy. However, they offer comfortably furnished spaces for those looking for, say a short-term vacation home.

Atop the northern uplands sits the largest of the rentals: a sprawling single-storey house. Reached via a single footpath, it sits behind high waterfalls that face the rest of the setting and is given additional privacy by a surrounding screen of trees.

Whilst this northern headland is largely presented as a private residence, the highlands here do hide a secret. Tucked into their eastern corner (and outside of the parcel given over to the large house above), a watery tunnel winds its way into the hill to where a large cavern sits. Lit by torches, it is the home of an over-the-water bar and little snuggle spaces extending from its circular wall.

Throughout all of this is a wealth of detail awaiting discovery – including clues to the more North American setting for the island (just look for the racoons!). There are also numerous places to sit and appreciate the setting and – needless to say – many opportunities for photography. Those requiring props can join the local land group for rezzing rights.

Those on medium-to-low end systems may find they need to make adjustments to their viewer in order to enjoy a smooth experience in the region when moving / camming – but this should not deter people from visiting; Aurora Falls is an engaging visit to make.

SLurl Details

• Aurora Falls (Aurora, rated Moderate)

Go down the rabbit hole and find yourself in Alice’s abandoned park.

– The invitation to visit Wonderland 2.0

A region design apparently focused on Lewis Carroll’s Alice stories is nothing new within Second Life; I’ve visited a number through my time in Second Life and written about several in this blog, and thoroughly enjoyed each of them. In addition, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass have both been the subject of art installation and special events within SL.

However, Wonderland 2.0 is decidedly special. Designed and built by Lucifer (Samael Morningstar) and Violette (Violette Rembrandt), and occupying a Full private region, it has grown from a 1/3 region parcel through a half a region to this new iteration, which Lucifer and Violette are still nipping and tucking. It offers an immersive trip into not “the” Wonderland of the books, but “a” Wonderland – a marvellous place of imagination and adventure put together by Lucifer Violette in which the stories of Alice are the jumping-off point for a journey into the fantastical and the captivating within an incredibly eye-catching landscape; a unique adventure in which Alice’s experiences sit as touchstones throughout, and with a richness of interaction.

These touchstones commence at the skybox landing point, where jut outside of a small cabin, the Cheshire Cat grins through a giant keyhole at those stepping out of the cabin’s single room. A short walk past a not-too-friendly rabbit (Bryn Oh’s Mr Zippers) delivers arrivals to where light swirls within the open maw of a rabbit hole visitors are invited to jump down.

Doing so delivers people to a further room where on a table sits a little bottle with the familiar invitation: Drink Me. Those who do so (by touching the bottle), will find themselves instantly reduced in size, the room grown large round them (through the neat use of a quick teleport), and the way forward marked by a previously tiny door of what might have once been a little moue hole but has now become a full-size door. Touching the RED arrow pointing at the door then delivers visitors to the region proper.

To describe this landscape would be to defat the purpose of a visit: that of taking a journey of discovery and adventure through a literal wonderland of colour, space, art and more. Throughout this landscape of paths and fields, flowers and hills, over which whales swim, boats float and island drift, lay rich vignettes, visible and hidden. Some embrace Alice’s adventures, other provide their own ride into immersive fantasy.

Nor is what awaits restricted to the ground level; there is a lot more over it (and under it!) than the route down from the Landing Point. So much so, in fact, that I genuinely  doubt a single visit will suffice for someone to catch it all. These elements in the sky can be reached through one of the major means of exploring the region: the network of Anywhere teleports. Some of these take the form of the usual Door form, sitting on or floating serenely just above the ground. A click on them will open them, and a second will walk you through them – and on to another vignette, one generally – but not always on roughly the same level.

Some of these teleports, however take the form of rabbit holes, wells, and more (like a dip in the water of a stream, for example). These are indicated by 3D arrows which, when clicked, will carry you through them (again with animations) to another location, this time usually involving a vertical move to a location in the sky, or back to the ground. In places the two types of teleport combine to lead visitors from setting to setting – such as with the caves, pirate ship and winter vignettes that all await discovery. Thus, exploration is gently teased out of visitors, and given the manner in which these doors and jumps might be found, no single route through the region’s settings and vignettes might match another.

Nor are these the only teleports: also to be found within the region are a number of Experience-based portals. If you accept the associated Experience, they will teleport you to other locations within Second Life. Meanwhile, for those who prefer to wander rather than just teleport around, there are paths to be found, undulating across the fields of flowers and also up some of the highlands of the regions – and I do urge visitors to follow them as well.

Wonderland 2.0 is a genuine treat for those who love exploring – and one of those places where, at the risk of repeating myself, I don’t want to delve into a huge amount of detail about for fear of spoiling the pleasure of direct exploration. It is a place that fully deserves special attention and time when exploring. In fact, such is the the design, it will take more than one visit in order to capture everything. In this, as well, I’d like to thank Lucifer for taking the time to show me elements within Wonderland 2.0, and I’d also like to pass my congrats to him and Violette on this latest, and largest iteration of their vision. I look forward to returning and seeing even more!

SLurl Details

• Wonderland 2.0 (Realm of Wonder, rated Adult)