Category: Reviews

A January 12th, 2021 Destination Guide blog post by Linden Lab reminded me that it has been seven-and-a-half years since my first – and up until now, only – visit to the remarkable David Rumsey Maps in Second Life (see: If maps are your thing, Rumsey’s the king!). A length of time that marks a return visit as long overdue, so I decided to jump over and renew my own acquaintance with the four-region facility.

As both the Linden blog post and my own post from 2013 note, David Rumsey Maps in Second Life is a direct annexe to the David Rumsey Map Collection. This an on-line collection of more than 150,000 maps with a focus on rare 16th through 21st century maps of North and South America, but which includes maps of Asia, Africa, Europe  and Oceania. The collection stretches back over 30 years, with a programme to digitise them all commencing in 1996.

The collection’s website is powered by LUNA, one of the world’s leading digital asset management tools, one that is used world-wide around educational, research and science institutions. In particular, the software allows visitors to the website to view multiple maps from different time periods side-by-side and also to create and curate their own collections of maps from the library, according to their interest / requirements.

This ability to interact with the collection was expanded in 2008, when the Rumsey collection realised Second Life could be a unique environment by which people could visit and interacts with elements of their collection in a unique manner, and their presence in Second Life has been periodically updated since then.

The core of the facility comprises a visitor centre and a 4-region terrain elevation map of Yosemite Park dating from the 1880s, and which visitors are free to fly over / down town and walk across (to see it all, you should set your draw distance to at least 512m). Around the outer edges of the four regions – which are arranged in a square – is a series of panels – up to 50 on a side – displaying individual maps that can be studied by taking a walk around the boundaries, together with a 3D view across the Grand Canyon amidst the panels on one side.

Within the visitor centre are more maps – forty of which are available to collect at no charge – and several of what should be interactive elements – map viewers, a media recording of a presentation by David Rumsey himself, etc. Unfortunately, on my return visit, none of these would respond to being touched, nor would the large world map directly outside of the visitor centre, which is designed to allow you to rez a pin on your physical world location and place it on the map with a message of up to 140 characters.

Two skywalks extend from this map platform, each one displaying a ribbon map that can be walked. The first – and longer of these – is featured in the Second Life blog post. It is a reproduction of a map of the Tōkaidō road (“”eastern sea route”), the most important of the five great trade routes linking Edo (as Tokyo was then known) to other major Japanese centres of commerce – in this case, Kyoto on the east coast of Honshū. The second ribbon map,on the shorter skywalk  (which connects to the outer map walk) is a reproduction of a map from the late 1800s showing steamboat routes on the Mississippi.

We built the 4 {regions} in 2008 and have continued to update them since then. One of the things that fascinated me early on was the potential to “walk” on the historic maps and fly around them in SL. The Yosemite map which forms the floor of the site was built with a full elevation model so that it is accurate and in scale. The map is the first truly accurate map of the Yosemite Valley made by U.S. Army topographers in 1883.

– David Rumsey, via Linden Lab

While flying is not required to see all the maps, it is needed to see the two large globes floating over the Yosemite map. Eash is a reproduction of globes created by Giovanni Maria Cassini (not to be confused with the astronomer, Giovanni Domenico Cassini) – one of the earth and the other of the heavens surrounding it. Both can be flown in, where information boards can be found describing each of them, set over two orreys modelled on the time of Cassini – each fails to record Neptune and Uranus, as those planets had yet to be discovered.

Despite some of the interactive elements not appearing to work, David Rumsey Maps remains an engaging and educational visit.

Related Links

• David Rumsey Map Collection website
• David Rumsey Maps SLurl (Rated: General)

 

 

 

 

 

In July 2020, we made our first visit to Mount Campion National Forest, the marvellous setting created by Marz (Mar Scarmon) around the highest peak on Second Life’s mainland continent of Heterocera (see: The climbs and caves of Mount Campion in Second Life).

Rising towards the peak of the mountain and encompassing the razor back ridge that runs down from it, the forest is a stunning place of beauty, both above ground and underneath it – for within the granite cliffs and high steps of rock runs a network of tunnels and caverns that is so natural in look and feel, it is possible to imagine them having been formed in ages past by the passage of water through the rocks.

Fast forward six months, and a lot has changed for the forest.  It has expanded mightily, actually tripling in size to just shy of (at the time of writing) 100,000 square metres – that almost 25 acres, for those who prefer to work in “old money”. It runs through three region of Heterocera to offer Second Life users both the opportunity for extensive out-door exploration and the opportunity to actually rent a property within it and fully appreciate its splendour.

I know this because Marz recently invited Caitlyn and I back to the forest for a further visit – and truth be told, I’m writing this article between our bouts of wandering the paths and trails above ground and exploring the further caves and tunnels that lie beneath them.

We started our return visit  – on Marz’s recommendation – at  the high plateau of Roscommon Ridge to the north-west of Mount Campion. Here can be found numerous paths and trails – the main ones of which lead the way past some of the rental properties to be enjoyed here, so if visiting, do avoid trespassing and invading people’s privacy.

The plateau is also home to small lakes among the trees, together with fast-flowing streams – perhaps fed by the thaw (a small corner of the plateau still exhibits snow) as much as by the lakes. A short walk from the landing point is an entrance to the cave system under the plateau, one that includes a neatly tucked away rentals vendor providing details on the houses available for rent within the forest.

Through the considered use of many of the same landscaping elements found within the “original” Mount Campion setting: flora, tracks, landscaping elements,  etc., Marz has layered the entire forest, from Camion through the south-western corner of Highflyer and then through Spinach, with a sense of continuity of featuring and setting that is both natural and which encourages explorers to continue their wanderings.

Those who do keep a an eye out for the unusual when exploring may come across one or two little surprises along the way, such as a Sasquatch enjoying a stroll along the banks of a stream or the outhouse that have been placed for the … convenience … of visitors, and more, both above and underground (I’m not going to give all that we found away!).

As well as the Roscommon Ridge additions, I believe I’m correct in saying the cave complex in Campion has been extended, with a series of tunnels and caverns that are partially flooded (if these were around in July 2020, then silly me for missing them on our fist visit!). Find the right way into these, and it is possible to take an air mattress from a rezzer and paddle through the waterways – just mind the waterfall that marks one of the routes out!

The goal of the National Forest is to have a public place of scenic beauty that encourages exploration. A secondary goal is to renew interest in mainland SL. The National Forest has the highest mountain in SL (Mount Campion), miles of scenic trails, forests, canyons, and of course the largest connected cave system in SL. I hope you will visit us again, I am giving you the location for one of our newer areas, but again the areas are all adjacent and connected by trails and caves so I hope you will roam around. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you there.

– Marz (Mar Scarmon)

A captivating beauty spot since Marz took it on, Mount Campion Natural Forest was always a worthwhile visit, and this expansion has increased its attractiveness, offering multiple reasons for a visit. As noted above, at the time this piece was written, Caitlyn and I hadn’t completed our own explorations – so maybe we’ll see you there!

SLurl Details

• Roscommon Ridge (Spinach, rated Moderate)
• Mount Campion National Forest (Campion, rated Moderate)
• Mount Campion main caves entrance (Campion, rated Moderate)

With the end of an old year and the start of a new one, thoughts inevitably change from those of winter and snow to the arrival of spring and the rebirth of nature’s colours. Given this, I decided to hop over to Legallyblondmod Demonista’s setting of Wildwood Gardens.

Occupying a little over half a Full region, this is a richly detailed environment that is rich in colour; one that attracted me through the promise of a timeless setting within its description, and I was far from disappointed.

Enjoy lakeside deep forest and exotic caves gardens among the ruins of old. Where hints of ancient magic still linger. Relax and take time to explore.

– Wildwood Gardens About Land description

The lake in question lies on the east side of the setting, at the far end of the woods and their gardens relative to the western landing point. This sits on a small headland that looks out over a narrow channel of water sitting between Wildwood Gardens and an off-region ribbon of an island  and overlooking a west side beach.

With its flower-bordered track running south along the back of the beach and lit by iron street lamps, together with the offer of a Teagle horse rezzer for those who might want to ride, and a folly-style rotunda sitting on the grassland on the far end of the beach, this initially has the feel of a simple garden, but there is fall more awaiting discovery, as the About Land description hints.

Proof of this comes by following the track as it passes along the back of the beach before turning inland to arrive at a junction. One arm of this points towards the rotunda on the coast, the other turns east, passing along the foot of a large elven hall that brings a slight flavour of Tolkien to the region.

Elven in style the hall maybe, it has a  distinctly contemporary feel to its furnishings. There’s nothing wrong it this; the two styles compliment one another perfectly, offering a unique look to the hall. A further element of this magic can be found along the branch of the track pointing towards the rotunda near the beach. Following it will reveal it passes by the rotunda to arrive at the entrance to a network of tunnels and caverns.

The network is surprisingly extensive, winding its way under the highlands that form the southern side of the setting, and it is worth both following the suggestion of the sign at the entrance and set your viewer to Midnight and in  taking time to explore underground; the caverns offer hidden waterfalls and pools of water, exotic flowers and crystals and a choice of routes back to the surface.

One of these offers a way back to the main track which, after passing over a stone bridge near the elven hall, passes through the denser trees, side paths branching off to reach places to sit – a camp ground here, a swing seat there, or a parasoled banket – look carefully and you’ll find them.

The remaining route through the cliffs leads to the southern bank of the lake and a hidden tree house that awaits discovery and enjoyment. It is overlooked by a cliff-edge stone pavilion that offers another Middle Earth feel, even though it is not intentionally designed as such. It stands as a hint of another secret to the setting: the cliff-top gardens that also await discovery.

These offer multiple points of interest – a pond with cosy summer house, a walled garden that further combines hints of fable with a contemporary design, a wooden gazebo  – but how do you get up to it is the question. All I’ll say is, find the ruins watched over by unicorns that lies below the cliffs  – you’ll find them further along the track from the main hall, and the entrance to a tunnel and steps that lead up to the plateau are not far away. Should you miss it, you can still carry on along the track to where a bridge spans a gorge linking the lake with open water and another table of grass-topped rock that offers another wild garden with its own attractions,  and when finished there, find the tunnel stairs on your way back.

And all of this just scratches the surface of the beauty and magic of Wildwood Gardens, which is genuinely a place in which to lose oneself. There are multiple places to sit and share, a profusion of colours that naturally blend through flowers and plants, that captivating mix fable and contemporary that gives the setting a truly magical depth and sense of timelessness, all of which is rounded out by a perfect sound scape.

An altogether enchanting design.

SLurl Details

• Wildwood Gardens (Ever Wilder, rated adult)