Category: Reviews

Update: Black Veil, the location for North Providence has been repurposed, and as such this build no longer exists.. 

I was drawn to North Providence, a five-region role-play estate after seeing a photo by fellow SL traveller and blogger, Wurfi. Defining itself as the year’s best choice for modern role-play, the estate is both new (the regions are all less than a month old) and an ambitious environment offering something of a reproduction of New York – both the city and the State.

The role-play is somewhat adult-oriented (the About Land description includes urban, violence, drugs, crime, gangs, sex, with all but one of the regions Adult rated), but the environment is very well thought-out and presented, openly public, but with spaces for small businesses and those wishing to experience role-play in a modern setting.

North Providence prides itself on a one of a kind experience you cannot find at just any role-play region, from its plethora of preset locations for you to build your story in or the available rentals to explore your savvy business side, North Providence has it all, and it’s the perfect place to call home.

– From the North Providence website

The layout is well-considered, offering as the text above suggests, a series of preset locations, all of which are carefully formed into a cohesive whole. It includes elements of Manhattan, notably in the presence of both the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building (both with apartments inside), together with Columbus Circle. There are also suggestions of outlying area of New York City, complete with elevated sections of the subway, housing and projects, and even hints of up-state New York with open spaces, woodlands and hills.

A map of the city is provided, but this by no means reveals the full extent of the estate, particularly the up-state areas of Brooks County and the board walk seafront that could be South Beach or Atlantic Beach. So, there is a lot to explore – including underground, where a network of service tunnels can be found. These might offer the potential for the more criminal aspects of the role-play to be enhanced, although again, I didn’t fully explore them, so I’ve no idea how often they connect with the rest of the estate.

I also cannot speak to the role-play within the estate on the basis of a single visit. However, there were a fair number of people within the regions during my time there, only some of whom appeared to be casual visitors. Those wishing to keep up with news of activities and events within the estate can do so via The Hutson Street Journal, the community newspaper. There is also a calendar, but whether this is for recording local events is unclear. When examining the estate, do keep in mind this is a new community, and one that is still in the process of finding / growing its audience  – something that might also be reflected in the status of the website.

North Providence is an interesting new role-play estate; I did encounter some issues with texture loading at times (so reducing draw distance in places might be needed). It will be interesting to see how the estate and the role-play within it develops.

SLurl Details

• North Providence (Black Veil, Moderate)

Update: since writing this article, Ty and Truck have taken up my suggestion for horseback riders visiting the Grumpy Troll! There is now a hitching rail close to the café, as is a horse rezzer, so those using the Calas WaterHorses can now take a break at the Grumpy Troll, then resume their ride along the Calas coastal trail. Thank you, Ty and Truck! 

We’re fans of the Calas Galadhon Park in Second Life. Run by Ty Tenk and Truck Meredith with their team of dedicated associates, the park offers a magnificent ten regions of open space, maintained through a combination of donations from visitors and out-of-pocket money.

Within the regions, each of which takes its name from Tolkien’s mythology, there is much to see and do. There are regular events both at the ground level Dolphin Bar, and in the air overhead at the estate’s club, Oz. Within the park are trails to be followed either on foot or via horseback, boats to be taken out on the water, places to dance (and in the winter, skate), picnics to be enjoyed, together with fabulous views, and plenty of time to get away from it all, balloons to ride – and more.

It’s also a park that is constantly evolving, and a recent new addition comes in the form of the delightfully named Grumpy Troll, located, appropriately enough, in Dimrill Dale.

Now, to be honest, when we received word about the Grumpy Troll, we both though it might be a local pub – the name ranks right up there alongside Tolkien’s Prancing Pony. However, the name in fact belongs to a little waterside café, just off the Calas coastal trail for hikers / horse riders. But the fact that it isn’t a pub doesn’t make it any the less visit worthy when travelling through the park.

With a delightfully “home-made” rustic look, and sitting on a wooden deck, the Grumpy Troll looks westwards over the waters and open spaces of the Gulf of Lune, Belagaer and the Grey Havens, perfect for spending time with a friend or friends, enjoying the view and appreciating the sunsets as the day draws to a close, or watching the land come to life as the sun rising behind you gradually bring light and warmth to the hills and waters.

Refreshments can be enjoyed both indoors and out on the deck, with the titular Troll looking suitably grumpy – if smaller than expected! – standing by the door. His mood is possibly due to his size and the fact a kitten and mouse appear to be using his sack to play with one another. On the grassy banks just outside the café can be found a blanket spread under the shade of an aged tree, and a dance system for those in the mood for a little romance / exercise.

For those following the Calas trails, the Grumpy Troll makes for a tempting and almost ideal stop. I say “almost”, because for those on horseback using the park’s horses, stopping means dismounting and losing their horse; it would be nice if a further rezzer was placed close to the café – say by the sign pointing to it (perhaps with a hitching post, to give a further invitation to riders?). That way those on horseback can enjoy a break at the Grumpy Troll and then be able to resume their ride without having to return to either Mirrormere or Glanduin to collect their horses.

For those interested in reading about horse riding in Calas Galadhon, please read A little (Bento) horse riding at Calas Galadhon in Second Life.

SLurl Details and Links

• The Grumpy Troll (Dimrill Dale, rated: Moderate)
• Glanduin horse rezzing point (Glanduin, rated: Moderate)
• Calas Galadhon website

Update, March 22nd: as per Cougar’s comment below, the château at Petit Lac Des Cygne is currently closed to public access.

Petit Lac Des Cygne (“The Little Lake of Swans”) is a private estate that recently opened to the public for several days of each week (it is closed to public access on Mondays and Tuesdays). This is a stunning Full region utilising the 30K LI allowance designed by Cougar (Cougar Sangria). Were I to sum it up in two words, they would be: quite magnificent.

The setting in modelled after the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-west France, and is stated to lie some 100 kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean and 50 kilometres from the Spanish border with France – both as the crow flies. Originally located on a Homestead region, the setting had only recently located to this Full region, and has been expanded upon by Cougar in the process to provide a rich setting, in which resides the lake of the title, a château, and plenty more to explore.

The introductory note cards, provided automatically at the landing point, might read a little forthright, but the requests made within them are not unreasonable, and do state matters clearly. The region is open to rezzing props for photography; those who do so are asked to ensure they pick up their items after the fact, with repeat offences not being tolerated. A backstory for the setting has been written in two parts, and is available here (part 1) and here (part 2) on Cougar’s blog; I recommend reading both as they add further immersion to a visit.

Surrounded by the peaks of tall mountains free of the grip of snow, and whose slopes roll down to meet the region’s edge, this is a setting that very much has the feel of being located on the French side of the Pyrenees in, as Cougar points out in her backstory, the département Pyrenees Altantiques (which is also the adopted name for the region’s simulator).

A track winds its way from the landing point, lazily meandering between tall grass and trees. It present a route around a local farmhouse (actually the Le Petit Café Cygne – about which you can read more here), complete with outdoor produce stalls, to the walls and gates of the château. Of modest size, this is nevertheless a fine house, with large courtyard to the front and formal gardens to the rear.

The path to the lake is to be found within the château grounds, and despite its name, it is of a reasonable size. Here, swans gently pass the time on the water, sheep graze along the lake banks, and a little outdoor café offers refreshments as it extends out over the water. All of this is watched over by a pavilion and a folly, standing as silent sentinels either side of the water. The latter is the studio for an artist, the former the setting for a small formal area amidst the wilder grasses, complete with astrolabe, statue and seating.

The château is elegantly furnished, wonderfully representative of a house that has been restored with care and love, again in keeping with the region’s backstory. The formal gardens are carefully laid out, a modern swimming pool set back and below the main house so as not to spoil the period feel, while chess can be found on one of the side lawns. Close by, a summer-house perhaps offers space for formal balls or receptions, the doors thrown wide in summer, allowing music and laughter to drift over the gardens.

Cougar describes the region as a labour of love for her; one that has taken several moths to achieve. This is very evident in the care and attention to detail that has been taken throughout the design. There is a natural look and feel to Petit Lac Des Cygne that is simply sublime; perfectly topped by an ambient sound scape (do make sure local sounds are enabled); it is beautifully presented, whether your interest is in exploring, photography  and / or simple admiration. Places to sit can be found throughout, and make for welcome spots by which to pass the time.

While there is a lot going on within the region that might affect viewer performance, Petit Lac Des Cygne is a destination that rewards patience, and which really should not be missed.

SLurl Details

• Petit Lac Des Cygne (Pyrenees Altantiques, rated: Moderate)