Category: Reviews

Gingerbread and the Woodies is the title Alpha Auer has given to her 2024 seasonal design for her Alphatribe Island. Alpha describes it as a “sort of” continuation of her Ragville – but if you didn’t see (or don’t recall) that work, have no fear: Gingerbread and the Woodies stands on its own two feet as a delightful place to visit.

Alpha notes that the installation is made possible through the support of Olympes Rhode – so to her also go thanks for making the setting possible. Alpha goes on to note that the setting is best seen using the supplied Shared Environment, Draw Distance set to 256 metres and that shadows are enabled in the viewer.

While I’d certainly agree that shadows and the Shared Environment are a must, I’d very politely disagree over the need to set Draw Distance to 256 metres; while the region has clearly been optimised to help boost performance, should you have a system that might get a little grumpy with things like frame rates at so high a setting, I’d suggest going for whatever your system can comfortably manage, rather than feeling you cannot visit on account of that setting.

Given Gingerbread and the Woodies is a seasonal setting, it should come as no surprise that it is a snowy location; possibly somewhere in the far north, or at least where the temperature is such that the trees have their trunks coated in frost, and the waters seem particularly cold.

The Woodies of the title are the local inhabitants of the land; they live in gingerbread and cookie homes – some of which are quite grand – and share the landscape with the local wildlife. They appear to be a hardy folk; despite the cold look of the sea, some have just returned from a voyage to collect more seasonal things to put out around their houses or perhaps with which to dress their gingerbread trees.

If any of the goods on the boat are to be sold, then the local market is likely where they’ll be headed; here to join all the pastries, cakes, wreaths and other goodies. And should you feel particularly taken by some of the offerings within the market – you can buy them as well; even Alpha’s raccoons, bears, squirrels and owls are available to be purchased and taken home!

The houses and Woodies are scattered through the setting so exploring is a must in order to see everything. Alpha suggests leaving the Sun as is within the environment settings, but I confess that for some photos here and when filming, I did move it a little.

There are some good opportunities for photography with the Woodies  (they’re very friendly in this regard!), with Santa and a couple of his little helpers ready to pose with you. Rezzing is open for those wishing to use props – but while Auto Return is set (60 minutes), please remember to pick up after, rather then leaving them to be returned.

But really, this is a setting not so much for describing, but enjoying.  As noted, the region is nicely optimised, so hopefully most folk can follow Alpha’s recommendations for viewing the setting when visiting. However, and as I also hinted at above, I did take the liberty of doing some filming whilst visiting – more of an entirely unofficial “teaser”, if you will.; I hope it encourages you to pay Gingerbread and the Woodies a visit!

Enjoy!

SLurl Details

• Gingerbread and the Woodies (Alphatribe Island, rated Moderate)

Sweet  Surrender is a Full region held and designed by  Giulliana Dallaʂ (Giulliana Palen) and Fotis Dallas. It offers a multi-faceted location, rich with opportunities for exploration and photography, making full use of the available space to offer a little something for everyone. Whether you like tropical beaches, ancient ruins, brightly flowered gardens, hidden coves, underwater playgrounds, romantic spots, opportunities to dance or simply having somewhere to sit and talk or cuddle, then you’ll enjoy Sweet Surrender.

Sweet Surrender is a dreamy, romantic haven where love fills the air. It’s a place designed for intimate moments and magical connections. Soft lanterns cast a warm glow over cozy nooks perfect for cuddling, while a charming dance floor invites couples to sway under a canopy of twinkling stars. The gentle melodies of live acoustic music float through the night, creating an enchanting atmosphere where every glance, touch, and step feels like poetry in motion. Sweet Surrender is where hearts meet, and memories linger forever.

– Sweet Surrender About Land

The Landing Point sits within the north-west quarter of the region, just outside the Café de Paris. After being greeted by the local bird as he sings from a Tsukbai just outside the café, The basin looking to be employed as a means for patrons to rinse their hands after eating. From here, gravel paths offer several routes of exploration – which you take is entirely up to you.

You could for example, set out westwards to where the local lighthouse serves as a little store for Giulliana’s products whilst offering a lookout point over the sea and the sailing ship passing by, and to the headlands sitting to the north and the south.  Between the lighthouse and each are, respectively, a shingle cove and the region’s tropical beach. However, the beach cove is only one of two to be found to the south; the second, and smaller of the two home to one of the region’s romantic / cosy locations.

The beach is accessible from the path running to the lighthouse and from a second path as it runs south to loop around a rocky hill topped by some of the ruins scattered throughout the setting. From here it is possible to reach the smaller cove mentioned above and also climb up along the top of the southern headland to reach another retreat, this one with a shine alongside it.

This loop of path also give access to another elevated lookout point, this with a southern beach below it. In forming its loop, the path also passes by one of the setting’s inland bodies of water. Another such body sits at the northern end of the region the broadest point of a spine of rock rising to run north from just behind the Café de Paris. This second body of water, fed by waterfalls, offers a place to dance or to sit on the deck of an overlook, a little camp site below.

A stream cuts the region in two from north to south, two bridges spanning it, one towards the middle of the region, the other crossing the gorge formed by the upland in part occupied by the dance area and waterfalls, and a large cabin presenting another retreat. A path runs running down the east side of this plateau to another shingle beach.

Is is on this eastern side of the setting that the region’s third inland body of water can be found, imaginatively formed by water piped through an old grand piano. Gravel paths wander over the grass and flowers and under the trees here, as with the western side of the region; and like that side of the setting, they lead visitors to the many attractions to be found here.

I’m not going to describe all that lies here – better for visitors to discover; What I will say that within this part of the region is an event space which – I think – will be the venue for music events within the region, starting on Friday, November 29th, and thereafter on the second Friday of each month; those who don’t feel like walking can take a horse if they wish. I’ll also say that the underwater element to the setting can be found to the north as well – look for the the arch under the stone and Poseidon standing guard.

With greenhouses covering dance floor, grottos hiding places to pass the time or dance, many places to sit with friends or a loved one, the aforementioned ancient ruins to explore, Sweet Surrender offers much for romantics and explorers alike – and with winter drawing in for those of us in the northern hemisphere, it offers and engaging summertime visit.

SLurl Details

• Sweet Surrender (Forest Knolls, rated Moderate)

Update January 2025: Frost Peak has closed.

Winter is the quietest and most peaceful time of the year. Nature lies beneath a soft, white blanket, sleeping in gentle stillness. Snowflakes dance through the air like tiny, sparkling stars, quietly settling on the ground. Forget your worries for a moment and enjoy a warming mulled wine at the festively decorated Christmas market or an exciting train ride through the snowy landscape.

– Frost Peak About Land

Occupying a Homestead region, Frost Peak offers exactly what its About Land deception states:   a winter’s setting rich in snow and opportunities to forget worries, relax and take photos, wander a little market or ride a train through the surrounding woods.

Designed by Yoyo Collas with the help of AmyDenise, the region near seamlessly blends itself with the outlying surrounds to present a place nestled within high mountains. The Landing Point sits towards the eastern end of the landscape (itself laid-out roughly east-to-west), where steps lead up to an arched entranceway passing under a grand festive tree.

At the foot of these steps is the first opportunity for photography – a horse-drawn sleigh with sitting for individuals or couples. A further place to pose can be found just across the track from the sleigh, in the form of a little glass-canopied bench and where a white stag watches over a small herd of deer.

Stand close the tracks long enough, and an open-topped train will clatter past, hauling a line of open-topped little carriages. Mindful somewhat of Stevenson’s Rocket (albeit with a cow-catcher on the front!), the little train huffs and puffs itself around an oval of track passing through the outer sides of the region at a speed that makes hopping on and off very easy.

The train is a good way to see the outlying woodlands of the region and the wildlife therein – bears, fawns, deer – and pass by the cosy home at the western extent of the land (and which appears open to the public if you fancy popping inside and warming yourself up). The tracks will also take visitors past a bridge and a deck which both provide access to the ice-skating track area.

Broad enough for ice dance around the little island in its midst, and close to the deck and below the slope leading up to the house, this frozen part of the setting throws two smooth arms around the middle of the landscape, possibly allowing a race or two around it, the route carrying skaters under the Landing Point’s huge tree in the process.

Passing through the tunnel under this tree from the Landing Point brings visitors to the Christmas / Winter market set within the innermost oval of the land, walls around most of it lifting it above the ice skating, other than at its western end where the snow-covered ground slopes gently down to the ice, a road also curling tail-like around it it from the market or offer a path from one to the other.

The market is home to a range of stalls and little shops, together with fairground rides, places to sit and plenty of life. One of the rides is a novel carousel in which the riders’ seating and mounts remain still, and the rest of the carousel itself  slowly revolves around them! A curio it might be, but it also fits within the setting.

The life and liveliness comes in the form of static NPCs who are set as if wandering the stalls, seated in conversation, bartering over snacks, taking phots, and so on. They are joined  by a couple of cats who look to be about to have a disagreement, and the local Elf and welfare team taking a break from sweeping the snow from the cobbles, before they make their way gnome (sorry! 😀 ), while pigeons and stags round-out the animal representative and snowmen keep their eyes on things.

The NPCs in the market aren’t the only ones to be found here, as those who ride / follow the train tracks will discover – folk are out for a walk around the tracks as well, while those looking for little places to sit and pass the time might want to seek out the old cable car cabin as it sits out on the ice or perhaps the cosy little forest shed across the ice from it, and watched over by a friendly owl.

Rich in details, easy on the eye, Frosty Peak is well put together to make a nicely relaxing visit.