Category: Reviews

Sorrow, Paper Dinosaurs (Flickr) – click any image for full size

Sorrow is the name of an atmospheric region designed by The Lollipop Kids, led by Voshie Paine. This is a place with a tragic back story (as told by the introductory note card), something which is perhaps reflected by the sombre, rain-heavy skies with their scudding, grey clouds.

This was, we are told, once a happy estate, built on money and handed down through the generations until tragedy came upon the last of the family line. Not anything supernatural, you understand – this isn’t a story purely confined to the Halloween season – but events sufficient to cast a pall over the region and give rise to the name by which it is known.

Sorrow, Paper Dinosaurs (Flickr)

Visitors arrive at the edge of one of the two larger island making up the region, and are greeted by a heavy downpour. The rain is so dense it turns the lightning into irregular flickering of great sheets which briefly illuminate different parts of the surroundings, revealing a broad expanse of water behind the landing area and, through the dimming rain, the dark outline of another landmass on the far side.

Before the visitor lies a pathway, offering a route to the steady lights of a nearby house just visible through the rain and trees. Here can be found comforting shelter from the rain in what I assume is the cosy home of the family who were once employed as servants on the estate. Just inside the door sits a samovar, offers piping tea to warm the insides after the rain, and food is offered in the little conservatory kitchen.

Sorrow, Paper Dinosaurs (Flickr)

Beyond the house and further around the sweep of the island, sits a barn where horses graze and sheep give out the occasional plaintive bleat, as if commenting on the persistent rain. From here, more details of the island across the water can be seen, sometimes limned by the flash of lightning reflected in countless raindrops to form another bright sheet of light across the sky. However, if you want to cross the water, you’ll have to follow the shore you are on back to where a grey boat sits at the end of a small dock (sit in the middle of the boat to row it across the water).

The second island marks the location of the estate’s main house and is, if anything, riven with even more rain. Another track leads up through trees tall and aged, some so old they appear to be dying, to the main house. Or what remains of it. No longer in its prime and cleared aged, it moulders slowly, decaying from the inside out, the memories of the tragic events that transpired here now its only occupants.

Sorrow, Paper Dinosaurs (Flickr)

The final island in the region is by far the smallest. It also requires the row-boat to reach it, and is the location of a little encampment, brazier bravely trying to fight off the rain and heat a tall pot of coffee – although I think the pot of stew cooking alongside it might be a little watery to the taste!

As noted, Sorrow offers an atmospheric place to explore, although the volume of rain might impact viewer performance, so some graphics tweaking might be required. However, the atmospheric beauty of the region cannot be denied, the rain and windlight settings combining to give a very real feel of walking through a heavy rain storm on a dark night.  The back story also adds a further layer to explorations, making Sorrow a more than worthwhile destination for those who enjoy exploring SL and taking pictures.

SLurl Details

• Sorrow (Rated: Moderate)

Pulse Games have been bringing Halloween themed games to Second life for eight years. In 2014, they created Don’t Panic, an enticing and fun little adventure-come-hunt built around the story of paranormal investigators and mysterious goings-on, as I reviewed at the time, having previously encountered their 2013 event, System Failure. So when I heard the news their offering for the 2015 Halloween season was open, I was curious to find out what it might be like.

Carver’s End is billed as a trick-or-treat adventure which takes the turn for the worst. as one might expect, participants are out doing the trick or treating as things  get decidedly odd and increasingly gory as they progress  through what might otherwise be the sleepy little hamlet that goes by the titular name.

Things start innocently enough at the arrival point. Here you’ll need to grab a copy of the free play pack, which includes introductory notes, instructions on game play. Do make sure you heed the notes on minimising lag and divesting yourself of unnecessary facelights. It’s also a good idea to have sound on as well, although essential information is also delivered through chat. There’s also a game HUD in the form of a radio, which you’ll need to wear. With this in place, you’re ready to proceed via the “tunnel” leading to the town.

As Carver’s End uses Experience Keys, you must grant it permission to act on your avatar when you reach the tunnel entrance. The requested permissions are displayed in the dialogue, and as with all Experience keys activities, the permissions granted will be automatically revoked when you leave the game play regions.

On granting the permissions, you’ll be transported to Carver’s End (population 666). From here on in, what happens and where you go is entirely up to you. As with all Pulse Games, progress is very much as case of explore, touch and listen for hints (given both over your radio (local sounds) and in chat).

And when I say “explore” and “touch”, I mean exactly that; don’t take anything for granted, and take your time. There are prizes large and small to be found (with the black rats in particular handing out hunt prizes), while doors, gates, manhole covers, ladders, and so on may well teleport you to another area of game play.

It is at this point that a small problem does occur. One of the really attractive elements of Don’t Panic, was the fact it was structured around a storyline with a defined starting point and purpose. This, combined with the various ways one could progress through the challenge, made it  and engaging activity.

Carver’s End has a similar free-form approach to it, which offers the same different routes through it, allowing different things to be found over several runs through the town. However, it does lack any underpinning story. This left me leaving a little disappointed with the experience when compared to Don’t Panic; there was little to really keep me engaged to the same degree, which was a shame.

That said, for anyone who does enjoy hunts in Second Life and fancies one with a horror twist, Carver’s End will be open through until mid-November; there’s plenty on offer as you find those little black rats!

SLurl Details

• Carver’s End (Rated Moderate)

KiLu, Majorca (Flickr) – click any image for full size

KiLu is both the name of a region design partnership and the demonstration region they have created, which is now open to the public to explore and enjoy, and which I recently had the opportunity to visit.

The partnership is that of Salty Kimchi (Kimbra Iridescent) and Luis Lockjaw, who is perhaps known to many in Second Life as the creator and owner of the marvellous Hesperia of Templemore. And as a demonstration of the collaboration, KiLu is simply superb, and right now also offers just the ticket if you’re looking for a break from the Halloween season’s October hold on Second Life

KiLu, Majorca (Flickr)

A homestead region, KiLu is beautifully landscaped into a rural setting caught in the turn of the seasons as summer fades into autumn. The setting is that of a shallow river gorge, the river in question tumbling down the rocky face of a tall rocky hill in the south-east corner of the region, from which it proceeds to split the region into two unequal halves as it rapidly spreads from splashing stream to wide, meandering waterway, its descent marked by stepped waterfalls.

A lone covered bridge links spans the river as it broadens and the land either side dips toward the passing water. It is close to this bridge, that newcomers first arrive, a small farm behind them occupying this part of the island. Close to a barn, dairy cows and horses graze, while further away atop a hill behind the barn, sits an A-frame house. High cliffs bar the way westward from here, but the land slopes more gently upwards to the north and east, offering the chance for visitors to roam among the trees.

KiLu, Majorca (Flickr)

Should you head eastwards, roughly following the path of the river, you’ll eventually find your way up into the hills to where it begins – you’ll have to face getting your feet wet from here if you want to explore the rest of the island, as the bridge mentioned above is the only dry route across the water.

The south side of the island reflects the rural nature of the north side, with gentle slopes leading up to the rocky east side, a broad path leading the way between tall fir trees. A large house looks down on the bridge and the river from close by; open to the public, the house also overlooks the sea and a small wooden dock. Follow the broad track eastwards and upwards, and it will bring you to a rather quaint cottage, or perhaps it is a converted barn, alongside the waterfalls. This has clearly seen better days, with nature now its chief resident, but it still offers a place to sit and rest awhile, should you be so minded.

KiLu, Majorca (Flickr)

There are other places where visitors can sit and tarry to be found scattered through the region, both on land and on the water, making KiLu the perfect escape, accompanied by an audio stream, which turns the clock back to yesteryear to bring visitors the likes of Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw and more.

Definitely a place to add to your list of destinations – and should you visit and take photos, do consider contributing them to the KiLu Flickr group. And if you enjoy your visit – which I’m certain you will, do consider a donation towards its upkeep when passing the little barn up at the waterfalls.

SLurl Details

• KiLu (Rated: Adult)