Category: Reviews

The ghosts of castles past

Posted on by Inara Pey

Ghost Castle

During my SL travels, I may have mentioned I have a love of castles. So when I learned that Fuschia Nightfire, in association with Italian Square Gallery & Tanalois Art, was opening a new installation which takes England’s once mighty Corfe Castle as its inspiration, I was immediately intrigued.

Corfe Castle was established by William the Conquer in the 11th Century to command a gap in the Purbeck hills of Dorset (where Fuschia also lives in RL), and it was one of the earliest castles in England to be built using stone when the majority were built with earth and timber.

During a long and distinguished history, it served as both a royal fortress and later as a private residence. However, loyal to the crown in the English Civil War, the castle was besieged by Parliamentarian forces and eventually betrayed from within in 1645. Following its capture, Parliament voted to have it demolished, leaving a striking set of ruins atop the hill where it once stood.

Corfe Castle, Dorset (image: The National Trust)

Ghost Castle, Fuschia’s new installation, which opened on Wednesday April 16th, presents an interactive means of exploring a Norman castle. From the landing point, the visitor – assuming not too many people are already exploring – is presented with the castle ruins much as Corfe is seen today.

Ghost Castle as it appears in ruins
Ghost Castle as it appears in ruins

However, as you draw close to the ruins, things start to happen, with the gate house and curtain walls materializing before you, presenting vistas of the castle as it may have appeared in its heyday. As you pass by them, climbing up towards the keep, they fade away again, new sections of the castle appearing as you pass over or through them.

But as you approach, parts of it are slowly restored as they materise before you
But as you approach, parts of it are slowly restored as they materialize before you

The nature of the installation does make navigation a little difficult, as elements of the castle are necessarily phantom. This being the case, I recommend walking up to the curtain walls and then flying up to and around Henry 1’s great keep. Make sure – as the introductory notes at the landing point advise – that you have draw distance up relatively high and have set RenderVolumeLod (debug settings in the viewer) to around 4.00; both will be necessary for camming out to get good views of the castle.

Work with other visitors, or go in a small group, and you can reveal more of the oritinal structure
Work with other visitors, or go in a small group, and you can reveal more of the original structure

This is a novel and interaction way at viewing historical pieces in Second Life, one which could offer significant opportunities for things like educational recreations. It’s also an installation worth getting a small group together to visit, or while spending time working in cooperation with other visitors is worthwhile, so that you can work together to render more of the various elements of the castle simultaneously and so get more of a feel for how it might once have looked.

If there are enough of you, the full reichness of the castle might eventually be revealed
If there are enough of you, the full richness of the castle might eventually be revealed

 Related Links

 

Santaurio: paradise found …

Posted on by Inara Pey

~Santaurio~, April 2014” ~Santaurio~, April 2014 (click for full size)

I’m a fan of Jac Mornington’s work; that should be clear from my coverage of places like Yuki no Yume, Sol Existence, Black Basalt Beach and Baja Norte (which I understand is now under new management, but set to continue “as-is”). So when Ziki poked me about a new region Jac and Romy Rosea had opened, I put the landmark carefully to one side until life give me enough time to go and enjoy.

~Santaurio~, April 2014 ~Santaurio~, April 2014 (click for full size)

~Santaurio~ is subtitled “The Lost Island”, and the landing point appears to take its inspiration from a certain television series by JJ Abrams which featured an aeroplane crash and an island … However, while this tropical isle has mysteries to find and enjoy – ruins, spiritual hideaways and more – it is far from sinister. Indeed, Jac welcomes people to the region with a warm greeting in his profile:

Paradise can take the form of anything
It can be a flower or it can be a word or it can just be a sincere smile

We welcome you to Santaurio ❤
Jac & Romy

~Santaurio~, April 2014 ~Santaurio~, April 2014 (click for full size)

Once ashore from the arrival point, there is much to discover. Beaches run around the island, allowing you to explore the coastline with ease – but do try not to upset the nesting turtles! There a small beach club to be had, and further around the island, sheltered spots for couples to enjoy – do be aware that animations-wise, some of these have a slightly adult slant to them!

Move inland, and there’s more to discover, starting with the ancient Mayan-like stone ruins visible from the beach. The land between these and the beach club is cut by a fast-flowing river which leads the intrepid explorer inland, through the tropical jungle, up cascading rapids and to a rocky pool fed by a waterfall lying beneath what appears to be a natural rock arch.

~Santaurio~, April 2014“Rescue…?” ~Santaurio~, April 2014

Make your way up under the arch, wading through the water, and the truth is revealed: the arch is a part of the wall of an ancient volcano, now long extinct, the crater flooded to form another pool of water, this alive with the vibrant colour of lotus and lilies, humming birds flitting from flower to flower. In the midst of this sits a small stone Buddha, awaiting travellers seeking peace, candles and joss sticks on the rock before him, while water tumbles down from fissures in the rock behind him, constantly replenishing the pool.

For those who love Jac’s work and who haven’t seen ~Santaurio~, I cannot recommend it enough. If you’ve not seen Jac’s work previously, then ~Santaurio~ is an excellent place to start. Access at the moment is free. However, if you’d like to rez props for photography, etc., you’ll need to join the ~Santaurio~ group. It costs L$300, but joining it also helps cover the region’s tier, so if you decide to be a regular visitor, why not join? And for those who are viewing one of Jac’s superb builds for the first time, don’t forget the links to the others at the top of this article! All are very much worth a visit – or six!

~Santaurio~, April 2014“Rescue…?” ~Santaurio~, April 2014

Related Links

A Carnival of Architecture to say farewell to a landmark

Posted on by Inara Pey
The Paper Tower - ACC Alpha, april 2014, as seen from Sparquerry
The Paper Tower – ACC Alpha, april 2014, as seen from Sparquerry

Four years ago, architect Haveit Neox raised the Paper Tower over his ACC Alpha sim. At 175 metres in height, the Tower became a landmark for the region and the neighbouring Sparquerry, where more of Haveit’s fabulous works reside. However, all good things must come to an end.

In January 2014, Haveit took part in the LEA’s series of Interim Projects, and presented his Paper Observatory, indicating that it would replace the Paper Tower on the occasion of the latter’s 4th anniversary. And so it is that on Thursday April 10th, 2014, a special Carnival of Architecture will take place at ACC Alpha, during which the Paper Tower will vanish into inventory, and the Paper Observatory will descend from the sky to take its place.

The Paper Tower - ACC Alpha, april 2014
The Paper Tower – ACC Alpha, april 2014

Festivities will kick-off around 14:00 SLT, with a parade. Then, at around 14:30, free vendors will appear in the Paper Tower Court where the Paper Tower once stood, offering attendees the opportunity to obtain architectural attachments – walls, domes, columns, etc., – they can walk and fly around wearing and come together in groups to “build” their own versions of the Observatory. Then, as a part of the grand finale, the Paper Observatory will descend upon the Court and those in it, in – to use Haveit’s apt description – a raucous collaboration of performance art.

For Haveit, the departure of the Tower is something of an emotional event, and it took him some two years to come to the decision to take it down. “The Paper Tower is one of my pet builds – one of my first,” he says of the Tower. “Working on its grand scale and industrial motifs was an exciting new adventure in my new exposure to 3D building. I have many fond memories with friends, and with public events in and around the Tower. It is one of the last standing of my newbie builds.”

The Paper Observatory at LEA25, January 2014
The Paper Observatory at LEA25, January 2014

One of the problems with building tall structures in SL, as Haveit points out, is that while in RL they provide excellent platforms for viewing your surroundings, due to the default camera offsets in SL, when you build over a certain height, all that’s seen is the sky. The Paper Observatory compensates for this by having a translucent floor.

While the Tower will be taken down, it will not vanish altogether; although the observatory will occupy the space once taken by  the Tower, the Paper Tower Court beneath it remain and continue to be an exhibition space, and the themes of paper and decay seen in the Tower are reflected in the Observatory’s design, which will be used to display scientific information.

Those wishing one last visit to the Tower can still do so ahead of the Carnival, although most of it has been cleared ready for the removal. While there, and if you haven’t done so previously, you might want to explore the rest of Haveit’s remarkable designs and builds within ACC Alpha and Sparquerry.

One of Haveit's pieces at ACC Alpha
One of Haveit’s pieces at ACC Alpha

Related Links

 

Caprice : springtime delight

Posted on by Inara Pey

Caprice Village, April 2014Caprice Village, April 2014

Since I happened across Asa Vordun’s Caprice Village and Easy A last year, I’ve been keeping an eye out to see if things change there. Truth be told, I loved the whimsical feel to the former and the winter landscape of the latter during my last visit in November 2013. so when I heard through the grapevine that Asa had completely reworked her land, I just had to hop over and take a look.

Caprice Village, April 2014Caprice Village, April 2014

And what a change! The make-over is both extensive and stunning, making the Caprice Village parcel a must-see destination for SL photographers.

Such is the design of the new build that it is hard to decide where to begin in describing it. One part of the build resembles what might be the very edge of a rural district. In the middle of it sits a house bordered on one side by a road and bus stop, and on the other by a large paved terrace and what might be a car parking area.

Caprice Village, April 2014Caprice Village, April 2014

The land around the house is a little overgrown, and across the road sits an old tractor and a rather quaint well. Blankets hang on a washing line in the sun, while beyond them, the sea rounds a tall island and flows gently along a narrow channel, partially spanned by an old set of telegraph poles.

The paved terrace is home to a small bookshop, with wooden dock and rowing boat alongside it. A stone fountain splashes water nearby, and a small cafe area, apparently also served from the house, offers brightly painted wrought iron chairs and tables at which visitors can sit, the leafy spread of the trees by the house offering some shade during parts of the day.

Caprice Village, April 2014Caprice Village, April 2014

Follow the footpath to one side of the bookshop and you’ll come to a set of wooden steps leading up to a magnificent wood and stone pier, bordered on one side by a secluded beach area complete with a wooden broad walk crossing the water to a small islet where sits a little hideaway.

The pier has two large terraces, one complete with a lido, the other offering a place to sit and relax, another fountain playing on one side, and a water feature sitting just outside what is a beautiful dining area. I admit to falling in love with the latter on sitting it, especially with a suitable sunset windlight. Having spent a good deal of time in Sri Lanka, it reminded me of some of the fine dining experiences I’ve had out there, under wooden beams, the warm evening air unfettered by windows or wall, chatting with friends and fellow diners after a long day’s exploration.

Caprice Village, April 2014Caprice Village, April 2014

Those wishing to partake of the sea can do so just down from the pier, where a couple of beach houses sit, complete with steps down into the sea from a smaller pier, with steps also providing access to the beach. When exploring the latter and the little islet with its viewing platform, please do be aware that the housing sitting on wooden piles a little more inland appears to be that of another property rather than being part of Asa’s land.

As I said towards the top of this piece, words really don’t do Asa’s work justice. This is a wonderful, breath-taking build well worth taking the time to visit and explore. Should you do so, don’t forget to sign the guest book and, if your inclined, show your appreciation by way of the donations points.

Addendum: Asa dropped me a line to say the 5 parcels next to Caprice village and Haven are open to the public as well – I may well have to go back and snap some more!

Caprice Village, April 2014Caprice Village, April 2014

Related Links:

It’s all Done Wiv A Twist and a smile

Posted on by Inara Pey

Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014

Amy Beebe alerted me to the opening of Done Wiv a Twist / The Sound District with her blog post on the region. As I’m always keen to explore new regions and parcels and enjoy finding out about live events, I decided to hop over and take a look.

A 8192 sq metre parcel in the region of Aquincum, Done Wiv a Twist offers a rural setting with a touch of whimsy. A small house with a garden sits to one side of the parcel, a short distance from the landing point, which is located in a small gazebo. Outside of the gazebo, wrought-iron chairs and tables offer a place to sit and enjoy the surroundings, or you can wander around to your heart’s content.

Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014

Following the path over a small wooden bridge will bring you to a sign warning your that you’re on a fairy crossing, and further along you’ll find the fairies themselves, all in various poses, gathered loosely around a small cottage on the far side of the parcel to the house.

More touches of whimsy can be found in the garden alongside the house, where Kerfluffle Sheep by Halogen Magic are romping (and, going by the ones up on the garden fence, getting ready to try a spot of flying!).

This is a delightfully tranquil place – although if you prefer, you can liven things up by turning-on the audio stream. For my part, I enjoyed wandering sans music, and simply enjoying all the little touches around the place which tend to keep the camera clicking away rather a lot. For those who want to watch the world go by, there are plenty of spots for that as well, indoors and out.

Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014

Those visiting the parcel and who take photos are invited to submit them to the Done Wiv A Twist Flickr group. If you’d like to have rezzing permission for poseballs, etc., when taking pictures, you can apply to join the Done Wiv A Twist in-world group. I gather from the welcome notecard furnished to visitors on arrival, that the parcel is likely to be changing with the seasons, so this could well become a regular stopping-off point for SL photographers through the year.

When you’ve taken time to explore the parcel, a teleport is available to carry you up to the very tasteful Sound District, and the reason I mentioned live events at the top of this article.  The Sound District is a venue for open microphone events which will be held on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday each week between 19:00-21:00 SLT. Poets, singers, rappers, storytellers, comedians and more are invited to attend and entertain. There are obviously a few rules regarding this, but on the whole it sounds like another great opportunity for those who can spin a yarn or enjoy a little stand-up to pop along at take a turn at the mic.

Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014

More details on the parcel and on The Sound District can be found on the Done Wiv a Twist blog and Facebook page as well as through the in-world group.

I very much enjoyed my visit, and will doubtless be popping back again in the future.

Related Links

Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014Done Wiv A Twist, April 2014

Starlight in Aspen Fell

Posted on by Inara Pey

Aspen Fell, April 2014Aspen Fell, April 2014

I happened across Aspen Fell by chance when poking my nose in the Destination Guide. A Homestead region open to the public, the region is described as:

…A great place to relax and get away from it all. This artfully darkened location is open to the public for all to enjoy, so set to estate/region settings and make sure you have your music turned on. Come get lost in perfection.

Aspen Fell, April 2014Aspen Fell, April 2014

The landing point is beneath a tall tower which appears to owe something of its design to the work of Monsieur Gustave Eiffel, and which is located in the south-east corner of the region. From here one can wander along a promenade bordering the sea or head on inland.

As the description from the Destination Guide indicates, the default lighting for the region is on the dark side, suggestive of a time somewhat after the last glow of sunlight has faded from the sky but when a light mist prevents darkness falling completely. Free-standing lamps and lights wrapped around trees mark routes and footpaths, and the warm glow of braziers shines from up in the hills and on the beach, while overhead a rich aurora dances around the sky.

Keeping to the default windlight means that exploring the region is a walk of discovery; the lamps along the paths and beside gateways and bridges help to mark your route, while the misty darkness keeps you guessing as to what may be lying around the next corner or at the top of the next winding hill path. The mist isn’t the only element of the weather to make its presence felt, sheet lighting periodically flashes near the tower, while up on the hills inland, snow falls steadily.

Aspen Fell, April 2014Aspen Fell, April 2014

For those who prefer a little more light by which to explore, the region works will with a number of windlight options, although I’d suggest those which offer a feeling of dusk or evening, or which carry with them a hint of mist, perhaps work the best.

Where you wander is entirely up to you. Take the steps down to the promenade, and you can make your way to a set of gates leading to a small intimate space for dancing, complete with a grand piano and places to sit. Beyond this, a wooded path will take you past a stone pavilion and wooden deck, over a bridge and eventually to the beach, watched over by the slender finger of a lighthouse.

 

Aspen Fell, April 2014Aspen Fell, April 2014

Follow the other path from the landing point as it leads you up into the hills, and it will take you up twisting trails, across bridges spanning deep gorges and over the snow-capped highlands before eventually coming down on the far side of the region close to the lighthouse. Here sits a broad lake, overlooked by a house up on a promontory, with a meadow and barn below bordering the far side of the lake and reached via bridges from the beach and lighthouse.

Whether you’re look for a romantic evening stroll or dance with a companion, wish to take a late evening wander and enjoy the aurora, or simply find a spot to sit and think, Aspen Fell could be what you’re looking for. Opportunities for the photographer are myriad, and it is worth juggling around with windlights while exploring, as mentioned, even if the default does add a special atmosphere to the region.

Aspen Fell, April 2014Aspen Fell, April 2014

Related Links