Category: Reviews

A Nordic adventure

Posted on by Inara Pey

Having opted to get out on the water recently, and following Indigo Mertel’s suggestion that sailing is one of the best ways to explore SL, this week I set out to navigate the further reaches of Blake Sea and the surrounding regions. Along the way I discovered Second Norway, a group of around 17 regions which celebrate life in Norway, providing both a themed environment for people living there and a wide range of public spaces which can be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike, all of which can be explored by road, water and air.

While not attempting to be a representation of any single place in Norway, Second Norway does include several features from its real-life namesake, and offers up much which is representative of the Norwegian countryside and Norwegian heritage, all of which combine to make it a fascinating visit.

Arriving in Second Norway via Blake Sea

My first encounter with the SL / rl cross-over came on sailing into the main harbour area, which features a recreation of a row of multi-hued buildings on the waterfront in Bergen. This is forms one of the social hubs in the regions, hosting a range of events as well as being within easy reach of a number of nearby attractions.

One of these, on the hill overlooking the quayside and colourful shops, is a replica of the triple nave stave church at Borgund, which is believed to be one of the best-preserved examples of a stave church in Norway, having been originally built some time between 1180 and 1250. The church in Second Norway is the very first build undertaken by Ey Ren, one of the co-founders of the modern Second Norway community, and a leading figure therein along with Mialinn Telling.

The stave church in Second Norway

It is a fabulous build, and provides a wonderful focal-point for visits and for SL photographers, and appears to be used for special ceremonies such as weddings. The attention to detail, both outside and in is a delight, and I found myself drawn back to it several times during my visit. I love the alter, and the traditional bell structure located outside.

The stave church, Second Norway

A short walk from the church and bell, shaded by trees, is a memorial installed by residents of Second Norway to remember the 77 people who lost their lives in the terrible events of 22 July 2011, in both Oslo and on the island of Utøya. It is a simple affair, and all the more moving for being so, bearing an inscription of a quote from one of the survivors of that black day.

Just down the hill from the church is another point of historical interest – part of a traditional viking village, a virtual living museum, the long house of which is used to host both events and exhibitions.

The viking village in Second Norway

From here I opted to take to the road to continue my explorations. Second Norway includes a comprehensive road system which goes both overland and underwater, thanks to a tunnel system. A section of the roads is modelled on Norway’s Atlantic Sea Road, and is a great drive to take. I initially started out using my ubiquitous Neuspa, partially because I felt its amphibious capabilities would be useful if I happened to fall off the road into the neighbouring waterways, and partially because some of those involved in Second Norway are into biking, and I wanted to share something of their experience when out on the open road. I did, however, also take my Autoworks 43S GT for a spin (which did encounter a few issues with road section seams).

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‘Twas a dark and stormy night….

Posted on by Inara Pey

Hidden in an ancient forest above the Miskatonic river deep in the Massachusetts wilderness is Arkhamville Manor. Constructed in the late 16th and early 17th century by Count von Ripanuvich on land shunned by the Mohegan it was a retreat and fortress for those investigating occult matters the like of which were considered blasphemous in Europe.

So begins the dark, perhaps treacherous tale of Arkhamville and its inhabitants. It is a tale of the occult, of people forced to flee their European roots lest the Church denounce them for their dark studies, and who settled in the relative seclusion of Massachusetts, establishing a fortress mansion and community of workers from which they continued their search for immortality, to be bestowed by one of the elder gods.

Arkhamville

With the mansion and the village came rituals and construction, carried out under the noses of the more Puritanical and God-fearing surrounding villages and coastal towns. On down the years the work continued – not always harmoniously –  with descendents of those original occultist immigrants ever seeking that elusive key to the secret of immortality.

Now, in much more recent times, one Jedediah Dexter, who previously left (or perhaps was forced to leave) the community 30 years previously, has returned – only to meet a violent end, and leaving you facing a question.

Who killed him?

Arkhamville

Arkhamville, which opened on October 1st and will continue through until November 1st, is a Halloween-hunt-murder-mystery, which encourages visitors to play a part in the forsaken community and discover the truth behind the murder.

It is a collaborative effort on the part of an impressive list of participants, lead by Kitto Flora and Rafe Holder, who came up with the story for the event, and  Shauna Bonetto, who has donated a full region for the project. Many of those who have contributed to the project are also active participants in the story, and help to bring both it and Arkhamville to life.

The region itself is all you’d expect of a murder mystery set around the time of Halloween. Beneath dark, brooding skies, beset with fast-moving clouds perhaps heralding a coming storm are all the required ingredients: mysterious manor house, lights all ablaze, on a hill, a mysterious and not altogether welcoming fun fair, a hunched church with dank graveyard beside it, and up on the hill, above even the wheels and bins of an old conveyor system, a place of dark magic, with cairns made of skulls and a blood-red ramp leading to a mysterious gazebo watched over – literally – by two gnarled white, and leafless, trees.

Arkhamville

When you arrive, make sure you collect your game items from Trooper Eddie. These comprise a notecard with the back story, a police pass, which will track your progress in your investigations, and a choice of optional Arkhamville costumes (one male, one female). Personal scripts are capped, so you may also receive a warning that you need to remove items or (I assume) face ejection if you don’t – those receiving the message have 6 minutes to comply, with reminders about every 2 minutes.

Warnings like this can dampen enthusiasm for a place, but at least this one is sedate, rather than a brief warning followed by the royal order of the boot. I was slightly over the limit, and removing a couple of HUDs I knew I’d not need while in the region solved the issue for me.

Arkhamville

There are no actual rules as to how you should proceed – although a good place to start is with the body (which I’ll leave you to find – it shouldn’t be that hard :)). From here it is a case of following the clues, meeting “residents” of the mansion and the village and finding out what you can.

I’m not going to give too much away, partly because that’ll obviously spoil things if you’ve not yet spent time in Arkhamville, but mostly because I haven’t yet solved the mystery myself. Suffice it to say that there is a fair amount of interaction with “people” and things in Arkhamville, and as an investigator, you don’t always get your own way – those who know anything about matters are prone to make demands of you first.

Arkhamville

Arkhamville is already proving very popular; during my visits, there were rarely less than 22 people in the region. This can make things a tad laggy, so if you tend to run in deferred with shadows, etc., active, you may want to consider setting your lighting options to NONE other than when taking snapshots.

Certainly, if you’re interested in sleuthing away an evening, Arkhamville can easily draw you in.

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Arkhamville was a featured build on the Beaverville region for Halloween 2012 and is now closed.

Sea fever

Posted on by Inara Pey

Aside of the odd occasion, I’ve never really tried my hand at Second Life sailing. Sure, I’ve played around on the water, zapping about on my Neuspa, or riding a jet ski, or out on a motorboat, and I’ve taken my Premium sailing boat out a couple of times; but on the whole, I’ve left sailing alone.

That changed when, on a whim, I called Spikey and asked if she’d like to accompany me out on the waters of Blake Sea. We started out at Blake Sea – Half Hitch, which is rezzing-enabled, climbed aboard my boat and set off.

Ready to go – Blake Sea – Half Hitch

We headed due West to start with, letting the wind carry us across the first of many sim boundaries without a hitch, then turned north. I immediately appreciated the open waters of Blake Sea  because, o long as you keep your eye on the horizon around you, there is little need to focus on “driving” a sailboat, leaving you with time enough to chat with any friends who are with you and enjoy their company.

Blake Sea -Crows Nest

Which is not to say that Blake Sea is simply lots of empty water sims – there are islands to sail around, ports to visit, and quite a lot of things to see as you go. The open regions of the Sea are popular among pilots as well, and we saw several taking advantage of the freedom offered by these (comparatively) low-lag sims, with light aircraft, helicopters, transport planes routinely passing overhead (and rather un-routinely, in one case, ditching into the sea about 30 metres away from us).

Our progress was a little cumbersome, with me swapping between sail and motor as I initially couldn’t get the hang of tacking back and forth in order to make progress when the prevailing wind wasn’t favourable, and I frequently managed to turn the boat entirely out of the wind, and then having to switch over to the motor.

Blake Sea

There can be a lot going on in and around Blake Sea; there are sailing races, and some areas are given over to sea combat, and so on. Not every parcel is necessarily open to public access, either. Therefore, you do need to be aware as to what is going on and where you are going; however, the Map is generally enough to keep you informed of any activity near you (although it won’t stop you bumping into the occasional “cannot enter” pop-up warnings when you reach a parcel which has object entry blocked – I was a little surprised to encounter one of these outside the entrance to a harbour. Oh, and be wary of sand bars if your boat has a deep keel!

The Premium sailing boat offers a variety of sitting / sunbathing pose points in the cockpit and on deck which means you can share your time out on the water with friends, and Spikey took advantage of the deck-top poses to catch some sun as well sailed.

Blake Sea

All-in-all, sailing on Blake Sea can be a very pleasant experience – although admittedly, we happened to pick a time when there were no races scheduled, so things might get a trifle more frenetic when races are being held. It was certainly a great way to get out with a friend and simply chat, rather than sitting around indoors or IMing one another.

I’m not ready to take to the ocean blue full-time, but as a pleasant afternoon spent with a friend or two, sailing the waters of Blake Sea could become a very relaxing way to spend an hour or three.

Blake Sea

It’s a Grimm time of month

Posted on by Inara Pey

Update: Grimm Shores has closed and the region is under new ownership.

I came across an invitation to visit Grimm Shores on the SL viewer MOTD. As it is the Halloween month, and hoping for something perhaps celebratory of the Brothers Grimm, I decided to pop over and take a look.

There are no fairy tales on offer here, but the region is decidedly slanted towards the macabre and the haunting – well in keeping with Halloween feel, and as such makes for an interesting diversion given the time of the year…

Grimm Shores – default Windlight

It’s a wet place, Grimm Shores; rain lashes you from a lurid sky, and the darkened forms of buildings loom around you, standing among scattered, forlorn trees, and between sluggish, unwholesome rivers. The notecard presented to you on arrival provides information on a ghoulish treasure hunt being held throughout the month (the prizes can be found inside waiting skulls!), and gives a hint as to what you might find:

Come walk or ride around in a boat around the entire sim … Walk through the buildings but be careful for what lurks around the corners. Don’t let the Blood scare you off, we haven’t had time to clean it up from last year…

Grimm Shores

Up on a hill, and reached by rickety-looking bridges, sits a Bates Motel-like house, which glowers across the region towards a tall church and tumbledown graveyard. Both house and church have seen better days, as has the blocky form of the asylum, which makes up the third large presence in the region.

Grimm Shores

You can rez a boat at the pier by the arrival point should you wish to cross the river and don’t like the look of the bridges. You could also swim if you want – but I wouldn’t recommend it. Across the water, a low-lying mist hovers over the stunted grass, and small bonfires appear to offer warmth for the weary – but be warned, they are really not what they appear to be…

Grimm Shores – using a foggy Windlight setting

This is definitely not a place for the squeamish, but for those who like their romance a little on the dark side, then the dance systems atop Mount Deathmore and among the gravestones by the church or just outside the decrepit asylum might offer a chance to woo one another…

Grimm Shores

The region lends itself to the photographer’s art, and works marvelously with a number of Windlight presets, although I felt a foggy look worked best for me – or perhaps that’s due to my current state of mind …

There are no active ghouls or ghosts to encounter here, although some of the residents are in something of a state of decay while others do insist on hanging around rather a lot. I also wouldn’t look to the church to give you sanctuary, either, if things get a little too much…

Grimm Shores

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Worlds within worlds

Posted on by Inara Pey

Today sees the opening of Petites Kingdom, bringing together a number of creators of petite avatars and their accessories in a single, themed sim.To mark the opening, there will be a special welcome ceremony at 12:00 noon SLT, followed by the opening of a crystal hunt which will run through until the 20th October. Entertainments will commence at 15:00 SLT.

Thanks to a helping hand from Elizabeth Tinsley, I managed to get a sneak peek at the new Kingdom today, ahead of the official opening.

Petites Kingdom

The press release for the opening provides something of a backstory for the new region,  noting that this new world, ringed by mountains, will eventually be the home to nine floating islands for petites (and big folk visitors), although only five are currently available. The remaining four are trapped somewhere on the other side of a magical portal, the crystal power supplies for which have been scattered across the region following an accident, and must be gathered back together in order for the portal to have enough power to bring the remain islands to their new home.

It’s a charming story in which to frame the crystal hunt (the crystals themselves offering rewards to those finding them), and it’ll be interesting to see how the remaining four islands will arrive (one at a time between now and the 20th October, as the portal “regains” its power, or all together in another region-wide celebratory event?).

Te region itself is beautifully put together using phantom sim extenders to project a towering vista of mountains surrounding a great lake, a valley to one side allowing water to travel from the lake to the sea beyond. Great falls tumble from the high mountains, replenishing the lake’s supply.

Petites Kingdom

The five islands are clustered to one side of the lake, floating majestically above the turquoise water and casting long shadows over its smooth surface. Some are linked by long, slender bridges, others stand alone; some float free, others dip their lower extremes into the water. Each island comes with its own tale / backstory.

There is the Flying Castle, held aloft on jets of crystal magic, and where we are told the Petite Parliament regularly holds session  – regularly being on those days which aren’t holidays, celebrations, weekends or good for fishing. In other words, around two days a year. Would that our parliament in the UK would do the same… Elevated above this sits Raven’s Roost, a stone citadel built upon The Rock and home to the warriors of The Ravens. The village of Couerdebois, home to the Fleurians, lays nestled around the roots of the tree of life. Niteobryn is where the Digger city can be found, together with the mines of the magic crystals. Here is the source of the petite’s power, complete with a tiny railway on which the mined crystals are carried. Finally, in Lililoco on the Theramon archipelago, reside the Nuneefufoos, who can shape the world to their dreams, and so change their homeland as time passes.

Meeting a Petite (Shangreloo Kuhn)

Currently, much of the islands are pretty much given over to vendor space – which is one of the reasons I’m curious as to what the remaining four islands will be like. They are also scaled to suit petites and “big folk”, so you don’t necessarily need a petite form to pay a visit. The keen-eyed will probably spot builds here by the likes of Marcus Inkpen and Laufrey Markstein, which fit will with the theme of the region, and demonstrate the breadth of support for the petite community.

Petites Kingdom

I have something of a fascination with petites, and have already been trying the odd demo mesh or three, and wandering the vendors in Petites Kingdom certainly allows one to get more of a feel for what is available in terms of clothing and a wide range of accessories and goods … Anyone coming out with a latex / leather look and heels is liable to make a killing out of me :).

A raven’s view

Posted on by Inara Pey

Update: This region has changed hands and has been redeveloped.

I was drawn to Raven Lake Fathoms, created by Eriwen, as a result of reading the opening line of its Destination Guide entry, “Surrounded by vast mountain ranges, in complete isolation, is this lake of mystery for you to explore….” – and I wasn’t disappointed I went to take a look.

Located on Dumb N Dumber, Raven Lake Fathoms is a Homestead region that offers a lot for the intrepid explorer, and might even said to be something of a metaphor for Second Life. Topside is a placid lake, in the centre of which lies a house atop a rocky outcrop which pokes above the waters. Mountains surround the lake, and while the surface is occasionally broken by the fins of a fish or the passage of a ray, and ravens wheel overhead or perch on the shore, not a lot seems to be going on…. But take a look under the rippling surface of the lake, and there is a whole world to explore.

Raven Lake Fathoms

It is easy to come into Second Life and immediately feel lost. It’s a vast place, yet all to often, the surface appearance is that nothing is going on. Where are the people, where are the things to do? How do we find them? And it’s sad, because SL is actually constantly alive and vibrant; there are stores to visit, music venues in operation 24/7, clubs for dancing, games to be played, as well as all sorts of social interactions going on, just under the placid surface, waiting to be discovered. How to solve putting newcomers more directly in contact with the things they will find – or even may find – appealing has been the crux of much debate throughout SL’s long history.

Like Second Life, Raven Lake Fathoms is also hard to quantify descriptively. Above the surface of the water, it is tranquil; a place for possible reflection or to be captured by the photographer’s virtual lens. But the tranquility has a slight edge to it, particularly as the day fades … there is a slightly haunting edge to the beauty of the scenery, perhaps heightened by the presence of the ravens, which leave lines from Poe’s The Raven echoing in the back of one’s mind.

Raven Lake

Then there is the world beneath the surface, populated by fish and jellyfish and rays and other watery life, with fumaroles puffing, suspended islands of colour offering refuge in the depths, and more splashes of colour from vivid plant life dotted on the lake floor, together with a dew surprises.

Metaphors aside, however, Raven Lake Fathoms is a wonderful place to explore and for the mind to invent tales. You can wander the lake shore and observe the ravens, or gaze across the lake to the lonely house atop its knoll and wonder if Poe himself might not be there, a bust of Pallas above his chamber door. In you wanderings you may come across a beached steampunk submarine, perhaps stranded from the pages of a Vernian novella. The lake shore is also where Eriwen has her home, so if you happen to come across it as you explore, be sure to respect her privacy.

Raven Lake Fathoms

You can visit the house via rowing boat. Simply touch the sign near the landing-point to have one rez. It’s not just any rowing boat, either, but rather a grand one, although it did give me a few issues with camera positioning when seated. Within the house, Poe’s presence does seem a lot closer; the ghostly clearing of a throat, the books mysteriously floating above the floor, the strange sounds and the haunting repeat of a lullaby…

Underwater is an entirely different world – one where divers and merfolk are most welcome; in fact, I’d suggest that dressing / appearing in a suitable avatar form would be de rigueur. There is a lot to see here, and places to relax with a friend or from which to pass the time in quiet thought.

Be aware that there are predators here; this can only be a saltwater lake, as the sharks are cycling not far below the surface and the giant squid is a sight to behold. Leave them alone, however, and they’ll leave you to enjoy the sights and sounds of this watery world.

Raven Lake Fathoms

Raven Lake Fathoms is a wonderful use of a Homestead regions as both a home and a place for travellers to visit. If you’ve not been there before, I urge you to pay a visit. You might even find me out on the water, sitting in a rowing boat; or possibly under the waves. If the latter, don’t be surprised if I’m also sporting a tail…

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