Tag: Exploring Second Life 2013

A new entry popped-up in the Photogenic Spots of the Destination Guide recently. Bitacora Land is the brainchild of Serenity Goizane, one of the founders of the Spanish SL travelogue, Bitacora Viajera, and the winner of the official SL10B photo contest.

A Homestead region, Bitacora certainly has a lot for the SL traveller to see, all very cleverly presented and offering a range of photo opportunities, as well as featuring a number of very familiar motifs and objects for those who do spend a fair amount of time exploring Second Life.

The arrival point delivers you to a clifftop picnic area with a nearby barn / stables. This overlooks a small village square which in turn overlooks a quayside and some sail boats nestled in a sheltered harbour. An opening in the ground, while somewhat grave-like in appearance, leads to a network of tunnels which can be used to reach various parts of the region, including the village square by means of actually walking under it and then flying / jumping up a set of quayside steps. Or, if you’re feeling energetic, you can scramble down the cliff-side and slide down the roof of one of the buildings :).

The village square offers itself as a place to meet friends and sit and chat. Unusually, none of the buildings are shops or stores (they are all shells backing into the surrounding cliffs). and the square offers an eclectic set of photo opportunities. Gates at one end lead to a little children’s play area.

Follow the tunnels to their various destinations and you’ll find a number of beaches, each with its own little theme – such as one featuring a disco and live music stage, another with a beach house standing out over the water, surf boards propped up against it, and so on.

Above ground, things are equally interesting, with high cliffs and mesa connected by wooden bridges (in places), with a church and balloon ride atop one, the aforementioned barn on another and a hot air balloon on another together with some chairs suspended under what I assume to be helium-filled balloons for the daring!

The high lie of the land has echoes of a number of places I’ve visited recently, all of which seem to be taking the land upwards to create gorges and valleys into which the designer then builds, Wendy Xeno’s Hazardous perhaps being the most popular example. Here, the approach is enhanced through the use of Grand Canyon sim surround which works very well with the overall design of the region, and gives a good deal of additional natural depth to the build.

There are echoes of other regions as well; perhaps the most obvious being the name of the region appearing in large stone letters overlooking the village square, which is very mindful of the big SMILE standing on It All Starts with a Smile. Railway tracks leading out into the water also remind one of other popular places the seasoned SL traveller may well have come across.

Which is not to say that Bitacora is merely an ad-hoc series of ideas copied from other regions. Everything here comes together, albeit a little haphazardly, into a complete whole which is unique unto itself. As such, the echoes of other regions and places in SL are, I think it fair to say, intended as little homages rather than attempts to copy. Hence the use of balloons in the stone-carved name, or the positioning of the little trawler at the end of the railway line leading out into one of the region’s bays.

I would perhaps have liked to see more means by which one could get to see all the various parts of the region without the need to resort to flying – there are some cliff-top aspects which appear to be inaccessible unless you do fly – but this is just a quibble on my part, and if you have a look beforehand, any flying can be kept to a minimum and leave you with plenty still to explore using your pedal extremities.

All-in-all an interesting place to visit, with plenty of opportunities for the photographer, and more than a few places for the romantics to sit and enjoy one another’s company, and for the gregarious to meet others.

Related Links

• Bitacora Land main SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• Bitacora Land village square
• Bitacora Viajera website
• SL Destinations in this blog

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I have to say up front that the title of this piece sounds like some kind of band; “And here they are for your entertainment! Jasimine Hollow annnnnnnd the Dirty Grind!”. Given that the Dirty Grind is actually a music venue, then perhaps the mental image is not so far out of place.

Located on the region of Fender, Jasmine’s Hollow is in fact a rural environment nestled between surrounding mountains, watched over by steampunk-esque contraptions and sky islands (the latter the home of the Dirty Grind itself).

Created by Lisa Witt (aka (jasmine0alaya), the region is a curious mixture of the photogenic, and is open to visitors and friends alike; “All who love the magic of nature & warmth of friends and loved ones are welcome”, the notes in About Land read in part. I say “curious” not because it looks odd or anything, but rather because there are so many different influences at work here, all of which blend together into a seamless – and pleasing – whole.

The arrival point puts you in what appears to be a little village square, in the midst of which sits a hint of the region’s steampunk leanings. The square offers information boards, places to sit and ivy-covered brick arches to wander through and start your explorations of the surrounding land, which is split into three islands, the one with the village square being the largest.

A set of gates to the south side of the village area take you out onto the grasslands beyond the wall, where more of the steampunk influences can be seen; strange machines float in the air beyond a hill with an oddly scarred top and on which sits the wreck or ruin of a strange metal vehicle or building.

Everywhere there are touches like this, serving as a reminder that this is no ordinary setting. Some are a little threatening, like those strange industrial objects (a third is sitting in the water behind the hill, looking like some other-worldly drilling rig). Others are charming in their beauty, such as Cherry Manga’s lovely Streampunk butterfly sculpture sitting alongside the one of the paths leading from the village square under one of the brick archways.

There are houses here, but I don’t believe any are private residences. One of them is the adorable LAQ Decor cottage I fell in love with a while ago, and may yet end up owning … somewhere. A couple of the others are similarly familiar, one of which graces both Chic Aeon’s Machinima Open Studio Project and The Noble Storybook and is another design I like, this time by Cory Edo.

Explore the landscape with care, there are a lot of lovely touches to find; some of which are surprisingly easy to miss. When you think you’re done, you can hop up to the Dirty Grind, floating over the region. Despite its name, the venue is anything but dirty and looks like a fun place to visit, although there was no entertainment going on when I visited.

Carefully blended with a sim surround of hills and snow-capped mountains, and with off-sim elements carefully placed to add to the overall depth of the experience, this is a region which has been very well put together and which is both picturesque and photogenic.

If you do opt to have a little wander around – do be careful with the balloon ride and be sure to heed the advice it gives you – or wear a parachute of your own :).

Related Links

• Jasmine Hollow SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• SL Destinations in this blog

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Last week I posted a piece which, among other things, commented on recent issues I’ve had accessing WordPress.com to admin this blog (upload new posts, edit / update existing posts, reply to comments, etc.) and even view other people’s WordPress.com blogs. I wasn’t alone in experiencing the problem, which has lasted well over a week and a half.

According to WordPress, some of their servers had ended up on a block list at IWF as a result of a blog being put up which was in violation of their ToS (and which was quickly removed by WP). As a number of UK ISPs picked-up on the IWF notification, they blocked access to the “offending” servers, and things are now only just being untangled.

Things still aren’t quite back to normal, but my own connectivity with my blog has greatly improved in the last 24 hours. So, this being the case, I decided to start catching up (again!) on some of my destination blogging. And where better to start than at the Garden of Eden, located on the island region of Golden Rose?

The work of digital artist Liara Okiddo, Garden of Eden is beautiful proof that you don’t necessarily need a full region to produce something which is both stunning and immersive. Occupying a 8192 sqm parcel, this is a place which really has to be seen to be appreciated.

The SLurl I’m providing will land you on a  wooden walkway to one side of the parcel, with a sail boat moored alongside. Right away there are nice touches: a roll-on-roll off flight bag sits on the quay, as if put there by someone who has either just arrived on the boat, or is getting ready to sail away. Overhead, parakeets fly idly by, and butterflies flutter busily further inland.

Where you go from here is up to you – wooden walkways both climb up the rocks which shape the parcel into a shaded tropical gorge, and lead inland. However, I do recommend you go inland first. If you do, you’ll find yourself being led past a broad, shallow pool and deeper between the rocks until eventually you’ll come to a small tiki hut, tall waterfalls as a backdrop. Here you can sit a while on your own or with a friend and simply contemplate whatever enters your mind, or you can watch the hummingbirds busy in their daily chores.

When you’re ready, wander back along the walkway and perhaps admire the butterflies and parakeets before you start your climb up to the rocks above. The wooden stairs and roped walks (Alex Baders’ very familiar pieces), will take you up and around the shallow pool and bring you to a junction. Turn left, and you’ll pass over a great stone arch with a view out over the sea, the sail boat below you, to another resting place. Turn right at the junction, and the path will take you to the exhibition space.

Here is another very unique environment, designed to put the visitor at ease. There are book cases with books scattered on the floor, a dining table with a bottle of wine, glasses and candles. Pictures are displayed on easels, and a glass roof overhead lets in plenty of light and allow one a view of the lanterns floating above it. Once again, the attention to detail is wonderful, and it’s worth camming around / exploring a little to make sure you catch all of the little touches.

To say this is a truly fabulous build really doesn’t do it justice. The use of space, the overall design and layout, the amount which has been packed into the parcel, the attention to detail – all of these aspects are brought together to present a very immersive, creative place to visit and enjoy. Anyone who is limited space-wise, and is looking to see what might be achieved with a little planning, a careful eye and a dash of imagination, whether it be to establish a store, gallery or their home, should drop by Garden of Eden. It’s sure to impress and get one’s one creative juices flowing.

For those who simply like exploring, have an eye for art and enjoy photography, this is a place definitely not to be missed. Thoroughly recommended.

Related Links

• Garden of Eden SLurl (Rated: Adult)
• Liara Okiddo’s Deviant Art pages (some NSFW)
• SL Destinations in this blog

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To celebrate the fact I’m getting settled with the new PC (and have finally caught-up on all the Windows 7 updates – I think) and again have a little more time to get in-world and peek around after some RL matters demanded my attention, I decided to pay a visit to The Untroubled Sound – possibly one of the most photographed locations in SL, and deservedly so.

Modelled after the Marlborough Sounds on the South Island of New Zealand, I feel some affinity with The Untroubled Sound as somewhere deep inside me, courtesy of Dad’s side of the family, there is a little bit of New Zealand heritage.

The region has been designed and developed by Theartfullone Skytower (Arty for short) and is home to a number of his ventures, including Artful Designs, TAO audio and The Deep House Cafe.  The main part of the region is devoted to a small marina-type environment, with wooden quays for sail boats, a boatyard and the Cafe itself, with the buildings doubling-up as very subtle stores for Arty’s various businesses.

A sim surround helps develop the illusion that one is deep within the sea-drowned valleys of the Marlborough Sounds, and it is easy to imagine oneself boarding one of the sailboats or yachts moored here and heading out into the valleys and into bluewater for a day’s sailing before returning to the marina  once more and spending a little time chilling at the Deep House Cafe or perhaps strolling around the island to the campsite or simply to admire the flora here.

One of the great charms of The Untroubled Sound is the degree of love and passion for his native South Island Arty has poured into the place, which includes embarking on a project to re-plant the region using trees and plants native to the region in RL – many (if not all) of which have been created by Arty himself. This work is apparently – in another nice touch on Arty’s part – being undertaken by Te Papa Atawbai – the New Zealand Department of Conservation!

Follow the paths around the region and you’ll find information boards on the local flora which both help to give more context to the region and deepen the immersive experience, as it feels is if you are on a conservancy trail through an area of the Sounds.

This is another region which, although already stunning in its design and look, to me looks to be an ideal showcase for the use of materials. The buildings are all of wooden construction with what appear to be corrugated steel roofs, while the quays are all wood plank and wood piers and brick walls with heavy chain decoration and stone pathways  – all of which (allowing for the more complex prims and possible LI inflation) would likely look pretty amazing with materials added.

I’ve already mentioned that my SL has been given something of a new lease of life thanks to the new PC – I’m still twiddling with settings to determine what I’m most comfortable with – but I’m also using a pre-release of Firestorm, which offers a new set of windlights which are also somewhat O.O and which I’ve been experimenting with, as well as adding a few more to my personal preferences, all of which I hope will help me further with developing a look and style to my pictures. Not sure this actually means improving anything in my snap-taking, but it is new shiny for me to play with :).

In the meantime, if you’ve not visited The Untroubled Sound and want to enjoy a little slice of New Zealand paradise – I warmly recommend that you hop on over there and have a look for yourself, and leave you with a brief slide show with images in a decent resolution (for a change!).

Related Links

• The Untroubled Sound SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• Artist’s Garden SLurl (Rated: Moderate)
• SL Destinations in this blog

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