Tag: Exploring Second Life 2021

‘Twas off back to Leloo’s World, a corner of Second Life offered for public enjoyment by LeLoo (LeLooUlf), for me during the week, as I wanted to witness the latest of her designs following a suggestion from Shawn Shakespeare for the poke!

The last time I visited, a scant two months ago, the quarter-region parcel offered an inland setting that put me in mind of Old Mexico, with high canyons and desert environment. The new setting – Tierra Mer Mar – retains a sense of high rocky walls, but rather than being the walls of canyons, they are now the faces of the high cliffs of a coastal area that cup within their arms a small bay as they face a sandy island rising out of the blue sea.

To the south, the cliffs are set far enough back to allow for a shelf of land to sit between them and the waters below. This shelf is home to the parcel’s landing point. It also provides the first area of exploration, with a gacha area tucked into the trees to the west, and narrow walk along the foot of the cliffs that runs to the east, the land dropping away along one side, the path itself eventually coming to a blunt end.

A set of rope steps runs down from the end of the path to offer a way down to a shallow bay that otherwise sits almost completely hidden from the rest of the setting courtesy of a low headland. Thee steps down to this little bay might be missed, thanks to clearer wooden steps and platforms leading the way down to the water’s edge at the head of the larger bay, and a floating deck topped by a shaded piano. A further route down to the water’s edge can also be found closer to the gacha / landing area, where stone steps offer the way down to another floating deck.

Those wishing to make their way to the north side of the bay can do so by following the track from the landing point and through the gacha before doubling back along a hanging footbridge that runs above the rocks of the bay’s edge and alongside a series of tanks in which sharks watch visitor progress. After turning to run along the base of the western cliffs, the footbridge provides access to the the north-side beach and headland.

As well as being an eye-catching setting, Terra Del Mar is home to a host of wildlife. Seals play in the shallows or bask on the shore and on floating platforms – the latter practically thumbing their noses (so to speak) at the orca swimming nearby. Dolphins also play on or close to the surface of the water, whilst the dorsal fins of sharks can also be seen cutting through the the waves in places.

On land, bears are also enjoying the sun, and a couple of sea turtles appear to have been carried up from the water and unfortunately left on a deck well above the water. Birds and waterfowl are also much in evidence; gulls fly overhead, and pelicans and cormorants have found perches along the water’s edge, doubtless keeping at least one eye on the waves lest a meal swim into the shallows, whilst sandpipers scuttle back and forth on the sand.

There are more creatures to be found in the water as well – fish, sharks, rays, the aforementioned orca and dolphins, more turtles – all of which make spending time in / under the water strongly recommended. Indeed, swimming and puttering about on the water is encouraged: there’s a dive point at the end of a pair of logs extending from one of the over-water platform and float rezzers await use, while boats can also be found that offer sit points. If you have a swim option on your AO or a dedicated swimming system, then this a a place to put it to good use!

Staying on land offers a lot to discover as well – such as the secluded bay mentioned above, where shoreline snacks can be enjoyed or a shark balloon obtained and played with. There’s also the various decks and narrow stretches of beach where seats can be found for sitting one your own or with a friend or friends, with more shaded by the inland trees and swings are awaiting passengers here and there.

Once again rich in detail and demonstrating you don’t necessarily need the space of a full-sized region to create an engaging and noteworthy setting, Terra Del Mar at LeLoo’s World is deserving of a visit and offers multiple opportunities for photographers.

SLurl Details

• Tierra Del Mar @ LeLoo’s World (St Martin, rated Moderate)

Following a recommendation from Shawn Shakespeare (SkinnyNilla), I opted to spend a little time on the farm. The Blackwood Farm, to be precise, a Homestead region gorgeously presented for public visits / use by Corvus Blackwood.

Sitting under a burnished summer sky, the clouds turned to bronze by a low-hanging Sun, the region presents as a single island into which  a channel of water has cut its way, roughly dividing the landscape almost into two. To the west, the land is predominantly low-lying, to the east it is dominated by a raised table of rock marked to the north and south by ribbons of scrubby coastline, the former of which sweeps east and west across the width of the region, curving past a small off-shore isle to the west, the home of a squat lighthouse watching over the channel between the two landmasses.

The western side of the setting is home to the Blackwood Farm. This is a place, we’re informed by a large friendly sign close to the landing point, that is family owned and operated. An unfenced field of corn sits just behind the sign, stretching south along the track leading up to the farm, fir trees and a rocky mound also sitting with it within an oval of rutted tracks.

An aging gateway and fading wall guard the entrance to the inner sanctum of the farm. They face the imposing farmhouse that is flanked by barns to either side, and is fronted by a square fenced field of cattle.  It is a peaceful, pastoral setting: chickens wander freely, apples are in the process of being picked from a little copse of trees, a little lemonade stand awaits those in need of refreshment. In fact the setting is so peaceful, deer are happy to graze on the grass within the farm’s grounds.

The farm is overlooked to the west by a uplift of land topped by a windmill that offers one of the many places to sit within the setting, a pair of batterer trailer homes sitting in the shadow of the hill, between it and the span of the south coast. Very rough and ready in their set-up, the two trailers are clearly occupied: a fire pit is burning, a fan is on to cool seats under one of the trailer’s awnings – but both have been left to a little goat to watch over. It forms one of several small vignettes awaiting discovery by visitors, and which bring the entire setting together as a whole.

Over to the east, the primary upland is home to the Apple Fall Old Manufactory, a structure that is so popular among region designers that at times it feels as if it is a required feature within an public region. Its popularity is likely down to both its aged looks and its flexibility of use. Here it has been turned into a charming house, complete with a large patio terrace that stretches from it to a little open-sided potting shed. It is an altogether eye-catching setting – but do please be aware that the house is actually a private residence, as indicated by the localised ban lines that will appear if you stray too close.

The rest of the hilltop is very much open to exploration, as is the rough coastline to the north and below it. Reached by steps cut into the slope of the upland, this coastal area is again a place of little vignettes – a camp site, walks, a dock stretching out over the water and little boats that again add to the richness of the setting.

Those wishing to rez within the region can do so by joining the local group (fee: L$250) – but those who do re asked to clean-up after themselves.

Such is the all-round natural looks to the setting, it really is an ideal location for avatar photography whilst the landscaping is equally photogenic; what is more, the setting works equally well under a range of different environment setting to the default – as I hope can be seen in a couple of the images here.

Whether or not you opt to play with the environment settings or use the shared environment, The Blackwood Farm is visually and – thanks to its sound scape – aurally engaging, richly detailed, and a joy to explore and photograph. This being the case, it should come as no surprise that I’d note it as a recommended visit.

SLurl Details

• The Blackwood Farm (Violentia, rated Adult)

Shawn Shakespeare (SkinnyNilla) and Lien Lowe invited me to get a sneak peek of their new design for their homestead region of Nelipot ahead of the region’s “official” re-opening in its new location – an invitation I was delighted to accept and jump upon.

The first time I visited the region, it offered a ruggedly handsome island surrounded by gently undulating off-region hills that together suggested a temperate archipelago, perhaps caught in early spring. Within the region itself lay a richness and depth of detail that delighted the eye and camera, as I noted at the time in Nelipot’s beauty in Second Life. This remains the case with this latest iteration, which includes a number of touches that harken back to that previous design that give an underlying sense of continuity between the two settings whilst also allowing this iteration to be unique in and of itself.

While the region still sits within a surround, the low island hills have given way to a range of high mountains through which water from the sea beyond winds, giving the impression that the land here is a small nest of islands cupped within a sheltered bay, the tall peaks protecting and hiding them from the world beyond.

There are four islands making up the group. two small islets, one of which comes close to being an outlier such is its position and difference to the others in the group, and two main islands that sit as a cupped pair. Lying towards the south-west, the landing point is on one of the smaller islands, a grass-topped table of rock which the landing point shares with a small chapel. It is separated from the two large islands by a channel of tidal water that can be crossed in one of three ways: wading through it, flying over it, or by grabbing a swan pedal boat from the rezzer at the little dock just down from the chapel.

Taking the pedal boat is perhaps the best option for those who wish to really appreciate the region naturally, as it presents the opportunity to skirt around the beach of the more western of the two large islands to reach the shallow open waters to the north. Here, it is possible to pedal around and have a little fun – providing boaters keep an eye out for the region boundary. More particularly, it presents the two large islands as they lie, one cupped in the curving arms of the other, the beach of the nearest of the pair continuing along its north side, facing the second of the two small isles.

This second islet looks almost like a an upwelling of coral that, for whatever reason, a departing sea level has exposed over time to allow nature’s other mechanisms – wind, rain, erosion – gradually turn into a group of connected knolls that offer a little retreat covered in scrub grass and where seeds of flowers have been blown to take root together with a quartet of scruffy, wind-blown pines.

A further boat rezzer sits on a deck built out from this little isle, providing the means for visitors to come ashore and enjoy the islet’s offering before continuing their journey aboard another pedal boat. East of the isle the water is broken by humps of rock that stretch towards the headland at one end of the largest island in the group. Sitting like stepping stones a giant might use to cross the water, these rocks sit as a hazard to navigation by boat – but is is possible to plot a route through them and so reach the calmer channel of water that separates the two large islands.

Crescent-shaped, the larger of the pair holds its sandy-edged cousin cupped in its arms. Such is their position relative to one another, it appears as if these may have once been a single landmass, the slender tongue of land that almost connecting them adding to this – although the dilapidated state of the bridge that spans the narrow gap between tongue and island also suggests it’s been around a long time, so if the two islands were ever connected, then it might have been very long ago…

All of the above is just a thumbnail sketch of the setting – the real meat is in the detail that Lien and Shawn have built into it, something they have done without a major impact on viewer performance. It is within some of this detail that those little echoes of the previous build can be found. Take, for example the sheep that graze on the crescent island, and the way some of them are doing so close to a parked vehicle. This directly reflects Nelipot’s previous iteration, whilst the change in vehicle and presence of the nearby headland and its lighthouse makes it clear its is not just a copy of the past design.

The best way to discover this details – the warehouse converted into a cosy house, the summer house on the beach island, the open-sided pottery shed with its pot-bellied kiln and pots and vases that await glazing and firing, and so on – is by exploring directly. This brings into focus the care with which Shawn and Lein have again created a setting that is welcoming to visitors and offers multiple places, indoors and out, where people can sit and pass the time and enjoy cuddles and quiet times if they so wish.

Exploring also reveals all the little touches that help bring the setting to life – the wrap-around sound scape, the St. Bernard waiting to greet wanderers and the many cats who are content to sleep or ignore those who wander by in that way only cats can – aside from one, who is very clearly keeping his eyes on all that is going on from his vantage point! -, and so much more.

Rich in natural beauty, complete with a perfect soundscape folded into it, Nelipot remains a must-see destination. Many thanks to Lien and Shawn for the invite to drop in!

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• Nelipot (Safe Haven, rated Moderate)

This is a slightly different Exploring Second Life article, as it is, when all is said and done, about a store as much as it is about the regions it references.

AustinLiam is well-known in Second Life for the building he produces. These cover a range of functions from houses through to industrial and dockside, units and assorted rural-style buildings. All are very well made and supplied Copy / Mod, making them ideal for tweaking and kitbashing – as I can state with certainty, having purchased his Captain Retreat combined house / boathouse and converted it into a very comfortable alternative house for Isla Caitinara (see  A Captain’s Retreat in Second Life).

But given many building creators provide their work Copy / Mod, there is nothing especially unique in this, nor is there in the fact that Austin has placed his buildings in a landscaped environment – again numerous store owners and building creators landscape the regions around their store / products.

What does set Austin’s store apart from others, however, is the degree to which he has created an entire environment  / setting that combines his buildings with roads, moorings, footpaths, vehicles, boats and even static NPCs to create a genuine sense of place  – one that neatly integrates smoothly into the general environment of Second Norway in which the three regions the store spans sit.

I first visited the regions – Havna, Svalbard and Erle – as Second Norway was undergoing re-development under the management of Vanity Bonetto and her Luxory Estates Brand. At that time, Austin was also re-working his regions and extending his presence through the addition of Erle. All of that work has long since finished, and the result is a waterfront town that climbs into the rocky highlands behind it, giving it a stepped feel of a place built along the narrow lowlands that hug a rocky coast.

The core of this little township is called Havna, after the first of the regions in which it sits, and it is a busy place – there are moorings for sail boats and motorboats, workshops, a boat builder’s yard, working wharves – and even signs that the town acts as a shipping base for logging operations further up in the hills. Buildings follow the waterfront or sit out on the islands that help to give the town a natural harbour, the way they’ve been naturally been placed and mixed making the entire setting highly photogenic, whilst the roads (a mix of kits by other creators and Austin’s own work) offer multiple routes through the town and its surroundings that encourage exploration.

Further realism is added by Austin’s willingness to utilise buildings by other creators alongside his own. This not only adds depth to his town, it also means that visitors can not only discover his creations and see how they might fit their needs, they might also find other items they might be interested in purchasing, be those things houses, cars, boats or landscaping items. Photographers will also find rezzing is open – making it possible to rez props – but if you do so, please remember to clear up after yourself!

Whether looking for building for your waterfront setting (or to go inland – many of Austin’s structures are suited to either / both) or a more unique look to a house or simply enjoy exploring and want to visit and photograph a place well off the usual “tourist” trails in Second Life, then Havna might be worth dropping in to see.

SLurl Details

• Havna Town (Havna, rated Moderate)

Back in June 2021, I received an invitation to visit Rivendell – Lord of the Rings, a Homestead region design by Seraph Nirvana and Nida Nirvana (Nidatine). At the time the invite came in, I did drop in for a visit but things being what they were I had to wait for another day to make a longer visit. Thus, with apologies to Seraph and Nida, I’m only just getting to this write-up.

The first couple of things to note about the region is that whilst based on Rivendell / Imladris (depending on your preference), this is not a fantasy role-play environment. Rather, it is a quiet place open to visitors for meeting, exploring and taking photographs. The second point to note is that the setting is not in any way intended to be a reflection of Imladris as seen in the likes of Peter Jackson’s epic movies; rather this is an entirely personal interpretation that seeks to present the elven haven – albeit with a small twist.

There is no formal landing point set for the region, so I’ve arbitrarily offered one here that delvers visitors deep in the valley and – surprisingly – onto the deck of a ship. Surprisingly because, as all LOTR fans know, Rivendell lies far, far inland. But rather than being an anachronism, the presence of the ship, looking to the West as it does, offers that little twist to the setting as it links Rivendell with another elven centre on Middle Earth: the Grey Havens, the port from which the elves (and those chosen to travel with them) departed via Círdan’s ships for the Blessed Realm.

A further reason for selecting the ship as a landing point, is that it allows the fullest appreciation of the setting, as it offers the two ways by which visitors can approach the setting and gain a full appreciation for how it sits within a cleft-like valley that appears to have been sliced into the lands that sit above it – just as Tolkien intended.

The first of these, reached via steps and a high tower with the greeting Feel Welcome, Friend at its base, presents an elevated view of Rivendell, a graceful stone bridge spanning the valley to reach it.

However, I’d actually recommend the second route. It is not as initially obvious, but lies between the ship and the steep shoulder of land that rises next to it (and against which the tower mentioned above rises). Here on the sand, a wooden walkway winds through the valley floor, hugging the water’s edge to reach a path that rises with the slopes to the east. Marked by lanterns and under the shade of trees, it twists its way up to another bridge, this one roofed to help protect travellers from the spray of the falls behind it. Across this bridge, the path pitches up again, passing the outliers of Rivendell before arriving at the haven proper.

It is this route that perhaps offers a fuller appreciation of how Seraph and Nida have built their Rivendell into the slopes and cliffs of their valley, from the great arched walkway that stands almost as a protective buttress for the setting as it follows the curves of the high falls above which it has been built, to come to the elven house that sit both above and back from those falls, which might perhaps be the dwelling of Elrond himself.

Gathered around and below this house are numerous points of interest – the curving walkway itself, as it links a plaza with ruined walls and dominated by a great fountain with a tower that connects it with the grand bridge below; a walled garden enclosing a house that may have been built to make visitors feel at home, and winding paths that lead to spaces further afield, including the domed gazebo passed on the way up from the valley floor.

One of these additional spaces sits above the main path. It is reached via the path up from the valley floor, continuing as it does past the house, twisting back on itself to reach an almost hidden arboretum that houses another fountain. However, this isn’t the highest structure within the valley. That honour belongs to a high, square tower that stands aloft and alone on a shelf of rock, a high and apparently unreachable sentinel.

All of this makes for a design that is marvellously engaging in presentation, and quite breath-taking in its beauty. Some elven purists might be critical of the “non-elven” elements found throughout – the little house, the appearance of a grand piano within the elven house, some of the statues scattered throughout the setting. etc. But the fact is, none of these touches detract from the Rivendell in any way. Rather, they tend to enhance it, offering touches of familiarity, a sense of romance and – with the swings and seats – places to rest and simply drink in the entire environment, making it a destination that should not be missed.

SLurl Details

• Rivendell – Lord of the Rings (Evermore, rated Moderate)

Vally Lavender opened the latest iteration of her ValiumSL region to group members at the weekend. Once again designed by Dandy Warhlol (Terry Fotherington), the region this time takes us on a trip to the far east focused on Indonesia, but with hints of the broader region as well as a twist of Africa.

I came across the phrase ‘sacred spaces’ today and realized it is what is being created at ValiumSL, as we speak.

Unfortunately, we all live in a real world that’s both astonishingly beautiful and horrifically cruel, and  having a  “sanctuary” can be as vital as breathing. I have found mine at Suaka and I hope you will feel a sense of peace when you visit here.

– Vally Lavender, describing the creation of the new ValiumsL region design

The title of the region – Suaka – is the Indonesian word for sanctuary / haven (and also asylum  or harbourage).  Whichever way you opt to translate it, it amounts to a place of rest and respite. Hence why, in a change from the usual for the region, the setting will not be open the the general public, but remain available only to ValiumSL group members (joining fee L$395).

While I have no wish to see the setting overrun by visitors, given it is intended to be a place of sanctuary and rest, I have to say that it is as near a perfect blend of setting and idea I’ve witnessed.

In terms of the design, the general layout is suggestive of a coastal area, a place where an island sits cupped within a shallow bay – shallow enough for an old coaster to have run itself aground and wind up a part of the local scenery. A number of large rock formations rise from the waters add a sense of the broader region – similar outliers and domed islands can be found in the Philippines and along the coasts of Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand – all of which embody elements of  Buddhism and Hinduism – elements that can also be found within the setting.

The landing point may be set within a Japanese style structure, but it is a place that fits within the overall theme for the region exceptionally well, with the tribal bells, candles and lanterns very much suggesting a place of retreat and peace.  Similarly, whilst the elephants down on the beach to the north might be from the wrong continent, they nevertheless fit the setting perfectly and add to the sense of tranquillity to be found within it.

To offer a step-by-step description of Suaka would be to miss the point: this is a place to be discovered through exploration, as the many settings and places it has to offer each present its own sense of retreat and peace. However, should you opt to visit, do please keep in mind that Vally has a private residence located in the south-west of the region, the surrounding curtains of rock designed to gently enforce the fact that it is not open to the public.

Dandy’s landscaping can be heavy on meshes and unique textures which can in turn have an impact on viewer performance when running with multiple bells and whistles enabled. However, they are always highly photogenic and engaging, making them well worth the time needed to explore and appreciate. And I have to say, with Suaka, he has, with Vally’s help, created something very special and more than worth the group joining fee.

My thanks to Vally for the invitation to drop in and explore, and to Shawn for the extra landmark. 

SLurl Details

• Suaka (ValiumSL, rated Moderate)