Tag: Exploring SL Archives

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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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…

(Click here to see slideshow full-screen)

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Opening Pandoria’s box

Posted on by Inara Pey
Pandoria
Pandoria

Pandoria is the creation of Bonny Greenwood, owner of Mindgardens Creations. It is described as a “celestial cosmic adventure full of many treasures, ambient music, amazing beauty and more!” – and it lives up to this description in full.

Located high in the sky over Magic Valley, where the Mindgardens store can also be found, Pandoria is a mixture of romance and meditation surrounded by planets, stars and a glittering white aurora.

Pandoria
Pandoria

This is a place one can enjoy alone, although it naturally lends itself to being a shared experience, whether or not romance and dancing is involved – and there are places here to dance. The music stream is well-chosen (the occasional “important messages” barely noticeable), and lends itself fully to one’s enjoyment while exploring the glittering islands in the sky.

For those wishing to clear their minds, there are places to meditate, while for those seeking entertainment, there is also a place to sit and play a quiz. For my part, Pandoria was a chance to wander alone and let my thoughts stray where they will. There is a very faint echo of Inspire Space here, another favourite venue of mine, but so faint as to encourage a feeling of warm familiarity, even on a first visit to Pandoria, rather than anything else.

Pandoria
Pandoria

Pandoria is a visual box of delights. It may not be big, but that’s part of the beauty, you don’t have to walk far to find something to captivate or enchant, although teleporters offer you the chance to see more elsewhere, whether it’s the Moonlit glades of Magic Valley itself or the underwater mermaids caverns or the Mindgardens Creations store itself.

This is a magic place to visit and will, it appears, become the venue for events in the near future – a calendar is available on the Pandoria blog, and a stage area can be found on the sky islands. I’m looking forward to seeing what entertainments and activities do occur; Pandoria is liable to be a place to which I’ll be returning a lot.

Pandoria
Pandoria

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Keisei: garden haven and photographer’s delight

Posted on by Inara Pey

See also: My updated May 2013 review.

I was unaware of Keisei until Honour McMillan recently posted images in her blog. Once I’d seen them, however, it went right to the top of my list of SL destinations to visit. Anything having an oriental theme is going to get my attention, and Keisei is just that.

The region, rated as Moderate. is predominantly Japanese in nature, although there are small Sino touches which I find attractive as well. From the landing point, you’re free to wander where you will, with footpaths to guide you, or you can use the teleport board to pin-point selected destinations.

Keisei; Inara Pey, September 2012, on Flickr, on FlickrKeisei (Flickr)

There is a lot to see and enjoy here, and the landscape has been put together to encourage photography – and to encourage experimentation with Windlight settings; so much so, that I could have happily spent hours in Keisei snapping away and tweaking my settings through Phototools (which I think I’m finally starting to get my head around, although I have a long way to go yet before I can pull off anything half-decent).

Water is very much a feature here, with streams, pools and waterfalls in abundance. There are places to sit and admire the gardens, places to climb, and places to sit in quiet contemplation. Keisei is also the home of  Shiraito-no-Taki Hanamachi, located to the North-west of the region.
Keisei; Inara Pey, September 2012, on Flickr, on FlickrKeisei (Flickr)

To the North-east side of the region sits Enkatsu Yama, the private home and garden of Famke Faith (also known as Phoenix DaVinci). The outer ward of this is open to the public, and visitors are welcome to stroll around and enjoy the tranquillity. Beyond the inner gates,  guarded by two Chinese looking lions, sits the house proper in a private ward, where visitors are asked not to stray.

Sim extenders are used to great effect around Keisei, giving the feeling  that this is a small, coastal community, lost in time and free from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Out in the bay to the west of the region lies a wood-framed light house, waiting to guide ships to a safe berth.

Keisei; Inara Pey, September 2012, on Flickr, on FlickrKeisei (Flickr)

There are a number of Windlight presets in operation around the sim, so you’ll likely get requests to change your Windlight as you go – it’s worth doing, as some of the presets really do set off the sim’s landscaping and architecture perfectly. The music streams also vary from parcel to parcel – so if you use a viewer with an active media filter, be prepared for a few prompts from this as well. The music I heard was again in keeping with the tranquil nature of the sim, and didn’t detract in any way from my enjoyment as I explored.

This is a wonderfully relaxing sim to visit and, as mentioned, a photographers delight. My thanks to Honour for raising my awareness as to its existence.

Keisei; Inara Pey, September 2012, on Flickr, on FlickrKeisei (Flickr)

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Sailing away at the End of Time

Posted on by Inara Pey

End of Time comprises four regions in Second Life: Crow, Eotia, Tide and Wabe. It offers wide open spaces to explore and enjoy, complete with water on which to sail. Wabe carries an Adult rating, otherwise the regions are all moderate. All four are open for people to visit, although there are some private residences on Eotia, and visitors are asked to respect people’s personal space around these.

Teleporting to End of Time will deliver you to the North-east corner of Crow, with the backdrop of the sea behind you, from which rises the tall finger of a lighthouse. Before you lay rolling hills, meadows, beaches, walks, and places to simply sit and enjoy, either on your own or with a friend or loved one.

End of Time

Where you go from here is up to you – there is a teleport board if you want to hop around the main sights, or you can set off at random or follow the signposted paths. If you’re not up to walking and the teleport doesn’t appeal, take the steps down from the arrival-point and pick up a bicycle, which can be a fun ride – and the nice thing about it is that it doesn’t immediately de-rez on dismounting, so you can actually get off and walk around a spot for a few minutes before resuming your ride. Be warned, however, that the bicycle doesn’t handle going up slopes very well! For my part, I like to wander when I arrive, although I have a few favourite spots I enjoy, and sometimes go directly to one of them.

End of Time

Several of the beauty spots in the regions are within their own parcels, which have parcel privacy enabled, allowing people to sit and talk without being overheard from outside, or having to rely on IMs.

Wildlife is very much a part of End of Time, with rabbits, birds and butterflies all around the main teleport arrival point, deer in the woodland glades, ducks on the water, and more butterflies flittering around meadow flowers.

Butterflies is also the name of an art exhibit by Feathers Boa, and which can be found in – or rather under – Eotia. It features seven images by Feathers depicting the seven ages of woman. The pictures carry one from babe to old age, each stop along the way marked by words which encapsulate the age being depicted. Given my own position in the seven stages, I find it an evocative piece which causes me to recall past years and give thought to the future. If I’m honest, it also raises the question as to why I devote a fair amount of my time sitting in front of my computer using a virtual world – but that, perhaps, is something for a future post in this blog.

End of Time

To the east of Eotia and Crow lie Wabe and Tide, both of which are largely devoted to water. Both have open rezzing, and visitors can, if they wish, rez their own boats and sail in the lagoon-like waters (please remember to take back anything you do rez when you’re done!). For those without boats of their own, a sailing skiff can be found at the quay at the north end of Crow, which you can (with a little cheating) sail into Wabe and Tide.

End of Time

All four regions offer a relaxed approach to exploration and places to share with others. There are a number of dance anywhere systems among the places to visit, allowing the romantically inclined to dance some of the time together – and the music stream lends itself to romantic dancing. All four are also well-suited to photography as well, and lend themselves very naturally to a wide range of Windlight settings.

End of Time

End of Time is one of those places that provides exactly what it says on the bottle: a place to relax and a place to explore. Enjoy!

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