Tag: Exploring SL Archives

In October, I visited ancient Alexandria, a two-region build by Kleopatra T. Philopator (Kleopatra Alpha) and Elio Donat, and which offers an historical / role-play environment set in the reign of Cleopatra VII Philopator (69 BC – 10 August 30 BC) – see Cleopatra’s Alexandria in Second Life. However, adjoining the two regions representing Alexandria is a third, offering settings from ancient Greece within the same period (centred on around 43-42 BCE). At the time I covered Alexandria, I had intended to include the settings from ancient Greece; however, in talking to their creator (and holder of the region where they sit), Ellen of Sparta (ellenharriet) it became apparent they should be covered separately – hence this article.

As their joint name suggest, Sparta and Delos offer setting representative of the famous Greek city-state and of the the island said to be one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. In addition, the region also offers the opportunity to visit ancient Crete. All three locations stand separately on their own sky platforms, but are interlinked via a teleport system. In addition, both Sparta and Delos can be reached from the “Library” landing point above Alexandria.

Sparta is today probably best known for its connection with the mythology of Helen of Troy and the Trojan War, and its military might, most notably enshrined in the reign of Leonidas I and the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE) during the second Persian invasion of Greece, led by Xerxes I. However, the city-state’s entire history is rooted in legend and mythology, which states it was founded by Lacedaemon, son of the god Zeus (by way of the nymph Taygete), and later became the seat of descendants of Heracles.

Regarded as less sophisticated than the likes of Athens, Sparta rose to become the dominant land-based power in Ancient Greece, largely due to the system of education imposed by the laws of semi-mythical legislator Lycurgus (c.820 BCE). And whilst seen as “less sophisticated”, it wasn’t in any way backward. For example, Sparta was very much ahead of the rest of ancient Greece in terms of gender equality – women, (at least those classed as citizens of the city) enjoyed a status, power, and respect that was unknown in the rest of the classical world, being seen from birth as near-equals to male offspring and offered the same freedoms, up to and including education and competing in sports. As such, many women played significant roles in the city-state’s history, such as Queen Gorgo, heiress to the throne and the wife of Leonidas I.

As represented by Ellen, Sparta in Second Life sits at a time well past its heyday as an independent city-state (that having been lost in 192 BCE, when Alexander the Great forced it to join the League of Corinth), but when it was nevertheless enjoying a curious renaissance. Whilst subject to the rule of Rome, it was seen as a Free City, allowing at least some of the institutions of Lycurgus to be restored – a fact that lent it to becoming a “tourist attraction” for wealthy Roman citizens wishing to learn about it culture and ways. Hence why, within Ellen’s setting, we find a Romanesque colosseum rising up on one side of the city.

The core of Ellen’s build is laid out along Afetais Avenue, regarded as the major thoroughfare of Sparta. Here can be found a number of buildings that help represent something of Sparta’s long history and its roots in mythology. First among these, just beyond the training arena for those wishing to participate in combat RP and the tournaments that regularly take place at the  colosseum, is a temple dedicated to he mythical Helen of Sparta, daughter of Zeus and wife of King Menelaus of Sparta (and perhaps better known as Helen of Troy), as well as temples to the Muses and Heracles, the legendary hero of ancient Greece. He was said to have conquered Sparta two centuries after the Trojan war, causing the rules lines of the Agiad and Eurypontid kings claiming to be his descendants. Red plinths outside of these temples and the other buildings lining the avenue will provide brief note cards on the buildings and the roles of those they honour in the history of Sparta.

At its northern end, Afetais Avenue opens out into a broad square sitting before a representation of the main courtyard from the massive Mycenaean palace discovered at Aghios Vassilios Hill close to Sparta, a structure thought to have once covered some 35 acres. Here the palace courtyard looks towards the Sparta Acropolis, home to a reproduction of the Sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos, and the city’s civic amphitheatre.

Delos, meanwhile, transports us to the historic island of the same name. Located near the centre of the Cyclades archipelago, it is home to some of the most extensive archaeological excavations in the Mediterranean. These show the island has been inhabited since around the 3rd millennium BCE, with Thucydides claiming the original inhabitants were driven from the island by King Minos of Crete (he of the Minotaur infamy). By the time of Homer, the island was reputedly the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis (although Ortygia is also given as the birthplace of the latter), a legend that led to the island undergoing several “purifications” by  Athens in an attempt to render it fit for the proper worship of the gods.

By around 42 BCE, the importance of Delos had waned. Under Roman rule, the island has rises to the heights of being the premier trading centre of Greece after the Romans has soundly stomped on Corinth, but the Mithridatic Wars brought an end to this, such that by the 1st Century BCE, Delos as a centre of trade and culture. Even so, it did remain a centre of population through until the 1st Century CE (after which things get spotty), so Delos as seen here is perhaps representative of the island as it sat during Roman rule, and when its sanctuaries and temples  were sill very much maintained.

Dominating the island is a temple celebrating Apollo, sitting on a hill overlooking the rest of the island, a tall statue of Hebe situated on one shoulder of the hill. Also to be found here is a sanctuary to Dionysus  – Delos was the centre of a cult that revered both him and Leto, mother of Athena and Apollo, and an Erechtheion dedicated to Athena. The later stands to one side and slightly below the temple of Apollo in a manner that is mindful of the way the Erechtheion in Athens sits to one side of the Parthenon. Also to be found within the setting is a further grand temple and the palace of Queen Ellen, together with a small wharf, open fields, a marketplace a landowner’s villas, and assorted points of interest, all of which offer a more relaxed environment for potential role-play when compared to the possibly more combat-centric Sparta.

Sitting within its own sky platform, Crete is the work of Ellen with the help of Delia Kleopatra (Naburita), and appears to take us to the Minoan era. It centres on a great palace, seemingly inspires by the Knossos, and within which can be found a tripartite shrine of the kind discovered during excavations at Knossos, and reproductions of frescoes of the kind that may have once decorated the walls of buildings at Knossos.

And role-play (and combat) environments, these settings (notably Delos and Sparta) are home to a wide range of events, which are detailed at the landing points. Dress code for visitors is not strictly enforced, but those wishing to blend into the settings can join the local group and obtain free outfits from the vendors at the Delos and Sparta landing points. When exploring Sparta and Crete in particular, do not that there are private residences to one side of each setting, some of which are available for rent by interested parties – contact Ellen of Sparta (ellenharriet) for information.

Taken on their own, collective and or / with Alexandria, Sparta, Delos, Crete make for an engaging and historically rich visit.

SLurl Details

Note Starr is rated Adult.

• Sparta Landing point
• Delos Landing Point
• Crete Landing Point

JimGarand has established a reputation for making his Grauland region designs as places well worth visiting. Each iteration offers something just that little different around the central idea a setting for exploration and photography mixed with the idea of each also being an environment intended for artistic expression.

As my last visit was in June, I decided to jump across and see what the current iteration holds – and was surprised to note that (in August, I believe), Jim had relocated the Grauland builds away from their long-term home of Mobile to a new Homestead region – prompting me to update the SLurl featured in past articles in this blog. On bumping into Jim on the region, he explained he decided to take a break for a couple of months to recharge, and so needed to obtain a new Homestead on his return.

The new setting is once again an interesting mix, a scene suggestive of an older part of a city, one overlooked by more modern skyscrapers alive with their walls of lights and neon, but separated from them to indicate that while they may be part of the same conurbation, they are not the same neighbourhood.

While there are high-rises within the main portion of the region, they are clearly older and smaller, speaking to a part of the town much older than the gleaming towers of glittering light. And while there is light and neon to be found here, it advertises establishments that might be considered unsuited to upmarket downtown spaces.

Caught under a twilight sky, the region is bracketed to the east and wet by a beach with pier and the tall city blocks with mountains beyond respectively. Between, it offers road that cut the buildings into tidy blocks – the majority façades, admittedly, but which offer numerous opportunities for photography.

However, that’s not the primary purpose with the build: whilst it blends that familiar sense of space with physical art elements – which I’ll come to in a moment -, the primary focus of the build is that of lighting. In this respect, I cannot stress strongly enough that the resign is viewed under its default EEP setting and with Advanced Lighting Model (Preferences → Graphics enabled (no need to also enable Shadows, etc).

This theme is represented in multiple ways, from the aforementioned skyscrapers with their shimmering rows of lights to represent towering floors, through the presence of the neon business signs, the lights that illuminates advertising hoardings or the streets themselves. Some of this is subtle in nature and form – such as at the Japanese noodle bar (inside and out), and elsewhere a little more obvious but still artfully presented – such as the red used at the strip club façade, compete with reflections in the puddles from a recent bout of rain.

The most striking elements of light and art however, can be found within the setting’s largest structure and around the south and west coastlines of the region. In and along these are pieces of modern art – blocks, triangles and squares, all of which have holes running through them, which offer projected lights to illuminate the inner circumference of the holes in the most engaging of effects. Further lighting can be found a long the sides of the main road, whilst further examples of lighting effects sit hidden around corners and within alleys, encouraging exploration and – again – photography.

SLurl Details

• Grauland (Liberia Isle, rated Adult)

It’s been several months since I had the opportunity to jump into a build by Lotus Mastroianni and Fred Hamilton (frecoi), so when Shawn Shakespeare pointed me towards Hasunohana, I decided to start the week by hopping over and taking a look.

Occupying a 4096 sq m parcel, this is a setting that is not going to tax your feet (or camera!) when exploring – which is not to say it doesn’t have anything worth seeing. Rather the reverse, in fact, since the build makes good use of the placement of streets and buildings to give the impression of both being large than first appears, and a genuine sense of forming – as the About Land description states – a little suburb siting in a much larger metropolis. And also as the About Land description makes clear, and the setting’s name suggests, it is a setting with a lean towards Japan, something that is again liable to tweak my attention, given my love of the orient.

A visit starts aboard a suburban monorail train as it arrives at the local station – something that adds a degree of depth to the setting, giving the suggestion that we are joining the locals in coming home after a day at work. From here, steps lead down to the first of the setting’s narrow streets, little more than an alleyway boxed on either side by the squat forms of apartment-style (at least in looks) houses mixed here and there with a little shop or store.

While the buildings are all façades, they nevertheless have a sense of homeliness about them: potted plans sit outside of doorways, together with shoe stands and benches, dustpans for cleaning down front steps hang from hooks on the wall, bicycles are parked on stands in alleys between houses – there’s even a thermos and steam mug outside one, suggesting the owner is not far away.

Similarly, the balconies to the upper floors of some of the houses are rich in the floatsam of life: deck chairs for enjoying the Sun are folded against railings, toys clutter floors, clothes are draped over dryers – there’s even a washing machine clearly too big to fit inside a house that has been parked to one side of one of the balconies. Where balconies aren’t available, window railings and the tops of air conditioning units mounted outside of windows are used for various domestic purposes, whilst roofs that can be accessed have been turned into little garden spaces.

Although none of the occupants of the houses are to be found, this doesn’t mean the setting is deserted; curious eyes are to be found everywhere in the form of the local Feline Overlords as they sit on rooftops, balconies, sit in doorways and – in one case – carrying out an inspection of a cart of luggage.

Finding your way around is a matter of keeping an eye out for the steps linking the streets that sit at slightly different heights one to another. Some of these steps are obvious, sitting directly at the end of one street to reach another that crosses it; others might not be so obvious; they might be hidden around a corner or at first appear to be stairways leading up into buildings.

Those who fancy a meal al fresco, one corner of the setting features a little street-side eatery. Tucked into another sits a little garden that offers one of those touches of green that can catch the eye in the most unexpected of places as we explore somewhere new.

Small, richly detailed – if somewhat texture-heavy – Hasunohana is an engaging setting, neatly blended with its high-rise surroundings through the placement of the monorail, roads and mist. Rounded out by a balanced soundscape that fits it perfectly, it makes for a tidy visit whether or not photography is your thing.

SLurl Details

• Hasunohana (Infinity Beach, rated Moderate)

Please note, this is an article about a region open only to members of the [Valium] group (membership fee: L$395, with rezzing rights) for the foreseeable future. The group can be joined in-world by visiting Seiiki (ValiumSL 1, rated Moderate), or through region holder Vally’s (Valium Lavender)  profile.

Vally (Valium Lavender) recently extended an invitation for me to visit the latest Valium SL region design, Fresh Air, as it was in the process of opening for group members. It took me a few days to get to the point of being able to take her up on the offer, but as usual, found my visit more than worth the effort.

At a time when many regions across Second Life are decorated for Halloween, Vally has decided to jump past that temptation and land directly on a winter setting – and it is good to see her once again laying out her own designs. It sites surrounded by snowy mountains, apparently rising from a frozen lake on a low island; or perhaps it is simply a humpback hill pushing itself above snow-covered grasslands that flow through the mountains from prairies on either side – although the presence of a rowing boat filled with blankets does perhaps suggest water may be present when the temperature isn’t so low and the snow not blanketing the ground.

But, whichever is the case, the setting presents a gentle, circular rise of land topped by blocks of rock and a number of cabins, out-houses and other structures sitting among fir trees. The buildings vie with the frosted rocks and places where the snow can gather above the surrounding lands. Within this setting, the landing point sits towards the north-east corner, just outside of a cabin converted into a little coffee house.

With cold skies overhead, the snow and the sound of a steady wind, the coffee house with its warm fireplace can easily become an immediate port of call. However, it sits at the end of an icy track that also invites people to walk along and visit the nearby cabins or cross to the large ice rink gazebo that sits nearby. Exactly where you opt to wander, however, is entirely up to you, as the region is easy to explore on foot or – if you prefer, by adding a wearable horse, should you have one in your inventory and prefer that method of transport.

I’m not going to go into a long description of the region and what is waiting to be found; suffice it to say it is a charming winter – *not* Christmas – setting, with a lot a lot of detail both indoors and out. The cabins are all nicely furnished and give a feeling of home, there are swings and benches and more scattered about than encourage sitting outside. This is also a place popular with both dogs and reindeer while birds can be heard in the trees.

Given all that is set out and the fact that rezzing is permitted to group members, there are plenty of opportunities for photography – although in places the mesh snow that is falling can make placing items awkward, together with sitting on some of the various items that may be under the falling snow region, so careful camming can be required when trying to place items or sit. However, this doesn’t detract from the overall genteel beauty of the region or prevent it from being a worthwhile visit.

SLurl Details

Please remember, region access requires group membership (L$395).

• Fresh Air (ValiumSL, rated Moderate)

Cube Republic (of the landscape brand fame), pointed me towards a fabulous build entitled Alexandreia Rhakotis, advising me it was a impressive build. As such, I took the first opportunity to hop over and take a look for myself.

Designed by Kleopatra T. Philopator (Kleopatra Alpha) and Elio Donat, the build is modelled after ancient Egyptian city of Alexandra, towards the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty’s rule over Egypt. It sits within a 3-region setting held by Kleopatra (2 regions) and one by Ellen of Sparta (ellenharriet) that offer a range of period destinations set within the 43-42 BC time frame, although for this article I will be focusing purely on Alexandreia Rhakotis itself.

Also accessible via an airborne landing point that provides access to all of the setting within the estate, the city has been designed to represent how ancient Alexandria may have appeared during the reign of Cleopatra VII Philopator (69 BC – 10 August 30 BC), the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Her life and rule are probably most well known as being bound up with Julius Caesar (a relationship which produced a son, Caesarion, who would become the last Pharaoh of ancient Egypt), and her later affair with Mark Anthony, who came to rely on her for funding and military support during his invasions of the Parthian Empire and the Kingdom of Armenia, and with whom she distributed lands held by Rome and Parthia amongst her children (including Caesarion).

The setting is very much a labour of love for Kleopatra, who described something of its origins and development to me.

I started this work in 2016 with half a region. I’ve always loved Egypt and I developed a passion for the Ptolemaic time. Moreover, this time of Egypt is not well known and it’s a shame because Alexandria was an exceptional city.  I have been also very lucky to meet a man who has passion for building, he is a genius! Even so, researching has been difficult, because the city has been the victim of sackings, tsunami and earthquakes that have left much of it underwater, and the rest built over. We used a lot of resources: ancient writings, the work of Jean-Yves Empereur and Franck Goddio and so on.

– Kleopatra T. Philopator, discussing Alexandreia Rhakotis with me

Of course, regions being what they are, compromises have had to be made in the presentation of the city. For example, the island of Pharos, home to the famous lighthouse of the same name, and a part of the natural protection of the city’s Great Harbour, is absent, leaving only a foreshortened version of the Heptastadion causeway, which leads directly to the lighthouse. However, given the Heptastadion alone was said to be 1.2 km long and 200 metres wide, and so would require 5 regions in its own right to be fully reproduced, a lack of Pharos is hardly surprising – and completely understandable. Nevertheless, this is still a simply stunning build: as Cube remarked to me, it is like stepping into one of the models you might find under glass with a museum and walking through it.

Central to the city – as with its inspiration – is the Canopic Way, the principal east-west thoroughfare (although here it runs north to south) that ran through it. In its time, the Canopic Way was home to the majority of the Ptolemaic and Roman monuments, and many of the city’s major buildings and temples, and this is again reflected in Kleopatra and Elio’s build.

These include the Serapeum of Alexandria, the temple to the Graeco-Egyptian deity Serapis, protector of the city, built on the orders of Ptolemy III Euergetes. There is also the Great Library, centre of learning for the kingdom and a centre of learning for the world around Alexandria. This faces the the Caesareum of Alexandria, built under the orders of Cleopatra VII herself to honour Julius Caesar, and believed to have once had the obelisks we today call Cleopatra’s Needles flanking its entrance; whilst just inside the city’s inner gates lies the tomb of Alexander the Great, who established and gave his name to the city, whilst throughout are statues to the likes of Ptolemy, and Hermanubis, a god combining Hermes from the Greeks and Anubis from the Egyptians.

At the end of the Way lies a great palace with laid out gardens, shaded walks, throne room and private chambers. It bookends the core of the Canopic Way by sitting at one end, whilst the homes and places of business for the ordinary populace, set at the other, the latter offered in a stark contrast to the Ptolemaic-Romano grandeur of the main city setting.

To the east can be found the Heptastadion and the Pharos lighthouse, whilst a part of the dockyards of the Great Harbour also sits to the east side of the city, complete with ships berthed at the wharf and under construction on the shoreline. Throughout the city can be found large gold chalices mounted on marble plinths. These are information givers that will provide further note cards on the structures they stand beside / within, and provided in a choice of languages (English, French, Italian and Arabic). Further information can be obtained on a range of subject from the lecterns within the Great Library.

A further point to note with Alexandreia Rhakotis is that it is living place. Not just as a result of it being a place for role-play, but because Kleopatra and Elio are constantly tweaking and improving, building and adding. Some of this is actually noted by the fact there are signs of construction to be found within the city walls (building work was much a part of Alexandria right the way through to Emperor Hadrian). In this, I’d also point out that the vast majority of the structures and elements found within the city have all be uniquely designed and built by Elio, and are not offered for sale, further marking the uniqueness of the city and the setting in general.

While the position of various structures along the Canopic Way might be open to debate (there is some difference between the position of the Great Library here and where it appears on a drawing representing Alexandria in the time of Hypatia (roughly 400 years after Cleopatra VII), for example), this doesn’t actually matter. This is because it is the presentation of the whole, rather than the positioning of the individual parts that makes Alexandreia Rhakotis such an immersive and – dare I say it – educational setting, as well as a play for role-play and other activities, a fact that further adds to the regions being an absolute “must see”.

As noted, this is one of a number of locations within a three region estate that represent the period 43-42 BC; I’ll be covering the rest in a follow-up article.

SLurl Details

• Alexandreia Rhakotis City Gates (Special One, rated Adult)

So, I’ve probably mentioned I’m really not one for the whole “Halloween season” thing, but a couple of years ago I dropped into Miskatonic County, the themed Full region held by Tobiath Tendaze, and tried their Halloween / horror first-person adventure / shoot-’em-up. As it has been a couple of years since that visit, I decided to drop back and see what has changed with the new adventure, Tales of Miskatonic County: Dragon Rising.

In the shadows and back alleys of Miskatonic, evil has returned. Cultists have raised portals and called forth horrors from the abyssal plains to attack the city. Their goal is to restore the reign of the Great Old Ones. This Halloween, a titan will rise!

– Introduction to Tales of Miskatonic County: Dragon Rising

Visitors to the region are delivered to a landing point where the essentials can be picked up – a HUD and a revolver. Both of which are available via boards on the walls of the landing point.

When obtaining the HUD, may be asked to join the region’s Experience. This is a necessary part of the activity, so you should click on the Yes button. Don’t worry about the control permissions being granted over your avatar – these are necessary to the game and will be revoked when you leave the region (those who have previously accepted the Miskatonic experience need only touch the board to receive a fresh HUD).

Once the Experience has been accepted, the game HUD will automatically attach to your screen, and – unseen – a character sheet is created for you, if one does not already exist. This records and saves your progress, and allows you to leave the experience at any time (removing the HUD), and then re-join it at a later time, your progress being automatically uploaded to the new HUD. If you wish to delete all of your progress and start over, click the red cube at the landing point.

I’m not going to explain the HUD in all its glory here, as it includes an option to receive an explanatory note card, so I’ll leave you with a quick image-based overview (right). Do note that the three numbered elements of the HUD can be moved independently around your screen.

Once the HUD is attached, click the Pistol sign on the wall to obtain what looks to be a Colt Python .357 Magnum. While this may not be “the most powerful handgun in the world” (as a certain cinematic cop might say through gritted teeth), you will need it to blast the various nasties you’ll be encountering, preferably before they do you a serious mischief.

To find said nasties, take the teleport portal just outside the landing point down to the ground level and the edge of the town of Miskatonic. On arrival, you’ll need to switch to Mouselook to aim and fire your gun (left mouse-click). The nasties themselves may be wandering the various locations, others might be spawned via a “gateway” and others may burst forth in front of (or behind) you unexpectedly. When they attack you, they will cause damage to your health, shields and armour – so shooting sooner rather than later is advised. Such damage will recover over time, but should your health reach “zero”, you’ll be teleported to the town’s care centre where you can use a hospital bed to recover.

You can also help recover your health in several ways: by consuming the food and drinks that might be found within some of the buildings (which you can move around in 3rd person view as the nasties do not enter them), or by collecting any first aid kits you might find, or by using the energy vials some of the nasties might leave behind when “killed”. In all three cases, left-click the object in question to “add” it to a slot in the HUD’s inventory, then click the slot itself to “consume” the item it contains.

It is possible to simply run around blasting nasties, using the teleport portals (tunnels and covered bridges) to move between the town’s different locations to locate them. However, there is also at least one story awaiting discovery by touching various books, etc., and then reading the contents via the HUD.

However, there are also NPCs – non-player characters – awaiting discovery. Touching one will open a “dialogue” conducted via the HUD that will both provide information (possibly via more than one touch or by clicking the HUD info panel), and one or more quest options, including a list of possible quests which you can opt to complete. (you can select up to 5 quests at a time, opening opportunities for varied game play).

Quests vary in content from continuing the shoot-the-nasty format through to performing rescuing or finding items. Again a note card available through the Help options in the HUD will provide information on the various quests that many be available.

All of which adds up to the opportunity for first-person entertainment.  As with 2019, I found that while the instructions on using the HUD, following quests, etc., to be very detailed, the broader brush-strokes of the main story seem to be poorly presented. What is the coming “titan”? What role does it play in the actual activities within the region? Perhaps this is only discovered by completing all quests, etc., which admittedly I have not done.  I will say that I found the shoot-’em-up aspect oddly addictive – as I did in 2019 -, although this was tempered by the fact that the game HUD seemed exceptionally slow to respond / update, even when I was the only person in the region.

Nevertheless, if adventure games / hunts are your thing, Dragon Rising may well be worth the time poking at.

SLurl Details

• Tales of Miskatonic County: Dragon Rising (Miskatonic County, rated Moderate)