Tag: Exploring SL Archives

Update: As I posted this, L̶i̶n̶L̶i̶n̶  was preparing to open a new sky level – Western World -, so this article has been updated to reflect this. 

It was off on a visit to a far East themed region for me this week, as I finally got around to dropping into the Full region that is called Exhalt, designed and held by L̶i̶n̶L̶i̶n̶ (Lyndy Lockwood).

In its current iteration, the ground level of the region offers a taste of the Far East, ancient and modern, but with a few twists – as seen by the African elephants, the giraffes the lions and the Indian tigers that can be found at various points throughout – and it does so with a certain flare that makes it both a destination that offers a fair amount to do and see, and which also offers a range of opportunities for photography, be it landscape or avatar focused.

The first thing to note about the region is that while the majority of it is open to the public, there are rental properties within it, so some caution is required to avoid trespass on people’s homes – although most of these have been kept to the north side of the region (with the exception of one), so can be avoided by not straying off the paths that wind their way through the region. A further point to note is that the region utilises a local Experience; this is not vital for ground-level explorations, but as there are additional settings in the sky over it, visitors will need to accept the Experience to reach them.

The landing point lies to the south of the region, a waterside wharf watched over by an octopus and bounded on one side by a little marketplace and the rentals office and on the other by the local stables, where a horse can be obtained for those who would like to ride around the region and make use of the small riding track off to the west.

The majority of the region presents something of an ancient Japan vibe, the land they stand upon cut by a series of waterways that effectively break it up into a series of islands, both high and low. These channels, spanned by stone bridges, mean the the best way of exploring really is to follow the earthen paths as they meander their way around the landing, linking the bridges and running past the major points of interest, with one in particular leading to one of the more hidden places within the region, a water garden tucked away out-of-sight.

While the majority of the region takes its led from Japan in terms of architecture, there are two exceptions. The first sits atop the highest point of the setting- and is called, appropriately enough Tibet. The other lies to the west of the region, but it isn’t accessed directly by any of the paths. To find your way into it without scrambling up a steep slope, you’ll need to locate the stairs and arch that lead to it – just be prepared to get a little wet (hint). When you have reached it, you’ll find you’ll pass from a sense of ancient Japan and into modern southern Asia, a setting dominated by elements of Eliza Wierwight’s superb PATRON builds that form a suite of exotic bath houses, with a small beach facing the sheltered southern waters.

Following the paths around the region will also reveal the smaller touches that add a living depth to it, such as a further water garden in the middle of the riding trail and the pavilion where you can play the harp to an audience of one – panthera tigris (although the giraffe standing in the shade of a large cherry blossom might eavesdrop)also be listening.

More animals can be found during explorations, ranging from swans and horses to bears, foxes, pandas, stags, deer, lions, and more. A whale circling in the air over the central buildings adds a touch of fantasy to the setting, as does the presence of giant (but friendly) trolls. For those perhaps not so taken by animals, there are table games available in the building up on the central ridge (with backgammon available just outside), while a high hive platform offers a sporting element. Art also waits discovery, with pieces by Cica Ghost, Mistero Hifeng, Qutsal Alex, x1XDanteX4x, L̶i̶n̶L̶i̶n̶ herself, and more.

As noted above, Exhalt includes several skyborne settings. At the time of my visit, three of these were accessible via Experience-based teleports, and a fourth – The Roxy Club – reached via a teleport board mounted on a wall above the landing point, although I didn’t spot an obvious TP back to the ground.

The other areas are reached by walking through Torii gates, one of which is alongside the landing point, with the other two a short walk from it through the main entrance into the ground level of the region. If you’ve not previously joined the region’s Experience, you’ll be prompted to do so when attempting to pass through one of the gates, which will take you, respectively, to the Old West (pretty self-explanatory), to Dark Tokyo (a modern urban setting with an adult lean), and to the Field of Dreams.

The last of these is close enough to be seen from the ground by those with a Draw Distance greater than around 150 metres. It presents a gorgeous walled garden with its own hints of fantasy and storybook elements that are enchanting to wander through – although the ghostly sasquatch wandering through it can be a little disconcerting! Both of these settings – Dark Tokyo and Field of Dreams – offer teleport loops back to the ground.

With all this said, there is still more to be discovered in Exhalt – details that help to bring it to life and which might also be used in exploring; but rather than give away everything here, I strong encourage you to go see for yourself. And if you enjoy SL photography, trying playing with different EEP settings.

SLurl Details

• Exhalt (Caligula, rated Adult)

In checking back through my visit history, I was surprised to see the last time I dropped into L2 Studio & LHOOQ Gallery, the Full region held and operated by Lindini2 (Lindini2 Lane) and Jessica (jessicabelmer) was in 2016.

Surprised, because the region – the home to Lindini2’s store and Jessica’s art gallery respectively – used to be on my list of places to visit semi-regularly due to it being highly attractive and subject to periodic changes, and I enjoyed dropping-in semi-regularly to see what had changed. So this being the case, I took a trip to see had things are today.

No landing point is enforced, although one is defined – and used as the SLurl here – that brings folk down in the gardens between the L2 store and the LHOOQ gallery, allowing quick access to Lindini2’s creations (including teleports up to the demo areas in the sky for her buildings) and to appreciate Jessica’s art

The gallery and store are located on the largest island in the region, where they sit within the south-east corner, forming two of the biggest structures within the setting. The gallery in particularly is impressive, its design light and airy, the two floors offering plenty of space for Jessica’s work to be displayed in a fairly large format.

Surrounding them, the gardens and land beyond are presented as a something of a wildling environment that is both managed and also left to grow fairly free: manicured cypresses mixing with shaggy fir, the grass mixing with scrub and rock whilst being maintained more by the munching of sheep than by any bladed means. It’s an effective, natural environment that climbs westward to where a Japanese teahouse sits within stone walls, the passage through its grounds literally forming the gateway between east and west

The teahouse is not the only structure to be found when wandering the paths around the studio and gallery, nor are the sheep the only animals waiting to be found. Some of the former are obvious, others take a little more discovery as they meander around and climb up and down through the landscape. The easiest to follow will lead you to an old gazebo, the way up to the teahouse close by; others might take you to a folly guarded by foxes or a little fenced garden offering a way down to a shingle beach and a view out to the north-west, or off to the north-east side of the land, of which more anon.

Nor are the foxes and sheep alone in claiming the wildling setting as theirs; horses wander the grasses. An attempt has been made to cultivate a small part of the wildling, but I did find myself wondering how long it might last, given the way some of the sheep appeared to be eyeing things!

The store and gallery are balanced to the south-west by a house with garden and outhouses. A narrow neck of rock connects this headland with the rest of the main island, pools of water feeding waterfalls on either side.

Such is the design here that it is hard not to avoid the feeling the water – whilst crossed by a hump of rock – is there to form a natural barrier to indicate the house and gardens beyond are perhaps private property, a feeling added to by the steep shoulder of a hill rising between the falls and the house beyond that is sans obvious path up or around its slope. There are no signs to confirm this, but is did leave me a little circumspect in my wanderings so as not to trespass, just in case.

To the north, the region is given over to settings that showcase Lindini2’s houses. The first of these is laid one in a manner suggestive of Dutch waterways, although the houses are perhaps more North American in styling. Water forms a narrow basin with walled sides and cobbled road surfaces surrounding it and a pair of little bridges arching over it. Four house sit on the cobbled ways, while across a narrow channel of water, a low-lying, sandy island offers a beach-like setting for more houses.

The final element of the landscape is a little town are that sits sandwiched between the island houses and the store and gallery. Located on its own little promontory, it balances the hill-top teahouse in having a Japanese vibe to its styling (perhaps with the exception of the little hi;;top greenhouse overlooking it, set is it is form a spot of very English afternoon tea!). There is a wealth of detail packed into this little town that it makes for its own entirely photogenic spot.

Finished with multiple touches that help bring a sense of life to it, from boats on the water to the animals and birds and the various places visitors are encouraged to sit and pass the time, L2 Studio & LHOOQ Gallery is richly detailed and a visually engaging visit. The layout allows exploration to be carried out in a single visit, over a course of days, depending on your mood.

However, all this does come at a price; the the vast majority of the region’s land impact has been used, so there is a lot of mesh and textures for the viewer to handle, which can impact performance, so depending on your settings, you my need to make some adjustments. I found it a lot easier to get around by turning off Shadows when exploring, and only using them for photographs.

Even so, I would say the region remains enticingly photogenic, and is well worth a visit be shutter bugs, and Jessica’s photography stands as a very worthy reason for patrons of SL arts to also hop over and visit.

SLurl Details

• L2 Studio and LHOOQ Gallery (LHOOQ, rated Moderate)

It’s been a while since I’ve visited Luane’s World, the estate held and operated by LuaneMeo, but a recent blog post by Rig Torok of the estate’s main Full region – Le Monde Perdu (The Lost World)- gave me pause to take a jump back and take a fresh wander.

Le Monde Perdu is a beautiful, romantic Island far away from everything. A place where you can find inner peace, enjoy and relax. Landscaping by LuaneMeo and Gorba McMahon.

– from the region’s About Land description

I first visited the region in 2016, and then again in 2018. At the time of both of those visits, Luane’s world occupied a different location as an estate with two regions encompassing public spaces, Luane’s store and Luane’s Magical Garden. Today, the estate comprises five regions  – the main public region of Le Monde Perdu, and four residential regions gathered to the north of it, and both the store and Luane’s Magical world have shifted into the sky, reachable via teleport.

The ground level of Le Monde Perdu presents itself as a rugged island with a high horseshoe of hills skirted from south to north via the west coast by a sandy beach, with the eastern side falling to a narrow ribbon of rocky, shingle waterfront sitting between cliffs and shallows. At roughly the mid-point along the island’s south side, the hills break, allowing the sand to flow inland and cup the waters of a freshwater pool at the heart of the island, fed by falls that tumble down the cliffs that form the pool’s north side.

Within this setting there a a lot to see and capture, thanks in part to a use of altitude and landscaping – the hills aren’t all of a single height but offer stepped rises that present natural shoulders that present spaces which Luane and Gorba have used to the fullest. To the south-east, for example, the hills rise from the entrance to the inner pool to offer a choice of routes: one around the statue at the top of the rise and then down to a ribbon lake that sits on a lower shoulder, or left along a cobbled path that branches at the foot of a further rise.

The right branch of this path curls up around the the next rise of the hill reaching its top and the small farmhouse sits there alongside a sparkling, fast-flowing stream that tumbles down along the spine of the hill to help feed the freshwater pool below via its own falls. The left branch of the path, meanwhile, descends along a gentle slope to where a dining table has been set out beneath a net awning that also overlooks the central lake. The path to this dining area also offers a way down to (or up from) the lake via steeply-set steps, so giving visitors a further route of exploration.

The top of these steps is also home to a zipline that spans the mouth of the southern cutting, giving a means to reach a cabin that sits above the beach to the south-west, nestled under a truncated peak that feeds another stream that runs around the ridge of the hills to reach the north side waterfalls..

The shelf on which the cabin sits runs west and north around the island to reach a cavern, passing steps that climb up to it from the beach, whilst also offering visitors a further option to go horse riding within the region (there is one at the landing point, alongside a bicycle rezzer, although options for comfortable riding are a tad limited due to the lie of the land).As a further attraction, a little pond sits just down from the cabin, the home to a family of otters.

These otters are just a touch of the wildlife to be found across the island, and part of the fun in exploring is that of coming across the various animals and birds / waterfowl. Some are easy to spot, others might require keen eyes; some might even appear a little threatening / intimidating – the shark casually swimming alongside a part of the beach where paddling is clearly encouraged, and the bears within one of the island’s caverns (the second of these runs through the western hills between inner and outer beaches).

The richness of detail across the region cannot be over-emphasised; wildlife, plants, overall design, placement of buildings and structures, and places to sit have all been carefully considered to present Le Monde Perdu as a perfectly natural environment that flows from point to point, whilst also offering numerous individual locations that are either highly photogenic or offer places to sit and appreciate the surroundings – or both. And if you want to catch a different perspective of the island and its surroundings, try hopping up to the hot air balloon that floats serenely above it.

Finally, don’t forget that there is also Luane’s Magical World awaiting a visit in the sky overhead as well. You can reach it via the SLurl here, or via the experience-based teleport sign alongside the ground-level landing point for the region. I’m not going to delve into that here; suffice it to say it is another engaging setting, and I’ll leave a little taste of it with an image.

Captivatingly set and with a lot to see (and do), Le Monde Perdu remains a thoroughly engaging visit.

SLurl Details

Le Monde Perdu is rated as Adult.

• Le Monde Perdu ground level
• Luane’s Magical World

‘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)

Elise Sirnah is not only an established Second Life photographer, she also has an eye for region design, something she has demonstrated with Mimmo, the Homestead region she co-holds along with Grace Shade (graice2). It’s a place that I’ve visited on a number of occasions, although this is just the second time I’ve blogged it, the first being back in 2019.

I’ve no idea how many times the region’s looks may have changed since then, but July 2021 saw me hop back to take a look. What I found was an interesting setting that brings together mixes of tropical and temperate environments and public and private spaces – the latter placed in such a way that it is relatively easy not to confuse them as part of the public areas – into a single setting.

At my last visit, Mimmo had the look and feel of a garden and extended grounds of a Tuscan style villa that occupied one side of the region, the rest of the landscape flowing outwards from it. With this iteration, the region offers far more of an island-like setting, offering numerous discrete point for photography, all of which more-or-less flow together as a continuous whole.

When looked at on the map, the region has an an intriguing look, resembling some kind of vast sea creature basking on the surface of the sea, its head to the north-west, three of its flippers outstretched and a bulbous tail to the south-east. Two of these “fins” are formed by headlands, one stumpy and sandy, the other sinuous and heavy in trees, with the largest of the off-shore islands forming the third, and another of the rentals making the bulbous “tail”.

The use of smaller islands as homes for the rental properties helps minimise the risk of accidental trespass, the private spaces they represent only reachable via stepping stones through, and bridges over, the coastal waters. These smaller islands, together with the southern end of the main island give the region that more tropical feel, with sand and palm trees much in evidence. North and east, the rest of the main island is far more temperate in looks.

The north-west of the main island is dominated by a curtain of cliffs together with a large body of fresh water below them. A stream proceeds from the lake, forming a “spine” through the region as it runs south and east to reach the sandy coast and a fallen lighthouse that once overlooked one of the region’s rental isles. Paralleling this stream for part of its course is a rough dirt track, which also circles through the region’s landing point whilst also presenting obvious paths to follow when exploring.

The landing point sits within the fenced grounds of a large wooden cottage / farmhouse that looks highly suited to the role of a studio gallery.  It shares it grounds with a small potting shed and old British-style telephone box. This cottage is one of two large structures on the main island, with the second reached by following the track north and west from the landing point and over the single formal bridge spanning the stream (there is also a makeshift bridge made from logs also available further downstream).

The second structure takes the form of a barn – or possibly warehouse, given the paved waterfront it is built upon – conversion sitting on the west side coast of the region. At first glance, this looks like a private residence, but on examination it can be seen this is not the case; rather it presents a cosy home with furnishings and fittings by Grace (that is already giving me ideas about a possible new place on the home island!).

Balancing this house to the east of the stream is a gently sloping landscape that sits as something of an extended garden, complete with an old folly, places to sit, sculptures, and a geodesic dome for those who need a little shade from the Sun. More places to sit and past the time can be found throughout the setting: along the coast, or just back from it (or even out on the water), off along the north-east headland with its small hill (note the little island just off this headland is another rental property, not part of the public spaces), and also on the stubby western headland, where a little café sits.

There are some rough edges to the the landscaping – rocks and mesh not fully blended into the terrain so they either float or leave gaps, the odd floating plant, etc., but nothing that serious detracts from the overall photogenic nature of the region, or the opportunities to visit, sit, dance and / or swim. Those wishing to have rez rights can join the local group for a fee of L$150 –  but do please clean up after use! Also, do note that a local chat extender is in use within the region, and can be disabled by using channel /999.

SLurl Details

• Mimmo (Pomerania Park, rated Adult)