Sextan Shepherd's Magnificent Machines in Second Life

Sextan, Liberty Cove (general)

I've been doing some background work on a post for tomorrow and saw this photo by Liqueur.Felix.  The name would have gotten my attention even if the content didn't - as soon as I see Sextan I know I'm going to love whatever the subject happens to be.  If you are not familiar with Sextan Shepherd you are missing one of the truly great steampunk creators. 

I didn't realize Sextan had a new playground so I went to see what new marvels he has thought up.  My first step though was to download the windlight setting he has specified - Bristol - and although I'm always tempted to play, I stuck with the one setting for all these photos.

Sextan, Liberty Cove (general)

It's impossible to miss the giant mechanical being who clutches the little town in his claws - and he is fabulous.  What I love even more are the tiny details that Sextan does so well.  The rotating globe has a magnifying glass which allows you to actually see the fine print as it moves.

This marvelous collection of gears and lenses will send you into space for an upclose encounter with various objects in the universe.

Sextan, Liberty Cove (general)

As always there is great beauty in the mechanical; the textures, the complexity, the movement are superb.  These are intricate, surprising and fantastical devices that are also works of art.  

I met some charming and intelligent people while I explored this island.  I appreciated that as much as I did the aesthetics of the design.

Sextan, Liberty Cove (general)

One of the major pieces on the island is Sextan's "Oracle".  The more I examined it the more I found it a bit disturbing.  Don't get me wrong - it's extremely well thought out and well done.  Maybe too well done. One of the faceplates is "broken" so you only see the skull, however the ones that are intact are a bit too "alive" for my comfort. This is no static prim.  It's a glimpse into a vaguely creepy corner of the artist's mind.

Go visit Liberty Cove.  Maybe you'll find the inspiration you need to help me with my SL8B project.  I'll polish your brass clock!

Sextan, Liberty Cove (general)

A Riot of Purple, Fungus & Snails in Second Life

Fungus (moderate)

I landed in a meadow of purple grass and immediately checked my windlight settings.  But no, this colour is the natural shade of Fungus.  Adorable wonky shops, snails and mushrooms are set in a landscape exploding with violet, mauve, aubergine and any other shade of purple you can think of.

Fungus (moderate)

The owner/builder of this marvel is Ross Myhre and he offers you the Snail Trail Quest as an inducement to explore.  This is a fun and strange place.  The shops are ready to rent and, honestly, this is a great location for all of those quirky and creative retailers who seem stuck in malls.  It is certainly a much more interesting place for shoppers.

Fungus (moderate)

On a personal note, and totally off topic, when I first read his name it made me think of Russ Meyer who would have loved Second Life.  Not just because of the big (and now bouncy) breasts but because he would have had a riot making films in here.

I don't know if Ross is as obsessed with mammary glands, and it's none of my business, however he obviously likes purple and manages to use it in a fabulous, charming and appealing build.  Go visit Fungus.  It will make you smile. :)

Fungus (moderate)

Since I'm making personal notes here I'll add two more.  First please remember I need your help with my SL8B project.  Photos are starting to be added and I'm thrilled!  Just make sure you add your tag to the 'tag field" not the title.  If I find them I can make sure the tags are added but I'm concerned that I might miss some!  For those who haven't yet submitted their photos - what if I promise you a mushroom omelet?

Finally let me say that this week I had one of those experiences that make you fall in love with Second Life all over again.  I won't give away too much information - there will be a full reveal in the future - but let me tease you with this shot.  I hope you all  take advantage of every opportunity you can that is offered by the grid and your fellow residents to enjoy the wonder and sheer fun that happens every day somewhere inworld.

Don't Mess With Elvis

Milvus is a Marsh With Attitude in Second Life

Milvus (moderate)

There is a place in the middle of the ocean where the land is resisting the encroaching sea.  The inhabitants do their best to nurture the remaining plant life and defend their structures and art from potential flooding.  Milvus is a marsh with attitude.

Milvus (moderate)

This is home for Mandarine Scofield and, with Koad Sewell, she is making a determined stand against the worst that Mother Nature might bring to bear.  There is beauty and, if you're addicted to clicking that camera button, a seemingly endless number of images to capture.

Milvus (moderate)

There is a floating island with its anchor clinging to the edge of this swampy island.  I suppose that if the worst happened they could retreat there and watch the devastation - luckily there is a bar on that island.  I expect it is kept well stocked for just that purpose.

Milvus (moderate)

Kent says in his profile that they appreciate visitors.  The positive response to their efforts encourages them to keep changing and improving the landscape.  I think Milvus is fantastic now and can't wait to see what happens to this remote island in the future.

PS.  Yes I'm going to keep nagging you to please help me with my SL8B project.  I'll throw you a life preserver when the floods come!

Milvus (moderate)

A Day in the Second Life of a Grid Explorer

Blue Galaxy (moderate)

You probably didn't notice but, no, I did not post here yesterday.  I was inworld and it was one of those visits where I encountered many aspects of the "charm" of Second Life that make you either laugh or grab the nearest weapon and aim it at your computer.  I'll explain in a bit.

First let me tell you that today's photos are of Blue Galaxy - a really cool "open role play" island with some of the best terrain and landscape I've seen.  Instead of suggesting one windlight setting, the owner provides multiples and assigns them to different times of day - all of them are worth trying.  The settings are available from Torley Linden if you don't already have them.

The sim has a pretty high traffic count and I saw a  few groups of happy role players while I was there - it's a very evocative design and lends itself to lots of different stories.  The number one rule is "Don't Be A Dick".  I fell in love with it. :)

Blue Galaxy (moderate)

My primary goal yesterday was to go see the inworld screening of My Avatar and Me - a film that has been mentioned by a few people lately.

Seeing that the screening was at the top of the Destination Guide I decided I should get there early.  I relogged a few times first though to try and get rid of my ongoing problems teleporting - getting logged out every time you click on a tp is not fun if you're trying to explore, never mind aiming for something specific.  Second Life finally decided to cooperate with me on changing locations however the price I had to pay was an absence of names for anybody in chat or profiles and I had no ability to initiate im's.  "Fine" I thought, "how much trouble could that cause?"

Blue Galaxy (moderate)

I met a brand new resident when I arrived.   Nice guy and I started to help him with a few things when suddenly some large pink boxes started knocking people around.  It's been a long time since I had experienced a griefer.  A short green troll avatar was having a lovely time messing with everybody so I AR'd him.  Then he pulled out a machine gun and started shooting the survivors as they managed to crawl back onto the patio where they'd been chatting before his arrival.  I AR'd him again and said something to that effect in chat - then I had to assure another guy that I hadn't reported him and that's not why he was pushed into the ocean.  If you're confused believe me I was too.  Remember, I couldn't see any names in chat so I didn't know who was accusing me except I was pretty sure it wasn't the troll.

I tried telling the newbie that it wasn't always this dramatic on the grid.  I think he believed me.

The troll then did something really strange - he sent me a friend request and sat down next to us.  Huh?  He kept insisting he didn't realize his actions were bad but somebody had made him wear something and he was innocent.  Right.  I had to go run errands and told him to behave (I sound more and more like my grandmother everyday).  When I came back he was running around with pink boxes and guns of course. Puberty is very hard on the young.

Izzy Linden appeared and (after removing a number of transparent boxes the troll was using as shields) got rid of the little brat.  Thanks Izzy! :)

Blue Galaxy (moderate)

We all finally found the place where we were going to watch the movie - there was a main theatre for the VIP's and some mirror sites for the rest of us.  Bryn Oh sent over popcorn, which was nice, and we all took our seats.  Then the movie started.

I've never had any trouble with streaming media before but, of course, it wouldn't work for me on this occasion.  I tried logging off and on and even reinstalled QuickTime.  That worked for one person but not me.  About half of us could see the film perfectly.  The rest of us did without sound and video that was like a series of random still photographs.  The good news is that the movie had subtitles so I could sort of follow the plot through them and the comments of the other audience members.  Based on what I did see I recommend you try and watch it yourself.  I know I'm going to look for another opportunity - maybe when my run of glitches is over. :)

Today I have 4 things I really need/want to do in Second Life.  Unfortunately they overlap and so my life from 2 til 10 slt could be a little crazy.  It would be helpful, oh Technology Gods, if I could tp and im and if I had any idea who it was I was talking to.  Work on that will you?

Don't forget I need your help with my SL8B project.  I'll sacrifice a troll for you!

Blue Galaxy (moderate)

Day Dreams & Clocks in Second Life

Daytime Dreams (moderate)

There is a building in Second Life situated on a white sandy beach surrounded by palm trees and topical grasses. This in itself is not unusual.  I don't spend much time at or talking about the beach but you and I know there are lots of them inworld.  In this case though, go outside and feel the sun on your back. Then, if you make your way down the beach a bit, you'll find a long pier with a wooden deck chair sitting on the end of it.  The view from the chair is anything but typical.

First you'll notice the blue water and occasional rare fish.  Then you'll notice some large blocks which seem to dance to the music you hear.  The landscape looks different over there - the ground is all black and white, not sand.

Daytime Dreams (moderate)

You have arrived in Daytime Dreams and Dolphin Aeghin, your host, has built something very special here.  It is a minimalist landscape but it's also romantic - when I arrived a couple was dancing and it made me smile.

If you're like me you'll find works by artists you know and love as well as creators you will now seek out.  The island brings you wonders by Sextan Shepherd, Bryn Oh, Akasha Wachmann and Madeliefste Oh - just to name a few of the talented designers included.  Dolphin contributes some of his own quirky creations as well.

Daytime Dreams (moderate)

There are clocks.  There are wonderous, fantastical glorious clocks. There are hats and tea cups, a giant working chess board and a talking parrot.  Bryn Oh's Mayflies are happy here.  Someday I might successfully take a photograph of them. :)

Think of Daytime Dreams as a steampunk/fantasy/romance set on a vast undulating chessboard in the sea.

Daytime Dreams (moderate)

You must go visit this homestead and discover what a quirky and talented person can achieve with limited prims and works from both their own imagination and by some of the grid's best artists.

But while you're there, don't forget I need your help with my SL8B project.  I'll put sunblock on your back for you!

Daytime Dreams (moderate)

Tornadoes, Guillotines and Strange Creatures in Second Life

Museum of Amazing Illusions & Magic (general)

I saw this photo by Justum of a tornado tossing around an art gallery and decided to go see what was happening.  What I found was Enchantment Island, one of the quirkiest places I've visited inworld.

To begin with I wandered around the Museum of Amazing Illusions & Magic.  I won't show you what happened when I turned into a snake or lost my head, but this remembrance of my encounter with a guillotine might give some idea of the wonders that await you in this storehouse of illusions.  I applauded myself for remaining calm throughout this trauma.

Museum of Amazing Illusions & Magic (general)

This is one of those locations on the grid that is very difficult to summarize - it is full of  a range of different "exhibits" and themes.  Surrealism competes with fantasy, a haunted house sits next to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.  There are all sorts of vignettes positioned around the sim and something for almost any taste.

I, of course, went to check out the aptly named Tornado Gallery.  Luckily, or unluckily, I arrived to find it having already been struck by the storm.  There was some debris strewn about but I picked my way carefully through the devastation to the building now lying on its side.

Tornado Gallery (general)

The Gallery itself is impressive - even when it's been upended.  I noticed a few merry-go-rounds on the island but the one in front of this building is by Bryn Oh.  You must know that it does not offer you the typical horses most of these rides provide.  More of her work is on display inside and are for sale. 

There are other artists, including machinamists, represented in this building.  I'm very impressed that the structure is accessible and intact even after the giant windstorm.

Tornado Gallery (general)

This island is a lot of fun to explore but there's a hint of bloodthirstiness that you'll encounter here and there.  I suspect I didn't find all of the traps waiting for the unwary.  The occasional hint of menace aside, the talents of many builders, artists and scripters are represented and it is well worth a visit.  It will be easier and more effective for you to experience many of the illusions and tricks if you turn off your ao and remove a lot of your attachments.  

I plan to go back once they've recovered from the big storm, maybe another will strike. :)

PS.  Please remember I need your help with my SL8B project.  I'll mow your lawn!

Tornado Gallery (general)

Bamboo, Desolation, Gadgets & Envy in Second Life

Bamboo Grove (moderate)

I've talked to you before about the need to visit the Bamboo Grove - a stunning 3d version of an ink on rice paper drawing.  If you haven't been there yet, you really must!

Once you have experienced/indulged/appreciated this extraordinary build you should then realize that you're almost 2,000 m in the air.  If you're like me you'll wonder what might be down at sea level.

China (moderate)

The China sim hosts the Bamboo Grove but it is much more than that piece of art.  On the ground is an extensive, quirky build filled with odd machines and (when I was there) a really interesting mix of people.

Aston Leisen is the owner of this fabulous place (and the sim next door, more on that in a bit).  He is part of the Open Media Lab which is affiliated with or doing a project for the China Academy of Art.  There are more artists and organizations involved with the two sims and the building/installations situated there but I'm a failure and cannot sort out all the players and their relationships.   My Chinese language skills are admittedly non existent - if I can find out more about the group I'll let you know.

Much of the land-based portion of China is a collection of buildings and railroad tracks.  If you start to wander through them you might find yourself in China West - and this is when I decided (as if the Bamboo Grove wasn't enough)  I want to be Aston when I grow up.

China West (moderate)

Set Windlight to "London 2026" - if you don't already have it you can get this and more terrific presets here. 

There is a story behind this build which must involve desolation, deprivation and the struggle to survive.  I'm struck by the amazing beauty that we can appreciate as tourists - I'm sure that nobody forced to experience it in the physical world thought of it as a place for great photos, but we're the lucky ones.

China West (moderate)

The contrast between the Bamboo Grove and this stark landscape is considerable.  They are both minimalist in nature but convey completely different views of the world and elicit markedly different emotions.

I recommend you visit all three different locations.  Appreciate the first as an opportunity to walk through a piece of art and the second for a quirky sense of fun and experimentation.  Find yourself in the sandstorm blowing through the third and, if you're anything like me, envy these builders their talent and thank them for sharing.

PS.  Please remember I need your help with my SL8B project.  I'll water your plants!

China West (moderate)