World Aids Day 2008 Karuna

This blog entry is out of sequence and not part of my continent tour. Today is World Aids Day and it is the day that a site in SL at Karuna opens. (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Karuna/180/149/23 ). Words don't do this justice. It combines memorials, education, place to be with many many features including very discrete but touching stories. A must visit and today a must remember.

This is the dawning of the age : Club Aquarius

Ok nice to see some diversity :) As usual clubs are closed when I visit but the schedule gives clues ... Tuesday Furry and Neko night ... Wednesday ... Futa and Shemale night (what is a Futa ... and do I really want to know?) .. Thursday ... Female Muscle Body Night. Welcome to Club Aquarius (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Baechu/193/167/79). And it is nice to see places that welcome other forms. In SL the beautiful model like human form dominates and some places even exercise a kind of discrimination by banning those that choose non human avi forms. Lol maybe one day we will see a Neko president ;)

Awed again: Lilipily

I keep getting awed by the care and love that has gone into some builds and it's a little sad that I'm here on a UK Saturday evening and they are deserted. There is a complex of really nice dance places, romantic settings, jewelry shops in the Lilypily complex (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Omurice/94/202/46) It's just so sad that it's so quiet. Must have been a helluva place in its heyday

Welcome to our world : Starshine Dance and Gardens

Next stop was a sim where an SL couple have apparently opened up their house and gardens for visitors to enjoy, Starshine Dance and Gardens Ballroom (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gimchi/230/158/28). I must admit I like the music I heard played but then I'm ancient ;) Felt a bit strange being in someone's house though even if they put signs up saying "won't you come on in". It's a shame the hosts weren't around for a chat.

Widdle Twains and Cute Stuff: Doobie Doobie Doo

Next a shop selling stuff for kids (and parents). Maybe I dont understand mainstream SL but I thought all the real kids were away on Teen SL so who the heck is in mainland SL as a kid? Anyway if you have a happy little family with your little role playing kids then you can buy them jolly things to play with. Alternately you can buy yourself some toys at Doobie Doobie Doo (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caeshu/220/54/42).

Lord won't you give me .... : Lord CHurch land

Ok it takes all kinds and the world is a wondrous and diverse place. So if you want to make your own virtual place of worship hey why not. I have to admit to not being totally comfortable. It's a while since I stepped into a RL chapel but they have always been either quiet places of contemplation or full of friendly welcoming people. I don't get what Lord CHurch land (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caeshu/38/3/53) is all about and I have to admit being too chicken to ask. I sat in quiet contemplation for a little while then made the sign of the cross and left. Finally had a look at the box thing. Holy camping? Blessed are the patient for they shall make $2L per 15 minutes.

Hearts, Hearts Glorious Hearts: realMoM Usenet Jungle

You know once in a while in SL you have one of those random encounters that turns out to be truly magical. And it is never where you expect it. So I spotted an event marker nearby on the map with a couple of green dots nearby. This led me to drop into realMom Usenet Jungle (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Moolbora/36/215/57). Taking a quick look there was a lot of information in German. I later found that this sim is sponsored by realmom a usenet site. I'm kind of learning though to say hi to people even when the surroundings are maybe not what you would normally choose and even if their avatars look different from yours. I'm really glad I did. I had a wonderful blether with a really friendly German guy who explained what the sim was all about. But the thing that was magical was that when I told him I was from near Edinburgh he started typing in lyrics to Heart of Midlothian Football Club (soccer team) supporter songs. This really cracked me up. Go to a virtual world, find a German by accident and he's into the football team I grew up with (I'm originally from Edinburgh). Anyway great chat and I'm going back when they build their aquarium. Total recommend this for a random visit to try something different and meet the friendliest staff so far in the continent.

Wanna See My Weapon: LK&M Weapon

And what role play sim wouldn't be complete without an extensive weapon mall next door. LK&M (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nemo/124/32/54) is a weapon shop. Find your own BFS (Big Sword) or BFG (Gun) complete with exotic name. I was almost tempted by the little black wrist crossbow. Brought back memories of David Gemmell's Waylander books. However, mall overload is kicking in again so time to move on.

Help Me Obi Wan: I Have a Role to Play

Travelling east from Freebie Heaven I came across some interesting looking scenery. Popped down to check it out. And yes it's a role play. Dromund Kaas - Massassi Sith / C (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Soye/82/240/50) is a role play sim. So for starters Elvis had to go temporarily and I donned my Jedi cloak. RPers can get awfully upset if you don't play along with the game :). I'm not really into these but there are a ton in SL if you want to dress up and have fun with friends. In essence there's usually a combat system (for example, DCS 2 is a popular one) that lets you see your health and has all those Dungeons and Dragony attributes. To be honest, I've never really seen the point of RPs in SL (I'd be happy for someone to enlighten me in game by the way). I had a serious World of Warcraft addiction so if I'm go to bash your head, it will probably happen in Counter Strike or WoW. Still all good clean fun (at least if it's a Star Wars role play). I once served some time in a Star Wars role play sim but it was too much like being in the territorials/national guard for me. Lots of training etc. But hats off this sim is small but pretty.

Heaven I'm In Heaven: Freebie Heaven

I saw a pile of green dots on the map and though ok that's a sex joint. But no. Pleasant surprise it was Freebie Heaven http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sooseunhwa/55/98/69. Everyone in Second Life loves free stuff and this is a sim full of it. Loads and Loads. Including a free Evil Bunny Avatar, Star Trek stuff, clothing, vehicles, gadgets, avatars, etc, etc, etc. More etc, etc, etc than the King of Siam.

Post Apocalyptic Poser: 5ifth Order

Sometimes Second Life is like a 3d comic book and I've often seen post apocalyptic and dark urban landscapes while travelling. 5ifth Order http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ahndang/94/80/36 has just that look. It's tougher picking through debris than through a conventional mall/shop sim but I saw poses, shapes, etc all in the Reality Under Siege theme of the sim.

Beasty: Ecstacy Island

Couldn't last could it. I knew that diner was going to be an oasis. So next stop I found is sex. But hey combine the mighty creative powers of SL residents and what do you get? Beast sex. It is worth a look, once, but there are some really funny things like dogs, horses, unicorns, gorillas. SL is an experiment so why not experiment with ur sex? Anyway Ectasy Island http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dongmoon/76/68/500 is up in the sky - no wonder.

Play Trivia: Sharon's Diner

Phew. Not everyone is sex obsessed (well not all the time). I found Sharon's diner http://slurl.com/secondlife/Doldari/107/122/67 which was running a 9am trivia event. Nice soundtrack, nice atmosphere, friendly folks. Just well nice. Especially after the run of hot spots that lie to the north and east. A little oasis of nice.

Lonely, Need Company, Got Lindens? : On Duty

So you're a Linden guy (or girl) with loads of money but no time to socialise. Or you're a talented and beautiful avatar who can't craft, can't sing or play music but you still need to earn a buck. What do you do? Escort of course. Ok so now the problem is do I have to hang out in some sleazy escort club. Hoot no! On Duty http://slurl.com/secondlife/Jeongam/216/197/53 have just the concept for you. How about a free personal organiser penis? Ok maybe I'm over selling it because there's no calculator function but this free penis HUD has a built in advert that shows all the online escorts on the On Duty network so that you can get in touch with one. Might give this a whirl next time I come across a sex sim ;)

I Wanna SexGen Bed: Furniture Adagio

If you haven't seen it check out the avator parody version of the Rockstar song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX6uLlWdxZo. Anyway once you start building your little virtual sky nest you'll be needing a SexGen bed, so welcome to Furniture Adagio http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dongjak/193/169/57. Huge place with a ton of bedrooms, living rooms, and loads of other furniture ... and so far as I can tell no furniture salesmen. Hey if you're into public sex, bring your friend and test drive ;) By the way is it just me finds the name Dongjak funny and fitting for sex gen?

Girls Only: Ladies Night Out

The rather nice guys at Ladies Night Out http://slurl.com/secondlife/Moran/41/166/55 were really friendly to me despite me being a bloke. I couldn't go into club but they did nice pose for me on the stairs. One of my alts has danced for months so you kind of get a sense when a club has a good vibe or not and if I were a lady this place would be an interesting hang out ;)

All in the best possible taste.

You Keep Me Hanging: DeathDealerZMall

Not far away is the delightful DeathDealerZ Mall http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gaori/191/201/34 together with its hanging campers. I won two non transfer dresses from the lucky chairs (wild card round) so I guess I'm set for my sex change. Lotsa girl goth/vamp/emo clothes but as usual tougher to find a guy outfit. The sim backs into what looks like a Wicked Fairy subsidiary store (see earliest post). I'm feeling lonely and missing people. I can see why folks use the search events etc to get to somewhere because it does take a pile of time in the desert walking about.

Wicked SL: Wicked Fairy Lands

Ok so you're bored with regular sex pose balls. What next? Well theres always Second Life's BDSM scene to check out. Came across Wicked Fairy Lands http://slurl.com/secondlife/Jungreung/218/185/58. Its home to the Wicked Fairy Nipple Spreader amongst others. Think I'll pass on that one. Mind you, getting interesting isn't it? Buy your slave then kit her/him out ;)

Be My Slave: Mystical Slave Auctions

The first place that I actually had fun chatting with people and it's a slave auction I think. some shops too. Mystical slave auctions http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hamchorom/235/49/58. No one on sale at the moment and here was me hoping for BOGOF (UK supermarkets do Buy One Get One Free offers and I'm a sucker for them). But hey friendliest northernmost staff/people I've met. If I ever want to be sold as a slave or buy one I'll check it out. Nice medieval touch to the decor too

OMG Sex Piano: Myungsimbogam

Ok so sex beds, sex couches, sex tubs, sex showers. Been there, seen that, done that eh? Ok how many people have seen a sex piano before? Upstairs in that gadget store there's a little room. Like the top rack in the newspapers racks where the 18 stuff lives. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Myungsimbogam/137/196/51. And yes there's a sex piano. Oh grand master tinkle your ivories.

Go Geek: Script Collections

Early signs of SL addiction are when you know what prims, flexis, rez, sculpties mean. And if you don't the Linden tutorials can sort you. So you've reached the awareness level and you've heard of scripting. What's next? A gadget shop. Here's one called Script Collections http://slurl.com/secondlife/Myungsimbogam/124/173/41. I can do a little scripting myself because in real life I do stuff with computers. It still works out most times that I'm cheaper and quicker buying things than making things. It's like King Solomon said. There's nothing new under the sun. Shame if I hadn't bugged out to World of Warcraft and elsewhere I could have been a Linden millionaire by now. Lol

And Then There Is Modelling: Ari's Neko Retreat

Same landmark as last post. Ari's Neko Retreat also has the first model that I've come across in my journey southwards. I don't know how model salaries work out. I guess they must be better than camping rates. But when you have to model naked you do wonder why not go the whole way and dance and pick up bigger tips? Lol I could be tempted to model if there were clothes and you got to keep them. Trouble is that I'm ugly.

Camping: Ari's Neko Retreat

Met, well as much as you ever meet, my first camper at Arik's Neko Retreat http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mirinae/201/34/41. Though the campers here are camping for objects, clever that isn't it. Campers drive up your traffic and hence your spot on listings. I've seen a ton of camping for tiny lindens and this spin is camping to get an object. Which is great because it therefore pumps the traffic but doesn't cost the owner because he already had the stuff created anyway.

Back to School: Naughty School

Time to check out the cluster of green dots. It's Naughty School and the sim is full. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Saeneul/71/159/98. Oh well dear reader you will have to explore that one on your own. I wonder if I will ever find a MILF sim on SL. Why is everyone on top of southern continent into youth sex?

Shopping for Shoes: Sculpty Shoes and Designs by Norma Petty

Found some ppl on the roof of a shoe shop. Norma Petty's Sculpty Shoes and Designs http://slurl.com/secondlife/Raon/250/139/55. No one acknowledged or said hi though. So time to get back on the road. I can see a big cluster of green dots on the map southwards. I wonder if its a dance club or a camping mall?

Games and Gambling: Celestial Game Tower

Once upon a time SL was a little less regulated and some people figured out that combining the addiction of SL with the addiction of gambling was a killer formula for a fast buck. Then at some point Lindens cracked down and cleaned it up so that the fun and games has no doubt disappeard into another multiverse. So now what is left are "games of skill". Passed over my first gaming oriented place, the Celestial Game Tower http://slurl.com/secondlife/Choerom/150/77/102. Funny Elvis feels at home amongst virtual slots etc ;)

I Hate Floating Ads: Axo Plaza

My first really big shopping mall. Axo Plaza. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Archan/57/51/60. I think I've blundered in here before and went to try and find the green dots only to find some camping in the sky. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm already suffering from mall fatigue. There's so much stuff but it all kind of merges into a grey mush of useless crap somehow. So I found some dots but no one to talk to :(. And I've traversed the first most northernmost island of the continent now. I'm trying to make Grey find his own new circle of contacts but SL feels a lot more cliquey than 4 years ago. I'm getting the sense of multiple private-ish chat rooms and not the sense of greater community that was there earlier in its life. SL is getting like RL and feeling lonely if you don't know people. God knows how new players cope with this.

To be fair to Axo Plaza, the floating ads aren't theirs. Just another pox on the landscape as there is no planning permissions/zoning :)

Corporate SL: Envirtech

Travelling south I find the first, I think, corporate presence at Envirtech Facility and Tower 1 http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hana/125/149/23. I'm a bit puzzled about what this about though. There's a nice skyscraper tower but I don't get how the company wins from this presence. Wish I had a rich sponsor to buy me some land and pay my tier fees ;)

More Music: C-Music Lounge

Another nice looking but sleeping place called the C-Music Lounge http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seonhan/206/80/22. Again there's a performance later at 11am which is do-able for a European but just now no-one here. Back in 2004 everyone was much closer together. Now in 2008 it seems there's so much land in Second Life and so few ppl. Haven't seen a soul in ages. And the only people I have seen in this journey so far were at a sex escort club ;). All the poets must be sleeping.

Back Shopping: Whispering Winds

So nearby there's a mall. Deserted. If you have a fancy to role play post apocalyptic empty worlds seems like the north of the southern continent is a good bet if you're in European time zone. Lot's of up market shops here with lovingly crafted things http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seongsil/153/223/27. I don't get how these places can afford to wash their noses. This is a newer avi but I played SL back in 2004 before taking a break. Lindens finally chased my old me (who still owns land) to upgrade to a premium account. My old plot is part of me now so I had to succumb to the blackmail. Shame though I've been paying tier fees for years and for a long time wasn't even online much. Found a jewelry shop in this mall. I was contemplating whether I could make money through crafting jewelry but I'm now thinking it's a luxury and maybe I should find a more mainstream niche that every wants.

Elvis Has Left The Building

Ok so I am in a sky box (well castle). So I can't resist the chance to slip on my freebie Terra E-Cute 2.2 (I think I got it in Abbott's Aerodrome or somewhere affiliated). Weeeeee! Elvis has left the building.

Up Up and Away: Bibi's Beach Cafe - The Sky Castle

Walked a little away from the cafe building and then there was a witch broom saying touch me to be taken to the Sky Castle. I can't resist vertical exploration (an awful lot of SL is up in the sky). So I went to look. Neat looking venue. Again US time zones of course. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Yongnam/236/28/687

How Could I Forget Music: Bibi's Beach Cafe

Doh! Sex ... Shopping ... there is a third theme in SL. Music!. Stumbled across Bibi's Beach Cafe http://slurl.com/secondlife/Yongnam/217/46/24. Looks like a nice little venue and the map is advertising a live music event later. But as usual, it's US time zone and I'm way too early for the party :(.

Please Fix SL: SL Music Info Center

This place made me smile. After cruising over conventional homes, offices, and shops I got to the other coast and saw this enormous chain going up into the sky http://slurl.com/secondlife/Yongnam/75/126/28. Nothing like a chain to get you curious. So I flew higher and saw gigantic red letters hanging in the sky. It's only when you go to map view you realise what has been built. Giant letters so big that the map view shows "Please Fix SL". Rofl

Sex to Shopping: Bushido Spirit Shop

Moving towards the coast, I came across a nice looking oriental complex. Inside I found the Bushido Spirit Shop http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seonhan/207/227/31. This shop includes some Japanese shapes and skins for anyone who wants to look like a hot ninja, maiko, or Japanese chick. The girl shape/skins are displayed in bikinis which is kind of cute but I didn't see demos on sale which is a shame as I always like to see what I'm buying when it costs a little more as shapes and skins do.

Next Stop: Cherry18 Girls School Clubhouse

Inevitable isn't it. The first place I found in the north with a reasonable number of people/green dots in it turns out to be the Cherry18 Girls School Clubhouse which looks like an escort club complete with pose balls. I left fairly quickly as I'm never totally comfortable with younger looking avis (I'm 50 years old by the way). Had a quick chat with one girl and as a result I've got one more friend in my contacts. Oh forgot to mention I'm doing the tour dressed as Elvis since he's one of my favourite celebrities and it's a nice ice breaker. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Yongchon/138/54/23

Journey's Start: Cape Freya Lighthouse

I've been wanting to explore Second Life for a while. I've tried using the Search Places and Events but somehow 99.99% of everything listed seems to be a sex den or a shopping mall. So I decided to try it the old fashioned way and just start somewhere and walk.

The I thought so much of Second Life comes and goes that it might be nice to keep a kind of archeological record of the places I come across. So that is what this blog is about.

I picked the northern top of the Southern Continent as my start. My exact first stop was the Cliffhouse Museum of Contemporary Art http://slurl.com/secondlife/Yongchon/29/217/24. As with much of Second Life, it was deserted. Seems a nice place and there is a poignant memorial to Freya Massey in the shape of the Cape Freya Lighthouse.