Disorientation station

July 14, 2008

When I was flying through Second Sweden I found what I was expecting for the most part: neat rows of IKEA-like structures. Except off in one corner was this giant die in the air, exactly the sort of thing that gets my attention. 

A nearby sign instructed me to click a side, and sure enough an entrance appeared. The rest of the instructions said to hang on and have fun.

Hang on? Okaaaay, I went inside.

Floors were where walls should have been. Couches hung upside down from the ceiling. Then something nearby announced, Rotation starts in 5… 4.. 3… 2… 1.

Suddenly everything changed. It’s not just that the die rolled (and it did, watch the die from outside and you’ll see). Walls and objects shifted as well, so I quickly lost any point of reference. The rotations occur ed every 60 seconds. After sitting on a poseball for a few minutes and and adjusting my camera to compensate for the changes, the direction I fell in when I stood up was a complete surprise.

It’s the sort of marvelously creative thing that you only see ion Second Life. Imagine if this were adapted to a club setting? That would either pack ‘em in or scare ‘em off. In fact, some of the poseballs inside the cube are dance balls, so the idea isn’t that far fetched.

The notecard you get when you when you click the instruction sign suggests setting your environment to midnight, as the multicolored interior lighting helps in figuring out where you are. They also suggest bringing your friends, which can only make this more fun. WTF moments are best when shared.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Second%20Sweden%2010/207/27/25

Leave a Comment » | builds, international, wow | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by Garth Goode

Inscrutability

July 10, 2008

I like to think I’m a pretty smart guy. Okay, I consider myself math-challenged, but that’s because of a traumatic incident during my youth involving a nun, some flashcards, and a ferret¹. Despite the language barrier I can usually figure out what’s going on in a Japanese region. Not so with Invast.

Okay, there’s this nice looking Stonehenge, see? A beam of light shines down from the flying orb (I guess the spaceship dealer was out of saucers). A hangar with little flying saucers (ah, there they are!) is nearby. And there’s this little guy and his companions, and they… I just don’t know.

Whoever they are, they make nice crop circles, though.

Up in the spaceship, though… I just don’t get it. Upstairs you and a companion downstairs can play Othello. Downstairs you can engage in some sort of quest. This is where I get confused… you stand in front of these aliens, click one, and end up somewhere else. I’m not sure if that’s part of the quest or if I’ve insulted the aliens in some way. Maybe being clicked on offends them.

I’m sure this would be a lot of fun if I only understood what it was. I still don’t have a clue what Invast is, or does. I’m not going to be too hard on them because there’s plenty of information there in Japanese and I’m not the target audience. It’s just a little frustrating to find something like this and not be able to make heads or tails of it.

Meanwhile, I decided to visit the Pocky region while I was nearby. Except the Pocky region is gone.  When I found out a little part of me died inside. A chocolaty part.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/INVAST%20sec/128/127/22

¹ Okay, I lied about the ferret. And the nun.

6 Comments | commercial, international | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Garth Goode

Bot abuse

July 8, 2008

 

Sure, some landowners use bots to make their land look busier than it is. It makes us feel deceived, and a little bit used.

But what about the poor bots? Stuck inside a plain room hundreds of meters in the air without even a dance ball to entertain them. Wearing the same plain t-shirt and jeans day after day after day. And what about lone female bot in this region? There are 36 male bots and her in this box. They must be flooding her with horny IMs. I know I look just like the other bots, but really, I’m different. I hope she knows how to use the mute button.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Twickenham/22/16/496

And if you think that’s bad, here are 71 female bots made to sit with a box on their head. I didn’t even know a region could support 71 avatars. At least these girls get to be in the open air… oh, except for that suffocating box, of course. I mean, I know Ruth is unattractive, but please, show some respect for the lady.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Quark/216/122/650

Meanwhile, a poor group of 53 grey ladies are forced to stare into the distance from inside their invisible box. Go, fly, be free! If I can break in, surely you can break out!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/7%20Sins/130/13/601

4 Comments | retail | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Garth Goode

In flagrante delicto

July 6, 2008

Sometimes Japanese regions are neither wierd nor wacky. Pull up your map and zoom in to the extreme lower right end corner of the grid and you’ll find Tempura island. You won’t find any batter-fried foods here, just breathtaking views and countless romantic spots. As I told a friend, it’s like an English muffin; there are all these little nooks and crannies.

When you land on the island you start on a platform facing an arched walkway that leads to the main building. To your right is an autumn forest bathed in golden light; to your right is a misty summer grotto where dapples of sunlight illuminate waterfalls and a river below. Venturing further into either of these areas is rewarded. In the autumn world you’ll find deer and a romantic tumbledown cottage. The summer side will find you in a hilltop jacuzzi with stunning views of the region. Nearby you can lay in a field of pink flowers, because… hell, that’s somebodies fantasy.

On either side of the arched walkway are platforms and smaller buildings. They appear to be for dances or events (or group Tai Chi) but nothing is posted. In fact, the area is surprisingly devoid of signs or anything stating its purpose (though after a while the romantic intent is obvious). Once in a while you’ll find a donation kiosk, but that’s it.

On one side of the main building you’ll find a warm spring (it look warm, anyway) and a fallen tower. Why? Like I said, nooks and crannies. The region is not empty, but neither is it crowded. If one spot is occupied it’s easy enough to find someplace equally romantic to move on to.

On the other side of the main building a seashore scene punctuated with glowing flowers. I’ve never seen glowing flowers growing out of the seashore before, but who cares? It looks great and there’s a couch where you and the one you love can lounge and watch the sunset. My friend Mori IM’ed me about her visit after I told her about the region and made a good point — it’s always sunset in Tempura.

The main ballroom itself is just a stunner. There are intricate architectural details, and amazing building textures I’ve never seen anywhere else in Second Life. The ballroom floor reflects the surroundings so it looks like real marble (thank you, Windlight). There’s more to see in the domed tower and rooftop platform.

On either side of main ballroom are beautifully appointed honeymoon suites, complete with cuddle rugs and funny functional canopy love beds. Be warned, however, that the doors don’t lock. On my first trip to the region these rooms were empty. When I returned to take pictures I accidentally barged in on a couple in flagrante delicto, and the second suite was occupied as well . No, I didn’t take pictures, you sickos.

If there is any downside to the region it’s so jam-packed with prims that it can often be laggy. Your mileage may vary. Even so, its worth exploring, if only to find the stuff I haven’t told you about.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/tempura%20island/128/128/0

6 Comments | international, romantic | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Garth Goode

Selling a credit card the Japanese way

July 3, 2008

I’ll let this one speak for itself because there’s not much can say without spoiling your fun.

1. Teleport to the Suguru Bank region.
2. Proceed to the teal Visa teleport platform and go wherever it takes you.

3. Watch the movie.

You will laugh…

…in spite of yourself. Is it this cheesy and silly on purpose? Probably. Who cares? I mean, doesn’t everyone need a credit card so impressive that it makes your hair burst into flames?

http://slurl.com/secondlife/SURUGA%20bank/128/127/36

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Posted by Garth Goode

Be one with the ball

July 1, 2008

There are few things that make me happier in Second Life than finding set of Japanese regions I haven’t encountered before. I’m going to spend the next few posts extolling the wonderful, wacky weirdness we’ve all come to expect.

First up: Fujitsu has a giant ”Bingo” game. They call it Bingo, but really it’s a gravity driven gumball game, only you’re the gumball.

The idea is to get your ball through the Bingo gate to win a prize. Step inside the ball, position it, and let yourself drop down. After that, it’s all up to gravity and paddles. You have no control.except for where you release the ball and the timing of the release relative to the spinning paddles. It’s not so easy, and I imagine it would be loads of fun in groups.

Next door there are some fairly awful eyeglass freebies. I point them out, only because of the advertisements, which break what must be the first rule of Second Life promotion: Never display your wares on an avatar with system hair.

The entrance to the Fujitsu Eco Park is nearby. It’s a pleasant walk, punctuated by signs about the birdsongs you’re hearing and (of course) Fujitsu’s own ecological initiatves. At the top of the hill you can pick up a freebie pet plant.

The airborne portion of the Eco Park demonstrates Fujitsu’s commitment to methane power. At least, I think that’s their intention, because it’s held aloft by a gigantic, smoking turd. Go take a look. My picture does not do the sheer turdiness of it justice.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/FUJITSU2/166/126/26

1 Comment | commercial, international | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Garth Goode

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