Tag: experiences

Bellisseria: Are They Expanding the Region?

Bellisseria: Are They Expanding the Region?

by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Almost everyone is aware that Linden Labs recently started making new age (as I’d like to put it) Linden Homes that keep up with the innovations of Second Life. It’s a slow process but little by little they continue to build the Bellisseria continent up with hundreds of new Linden homes to choose from. The original Linden homes are still available today and they’re the easiest to obtain as of lately. The first homes that were introduced right after the Summer of 2019 were the traditional houses and the announcement of their houseboats. For those who are unaware of premium land fees that are included with your premium account have recently risen from 512 sqm to 1,024 sqm. These new Linden homes use up the full 1,024 sqm of land fees that you have with your premium membership instead of the original 512 sqm. With the rise of your land per sqm that you receive that means you also obtain more prims that you’re able to decorate within these Linden homes. How exciting! I’m a little late to the ball game when explaining the Bellisseria continent as other bloggers have obtained some of these new Linden homes and have already posted about them. But what they haven’t posted is something I’m going to be explaining.

Along with these new traditional Linden homes and the welcoming of the houseboats to the Bellisseria region the other day they’re building onto the Bellisseria region more to make more of these homes available. I logged on at around 1:30 pm EST yesterday and they had houseboats and traditional homes available. Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough for either but the fact that they’re becoming available more often than before states that they’re building onto the region, so everyone can partake in the new age of Linden homes in Bellisseria. It seems every few days between 1:30-3 pm you can find some of these available whether people abandon them and let them go or Linden Labs adding more of these homes for their consumers.

This region is highly sought after and recently I also noticed their new camper region in Bellisseria having more options available and availability for us premium users. Make sure that you keep an eye open. However, keep in mind the camper region is a little different as far as the Bellisseria homes that they have released before this region. The campers are smaller is square meters making them similar to the original Linden homes at 512 sqm’s per parcel and camper with an amount of 175 prims to decorate with. This isn’t an issue but you have to be okay with the fact that it’s not using your full land tier that comes with your premium and that you don’t have the same amount of prims to decorate with like the traditional homes and the houseboats that were released before the camper region. The camper region is brand new to the Bellisseria region and was announced on September 24th before Halloween came around. All the campers were snagged almost immediately after they were released. I was able to find a lot more of these available when looking to get something in the Bellisseria region with my premium account. I feel you have better luck obtaining one of these than the other Bellisseria Linden homes and I think it has to be with the square meters and the prim amount. I don’t know about you but if you want more just add more land tier to your account and buy some mainland if you want more land to decorate on or whatnot. That’s just my opinion or if you don’t mind using a sandbox than that is completely free and with your premium account, the Sandboxes that are available for premium members are normally empty. Take advantage of this! 

To draw these conclusions since now I live in Bellisseria I traveled around a little and I was just exploring my surroundings, However, I came up to areas that said SP and then a number means that they’re building more of these new Linden homes. To be honest, through my explorations they’re either adding beach homes next or they’re going to work on making more houseboats in one specific area. To be fair though I think the Campers part of the region is where I currently reside… has the most privacy. For the first time I also accidentally walked into a Linden while they were working which is indicated by a blue dot on the map instead of a green (first time this has ever happened to me off of Teen Grid in the past). Ahead of time, I’m sorry Kona Linden for walking in on you while doing whatever you were doing in these areas. When they’re building up new sections the area is unnamed and yellow lines are indicating the separation of parcels. The green that you see in these photos indicate the position of the Linden home and where the rezzer will rez it when completed. I didn’t expect to walk into this building process but also keep in mind in December they’re releasing a new Linden home option as well so keep your eyes peeled for that. This information is found on the new blog post that Linden Labs had made for today. There’s a lot of work being done and it’s all super exciting!

In conclusion, those who feel like it’s virtually impossible to obtain a new Linden home it’s not. They’re starting to pop up a whole lot more with more opportunities every day to obtain one. Don’t lose hope if you’ve been trying to acquire one this shows the initiative that Linden Labs is making to create more of them for their consumers like you and me. Also, after today’s newest blog post on the Second Life website, they’re releasing a new theme of Linden homes for us as well which will be shown during the December holiday expo this year. There are going to be more chances than ever to move away from the original Linden homes. For those still trying to get one of these Linden homes may the odds ever be in your favor and good luck.

SL Exploration: An Arabian Night (Majilis Al-Jinn, Sands of Time)

SL Exploration: An Arabian Night (Majilis Al-Jinn, Sands of Time)

by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

My inner bohemian came out today and I kid you not when I say I found the perfect dessert fantasy sim to explore. Based on Arabian night tales that anyone could find in literature and cinematic films. This area has anything from hidden tombs to a relaxing oasis. There is something for everyone, the traffic is very slow, and this is an area I’d like to promote up a little more because there are more than users are giving it credit for. Sims often go overlooked especially international areas from the destinations list. This place reminds me of Aladdin.

To be fair this Arabian oasis is both historical and romantic I’m a hopeless romantic and honestly, I’d bring someone here on a date. There is so much to do and explore and the architecture is simply gorgeous. From exploring a palace to exploring the outdoors with palm trees, crystals, vases, and more there is so much beauty to be seen. Inside when you first start on a little island surrounded by a colossal building you have two paths you can go on. One leads you to what I call the jewel and treasures room, the tombs, and the oasis. The other path leads you outside on a little path with gorgeous scenery and sitting areas. To be fair I started on the route to the tombs, there are statues everywhere that are textured so nicely that they look realistic. Crystals are lining almost every door frame which shows the fantasy aspect. The door frames remind me more of an Egyptian building kit I’ve seen but it works just as well with an Arabian theme as well.

Tomb:

The tomb is located up the stairs which feel like you’re in a tower. There is an open tomb where you’re welcomed by a statue that makes me question if there is a mummy that escaped inside of the sim. Luckily, I haven’t seen one yet, so I think we’re safe! To the right, there is a sitting area and a statue which people normally pray to. To be honest, my knowledge of Arabian culture starts and ends with Aladdin, some literature, and this sim. So, If I’m wrong about something this is a disclaimer, I don’t know a whole lot about the culture, but I started reading up on it recently to better understand some of the Arabian sims on Second Life. The architecture is Moroccan and almost culturally accurate from what I’ve seen when looking up photos on google. Yes! I google imaged everything to discover how accurate everything in this sim truly was even though it is explained as being a fantasy type of sim. Gems are lining the doors and there is writing covering the walls. The inside of this structure is very dark, but it has every right to be so if you take photos just be careful and aware that they may come out way darker than you expect it to be.

The Outdoor Part of The Oasis:

On the roof of the structure, you’ll find a gorgeous palace area with peacocks and an outside corridor with a little birdbath that had crystals at the bottom, paired with beautiful scenery. This is where I’d suggest bringing someone if you’re looking for something elegant and romantic to woo that special someone. The floors are brick and tiled to show wealth and purity the peacocks moved around the corridor. The outside reminds me of an aristocratic house’s garden. It was extravagant and beautiful I suggest checking it out if you’re looking for something new to explore in Second Life.

In The Palace:

In the palace there are more than enough sitting areas, however, keep in mind a lot of the couches, chairs, and floor seating is one-person seating with not that many poses if any aside from one when you sit on the object. But the inside of the palace is simply gorgeous and it’s huge!  There’s so much to see and take pictures of. I had to be careful with how many photos I took because I was getting picture happy inside of the palace. I’m sure there are other surprises, but I didn’t go too in-depth with the inside of the palace.

Nonetheless, I’m sure there are places little Easter eggs and hidey holes I haven’t yet explored throughout the entire island. As there are so many places in this one area to explore and so much to see. But, from what I have seen this is a beautiful Arabian adventure for any explorer who is interested in a fantasy Arabian night adventure. From an underground exploration into a tower with a tomb to a rooftop fantasy Arabian garden with a gorgeous palace there is a little something for everyone to enjoy here and if you’re a photographer and love photographing your adventures or need a place as a realistic background for a client this is the perfect place for it!

Blogging Success Have I Made it?

Blogging Success Have I Made it?

by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Honestly, my answer, if I were answering, would be no. However, I am still a new blog and honestly, it’s doing better than I ever expected it too. I get some views here and there and it just makes me happy to know that people are reading my content. The way beginners who are just starting a blog should look at things is blogging starts out as a hobby. Success comes to those who wait. If you’re blogging with money in mind it probably won’t be as successful as you’re expecting it to be. If you’re passionate about a topic and find something that you can ramble on about do it. Were all different and we all have different likes and dislikes. Every blog has a demographic the challenge is getting that specific demographic that your blog is aimed at to read your posts. I started blogging because I love to write I needed something to keep me busy but was fun while I’m on my job search since I’m fresh out of university. Writing has always been a passion for me and if I can get people to read my content it makes me happy just to know that my words are being written. Yes, it may only be by a select few people who are following me now. But they support me and everything that I’ve written so far, and I can’t thank them enough for it. There are blogs about virtually anything in the world my topic was chosen because it’s something I love to do virtual worlds are a huge part of my life. I’ve played them since I was a kid and continue to immerse myself in them now as an adult too.

Blogging success comes with the enjoyment of typing your content. If you don’t enjoy what your typing about or you don’t enjoy the act of blogging, you’re doing it wrong. Blogging is creativity to provide content to your reader that they will keep coming back to read more of what you have written. This also brings me to the next thing I wanted to explain content isn’t everything, but your writing style plays a huge part in the success of a blog. If people in their heads can read the excitement and passion you have for your topic they will be just as engaged in reading it as you were writing it. I’ve been blogging for years but just recently created this blog on virtual worlds and the virtual world industry with my posts widely talking about two specific virtual world platforms which are Second Life and IMVU. We all hit success at different points in our lives to be 100% honest I don’t promote my blog. I type up stuff for it add tags and whatever happens, just happens if I were to promote a little more it would probably be more successful but in all actuality, I just don’t care. I write because I have a passion for getting my words down on paper I write because my passions should be shared to those who want to read about my experiences and what virtual worlds are all about.

To be fair on Tumblr I have written some very successful blogs with a ton of views per day. To be fair though this is also more of a social media platform where I just got my random ideas out on the table. Now that I have a topic that interests me here on Wordpress it’s a whole new world staying on a topic can be hard because I tend to ramble a lot but it gives the blog purpose. The truth is I bring a wide range of people to my blog all from different demographics. I have tweens, teens, and adults who read my content. Ahead of time for you parents out there I apologize if your kids read some of the iffier content, I provide on this blog some posts have it but for good reasons, they’re apart of the virtual world community. But sometimes it’s hard to appeal to a wide range of audiences which is why whoever wants to read my content can. In a sense, I’d love to see my blog thrive more and I know with more content and with time it will. But for those who are losing faith in getting views and losing faith by providing content that you just feel isn’t working out it will. Things come to those who wait. I didn’t think anyone would read my content and I have a few supporters already who do and I’m super grateful for them don’t give up! Keep writing and keep enjoying the topic you’re writing about. If you love something, your readers will too. Seem uninterested and you’ll sink like the titanic. So, take the journey and see where you end up.

Exploring a Vast Virtual Environment

Exploring a Vast Virtual Environment

by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment
Photo Credit: Pepa Cometa

What can I say? Virtual worlds give us an experience that we might not be able to experience. It helps us to fulfill ideas of travel it will never replace going to the actual location; however, it helps you to see what a culture could look like or what a place could be. Virtual worlds give the user a platform to explore and interact with their surroundings via their avatars. I know with open simulation virtual worlds (open sims) the user can walk freely in their surroundings and interact with most of the objects in the environment. For example, I’m the type of individual who always felt like I was born in the wrong era. It couldn’t be any truer as sometimes I feel lost in the world, I’m in now there is a sim in Second Life that I just adore. It’s called 1920’s Berlin. This area I came across through the destinations guide a few years ago when I wanted to join a historical roleplaying sim. The environment is specified by the detail what it looked like in Berlin during the 20s it’s spot on! I looked at photos on Google to be honest because I wanted to see how historically correct the environment was. This is an amazing example of exploration in a virtual world you’re able to live in a world that uniquely is yours. Whether you want to live in the 20s or Luxembourg in the 30s-40s or you just want to go out and enjoy the nightlife. It’s all possible, throughout my explorations throughout virtual worlds during the years I’ve come across galleries with users artwork, photography outside of the virtual world and inside, with the technological era growing tons and tons of blogs and YouTube videos that you can access straight from the virtual world platform, there is so much it’s somewhat hard to even explain it all.

I’ve been an IMVU player since Beta testing

Virtual worlds not only give us a place to grow, learn, and explore, but they give us the confidence to live our best life even if it’s just through a computer screen. I’m by no means promoting that you shouldn’t go out and experience the world outside your front door but for those who can’t this is an awesome alternative. There is so much to do, honestly, I could spend hours just exploring, taking in world photographs, and living life. Virtual worlds are more about the experience and the exploration than it is anything else, however, it is important to note that everyone joins a virtual world for different reasons. I didn’t know what my purpose was after schooling when it came to Second Life, but I shortly found it afterward. My high school when I first started using Second Life as a platform for teaching, creativity, and communication with classmates and teachers while providing us with hands-on experiences that were created in the world. In 9th grade we would go on “field trips” to a virtual MOMA museum since obviously going to New York is kind of pricey. My school at the time used Second Life as an educational platform at some point it died out, but it was the only game kept on the school laptops that I could continue to play and explore at my own leisure. You know something to waste the time! That’s when I learned my soul purpose and what I wanted to use virtual worlds for I wanted to use them for exploration and interior design. Through the years I also picked up the title’s shopaholic, virtual world guru, and fashionista but that’s also just me living my best virtual life. I do consider shopping to be a source of explorations because you jump around to different places there are some places, I’ve never even known about that I’ve visited and just walked around their decorated sims without buying anything. One of my favorite shops in the world till this date is called +Half Deer+ the sim is so beautifully created, and it reminds me of a kawaii London feel with old telephone booths, pastel desks, brightly colored sidewalks, and gorgeously pink and light green colored trees. It almost looked like a fantasy-themed park and it is still one of my favorite sims to just hang out in even if I don’t buy anything. Exploration is so important in a virtual world platform even if it isn’t part of your purpose when joining a virtual world, it is an important aspect of one and you’ll most likely be finding yourself exploring different areas at some point during your virtual world experience. I know I’ve been discussing more from a Second Life and Open Sim standpoint these are just my favorite types of virtual worlds because there’s so much freedom with movement and a user’s creativity. However, I also wanted to discuss exploration from an IMVU standpoint!

Chatroom with random people photo taken by: Lizzicess (aka you’re wonderful blog host)

IMVU is all about exploration while chatting their avatar creation and room creation system is what makes them so popular as a “chatroom” based virtual world platform. Their goal wasn’t to provide freedom of movement but to connect users from across the world pretty much forcing them to be social with others. It’s a social platform hence the reason why their exploration is through the creation of rooms like “chatrooms” instead of vast areas of land that you explore. Even though it’s more limited as to what you can do and explore there is a sense of exploration still attached to the world of IMVU. Through personal experience, there are a lot of clubs, kawaii and Japanese type rooms for my otaku’s and anime fans out there, parks, restaurants, and scenery. IMVU uses a posing system where you sit on a “pose” and it will animate your avatar in the specific area. Poses are what IMVU revolves around. Exploration is seen more for photography purposes for virtual world enthusiasts and photographers for IMVU otherwise it’s an immersive chatroom. There is nothing wrong with that I play IMVU very often especially if I’m feeling super social and creative because the interface is so simplistic. The way of doing things such as creating environments and rooms are simplistic as well. I could place furniture, poses, etc. and finish a gorgeously made room within an hour at most. It probably takes users less than that. The only reason it takes me that long is because I’m picky about how I create things in virtual worlds both avatar and room/land wise.

When you join a virtual world, you join to explore whether it be finding who you are as a person, actual places, or even exploring friendships and relationships this is a place where your imagination comes to play. Virtual worlds give us as the user an opportunity to do things we probably wouldn’t or see things we might not see in a safe environment from the comfort of our own homes whether we’re on the couch, a comfy computer chair, or in our beds ready to go to sleep for the night and just need something to waste some time. There is so much to see and explore! If you want a game where you can explore than a virtual world might just be the right choice for you.