Tag: virtual world exploring

SL Exploration: The Butterfly Effect Club EST 2008

SL Exploration: The Butterfly Effect Club EST 2008

by Ellie_Avora ♥ 1 Comment

Let’s be honest there are so many clubs in Second Life that it’s hard to find ones that stand out from one another. However, I stumbled across this little gem while on my explorations throughout Second Life it might not seem like much at first sight but there is more than meets the eye. Between the kind and drama free people who come in and the themed atmosphere that fits the name perfectly there is so much about this club to talk about.

The Butterfly Effect Club was established in 2008 by LadyD Beauregard-Barbosa. I’ve had the pleasure to meet her and experience all the life this club fills everyone that comes in with. With so many Second Life clubs popping up and shutting down throughout the platform this one has been around since 2008. It’s popular and gets traffic! The music played here depends on the DJ at the specific time but tonight I came in during a Halloween costume contest event. The music tonight was a lot of your Halloween classics such as monster mash and many others. However, there are always events being held and contests each time the club is up and going. The club currently is decorated for Halloween seeing that it’s only eight days away and to be fair it the decoration is nice and sticks to the ghoulish theme. 

This club also has a shopping mall attached to it so if you’re looking for some new clothes you can find them here and then go dancing afterward. Most clubs have been doing this recently but keep in mind clubs who do have a small shopping section or are connected to a mall are small shop owners trying to get their products out to everyone out in the world of Second Life. Anyone can be a small business owner, but this is how beginners of creating outfits, furniture, etc. start. They start by renting out a small section in a mall or club that hosts these creators. So, if you’re feeling like supporting these small businesses feel free to drop by their shopping section right when you land before entering the club. As I explored it there were some dresses right behind the club to look at. In the club the photo to the left shows in the background the small little shopping area the club has. It’s where it says, Gaall in tiny letters sorry that it’s so small!

For those of you who are big on Angels & Demons, Bloodlines, Rage, etc. this club is on a clan land but it’s an open space for everyone. Everyone is welcome it doesn’t matter who you are, what your avatar looks like, etc. everyone is accepted in and can join into the fun and consistent conversation that can be found. The club is active, not only that but the clans here on the land are all active as well if you’re looking for a place to join and are a part of any of these in world systems. I’m also 99% sure that it’s a safe spot for Angels & Demons so you don’t have to worry about getting attacked while enjoying your time and just relaxing. Even though contests are going on and a lot of people come to the club just for the contests and then leave their keyboard you don’t find that here. It’s overall, just a different type of environment that you can’t always find on Second Life and if you’re a part of any of the systems above than most of the users in the club already have something in common with you.

I can’t stress enough that this club is 100% drama free! I’ve never seen an argument, misunderstanding, or disagreement since I’ve dropped by. To be fair, that’s hard to find nowadays because let’s be honest there is club drama everywhere you turn for the most part. It’s nice to have such high energy, calm, and enjoyable place to just be yourself. There is little to no judgment and it’s just a nice atmosphere to be a part of. I’m being very unbiased with this post as this is my experience when coming here. Normally when I visit clubs you realize why they don’t last it just doesn’t have a lighthearted and enjoyable atmosphere. Whether there is a conflict between staff or toxic people entering it’s hard. Here I haven’t experienced that and if you’re looking for something new to experience with a pleasurable clubbing experience than this is a place to look at. For example, tonight we talked about breedables for a bit I’ll be honest, I haven’t been looking at the chat a lot because I’ve been typing up this post, but everyone gets along. Also the picture on the left shows the contest board which is behind me and LadyD with the host and DJ tip jars and a vote stand. Everyone can vote once a day and these vote stands are important to clubs so if you go check it out don’t forget to click it.

Overall, something to keep in mind is sometimes these clubs who have been here for long periods are worth looking at and exploring more than the newer ones. Looks can be deceiving even though the clubs out there now use mainly mesh or are decorated in gorgeous ways the staff could be the complete opposite. This club has the best of both worlds it has mesh objects, décor, great staff, amazing users coming into just dance and relax. These are how Second Life clubs should be!

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!

SL Exploration: Russian Province COBKOBO/SOVKOVO

SL Exploration: Russian Province COBKOBO/SOVKOVO

by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Exploration lies deep within our human DNA, no matter what we love to explore even if we aren’t aware that we’re doing it. I’ll be honest today was a somewhat boring day for me in my reality and I thought I’d jump into Second Life and do a little bit of exploring. During my travels, I came across a Russian sim by the name “Russian Province COBKOBO/SOVKOVO”. I felt like exploring something that at some point could also be seen in real life, so I used the destinations button on the left-hand side of my firestorm viewer and went to the “international” tab to begin. Heads up there are a lot of Brazil areas to visit recently. Since this wasn’t a Brazilian area, I chose it not that I have anything against Brazil there are just so many areas made to replicate it and when you’ve been to one you’ve been to them all. I can’t wait to jump right in and tell you all about my experience in the Russian Province COBKOBO/SOVKOVO!

The scenery in this sim is very well put together and is a beautiful little town to take some photos in if you’re a Second Life photographer. The scenic surroundings are so relaxing and welcoming that it relaxes you and makes you enjoy the area. It has an older country feel to it that I surrounded by trees, forests, grass and flowers (here and there). It reminds me of an area before capitalism takes over and builds skyscrapers, shops, cities, etc. in its place. Keep in mind this is just one sim there aren’t any connecting sims to visit but honestly, you only need the one sim it’s so beautifully put together and there is a lot to see and explore. When you first enter the sim there is a bike rezzer to your left where you can rezz a bike from a store called {What’s Next} that you’re able to use on the sim to cruise around while you enjoy the scenery. It’s a fast and easier way to get around the sim because guess what? This sim disabled flying so you’re either walking, running or biking. It stays true to realism and to be fair you must give the creator credit for that. If you’re making a realistic place, why shouldn’t everything about it be real? One issue I’ve had is because there is a lot to load even with good connection speed and a gaming laptop with high specs it took about 5-10 minutes for the entire area to load. So, if you visit please be patient while everything loads in. Go grab a glass of water start some music get comfortable by that point it should be ready to go.

The small-town community feels is just something I can’t get over I live in an extremely populated area in my real life and I’ve always like small old town areas because it’s the complete opposite of what I experience and it’s nice and relaxing to me. There are slopes, hills, and trees galore but what I loved the most were the little sitting areas that are scattered around the entire sim where you can sit and just enjoy your time. These areas have cuddle options so if you want to take someone on a date here it’s perfect! My new favorite little gem about this place is a small little walkway leading you out to a small little beach area with a dock overlooking the water and hills afar. If you turn the environment settings to sunset, it’s worth every moment you spend there. If only I had a cup of tea and a book it would be the perfect afternoon the sun glistens off the water, it’s almost something from a dream scene that you’d see in a movie. If you don’t visit for anything else, I highly suggest visiting just to see this viewpoint from the dock.

One thing I wanted to mention is sometimes people get annoyed when visiting sims because there is furniture or scenery that looks to much like prim instead of mesh. I’ll be honest even I get a little bit annoyed about this. Luckily this scenic area is all meshed all the furniture, houses, objects, trees, surroundings, grass, and plants are all mesh and look realistic and true to their textures. Thank goodness! This is somewhat a pet peeve of mine now, not that I have anything against prim but with today’s expectations of Second Life and advancements in technology and graphics, I can’t fully appreciate prim anymore because of the realism mesh objects bring. Also, I find mesh important when creating a realistic area because realism is key if you’re trying to recreate a real place. Another quick thing I’ve noticed, and I didn’t take a photo of it because I didn’t feel the need to is right when you rezz in there is a camping site. With this, there is also a concert stage that looks like it doesn’t blend it with the rest of the theme and scenery. I’m not quite sure if I like it or the setup it almost feels as if it’s out of place with everything else. However, this is something that can be overlooked considering the rest of the sim. An important note is there’s a sandbox on this sim with a 30-minute auto-return so if you need to rezz or unpack an item then this little town has it all with its area to do it!

Overall, if you’re looking for a place with a little bit of small-town charm and a sim that gives you beautiful scenery and shows the beauty of the countryside in Russia than this is the area to explore and I highly suggest it. It has so much to offer and so much to explore I was easily able to spend about an hour here. Below is the SURL that you can copy and paste into your viewer at the top or you can just click it and it will bring it up in your browser to teleport too. This place is something special!

Click here to go to Russian Province COBKOBO/SOVKOVO