Furillen's Battle of Hoth

By Bixyl Shuftan

With the film "Rouge One" set to appear this month, there's been more of an interest in "Star Wars" lately. So it was no real surprise that I heard of a sim getting a makeover by it's owner to replicate the Battle of Hoth in "The Empire Strikes Back." The place is Furillen located at the Love of Life sim. Serene Footman, the owner, described what he did in the sim's blog.

The sim just had its biggest ever make-over for an event – over the weekend I started completely from scratch in order to replicate Hoth, the ice planet that features in one of the strongest movies of the entire franchise, The Empire Strikes Back. It’s Furillen’s way of celebrating this week’s release of Rogue One, which looks like being a classic.

For those of you not Familiar with "Star Wars," Hoth in the stories is a frigid ice planet, in which anyone outside shelter without protective clothing would quickly freeze to death. The two native life forms that could handle the intense cold were tauntans, which could be tamed and ridden around for transportation, and wampas, which were like abominable snowmen and the planet's apex predators. The movie never showed what the tauntans ate, though the wampas probably considered anything they could catch dinner. In "The Empire Strikes Back," Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance have a base on the planet, which is discovered by an Imperial Task Force personally led by Darth vader. The Imperials send an attack force on the base consisting of five massive All-Terrain Armored Transports, or AT-ATs, sometimes called Imperial "walkers," which resembled huge beasts as they plodded across the landscape. The Rebels put up a heroic defense, taking out three of the five Imperial walkers. But the Imperial forces prove too strong, and the Rebels have to evacuate the base.

Dropping in on (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Love%20of%20Life/109/105/23), I appeared in an icy cave. Fortunately there were no signs of wampas. But there was an automated message by Serene, "Welcome to Furillen. I hope you like this tribute to Star Wars - the Assault on Hoth! To enjoy the sim to the full, switch on your music, turn up draw distance as high as you can manage, and don't get crushed by an At-At!" The music wasn't from the movies, but it did help set the mood of the place. There were a couple signs pointing out what was ahead.

Stepping out, the rebel base wasn't far away. There was a line of defense consisting of laser turrets and smaller laser guns, with one of the turrets having been blasted open. Across the icy plain was the Imperial attack force, consisting of six imperial walkers and a few scoutwalkers or AT-STs (All-Terrain Scouting Transport), as well as a few speeder bikes. The walkers were well detailed, and built to scale. Standing next to them, they were just as big as in the films. High above the walkers were a couple TIE fighters.

Behind the rebel's guns was the rebel base, built into the side of the mountain. Rebels tending to be short on supplies, the base was a bit spartan with cold steel floors and pipes going around in a few places. There were a few stations with screens, possibly radar and communications, where one could sit at. In one corner were a few bunks one could rest at. Scattered around the base were Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo (in a dramatic pose with his blaster drawn), the robots C3PO and R2D2. Luke Skywalker was nowhere to be found, possibly out in his snowspeeder fighting the AT-ATs. Curiously, Yoda was there in the display. Perhaps the Jedi Master was using his powers to somehow keep tabs on events.

But at least the Rebels weren't hungry. Near the image of Yoda was a pizza machine with the name "Pizza Butt." Perhaps given the reputation of Jabba the Hutt, anything named "Hut" around here would be avoided. There was also a coffee machine, but the parody of "Starbucks" was a name unmentionable in a family-friendly publication. In one corner there was what looked like a laptop computer with the screen on "Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy."

The display is not all that's going on. In the sim blog, Serene stated he was planning a "gathering of the geeks" for a "Furillen-Hoth Christmas party" on Sunday December 18, 1PM SL time, "Star Wars costume is essential, of course. But given that there are so many great mesh Star Wars avatars and costumes around on marketplace, and that they are so inexpensive, this is as easy as it gets. We’ll stream some party music – good bits from the movies, of course (who can resist Cantina?) – but with a bit of inventiveness we can add some space-themed music from more familiar Furillen names, like Bowie and Radiohead."

Normally Furillen looks like an abandoned industrial island off the coast of northeast Sweden. Serene didn't give a date yet when the place will go back to being a "remote, bleak and beautiful ... photographers haven." But no doubt Star Wars fans will keep on dropping by while it lasts.

Sources: Wookipedia, Furillen 

Bixyl Shuftan

Virtual Gettysburg

By Bixyl Shuftan

For a brief time in Second Life, one can find a replica of the site of one of the decisive battles of the American Civil War: Gettysburg.

 A look at the Destination Guide's "Featured Events" page showed plenty of Christmas and Winter events and locations, but there was one entry that stood out: Virtual Gettysburg 1863.

Virtual Gettysburg 1863 is an American Civil War museum featuring a reproduction of the Gettysburg battlefield. Learn about the events of July 1st-3rd, 1863, often seen as the turning point of the war. 

The SURL given took me too a small map of the battlefield, which had a group joiner/notecard giver and a teleporter. There was also a balloon rezzer. Clicking on the latter would make it appear, and getting on it one would get a tour, seeing locations like the peach orchid, the wheatfield, "Devils Den," and others. It wasn't completely to scale. The area was only about a third of the size of the real battlefield. There were a few roads one could walk down. There were only a few items to show the area had been a battlefield, besides the markers, a couple cannon, a dead horse, and the teleport markers, which looked like memorial stones.

Welcome to Virtual Gettysburg 1863! This is a historical museum devoted to the American Civil War, featuring a reproduction of part of the Gettysburg battlefield. This is not primarily a role-playing or reenactment group, though feel free to ask if you have RP ideas. This is both a temporary exhibition and a work in progress. (Everything in SL is a work in progress)

Going about on foot, as this was a platform high above the sim surface, one would appear to float a foot or more over the surface at times, or sink into the ground. Staying on the road would usually help, usually.

The battlefield's most notable location was a farmhouse which acted as the hospital. Near the front door on the outside was a bloodstained medical kit. Inside, exhibits on the first floor described the limited medical technology that was available to help the twenty thousand wounded in "the immediate aftermath of battle ... one of nightmarish, overwhelming, and often unrelieved agony. ... the houses, the barns, the sheds, and the open barnyards were crowded with moaning and wailing human beings. And still, an unceasing procession of stretchers and ambulances (horse drawn wagons) was coming in from all sides to augment the number of the sufferers." The exhibit continued upstairs, with a chart of common ailments suffered by soldiers during the battle, and more scenes described, as well as some pictures and Walt Whitman's poem "The Wound Dresser."

Besides the battlefield, there was an art gallery and a museum area. Teleporting to the museum, there was another map of the field, with a number of exhibits, such as maps and photos around in a circle, describing the strategic situation at the time of the battle, the course of the battle, and the aftermath. Gettysburg is often described as the "high water mark" of the Confederacy as never again would it be able to launch an invasion into the North. But the war would drag on for two more agonizing years.

The exhibit is not scheduled to stay up for long. It is scheduled to be up only for a few more days, with Dec 31st as the last day. Near the entrance, there was a donation board accepting funds."We are still seeking a permanent home for the build," the notecard stated. The exhibit was built by Trodden Miles and Dakota Tebaldi.

From the museum area, there was also a teleport to a room, where one could see an animated film of the Gettysburg Address, given a few months after the battle in honor of those who fell.

"That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Balloon and field: Sunset Isle (98, 23, 3965) , Museum: Sunset Isle (128, 115, 3901)

*Update* A look at the group had the following post: "Thanks to all of your generous donations, we've been able to cut a deal to save the build! We've rented the airspace above an RP sim and we'll be reopening there early next month. Location TBA very soon!"

*Second Update* Virtial Gettysburg now has a new home at Redemptions (98, 23, 3965)

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: The Blake Sea

By Becky "Sha" Shamen

This is my third article, in a series of reports on adventure tours in SL. Since starting SL, over three and a half years ago, I have always enjoyed discovering new things to do and see here. One of my favorite viewers is Nirans. On each start up, while the program loads, they post "tips." One of the tips says that Chuck Norris has completed SL 3 times. This always makes me ask, how is this possible. Every time I think I've done everything there is to do in SL, along comes something new, to me. There seems to be no end to what you can do here. I once wrote, in a song, "Each time I do discover is like love to me. By the time there's nothing left undone, what a lover I'll be". And so, with love, I offer my report on the Blake Sea.

I mentioned, in a previous article, the Blake Sea is a collection of sims which connects the continents of Satori and Nautilus and extends eastward from there. This eastern portion contains 195 connected sims, covering 12.78 million square meters. We will confine this report to the eastern portion. My expeditions began there after I got a free sailing ship from the marketplace. The ship is a large privateer, called Minerva, with three masts, stay sails and square sails and 18 cannons. It is propelled by the winds in SL.


I needed an area with lots of room, in which to master it's use. Checking the Destination Guide, I found a number of ports in the Blake Sea, from which I could rez my ship and set sail. I found a port, called Diego, which had a pirate theme, which seamed to go well with my ship's design. It didn't take long to discover a couple of drawbacks that came with this choice. For one, there is a sea monster, called Kracken, that frequents the western end of the harbor. Once I found my way around him, I immediately discovered the next peril.

There are four sims, on the West side of Diego, which when entered, announce, in the title bar, their sim name and the warning, "Caution-Pirate Zone!" Later, I learned that these water sims, Kendra, Beaufort, Cannonade and Thunderer, are part a 13 sim group involved in the "All Seas Battle Group." In the shopping area, on Diego, you can join this group, check the schedule of planned battles, as well as buy pirate clothing, ships and other accessories. If you are sailing in the area, in a period ship and have cannons aboard, you are fair game for any ship that wants to use you for shooting practice. Cannon balls are objects that must be rezzed and many of the other water sims don't allow them. On the dock, bellow the shops, there are a number of ship merchants that provide docked show models, so you can see before you buy.

If pirates aren't your thing, you might consider hooking up with the United Sailing Sims, which has numerous yacht clubs in the Blake Sea and hosts regularly scheduled sailboat races, for all classes and sized boats.Want to just sail, without racing or battles?  Blake Sea is open to all and there are many places where you can rez your boats, be they wind, gas or steam powered.  I should mention here, there are rules to follow on the sea. Mostly, they are based on the SL TOS rules, but there is one I should mention. Sailboats have the right of way. Also, you must power down or steer clear of any races in progress. There are hundreds of islands to visit. Some have towns. Many are small and have only one or two homes on them. If you are interested in living by the sea, there are many places available.

Travel on water is not the only way to get around. The Blake Sea is also a great place to fly and there are a number of airports to be found. I even visited an aircraft carrier, just west of the pirate sims. The skies are full of planes, seaplanes and helicopters. I turn heads, when I fly in my Tesla UFO or my H.G.Wells time machine. If it flies, it's allowed. In most areas, you can also free fly, like Superman.
Look in the title bar, at the top of your viewer, for the icons that tell what is not allowed at any given location.

In addition to travel, Blake Sea also has a number of sites of interest. At the South end, you'll find the largest ship in all of SL, the SS Galaxy. The Galaxy is host to many events and, if you are laden with a chest or two of doubloons, you can rent a suite there. In my travels, I came across a large sim, called "Greenhouse", which features every imaginable plant, flower and tree under the sun. When I plan a trip to places, I often use the world map to pan around looking for unusual features. Unlike when you are on the surface, the map lets you see the sea floor. While preparing a map, for this article, I kept noticing an un-natural looking sea floor, just west of the Galaxy. I finally decided to go explore the cause of the appearance. I placed a marker on it and teleported there. On arrival, I found myself under water, surrounded by ancient stone buildings. A glance up at the title bar told me I was in a place called, "My Atlantis". One of the buildings seamed to be a home, was unlocked and nobody on the whole sim, so I went in for a quick peek. Signs revealed that this was connected with "Bloodlines", so I was all the more rushed to get back out. Never the less, it was all a very attractive build and worthy of mention here.

I spent the better part of a week exploring the Blake Sea, in preparation for this article and will surely go back many more times. I could tell you more, but want you to have the joy of discovering it yourself. There are still many islands I have not visited yet and, like many, I find it's just fun going sailing and flying on the Blake Sea. I've provided a map, showing some key places, to help plan your visits. The map shows only the East end of the sea. It continues at least three miles to the West, but that will have to be another story. Have a bon voyage, keep a lookout for me and please don't point any cannons in my direction.

Sha

Morgan Straits

"Aye, There Be Pirates Among Us"

No you haven't fallen through a time portal and landed in the age of the rebellious, but you're darn close.

On Morgan Straits you'll find role players from the United States, France, Spain, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, Scotland and England. The original five sims were created January 2010, by owners/founders Dizz Darkstone and Migizi North, who according to Julia had an idea to create a place, with few rules, but common sense.

"It's a place where logistics disappear. You can see what's over the horizon and obtain it," explained JuliaThePirate Buccaneer, a role player member who is deep into the magic of what the 19 sims offer. "Anything you can imagine you can execute. The only thing we require is that you dress pirate, navy, native or mer."

"The people here are friendly and fun. They take care of their own and are open to anyone who wants to visit," said Leessens Mistwalker, a pirate, merman and owl, who "sails fer the pirates, fights fer the pirates and swims in the seas with the mer." He runs two of the sims in the NE and just rebuilt them.

"We wanted to have an estate that was built for sailing. There were more than two of us in the beginning, five or six, each bought a homestead, and Dizz bought the full sim for the estate," Migizi explained. "Now there are 19 sims which are owned individually. We sell to people and they pay tier to Diz. Morgan Straits is the main sim.”

Roni Foxdale added that it’s a pirate infested region, but the New Brunswick Navy does its part to keep the waters safe.

“And if you stumble upon people sitting down and having a drink they'll scoot over and find a crate for you to sit on, pour you a drink and have you join in. I like it here because there is always room for one more,” said Renate Marchionne.

Here you'll find the marketplace, which has a collection of vendors where you can get everything from clothing, weaponry, TSS, SCS and SSS ships, furniture and there's even home rentals.

Roleplay is everywhere, but isn't forced 24/7 in this estate which follows the Golden Age of Piracy 1650-1750. Dizz does most of the historical research in this pre-steam ship era. There are two Harbor Masters, who are battle coordinators: Kayseer Voss and Peeble Oh. A special note of recognition is that Chandra Pelazzi of Shack N Chateau Designs, has worked for a year rebuilding nine sims in the estate, and welcomes custom build requests.

The following is Morgan Straits Event Schedule

Battles:

Monday:
Alternate Monday 11 AM Events
Ship Wreck Battle Race 11 AM SLT
Rum Race 11 AM SLT

Navy vs Pirate 8 PM SLT

Tuesday:
Blood Bath Tuesday 3:30 PM SLT
Cargo Shipment from NB 7 PM SLT

Thursday:
Alternate Thursday 2:30 Battles
Defend Yer Arses Ye Bastids! Melee/Sea Battle
2:30 PM SLT
FFA Sea Battle 2:30 PM SLT

PE - Defend the Tower Melee 4:30 PM SLT

Weekly Events:
Tilted Kilt - Open 12 PM SLT Mon - Friday, closing times are determined by battles.

Sea Shanty Tuesdays! 5-7pm SLT -Nobody's Inn
New Brunswick with DJ Alleykat

Morgans Market - Wednesdays 12-3 PM SLT

Special Events:
Men In Kilts - Saturday, September 24th 3 PM SLT @ Salty Crab -Morgan Straits
DJ - Flamia

Halloween Costume Party - Saturday, October 1st 2 PM SLT @ Morgan's Docks

Mer Ballet Performance Sunday, October 16th 1 PM SLT @ Morgan's

Formal Ball - Saturday, November 5th 2 PM SLT
@ Pirates Keep
Bosun DJ

Here's Morgan Straits Points of Interest!

There are beautiful sims and caves for you to explore freely.

The Tilted Kilt - Saber Point:
A pirate tavern with a Scottish theme. Live dancers to entertain you, with a feisty
bartender to keep yer mugs filled.

Hours of Operation

Monday
12-4 PM SLT
Tuesday
12-3:00 PM SLT
Wednesday 12-3 PM SLT in the Morgan Straits Market
Thursday
12-2:15 PM SLT
Friday
12-4 PM SLT
Hours reflect Morgan's Battle Schedule. The Titled Kilt often stays open longer, if yer there, we are!

Morgan's Market Day Wed 12-3 PM SLT:
Wednesday's 12-3 PM SLT. There are free stalls for your items, come in before 12 to set up, 50 prims, remove all items at 3, and remain on site during market hours. Dance with the Tilted Kilt gals, 'ave a pastry from the baker, get a free hat from the hat maker, or a bath if ye smell a bit off! All welcome! Cheers!

The Salty Crab - Morgan Straits:
A pirate pub located on Morgan Straits Docks
Without regular hours of operation, but used for parties and gatherings by anyone in the estate. See Migizi to book dates.

Dead Man's Tales - Skeleton Reef:
Thursday Nights 8 PM SLT
An evening around a Rebel campfire, listening to pirate stores that will tingle your senses and tantalize your mind.

Teagues Tavern - Dead Man's Reach:
A feisty tavern where the Rebel Pirates and friends dance the hours away. No set hours of operation.

The Tatr'd Sail - Pirates Keep:
A open air venue for live music located on Pirates Keep Docks. Event notices sent out for events.

Morgan Straits Battles:
Most battles start in Morgan Straits Sim. Battles are announced through group notices.

Sacred Lake - La Dominique:
The heart of Dominica is a little lake called "Sacred Lake" by the Kalinagos the last Caribbean native tribe! Take care and be respectful, in character you'll be savagely hunted! Never a pale face that has seen the Sacred Lake has sailed away alive!

Smilla Fredriksson, Artist - La Dominique
Visit our island and keep your eyes open, you will find some of the more than 1,000 pictures she’s done so far in SL.

Native Area - Shanshara
Shanshara offers a message of peace and tolerance! For the Sanatos tribe, even if Kalinagos allied, the Shanshara (mother earth) is open to everyone who come in peace!


Aztex Palace:
You are also welcome to visit a realistic Aztec palace!

Mer Art Gallery - Ashlands
A beautiful underwater tour through tunnels, which feature artwork. It leads to ancient ruins and private hideaways. A must see.

Blood Red Flamia - Pirates Keep
In a remote little house in the swamp, the owner has a den and artistic studio.

Netera Landar