Touring Texas SL Style

Text and Photos by DULCIE MILLS
Machinima by CLARK
Originally published in RezLibris Magazine




The Texas Library Association in Second Life is currently sponsoring an exhibit called Virtual Texas. According to Valibrarian Gregg, Texas Librarian, the idea for the exhibit came about after she met Jacon Cortes, co-owner of the Antiquity Texas and Antiquity Tejas sims, at an ISTE (International Society of Technology in Education) conference that had been held both in San Antonio, Texas, and in Second Life. “The Texas Library Association built an exhibit using his (Cortes’) Alamo façade as a backdrop,” Gregg said. The exhibit also includes SL universities that are in Texas, a few virtual books, and other historical and period items.
The Virtual Texas exhibit will run through April on Info Island and will then be featured at the Texas Library Convention in Austin. Gregg, along with Cortes, is conducting tours of the exhibit as well as the Antiquity Texas sim itself. The tours run for two hours and conclude with fireworks and dancing. There have been two tours and possibly a third will be given in April before the exhibit is taken down.
Antiquity Texas is a role-playing sim that is one of around 40 sims that are part of the Kingdom of Antiquity community of Victorian role-play sims, each of which is privately funded. Some other sims in this group include Antiquity Tejas, Antiquity London, Antiquity France, Antiquity New Europe, Antiquity Harbor, and Antiquity Prairie. Western, Victorian, or period dress is recommended for visitors to Antiquity Texas, and free outfits for men and women are available at the landing point where several tours around the sim originate, including an audio walking tour, horse-drawn buggy tour, and hot air balloon ride.

Describing how Antiquity Texas came about, Cortes explained that he, his rl brother, Tocho Cortes, and a business partner, Pixapao Xeno, had not originally planned on creating a historical sim. They initially wanted to expand their business, Los Texanos Beaux Arts, an ornate shop selling jewelry and other items that is the main shop currently on Antiquity. “When it came time to decide for a building to place our new shops in, we thought about what kind of building we wanted and where it would be located,” Cortes said. “We thought about different buildings, different themes, that would add to designs before we decided on the Texas Capitol Building. My brother and I, both being from Texas and very proud of our state and its history, convinced our partner on the Capitol. Pixapao, in turn, had a recommendation for a builder and we set off to recreate the Capitol. Once we had the Capitol built, I placed a rough Alamo next to the central plaza. Thus Antiquity Texas evolved.”

Besides the Capital and the Alamo, there are many places to see and visit on Antiquity Texas, including the Governor’s Mansion, Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loret, and the Port Isabel Lighthouse, to name a few. Cortes described the process of recreating historical details for the buildings: “The majority of buildings were built by Master Builder Powder Pinkenba. Powder has a fantastic eye for detail. He used original blueprints that we found on the Library of Congress website to plan and build the buildings. For the Capitol, my brother, mother, sister, and I drove to Austin to photograph the Capitol to use for the textures. As for the other buildings, we tried to make them as close to possible, in our minds, as the building looked like in the early 1800's. Using images from the Net, Powder would work to create realistic reproductions.”

“I think the reason the librarians got involved in this,” Gregg said, “is because Antiquity Texas is such a wonderful example of an immersive learning environment where one can actually enter an historical era. The TLA SL group is very appreciative of the hospitality shown by Jacon and Tocho Cortes.” Cortes added, “If somebody in real life who could not come to the Texas Capitol building or to the Alamo could come and visit and learn about Texas history in this sort of way, I think it’s good on all different kinds of fronts. It is the goal of Antiquity Texas, and Los Texanos, our group, to continue to build on our historical foundations and be able to offer a fun community of role-play to enjoy it in.”

Slurl to Virtual Texas Exhibit: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20Island/61/94/23
Slurl to Antiquity, Texas: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Texas/153/38/22

Links for Further Information on Texas and Historical Sites:

Alamo http://thealamo.org/main/index.php
Governor's Mansion and Texas Capitol http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/tspb.htm
Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loret http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=754&ResourceType=Building
Port Isabel Lighthouse http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/port_isabel_lighthouse/

West of Ireland

Nancy Blake's Pub, West of Ireland

Since it is so close to St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd explore an Irish sim, in particular the West of Ireland sim. I don't know what I was expecting. Perhaps some thatched cottages and green fields. The sim does have that, but it has a lot else. Of course, there's shops and a pub, a very popular one called Nancy Blakes.When I visited, they were celebrating Mardis gras, so I can just imagine what it will look like for St. Patrick's Day.

Art Gallery, West of Ireland

West of Ireland also has some horses and stables in a pretty glen, an art gallery, and a surfing beach. The surfing beach has some huge waves, and there are shops selling surfboards and other beach gear on the boardwalk. I also noticed a skydiving platform and, in the village, a free tarot parlor, both of which I intend to try when I visit again.

Village Tarot Parlor

A notecard I picked up on the sim gave some very interesting background: "The West of Ireland promotes Irish and Celtic culture within Second Life, while raising funds for Project Children and providing an entertaining environment for guests. These estates are owned by the South Texas Celtic Music Association and are collectively a recognised 501(c)3 nonprofit organisation with both the US government and Linden Labs. Project Children was started in 1975 as a way to bring Catholic and Protestant children from Northern Ireland together. At the time the organization was founded, Northern Ireland was strewn with political strife and violence . . . At the West of Ireland, we host concerts, DJ dances, theme parties, and other events as a means of raising donations for Project Children."

Garden Maze

One other surprise I found at West of Ireland was a garden maze. There's a lm-giver by the art gallery to the maze, but you need to be farther from the maze to use it. The maze itself is quite lovely and, although I haven't tried it, I imagine it's tricky, too.

Also, for your information, the West of Ireland's library moved from this sim to Info Island and is now the Seanchai Library offering the same quality programs and storytelling as they have in the past.

Slurl to West of Ireland: http://slurl.com/secondlife/West%20of%20Ireland/15/69/22

Originally posted in "Eye of the Grind" blog

My Rockin Rez Day

I just turned 4 in Second Life yesterday, and I celebrated with some friends. We went to a bowling alley and then to a fifties-themed sim. We all dressed up in 50's clothes. It was a real blast.

Chelsea's Bowling Alley and Diner

The Chelsea's diner and bowling alley is on the Butterfly Kisses sim. Besides bowling, there are several other things to do both indoors and outdoors including a movie theater and mini golf course. The building that houses the bowling alley also has an arcade room and diner. The bowling alley has 3 lanes, and 4 people can be on a team. It's a little tricky to learn how to maneauver the ball in mouselook, but my friends seemed to catch on pretty quickly. I still need to practice, but I'd definitely recommend it as a fun night out.

Celebrating my Rerz Day with Friends at Runaround Sue's

Runaround Sue's is a great 50's themed sim with a full calendar of DJ music playing terrific oldies. The dance floor itself has some incredible dances from the twist to line dancing to just great Rock and Roll moves. There is even dancing inside the ice cream shop/diner that also sells some fifties clothes and hair. The rest of the sim is quite attractive with a lighthouse, lover's lane, and shops selling a variety of 50's items -- all with a laid-back summer feel. Posters of popular fifties personalities decorate the main walkway. It's the kind of place that's fun to visit anytime and is especially fun to go to with friends.

I enjoyed my rockin rez day and hope to go back to both places again.

Originally posted in "Rainbow Notes" blog

Antiquity, Texas

View across the water at the Landy of Antiquity Texas

Maybe I'm in a cowgirl mood because I recently purchased two Amaretto horses, but I think anyone would enjoy visiting Antiquity Texas, an 1800's role playing sim in the Antiquity Community of Victorian Sims. The sim itself is beautiful from the lovely landscaping to the detailed architecture. You can see the Alamo, the Governor's Mansion, San Jacinto Plaza, Texas Capitol, and many other historical places.

When you land at the landing in Antiquity Texas, you will be on the docks. Maps and several tours begin here. You can tour by foot, horse-drawn carriage, hot air balloon, or bicycle.

Visitors can tour by foot, air, on a bicycle, or in a horse-drawn carriage

Of course, there is also a shop, Los Texanos Beaux Arts, home to the designs of Jacon Cortes, co-owner of the Antiquity, Texas sim. Jewelry and other items are on display in an ornate building, an attraction in itself. There is also shopping on the first floor of the Capitol.

Los Texanos Beaux Arts shop

The Alamo at Antiquity, Texas

It is recommended that visitors wear Victorian, Western, or period dress, and it certainly adds to the fun. Also, look for freebies at the landing point The Texas Library Association, though the Community Virtual Library, is offering a tour on Sunday, March 6 from 2 - 4 pm SLT. The will include a viewing of the Virtual Texas exhibit that will remain on display up through April on Info Island. For more information about the tour, contact Valibrarian Gregg.

Slurl to Virtual Texas Exhibit: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20Island/61/94/23
Slurl to Antiquity, Texas: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Texas/153/38/22

Originally posted in "Eye of the Grind" blog

Runaround Sue's Sock Hop

I know many of you, including myself, were not around in the 50's, but some of us remember watching Henry Winkler as the Fonz on Happy Days and/or seeing John Travolta and Olivia Newton John in Grease. In Second Life, you can go to a place that recreates that rockin' era when you visit Runaround Sue's Sock Hop.

Rurnaround Sue's dance floor is always jumpin

Rurnaround Sue has a full calendar of events

The checkerboard dance floor at Runaround Sue's always seems to be jumping with guys and gals in 50's clothes and Elvis and other rock n' roll tunes playing. There is a full calendar displayed that lists events, too, and photos of famous people from that era line the walks.

Lots of familiar 50's faces line the walks of Runaround Sue's

But the sim is not only for dancing. It is home to a Jetdolls shop and other stores selling all types of 50's accessories, memorabilia, and clothing. There are also several ladies and men's hairstyles that you can don (or try the free demos first).

Elsewhere on Ruanaround Sue's is a 7 Seas Fishing area, a beautiful lighthouse, and a lover's lane. There are restful benchs to sit on, and the small town atmosphere makes for a pleasant outing any time of day to get you in that summer mood.

Runaround Sue's is a fun place to get in that summer mood

Slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Five%20Sisters/54/154/22

Originally posted in "Eye on the Grind" blog

Celestial Game Tower

Teleport map board to game areas

We all know that avatars just want to have fun, but what some of you may not know is there is a place in SL where you can go to play all types of fun games and even buy some for yourself. What's even nicer is that there are a few freebie games available there, too. What a neat idea. Just teleport over to the Celestial Game Tower with a few friends or by yourself and try your hand at card games, arcade games, games of skill, sports and action games, mind games, etc. The place is huge but easy to navigate by way of a teleport map and a helpful bot, and you can either buy the games there, tp to the vendor, or just enjoy some free play (although leaving a tip might be a nice idea).

I discovered the Celestial Game Tower when I was trying to select items for a game room my friends and I were creating in our new treehouse. I was looking on the Marketplace and came across a free game that was available from the Celestial Game Tower. The listing said more free games were available at their location. When I teleported over, I was amazed at the number and variety of games that were offered, some I'd never heard about, but others that were common in real life with maybe a few different spins to them.

Slurl: http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://slurl.com/secondlife/Choerom/115/52/146

Originally posted in "Eye on the Grind" blog

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Kaaos Effect

Dulcie wearing her HUD and armband
about to embark on her time-travel adventure

Although up until now I've focused on places you can visit with a few friends, sometimes you like to explore alone. For those times, an interactive time travel adventure like that offered by MadPea Productions might just fill the bill. The Kaaos Effect sounded interesting, so I TP'd there to find out what it was all about. Although I didn't have much time to spend initially, I got into the game rather quickly, donning the required armband and HUD.

Dulcie relaxing in the 1970's bedroom,
one stop on the Kaaos Effect

After wearing the HUD, I was transported to a 1970's bedroom where my task was to find four parts of an aerial TV antennae. I didn't quite get that far, but I tried to return when I had more time. It seems I was recognized on my return, but I could not continue the game, although I think you can.

Just to test things out, I went in as my alt, and I was sent forward in time to Seattle in 2050. I was in a very tight chamber and needed a key to open one of the vaults. Before I could locate any key or communicate my coordinatesto the home base which I was told I needed to do, I had to stop playing. But I will attempt this again because I'm interested to see what other times I will visit and how this game develops, and I'm sure I will figure out how to continue where I left off either in the past or the future.. Also, MadPea produces other games within SL and also a Virtual Medical Doctor simulation.

Slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/MadPea%20Base/84/209/34

Originally posted in "Eye on the Grind" blog