One of the most respected artists in my short virtual career has been AM Radio. His sharing and wisdom has filtered down to all newbie builders and provided an example of real composition and artistry for us to learn from. He works as a media developer at IBM, and I was surprised how approachable he was and spoke with him at times on details of working with prims in this platform years ago on Second Life. Here are just some snapshots of The Far Away, licensed via Creative Commons. This set of builds for your opensim delight are available freely on the web. Shots taken with Firestorm OS for Mac and AM Radio’s Nostalgia Windlight sky settings.
May, 2013:
Quest: The Inhospitable Host
The Place: Rhodes Old Town.
The Time: 1307.
The Actor: YOU.
The Templar Knights have been declared enemies by the Pope.
The Order is under threat.
The treasure of the Templar is secreted away to hidden parts of the realm.
Recently arrived by sea from the East, you are charged with finding what’s left of the Order, and helping preserve the legacy of the Knights.
This place was once a refuge for recovery from the Crusades, now it is held by those loyal to France’s Prince Philip, who look for Templar renegades and their treasure. The treasure is real, the danger is ever-present, and the legacy of the Order is in your hands!
Start the new quest, “The Inhospitable Host”, at the Welcome area in Faith Island.
Gallery: Hangman’s Island, Boston Harbor
The starting point for the sailing region, Hangman’s Island is a bump of sand in Boston Harbor. The gibbet has not been seen there for 300 years. A chart of Boston Harbor (virtual) is located there for the beginning stages of a pirate treasure hunt! (Shh!)
In addition, small rideable sailing craft can be spotted circling the islands, their soft sails glowing in the sun. This minor traffic is in addition to the physical sailing and powerboats that are on hand for exploring the harbor!
A compass rose has been added to the charts so visitors can try their hand at converting magnetic to true North, using variation and landmarks to locate position as real navigators do.
Gallery: Gallops Island, Boston Harbor
Work has begun on Gallops Island, another part of the Kingdom of DeMolay sailing regions. This is the first revision since landforms have been added. To be added: More plants. Work continues on Lovells Island, to come!
Gallery: Fort Warren, Georges Island, Boston Harbor
The grid continues to grow, and with the addition of 100 new sims, the time has come for work to continue creating a replica of Boston Harbor in a virtual sailing experience. Script development continues, and as an early test powerboat physics are working wonderfully! The most Southerly island in our group is Georges Island, home to Fort Warren and part of the Boston Harbor National Recreation Area, one of the projects of the National Park Service, and a signature part of the Boston Light project, the Kingdom of DeMolay. Following is a few snapshots taken during the rebuilding of the fort.