How Sculpts Learn To Fly

I'm really proud and happy writing this post now. Thanks to my submissive Emma, who recently learned sculpting, I am able to add a new level of realism to my planes. Of course I could bore you now with in-depth details about primlimitations and 3D-modeling in general but why wasting words when pictures can show you the obvious improvements on my planes so much better. Lets start with the Fokker Triplane:

Before: a rather primitve landing gear and a pretty basic looking engine cowl.

After: a nicely sculpted landing gear, struts and engine cowl add an amazing amount of realism to le petit rouge. The Red Baron would love it!

The Albatros D.Va also saw some major improvements. I am especially happy about the free prims I could use for modeling the engine:

Nice and shiny: the Albatros now finally has some realistic pistons and exhaust valves...

...as well as sculpted v-struts and landing gear with less prims but a more realistic look!

Of course the Sopwith Camel got a slight cosmetic update too:

Next to be updated will be the S.E.5a, the Safari Plane, the Vintage Biplane and the Stunt-Plane. As usual all planes are available at my Store on the SL Marketplace. Owner of an older version can receive a free update of course.

The Great And Seedy Zindra Bike Tour - Part 1

Time for something new. After my extensive bike tours across Heterocera, Sansara, Satori and Nautilus I decided that my next journey should lead me through the not-so-innocent parts of SL. Or to be precise: The adult continent Zindra.

As usually I start my journeys at nicely remote spots like dead ends. There always lies some symbolism in them: No turning back, a long, open road before you... who knows where your path will lead you and what you will encounter there?

Also I'm glad that my Mistress did accompany me on the first stage of my journey. Sadly I couldn't find a rezz-zone for biking. But we were able to improvise a relaxing way of travelling for her. Miss Vic seems to have liked the idea of getting some pull-around-service, even if I'm a Drow and not a pony as Miss is used to ;-)

The Mistress and her Drow. Start of my tour at the southwestern corner of Zindra.

A... snail-house? Besides that I noticed with delight a certain degree of steampunkiness ;-)

Lots of.. art... inside of the snail-house.

Just around the corner: The legendary Melissa's Cage Room. One of Miss Vic's favorite spots in SL. As the name indicates, MCR offers lots of cages, cells and confinement.

If there were ever doubts about how a cageroom might look like: its full of cages!

Todays journey: not too far but with good photo opportunities already.

My Second Life Bike Tour the 3rd - Part 35

Back to biking! After a lengthly break - my last biking-entry was in July - I began to feel this call again... the call of the endless road. Well, actually steering a pony-cart on my old biking routes did wake so many nice memories in me that I just had to come back. Another reason for me was the discovery of a nice steampunk bike by Darkfold Designs - I just had to get this one:

Annelie - A dramatic shot for introducing my new bike.

Its really a beauty. Scriptwise not as sophisticated as my choppers (no Hud, no shifiting, not even lights to switch on) but way ahead in terms of looks. Speaking of looks: As great this setting does look like, a few meters further I noticed I was driving into the wrong direction. *cough* Too bad... the light(e)ning looked so great from this side.

After I finally found the right direction my continued journey on the Circuit la Corse led me through quite some interesting locations.  Buildingwise it's certainly not the most boring part of SL:

Second Life's contrasts: urban chaos meets organized tidiness.

Aqua3 - Second Life is so full of common buildings, isn't it?

Fishers Rest - Well, its part of the "Circuit la Corse": Of course I drive there!

Fishers Rest - A certain steampunkish influence is hard to miss.

Venistrate - Martians again???

Toothsum - With bandshirt and badge I feel somehow like a Highway Star!!!

Timescape - You couldn't be more wrong if you think terraforming in SL is done with a simple mouse-click.

I even found the mysterious Chasm City - which purpose remains a secret to me but its spectacular architectural style really knows how to entrance:

Chasm Deep - Terminator playing a harp?

Chasm Deep - vrooooom!

Chasm City in its full dark glory - or is it my sky-setting?

Chasm Deep - some flying electric harps in that tank there - dont ask me why...

Not far from Chasm City lies a nice store. I don't really remember what they sell but the building itself looks pretty cool already ;-)

Majipoor - police control - time to get out my bow...

Today's route brought me quite a bit back towards the west. The Circuit la Corse is a very pleasant route I really can recommend.

Air Assault!

What happens if you have a rather uneventful evening at a hunting-sim but a bunch of wonderfully maliciously and creative people around? You simply make something up! In the best case this "something" leads into a nicely amount of chaos and desolation as it happened these days in shady realms of Twilight Forest.

Fully armed and dangerous: Our proud Zeppelin!

The forest saw its first air assault!

Isn't it a lovely view? Fully armed with 6 hot-shot-hunters (and several victims hanging from leashes below us) this wonderful little Zeppelin did rule the skies over Twilight Forest. Of course it was a piece of perfect team work: Our Mistress - Miss Vic - in command was designating the targets, me - as her "admiral" did the tactical navigation and Emma did steer the ship skilfully and with great calamity.

Emma Sunshine: A lovely sub and dedicated airship pilot. (Snapshot taken by Martine Lightfellow - Thanks for sharing!)

Yes, I admit the use of vehicles (and especially huge flying ones) is violating every combat-rule you can think of. But no-one got hurt (at least not too much) and a healthy amount of insane fun prevents you from taking things too seriously. And before you ask: Of course we don't play Gor - and we are proud of that!

Anyway: The outcome of our adventure was pretty pleasing and surely wont be the last mission our Zeppelin will do. We stirred a way too quiet sim nicely up and as our prey began to launch their own air-fleet (consisting of a bondage blimp and a flying carpet) even a nice aerial battle broke out. Let's see where it will show up next time... perhaps above your head?

Thanks Emma for getting this piece of real Mad Drow Science! ;-)

From Prison to Art-Gallery ...And More

Seems my coverage about the RR-Prison left an impression. Lady Karenjane Walworth, prison-warden and owner of the Walworth Estate has opened an exhibition featuring my prison-pictures - wow!!!

As you might see I had no idea when I took that picture that will make it being an advertisement for an exhibition!

The Gallery is located at the promenade and is easily to reach using the Teleporter Platform at the Entrance.

Not part of the prison exhibition but also very nice. Some sensual paintings from Lady Walworth's private collection.

While being there Lady Walworth also showed me her latest addition to her place. A Feminization station. And yes: it does exactly what its name implies. Time to put my Mad-Scientist-Labcoat on and have a look! ;-)

Lady Walworth put lots of efforts in to provide her patients with some nice free clothes for their "new Second Life" ;-)

A well worked out step-by step procedure. Of course the stains on my coat are not from here...

Recommended by Dr. Some: a cute and capable colleague.

So if you know somebody who is interested in changing his gender or you want to experience it by yourself feel free to contact Lady Walworth and have a look at her clinic!

The Looking Glass by Marcus Inkpen

One of the artists in SL who touch me most with their beautiful strange visions is Marcus Inkpen (aka Matthew Root in the analogue world). Perhaps you are familiar with his "No Sound" installation at Utopia04, a wonderful picturesque city-tower I have discovered in summer 2010. Too bad it is gone now but his current project The Looking Glass is at least as enchanting.

One of the first impressions the visitor gets: the view from the main street up to the museum.

The Theater: a classy background for a classy Drow.

Big plus: Shops which actually look like shops!

 Besides houses and landscaping- accessoir you can also find sone very good looking outfits there.

Outside of the picturesque town many wonders are waiting for the curious visitor. Best you just stroll around a bit and let the atmosphere charm you.
I took the path to the museum first before going cross country:

Outside the museum: Even a broken clock shows you the correct time twice a day!

From surreal to sexy - selected Paintings.

The bridge leading away from the museum is a reminiscence to Mark's "No Sound" project. It suits in well to the overall composition, doesn't it?

I'm sure I haven't discovered all sights which are waiting at The Looking Glass. Its a place where you really can spend hours there without getting bored. Check it out!