An Old Fashioned Halloween in Second Life

 

We're all of us haunted and haunting.

Chuck Palahniuk

 

          The seasons change around us.

          That time of the year when foliage begins to change color and then fall to the ground, when there is a crispness in the air, and when days shorten is upon us.

          Traditions are part of these seasonal changes.

          In Real Life (RL), the harvest theme is commonplace. 

          (OK, I know most of you have never even seen a farm but stay with the romance of the idea, will you please!  Sheesh, everyone’s a critic these days!)

          Shadows draw closer and the approach of winter is felt.

          Halloween is in the air! 

          As in RL, Second Life (SL) has its own traditions at this time of the year!

          One of the biggest and most well known is the annual Mieville Halloween festival! 

          This year’s is called An Old-Fashioned Halloween and brings back many of the old Halloween traditions (including dunking for apples!)

          One of the few perqs of my job as SL’s least appreciated blogger (Except for you my three loyal followers!) is that I get a sneak peek at all the wonderful Mieville events from my good friend, Perryn Peterson, Mayor of Mieville and impresario par excellance.

          (Significant Other suggests that I might be better appreciated if I quit using foreign words when I blog.)

          I meet Perryn at the haunted house which is the landing zone for this year’s festivities.    

          (The haunted house is amazing and was put together by Brian Landar.  It’s worth a

visit all by itself.) 

          As we begin our stroll around the grounds, Perryn explains to me that the emphasis is to not repeat attractions from previous years but to have new and fresh thrills for the visitors. 

          And, there is no shortage of new and fresh thrills for those seeking to be frightened!

          The Fun House is new. 

          (But, the smashing pumpkin patch is back!  Some traditions are sacred!)

          A dead pirates’ ship with a full crew of skeletons awaits those who dare.

          (Don’t blame me if they make you walk the plank.  You’ve been warned!)

          (Significant Other’s eyes roll here.)

          The ballroom is inside a large, and I mean large, pumpkin and a giant spider is the

dance ball. 

          (Significant Other leaves the room at this point.)

          The gachas are housed in an impressive new building. 

          There is a Great Pumpkin which leaves goodies! 

          Look for it!

          (Yes, this is a tease!  I won’t tell you where it is!)

          The merchants’ wagons have been done over by Nana Saenz and Pierre Ceriano (who are husband and wife in RL) and add color and seasonal charm. 

          And, don’t forget to the haunted, great treehouse by Marcel Ghostraven.  (No relation!) 

          Perryn does a wonderful job of redoing Halloween every year inworld.

         

The concepts are original and not static like some holiday sims are.

          He avoids the “bloody/gory stuff” as he puts it but does allow a few scenes.

          (Maybe it’s my misspent youth watching too many horror films and reading too many pulp novels but I don’t think the scenes are that bad.)

          Punkerella Summers' wonderful build-your-own jack-o-lantern pumpkin patch is back and is another nod to those Mieville traditions which are so popular. 

          The merchants’ cottages have also been redone by Nana and Pierre and are a new style entirely which befits the holiday.         

          There will be a mini-hunt in the form of trick-or-treating which will start midway through the festival. 

          The merchants have once again outdone themselves with their gifts for hunters Perryn tells me.

          In case anyone is worried, the highly creative freebies of Aley Resident/Acadia Asylum will still be offered as arranged by Briony Juran! 

          I heartily recommend this year’s Mieville Halloween festival to all!

          Come to be scared and to enjoy yourselves!

          The festival runs from October 3^rd to October 31^st and can be located here.

          Tell ‘em web sent you! 

          More pictures from my visit to the festival can be located on this Flickr page.

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!

 

 

All Hallows’ Eve in Second Life

 

                 Witch and ghost make merry on this last of dear October’s days.

Anonymous

  

          Leaves are turning color and falling from the trees in both Second Life (SL) and Real Life (RL).

          The days are getting noticeably shorter and there’s a crispness in the air that wasn’t there last week.

          Yes, autumn has arrived!

          With its arrival comes the unofficial start of end-of-year Holiday season – Halloween! 

          I know, I know.  Halloween isn’t for another month!  (Significant Other sighs resignedly.  Significant Other has never gotten used to how I play fast and loose with the calendar.)  Last Halloween seems like only yesterday.

          My good SL friend and Mayor of Mieville, Perryn Peterson has reached out and informed me that the Mieville Halloween Village is ready for a tour.

          While we both realize it’s early (I don’t know about Perry but I haven’t even bought candy for the trick or treaters yet.) we decide to start the publicity campaign now to give everyone plenty of time to come and see the spectacle that Perryn and his team have prepared for everyone.

          We meet at the Village to begin our tour. 

          When I first see Perryn, I assume he’s getting into the swing of things early by wearing his lederhosen and cap.  (Nice legs BTW!)  But as it turns out, he’s doing double duty as the Biermeister at the Mieville Oktoberfest this evening.  (I guess things aren’t all that easy when you’re the Mayor.)

          Perryn begins by explaining to me that there are six themed areas in the Halloween Village.

          The first is the Pumpkin Patch and that’s where we’re standing.  There are a lot of pumpkins and let’s just say that orange is the predominant color.

          Here, visitors can either smash pumpkins or carve their own jack o’lanterns.  Not to worry about getting carried away, they grow back almost immediately.

          Moving along, we come to the next area, Witches’ Woods.  Leaves fall around us adding to the autumn mood.

          Guess what the theme is here?

          Yep, you guessed it.  Witches!  (Significant Other accuses me of sometimes pandering to my audience.)  There are enough cauldrons and witches about to satisfy even Hansel and Gretel.

          Up next is Skellytown.  (We’re playing to a lot of stereotypes here I know but it’s all done with the best possible taste in the most macabre way possible.)

          As we walk through these theme areas, I notice the shops and wagons of the participating merchants.  Their merchandise is appropriate for Halloween and is of the highest quality.  Many will be offering free gifts to visitors.  Perryn works continually to have the best designers and creators at his events.

          Our fourth stop is Vampyreville.  None of our fanged friends are about when we arrive but there is an imposing castle which would make the Old Impaler himself proud.    Perryn points out that the Halloween dances will be taking place on its rooftop.

          The Village amusement park with rides is located in Vampyreville.  One ride, a pumpkin coach reminded of a childhood ride that I once too.  (Contrary to rumors started by my mother and which Significant Other continues to spread, I did have a childhood.)

          Next up is Ghostly Gulch where graveyards and ghosts reside.  A few of the latter have even set up a small barber shop quartet.  Be careful around some of the graves because they have a nasty habit of reaching up and grabbing the unsuspecting.  (Perryn finds this very amusing.)

          Here is also the memorial to The Master.  The grave of Edgar Allan Poe lies to one side for those of us who reread regularly his works to drop by and remember him.

          Finally, Perryn and I reach the last themed area, Spyder Steppes. 

          Climbing the creaking old steps (Perryn has a thing for word play and puns I’ve learned over the years.) and brushing aside cobwebs we arrive at the top of a steep hill.

          Here, as Perryn puts it himself, he has saved the best for last.

          And, indeed he has!

          For here, all free, is a treasure trove of mad scientist gear from the master herself, Aley Resident (AKA Acadia Asylum).  I strongly recommend everyone who visits Mieville Halloween Village to at least stop here.  Even if you’re not a collector, you must stop by to see some of the most ingenious contraptions inworld. 

          My tour with Perryn is over and he has to return to his biermeister duties and I have another interview to get along to.  (I’m realizing that we’re both busy guys!)  So, I thank him as we make our farewells and then rezz off into the Unknown.

          All my impressions of the Mieville Halloween Village are favorable.  After this whirlwind tour and my return trip to take pictures for this story, I’m impressed by both the scope of the sim and its detail.

          Mieville festivals seem to be getting bigger and better.  The Tolkien Festival earlier this year is another good example. 

          In lieu of the traditional Hunt with the event, there will be trick or treat doors with select merchants.  Knock on the door at the appropriate time and you’ll receive a gift as a treat from the merchant.  Knock at the wrong time and as a trick you may be teleported home!  Wyvern Dryke

          This particular sleight of hand is the handiwork of Wyvern Dryke. Wyvvy is one of the team’s most creative scripters.

          This sim has lots of scares and fun but avoids the blood ‘n gore of others.  (Significant Other informs me this one is preferred to some others I’ve visited in the past.)

          The Village opens on October 18^th and runs until Halloween.  Maybe I’ll see you there!

          I strongly recommend the Mieville Halloween Village to all who want a little fun inworld during this time of the year.     

          Happy Halloween!  

          I would like to thank Perryn for his time and hospitality while meeting with me for this interview.        

          As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.   

          I’ve included some pictures from my meeting with Arkad in his private offices inworld.

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and safe fires!

 

 

 

Photo No. 1 Landing Zone

Photo No. 2 Pumpkin Patch

Photo No. 3 Make Your Own Jack O’Lantern

Photo No. 4 Scarecrow

Photo No. 5 Merchant’s Shop I

Photo No. 6 Witches’ Woods Entrance

Photo No. 7 Witch’s Den

Photo No. 8 Skellytown Entrance

Photo No. 9 Merchant Shop II

Photo No. 10 Vampyreville Entrance

Photo No. 11 Amusement Park

Photo No. 12 Ghostly Gulch Entrance

Photo No. 13 Graveyard

Photo No. 14 The Master’s Grave

Photo No. 15 Spyder Steppes Entrance

Photo No. 16 Mad Scientist Treasure Trove

Photo No. 17 Castle

Photo No. 18 Aerial View

 

 

Christkindlmarkt in Second Life

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

Clement Clarke Moore

 

          After blogging about Holidays in Second Life (SL), I seem to be on something of a roll because immediately after that I wrote about my visit to the Utopia Naked Isle Resort Winter Wonderland and now I’m blogging about Perryn Peterson’s latest Christmas spectacular. 

          Perryn is bringing Christkindlmarkt to SL for the month of December! 

A Christkindlmarkt is a German street market associated with the celebration of Christmas. Generally held in the town square and any adjacent pedestrian zones, the market sells food, drink, and seasonal items from open-air stalls.  Traditional singing and dancing are customary entertainments.

          Last year, Perryn put on A Christmas Carol which was a very realistic recreation inworld of that classic Christmas tale.  (OK, I’m biased, I like both Dickens and A Christmas Carol.)

          Perryn’s been mentioning this event for a while and I was finally able to schedule a visit with him to receive a tour of the sim. 

          I arrive at the landing zone and meet Perryn who has somehow managed to turn a couple of dreidels into a pair of earrings.  Apparently, the Mieville Weekly Theme dance is going to be more interesting than usual this week.

          Upon arriving, I’m first struck by all the lights.  It reminds me of European cities that go all out for Christmas.  Perryn tells me that light is indeed the theme for this year’s Holiday festivities. 

          Realistic light is not easy to create in SL.  (OK, at least for me it isn’t.  But, then I have trouble with matches in Real Life (RL).)  To do it on this scale takes skill.  As Perryn and I stroll through the streets and alleys of Christkindlmarkt, I notice that they are dominated by a large backdrop of a RL one.  Perryn explains that it is the actual Christkindlmarkt from Frankfurt in 2010.  The blending of the RL pictures with the SL prims and lighting effects is artistically and seamlessly done. The effects of depth and distance are very lifelike.  The sim could be seen for this technical wizardry alone.

          But, if someone were to do that then they would miss the shops, booths, and carts of over seventy-five merchants and all their merchandise.  What’s available extends from Christmas themed treats and some tricks (Like the dancing red Santa skulls) to a large variety of artwork, clothing, household goods, and a lot more. Perryn adds that there are over a “kajilion” freebies for visitors.

          Of course, Christmas is not just a commercial venture for Perryn.  He is one of the few remaining ones who remembers the traditions and joys of Christmases past. (I am another one.  Although, Significant Other says that I’m just old fashioned.) 

          For instance, there is the large ice skating rink with free skates available.  In front of Santa’s throne room (where there are gifts galore), a Christmas themed toy train that can be ridden slowly circles.  This particular piece of work was done by Wyvern Dryke, one of the creative souls who work with Perryn on his projects. 

          Further along the way, Santa’s reindeer and in their pen waiting for the word to ride out on Christmas Eve.  (Although, there appear to be three Rudolphs and the elves looked a little miffed to me.) 

          Across the street from the reindeer is a very large cup of cocoa which makes for some hilarious group pictures when Perryn cajoled poor Lenny Kenyon into joining us.  (She may never speak to us again especially after the picture (see below) gets out.) 

          As usual, Perryn ensures that food and drink are in abundance.  In front of a large dining hall with a warm and inviting fireplace, a booth serves free, hot cocoa. 

          On the outside wall of the dining hall, a large Advent calendar hangs.  Unlike traditional Advent calendars that run up to Christmas, December 25^th, Perryn’s runs to December 31^st.  (OK, maybe he’s not such a traditionalist after all.)  Each day offers a new freebie to visitors. 

          Elsewhere, strollers can have free Christmas cards made.  (I hope inworld postage is cheaper than what it currently is in the US now.)  A Christmas tree farm lies at the corner of a large street leading away from Santa’s throne.  Ambient music is supplied by Rufus Gracemount of The Arcadian Minstrel. 

          Perryn hits the right balance with the Christmas decorations.  I find there is a right way and a wrong way like most things in life whether Real or Second.  The right way is an appropriate blend of light, color, and wonder.  Look at a child’s eyes and you’ll see what I mean.  The wrong way looks like a rundown department store one step away from bankruptcy.  Sadly, there have been too many of these in America of late. 

          But to happier matters, once again Perryn has attracted the best and the brightest of SL merchants to his extravaganza.  I can’t mention all of them or this would turn into the Yellow Pages.  I call out several but mean no slight to those not mentioned.  Saraid Dalglish returns with the Mad Hattery and its creative hats.  Sanna Jupiter, a RL neuroscientist, is presenting her wares.  Cyne Christenson displays his original artwork from Sunlight Studios. 

          And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the work of Arcadia Asylum, who has returned to SL as Aley Resident, is available and shouldn’t be missed. 

          Our tour comes to an end and I thank Perryn for his time and wish him Happy Holidays.  I watch him walk off down the street as I copy down my notes.  The man seems very happy in his work.  Wouldn’t you? 

          A tour through one of Perryn’s events always seems like a whirlwind and I feel that I never do justice to it all but I hope the little that I’ve described entices you to visit.  Even if you either don’t observe Christmas or are an Ebenezer Scrooge (The two are mutually exclusive, I’m not implying anything!), drop by and see very creative and original work and a little bit of the magic!

          Christkindlmarkt will be open until December 31^st and Santa Claus himself will be on hand sometimes when he can pull himself away from his North Pole workshop. 

I’ve included a few pictures from my tour around Christkindlmarkt.  But, please go and see the sim for yourselves and have a good time!  You’ll be glad you did.       

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.    

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

  

Photo No. 1  Lenny, Perryn, and Me

Photo No. 2  View from Landing Zone

Photo No. 3  Softlight Studios

Photo No. 4  Town Backdrop

Photo No. 5  Merchants Lane

Photo No. 6  Gingerbread Shops

Photo No. 7  Santa Skulls

Photo No. 8  Christmas Train

Photo No. 9  Ice Skating Rink

Photo No. 10 Santa’s Throne

Photo No. 11 Santa’s Reindeer

Photo No. 12 Hot Cocoa!

Photo No. 13 In from the Cold with Food and Drink

Photo No. 14 Advent Calendar with Daily Gifts

Photo No. 15 Another View of the Town

Photo No. 16 Carousel

Photo No. 17 Large Hot Chocolate Cup

Photo No. 18 Seasons Greetings!

Photo No. 19 Merchants’ Carts

Photo No. 20 Christmas Trees

Photo No. 21 Merchants’ Booths

Photo No. 22 The Mad Hattery