New World Slurl: Dune in Second Life

The spice must flow!  And hopefully, flow better than it has before.  I love the original Frank Herbert novel Dune, but neither the David Lynch adaptation nor the computer games nor the miniseries that were spawned from it have come close to being as good as the images the author put in my head.  Alidar Moxie and her group have recreated many of these in a sim of the same name, for a fan-driven roleplaying game inspired by the novels; I first spotted imagery from their mini-Arrakis they'd created on Torley Linden's Flickr stream, and it was so evocative, I had to see for myself. (Direct teleport to Dune at this link.)

Fremen Nareth Nishi, crysknife at the ready

Launched about a month ago, "We have approximately 50 players which started from a core group of about 6 others," Moxie tells me.  "We focus mostly on roleplay versus combat, though combat is allowed through the use of DCS."  (She's referring to Dark Combat System, one of two SL-based RPG game engines of choice.)  But they aren't just reenacting the novels, but extending them in a kind of interactive, collaborative extension of the franchise.  "'Apocalypse' is an appropriate name for our roleplay sim," the group's official site explains, "because our Dune starts where Frank Herbert's Dune ends ... except the end has been changed where we ask: what if things had gone badly? What if the hero Paul Maud'dib died? In fact, what if it all just melted down and CHOAM had to pick up the pieces?"  In other words, speculative fiction about speculative fiction.

Teleporting to the site puts you right in a Spacing Guild drop ship above Arrakis (a clever scale model enclosed in simulated space). From there, you can teleport to several locations on the surface.

As a literary roleplay environment, you can join one of the many factions described by the novel: the Bene Gesserit, the Harkonnen, the Fremen (of course), and so on.  Judging from my brief visit, the roleplay is intense, and painstakingly faithful to Herbert's Dune universe.  (While taking a screenshot of two Fremen, one of them introduced himself as an emissary from outside the tribe, so I assumed he was Dr. Liet-Kynes from the first novel.  He wasn't, he replied, and then they proceeded to cite chapter and verse far above my paygrade.) 

"There are many sources for Dune materials," the sim's introductory note helpfully explains, "and for questions arising about backgrounds, the sources considered having the greatest weight are called the 'Canon.' Generally the Books are the primary resources (after the 'official notecards'), followed by the mini-series, followed by the David Lynch movie. Other sources may be helpful but generally aren't considered authoritative."

Fremen Nareth and Jimmy Branagh summon a sandworm (Ghanie Lane created the detailed stillsuits)

One closing confession:  The impressive sandworm from the first screenshot is just a temporary, static structure.  For now, at least. "But check back in a month," Fremen Jimmy Branagh tells me.

Comments

[sean percival]

Very cool

Also, glowing blue eyes would look pretty amazing in SL.

[Lienna Jael]

The Dune series was among the first of my forays into serious science fiction, and among my favorites even now. I can't wait to see the sandworms in motion! What reader hasn't wished they could try it?

[Cyn Vandeverre]

I loved the first several Dune books, and everyone who likes Dune should also try to find a copy of the spoof "Doon: The Dessert Planet." Read it aloud with friends.

Thanks for mentioning the SL Dune -- I'll go visit it sometime!

[CronoCloud Creeggan]

Ya Hya Chouhada!

Arruckus, DOON, dessert planet! Schmai Gunug be willing, steak for dinner sometime soon.

[Torley]

I'm thrilled you did an article on this, Jamlet! I am of course a *tremendous* Dune fan; while my range is mostly limited to the earlier Frank Herbert canon, I did want to find out how Sandworms of Dune ended. I enjoyed visiting this Dune sim and the artistry put into it, and as related in my Flickr stream, I found some others, too. (Perhaps they could all combine and form a Dune enthusiast's rather "sandy" dream? ;) )

I do appreciate the "what if" path they've taken. However, I must mention that the spelling is "Muad'Dib".

/me looks forward to see a ride-able sandworm I can get atop of with a maker hook!