Mr. Dollinger's home is based in Yimmu, a mainland region, but it's been crafted to resemble a setting in Gor, the fantastic, Arab-tinged world of John Norman's novels that have inspired a passionate subculture in Second Life. (If a controversial one, for its emphasis on women role-playing as sex slaves.) "You're looking out from an Andalusian influenced villa that my girl, Sadiya, is building to the completed part of the land," he tells me. "Schendi in the books is a mix of Zanzibar and the Congo, and that's what I've tried to recreate in that little plot of land on a mainland residential sim." Most of Second Life's Goreans reside on their own continent. "One of the things that people don't really mention when they're talking about SL-Gor," says Darby, "is just how beautiful and exotic some of the sims are. One of my favorites is the Schendi, created by Varik Marat and NigeAkicita Oto, amongst others."
My strong sense is that Goreans interact less with the rest of Second Life's community, preferring their own company and culture. So I ask Darby Dollinger about the most common misunderstanding Residents have, about Goreans. "Probably that most don't take themselves as seriously as some might imagine," he answers. "Someone might not agree with a word of what John Norman says about sexuality and sexual roles and still love Gor. For a lot of people it's a huge creative outlet."
Details for submitting your own Tableau after the break.
Submitting to New World Tableau:
New World Tableau is an ongoing album featuring Residents who've turned SL screenshots into a new art form, vividly conveying emotions, stories, and entire cultures in a single image.
- If you come across a picture or image stream that deserves a place
here, please IM (Hamlet Au) or e-mail ([email protected]) me the link. Please e-mail me the image as a file link, or attached as an .jpeg or .gif, as long as it's under a meg in size.
- Submitting as an in-world texture not recommended, as they often come out distorted and not high res.
- Feel free to describe what the image says to you, or if you're the creator, what inspired you to make it.
- Whenever possible, name the
Residents pictured, and include a SLURL to the location (when appropriate.)
-
Moderately Photoshopped
images are OK, just mention if this is the case, and what effects were
added. (On rare occasions when the post-production adds a special
element, heavily Photoshopped images are also appropriate.)
-
If you submit an image to NWT, it's assumed I have permission to run
it, either as the owner, or because it's been appropriately CC
licensed. The original creator retains all their rights to it, in any
case.
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