Play With Vidal: "The Avarian Expedition"

Vidal Tripsa plays some of Second Life's most promising games

Title of Game: The Avarian Expedition
Released: August 2008
Rating: **** (out of 5)
Genre: RPG
Summary: Hunt for treasures, gather resources and craft or trade precious items in the world of Avaria.
Price to Play: L$30 for the basic toolkit
Estimated Play Time: N/A
No. of Players: 300 (approx.)
Where to Play: Avaria Tor (direct SLURL teleport)
Developers: Flea Bussy, Barney Boomslang, Heiko Decatur & Piper Zuhal
Web Resources: Grendel's Children (general site)

Grendel's Children has long been known as a go-to destination for finely-crafted, bargain-priced avatar creations, and it sees a heavy following from role-play communities too. The small continent of Avaria recently took on a bold new project, and it's known as The Avarian Expedition. With it comes a cause for much scavenging and trading on Avaria's plains, as I soon found out, pickaxe and scythe in hand.

The expedition starts out on Grendel's shop floor. For the bogglingly low price of L$30, new adventurers may lay claim to their tools and heads-up displays (HUDs) and begin on a quest for natural resources. By scouting the landscape below and making use of a wonderfully simple HUD, players are led to a multitude of bounteous spots from which to gather treasure, materials and even pets.

The HUD goes hand-in-hand with your tools and, in a sly if realistic twist, only one may be used at a time. Find a likely spot to dig or rummage, use the "search" action and you begin what is effectively a game of "hot and cold". Once your radar moves from green to orange and yellow, you can begin to excavate, as this brief video shows:

I found that to be a refreshingly simple way to go about the act of scavenging, but of course there is more to this adventure than sucking Avaria dry! Any adventurer wishing to benefit from their time in these lands must pay visit to the kobolds - colourful little cliff-dwellers whose town doubles as a common meeting place, for draconic and humanoid fellows. Though they're not so talkative, the kobolds have provided a forum for the trading and crafting of goods borne of Avaria's soil. They also provide a variety of workshop tables which, when supplied with the right materials, can be used to craft a variety of charming accessories. My own modest supply of grasses were turned into a cute shoulder bag, below.

My personal impression may be quite different to that of a seasoned visitor, but for those who may only have visited Grendel's Children a few times, or indeed neer before, the Avarian Expedition will show you a side to this land which may otherwise have gine unnoticed. As I went about my business, hacking and digging in the bush, I would occassionally find myself under the wings of a graceful dragon in flight. As I ventured to the kobold settlement to see about my crafting, I could walk amongst fellow adventurers who make their social circles in the shadows of the dragon roosts here. The expedition casts new light upon Avaria, and perhaps even makes new players like me feel a part of its fabric.

Vidal is the Extropian author of Vidal's Dolly Realm, and is keen to explore games out on the Second Life Grid. If you have a suggested game for her, please send an SLURL and brief outline of the game to [email protected].

Comments

[Timeless Prototype]

Awesome. :)

[Ken March]

I took visit, it's great!

[Caliburn Susanto]

Flea Bussy and her gang are among the greatest assets to Second Life residents. A never-ending supply of entertainment and adventure and fantastic art are to be had from Avaria and Grendel's Children.

[HeadBurro Antfarm]

Well I'm going as soon as possible - this look great fun!

I only have limited experience of the lands below Gredle's Children, but when a fellow horn 'n' hoofed one showed me around, I loved it!

http://headburroantfarm.wordpress.com/2008/05/03/sl-peeps-nica-pennell/