Penny Arcade's Tycho Explores SL - Where Should He Go?

As it turns out, the reason why Penny Arcade devoted a strip to Second Life's sign-up process is because co-author Tycho Brahe is exploring SL. (Hat tip: Adeon.) Tycho decided to finally try SL after watching Life 2.0, the acclaimed documentary, which puts a lot of focus on virtual sex in Second Life, so it's not surprising the avatar selection process made Tycho think zeppelin fetish. For many reasons, it's not immediately clear to gamers like him that much of SL actually has a lot of affinity with the modding communities that have sprung up around Garry's Mod and other 3D platforms. But rather than complain about his balloon sex bon mot (which was actually pretty funny) why not suggest to Tycho where he should go to see SL at its best as a gaming platform? Three points there:

• It should be a SLurl link that drops him somewhere that'd be immediately impressive to a hardcore gamer -- as breathtaking as a Deus Ex: Human Revolution cityscape or a Skyrim hold.
• The location should not require adding game attachments and HUDs before it becomes interesting. (Seriously, while a lot SL games are great, a new user can't be expected to go through the time-consuming, user-unfriendly installation task most of them still require.)
• It should have a lot of mesh-based content -- preferably, all mesh.

My personal recommendation to Tychu might be Hangars Liquides, the Cyberpunk City (pictured above) which just opened up for roleplay. [Click here for SLurl teleport] Another candidate would be a mesh-enabled sandbox where gamers regularly hang out. Post your own recommendations in Comments with a short description and/or links to YouTube machinima or screenshots of the place. And hope that Tycho takes the time to teleport there.

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Comments

[Cake]

Pixel Bean! If you want to talk to a bunch of people who don't look like they just stepped out of a crazy CSI stereotyped episode, go there and say hi to everyone. They're nice and the cafe is very cozy.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dunmore%20Bay/206/57/2802

Also, Juicy Cafe is a nice looking place that.. okay maybe Tycho won't like? But his female friends will!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/JuicyBomb/96/88/26

Also don't forget the Cupcake sim, which is built by Parisians and has that genuine feel.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cupcake/110/92/31

[Vanessa]

1. Claudia Jewell's exhibit at Art Screamers http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/102/99/164

2. Anything by Bryn Oh, start with Immersiva http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/102/99/164

3. China sim http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/China/141/124/1250

4. Deshima http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Deshima/120/128/3276

5. Anything from Mad Pea

6. Rustica http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rustica/128/128/2

7. Pteron http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/pteron/218/129/38

8. World's End Garden http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dernier%20Lamento/139/162/22

9. Omega Point http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Omega%20Point/7/128/101

10. Stray Pig just for fun, and also the ground levels http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Omega%20Point/7/128/101

A lot of these are just spectacular builds, but all have exploration value and well worth a visit

[Vanessa]

grr, that last URL for Stray Pig should have been http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/sick/182/130/1301

[Hamlet Au]

Oooh, please add links to screenshots or machinima of these places where available, that would be a big help. (Just updated the post to refer to those as well.)

[Dark Eden]

City of Lost Angels! If he can handle it.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lost%20Angels/128/128/0/?title=City%20of%20Lost%20Angels

[Douglas Story]

I immodestly suggest one of the immersive art projects that I did with my partner in crime Desdemona. With video rolling over 1000 prims, it's impressive and a pretty safe bet that he's never seen anything like it. Here's the slurl:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/NMC%20Campus%20West/91/86/501

A web site with video is here:

http://slstormeye.blogspot.com/

[Beyond Aeon]

How about "Olds Airforce Base" Mesh tanks and Jets. combat with a modern warfare feel to it.

[Cake]

Pictures!

Pixel Bean: http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlowheslop/6884770741/
Pixel Bean SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dunmore%20Bay/206/57/2802

Juicy Cafe: http://www.flickr.com/photos/virtualevangelical/6978527829
Juicy Cafe SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/JuicyBomb/96/88/26

Paris/Cupcake sim: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30307659@N05/5802775935/in/pool-1025278@N22/
Paris/Cupcake SLurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cupcake/110/92/31

Also, visit Tableau! They have a cool dino park there: http://www.flickr.com/photos/polyesterpartridge/6837764509
Tableau SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tableau/201/119/22

[Indigo Mertel]

Well, when Tycho is ready to take a break after all that shooting he should pay a visit to Honour McMillan's blog ( http://honourmcmillan.wordpress.com )and take a look at the beautiful pictures there. Then, pick a few places and enjoy the beauty.

[Hamlet Au]

"How about 'Olds Airforce Base' Mesh tanks and Jets"

Sounds good, and gamer-friendly -- SLurl?

[Ann Otoole InSL]

just avoid secondlife marketplace for now. it ain't pretty.

[Melissa Yeuxdoux]

You might want to suggest Penny Patton's adjustment of camera position (http://modemworld.wordpress.com/tutorials/camera-offsets-penny-patton/ describes how to do it). It makes a big difference in immersion, and would give a gamer the POV he/she is used to.

[Ezra]

Or if the subject matter in Life 2.0 attracted him, let him explore the subject matter in Life 2.0. There's no Deus Ex or Skyrim to find in Second Life.

[Eupalinos]

The Petrovsky Flux is probably the first place I would send someone in SL :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eupalinos/sets/72157625147204199/detail/

+ I listed some of my favorite places here (some were temporary or are now offline)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eupalinos/sets/72157628675312325/

I don't play "games" in SL but maybe this person could check the sim brought by the persons who made "Exodus viewer": http://www.arkcombat.com/

[shockwave yareach]

Alas, most of my favorite places are gone now. I can show him the empty holes where LL used to make money though...

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Southern%20Colorado/163/42/26

[Pussycat Catnap]

Someone with SLURLS on hand might know the locations for these...

But look for DCS2 combat zones, and some weapon shops.

There is still one big 'Avatar' sim out there.

Don't show 'em Gor... or we'll never hear the end of it.

Need to try and remember to check my list of landmarks tonight. Forgot to last night...

[NeoBokrug Elytis]

The Wastelands meets all four points in your post.

· It's 13 regions big, and doesn't look bad anywhere.

· Gaming and RP in our estate isn't mandatory, and 100% optional.

· There's a lot of things being built in mesh, and most of the infrastructure in the Cape of Ruin is in mesh

· I try to keep an updated youtube playlist of all the Wastelands videos I encounter: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL08056142D7941203&feature=mh_lolz

[Vooper Werribee]

Splintered Rock
SL Destination Guide: http://secondlife.com/destination/splintered-rock
SLurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Splintered%20Rock/55/4/55
Sci Fi goodness that looks a lot like Dune :)

[NeoBokrug Elytis]

Forgot the SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Wastelands/105/146/75

[Hamlet Au]

NeoBokrug, Wastelands is a great suggestion -- what's the latest and best YouTube depicting it?

[Beyond Aeon]

Now that I am not at work here is the SLURL

Olds AFB, Undine State
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Undine%20State/16/217/23

[NeoBokrug Elytis]

Well, the latest video is the one I made to showcase the new region we got in October, the Cape of Ruin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBX3F9UpkQg
That really doesn't reflect the Wastelands well, because it's leaving out important elements such as the games and RP. But it sure is pretty.

You showcased Somewhere That's Green before, and I find it kind of cute in it's own right: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40fVFdXaSHo

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2O4WCE_Oc8) is two years old, but showcases some of the combat.

I think I need to make some time to film some machinima this weekend -- everything is pretty dated!

[Seven Overdrive]

I agree with Ezra. If he is coming into SL expecting Skyrim quality, then he will most likely be disappointed. I hope he doesn't bring any expectations with him.