The Upside Down of Stranger Things Recreated in Second Life for Halloween

Photo by Eve Kazan

If you're a fan* of Netflix's Stranger Things (and since you're reading New World Notes, good chance you are), you probably want to check out this breathtakingly detailed recreation**of the "Upside Down" from Syn Beresford for her group Elysion. It's on a sim called Last Rites, but you need to join Elysion to gain entry.

Veteran SLer Eve Kazan says it's worth the L$1000 group membership initiation fee: "I love the series, so I wanted to visit. It is a faithful representation... Very dark and cool."

It even comes with the series' famed cross-dimensional Christmas light communication system (above), and the ruins of the high school (below):

More pics in this Flickr group. More details on Syn Beresford's Flickr page here.

* I loved the first season but felt the second one kinda fell short, but that's just me.

** Hopefully the nice lawyers at Netflix are more chill about virtual world tributes to their show than they are about real life bars inspired by it. But of course they are... right?

Comments

[Riding]

With the amount of amazing and wonderful sims dedicated to the season, why would anyone in their right mind pay 1000L to join?

[Alex Pascal]

It seems to me that charging a fee to enter, aside from annoying fans of the show who aren't supportive of this kind of monetization, would potentially cause them to run afoul of Netflix's copyright.

[Kenz]

1000 is a lot to anyone for something like this. Is that worthy would come to my mind. What if it is so laggy? Lot of question marks?

[Zoey Mara]

there isn't a charge for this build. all of their sims/builds fall under one private group for its members to enjoy all the builds the group does and to attend the groups weekly themed events. If you aren't a member then you just don't have access to their private land...if you choose to become a member then you are given 100% access....it even said in the article "For her group" If you don't want to join the group to go to her builds then don't. Its up to you to decide how you wish to spend your money. Me as a Photographer it was worth it , i joined the group over 4 years ago basically when it was new. It's ran just like any and all private adult themed clubs/groups in SL all of which have a fee to join the group and access their lands.

[Summer Haas]

$4 for unlimited access to several art installations is not a bad price if you enjoy that sort of thing. It costs more than that to go see a movie for 2 hours but people don't seem to bat an eyelash at that for some reason.

Negative reactions of spending a couple of dollars to do something on SL always reminds me of this Oatmeal comic: http://theoatmeal.com/blog/apps

[Noirran]

I've been a member of Elysion for years, the join fee is well well worth it for quality entertainment, amazing people to meet, and picturesque locations to shoot in. Syn is an amazing person, and builder. She provides 4 or 5 new full sim builds a year for Elysion members to enjoy, I particularly enjoy Native Soul. You get out of SL what you put into it, if you aren't willing to invest 1k in a well run planned community, that is your prerogative. You aren't entitled to everything on SL for free.

[Sharni Azalee]

I have been a member of Elysion for years and I can assure you that this is not a 1000L "admission fee", it is a joining fee to one of the most active sims and groups you will find in s/l. The featured build is just one of the AMAZING things Syn does for her group. The level of entertainment provided at Elysion is incredible from the many DJs and performers each week playing in the various venues to the incredible "special builds" Syn does for her group members. As a sim owner myself I can only aspire to the level of professionalism and the time put into Elysion, it truly is a gem of s/l and in my opinion worth every L of the 1000L "group joining fee". I'm so glad Cassie went and found out what 17K of us already know, Elysion is an example of how to do it right in s/l.

[Sharni Azalee]

I think the part to this that is maybe missing is that this build is just a temporary part of the Elysion experience and if it is like the many "special" builds previously, was made specifically for Elysion group members. A creative gift to those people who have already paid their 1K. I personally can't see the fairness in even insinuating its an admission fee just because it's so damn good it's got public attention. With all due respect, it's really simple, it's a group member build, if you want the experience join the group if you don't then don't.

[Yup]

the price gets you a lot if you think about it. First, the sim is supported. Second, you can rely on the fact that only people serious about rp are going to pay to use a sim. Third, exclusive shows and events. This is basically a one time fee to see amazing stuff that is going to continue to entertain you. Its 500L more now but from the videos I've seen, it just might be worth it.