Social Island

With the release of the new Learning Islands (see yesterday's post) for new Residents comes a treat for all Second Lifers, Social Island. This is where those who have finished training (such as it is) are deposited and there's enough here that they might not really need to go anywhere else in Our World. Unless they want money, sex, vehicles, etc. Really, there is a lot here to keep people occupied and I've actually watched people wandering about rather than clustering at the landing point as they tended to do with the previous Welcome Islands and Help Islands. Sure, there's a bit of that here, but not as much as I expected. Here's an annotated photo essay of my second visit to the two new and identical Social Islands (SLurl and SLurl).

The major areas are parceled off so they have names. That means if you make a landmark in one of these locations, the LM will show the place name and not "Social Island." In fact, you'd have to view the details of the LM to see that it is a location on Social Island. There are many minor locations, too, some with location-specific names and some not.

Not on my quick map above is Ocean View, typical of the many out-of-the-way treats one will see if they explore. Most locations are accessible via the teleporter. I suspect this is why the sim has been parceled so that the TP devices can pull the location name for their directories. While the majority of the build is made by Lindens or Moles, some is made by Noffler Resident, someone whom I assume is a contractor alt, while others pieces are made by some well-known residents. Generally very nice with no clunkers that I've seen.

This secret cave is NOT on the teleporter directory but if you find it and click the odd treasure chest, there's a prize.

The Cave Club is very rich in appearance with pictures of famous Lindens, Moles. and famous Real World leaders down the ages. Sombra Magic made the book cases (not pictured) and they are beautiful. My brother has one of these in his home cabin. So many other Resident Creators are represented here, too, with some nice work by the Moles.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post about  Learning Island, a coliseum is one item shared between the two builds, though this time there are portals that one walks into so you are transported to a random area based on a theme: Adult (if you are age-verified), Editor's Pick, Linden Realms, Social, Popular, etc. The Adult one gave me a region full notice and the Linden Realms portal told me I wasn't authorized to visit. The Editor's Pick portal dropped me onto an empty lot that the editors must have really, really liked.

Available via teleporter is a Sky Retreat directly over the Welcome Point on Social Island. If you jump off the ramp you'll land dead center nearly 680 meters below. No parachutes provided.

Tiki Beach is probably my favorite place on Social Island. There are three huts on stilts over the water with a cozy beach-side gathering area. The big one has a little bar and all around is furniture by Hatzfeld Runo, maker of Tiki Tattoo (SLurl) prefabs and furniture, as well as items from other creators. You can grab a toobie to float around on (as you can on many parts of Social Island's beaches) here or just walk on the nice beach. By the way, my pictures are taken with custom Windlight sky and water settings. I'm not a fan of the default settings.

Inside the big hut. If the weather turns bad you can still float on the water in comfort.

Since it is raining on Quiet Isle my Windlight setting probably isn't appropriate but the Region Default isn't right, either. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful build, thanks to (former LDPW Mole) Cory Edo of Trompe Loeil, a fabulous pre-fabs and furniture company.

Abnor Mole made a beautiful lighthouse, right down to the details with an on/off switch. This is the best-looking lighthouse in all Second Life, if you ask me.

One picture won't do justice to Club SL, but that's all I'm taking is two for now. This multi-level build has several bars, a toobing pool, and a dance floor that asks you to dance just by stepping on it. Freebie shirts for the club are at the entrance. Pictures from around SL flash on the bandstand billboards, lasers fire overhead, and magic is everywhere (look for the hover chairs).

This would be a great place for any group in Second Life to hold a meeting as there are plenty of places to sit and be comfy, even a fair-sized area with a media viewer on the side of the hill.

No place without its flaws. Textures, for example, often don't align along prim joins on Social Island and since a lot of the landscape is mesh, you'll see this a lot, even with Advanced Lighting active. But the over all experience is marvelous. Turn up your computer's volume to hear the surf and other environmental sounds. Watch for little jokes (someone stole Rod Humble's shirt and hung it up) all over. Several sites can be found only by flying or looking into odd corners. If The Lab could re-instate the volunteer helpers that used to be all over Our World (Helllooooo, Daniel Voyager!) and set up a little prize hunt that new Residents could follow to earn $Lindens and extra goodies while practicing basic skills across the island, I believe that when people hit the rest of the grid they'd know more about what they are doing and have a better experience. Resident retention would go up and everybody would be happier.

Residents who have been around awhile will enjoy visiting Social Island, too. As I mentioned above, the sim would be a great place to hold large group meetings, but the facilities are also great for just relaxing or hanging out. Be sure to visit soon and often.