DISCOVER SL
Second Life Landscapes
Story & Photography Lam Erin
Edited by Lam Erin
In this article, the first of a series on Second Life
landscapes, I will present four recent sim
creations which are illustrative examples of the
combination of SL powerful tools with the
creativity of SL residents.
The first sim is called Crystal Gardens and the
two pictures included in the article are from the
latest, summer version of the sim. The sim owner
is Sandi Benelli, a great Second Life landscape
photographer and sim designer. I have always
taken notice of her creations as her experience of
photography has an impact on the way she
creates her sims.
Photography lam erin
[Above]
Crystal Gardens Sim
As a landscape designer and photographer
myself I have a particular interest in sims which
are realistic depictions of real life landscapes. SL
has the advantage of providing tools, which allow
the creator to control completely the layout of
the landscape they create so that the outcome is
direct reflection of the creator’s skills. SL
landscapes if done correctly could have a
significant level of detail and complexity which
could make them look very similar to Real Life
landscapes.
Also the fact that the designer can manipulate
the shape and content of the landscape allows
them to avoid certain issues which appear in RL
landscapes, where for example an unfavourably
shaped or located tree or building stands on the
way of an otherwise great landscape capture. In
SL you can avoid such problems by placing the
tree or building on the “right” spot or simply by
de-rendering them.
Premiere Issue 2016 | 173