Category: Places to Visit

The Arcade Is Coming!

The Arcade Is Coming!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 5 Comments

September is my favourite month.

Why? Well, it’s my birthday month for a start, and this year is going to be a special one, it’s my 40th. But what has made it even more ruddy fabulous is that The  Arcade gacha event will be hitting the grid again,  and if you have been living under a rock for the past few weeks then you’ll have missed the teaser images featured on Plurk and on various Flickr pages.

To be perfectly honest, it would have probably been more beneficial to my health if I had been living under a rock, that way I wouldn’t have seen any previews of what this round has in store for us. The last round was amazing enough, but bloody hell, when I first saw some of the pictures of what this round had in store for us, well, I am embarrassed to admit that I actually cried!

Seriously dear reader, I blubbed. 

I confess that I am cringing as I write this, but my emotional response to the goodies on offer was nothing short of visceral. I sobbed when I saw the collections of critters, furniture items and accessories that have been promised to us for this round.

Why? Well, I could say it’s hormones seeing as I officially hit middle-age in a few weeks, so you could forgive me if I was feeling a little mid-life crisis like. But I actually don’t have an excuse, other than I was totally moved and completely blown-away out of the park astonished by the creations that I saw.

Bear in mind I’ve only seen these on the official ad posters, too, so goodness knows what condition I will be in when I actually hit the machines!   Unfortunately, I have no doubt that this round will be jam-packed 24/7 for days on end, which will drive me round the twist. I’ll be one of those poor dots that you see on the map hovering pathetically at sim borders, pleading at my monitor for someone to leave so that I can get in!

So what am I especially looking forward to?  I’ll post some of my favourites over the next few days, but first of all I want to tell you about some of the fantastic animal-themed items that I have seen and simply MUST have. 

The first images that made me misty-eyed were the pictures of the INTRIGUE CO. Puppy Pals….

Puppy Pals

..see what I mean?

Why did I blub? Well, first of all, PUPPIES! But also because I’m a big fan of the INTRIGUE CO. plushies collections, and these are without a doubt in my mind the best examples yet. I love the way that these guys are crafted.   Not only do they look like the breeds that they are representing, they are perfectly coloured and feature irresistible breed-unique detailing, like the bow on the Yorkie’s hair. It must have taken ages to make these, but what an absolute joy they all are to behold.

Do I have a favourite?  I do have a few to be honest, but I’m going to try my hardest to win all of them!

Now, let me introduce you to the SILENT SPARROW ‘Pwnies!’

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Now, if you know me in real-life (unlucky!) then you’ll know that I have a bit of a thing about a little show called ‘My Little Pony-Friendship is Magic’.

Yes readers, Kitty is a Brony, with no fucks given.

I have a collection of ponies on my desk, as well as an ever-expanding  (like my waistline) family of plushies courtesy of my local ‘Build-A-Bear Workshop’.  You could say therefore that I’m a bit of a fan, and I’d barely finished wiping  my eyes when I saw the poster image of the pwnies, and started blarting all over again! I mean JUST LOOK AT THEM! They are utterly perfect; a multitude of poses and colours and patterns and you would have to have a heart made of the coldest steel to not fall into a messy puddle of happiness at the sight of these.

They are just so much fun, and I am especially taken by Dash (for obvious reasons) and of course, Matt and David (seeing as I’m a bit of a Whovian as well!) To be honest, yes I want all of these as well, and I’m already starting to panic about how many prims I’m going to need to free up to accommodate all of this Gacha awesome. (My house is pretty darn near perfect for me in-world, but I’m going to have some epic rearranging to do to accommodate all of these wonderful things!)

Yummy Fish

But let’s not stop there! It looks as though I am going to have to find the room for an aquarium too, because YUMMY! have created a piano-shaped aquarium and a collection of fish to inhabit it and boy are they are super-cute.

I don’t have the space or time for a  fish tank anymore so this will be the next best thing for me.  I’m looking forward to seeing how these fish work too,  because apparently each one is animated with unique movements so I’m anticipating something very special indeed. I haven’t really selected a favourite fishy, but I am very taken by the ‘Spotted Weirdo’, as I feel that I have a lot in common with it. (I fear that the acquisition of this tank will lead me into ridiculous games of ‘Find The Fish’, which is sure to drive everyone around me bonkers, but no shits given!)

Not only that, but the packaging for this particular Gacha prize is pretty special too!

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Last but not least are my absolute critter must-haves from this collection. They are, of course, cats, and this is when my tears REALLY fell. Because just LOOK AT THEM:

Cats

 

Now, a fact that you possibly don’t know about me, apart from my obviously being cat obsessed, is that I collect Maneki Neko and images of the Egyptian Goddess Bast.  In fact, I am completely Bast-obsessed.  I have statues, jewellery and books about the cult of the cat in Ancient Egypt, and I also like to make trips down to London to see the Gayer-Anderson cat in the British Museum. (Mine in a previous life, obviously 😉

So you can imagine that when I saw this collection and  spotted ‘Isis’ the Egyptian puss, as well as not one but three Maneki-Neko, I almost had a heart attack from excitement.  But there’s more; there’s a chibi-cat for everyone in this set; for example there’s ‘Pumpkin’, who obviously appeals due to my Witchy persuasions (and also because I had an amazing cat called Pumpkin too!) and ‘Sweetie’  is another Whovian reference and an absolute must for my in-world Doctor Who collection. There are so many fabulous felines here to adore, and then there is ‘Fatman’, who reminds me of my much-missed ginger lad (for whom I confess I am still mourning).

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Allegory, if by chance you’re reading this, I thought your ‘Voubou’ collection was outstanding and have them proudly displayed in my home, but these are on a whole different level. Every one of these cats is perfection.  They’re shaped so sweetly and decorated so perfectly. I cannot wait to get my paws on them; I just hope that I don’t have to wait too long because I know EXACTLY where I’m putting them. Well, I *think* that I do…GAH!

The Arcade opens on September 1st (that’ll be Sunday then) and I shall be clawing my way into that sim with all the strength and power I can muster so that I can get my mitts on all of these wonderful  creations, and I expect that you will be doing exactly the same!  I fear it will be a battle, but so long as I can get my critter-fix within a reasonable time frame I’m sure I’ll be fine!

Do check out the official blog and Flickr groups for updates on this event, and tune in tomorrow when I’ll be sharing some other favourite picks of mine. (These didn’t make me cry, but they are just as outstanding!)

 

It’s Time To SLX Connect!

It’s Time To SLX Connect!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 3 Comments

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There’s a new social network in town! It’s called SLX Connect and describes itself as a ‘Social Life Xperience Network’ for SL Avatars.

It’s the brainchild of Athayus Quan, who has been working really hard over the past few months to establish this new site and it looks as though the work is paying off; already the stats are showing that the site has jumped significantly in worldwide rankings in a very short space of time.

If you use Facebook then you won’t find the site intimidating to use at all. It’s easy to navigate and establishing a profile is very simple. You can add all kinds of updates including  photographs, videos and even Soundcloud playlists if you so wish. If you are a huge fan of social networks then I’ve no doubt that this one will make a great addition to your portfolio.

I’m really enjoying using it so far.  As much as I like Plurk I find the drama and bitching that are sadly an inherent part of the Plurk way of life overwhelming at times and having a different site that’s purely dedicated to Second Life avatars is a refreshing alternative.   Athayus has promised lots of updates and is working really hard at making the site user-friendly and relevant to the Second Life audience, and I  think he’s doing a great job!

He’s also offering a special deal to potential advertisers; if you’re considering advertising your virtual business then you may want to take him up on his promotional deal which is limited to just ten sponsors. Places are sure to go quick, so don’t miss out!

Here’s wishing Athayus and everyone involved with SLX Connect the very best of luck and you can visit my page by clicking HERE. 

LOTD – Lazy Kitty Cafe Culture

LOTD – Lazy Kitty Cafe Culture

by Lisa Millar ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

scribbled hearts_002

FAMESHED has started, and as usual it’s an absolute bugger to get in. However I *did* manage a nosey around earlier and as usual there are some cracking items on display, including hair, clothing, furniture and all of it is guaranteed to enhance your allure and make you even more windswept and interesting than ever, if such a thing is possible.

I only bought ONE item though, and that is this hair from EEP. I really, really love Eep hair. Ever since the brand launched it’s been a firm favourite of mine, and it seems to thrive on producing simple styles in great colours with no frills, fuss or palaver. Unbox it, stick it on your head and job done, you can’t ask for much else really can you?

I also found a really nice lace vest today at a store called CHEMISTRY that I have never frequented before, but I will be visiting again!  This mesh vest comes in a two pack featuring a black and white lace design, and it really fits in with my look at the moment, which is basically throw everything on that is in my inventory and see what sticks.

I am STILL wearing these frayed denim shorts that cost me just ONE LINDEN from the market place, but I care not a jot because they work amazingly well with my KHUSH tights (mo longer available alas)  They also reallu look good with my Kitten-face Mary Janes from FRI.DAY for LOVE DONNA FLORA. These are actually an in-world replica of a pair of shoes that I have been after in RL for ages. As usual, Second Life means I get them a lot cheaper, and quicker, than my reality.

Last but not least there are two more items in my look from LOVE DONNA FLORA. First up is my flair manicure, which I’m wearing in a very bright pink which is very unusual for me but it looks really funky against my collection of friendship bracelets.  I’m also sporting a necklace by CAE that you can only find at the LOVE DONNA FLORA  event. I’m really enamoured by CAE at the moment, the Catnip necklace that they created for Harlow Heslop’s ‘Avatars For Animals’ event  became an instant favourite of mine, and this elegant daisy design is just as delightful and perfect for jazzing up either a formal or casual outfit.

Finally, I was in dire need of a coffee and a sit down so found myself at the café at Scribbled Hearts, which is a very pretty little sim offering some cracking photo opportunities and a lot of places to chill out and relax. (Plenty of places to enjoy by yourself or as a couple, i found a fab hammock that was just begging me to lay and stargaze on it..)

Kitty Wears:

The Imaginimals Cats Have Arrived!

The Imaginimals Cats Have Arrived!

by Lisa Millar ♥ 1 Comment

Imaginimals

To be honest, the buzz was somewhat subdued and limited to the chat group rather than the feverish  all-encompassing excitement that has greeted Breedable launches before, but I think this is partly to do with past history of the Wildwoods and also because they’ve launched in open Beta.

Obviously launching a product in Beta is a risky move. Imaginimals seem to have made sure that their bases are covered for this with a hefty disclaimer on their website, but I did notice that the chat group was very busy when I logged in this morning with reported issues.

As for the cats, well they don’t appear to have changed much since I last reported on them.  The appearance seems to be much the same, and there’s no doubt that they look good (although the ear shape is a little too Elvish for my liking!) I opted for a pair of Bi-Colour and was very pleased with the colours of the kittens that I unpackaged. They’re incredibly pretty, and the animations/positions are very cute and natural looking. I confess, I really do love their styling.   (NOTE: I am NOT going full on cat breeder again, I get way too carried away by it! But I indulged in these critters for the sake of blogging and also because I wanted to experience them for myself)

Pricing for kittens is reasonable-L$300 each, L$600 per pair (obviously) There are lots of vitamins and add-ons that can be purchased but the basics that are required, as far as I am aware, are food and water, which is purchased as a combo unit. One bowl lasts one cat one month, and costs L$200.  I laid that out with the addition of some cream and a ‘Feeshy’ for  mood.

I rezzed my kittens without any fuss, but immediately upon birthing there were substantial stat decreases. Also, movement seemed laboured too.  It’s early days, so hopefully these problems will be ironed out swiftly.  The website does offer the ability to log support tickets and there is also a forum that owners can join, there’s barely any activity on the boards at present but I anticipate that they will start to become pretty active within the next few days.

So will these new breedables take the shine off the existing pets that are available on the grid?

Obviously the main competitor to Imaginimals cats are Kittycats. Personally I don’t actually see that they will be a threat as such as both offer a very different product experience and cater to different fanbases. for example, I know people who don’t go for the ornate appearance of Kittycats, but prefer the more down to earth appearance that the Wildwoods had. Taste is an individual thing, and in my opinion it’s good to have a variety of similar pets on the grid.  Competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But  I would be very surprised if legions of Kittycat owners defected to Imaginimals, and to be frank, I don’t think it will happen.  If anything, I think you’ll find breeders indulging themselves with both kinds of cat.

Of course, Kittycats do have the upper hand in that they are well established by now, and they excel not just in terms of product but also due to their exceptional support system. If Imaginimals want to succeed, then they will do well to aspire to the same standards of care offered by Kittycats  for their customers.

Breedable launches are never easy. But cats are always a popular pet, so let’s see how Imaginimals fare. It’s a fresh start, so perhaps it’s time to leave the memories (both good and bad )of Wildwoods behind and look to the future. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance after all? I’ll keep you updated on progress…

If you want to join in the open beta then here’s a link to the Imaginimals Sim .  

You’ll need a spare group slot, because only group members can partcipate, and bear in mind there are costs involved. Good luck with your cats!