20 October 2016

Petra

The ancient Nabataean city of Petra, located in southwestern Jordan, ranks as one the world's most dazzling sights — a majestic city carved from red sandstone rocks, its arresting façades still standing after more than a thousand years, justifiably considered one of the wonders of the world. Now, on LEA11, Fennet has created a virtual Petra, apparently intended to evoke the mystery and awesome grandeur of the original site. Sadly, the disappointing build does nothing of the sort.

Looking like something one might have encountered in Second Life back in 2007 or so, Petra is an arid region covered with swathes of sand sprinkled with desert animals and a few oases. (Rideable camels are available at the landing point.) We do indeed encounter stone structures, but, unlike the exquisite real life originals, these are entirely lacking in detail. Visitors are encouraged to click on things that generate scripted reactions — a genie provides a bag of gold, a leopard emerges from a dark cave and eats some food, a alluring bag of gold tricks visitors by submerging them in quicksand, a crocodile in a lake offers a bouncy ride, and the dais in the amphitheatre throws one into a pose of oration — but the interactions hardly contribute toward a satisfying experience. Does this belong on an LEA sim? Probably not.

4 comments:

  1. You finally dare to tell the truth? That was about time. Or you only dare now, now I kicked Solo Mornington out of LEA???

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  2. Save this isn't about you contrary to your belief. I see Ziki's perspective as a critique, however she is wrong in another perspective, and that is of the LEA. We foster new Artist as well as seasoned Artist. We welcome new talent and innovation. Sometimes this is raw, or a little undefined. There is always more to Art on the LEA, then the latest Professional build. Like the Art of communication, or the art of collaboration. So yes indeed this build does belong on LEA regions. In fact I never heard of this story untill this build was on LEA land. Thank You Fennet, and all the Artist who take part in the world we live in.

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  3. The build is 100% shit and it shows that the LEA committee are so far stuck up their own asses, they would let shit like that even get a grant and exhibit. These so called art "experts" obviously dont know shit about art let alone anything else. Established artists should boycott LEA until they go back to choosing artists who can actually put a correct texture on a prim, unlike the "artist" above.

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  4. Having altready met the establishment, I'm glad to have this opportunity to find out what the opposition is like. Nice to know that obscenity trumps polite discourse in SL as it does elswhere on the web. Thank you so very much for your thoughtful and informative cirticism. Y'all know where you can stick it!
    My apologies to all the self-promoting, publicity-seeking posers I deprived of a free sim when I submitted (and won) my LEA grant. Since you wasted so many of your hard earned Lindens experiencing my build, I totally undestand why you're pissed off about it. (Or did you, as I suspect, only hear about it from your bitter friends, or read about it on this blog? Well, I certainly hope I didn't pare too many precious moments off the remainder of your bleak existance thrusting my endeavor upon you.)
    So serious, aren't y'all? You really shouldn't be. Art in SL is hardly MOMA, (although I doubt many of you even know what that means). Regardless of your posturing, you're all cartoons to me.
    You know who I am. See you around!

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