if teardrops could be bottled, there'd be swimming pools filled by models

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I have to say Dune. Hands down.

trying to figure out chapter three but you're not giving me anything

How about Haman's Everyday is Halloween house? It doesn't sound familiar...



...Ah. Never mind, I posted this one earlier, it just moved to a new sim. Gotcha.

So let's go to Raccoon City instead.

They say this about their town:

Raccoon City, roleplay, weapons, zombies, apocalypse, voice, Enter To The Facility An Find Out Its Secrets. Combat. Mystery, .Adventue, heath, meter, hangout, guns, Melee, gaming, Resident Evil Zombies, horror, RP, Roleplay hangout, shop,

That should be "Adventure" and "health," but...Right. This is going to be a zombies-eat-my-brain sim, isn't it? I mean, I know what Raccoon City is, I've both played (some of) the games and watched the movies, but...I do not want to be eaten by zombies today.



That should be "zombies, spiders, a secret underground research facility"...Also "mansion", not "manison". "And", not "an". "Happened", not "happend". And--again, "and"--I don't want to use any guns, even those guns that "can be 'used' here". Dying and killing? Two experiences I'm not thrilled about experiencing digitally.

I'm gonna die.



Near as I can tell, the screens in front of the gigantic virus tubes don't say anything at all.



Lot of devastation out here. Timeline, I would definitely say, post-outbreak but pre-nuke.



Oh, spiders. And, oh, the spiders spit. Ow.



I hear...growling.

Oh, that's what was growling. Thankfully, it doesn't seem interested in biting me.



Oh, that's what was growling. I was so wrong. And it is interested in biting me.

Basically, if you want to join the group and get the game HUD...if you want to wander the destroyed streets and dodge acid-spitting spiders and manic zombie dogs...if you want to use your gun of choice and pick off the zombies and floating eviscerated corpses that follow you...if you're okay with push effects, ultimately--then go.

Me, I'm against nearly all of those, so I was just there for the pictures, then I fled.

but the truth comes out in riddles that are safe enough to share

Now granted, it doesn't take a psych degree, as this article points out, to understand that plucky-female-heroine-against-giant-predatory-beast can be distilled down to female fear of domestic abuse and murder at the hands of men. It's not hard. What I do find interesting is that--as the article also points out--this genre isn't like other hapless-damsel films. In prior decades, the damsel in question was always conventionally attractive, showing great amounts of cleavage and curves. But in these films? They're just women. Pretty, sure, because it's a movie, but overwhelmingly they're just portrayed as living their lives when the Bad Thing happens, instead of perfectly coiffed, perfectly made up, terror-in-lingerie set pieces.

On another topic, I'll add an SL mention--Jeanette's Joint is a maker of fashions for men and women, and I haven't paid her designs a great deal of interest, because she, as many others, seem to have fallen into the trap of "These are the dozen standard templates I own and I'm just going to retexture them until I die". But. Something new has been added. I didn't have a chance to explore fully, but I do know she carries a line of cyberpunk/futuristic shoes and boots, and combat equipment for future fights. I look forward to what she comes up with next.

And while LootCrate's bankruptcy news is disappointing, it's actually not surprising. I still believe that if they'd just held to the original, they'd still be running. Instead, they tried to run the original and an anime crate (when there was a better competitor), and a horror crate (when there were several other competitors), and a gamer's crate (when there are both extant gaming crates and dice-of-the-month style shippers), AND...you get the idea.

They competed themselves out of business with their own products.

In the meantime, someone's getting snarky in a freebie/gift group again...

[13:21] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ever thought about an adult version of the group? where all that stuff is allowed to be posted? :p
[13:21] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: or too much work?

The first question has been asked before, and replied to. But the second half...that was snarky, rude, and uncalled for.

[13:21] yxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it exists other groups, but believe me, they are pocket versions of this awesome one.
[13:21] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Ooooooo.... not a friendly topic, [fxxxxxxx]. And that was unfriendly.
[13:22] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Being a MOD or a group owner is not an easy task, and it is volunteer.
[13:22] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: asking about the creator of the group having even considered an adult version of her group isn't friendly? :p

It's all in how you ask the question.

[13:22] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *leaves again*

Gad, rudeness and a flounce? This is definitely a drama llama.

[13:24] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: There is absolutely no way to be certain we are actually dealing with Adults, in this game. I know of youths, not yet the age of majority, that are allowed by their parent(s) to be in Adult areas and do Adult things. I know, without hesitation, no one in this group wants to see that. I just feel it in my bones that no one in this group wants to partake in something like that.
[13:25] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes, which is why i asked if an adult group had been considered. i think many here would actually like a group like that. it's not our responsibility to raise someone's elses kids. didn't mean it in any unfriendly way or anything, just asking ;)
[13:26] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: What was unfriendly, [Fxxxxxxx], was assuming that such an act was "too much work".

That, exactly. Implying that the group mods--or even worse, the group OWNER/s--are just too lazy to take the five minutes to make another group--that's most definitely the unfriendly part.

[13:26] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Oh ow, I never thought of that one. See why I don't ever wish to MOD?
[13:27] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It IS our collective responsibility to care about how WE as adults participate with children. PERIOD.
[13:27] axxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: waves
[13:27] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no, that'd be a great reason. if it's too much work for what it's worth, that's not unfriendly in my mind ;)
[13:28] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: O M Goodness, you just accused the MODS of being lazy a second time?
[13:28] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: REALLY???
[13:28] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i did?

You did.

[13:28] axxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: gives the 3/4 eye
[13:28] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: What is it you want me to do about you insulting the MODS twice, [Fxxxxxxx]??
[13:28] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i did not, but if you want to take it that way, be my guest

You absolutely did, and now you're dodging responsibility for being horribly rude.

[13:29] sxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: as an adult participant in this group, im rather glad we don't advertise for adult sim stores. I'm an adult, but it doesn't mean i want an eyefull of other avatar's personal parts

Stone home truth. We get enough of that when the sims we live on crash, and we get bopped to the nearest teleport hub, with full-on newbie nudity and bad sex scenes in public.

[13:29] fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: for me it's a good reason if it'd be too much work, i know moderating this takes a lot of work. not an insult. seriously ;)

There are some things winky faces will not save you from.

[13:29] pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well, I was hoping to see more notices instead of this lol
[13:30] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i can be a witness to moderating this group is hard..... i used to be one, couldn't take the heat so i backed off......
[13:30] Mxxxxxxxx Dxxxxx: I do not see how asking if something is too much work is the same as calling someone lazy .. there are things -- especially when you are volunteering - that simply are too much.. it isn't about laziness at all it is about how many hours there are in a day
[13:31] ixxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and how much one endures in a volunteer gig, honestly
[13:31] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Move on, please.
[13:34] yxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I prefer this Group exactly the way it is. Nice, friendly, healthy and safety. IF someone don't like it that way... the door is enough wide :)

I thought about it, and thought, no...I couldn't quite let that go there.

[13:58] Emilly Orr: I plan to move on, Dragon, but as I recall, the topic came up a day or so ago, and it was a completely civil conversation. I think it all comes down to how the questions are asked.

But past that point, things went back to normal...except for this:

[14:19] axxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: how do u join this group?
[14:20] sxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well, I don't think you'd be here if you weren't in this group
[14:21] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Usually at a group joiner sign. Try YOU! by GEMyles for one..But yeah, Stanley is right.
[14:21] Exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: am here--but is it free and offers from all over sl ?
[14:22] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yes, Exxxx]. My girls have thousands of free outfits. I even have a few.
[14:22] Exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and you just post it onthis group ?
[14:23] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: They have rules, read them, but generally yes. IM me, I can tell you a few of them.
[14:23] jxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: there are certain restrictions as layed out in the group description.
[14:23] Exxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok

And that was that, it was back to the postings of MMs, group gifts, and cheap outfits.

nowhere near the truth almighty a bunch of nothing said

A short but pithy chat capture. I won't say which group, precisely, this is from, but it is for a maker of skins, and quite nice ones. Someone fails to get the point of true artistry:

[22:55] zxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: have u guys seen the movie ready player one??

Unfortunately. I hated it. Why?

[22:55] zxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: can u make a skin like that??
[22:55] Emilly Orr: Like...which skin??

Because that film? That film is packed with looks for virtual avatars, by design, so..."a skin" won't really cover it.

[22:56] zxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the um/// avatars the blue guy and the red chikc on the movie "ready player one"

You mean Parzival and Art3mis, of course. And it's "chick".

[22:57] Emilly Orr: So...grab a Kemono avatar, the Venus M3 head, some anime eyes, a reasonably-approximate skin mod, and some Ayashi short hair, there's the girl.

I'm doing my best to track down things after the fact, a skin mod that might work is this, but the facial tats are pretty much going to have to be custom.

Also, I was pretty sure at the time Ayashi would be the best bet, but that specific backswept Mohawk they seem to have not. CaTwA, however, seems to have one.

[23:00] Emilly Orr: For the boy, almost the same thing--Kemono avatar, anime eyes, the M4 Mars head, different anime hair and boy chest mod to make the chest flat.

After the fact, again, I realized Krankhaus' Kuroo avatar would work better, and in that case, ditch the chest mod.

But pretty much, right? I mean, this took all of ten minutes to stare at pictures of both of them and track down approximates. They won't be perfect, but on the other hand, this particular skinmaker does not design for Kemono (or Kuroo, for that matter), so it wouldn't help if he wanted that type of very anime look anyway.

And ultimately, again, why? Because that's pretty much asking someone to infringe copyright on purpose. No thank you. No one's interested who has ethics at all, and those who would be interested, because they are immoral weasels, want a high amount of cash for their trouble. Why bother?

[23:01] zxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: can I live in your belly button?
[23:01] zxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: im bored lol

No. Also gross. Also go away, kid, find something else to do. The adults are busy.

in your eyes I see the eyes of somebody I knew before, long ago

So, heard about a mini-hunt in a haunted house at Halloween Town, thought I'd check it out.


When one arrives in Halloween Town, there's a walk past several stores, leading down to the house itself. Which looks very much like it emerged out of Beetlejuice's miniature town model.



Once inside, arrows point you towards your path to travel, but you move through several individual movie "sets". This one? Silence of the Lambs. Very well done.



Seeing this was, hands down, one of the coolest things I've ever seen in SL. Imagine: standing in a darkened movie theatre. The Shining is playing on the screen. Words scroll up that say, when you see Danny on the screen, you can walk into the screen and experience the film. So you walk in...and you do. Wild effect.



I cheated a bit for some of these images; not anything against ToS, just that, because taking pictures in mouselook is difficult, I'd pop in and out of enforced view to snap an image. I fully recommend you just sit and stay for the whole experience, and disregard photos on the tour portions.



It also didn't hurt that they covered The Blair Witch Project. Since I'm one of those fans for all things Blair Witch-related, I really got into this portion.



And a lot of this comes down to the little details. Like this etched witch figure, or the bloody childrens' handprints inside the cabin. The exact carpet used in Kubrick's Shining. The absolute faithful reproduction of Silence of the Lambs' jail cage. Those are the things that take a haunt to the next level.



Oh, this is never good to see...Of course, they included The Ring.



It does? I mean, up next was The Exorcist, and also really well done as a set piece. Also, scattered throughout--in addition to little prizes in various rooms--are several opportunities to "join the action", so to speak. Photo opportunities abound.



Taking a picture of this room reduces it to stillness. When you're there, standing in the room, with everything moving, it's much more intense, and a whole lot of fun.



And don't get eaten by the shark!

This is only about half of what the haunt contains, there's just so much more. It's worth the time it will take to explore, and it's such a faithful tribute to all things horror that any fan of either Halloween or horror films in general, really should make time for this one. Highly recommended, I am definitely going back again!