Rabid Rabbits - A Second Life Experience Game from Loki Eliot

Loki Eliot has released a new game on Easter Monday and it combines adventure game with hunt game and jump'n'run game elements. Go and help the Goblins to get their Sacred Statues back from the Rabid Rabbits. Play a game of finding Rabbit holes, bashing Bunnies, collecting Sacred Statues and pleasing the Goblin King of the Goblins. 

Using the free HUD you meet the Goblin King, get a given a weapon and sent to search the island for nine Rabid Rabbit Holes, each containing a Sacred Statue. The game length depends on how quick you can find the Rabbit Holes and can be from 15 mins to an hour. It uses RPG story telling elements at the start before letting you loose with a weapon system that has its own damage system where you need to eat sushi to regain health.

All Second Life game reviews that I have published on my blog - so far

After four Months of blogging, 31 blog posts, 16 game reviews and 4800 page views I thought that new visitors would appreciate to find an overview on all my blog posts on SL games. Such a page can now be found in the top menu under the heading "All Game Reviews". Hopefully some people will find the service helpful.

I am a bit sad that not a single Second Life game developer has used the possibility to "Showcase their game" yet. It is a normal thing for the Second Life artist community to send out press releases about their exhibits to Second Life travel blogs. This habit seems to be completely unknown in the small SL game creators community - if you can call the small bunch of Second Life game creators a community. As far as I can tell, they do not seem to interact much with each other or to share resources in any way.

Picture from Electrobit City

The only game - as far as I am aware - that has been actively promoted to SL bloggers was THE GARDEN. Madpea games and Loki Eliot do at least provide information about their games on their own websites. No wonder that it is much easier for me to regularly report on their games.

As I am a hobbyist writing for my personal enjoyment, there is only a small selection of games that I can review at a certain time. Especially if no informative text blogs from the developers is available to me.

Playing Golf in Second Life

Virtual golf is a great sports activity in Second Life . Residents can play golf as individuals or in groups. The golf clubs and balls are selected and controlled by a HUD, an on-screen "heads up display". There are several public golf courses in Second Life and all that I have visited use the >(O.o)< Freestyle Golf system by Fa Nyak. It is actually a rather old game system created in 2007 with the last update in 2009. But the golfing simulation is a real classic and is fun to play.

>(O.o)< Freestyle Golf system

The system provides a working golf club with built in putter, wedge and driver, which can be chosen in the HUD menu. There is also an option to choose different colors for your ball when playing with friends. At each golf strike you first need to aim your shot with the help of a direction indicator. Then you hold the left mouse key for charging up the power of your shots. The interface has been realized in a really simple way and there is a built in tutorial for the first time user of the clubs.

Walk through: the Madpea LOST TREASURE hunt

Madpea published an interview with the first person to survive the Devil's Cave - or maybe the first person who made it through the Devil's Cave. After all Xill Flux died 19 times in order to make it through the game in 7 hours and 15 minutes. Well, I would be happy if I "only" would die twice as often before finishing the game and 15 hours of playing time is a realistic objective for my gaming skills. There is an interview with Xill Flux on her impressions of the hunt on the Madpea blog.

As there is no better way to show you the graphics of a game than a walk-through, I have today recorded my progress in the Devil's Cave. The video doesn't go too far into the game, so that the Madpea crew doesn't have to get nervous about me giving away too many secrets. The video will give you a good impression on the surroundings and the atmosphere of the game, which for me is a great mix of the following ingredients: SL hunts, adventure games and jump-and-run elements.

A second look to THE DWARFINS - an SL breedable game

Back in December I had a long review of the community building breedable game THE DWARFINS. I was very enthusiastic because the game concept of THE DWARFINS reminds me a lot of micro-management games with the objective to build and maintain a complex society system, such as Civilization, Caesar III, The Settlers, or Dawn of Discovery. THE DWARFINS promises to bring the spirit of these games to Second Life and mixes it with the concept of breedables.

Since their launch in December the Dwarfins have been spreading spreading across the Grid and it has become an popular breeding game. Unfortunately I haven't had the time to start breedings DWARFINS myself, so I cannot give you a first hand report about the game fun factor. But SL blogger Ciaran Laval is sharing her DWARFINS experience on her blog. I think it's a very interesting read, so don't miss it.

I’m new to the breedables game, you get quite attached to the little buggers! 

Dwarfins are also starting to appear with rare, rather than common and uncommon traits, so the game is progressing nicely with new traits and new interactions. There are plans afoot to allow Dwarfins to fish, hunt and fight but no firm date has yet been set as to when these skill sets will be available.

Dwarfins

Banished from the land of their birth, separated from their creator, the Dwarfins must find a way to survive on their own. Will you help them build their community and learn the secrets of creating life? Simul8 Studios is proud to present Dwarfins, a fantasy dwarven community building game, to the world of Second Life.

Visit in Second Life

THE (amazing) MAZE - a new claimant to the SL shooter game throne

After my critizism of the LSL scripting language last Tuesday - a post with a rather pesimistic tone - I am today giving you a contradicting proof of what can be achieved with the Second Life scripting language (if you are a programmer and if you have enough time and resources). I am talking about a collaborative shooting game called THE MAZE.

THE MAZE is a huge underground labyrinth system that is filled with  deadly combat robots and zombies. You will encounter secret doors, traps, machines and special vehicles. In order to advance you will have to fight your way through THE MAZE and solve puzzles.

Another day at the Maze for Superflufee and his gecko pal 

Kanomi Pikajuna's game reviews

New residents often ask themselves "What can I do in SL?". If they want to play a game, they won't find information easily. Back in November last year, I listed online sources on SL games. 

Part of that list was the games category of New World Notes. Today, when looking for information on "The Kaaos Effect" from Madpea, I realised that in 2009 an excellent series of game reviews called "Kanomi Plays" was published on NWN. These blog posts are worth a read because these games are still up an running - what shows their quality.

Picture of Kanomi Pikajuna taken from the New World Notes blog

Apart from "En garde" and "The Crack Den" I have not been familiar with these games. I will play some of them in the coming weeks and I might also blog about my experience. If you want to join me, don't forget to sign-up for my in-world group - then you'll get a notice when I go to these places.

Here is a short overview of the games that Kanomi presented on the New World Notes blog:

Kanomi Plays: An Adventure Game Called The Kaaos Effect

An SL advanture game by MadPea based on a HUD. "Throughout your journeys you will be given other objects and textures that serve as props and clues to help you solve the puzzles".

Kanomi Plays: En Garde, Turn-Based Fencing Strategy Based On Officially Licensed Board Game

Game creators can showcase their games

I have recently added a new page to my blog Second Life Play Instinct where game creators have the possibility to submit information about their games. In the past I have been asked by content creators to blog about their releases and I did not find sufficient time to do so. Second Life Play Instinct is the only blog that is centered around games in Second Life. As every content creator deserves to have their game presented you now have the chance to submit your presentation and I will publish it as soon as possible.

I hope that people will use this channel to advertise their games and that readers will enjoy this new way of presenting locations in Second Life. 

Welcome to the true AXIS OF EVIL

So far I have only presented one SL shooter game on this blog: the MMO snowball game. The reason why I haven't written more about shooting games is that I suck so badly at playing them. Recently I tried one shooter that was really amazing, so here is my second SL shooter review: Welcome to the "AXIS OF EVIL".

The level design, the NPC monsters, the sound effects, everything is so elaborated that my adrenaline levels rose to unknown highs  The zombie shooting game is quite obviously inspired by the video game franchise "Resident Evil". If you believe that Second Life isn't a good platform for action shooters then visit the "Axis of Evil" and then think again. Of course the overall graphics resemble more the first Resident evil game in 2002 than recent releases. But the concept works: the zombies and the scenery create a great apocalyptic atmosphere. Here is a video created by Loki Elliot showing some of the raw charme of the "Axis of Evil" sim.

The global domination hunt - solve puzzles to win the prizes

Yesterday, when writing about the new heads-up displays (HUDs) which are the basis for second life gameplay, I couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities that the new elements such as cut screens, dialogue bubbles and an interactive inventory could bring to Second Life hunts. Only recently I have played the Love Portion 9.9 hunt from MadPea and as much as I loved the story elements I was also having a doubt: Isn't it a bit outdated to cam arround sims looking for an object? Wouldn't it be much more exiting to meet game characters instead which give you tasks to accomplish? Wouldn't it be more interesting to solve puzzles like in adventure games in order to achieve an item? Yes it probably would...

Picture taken from Quan's Travelogues

Have you ever experienced the situation that after having a good idea you find out that someone else just recently put it into practice? That's what happened to me here. Just a few hours after reflecting on a new puzzle approach to Second Life hunts, I found a blog posts about a new game called "Global Domination".

MadPea's "The Escape" and the role of HUDs for story telling

Check out another great gaming experience that is based on a heads-up display (HUD): MadPea's "Escape Room". 

There are two editions of the game. One is set in a run down motel room, the other in a Seventies design stage at its finest: Wallpaper with huge eyes, lava lamp, Kiss poster and even a record player. But whatever room you chose - once you're in, you will notice that you cannot get out of there. That's when the game starts! 

The "Escape Room" HUD serves as an interactive inventory space displaying pictures of the items that have been collected. The game itself follows the principle of "point and click" flash games that you can find on the internet. Look for interesting items in the room and click on them. You will get some items in your HUD. You can select, view and combine the collected items in your HUD and they can operate with other items in the room.

Love Potion No. 9.9 hunt

The latest Madpea Legend of the Month hunt is out: Love Potion No. 9.9! Each month a new Madpea hunt legend is discovered and the stories take you on interactive grid-wide adventures. After the dark and suspense story of the Room 326 hunt a story about Love comes as a welcome change. The February edition hunt is less dark and dreary. 

I got lost at the start of the treasure hunt - but it's such a beautiful sim!

As I wrote in December I believe that Madpea hunts stand out of the crowd. You will not only be searching for hidden items but also for clues that move the story forward. So I decided that I should really play this treasure hunt myself. Madpea also writes about point-and-click game elements on their blog and I wanted to check them out. Moreover two Dwarfins avatars are amongst the hunt goodies. And the Dwarfins are probably the most innovative breadable game concept in Second Life at the moment.

After having spent a long evening with the hunt,  I am very happy with the time investment: it's simply the best SL hunt that I have played so far. The sim hosting the start and the ending of the story is incredibly beautiful and the story elements create a suspense atmosphere. The included riddles help you to advance in the game. 

Location Scouting in Second Life (RPG in SL part 2)

This article is the second part of a blog post series on role-playing in Second Life.

• An Introduction to Role-playing in Second Life
• Location Scouting in Second Life
• Determining a role-play event in Second Life
• The fashionista - A Second Life Role-Play Archetype 

In my introduction to Role-play games in Second Life I have written that there is a huge variety of role-play settings. One very successful niche is the Scouts RPG in Second Life. There are several Scout groups and regions on the grid and I am going to present you two of them today. 

I like SL exploration roleplay as there are usually many people and due to its more casual nature.

Camp Kawabata

The first group that I want to present you is Camp Kawabata. While not connected to any real life scouting organization they promote the values of of scouting’s founder Sir Robert Baden Powell, including building character, citizenship, personal and group skills in Second Life.

Kwabata Scouts at the comic book merit badge meeting - picture by Christian Welles

Camp Kawabata is a beautiful full SL region and a great place for casual role-play including horseback riding, swimming, hiking, boating and campfire activities. 

But the main reason why the Scouts stand out from other RPG environments are their biweekly field trips with the opportunity to get a merit badge. The badges are earned by participating in a specific activity and by filling out a Merit Badge notecard at the end of the meeting which tests your acquired knowledge.

MadPea Room 326 hunt - Play an interactive adventure

Three weeks ago I have presented the game concept of SL hunts. Today I want to introduce you to a game developer who brings the hunt experience to a new level: MadPea Productions is one of the leading game developers for Second Life (and I will certainly present more of their game portfolio in the future).

MadPea regularly releases  hunts in their "The Legend of the Month hunt" series. In these hunts the stories take you on interactive grid-wide adventures. The next episode "Room 326" will be up and running today at 12pm SLT and will immerse you to the story of Room 326 at the Silent Peacock Hotel. 

By adding a background story and by making the player become part of that story the MadPea hunts stand out of the crowd. You will not only be searching for hidden items but also for clues and events that move the story forward. You'll need to purchase a HUD for L$10 which will present you onscreen messages, take you through the story and give you clues where to find the next hidden items and messages.

MMO Snowball fight season has started in Second Life

Come and play a snowball fight game! Ok, let's recapitulate what I liked most about winter time as a child: making snow angles,  building snowmen and hiding in igloos. I also kind of enjoyed snow ball fights but I was not good at throwing balls or hitting a target. When I participated in a snow ball fight it was not for the win but rather for the one lucky strike that would make my day.

Watch out - or I'll shoot ya!

Also In the virtual world I am not gifted with targeting and shooting skills. And in the past I haven't played a first person shooter like Counter Strike. But last year I found a snowball fight version of "counter strike" on the SL marketplace. Since that moment I almost can't wait for the winter season. I still don't win the snowball fight games but I feel a great joy when hitting a "professional" gamer with a cold and wet snow ball.

VE-Soccer. A football video game in Second Life

VE-Soccer is is bringing football to the world of Second Life. Football (or soccer as my readers from the US will call it) is the most popular team sport in Europe, South-America and Africa. No wonder that soccer video games are among the best selling video-games franchises. Pro Evolution Soccer sold several million copies and the FIFA football series has reached 100 million copies worldwide in 2010. At the same time the FIFA franchise has been translated into 18 languages and is available in 51 countries worldwide.

A VE-Soccer team. And the first time I saw prim hair for a long time.

In Second Life there have been some attempts to establish an SL soccer game but I never heard about them before. Maybe this is because they were promoted mainly among the Spanish speaking community. One older soccer league was called "Second Football" and another "ligafutbolvirtual" (LFV). Both game systems seem to have vanished from SL. But a new team of developers works on the game concept. When exploring the official SL forum for games a week ago, I noticed a short entry about a new soccer game called Virtual Evolution Soccer or in short VE-Soccer. 

The Dwarfins - a community building breedable game

This week-end the game developers team Simul8 Studios has released a new community building game:"The Dwarfins". The game is based on the concept of SL breedables.

So far I haven't possessed a breedable in SL. But I was a proud owner of a tamagotchi twenty years ago and I liked the game concept a lot. The player had to take care of her/his virtual pet which could even be trained.  The creature went through different stages of growth, and it developed differently depending on the care the player provided. Better care resulted in an adult creature that was smarter, happier, and required less attention.

At the Dwarfins sim

The original SL game concept of breedables is very much in line with the tamagotchi game mechanics. There has however been an exciting enhancement by enabling creatures to have offspring. Based on mendelian genetics, traits from mothers and fathers is passed down to the children based on a reproducible rule set. Some children might even have rare or unique traits.

Second Life hunts - It is a game

Do you remember the thrills of a scavenger hunt in your youth? Have you dreamed of finding a message in a bottle leading you to a hidden treasure? Were you fascinated by the riddles that the protagonists of adventure books solve during their treasure hunt? Then you'll understand the success of Second Life hunts. There is a good reason why the "The Hunt & Hunters Resource Centre" is one of the top entries in the games section of the SL destination guide.

Me at the Hunt & Hunters Resource Center

As a game concept in Second Life hunts are very popular  - even if many don't even see it as a game. They might counter that the motivation for participating in hunts is to get nice outfits and gimmicks for free. But there are residents with cramped inventories filled with thousands of unused hunt items. I don't go on hunts often, but I have more unopened hunt items in my inventory than anything else. The secret success of the Second Life hunts seems to be, that finding and collecting the prices gives a satisfaction similar to collecting achievements in classical games. The hunt price itself often is of less interest.

Electrobit City - Jump and Run in Second LIfe

Electrobit City is bringing the world of "Jump and Run" games to Second Life. I like the Second Life destination guide entry of this place: 

It's a great chance to experience the 8-Bit and Retro Pixel culture with unique environments inspired by games of your youth, revisiting them with modern twists. Live chiptune music and interactive games await! 

And indeed some areas - that you can reach to from the landing point of Electrobit City - make one feel like stepping into a Mario game. Other areas and their landscapes are a modern mesh interpretation and recreation of ancient jump and run game environments.

A Shy Guy in Electrobit City by Jin Zan

Loki's The Well - An SL experience

Loki Elliot has a long history of game creation in Second Life such as the "Babbage Chronicles" or "The John King Experience". The name of the latter points to the genre definition for mini-games like "The Well": an experience. Just like in SL adventure games the player is interacting with characters and objects in order to advance in the story line. The SL experience differs in my eyes from an SL adventure game such as "The Guarden" by all or some of the following criteria:

• The game is rather short or consists of a longer series of short scenes
• The puzzles are not very complex - the actions triggered by game objects and characters do not change based upon steps taken earlier in the game
• there are not alternative game paths, solutions or endings

Picture taken from Loki Elliot's blog