Luna-see

Madness? Well if so, mad in a good way! Yes, it's that lunatic Luna Lunaria with some more mind-blowing creations! Today was the opportunity for many of us to take a first dive into Luna's Luxor build on Wolf Territories Grid - HG address as always at the end of the post - and really absorb the out-of-this-world quality  that makes up this colossal build. It's Egypt with a twist, the sci-fictional version of the place in all its iterations.

Since "scifiegyptology" is too difficult to say, why not just call it "heka", the  ancient Egyptian word for magic, and be done with it.

It is, after all, a heck of a great build. Ouch, sorry, stopping right there. 

Glimmering in a golden dress with uncharacteristic dark hair, to fit the Pharaonic theme,  Luna Lunaria awaited us at the landing place on Luxor.   

Luna Lunaria

Luna Lunaria: Welcome to my home everyone! As the blurb said when you entered, this is not only my home but it was also created to be a place of meditation, mystery, and peace for spiritual pilgrims. As a visitor you are more than welcome to explore Luxor however you wish, whether by flying, camming, boating, walking or using the teleport boards. Keep in mind that some parts of the region reward those who actually go to that location. Some areas have quiet songs playing, like the one you're hearing now at the landing located inside the glowing lavender object. That song is from Blade Runner 2049. Those songs are not streams - just turn up your sounds to hear them. Other areas can only be found by walking or boating. We'll see a couple of those today. The EEP environment and the lighting here are as much a part of the total experience as the structures themselves. If you are not using shared environment and advanced lighting model, the region will appear washed out and much less interesting. As the sign here says, this is optimally how your view should look if your system will allow it. By touching the sign, you can get instructions on changing your graphics settings. And by all means, if you can extend your draw distance, you'll be glad you did.

Forest Azure: should i be hearing a song now?

Luna Lunaria: it takes a minute or so to load the first time. just make sure sounds are turned up. Here at the entrance to the Main Pyramid, you'll see a telepad that takes you back to the main landing, as well as two red down arrows that take you to one of the more hidden spots. Go ahead and click an arrow to go down. We're now under the pyramid and there's a walkway that goes completely around it. In front of us is a water temple obscured by the bridge above. Here you can hop on one of the boats and sail around the entire region, with docks at the main locations. To the left is one of my space craft made by my alt Lain Iwakura and scripted by Armenious Horada. Sorry, it's a fly-by-hud vehicle set to the owner. There are a couple more at Docking Bay 94 but that’s not on our agenda today.

Docking Bay 94

Fitheach Eun: Nice music here

Luna Lunaria: thanks! the song is from Myst Uru

Thirza Ember: you were saying on  Inworld Review  last week about your special settings in gimp that let you create this wonderful metallic material - it's spectacular, love it

lifted pixel: spectacular specular

Luna Lunaria: yes I use a lot of materials in multiple ways, metals were my biggest challenge but fun to do, this was a fun place to make. Don’t forget to look up in here btw.

Teleport options blend in with the decor

Luna Lunaria: Here on the left are the same main teleports we saw at the landing. On the right are the levels inside the Pyramid: the lobby that we’re in, a future Antiquities store that I haven’t filled yet, a VIP room, and the Lotus Club.

Luna Lunaria: There's James! Quite the balance you have there James.

Forest Azure: lol

James combined this week's freebie Pharoah head dress with last week's elephant.
He's a walking souvenir collection.

Mal Burns: my camera got lost in the utter massiveness here

Forest Azure: /me is getting a bit dizzy

whirli placebo: such an wonderful build, Luna!  the gold positively shines!

Luna Lunaria: There's a lot of height here lol

Neo.CortexHG: Reminds me a bit of the Goa'uld build from Stargate

Luna Lunaria: The club occupies the two top levels of the pyramid as seen from outside. We’re having our inaugural gala here on Saturday October 14th at 2 pm grid time and Austin Moores will be singing live.

Lifted Pixel in the Lotus Lounge

Forest Azure: any grave robbers lurking around?

Luna Lunaria: haha

Mal Burns: heiroglyphics to stress even an IA translator !!

Luna Lunaria: This is one of the first builds here, This was my display build at last year’s OSFest and became one of the centerpieces here after the Fest was over. The song that’s playing is Dark Mist, Rain by Vidna Obmana. It’s quiet and takes a while to get going. I really got the feel for the theme I wanted at Luxor with this build

Fitheach Eun: I think this is my favorite part, I really love that water...

Fitheach Eun

Luna Lunaria: that's prim water, 3 textures and a script make it look the way it does.

Fitheach Eun: grins well it's great prim water./ Makes a note to ask Luna for lessons on water ;)

Neo CortexHG: Hmm, that dark rock floating over there... is that the darker side of this build?

Luna Lunaria: Yes, that's an ancient rune stone from an older civilization

Neo CortexHG: Is it going to enslave us all now?

Thirza Ember: we are a work-shy bunch - enslaving us seems a bad idea

Forest Azure: and after all, all the work has been done, nothing left for us slaves

lifted pixel: the lighting really assists the scale of this room,  i can feel the low lighting from the fires

Luna Lunaria: everything at Luxor is large scale on purpose. Scale and lighting elevate the soul

Tosha.Tyran: this is really breathtaking

Tosha Tyran

Luna Lunaria: We’ll go to my newest build next. Click the telepad on the floor to go there, across the glass bridge

Forest Azure: ooh, scary!

Luna Lunaria: I love this bridge. The idea was to make it look like glowing glass. This temple is probably about 70% complete at this point. It’s intended to be a temple of light, incorporating all the various meanings of ‘light’. What you see here now may end up remaining or might be replaced as I go along and follow my inspiration. As we go higher the build will be less and less finished, especially the inside of the pyramid

Tosha Tyran: we look like crumbs here

Neo CortexHG: looks fantastic on Ultra

Luna Lunaria: yes ultra!! 

Some of the group fell into the lapis lazuli colored water.

Tosha Tyran: a bit cold

Luna Lunaria: yeah its not textured yet, this is a work in progress.

Forest Azure: lol... good that i have my clothes on - dripping!

Jupiter Rowland: Feature request: stairs for the pools.

Forest Azure: or some slaves to pull you out

Luna Lunaria: Good request Jupiter, noted.  You can see how things look before I texture them The song that’s playing is Liquid Light by Saint of Sin. The lyrics are scrolling above it. That song inspired this entire structure and this place will be filled with lighting effects that follow the theme.

 Luna Lunaria:   The black surfaces will make those stand out more. This space will be filled with light and effects, got a ways to go before it's finished - click the telepad here to go to the Harbor.

Luna Lunaria: one of my favorite places. This is the main harbor entrance to Luxor, built primarily for other residents of the grid who boat over from other connected regions. I wanted the scale here to be immense to provide the kind of grand entrance the place deserves. If you pan your camera out and around you can get a feel of that scale you would see from a boat entering the harbor. By the way, I placed out a bunch of boats for those of you who would like to explore by water after this is over. You can get to the interior of Luxor through these hills, but the easiest way is to sail through the main entrance across from us then bear left until you reach a large break in the hills. There are some big waterfalls once you get on the interior waterways.

lifted pixel: yeah this is massive, i'm at 1000 draw distance

Tosha Tyran: and me thinking my last builds were ... large ...#

Luna Lunaria: type dd 2048 to expand your draw farther

lifted pixel: yeah i had to bump it up higher lol

Mal Burns: wonders if one can build something so high it defeats draw distance at max from the ground, curious is all

Luna Lunaria: only works inside a region and not across borders

Thirza Ember: I think you mentioned this would be a good place for roleplay - do you have any plans for that?

Luna Lunaria: There is already one roleplay group from Wild Bayou that is writing Luxor into their storyline... Fit, I think you guys are still working it in for down the road

Fitheach Eun: We are :) We are still trying to see where to best fit it in; our current storyline is rater grim and that will not work for here

Fitheach Eun: I will admit I just go an idea though, need to let  it simmer

Thirza Ember: makes sense to use these kinds of amazing builds to bring to life new stories

Luna Lunaria: be a shame just to waste as my home lol

Forest Azure: where does this 'walking egyptian' come from?

Mal Burns: me - bangles interlude

Forest Azure: of course, always Mal :) ...why are you standing there, you should dance the dance!

Princess Lillyti: whispers: ..am i dancing like egyptian ?  ..not sure...

Luna Lunaria: we luvs dancing

Princess Lillyti: /me * giggles in egyptian *

Fitheach Eun: What about that other temple?

Luna Lunaria: if we head up the stairs we'll be back at the landing to visit Menkaure... this way.

Princess Lillyti: omg..  steep climb...

Luna Lunaria: this is where I personally hang out when I'm here, love this little place under the bridge, there's a song here too. Voices From the Ethereal Forest by Meg Bowles

Thirza Ember: the blue fire makes me think of that old film 'She'

Luna Lunaria: marks that down. Dont think I've ever seen that one. Its a cold fire lol, reminds me of the dead dragon on game of thrones

Princess Lillyti: /me  * coughs coughs...*

Nara Nook: is blue the hottest flame

Luna Lunaria: okies we can head this way, 

Princess Lillyti: WOW !  .. this is so kewl....

Fitheach Eun: The torchlight reflections are great

Neo CortexHG: Where is Thor hiding?

Luna Lunaria: I love lighting and reflections - Asgard was my blatant inspiration here lol

Neo CortexHG: I almost couldn't tell :P

Use the red 'down' button to get to the boats!

Luna Lunaria: the large objects are hypergrid gates, one goes to my main store on this grid and the other is currently set to OSFest

Mal Burns: I heard of Anthony and Cleopatra, but Thor and Cleopatra?

Luna Lunaria: Mal I mix metaphors unashamedly

Luna Lunaria: I try not to think of the hours I put in. The lightning was fun

Mal Burns: beyond counting i suspect

Luna Lunaria: yes beyond

Nara Nook: It's gorgeous, Luna. Thank you for sharing this

Neo CortexHG: I really love how well all those elements work together. This is one very impressive world you have built here!

lifted pixel: it's definitely worth it, the end product is awesome, you can tell a lot of time has gone into this

Thirza Ember: Every part of it reflects not only an artistic thought, but also refining of your techniques ... Gimp and Blender and inspiration - that is a powerful combo

Luna Lunaria: this was a master class for me. learned a lot as I went along

Forest Azure: it really looks overwhelming

Neo CortexHG: Now if you all think back like 10 years, those might have been prims with a default texture...

Tosha.Tyran: it leaves me absolutely stunned

Fitheach Eun: It's totally amazing

Thirza Ember: I love that you have made it not only awesome - literally - but also with humor and  contemporary references - it is not a museum piece

Luna Lunaria: Yep Thirza exactly

Luna Lunaria: feel free to roam. we saw a lot but not all

Fitheach Eun: I want to come back and take the boat ride

Nara Nook: me too

Luna Lunaria: Remember: live event with Austin Moores, 10/14 at 2 pm in the Lotus Club

Thirza Ember: and doesn't Wolf Territories have a festival coming up soon too?

Luna Lunaria: Not until next year some time but they're building out a permanent Fest region. I wasn't able to create this before Wolf came along. My vision was too big for the other grids I was on.

Thirza Ember: this is an awesome build on a really epic grid, if you stand around Luna in a group i'll get a photo, and try to all face the same way for a change

lifted pixel: cheese

Princess Lillyti: ..smiles like an egyptian...

Thirza Ember: who is lying on the floor LOL

Forest Azure: who?

Luna Lunaria: hahaha

Princess Lillyti: omg  .. snoring ?

Forest Azure: it was a long walk :)

Luna Lunaria: any one want this outfit I'll pass you a copy

Fitheach Eun: Oh I would love it

Forest Azure: me, me!

Mal Burns: not quite my style tks luna

Neo CortexHG: Come on Mal, you may talk about that other side of you...

Fitheach Eun: We won't judge Mal

Tosha Tyran: he never knows about his style or not until he tries

Luna Lunaria: I gave Mal one anyway lol

Princess.Lillyti: will this photo be on the cover of National Geographic ?

Thirza Ember: no, on my blog Lilly https://hgsafari.blogspot.com/

Francisco Koolhoven: Amazing build here, I will be back to explore!

Nara Nook: night all

Fitheach Eun: TC everyone, Wonderful tour Luna

Princess Lillyti: thank you for the tour...  got to visit the boring RL Grid...  * hugs *

lifted pixel: see y'all next week :D

Tosha Tyran: what a wonder - ful place Luna

Luna Lunaria: You guys were great, thanks! Love you all, muah!

HG Address: grid.wolfterritories.org:8002:Luxor

hop://grid.wolfterritories.org:8002/Luxor/224/517/47