Once You Have Tasted flight...

Readers of Second Effects will know that I like to explore whenever I have time to spare, and it can be tremendously interesting. Not only do you see amazing things, but you often meet amazing people too. And then there are those times when you run into a fellow explorer of the Second Life Virtual World™ and compare notes. 

The other week I ran into one such explorer, Dana Musgrave (pictured with myself at the Inspire Space Park). We traded interesting Landmarks like two cowboys at a shoot-out, and I am afraid I lost badly: Dana gave me 51 Landmarks that I had not visited, while I could provide her with only a mere 15 that she had not visited.

Afterwards, I marveled at Dana’s persistence and ability to explore, and thought everyone should get exploration tips from a master explorer such as Dana. I contacted her recently and here is the result:

Second Effects: Thanks so much for answering my questions today! There are many would-be explorers and I am certain they’d appreciate some exploration tips from you. How many places have you visited, and how long have you been exploring?

Dana Musgrave: Well, I would say close to maybe 400 sims, for about a year and a half now.

SE: How often do you go exploring?

DM: Almost every other day.

SE: When you explore, do you have a goal in mind or do you teleport in a random direction?

DM: Yes, I do have a goal most of the time to keep focus, then when I go for whatever it is I am looking for it usually leads me to a plethora of other things!

SE: Where do you find good exploration ideas and tips?

DM: When I see unusual objects in SL or really nicely done objects, the main thing I do is go to edit on them, then look at the picks of the profile of the person that made them, the creative people in SL sometimes have really great places that they have found and cherish and openly want to share them with others. Also, I ALWAYS have my "Camera Control" out so that I can explore a place more thoroughly.

SE: What do you do when you first arrive somewhere?

DM: CREATE A LANDMARK! LOL - Especially since SL is so capricious in nature of crashing!

SE: How do you keep track of all the places you have visited?

DM: I place all the great places on a notecard, simply drag and click them on one, you can do it just as easily as placing them in a new folder but to me quicker and easier.

SE: Favorite place ever visited?

DM: I would have to say.....hmmmm......Inspire Space Park, something so profound and tranquil about it, especially using the orbital pose balls there and the music!

SE: Where are you going next?

DM: Magnanimously into the minds of others, to do as I always try to do, inspire them to travel SL more so that they too can see much of the beauty that it has to offer and maybe, just maybe inspire them enough to create a spectacular sim to be viewed by many as well!

SE: Thanks again, Dana!

I must agree with all of Dana’s suggestions, particularly regarding stowage of landmarks. There is nothing worse than having piles of old landmarks in an inventory folder and not knowing how you came by them, let alone if they are of any value. The notecard idea even lets you write a few words about the landmark so you will always know why you kept it.

I also highly recommend Dana’s choice of the Inspire Space Park, which is truly a magical mix of sight, sound and imagination.

And just for the record, my SLBUZZ profile indicates today I’ve visited some 1008 sims. Now, if only I can remember them... sigh.

Finally, Dana added a special quote for great explorers:

"And once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return......." -Leonardo da Vinci