Other places to play

  Today, still taking a break from Deadwood, I visited a newer Western sim, Cedar Creek in Red Cedar  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Red%20Cedar%20/222/124 /501/  I'm exploring places where children are welcome to role play, as well as other western sims.  This one looks like a winner!

Owner Gretchen Janick reports that they have been #3 in the Showcase of roleplay sims, and the only Western sim in the top 10.

   The welcome area is clearly set up - necessary things are easy to find by clicking on tastefully decorated boxes.  Shortly after I arrived, Gretchen popped in and helped me with the group invite.  Note that your avatar must be 30 days old in order for you to be invited, although you can shop in the surrounding area (Native American goods are found, along with Western clothing, guns, and other items.)

You receive an explanation of the history of Cedar Creek, Meter explanations and such.   The rules are fairly simply and clearly stated; most are familiar to those who have role played in any western sim.

Noteworthy:  child avatars are allowed (no use of guns and children may not be harmed in any way); human avatars only; native americans are welcome; slavery is not allowed; chat logs should be included in any complaints.

A couple of my favorites from the rules (as someone who has been an admin, I loved these!)

"  During the Victorian era were no mini skirts, belly freetops, bling, tennis shoes, combat boots, camouflage suits, t-shirts, high heels or fur bikinis to name a few."

and this clear explanation of what happens if you break rules:


Rule Enforcement:
1st offense – Verbal Warning
2nd offense – 3 day ban from Cedar Creek
3rd offense – Permanent Ban


There are also free clothing for men, women and Native Americans.  I helped myself to all since you never known what you might want to mix and match!

Free Men's outfit includes a hat,  shirt, pants and shoes

 

Free Woman's outfit includes blouse, belt, skirt and glitch pants

 

     Free Native American outfit includes Buckskin Top, Moccasins, Pants and Skirt (for woman) 

The sim was decorated for the American Memorial Day week-end when I arrived, but very tastefully, nothing to take away from the historical feeling of the sim which is set in Cedar Creek, a fictionalized town set in the western frontier region of Oklahoma Territory circa 1890's.  The territory is occupied by the Chickasaw and Cherokee peoples, in addition to white settlers who are moving in to the area.

I spent some time wandering through the sim - the town area is compact, with a saloon, jail, cafe, general store and doc's office.  Most of the buildings were decent - I would have done away with the red cross over the medical building and the clearly visible line dance pose balls in the saloon - but other than that, it seemed a good start for the beginnings of a small town.  (Janick told me the flags, and I assume the pole shown in the picture above, were only up for Memorial Day).

The general store had quality guns by a familiar vendor - L. Mortlock & Company.

  The information you receive explains  "As you enter Cedar Creek, what is apparent are the mountains of red sandstone, which stand in the distance dominating the sky line. Oklahoma Territory itself stands to one side of the Great Plains....Just to the south are the Wichita Mountains, granite outcrops surrounded by lush grazing land."  

Indeed, you find exactly that and more!

I trekked out further and found several houses tucked into spots all over - the history explains this to you.

"With the Homestead act of 1862 came the settlers.  This act allowed individuals to claim 160 acres of land for settlement, so long as it was occupied and improved by the settler. At high noon on the 22nd of April, 1889, fifty thousand people, among them Niko and Gretchen Janick, lined up waiting for the cannon that would signal the largest reclamation of land in history. The Janick Family discovered a small valley with a creek running through it, dotted by majestic cedars.  The beauty of the area struck the couple and they soon saw the potential and laid claim. Within a year small settlement sprang up, a few buildings, a stock yard. Then the people came ."

The land in the sim is truly beautiful - in addition to the dry red sandstone, you will find trees, streams, waterfalls and a river -- and there are homesteads available. 1,000L a week will buy you 300 prims to fill with historical style buildings, animals, plants, gardens.

The Sheriff's House

I found myself by a gorgeous waterfall .. peaceful, yes? (except for a rather out of place commercially laid out fishing set offer which I didn't show in the photo)...

but just to my right, over the hill and around the corner is the Native American area...

This is also explained in the hand out you receive about the History of Cedar Creek:

" Prior to 1831 the western area of the Territory was largely unoccupied except for the buffalo and a few small tribes of Native Americans. This changed with the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which lead to the dispossession of thousands of Cherokee, Chocktaw, Muscogee and Seminoles from their tribal lands in the southeast. These Native peoples were marched by force northwest to Oklahoma Territory. A small village of Cherokee, founded by Standing Bear and Beloved Woman Lozen, stands to the northeast of town as a testament to the descendants of the repatriation of the Indian Nations along the "Trail of Tears".  Fifteen thousand Cherokee were moved from their tribal and ancestral home; an estimated 4,000 never reached their final destination."

I'll return another time in Native American avatar to check this out more closely - a quick look through showed a lot of huge tipis and some very realistic looking activities - weaving, beading, grinding and such. 

Because I visited on Memorial Day week-end, there were relatively few players in town - my intent is to go back mid week for another visit.  I was impressed with the care taken in laying out the history, the rules, and the sim itself.

If you are looking for a Western sim to check out as an addition to your favorite, I'd suggest giving this new sim a chance.   The welcoming area is also a good place to shop!

*****
They don't yet have a forum, but members get a notecard with Events listed, and you can find them also in Search.  Below are Upcoming Events as of this posting:


Saturday 05/29/2010  11:00AM SLT - 1:00PM SLT
"Ballroom Blitz"
Live DJ
Contest "Best in Outlaw Gear"

Saturday 06/05/2010  11:00AM SLT - 1:00PM SLT
"Tarts and Vicars"
Live DJ
Contest "Best Tart" & "Best Vicar"

Saturday 06/12/2010  11:00AM SLT - 1:00PM SLT
"Get Lei'd"
Live DJ
Contest "Best in Hula"

Saturday 06/19/2010  11:00AM SLT - 1:00PM SLT
"Costume Party"
Live DJ
Contest "Best Costume"