Wagner James Au / New World Notes

Umi, a spectacular new Second Life sim, recently opened. To access the island, you first need to join the group called Umi and activate that as your tag. Then click here to teleport.

Created by acclaimed sim designer Paradox Ivy, fellow SL creator Bars Simpson calls it "breathtaking" (and took the image above). Writing of it:

The time, love, care, talent, and expertise that went into this sim is unmeasurable. The intricacies of this sim help build onto the layers it presents. You will come back many times and discover something new each time. Every nook you walk into is decorated down to the smallest detail. Whether its small bursts of happiness you find like a hidden kitty or the iron grates under your feet rustling when u walk over them. Or big impactful moments of happy, like every direction you turn is a beautiful view. You cannot take a bad pic here. The whole sim is a big piece of art you can freely move around and interact with that brings a calming peace to you while you discover its offerings.

I second this Second Life review, and especially love Umi's immersive ambient audio, an aspect that often gets overlooked.

Paradox tell me Umi was inspired by some of her favorite anime from Japan, a visit to South Korea — and that its creation was a kind of healing process for herself in real life, as it also evokes a visit with family to Nova Scotia:

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