Next theme teaser (after the stilts!)

[arabellajones]

The windmill look Dutch, and I found a video of a Dutch grist mill which resemble the interior. There's a lot of the mechanism missing.

https://www.istockphoto.com/video/interior-of-dutch-windmill-gm1055383992-281962693

[Raspberry Crystal]

Yeah, I've finally found an image of actual houses in actual Bavaria which have the timber framing!

Once you split these up into smaller individual homes, flatten the roofs, simplify the colour scheme, take out 80% of the detail, and then for some reason add a Victorian door you do end up with something looking like the demo models.
There's still no explanation as to why they have been called chalets though?

It's not possible to avoid the issue that basing a theme on a pastiche is going to end up with weird results. Using original and authentic source material is a fundamental principle in design (usually).

 

However, unlike some previous British commentators, I rather like 1930s Mock tudor houses, and this is definitely where my mind went when I first saw these models. This is an example of a house near where I lived as a child. They do need a bit of brick to make them look right though.
It might be a tough task to design around those brown window surrounds, and if the neighbours have gone gone the full Disney there's a chance that nothing could be done to redeem the situation.

Referring to what @Sylvia Tamalyn said earlier, 'Your World, Your Imagination'. Unfortunately that only holds if you have the modelling skills to create that, otherwise you are stuck with whatever you can find. It's a much harder task to make something which represents a culture lying outside the US, simply due to the demographics of the creators inworld.
These homes, which  are 'european through an american lens' are an example of that.

As for nitpicking comment, @LittleMe Jewell,  I'll put that down to lack of experience. Being an american in second life is like being right handed in the real world. You simply don't notice the aggravation because for you it doesn't exist. I'm not blaming you for that, just pointing it out.

[Loretta String]

My first impression was Tudor, and a bit later I came across a similar home in a Facebook group, which is dealing with old houses for sale in the USA. That home is being promoted  as a Tudor Style house  and the resemblance is  remarkable.

 

[Garnet Psaltery]

47 minutes ago, Raspberry Crystal said:

Yeah, I've finally found an image of actual houses in actual Bavaria which have the timber framing!

Once you split these up into smaller individual homes, flatten the roofs, simplify the colour scheme, take out 80% of the detail, and then for some reason add a Victorian door you do end up with something looking like the demo models.
There's still no explanation as to why they have been called chalets though?

It's not possible to avoid the issue that basing a theme on a pastiche is going to end up with weird results. Using original and authentic source material is a fundamental principle in design (usually).

 

However, unlike some previous British commentators, I rather like 1930s Mock tudor houses, and this is definitely where my mind went when I first saw these models. This is an example of a house near where I lived as a child. They do need a bit of brick to make them look right though.
It might be a tough task to design around those brown window surrounds, and if the neighbours have gone gone the full Disney there's a chance that nothing could be done to redeem the situation.

Referring to what @Sylvia Tamalyn said earlier, 'Your World, Your Imagination'. Unfortunately that only holds if you have the modelling skills to create that, otherwise you are stuck with whatever you can find. It's a much harder task to make something which represents a culture lying outside the US, simply due to the demographics of the creators inworld.
These homes, which  are 'european through an american lens' are an example of that.

As for nitpicking comment, @LittleMe Jewell,  I'll put that down to lack of experience. Being an american in second life is like being right handed in the real world. You simply don't notice the aggravation because for you it doesn't exist. I'm not blaming you for that, just pointing it out.

Thank you for that beautiful image of a Bavarian town with its essential fountain.  I do hope that is a feature in the new regions.  I also like mock Tudors as they're generally well-balanced, not overdone, and the older ones are solidly built.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Garnet Psaltery

[foneco Zuzu]

2 hours ago, Leora Jacobus said:

Unfortunately I have never been in Portugal.

I hope you will rectify that in a near, hopeful, future.

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by foneco Zuzu

[Raspberry Crystal]

47 minutes ago, Loretta String said:

My first impression was Tudor, and a bit later I came across a similar home in a Facebook group, which is dealing with old houses for sale in the USA. That home is being promoted  as a Tudor Style house  and the resemblance is  remarkable.

 

I think you have hit on an excellent strategy Loretta. See these homes as American mock tudor, I'm sure it is a closer fit stylewise than trying to bend them to become more European.
The actual homes in SL are  pretty on the outside, but I really wish they had the stonework featured in your photo.

The insides feel like a rehash of the log homes, and I'm not sure how easy it would be to get around those brown window frames for interior decor. In combination with the victorian doors they feel like a trend that was popular here in the UK in the eighties. I'd just need some light blocking austrian blinds and a faux coal gas fire to complete the look!

The landscaping around the houses is generally pleasing, I'm loving the spring flowers. The windmill is nice, no idea if it feels german or not. On google I can see preserved versions of american ones which look similar so it doesn't need to interfere with the Amerimocktudor theme:)

[Cinnamon Mistwood]

I don't want to join the discussion of how authentic or Americanized these themed houses are or aren't.   I went to take a peek yesterday.  I like them.  I was a little surprised at the very clean, almost sterile feel of the landscaping.  I also wondered why only 4 of 8 house designs are shown.

What if (go ahead and suspend belief and reality at this point because I know this is a reach) What if the other 4 house designs are the same houses, but with snow?  There is a permanent snowy area on mainland and am I remembering a clue about this theme echoing a theme previously done? 

What if we all woke up one morning during the expo and found a snowstorm dropped a blanket on the demo region.  Magical! Better remove those flower boxes on the windows if you didn't protect them from the weather the night before 😄

Okay back to your regularly scheduled comparisons of real life houses and geography.

 

 

Hey, a gal can dream outside of the box.  I actually can't imagine how this would even be possible with 20+ parcels in a region, all the public land in between and all the stuff people add when decorating, but it was a fun "What if" moment and the style would look great with snow.

[Milk Pixelmaid]

32 minutes ago, Cinnamon Mistwood said:

I don't want to join the discussion of how authentic or Americanized these themed houses are or aren't.   I went to take a peek yesterday.  I like them.  I was a little surprised at the very clean, almost sterile feel of the landscaping.  I also wondered why only 4 of 8 house designs are shown.

What if (go ahead and suspend belief and reality at this point because I know this is a reach) What if the other 4 house designs are the same houses, but with snow?  There is a permanent snowy area on mainland and am I remembering a clue about this theme echoing a theme previously done? 

What if we all woke up one morning during the expo and found a snowstorm dropped a blanket on the demo region.  Magical! Better remove those flower boxes on the windows if you didn't protect them from the weather the night before 😄

Okay back to your regularly scheduled comparisons of real life houses and geography.

 

 

Hey, a gal can dream outside of the box.  I actually can't imagine how this would even be possible with 20+ parcels in a region, all the public land in between and all the stuff people add when decorating, but it was a fun "What if" moment and the style would look great with snow.

I like this idea. Judging by how much SLer's just love to add square snow to their entire parcel, and snow everywhere, LL should consider making some 'snowy' permanent homes up in the mountains and relocate those people there.

[Sylvia Tamalyn]

6 hours ago, Raspberry Crystal said:

Yeah, I've finally found an image of actual houses in actual Bavaria which have the timber framing!

Once you split these up into smaller individual homes, flatten the roofs, simplify the colour scheme, take out 80% of the detail, and then for some reason add a Victorian door you do end up with something looking like the demo models.
There's still no explanation as to why they have been called chalets though?

It's not possible to avoid the issue that basing a theme on a pastiche is going to end up with weird results. Using original and authentic source material is a fundamental principle in design (usually).

 

However, unlike some previous British commentators, I rather like 1930s Mock tudor houses, and this is definitely where my mind went when I first saw these models. This is an example of a house near where I lived as a child. They do need a bit of brick to make them look right though.
It might be a tough task to design around those brown window surrounds, and if the neighbours have gone gone the full Disney there's a chance that nothing could be done to redeem the situation.

Referring to what @Sylvia Tamalyn said earlier, 'Your World, Your Imagination'. Unfortunately that only holds if you have the modelling skills to create that, otherwise you are stuck with whatever you can find. It's a much harder task to make something which represents a culture lying outside the US, simply due to the demographics of the creators inworld.
These homes, which  are 'european through an american lens' are an example of that.

As for nitpicking comment, @LittleMe Jewell,  I'll put that down to lack of experience. Being an american in second life is like being right handed in the real world. You simply don't notice the aggravation because for you it doesn't exist. I'm not blaming you for that, just pointing it out.

I think you misunderstand me. The entire premise of SL, from the start, was "Your World, Your Imagination". That has been the slogan, off and on, of the game for many years, and as far as I know, was meant for all residents, not just those with modeling skills sufficient to recreate RL here. It's why SL is full of wonderful, imaginative creatures such as fairies. Even Governor Linden goes around in a hamster avatar!

My point is that insisting that things be precisely as they are in RL is contradictory to the vision that Philip Rosedale had for the world he was creating. I suppose people whose outlooks are a bit more rigid probably don't like the wild wild west of Mainland, either... but I do. 

I am enjoying these new homes for what they are, not for what they are not.  

Edited December 5, 2020 by Sylvia Tamalyn

[Sparkle Bunny]

3 hours ago, Cinnamon Mistwood said:

I was a little surprised at the very clean, almost sterile feel of the landscaping.  I also wondered why only 4 of 8 house designs are shown.

Time constraints, I'd imagine. I think cloud uplift has been holding things up in general, and was pleasantly surprised to see any kind of reveal this month.

[Marianne Little]

I have been thinking about content packs. They are getting better and better. In the first theme, objects was so Li heavy.

Now, down to 1 Li window boxes and 1 Li row of flowers that fit inside them?

Wow, I want. But then I have to get in Game of Homes again. It is 2 themes coming up and what is in the Stilt homes content pack? We don't know yet. Awesome palm trees and lanterns? (Speculation!)

So I have to get a Stilt home to get that content pack, abandon it when the Chalet houses come out to get the content pack, and try to get a Stilt home again. I went back to the Stilt preview region and I really prefer the balconies there.

Could not the content packs be in a Mole warehouse so the Premiums could go and pick them up? Without home jumping?

Or, if we had a Bellisseria home and we clicked on the mailbox, we could get all the content packs, select "Traditional", select "Houseboats", select "Campers".... and so on.

 

[LittleMe Jewell]

1 minute ago, Marianne Little said:

So I have to get a Stilt home to get that content pack, abandon it when the Chalet houses come out to get the content pack, and try to get a Stilt home again. I went back to the Stilt preview region and I really prefer the balconies there.

Speculation, based on a comment from Patch last spring, is that both Themes will be released together.  So grab a Chalet first to get the content pack, abandon it, and then go for the Stilts.

It would be nice if the content packs were put into one or more central locations, like they are in the older Linden Homes.

[Marianne Little]

1 minute ago, LittleMe Jewell said:

Speculation, based on a comment from Patch last spring, is that both Themes will be released together.  So grab a Chalet first to get the content pack, abandon it, and then go for the Stilts.

It would be nice if the content packs were put into one or more central locations, like they are in the older Linden Homes.

Interesting. But I do not believe it will happen. The Stilt regions look like they are ready to go. I would bet a Linden dollar that they are released after the Christmas Expo ends, Dec. 13. That is one and a half week before Christmas.

I am not the first one to raise the question, why are the content packs in the Mailboxes only, and not available any other way?

Did any Mole or Linden come and say why the content is only in the Mailboxes? @Abnor Mole?

[LittleMe Jewell]

1 hour ago, Marianne Little said:

Interesting. But I do not believe it will happen. The Stilt regions look like they are ready to go. I would bet a Linden dollar that they are released after the Christmas Expo ends, Dec. 13. That is one and a half week before Christmas.

Based on a comment Abnor just made in another thread about the open floorplans of the Chalets, it does appear that the Stilts will be released quite a bit before the Chalets. 

 

[Abnor Mole]

2 hours ago, Marianne Little said:

I am not the first one to raise the question, why are the content packs in the Mailboxes only, and not available any other way?

Did any Mole or Linden come and say why the content is only in the Mailboxes? @Abnor Mole?

The content packs for the old linden homes were only in a central locations. Putting them in the mailboxes makes it more convenient for residents living in those homes, but it means delivering the packs from a server. Limiting them to the mailboxes for that theme prevents the delivery server from being spammed and overloaded with requests from residents other than those living in those homes. 

[Elora Lunasea]

18 hours ago, Nika Talaj said:

Holy Moly!  Good find, Matthieu! 

I am left wondering which town in the US has all of the Victorian styles in it.  (ETA: my money is on Savannah, GA, a lovely town which has a Victorian district).

I don't think I'll be fishing for a chalet unless there are some in less dense regions with more interesting geography.  I bet there will be, though, so I'm looking forward to seeing the open floorplans.

These are being shown on a region which is at the same water level as usual.  I wonder if that'll be the case, or if they will be at a higher level, ringed by mountains, with no oceanic connections, like the logs?

Cape May NJ is the Victorian capital of the US pretty much. Every type can be seen there. According to National Park Service architectural historian Carolyn Pitts, "Cape May has one of the largest collections of late 19th century frame buildings left in the United States... that give it a homogeneous architectural character, a kind of textbook of vernacular American building."

It's utterly charming. Anyone with an interest in historic residential homes should go at least once. Many are now B&B's and lovely to stay at (have been there many times)

Edited December 5, 2020 by Elora Lunasea

[Vihmakass]

2 hours ago, Marianne Little said:

I have been thinking about content packs. They are getting better and better. In the first theme, objects was so Li heavy.

Now, down to 1 Li window boxes and 1 Li row of flowers that fit inside them?

 

 

Sadly they look very bad, like from 2004, even with AL on. 

[Sylvia Tamalyn]

15 minutes ago, Vihmakass said:

Sadly they look very bad, like from 2004, even with AL on. 

I think they are adorable. 

[LittleMe Jewell]

18 minutes ago, Vihmakass said:

Sadly they look very bad, like from 2004, even with AL on. 

They look like all of the current ones that I see in SL at various stores - so not sure what is so "2004" about them.

[Garnet Psaltery]

43 minutes ago, Vihmakass said:

Sadly they look very bad, like from 2004, even with AL on. 

Flowers from 2004 would be partly transparent textures laid on 2 prims set at right angles to each other.  No advanced lighting capacity.  There's no comparison.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Garnet Psaltery

[LittleMe Jewell]

I just spent a bit of time perusing the new Chalets.  Overall, I do still like them, but I'm definitely interested in seeing what the other 4 look like.  One of the current 4 already has a very open main floor, so either they'll put out a model of that with some more walls or they'll open the upstairs up more. I'm totally not sure on that one, since I can't really see any way to open it more than it is on the main floor.  Anyway, here are my thoughts on the 4 that were revealed:
 

They all look very cute from the front – good 'curb appeal', in my opinion.  However, the asymmetry of most of the lower windows on the sides and backs of the houses might drive me crazy.  While symmetry is not always needed, having the upper half of things be very symmetrical and the lower half very "not symmetrical" just makes things "feel" off.  It isn't real noticeable from the inside, primarily because of the room division, but it is quite glaring in some cases from the outside.  Maybe that is very common in this style of homes, but in the pictures I found, any asymmetry I saw didn't seem so odd or out of place.

Reizend – I think this one is the cutest from the front; I love the front porch; the inside is a bit too choppy - a more open version could be nice; the door exit to the side is unique but I'm not sure how much I like it; the window directly next to that door definitely looks out of place - that window could completely go away; whereas the opposite side of the house looks like it is missing a window.

Matterhorn – I like the front porch & entry; I love the 2 large rooms on either side of the downstairs; the upstairs feels perfect for a bathroom in the middle with either 2 bedrooms to each side or a bedroom & a study/library; the back exit and steps seem very minuscule in relation to the rest of the house, but it is set up perfect for a deck add-on; the left side of that back door very much needs another window.

Alpenrose – Front looks cute, but it feels like a double entry-way, which I don't really like; I do like the big back room but not sure about the 2 smaller rooms to the side; the upstairs definitely gives the vibe of a family house with all those rooms; the door exit to the side is interesting and I do like the larger porch with this one; the asymmetry of the lower windows in back and on both sides of this model probably irked me more than the other houses.

Edelweiss – Another cute front presence; I love the big room and the side exit works well with this one; as with the other houses, the window placement, especially on the lower level, seems a bit off from the outside -- but this one doesn't seem to have as much glaringly odd about it.

 

As I mentioned, overall I do still like them and will definitely grab one when released.  Abnor had mentioned in another thread that these were still a WIP, so maybe some of those window issues can be dealt with.

[Cougar Sangria]

I finished a tour of the new Chalets a bit ago, and I like them.  To me they have a storybook vibe to them.  All four floorplans included in this reveal are workable.  The Edelweiss is my favorite so far.  It has just enough rooms.  Unlike Littleme I loved the entrance to the Alpenrose.  It would be my second choice.   All in all the Lindens and Moles have done another fabulous job.  Job well done!  Still holding out for a updated "Meadowbrook".  Pretty please?

[Mercedes Avon]

I went and visited the chalet demo area. I thought they were cute and I am interested to see how people do these homes up, but at first glance, I don't see living there. I much prefer what I already have. I am sure some people will love them.

[Nika Talaj]

55 minutes ago, Cougar Sangria said:

To me they have a storybook vibe to them.

Ah!  That's it, I was trying to find a way to describe how they 'read' to me.  The roof peaks aren't Storybook steepness, but they still kinda read Storybook to me.

I could see people making them into fairytale spots.  I don't know why, I think it has something to do with the simplicity of that region - the yards are real blank canvases -- and perhaps with the dominance of the windmill.  Yes, they feel Storybook.

I sent my alt to look them over again.  She's tall, an old avie that is over 2M.  Look at how BIG these windowboxes are!  Everyone is a child standing next to these!  The windows are so lovely and large.  I would be tempted to add mullions.

She thought about it, and it seemed as if she shouldn't be there. I felt that I should have taken an SL kid or ... or a fae to sit on this billygoat!  I could so easily see SL children, fae and creatures completely taking over the chalets.

Of course, the homes are suited to normal life as well.  But these read to me as the closest thing to a Belli build with fantasy potential that I've seen yet.  They don't slap you in the face with it, they don't compel you to go fae ... but the potential is there if you want it.

 

 

 

[Raspberry Crystal]

7 hours ago, Cougar Sangria said:

I finished a tour of the new Chalets a bit ago, and I like them.  To me they have a storybook vibe to them.  All four floorplans included in this reveal are workable.  The Edelweiss is my favorite so far.  It has just enough rooms.  Unlike Littleme I loved the entrance to the Alpenrose.  It would be my second choice.   All in all the Lindens and Moles have done another fabulous job.  Job well done!  Still holding out for a updated "Meadowbrook".  Pretty please?

I like the Eidelweiss best too, because it is the model which looks most like the 1930s mock tudor houses which I remember from my childhood (in the uk)!

What does the word *chalet* mean in American English? Is it just another word for house?
I would think of a chalet style house like this below so the name is quite confusing. The new theme look like 'half timbered houses' to me (which even more confusingly literally describes the chalet below!)

Edited December 6, 2020 by Raspberry Crystal