The Alphaville Herald

The Mystery of Chicago 1900

by Alphaville Herald on 07/05/05 at 6:46 pm

The Chicago machine: Martin Magpie and Claire Glitterbuck in their world within a world within a world

by Jill Mackenzie

Chicago 1900, the vast new project headed by Martin Magpie and located in the Faded Reality sim, opened Friday to rave reviews from residents delighted to be transported to another time and place within the already once-removed-from-reality world of Second Life.

From the moment you rez in the arrivals room of the Faded Reality sim, you enter another dimension, almost a world within a world within a world. Rather than arriving in a vast, open telehub mall, avs find themselves in a small room with a swinging lamp that dangles from the ceiling. In one corner is a simple bed that holds two round boxes. Closer inspection finds them filled with clothing fit for the turn-of-the-century Chicago theme.

The scene on arrival – no telehub mall here

As you step through the door you notice a desk and some posters on the wall. One is a Private Detective license and the other is a warning that states if you go further you will be in a different time.

As you walk down the cobbled street you will notice the tremendous attention that has been paid to every detail. An almost tangible mystery fills ever corner of this sim, from the trolley car that is driven by the ever-smiling Red Frodgers to the hush-lipped owner of the Cotton Club, Miss Claire Glitterbuck.

Miss Glitterbuck’s Cotton Club

To unravel the real story, there are obvious clues available to read, and then there are the not-so-obvious ones that you have to look carefully for, or click on unmarked objects to find. In fact, the city is interactive and full of ever-changing events. As people begin to spend time there and interact with the actors, who knows what kind of mysteries will unfold!

A number of roles are filled by real live avatars in Chicago 1900, including the hat-check girl at the Cotton Club and a deep-pocketed mayor who likes to pretend he is blind and deaf. Martin Magpie noted that there are still openings for actors to keep the project going (IM Martin Magpie or Claire Glitterbuck for details).

Early visitors have reported seeing a rough-and-tumble group known as The Linden Gang causing havoc and likely bootlegging in the moonlit hours. One Phil Linden in particular is a wanted man in Chicago 1900, and rumors would suggest there are people laying in wait for his return. One source reported seeing a coffin with his name on it and cement shoes near by.

Other attractions of the project include a theatre that will show period films on Friday nights at 7pm game-time. The Cotton Club will host comedy nights on Saturdays.

Scenes of yesteryear

According to proprietor Martin Magpie, the project is strictly non-profit. In many ways it is reminiscent of previous themed builds in SL, like Old London or Neverland, which achieved similar levels of quality builds and thematic coherence. The expectations for the project are great, and Martin and his crew will be hard-pressed to live up to them. The theme will remain the same, according to Martin, but the mysteries found within the sim will be constantly changing, and it is not likely to be a place you would visit only once.