PHOTO BLOG - NATASHA - WEEK 1

*WARNING*

May need to turn up your brightness on computer because these images are quite dark (not just in mood, but in lighting)

LINGNAN DRAMA ISLAND

This sign, along with the darkness and empty car park (the only car there had leaves strewn over it and clearly wanted the impression of being abandoned) made me feel actual hesitation when exploring this location. This place is the SL equivalent of the Aokigahara forest in Japan, otherly known as the suicide forest were a recent Youtuber faced heavy backlash for filming and posting online. It was the first emotive reaction of this kind that I have sensed whilst in SL.

While exploring the car park, the player is encouraged to read upon the legend of the forest by clicking on the post. When I clicked there was a lot of information including the screenshot that I have posted above. The information only added to the eerie feel of the location, but it was also educational which I appreciated as it related to a real world place. I actually found this location by searching "Japan" because I was curious as I am visiting there next month. I also noted that some of the "information" provided was not just factual but also embraced the spooky nature and narratives that have formed because of the death that surrounds the forest (eg: that the ghosts of the dead wail at night). I think this is especially clever as it bridges fact with non fiction which is almost what SL and virtual reality aims to do.

A screenshot of inside the forest (once I actually mustered up the courage to enter) showing the density of it, relating to how the post described the inside and foliage, and why people so often get lost.