Having said that, not much really impresses me anymore. SL is full of greed and sex, with very little regard for anything other than the depths of Human depravity. So why do I continue to visit a land of griefers and profiteers? The answer is summed up in two words: New Babbage. The city I often like to refer to as a “Utopia of the mind.”

The city itself uses a steampunk design for a backdrop into a social experiment at creating a community in modern times with old world charm and class. The people inhabiting the city are from all walks of life, both in reality and virtually. All brought together a love of the age of steam and steam-powered devices. Inhabitants are encouraged (but not required) to role-play their cares away and maintain a level of decorum during their visit, but, as long as you don’t shoot at people, a person is pretty much free to do as he/she wishes. There are shops, of course as you would find in any other city. After all, running such a city isn’t cheap.

If you like the sound of living in this industrial utopia, you may want to join us in Second Life. It certainly makes a welcome change from the world outside the window.

Today sees the launch of SW:TOR to the general public (those that didn’t pre-order anyway.) In celebration, I’ve put up a little image of the Darth Malgus statue you get with the Collector’s Edition of the game. If you want to say Hi, try sending a tell to Innorahn of the EU Nightmare Lands server. I’m usually up for a chat, unless I’m in a Flashpoint or playing Huttball :P