For this interview, I met Nea Narstrom and Beric01 Resident,
the two creative minds behind Del-ka Aedilis. This label might not be so
well-known already. But I have seen various sim designs from the two and was
always surprised when they came up with something new. Everytime, everything
matched smoothly: landscape, buildings, furniture, decoration. Even if I didn’t
participate in the proposed roleplays, the sims invited to stay and hang out
for a good while. So I absolutely had to introduce them to you.
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| Nea, me and Beric on top of the wall |
Their passion for roleplay and their wish for suitable
roleplay environments was the headstone to give building a try. „As passionate
roleplayers, we discovered the need of low-prim, well-built and nicely textured
buildings, especially for gorean and ancient greek or roman settings“, they
explain on their homepage. „I think, the first time we built was at the time,
when we couldn’t find suiting houses for
Selnar. Either we didn’t like it, or
it had too much prims“, tells Nea while Beric adds: „Also we realized that many
houses were great but unfortunately inappropriate for our roleplay intentions.
So we started to modify the buildings we bought. We started little by little,
and over time, we became more and more courageous.
Victoria was the first sim
on which all houses were self-built.“
It was a long path over months, even years for them to come
from re-building to self-made. They took even a step further and are nowadays
specialised in creating whole sim settings. They want to provide „the perfect
roleplaying environment where terraforming, city or village layout, buildings,
interior, decoration and everything else appears to be from the same mold“. But
where does their inspiration come from? Nea explains: „Actually, we realize
everything which would excite us for a roleplay. You have a certain idea about
a roleplay environment in mind, and therefore a goal you’d like to achieve. It
also makes it easier to work on it.“ -- „And my inspiration is the challenge to
create something with recognition value!“, Beric points out with a big
enthusiastic smile.
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| One of their latest releases from the Ellaria Series |
One of their recent remittance works that made a whole
roleplay sim community flabbergasting, was the reconstruction of Kasra. The german
gorean roleplay sim on which Kasra was located had a big challenge when they
decided to merge with another sim, Belnend, and that their part with the Kasra
city would need a total new layout but now only on one half of the sim. The leadership
of Kasra gave them a huge leap of faith when Nea and Beric were asked to
rebuild and reconstruct it ‚as they see fit‘. With that granted freedom, they
realized their vision of Kasra within a very short time. And Kasra’s expectation
was not disappointed. It was even outstripped.
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| Ironrath at Wolfswood is another roleplay sim design by Del-ka Aedilis, inspired by Game of Thrones |
„Would you ever consider to participate in events?“, I ask. Both
are a bit hesitant but for a reason: „So far, we didn’t have the courage to
apply for such events. Even though it would be a nice option since our
portfolio is gradually growing and is already quite considerably by now. On the
other hand, we are aware that such events have often strict requirements and
datelines because it is needed. Since we also feel that we want and need a
certain connection to our works, we fear that we couldn’t cope with this kind
of business.“ I do realize how important
it is for them to feel comfortable with their projects and to have a certain
bound with it. I want the details: „If someone would love to hire you, what
would they need to know?“-- „First of, the general conditions: the setting, the
time frame, and if it is a full or homestead sim. Second, the ideas or visions
the sim owner already has. After putting all that together, we can decide if we
are able to accept the challenge.“
What about the costs? Except from the buildings which are
available for fixed prices at the mainstore, a whole sim design is a matter of
negotiation. „All income from the shop is supposed to cover our sim costs. For
any sim design by us, we ask to donate to a non-profit organisation only“, they
explain. I am already sure about which organsisation they are talking because I
remember their installation
Terra Nostra in December 2014/January 2015. And
indeed, all donations go to
Doctors Without Borders, they confirm.
After so many information, I want to visit their newest sim,
Castle Black and The Wall. Most will notice immediately that this sim is
inspired by
Game of Thrones. „It does look quite realistic. How did you do it?
Did you study the books, the series…?“, I want to know as I look up that wall
that seems to have no end. „It is a fusion of what we have read in the books, what
we have seen in the series -- I, myself, have watched the scenes about
Castle
Black forth and back! -- , and everything we could find from ‚behind the scenes‘
information. A big help was
a Youtube video from a student who modelled the castle in a game engine.“
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| Courtyard of Castle Black. In the background: the elevator to the top of the wall |
Now I want to explore the sim! Nea and Beric suggest to get
on that huge wall so I could have a nice view from above. I agree. They
recommend to activate the sounds. To which I follow. Then we step into the
elevator. The doors squeak, and finally, the elevator starts to move. „Justin
Joseppe said, if ever anyone would build this elevator, he would provide the
script. And he kept his word.“ I wished, he didn’t. They laugh. I don’t. I
cringe, and grit my teeth. This is the best and, at the same time, the most
horrific elevator ride I had so far in my whole Second Life! I have no words for
that. This is an experience you will have to make yourself!
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| View from above. The wall has a dizzying height! |
But the panorama I have on the top of the wall outweighs the
horror I had to go through. It snows a little and it’s currently rather calm
than windy on that simple platform which is fixed in a dizzying height. I thank
my two interview partners for their time and take a snapshot with them. In this
moment, innocent me, even forgot that I still had to take the elevator to get
back on the ground…
LINKS & SURLS
>> Official Homepage of Del-ka Aedilis <<
>> Del-ka Aedilis @ Second Life <<
