No. It’s an ornithopter (from ornithos “bird” and pteron “wing:), an aircraft that flies by flapping it’s wings. Ever since I read Dune by Frank Herbert I’ve wanted an ornithopter. Unlike RL where most ornithopters fly badly if at all, and like Dune, ornithopters in SL actually fly.
This has been a busy week in RL and SL. When the heat is on, sometimes the fun factor kinda gets a bit thin. Isle and I don’t get out as much as we used to because of her bandwidth issues. A lot of our SL time is about getting stuff done when we can.
But this week, we got some fun in. We managed to spend a couple of hours exploring NeoKowloon, which is one wacky cool place. Tucked in a shop, what did I find? An Ornithopter! 200L!
So last night, we spent twenty minutes of silly hilarity takin it for a spin.
Fortunately, it comes with instructions.
右クリック「Fly」で飛行
右クリック「Stand Up」で停止
「W」or「↑」で前進
「S」or「↓」で後退
「E」or「Page up」で上昇
「C」or「Page down」で下降
「A」or「←」で左旋回
「D」or「→」で右旋回
Ok, it had some English in there too, but it was more fun trying to figure out the Japanese.
The metal cockpit cover slides back and I jump into the driver seat. Off we go. I think Isle said “Wheeeee!” but I might be wrong.
So here we are over our sim, buzzing the neighbors. I was wearing a huge hair from Helena Springer, and it kept flowing out of the top and back of the ‘thopter. Warning: You may have to consider your hair options carefully when flying.
So I go bald. There. Now we won’t look goofy flying our spherical metal ball with a propeller on its butt, flapping its wings.
You really can’t miss the propeller butt. It’s got a blinking red light just to be sure you notice.
We land gracefully enough on the lawn. Isle jumps out and I rev the engine.
Hey!!!! Wait for meeeeee!!!!!
Hahahahaha!
Not so hot on the second landing. I crash it into the Adirondack chairs and get it stuck on the barbeque. The poor thing looks pathetic, sadly flapping its wings. We jump out and I stuff it back in my pack. Time to go dancin.
On a more serious note, both Isle and I were impressed with how well this little thing flew. It banks and turns nicely and takes no learning at all. At 20 prims you can park it on your land as a conversation piece. Perched on the peak of the cabin we’re thinkin.
Only the owner can fly it though, so we’re heading back to Kowloon to get Isle one. Races and Dogfights comin’ up!
I needed that. Isle needed that. Not every hour you spend in SL needs to be too busy for words. Not every gadget post needs to be some in-depth analysis thing.
Don’t forget to have some fun now and then.
Ornithopter-3 by Raku Factory
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Great write up! That was definitely fun, and when we get me one, I am so gonna kick your ass.
I wonder if we did it in a group, if we could do a ‘bumper cars’ thing, gladiator style heh
I want one! More goofy stuffs posts!
LoL you guys are too cute.
The last two paragraphs say it all. A lesson we all need to go back and relearn from time to time.
And the ornithopter is a win! Got to get me one of those things I wonder how they’d do in a dogfight with a Da Vinci helicopter…
Ty Kerryth! The same shop offers a variety of retro and weird flying machines – I might start a collection.