As we all know by now, wherever the Rezzable Team goes creativity, beauty, and FUN follow and this particular SL Thing to Do is no exception.

Months ago the DUMP Rezzable sim was created next to the sim that contains the popular art gallery warehouse, The Cannery. I visited The Dump several times over the months because I just plain liked the idea of a whole sim devoted entirely to graphic-art garbage and toxic waste. Kind of symbolic really, since there are many whole sims in Second Life that are garbage, but aren't meant to be. :-) I also like the sim-wide sewer system, and the fact that I could rez vehicles in the sim to drive, fly, or float around.

Now, however, it is much more than interesting, it's a really FUN place to visit. A giant machine, the Tornado Turbine, has been installed in SW area of the sim. Whenever a resident pays the machine L$25 (a mere $0.09) it turns on and slowly but relentlessly churns up a giant tornado. When the tornado reaches its full power it jumps from the machine and travels in a squiggly path around the sim, tearing up buildings, tossing trucks, lamp posts and garbage debris, and now and then a cow (!), into the air. Clicking on the tornado, or the sign by the machine, will give you a hammer to wear in your right hand.

The hammer serves two purposes. First, it is scripted and links you to the tornado animation, so don't get too close or you will be sucked up into the cyclone and tossed high in the air! Secondly, it is needed for the game part of the experience. As the twister meanders around the sim it randomly unearths wooden boxes and tosses them across the ground. These boxes contain free prizes (clothing, weapons, all kinds of goodies). The challenge is to follow the storm without getting caught by it then swoop in and stand next to the unearthed box and click on it before anyone else can. The first person to click on the box makes the hammer swing and burst the box open and the prizes inside will be given. When there are a lot of storm chasers swooping around the competition gets fierce! The prizes are all copy/transfer as far as I can tell, so high spirits and ruffled feathers can be soothed by sharing your booty with your fellow storm chasers if you like. This is all really fun and a great way to have a party of friends -- or friends-to-be -- all compete in an exciting environment.

But wait! There's more! Shopping cart races! Above ground on the city streets of the sim as well as below ground in the sewer system there are ridable shopping carts you can click on to get a free copy. Hop into the cart and line up at the starting gate and ready-set-GO! The script in the cart gives it a loose, slightly-difficult-to-control motion so it's a challenge to negotiate the curves. Sort of like driving a wagon on ice. Takes practice but that's part of the fun. Down below, in the sewers, you can race the carts through the tunnels but be careful! There are steel barrels of flammable liquids floating down there and if you bump into one *BOOM!* it bursts into flames and momentarily slows you down and distracts you from the race. Or, if you prefer, you can just take a cart down there by yourself and go around blowing up all the canisters. Had a bad day? Take out your frustrations by blowing things up! (Works for me.)

Not had enough excitement yet? How about gladiator contests? Nothing like the thrill of victory to get your digital blood boiling. High above the Dump, perched on a giant boulder, is the gladiator arena. Within are multiple circular levels at the center of which is the combat stage. When two combatants challenge each other and enter the stage fire billows, lava flows, and the ramps recede, leaving the two gladiators to fight it out on the isolated platform. Scoreboards list the most recent winners. Be brave! Pick a fight!

Once again the Rezzable folks have created something interesting and fun to do in Second Life. The most fun, of course, is wondering what the heck they will come up with next. Cheers!
For my photos of The Dump please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/caliburnsusanto/sets/72157605998669728/