Deadwood 2.0 opens

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At 5:00 PM SLT time today, a group of avatars assembled on the parade ground of the recreated Ft. Laramie which serves as the entry area for the newly rebuilt Deadwood 1876 sim. Chief builder and sim-co-owner Caed Aldwych gave an introduction to how things were organized and what everyone would see in the new rp area: a more historically authentic build representing the mining camp of Deadwood as it appeared in the spring of 1876. Caed explained how certain buildings that should be there weren't in yet, how others that shouldn't be there had been slipped in for various reasons and that some of the terraforming remained to be done, but that in general, it was ready for us to begin to use it. He then lead us down to the new town.

The group departs from the fort. Ft Laramie was chosen as the build for the entry and orientation area because historically this post was the starting point for numerous wagon trains and traveling groups that were organized for the trip to the Black Hills in 1876.

The new town itself is very different from the old one: much more primitive with numerous cabins and tents, and only a few buildings made from cut lumber instead of hewn logs. A great many of the trees still were still standing and the entire feel of the build is very "rough and ready" in the frontier sense...the setting is very pretty but the town certainly isn't.

The new Main Street

Caed informed us that as time moved forward the log structures and tents would gradually give way to buildings sided with planks, and some of which will rise two stories, rather than just one. In the meantime, however, it is not a fancy place. I stopped and had a drink at a saloon and bath house that consisted of a large tent with some planks set up out front for a bar, and single wooden bathtub under the canvas. It's going to be a real different experience, I think.

A saloon tent on Main Street

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