Colonia Nova formally opens its doors to the public

Today, November 15th, 2006, Colonia Nova opens to the general public for land sales. The sim, ostensibly an "extension" to the recently renamed sim of Neufreistadt (formerly Neualtenburg), is in fact more of a companion to the original sim, and the newest member of the Confederation of Democratic Simulators (CDS). Colonia Nova, at a glance, is a radical departure from Neufreistadt's theme, a mashup of medieval Bavarian architecture and modern themes. In truth, however, the new sim is not far from its predecessor - at least not geographically. Colonia Nova is based loosely on the Roman city of Colonia Agrippina, which is known in modern times as the German city of Cologne or Koln. This close proximity to Neufreistadt's real-world inspiration makes a connection between the two far from unrealistic.

That's not to suggest that Colonia Nova resembles its progenitor. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a quick jaunt through the nearly-completed city will suggest, this new sim is quite literally a blast from the past, reaching even further back than Neufreistadt's medieval roots to antiquity, during the Pax Romana, when the Roman Empire had reached the height of its power. Like the real Cologne, Colonia Nova sits on the edge of a river, and shares a number of important buildings in common. Among these are numerous temples and the mighty Praetorium, which, like in the real-world colony, will be the administrative center of the city. Sewers run underneath the city's government-owned land, and solid brick walls protect the citizens from whatever threats might emerge from the Germanic frontier (not that citizens need to worry about that).

Like Neufreistadt, Colonia Nova functions mainly through the purchase and sale of land. Here, there is a greater emphasis on theme and how it relates to land sales. Within the city walls, a number of plots are available, arranged into separate classes, including stalls (strictly commercial land) and "insulae", which are a mix of commercial and residential plots meant to represent the dwellings where the lower classes would reside. Beyond the city walls lie larger plots, meant primarily for residential use, including many pre-built homes as well as a great deal of undeveloped land for aspiring builders. These plots are considerably larger than their urban counterparts, allowing for more prims, since prim allotments for all plots are determined by a fixed ratio of prims to square meters.

There are limitations on what can and cannot be built in Colonia Nova, along with a number of other restrictions outlined in the CDS' Terms of Service, which are based off of Neufreistadt's. Residents are bound by a covenant — or a set of rules regarding acceptable conduct on one's own land in Colonia Nova. The covenant varies in restrictions for different plots, generally allowing residents more freedom the further removed they are from the city. While the most heavy restrictions — generally placed on lots within the city walls — require that plots be consistent with a Classical Roman style of architecture, and even plots outside of the city, yet still close to the walls, prohibit modification of existing buildings without approval from the sim's government. Some plots have very lax restrictions, or none at all. Across the River, opposite of the city, are a number of plots with no covenant restrictions beyond those existing throughout the entire CDS (or, in some cases, just Colonia Nova), such as limitations on skyboxes — which are only permitted 512 meters in altitude and above - script limitations, and a mandated separation of at least five meters between structures. A Roman theme, however, is not required. The use of a river as a boundary in this fashion is ironic, to say the least, given that the Rhine River on which the real-life city of Cologne lies along was a natural barrier between the Roman controlled regions of Germania Superior and Germania Inferior — Cologne being the capital of the latter — and the untamed lands to the east, which Rome was never able to retain control of.

Colonia Nova, as a member of the CDS, will follow Neufreistadt's trend of autonomous government — landowning citizens are allowed to participate in the sims' government by voting, and, in the near future, to bring disputes before the CDS' own judicial branch. As Second Life's first democratic simulator, Neufreistadt faced a great deal of internal strife, as well as controversy and criticism from other regions of Second Life. The Confederation of Democratic Simulators will attempt to bring the fledgling democracy beyond the borders of Neufreistadt and Colonia Nova. Should this new, thematically different simulator prove to be a success, it is possible that more city-states could emerge, and that the CDS' influence could spread to the mainland, annexing landowners there on a strictly voluntary basis.

At the time of this writing, finishing touches are being added to Colonia Nova's government facilities, while commercial and residential structures are for the most part completed. Many plots outside of the city walls are deliberately vacant. Land reservations have been open on a limited basis since the week before last, and, according to one source within the CDS (and supported by the occasionally updated land information hub on the sim's official blog), approximately one-fifth of the land up for sale in Colonia Nova has already been claimed, a more than satisfactory figure. Those behind the project are hoping that once the sim goes public, that number will soar even higher.

- Clarence Calliope/Saladin Salyut