Ever since I first saw the Astralia cooking system, I’ve been curious about its capabilities. However, without proper reviews or a demonstration, I was hesitant to purchase it. But my desire for a virtual turkey on my dinner table overpowered me, and I finally gave in.
While cheaper options exist, such as the Dust Bunny turkey, Astralia’s system appears to be interactive and engaging.
The lack of information on the Astralia cooking system was frustrating. Interactive products should have videos or better explanations from brand’s bloggers .
I visited the December 2019 round of the Uber event to purchase Astralia Volume 8: Roasted Turkey for 499L.
Pricing in Second Life is not standardized, and it may seem expensive to some, myself included. For 499L, there are many other options, such as an eggnog dispenser from Chic Chica or a pair of boots from Fashionatic. It ultimately comes down to personal budget and reasons for purchasing.
In this pack, you get five items: a recipe book, step 1, step 2, step 3 and the plates full of turkey and vegies.
What does Astralia cooking system do?
To start, arrange the items logically – prep board on the kitchen bench, turkey in the oven. Then, click the cookbook to proceed to steps 2 and 3. Main set up complete.
Clicking on the cookbook will display step one with the turkey on a cutting board and also provide a brief history of the dish in local chat.
[18:12] Roasted Turkey: Roasted Turkey is a popular dish, especially in North America, where it is traditionally consumed as part of culturally significant events such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as in standard cuisine.
It’s very easy but super delicious! Let’s start flavoring the raw turkey with erbs, pepper and adding citrus fruits.
Click the book again and step 1 disappears, replaced by step 2, which was placed in the oven during setup (the grill in my oven can’t be moved, but who’s going to notice that little details?).
[18:13] Roasted Turkey: It’s time to bake the turkey! Place the whole turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. The general rule for cooking a turkey is 20 minutes per pound, but it may vary from oven to oven. You can now click the book again to proceed to step 3!
Clicking on the cookbook once again will make step 2 disappear and show step 3, which is the roasted turkey on the dining table where you placed it during setup.
[18:13] Roasted Turkey: what a great golden turkey! You can almost eat it with your eyes.. It’s perfectly cooked and it smells amazing. Now just call your guests at the table to enjoy this traditional meal all together ♥
To start over preparing the recipe, click the book one more time.
There are no avatar animations involved in the cooking process. The food items appear and disappear automatically, with the exception of the plates that serve as mere decorations.
How well does the Astralia Cooking System work?
Although the concept is straightforward and functional, there is room for improvement.
Including the plates with the roasted turkey on the final step seems more logical than having them set up beforehand. Alternatively, an extra step could be added where empty plates are presented when clicking on the Turkey. The food could also appear in empty plates already set up on table upon clicking the cooked turkey.
After placing the turkey in the oven, a notification after 20 minutes or an option to choose the cooking time would be helpful. This would allow users to customize their role-play experience, such as waiting for a date to arrive or accommodating time constraints.
It would be better if step 1, which is the preparation, is only shown when you click on the cookbook to start the process. This would be especially useful if you have multiple volumes and want to plan a dinner role-play beforehand. Showing all the step 1 for eight cookbooks can be messy.
For instance, you may want to prepare the turkey along with a side dish and dessert. Since all the props are pre-arranged and invisible, it would be more convenient if step 1 is also hidden until it is in use.
Is the Astralia Cooking System worth the expense?
The value of the Astralia Cooking System depends on what you want to do in Second Life. If you’re only interested in using it as a decorative item, then it may not be worth the cost. However, if you enjoy role-playing in Second Life and your friends are willing to participate, it could be a fun addition to your virtual kitchen. Ultimately, it’s up to your personal preferences and how you plan to use it.
If you enjoy uncomplicated role-playing, then the Astralia Cooking System could be a good investment as it is functional and simple to prepare. However, I cannot attest if there are more intricate or comparable systems available, as it is not a product I would typically seek out. Nonetheless, Astralia is a well-known brand that frequently showcases its products at various events, which is how I initially discovered it upon its release.
If I were to consider buying all the volumes of the Astralia Cooking System, I would need to see significant improvements in the system or wait for a 50% off sale. However, I do hope that Astralia will enhance the system as it has the potential to be a fun and interactive addition to date nights or family dinners.
I hope Astralia takes this constructive criticism on board, as not all creators are willing to receive feedback. It’s clear that there is potential for the Astralia Cooking System, and with some improvements, it could be a great addition to Second Life role-play. What are your thoughts on the system? Have you used it before? Are there any similar systems you would recommend? Let me know in the comments below!
