SL Purposes & Dreams

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Let’s put our thoughts on the table for a second, when we join Second Life, we normally have some sort of purpose in which we’re trying to obtain in the virtual world. Each purpose and goal is individualized for each user. I may use Second Life for a completely different reason than another person would use the platform. Let’s be honest, the American Dream is hard to come by nowadays but in Second Life it’s possible. We as users can live a reality that is harder to obtain in our own lives in the real world. This post I’ll be talking about my experience from the very beginning and what I’ve been trying to obtain as a user in Second Life for about 9 years. As crazy as it may seem my purpose in Second Life at the very beginning though it may seem weird was to study and be with my teacher and classmates learning about various subjects using Second Life as a key component platform for showing us what the teacher wanted to teach. With that being said let’s jump right in!

Second Life in The School Setting & Teen Grid:

A photo taken right after I got back on after Teen Grid closed down.

Yes, I’m one of the individuals in which Second Life was used in my high school to teach us certain topics. My teachers used it as a tool in the classroom if it weren’t for them and Second Life being downloaded on the school laptops I would’ve never known or experienced what Second Life had to offer. I’m one of those young kids who started Second Life on the Teen Grid when it was still around. There was a point in time were kids 13-18 could sign up for a more kid-friendly version of Second Life where everyone was technically a minor. This was around my Freshman year of high school and having Second Life in the schools lasted until about the end of my Sophomore year. This is around the time when we got the news that the grids were merging otherwise known as Teen Grid no longer being alive and Linden Labs just making Second Life what it is known as which is Second Life. This is around the time when the sign-up age was for 17 and older, kids could no longer play Second Life but with good reason. Later on, down the line when I had my account unfrozen (that’s what they did they froze all of the teen grid accounts until they hit the proper age to come back into Second Life.) it made perfect sense with all of the sex sims and skill gaming regions. But with that, as I said above, I’ve been a member overall for 9 years.

1920’s Berlin Sim Role Playing With a Friend

Purpose of Second Life to me Until Age 19:

Second Life’s purpose for me has changed throughout the years. When I was younger my purpose for using Second Life was to not be alone to chat with people and always have someone there for me even though they were far away. I used Second Life to cope with my anxiety of being alone which is odd because I’m very independent and don’t mind being alone. However, being as outgoing as I am, I wanted that human connection almost all the time because to be fair I always felt alone in the real world. I used Second Life to meet new people and make new friends along the way who have been close friends to me for years and years some for decades. Most people go online to escape reality and honestly in a sense I’ve done the same. During this time, I was in college school was stressful, making friends was hard, depression and anxiety were hitting me like a hurricane. During this time, I didn’t have a strong head on my shoulders. I was looking for something that I couldn’t obtain in my reality true friendship and with some people, I’ve found it. To be fair, they probably know me better than most people in my reality but that tends to happen when you have internet friends. To be honest, I also used Second Life at the time to release my inner demon in a sense and try things I’d never do in the real world. I experimented with my sexuality and fetishes and what I liked and didn’t like. This led to a relationship that I wasn’t proud to be in and was somewhat abusive that led into my reality but just so everyone knows that relationship is long gone. I honestly, didn’t know what I wanted in my Second Life and during this time my main usage for Second Life was to be a fashionista, meeting and making friends, and experimenting with sexuality.

Showing off my Avatar fashionista status with this photo. I put together her outfit with a French flare in mind.

My Purpose in Second Life Now:

Everyone makes mistakes as we’re all human and it’s the normal human response in society. I’ve learned from these mistakes; I have a very strong and hard head on my shoulders and because of this my purpose of Second Life has changed from the past till now. I have a few different purposes for using the platform now and most of them are to help my creative juices flow. I’ve always been a passionate writer I’ve loved writing since I could pick up a pencil and write. I’ve been looking for content writing positions in the real world, but do you know how hard that is? I also have a passion for virtual worlds as they have been a part of my life for many years. That is when I decided to write a blog. I consistently had writer’s block, and this is because I lost my skill because I didn’t keep up with it. So, I started Charming Ellie I use my blog as a hobby I don’t want to make money off of it I use it to help get my content out into the world and to write about something I’m passionate about and care about. My blog helps me to write almost every day and keep up with new trends in the virtual world industry especially since a lot of virtual worlds are beginning to disappear with time. My purpose in Second Life is to explore, create, and help deliver content to Second Life users all around the globe on travel, advice, and just living you’re Second Life to the fullest.

The other reason I use Second Life now is to keep up with the friends I’ve made in the past who are still friends with me today. They come on occasionally, and I make sure I log on now and then just to spend time with those important people. My main purpose for being in second life now is to hone my skills in interior design and fashion. These are things that cost a lot of money in reality so I just find it best to create and do these things in a virtual world platform on Second Life where it’s a lot cheaper and there are so many ways to implement avatar and land/home creation. I use Second Life now more as a creative outlook a way to push my creativity and get the juices flowing consistently. To be fair, I still use Second Life in a way to escape reality but not as much as I’ve used to. I keep to myself, for the most part, I do everything alone if I can but now and then I’ll run into someone to chat with for a few hours or more.

My Dream:

Another Dream I didn’t mention is having a beautiful babe girl when I’m not ready for one in reality. But that’s something completely different.

One of the biggest dreams I’ve had and yes, I’m a dreamer is to work for Linden Labs. They don’t truly realize how much Second Life does indeed mean to me and the people inside of it. I’ve always wanted to make a difference quite a few times I almost opened shop in Second Life to give advice and help with different situations as I do have a life coach certification. There is a huge need for something like that but when I tried people didn’t use it. I don’t want to be famous or popular for writing blog posts or anything along those lines. But I’ve always wanted to do content writing or something and become join the Lindens and creators over at Linden Labs. I’ve always wanted to make a difference in the world and even though Linden Labs is a corporation they have done that for so many people. Maybe one day I’ll be able to but for now, it’s just hopes and dreams that will take me far in my adventures in this reality of life. We never know what the future has to offer and our dreams in life take us further than we expect them to.

With all of this being my experience, I want to hear from all my readers in the comment section. What purpose does Second Life have in your life? What do you use the platform for and why? How did you start? And how is Second Life important to you? I’d love to hear from all of you as this is something that interests me about all of the users I run into and honestly it’s how I always strike up a conversation because everyone is different and everyone comes into this virtual world for different reasons. I hope to see all of you in my next post.

Chao!

Blogging Success Have I Made it?

September 11, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Honestly, my answer, if I were answering, would be no. However, I am still a new blog and honestly, it’s doing better than I ever expected it too. I get some views here and there and it just makes me happy to know that people are reading my content. The way beginners who are just starting a blog should look at things is blogging starts out as a hobby. Success comes to those who wait. If you’re blogging with money in mind it probably won’t be as successful as you’re expecting it to be. If you’re passionate about a topic and find something that you can ramble on about do it. Were all different and we all have different likes and dislikes. Every blog has a demographic the challenge is getting that specific demographic that your blog is aimed at to read your posts. I started blogging because I love to write I needed something to keep me busy but was fun while I’m on my job search since I’m fresh out of university. Writing has always been a passion for me and if I can get people to read my content it makes me happy just to know that my words are being written. Yes, it may only be by a select few people who are following me now. But they support me and everything that I’ve written so far, and I can’t thank them enough for it. There are blogs about virtually anything in the world my topic was chosen because it’s something I love to do virtual worlds are a huge part of my life. I’ve played them since I was a kid and continue to immerse myself in them now as an adult too.

Blogging success comes with the enjoyment of typing your content. If you don’t enjoy what your typing about or you don’t enjoy the act of blogging, you’re doing it wrong. Blogging is creativity to provide content to your reader that they will keep coming back to read more of what you have written. This also brings me to the next thing I wanted to explain content isn’t everything, but your writing style plays a huge part in the success of a blog. If people in their heads can read the excitement and passion you have for your topic they will be just as engaged in reading it as you were writing it. I’ve been blogging for years but just recently created this blog on virtual worlds and the virtual world industry with my posts widely talking about two specific virtual world platforms which are Second Life and IMVU. We all hit success at different points in our lives to be 100% honest I don’t promote my blog. I type up stuff for it add tags and whatever happens, just happens if I were to promote a little more it would probably be more successful but in all actuality, I just don’t care. I write because I have a passion for getting my words down on paper I write because my passions should be shared to those who want to read about my experiences and what virtual worlds are all about.

To be fair on Tumblr I have written some very successful blogs with a ton of views per day. To be fair though this is also more of a social media platform where I just got my random ideas out on the table. Now that I have a topic that interests me here on Wordpress it’s a whole new world staying on a topic can be hard because I tend to ramble a lot but it gives the blog purpose. The truth is I bring a wide range of people to my blog all from different demographics. I have tweens, teens, and adults who read my content. Ahead of time for you parents out there I apologize if your kids read some of the iffier content, I provide on this blog some posts have it but for good reasons, they’re apart of the virtual world community. But sometimes it’s hard to appeal to a wide range of audiences which is why whoever wants to read my content can. In a sense, I’d love to see my blog thrive more and I know with more content and with time it will. But for those who are losing faith in getting views and losing faith by providing content that you just feel isn’t working out it will. Things come to those who wait. I didn’t think anyone would read my content and I have a few supporters already who do and I’m super grateful for them don’t give up! Keep writing and keep enjoying the topic you’re writing about. If you love something, your readers will too. Seem uninterested and you’ll sink like the titanic. So, take the journey and see where you end up.

How-To Decorate a Room on IMVU

September 11, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I feel like my blog has been out long enough now to go into some more advanced How-To’s. I wanted to do one specifically on room creation in IMVU since interior design is my favorite thing to do in any virtual world platform. So, as you may have guessed I drop some of my real-life money into virtual worlds to make that happen you can’t buy nice and interactive furniture without virtual currency. It’s not a super expensive hobby but it is an addiction and can get expensive if you start becoming like me and always shopping for the newest and greatest furniture you can find. Ahead of time, this is a beginner post to creating rooms in IMVU so if you’re new to IMVU this is for you. If you’re just getting into room creation in IMVU but are a user that has been around for a while this post is also for you. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below but I did try to make this post as simplistic and as direction oriented as I possibly could. I hope this is helpful for all of you out there trying to get into room creation.

From the front of your viewer press the “My Room Icon”

Since I don’t have the default room anymore you will get a page like the one below.

At the bottom of your screen, there are different icons the ones we’re going to be looking at specifically are the chair and house icon. The chair icon is the furniture that you currently own and your house icon are the different rooms you own.

These are the icons you will see the house is the rooms you have and the chair is the furniture you own

This is what you will see when you click either button but this is what I have when I hit my furniture button. On the side you can search furniture by category by the buttons. There is a chair for seating, a table button, misc, and poses. You can also sort it all by your most recent pieces which is nice if you buy something new from the IMVU shop and are trying to find it real quickly for placing.

On the side are your categories for rooms and furniture which will look like the photo below.

Categories when I press the button that looks like a house for the “My Rooms.”

In the upper left-hand corner, you will see an icon with a hammer and a music note press the hammer.

Press the Hammer! this brings up the bottom image.

Furniture Tools you can also bring this up by pressing (Ctrl + f)

From there you’ll get a whole other set of icons these are going to be your room editing icons. Each one performs a different function. These functions are; explore (Ctrl + E) , move (Ctrl +M) , rotate (Ctrl + r) , scale (Ctrl + s) , copy (Ctrl + P) , reset (Ctrl + t) , lock (Ctrl + l) , delete (Ctrl + d) , undo (Ctrl + u) , redo (Ctrl + m) , and a help button. The keyboard shortcuts are as you can see in parenthesis just in case you want to learn them it makes editing and creating rooms so much easier with the keyboard shortcuts. You can also pull up the furniture tools by pressing (Ctrl + f).

Empty room to start out with I’m going for a chic city style for this example.

Now that we know what all the icons are, how they work, and what to do let’s make a new room. Go ahead and click a room from you’re “My rooms” list. I picked “To Trust me Danny” by the creator “Typical” since it’s my only empty room. You’ll start with an empty room like the one above.

Then you will click the chair icon I told you about to go to your furniture tab where all your furniture is. To add a piece into your room just click one of the furniture icons and it will show up in your room.

This is how the icons will look whether you choose a room or a furniture item.

Since this is just the basics were just positioning the furniture with the readily available pose balls. Depending on the room you might only get specific places to place furniture you can click the move icon or use the keyboard shortcut and move that furniture piece to where you want it within reason. You’re limited at this point until I teach you a little trick in the next post for IMVU room creation number 2.

This icon will come up with whatever you chose from the furniture tools. From here you can click and drag to move or click and rotate your mouse when on the rotate icon to rotate the piece of furniture.

From this point, you can use any of the functions in your room tools to make your room yours! It takes a little practice, but I was able to learn how to create rooms after I knew you could do it yourself within an hour at most. It’s a pretty simple process with the IMVU platform client.

This is my end result example of how I decorated the space.

Hopefully, this helped you get started on your room creation as I noted from before this is for beginners and this is just the main basics, I’ll post more advanced How-To’s once you get this down. There are many tricks and things you can do from this point, but this was just to give you an idea on how everything worked and how to get started especially if your new and only learned how to do avatar creation or have only been in the chatroom’s or the chat now area of IMVU. Some people don’t even know that you can create unique rooms from an empty room and furniture you can buy through IMVU’s shop. Which to give you an idea looks like the photo to your right you know just in case you’re like me and enjoy shopping and wasting your money on virtual items as I do. It’s almost like in-app purchases if you’re more of a mobile user. To be fair buying things virtually is cheaper than reality and gives you the same instant gratification, however, sometimes it can get out of hand. I’ll be creating a post soon on virtual world currency and my experiences relating around that so stay tuned. Any questions about this post please feel free to type them below in the comments and I’ll respond within 48 hours of you posting the comment.

Hit the Restart Button and Be a Noob for a day

September 11, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

To bring heartfelt honest opinions and content to everyone I tend to never post what I won’t go out and do for myself. This time around the goal was to find out if Second Life is a virtual world that is user-friendly and accessible and easy to understand for all users who decide to choose this platform to start their virtual world journey. I decided to hit the reset button and create a whole new account and start over to bring all of you a detailed post on my experiences being a noob in Second Life today.

Disclaimer, this post is filled with ideas and opinions that are mine from my experiences if you have constructive criticism please feel free to comment or message me but there shouldn’t be any hate. This is what I went through as an individual in this virtual world experience and I’m bringing back what I’ve experienced with me to show and help you as the reader who is interested in joining a virtual world or just wanted to know more about them. Another thing to add is this post will be a lot longer than a lot of the others as I must fit in a large amount of content into a smallish type post (I tried this won’t be a small post). If there is a section, you want to know more about than another I went ahead and titled each area for all of you if there is a section you might not want to read.

Let’s get started!

Signing up:

As for most virtual worlds, you start with the whole signing up. Whether or not it is a viewer or platform-based or a browser-based virtual world the sign up is always in your internet browser. One thing I found super cool is when signing up for a Second Life account now it gives you an option to be male, female, or gender variant/non-binary (how they labeled other). Because my first avatar is named Ellie, I went with the username EllieThePracticalWitch cute huh? Anyway, it also gives you the option right then and there if you want to be basic or premium which is nice. I honestly didn’t know premium was available until a friend told me about it which is when I began paying for it about two years ago. I’ll be posting a post about that in the future. It only gives you the option to download the Second Life default viewer with no third-party software. Even though I use a third-party open sim viewer I downloaded the default viewer just to see differences and specifics since I’ll also be doing a post on firestorm versus the default Second Life viewer so stay tuned for that. Then you realize technology is a little creepier than you expect because it came up knowing that I was brand new without me putting my information in such as my username and password. How fun! But it does tell you what you’re about to experience with pictures of what each place looks like.

To the right, it says: “Your first step is learning island. Find the exit portal!”

To the left, it says: “Then explore the social island and meet other new residents!”

Well, let’s see what happens since we’re “new” currently.

It seems like when you pop in as I stood at the landing point for a little bit people get randomly put into a default avatar. You can’t choose which default avatar you want to be to start anymore. In the past you could they also had furry options which were nice if you’re into the furry community. But now most of their avatars are either human, angels & demons, vampires, or just fantasy-themed I’m assuming from the medieval era. At the beginning you also receive this message:

Freebie store at the end of the corner before it sends you on your way into the world of Second Life after the tutorial.

════[ YOUR APPEARANCE ]═════════════════

Don’t worry about how you look right now. Enjoy this tutorial, and at the end of it, you will be led to the Freebie Megastore where you can customize your appearance.

═════════════════════════════════

Meli Imako Freebie items for male avatars in Second Life these are mesh items and super nice quality.

This is a game-changer because in the past I had no one I had to make my own money or online currency and buy things myself to not look super noobish or find my freebie store. So, I give major props to Linden Labs for moving forward giving newer players everything they need so far to get started. They also give you signs to teach you how to interact with the environment around you which is super helpful if you have no idea what you’re doing. Another huge step up in the game is for male avatars their giving away nicely made mesh clothes with full permissions created by a popular full permissions creator in Second Life whose name is Meli Imako. That just blew my mind because I normally buy a lot of her stuff and then re texture it. I’m super blown away currently. To be fair it’s only 4 items in a small shop that says “freebie” down the street, but something is way better than nothing. For those wondering you can grab a landmark to the actual freebie store that you can go to after the tutorial process.

Free to play games that you will find on gambling sims otherwise known as skill gaming sims.

Something cool they also had was some of the gambling games out to show newer players that they’re available, however, you have to be in a state that allows online gambling but you can play these free play machines if you wish to. Sorry Floridians I know for a fact that we can’t go into skill gaming regions these are gambling sims. Online gambling is now illegal in the state of Florida as well as a few other states as well.

I know I put this a little lower than when I explained this portion but this is to give you an idea of how they lead you through the tutorial. They have boards up that teach you how to do everything in Second Life which is nice. I feel you can learn at your own pace this way which is super nice some of it is confusing like this board but in other words its how to change your view point such as third person, first person, front view, etc. You don’t have to do this ever but it’s there if you want to.

Their welcome hubs are now London themed and it’s called London City. I can only imagine the main reason for this is because Linden Labs is in the United Kingdom which makes perfect sense. But the beginning tutorial is very user-friendly it teaches you exactly how to do everything in an environment you’re comfortable in with other players who are new so you don’t feel anxiety stricken that you’re around “seasoned” players who might not give you the time of day. It’s a more positive environment and everyone is on the same new level.

When you first start with the sign-up process it seems rather straight forward and simplistic. The viewer itself is somewhat complicated but you learn how to use it with time. You can stay in the beginner areas if you want or need you can also revisit back to it by taking the landmark which will be a gigantic red pin and then click it to gain the landmark. Then if you need more practice or don’t feel comfortable going out to other places yet while you’re still learning you know you’ll be accepted in London City.

Avatar Editing:

This is going to be a little tough you can edit pretty much everything with an avatar every piece of the face, every aspect of the body, and everything else such as clothes to make-up, etc. The avatar creation process is extensive and there is so much you can do. The avatar body appearance creator is slider based with different measurements it changes the appearance of your overall body and face of your avatar. However, as far as freebies nowadays most cost about 1l each sad fact but I found it extremely hard to customize my avatar without adding a little bit of money onto the virtual world to get some virtual world currency to get started. But luckily the 1l freebies are relatively worth the buy they’re not the unwanted stuff that you’d probably find years ago. So I’d put the minimum amount that Second Life allows you to spend to get some currency to spend on creating your avatar here is what you might need to spice it up if you don’t want to grab a mesh body, etc yet.

A nice hair = 150-300 lindens

Clothes = 1 linden on up

Skin = can be expensive I’ll say 200 on up

Shoes = 1 linden on up

A nice AO = 250-3,000 lindens

This is an example of linden pricing on clothing for relatively nice items that don’t make you look too bad. Otherwise you won’t be able to find mesh products you would have to go with early 2000s prim products which users somewhat frown upon nowadays in Second Life.

You can find many things in many different price ranges but for a relatively nice avatar while not being up to date with a new body and mesh head I’d expect spending $5-$10 USD to get started. If you want things in the future, by all means, get a job on Second Life or just add more on but otherwise, you will be stuck with the default avatar and honestly, you don’t want that after the one-month point. I’ll be honest I tried to put a relatively nice avatar together with 0 lindens and it’s impossible. It was the biggest challenge, I had to settle with prim/Flexi hair which is hair made from the early 2000s when Second Life first released. Creating an avatar is not beginner-friendly it took me a good hour starting over to just finish the shape I wanted. I’m telling you I didn’t know how tough Second Life could be for a beginner just starting with the platform. For me, it would be easier because I’m an experienced user but I feel if someone in their 70s just needed something to do and pass the time while being social they would have trouble with creating an avatar unless they wanted to keep the default and just explore. It almost makes me super happy that I create How-To posts related around both IMVU and Second Life I feel without them people would be super lost on what to do. This avatar creation system could be a lot more beginner-friendly for the time being though I’ll be creating more posts now that I know how difficult this could be for a newer player. I’m sorry that Second Life can be a little complicated I never thought anything of it because I’m used to the platform and how to do everything but now, I know how difficult it can be. It’s almost awful. Keep an eye out for more posts in my How To’s.

Exploring:

To be fair you can start exploring right away! However, you might be frowned upon for doing so but screw it you’re here to experience new things and have fun. Don’t let anyone stop you from doing so whether you’re new or not. When I went to certain clubs in my default avatar, I was pushed to the side from a lot of players but in the sea of seasoned players, you find that one person who is nice to everyone. I found this individual and were friends now she took me out exploring even though I have the experience, but she doesn’t know that. I thank her for being the one person in the whole game that I’ve talked to that wanted to help and be friends with me in this vast world. I wrote a post on Noobs and what they fear the most. The answer was acceptance and it is the truth I can see how newer players could get discouraged. Honestly, it hurt that players either ignored what you said, talked behind your back in IM’s, or talked right in front of your face because you didn’t look as good as some of the other avatars in the area, you’re in. It put a lot of things into perspective for me but with this one individual, she showed me around some of her favorite places. She brought me to virtual theme parks, stores, online museums, you name it we were there. Exploring is as easy as going to the destinations guide in your browser or hitting the icon that looks like something, you’d find on Google Maps and picking where you want to explore in the popular destinations. To the right, you can see what this icon looks like and to the left, you can see the browser version and how everything is separated into categories. Exploring and learning the controls is the easiest part of Second Life anything to do with creation is more advanced. People might say no but there is a lot to putting a good avatar together at the start as I explained above. For newer players, I’m posting a small How-To below on how to explore using the destination guide with photos hopefully this helps some of you who are reading.

How to use the Destinations Guide & How to Pull it up:

In your Second Life viewer, you will see icons at the bottom of your screen one says destinations click that to pull up a popular or editors pick version of the destination guide.

Or you can open up your browser go to www.secondlife.com and at the top tabs, you’ll find world map click that.

Once you have clicked the world map in your browser on the side you will find the destination guide which is the same thing you’ll find in your viewer to the right of the destination guide in your browser you will find the map and where that spot is located that you’re looking for. Almost like Google World or Google Maps.

If you want the full destination guide at the top there are more clickable words one says destinations click that and it will bring you to the destinations page. The destinations page is labeled by category of what you’re looking for as seen in the photo below.

Click Destinations

What the destinations guide page looks like in the browser

Destinations guide labeled by category off to the side that you can pick what you’re looking for easily.

The page has a recently added places so new places that you can visit in Second Life.

They also have an editors pick of some of the places that Second Life individuals and editors enjoyed the most during whatever month it is. For example, these are Septembers editor’s picks.

Once you click a place in the destination guide it will give you two buttons you can view it on that map, I told you about in your browser or teleport straight to it. It will open up in your viewer for easy teleporting and you’re good to go just hit teleport in your Second Life browser when it pops up.

When you click a destination in the web browser this comes up. It has a description of the place and two buttons. One says teleport the other says view on the map. Viewing it on the map will bring you back to the page with the destination guide and the world view map. Teleport will open up a window which you can see in the next photo.

When you hit teleport this will pop up or something similar to this if you’re not using Firefox. You will click Second Life and then open link if you want you can click the remember my choice. Then you don’t have to continue doing it every single time.

You will then get this in your viewer and you’ll use this to either view it on the map or teleport to the location in your viewer.

How it looks like when you press view on map in a browser setting you will get something similar on your map in the viewer as well. I wanted to show this so you knew what would come up if you did it.

Overall, Second Life is a lot of fun but for newer users, it can be somewhat frustrating to a fault, but it is possible to overcome this. Now that I know the truth and how hard it can be for newer individuals I’m going to be releasing more and more How-To’s as you have seen in this post, I added a few How-To do certain things like finding the destination guide to explore, etc. If I had to compare IMVU is a lot more user-friendly to start with virtual worlds but on the other hand, there is more to do and experience in the world of Second Life you’ll never be bored and there is always something new you can learn. My experience was interesting, but it had its moments where I was trying to create an avatar with 0 lindens (Second Life’s currency) which as I stated is almost impossible to do. Or shape creation which could be more for the advanced users. The only non-beginner thing I could experience during this test was avatar creation everything else seemed rather simple and straight forward when you get used to the Second Life default viewer. This was my experience some may find it harder than others and that is okay we all learn at our own pace. If you’re struggling, I encourage you to ask questions even if you might get ignored and always remember there are blogs like mine aimed towards newer members getting started in virtual worlds and of course YouTube videos. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them I’m always willing to help if I can.

Until next post!

What Noobs Fear the Most

September 8, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The other day I went to some of the starting areas which is why I haven’t posted in a few days. I wanted to compile enough information before getting into a new post as you can tell my investigative roles are used quite often on my blog. I try to do everything that I post about to give an accurate review or understanding of something. One important thing I wanted to discuss on this blog is what new players fear the most when starting in a virtual world setting or a video game in general. I’ve compiled it all into one word…acceptance. New players long to be accepted in the environment they’re in not cast away. We all start somewhere this includes reality when trying to enter a new job, going from one school to another, or moving to a whole new area and not knowing anyone. It’s the concept of fear that blocks our intelligence to continue forward knowing that things will get better. Noobs as they’re referred to on most platforms, they want to be accepted just like all of us try to be. In the end, we might seem as if we don’t care about the word acceptance but in all actuality at one point or another we do.

As a new player myself many times in various situations it was hard for me to be accepted it wasn’t anything to do with my personality, but it had more to do with the fact I didn’t fit into the concept of a “seasoned” player. Why? Normally it had to do with the look of my avatar noobs can be identified through their avatar appearance which sucks because it’s like being one gigantic sign that says, “I’m new here!” as much as I would’ve hoped individuals would be accepting of noobs they tend to cast them away to the side until you hit around you’re one month level of being in that specific world environment. For me things came with time, when I realized how hard it was to be accepted, I took matters into my own hands and I became the first one to start the conversations. I went from introvert to extrovert quicker than a snap of my fingers. Believe it or not, even “seasoned” players want friends, they want acceptance just as much as noobs do and this got me thinking… why am I so afraid to talk to the “seasoned” players when I will be one in the future? They’re just people, right? This mindset got me out of the noob category and into the “seasoned” of course this all takes time, talking, and communicating with other players. But even noobs can be accepted. When I got myself out of that noob funk, I was the one helping them out. At the time at the beginning when I started playing (using Second Life as a reference for this experience) I went to new player sims and when things were transferable (which nowadays with mesh things are not unless their freebies) I would send them over to the players I’d start talking to and get them started so their appearance didn’t come off as new so they could be accepted by others. There’s no reason for noobs to be cast to the side if you can help or even just be their first friend, they’re just like anyone else and with time they will get to a point where you are now. At the end of the day we’re all just looking for a friend, someone to talk to, and overall acceptance from the community we place ourselves in. Everyone is different.

For those unaware of how people can identify you as a noob here are a male and female example. These are the default Second Life avatars that are available when you first start. Trust me they’re a huge step up from their last ones which were still the year 2000 models. They looked a lot worse but they were popular for the time. They recently upgraded to these mesh ones, they’re super nice and I enjoy them but if I wear them people assume I’m going to troll them or I’m new and it’s like bug repellent. However, don’t let this scare you from staying in a virtual world or video game. This is just a starting point you will look better in time avatar wise it just takes time learning your environment and the people who surround you.

For those of you who are new and reading this post don’t quit because you feel you’re not being accepted. As I’ve already said we all start somewhere, and it takes time to create a following for yourself. Friends and chatting with others will come with time but what I suggest for the first month is get a feel for the environment that you’re in. Explore areas, learn controls, save up a little bit of money to redo your avatar. You know to get yourself settled. I promise you if you do the things you want and just have fun and don’t consistently think that you’re not liked or cast away everything else will come with. Your gaming and online experiences are supposed to be fun and, in some sense, relaxing for certain individuals don’t let it stress you out. If it stresses you out a lot, you’re doing something wrong and I’d suggest changing your mindset and viewing situations from another angle.

This week I went to some of these starter sims and talked to some of the newer members trying to use the Second Life platform and the one thing they told me was they wanted people to like them. The thing is if people don’t talk to you how will they know if they like you or not? And that is something I wish many individuals would be more open-minded about is talking to newer players because sometimes these are the players that will become your closest friends because you were the first person to accept them into your circle. Now in some cases, this could go south quickly but, in those situations, there is a reason why there is a block and delete button. Also, I’m friends with a lot of these newer members now and sometimes noobs are just looking for a mentor to help them get started and show them some places. They’re all people just like you and me just because were hidden behind a computer screen doesn’t mean that we’re not human.

Overall, acceptance in the keyword when it comes to what noobs fear the most when starting in a new environment. As I’ve explained above these newer players just want someone to talk to or a mentor to help them on their journey just to learn what to do so they can live their own virtual lives. We all start somewhere, and I know I sound like a broken record but it’s so true we all start from the bottom in most situations and work our way off. Be that one person who makes a difference don’t just cast someone to the side if they’re new there was a point in time when you were in the same situation don’t create the same experience for them if you were cast away instead change their fate. Be their start to living their virtual world or experiencing their game to the fullest.

Sailing 101 in Second Life

September 5, 2019September 5, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

For those who haven’t read it, yet I wrote a post on my experience finding out about sailing in Second Life and how I’ve been getting into it as of recently. This is a 101 beginners post on how to start and what to do and some places that might help as far as rezzing your boat out on the open water and some sailors lingo. This also works for open sim virtual worlds like Trinity and a few others. As usual, I’m going to add a disclaimer, this post is for beginners or those just starting with sailing some of this is information I’ve learned through other people, blogs, and my own experience. Please leave constructive criticism only if the comments are open if not go ahead and like the post, if this has helped you or you found it to be informative and something you’d get into. With all of that mumble jumbo being said let’s get our sea legs ready and jump right in!

Getting a Boat:

The first thing you’re going to have to do is find a boat to get started. Please don’t make the same mistake I’ve made and just go out all willy nilly and buy yourself a boat. The best Second Life boats for boating if you’re serious about it and the well-made ones are extremely expensive they cost anywhere between 2,500 Lindens onward. Save yourself the money until you know this is something you want to do and something that would be a good investment for you. Sailing is a great way to spice up your virtual world life but only if you’re serious about doing it more than once your entire time online. There are free boats that you can obtain to start with. This gives you a taster as to what sailing is like in Second Life and if you’ll enjoy it sometimes, we just buy on impulse. I know I do. I found a place in Second Life where you can get a free boat to try out sailing you can also rez your boat here so it’s a great place to start if you’re interested.

Blake Sea – Half Hitch Rez Center and Harbor

This is a link to the Blake Sea – Half Hitch Rez center and Harbor where you can Rez you’re ship or acquire a free one to try out sailing. To grab one of the free ships once you land in the area there is a box which will be shown to the right of this post you will click it and it will Rez out for you and you can use it for free. A great option if you’re not sure if you would enjoy boating or not.

Now let’s say you are serious about boating in Second Life and you want to buy yourself a nice boat to use on the waters. These are serious investments in Second Life as they cost a lot of virtual currency. Either you will have to save for it or put real money into the virtual world for that currency. Make sure this is something you want to do. If you do, please continue reading…

I looked around for hours for nicely made boats that will give you a very realistic boating experience in world. I also did some research on other WordPress blogs and talked to some sailors myself to find out what some of the best ship and boat makers are and with that, I’ve compiled a list of creators that you might want to look into for your first one. I specifically wound up getting a motorized sailboat as it fits my style it can be used for both cruisings on the waters with the sails or used with the engine so it’s a hybrid and works out to my advantage. I’ll probably never race my boat but that’s popular to do in Second Life is racing. Mine to give you all an idea is a boat from The Mesh Shop which in my opinion makes some of the best boats that I’ve looked at before buying mine. Also, keep in mind my specific boat was 3,000 Lindens which is about 12-13$ USD so be wary of that.

Keep in mind every boat is different there are different types of boats there are motor yachts, sailing boats, and manuals that you can choose from to use. Some ships run off of the actual wind in Second Life and yes there is wind in Second Life, who would have thought? Some sailboats sail only with the Second Life wind system others you can pick your wind direction and speed. For the most part, when you buy a boat you will often get a manual this will show you how to operate your boat I’d highly suggest doing one out of two things. I’d read the manual and then operate the boat or if your hands-on operate the boat while you read the manual. But I can’t stress this enough if your boat comes with a manual and you’re new to sailing ~~READ THE MANUAL~~.

Boat Creators to Check-Out:

Bandit (Analyse Dean) Marketplace link: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/120514

BBX Design/ Yachts & Buildings (Aymec Millet) Marketplace link: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/63972

Inworld store: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sunny%20Bay/162/129/26

Trudeau (Jacqueline Trudeau) Marketplace link: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/1275

Inworld store: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Trudeau%20Classic%20Yachts/194/64/23/

Dogma9 has one ship called the Moon shadow that’s 7,000 Lindens but super nice if you want to check that out Marketplace Link: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Moon-Shadow-White/14405046

The Mesh Shop (Kain Xenobuilder) Marketplace Link: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/94614

Inworld store: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dutch%20Harbor/142/142/25

This is where I got my ship from mine is called (TMS) Café Del Mar it’s quite the beauty I put a picture to the right for reference it is a sailboat like I’ve described above in obtaining a boat. It’s a great option and more cost-effective than some of the boats you’ll find on Second Life. However, the normal starting point is 3,000 Lindens sometimes there are more that are cheaper, but they won’t be the best quality and what you will need if you’re serious about sailing.

Berdav (Anu Daviau) Marketplace Link: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/32972

They don’t sell boats anymore, but they have little paddle boats that you can buy you can search the creator they might have more elsewhere but with the research, I couldn’t find her store anymore. She made some nice motorized yachts at the time though they were smaller but worth every penny.

Ocean Industries (Markus Hirszberg) Marketplace link: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/89115

A small assortment of motorized boats there is a luxury edition of the skyline which looks like it could be a suitable product for boating. After doing some research on it if you’re interested. It’s a low end priced boat costing 2,990 Lindens I’ll go ahead and post the link here if you want to take a look at it. https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Skyline-Luxury-Edition/6730452

E- Tech (Envy Melody) Marketplace Link: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/35536

Not the best boats but they’re a little more affordable and somewhat nice for the price you pay well to start with to see if it’s something you’re going to keep up with. Boats are anywhere from 599 Lindens to 2,800 Lindens on the Second Life marketplace.

There are more creators than this, but this is just to get you started on you’re boating search for what you may want as well as different price ranges. I tried to get places that were all different prices so you could see what you would get in each price range and what is obtainable.

Where to Rez your boats:

When it comes to rezzing your boats there are places where you can and it is doable. Normally you can Rez them in specific corners of the Blake Sea sims that are meshed together or you can do it at a harbor, marina, or Rez area that you find along your travels. An example would be the link I posted above for the Half Hitch Rez center which I’ll also post the link here for you guys as well. It’s a very small spot where you can Rez your ship but you can Rez it and be on your way. Plus to be fair it’s a non-populated area so, for the most part, you will be alone and not have to deal with someone else trying to Rez their ships as well.

Blake Sea – Half Hitch Rez Center and Harbor

Another place that I could suggest which I found from a WordPress blog called Sailing in Second Life which if you’re interested in more about sailing and learning how to live life on the sea you should check it out. The writer stated that a good area for him to Rez their vessel is in the Starboards Yacht Club in Hollywood.

Starboards Yacht Club in Hollywood

I haven’t checked out this area yet but “Sailing in Second Life” is not the only blog that had mentioned it when it came to finding where to Rez your boat to sail. On my journey, I’ve come across a few places to Rez ships which I will go ahead and list below I tried to limit it down to my top 10 places where it’s been not to laggy and easy experience.

Places to Rez Your Boats and Vessels:

New Port Yacht Club (Bay City):

http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Port/20/100/24/

Oyster Bay (you can Rez boats and can sail out to sea. You. Can also go down the Linden River from here and enter other sea’s as well from this Rez point.):

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oyster/95/175/85/

Bering (Rez area):

https://secondlife.com/destination/bering

This is a perfect place it is a safe Rez spot where you can test out your new boat, it’s quiet with very little people and an awesome place to get started. Highly recommend.

Blake Sea – Spyglass:

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Blake%20Sea%20-%20Spyglass/144/199/22

DP Public Dock:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Trelliana/60/133/28

Mermaid Inn at Pier side Yacht Club:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Salliohsis/53/193/22

This is an area that I have visited recently after the suggestion on a WordPress blog I saw that talked about where you could Rez to sail and this came up. It’s both a Yacht club with spaces to rent a hotel to rent out rooms as well as a public rez zone for those who just need to get their ships up and going. I’d suggest this option mainly because you will meet a lot of people there who have experience with sailing in Second Life who can give you tips and pointers and help you on your journey if you need. A lot of the people I’ve personally met here are very nice, drama free, and are willing to help if you’re confused with something about your ship such as wind direction, etc.

Tuliptree (rez zone):

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tuliptree/184/204/21

Barnbarossa Ferry terminal (Linden Labs Infohub) here you can even grab a free boat that you can Rez out if your short on cash to buy one. This is a great place to get started and a nice Rez zone sometimes it can get busy though so be careful with this area. The few times I’ve visited there are more than 10 people. Unless you don’t mind people it’s a large vast area to Rez and get started. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Barbarossa/184/48/23

Satori Bay (3 region location various things to do and places to rez)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Barbarossa/184/48/23

This is a good option for a beginner because it has a little bit of everything to start you off. It’s three regions and it’s a mixture of a marina, place to chat, walk, and shop like anywhere else in Second Life, place to rez, a place to rent boats if you don’t want to go out and buy your own yet, stores for rent, there is just so much to do so if you don’t rez here at least check it out! It won’t be a waste of time I went here for the first time yesterday and it’s a new favorite place for me to chill with my little sailboat.

Second Life Sailing Center and History Museum

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Barbarossa/184/48/23

This is a wonderful place for beginners as it is a Yacht club, history museum for sailing where you can learn a lot of new things on you’re sailing adventures. It also has UPDATED listings and information for Yacht clubs, sailing blogs, and the history of sailing in Second Life. A place to go as a beginner it has helped me out so much everyone thinks I’m a seasoned boater and I’m a noob at boating in Second Life. So this is a huge suggestion from me.

What Seas Are There to Sail in?

Good question there is a variety of different places where you can go sailing, however, the most popular places are going to be as followed:

Sea of Fables
Blake Sea
Ahab’s Hunt
Gulf of Lauren
Greta
Puerto Arianti

These are the major seas and gulfs where you can sail your boat if you look any of these up you can start sailing pretty much once you get to those regions of water. I will post links later on when I can find all of them for you guys. But for right now you can just search these places inside Second Life and teleport to these major bodies of water. Hopefully for now though this helps you! One thing I wanted to add is in the Blake Sea there are places to Rez your ships there as well.

These are just a few things to get beginners started when it comes to sailing in Second Life and even in other open sim virtual worlds. Hopefully, this helps you on you’re journey and some of these links will help you get to where you want to be with your sailing experience. Some users are so into the boating community that they dock and just live on their boat. Or they explore the open seas and just relax in the middle of the Blake Sea on their boat. This is an actual living alternative which I’ll explain in another post later on. Second Life is an amazing place to try sailing and the sailing on Second Life is a great alternative to an actual boating simulator and there is so much more to do and experience. If you have any more questions please feel free to ask me or read some other blogs based around the Second Life sailing community. Don’t forget there are so many places to learn how to be a part of the sailing community on Second Life there are so many Yacht clubs and marinas and a ton of Second Life sailing blogs to look into. Use your resources you will be happy that you did.

Bon Voyage!

Alleviating Drama

August 29, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Let’s be honest this is already a constant battle in reality but maybe this post will be able to help you not just in your virtual life but in your reality as well. I’m hoping the advice and thoughts I give here can be used wherever you are in reality, online, etc. To begin, I shouldn’t have to but I’m going to put a disclaimer on this post I’m not a psychologist and what I say shouldn’t replace a medical professional if you see one or need one. These are ways I’ve coped with drama in a virtual world setting and my thoughts and ideas that I have used that I’m sharing with you to possibly help you alleviate the drama you might be experiencing in your virtual life. With that being said let’s jump in!

No one wants to deal with the everyday drama we already get it enough think about it… if you’re like me you probably have friends who I’d like to call sometimey friends. Sometimes they’re your best friend on but other days they can be your worst nightmare and you can’t help but wonder if they’re using you for their gain even if you don’t know what that gain might be. This isn’t healthy to be around it’s a form of drama believe it or not you may not think it is but if it is impairing your way of thinking and your emotions then it is toxic. A true friend you won’t feel this around you will feel calm, happy like you can talk about anything, or do almost anything and everything together. It won’t feel like a chore however, people always have disagreements you might fight but in the end, you will pick up where you both left off if you can’t do that with someone then they aren’t a friend they’re either an acquaintance or just someone you know. The fact of life is you can’t friend everyone! I’ve learned this the hard way. Some people are emotionally detached from themselves and reality they see those living a life they want and get jealous. Jealousy is a toxic situation and a killer of friendships and relationships. If you suspect toxic jealousy! You shouldn’t have to deal with that. If you feel unhappy around someone then you probably shouldn’t be around them, to begin with. These are the hardest truths you will ever have to read and hear circling your brain but the quicker you learn them the happier you will find yourself. One thing I want to state is you need to put yourself first this is truly an important concept. I’m not sure reader if you’re into horoscopes but I am and honestly, I’m a Taurus it states that as a Taurus we try to fix people and with me, it couldn’t be truer. I friend broken people without knowing and then try to fix what can’t be fixed. It leaves me in shambles, and this is part of the drama as well. you can’t fix or change a person they can only do that themselves so please for the love of G-d and all that is holy do not friend someone and think you can change their outlook on life or fix them from being a toxic person into someone that’s not. Sometimes it’s just their personality and in that case, it is time for you to move on. You can be a good friend and listen but don’t involve yourself in other people’s problems in life. That is something they need to fix on their own and come to terms with their reality whether it be real life or virtually.

Let’s say you’re in an in-world system using Second Life A&D and Bloodlines as an example. You’re in a clan, horde, family, chorus, etc. Let’s say they all call for a group chat in Discord, Skype, or the world and when you go in the person who brought everyone together start talking bad about another group, or talking bad about someone they kicked out of the group, or even discussing how they dumped someone for whatever reason. This is drama! Don’t stay in that call you have no obligation to stay. If you stay in it, you’re putting yourself in the drama and now you’re just a part of it like the person sharing the drama and everyone else that’s in the call listening. You’re now the drama itself. Don’t do this just leave! Your only obligation is to your real live emotional and physical health don’t let in world crap impact how you feel in reality. This is the most important thing I could say to you! This is all explained from experience and things I’ve dealt with and I’m hoping this can help you with whatever situations you find yourself in. Drama in the virtual world is just as real as the drama you will find in everyday reality it’s dangerous, toxic, and hurtful. Don’t be a part of this there are so many things you could be doing than putting up with drama you could deal with in your reality. A virtual world shouldn’t impact you in a negative way you should be happy, relaxed, and entertained while in one. You should feel like it’s. a true escape from reality not leaving reality to go into the same thing or something worse. With that being said let me share a scenario with you that could be drama-related that you might have experienced at one point or another;

You log in for the night onto whatever virtual world you’re logging into and you find out that your boyfriend is cheating on you with a friend, family member, etc. in world. What do you do?

In this scenario there are a few things you could do you could confront the situation calmly and if he truly is cheating break up with him. Or just break up with him quickly remove him on everything and block him and anyone else that could be a part of the situation even if they were, your best friend it’s not worth your emotions.

You log in for the night and everyone turns on you because someone set you up or made you look like the bad guy what do you do?

In this scenario as hard as it is and will be you remove everyone and start fresh… You remove all the toxicity and move forward it wasn’t anything you did wrong. You have to understand with drama you can’t blame yourself unless you’re the one who started it so you remove everyone and block them that’s the magic of the internet you can actually do that so take advantage and if you’re like me and that’s hard to do then do it log off and go do something else. If you need to cry, then cry were only human! We have emotions as much as they suck, they make us human… This is probably some of the best advice I can give for now, but it is important to follow it otherwise you will constantly blame yourself. You will think everything is your fault, you will feel vulnerable, you will feel lost, you will let your emotions get the best of you and you will become and be the drama or part of it. Don’t do that! Do yourself a favor and help yourself emotionally and physically.

At the end of the day even though everyone online is a human being behind a computer screen it isn’t your reality do not let it get the best of you and don’t let it pull you into a rut or a ton of emotions it’s not worth it. I do hope this helped and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to send me a message on my e-mail and introduce yourself. I’m always happy to chat and listen even if you’re a stranger it’s part of my personality to help others.

Till the next post Chao!

e-mail: ember435@outlook.com

Introduction to What The Virtual World in Game Systems A&D And Bloodlines Are And How to Choose One to Get Started

August 29, 2019August 29, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The first question that I’d like to address is what are A&D (Angels and Demons) and Bloodlines?

A&D and Bloodlines are considered to be HUD based systems on Second Life which helps you to enhance RP (roleplay) experiences. As you might know, there are some games categorized as MMORPG’s (Massively multiplayer online roleplaying games) which are open-world games that you explore with quests that you can play with other players from around the world. A&D and Bloodlines are focused on providing that same idea and environment in a virtual world atmosphere. However, in a way, this has become a virtual world lifestyle for some players. For some virtual world users this is why they come into Second Life every day to play these systems and in A&D’s terms skill to raise HUD skills. Or these users come on to play these systems to immerse themselves in a roleplay that sometimes people may seem is all too real. It is fun to do and is somewhat of a time-waster, I’ll be honest I’ve played both and they get your mind off of things and both are super interactive you have all of Second Life to explore and play with these system HUDs in. A&D is an Angels versus Demons system where you can choose what side you want to play on (being an Angel or a Demon) you can play with others or solo. However, a lot of players are part of what is called hordes and chorus’s (hordes for demons chorus’s for angels) experienced players tend to search for newer players to bring into their little families. Each horde or chorus operates differently and has specific things they focus on in the system. Some focus on family and are extremely active. Some other active hordes and choruses focus on the roleplay aspect where you have to dress as the character you want to be and act like the character you create of yourself. Then there are also ones that skill and don’t fight which is the one I’ve learned to appreciate and enjoy the most. Then there are inactive hordes and chorus’s which if you’re worried about drama with large groups of people is going to be the best for your play style this goes for Bloodlines as well. These hordes, chorus’s, and families aren’t always around at the same time and you may only meet like 5 people from the entire group this is more for if you want to play these systems solo. They will be there to help you if needed but otherwise, you’re on your own you can pretty much do what you want to do and experience through the HUD and A&D and Bloodlines systems. I prefer this way more than the active hordes, clans, families, and choruses. There is less room to be brought into bull shit that you don’t want to be a part of (pardon my French). A&D is a lot more interactive than some other systems on Second Life for the fact that you can skill such as herbalism, mining, and crafting just like you would in an MMORPG such as Final Fantasy 14 Online (FFXIV) or World of Warcraft (WOW).

Even though I pretty much explained it through my A&D description there is also Bloodlines. Bloodlines have families or clans that you are a part of. For the most part, this system is multiplayer whether you want to play with others or not. So, you would be forced to join a clan or family. But if you want more of the solo experience than you would pick more of an inactive clan instead of an active one. Bloodlines revolve around Vampires, Lycans, and recently through the past few years, you can now just be part of the system as a human which is nice if you don’t want to roleplay as a fantasy creature. The idea of this system is to go out through the world of Second Life and hunt or battle other players to gain achievements and reach new “levels”. It’s a very similar idea to A&D so if you read the description above it’s straightforward as to what Bloodlines is as well just with Vampires and Lycans. Each system is based on personal preference. The systems are for everyone and they can be quite fun to play.

Active versus inactive hordes, clans, chorus’s, and families:

I want to bring to the forefront the main differences between active and inactive groups in the system. I’m going to refer to them as groups so I’m not typing each one out individually throughout the rest of the post. When a group is active there are going to be for the most part a lot of people in that group or you’re going to become the outsider of such a close-knit family until newer players continue to flood into the active group, you’re in. Sometimes this creates drama which I’ll explain in a later post regarding my experience with A&D if you want some real piping hot tea spilled. But for the most part these groups you will be with a lot of the time these groups become more of a lifestyle in the virtual world atmosphere where you spend most of your time with your group and even sometimes live on the land, they’re on. However, if you’re more private like I am and want a more solo unrushed experience playing on these systems I would suggest an inactive group. These groups are sometimes online but they don’t base their life or virtual world lifestyle around the system. They normally do it when they’re bored or just want something to do while being a part of the system. This is the type of group I prefer because you also are less likely to run into any type of drama or issue with anyone and still get the same experience as playing with an active group. This is something to consider if you want to join one of these systems just be mindful of who you play with and what you want out of the game as a whole. These are things to think about before joining. Also, another thing you should consider is if you can dedicate time to keep yourself fed in either system that means logging on, I’d say once a day or once every other day. There is a sense of dedication to these systems but like I said it gives you something to do if you’re looking for that sort of experience in your virtual life.

You said there is drama? But I don’t want to deal with drama! I get that enough in my reality:

Don’t we all! But with anything that brings together a large group of individuals together with different personality types and interests, there will be some sort of conflict at some point. This is why I suggest inactive groups if you do join one of these systems. This is because even though there are different people with personality types and interests there not always around at the same time or just keep to themselves which brings less drama into, your atmosphere. Through the years while being a part of these systems I’ve seen people come and go while taking part of the active group experience. I’ve also seen full-on active groups die and become non-existent altogether because of drama. The system itself is a game however the impact that human individuals make on one another is not. Just be mindful of people and if you do join an active group just lay low, be mindful of others, and be careful. You can be in an active group and avoid drama there are always ways around things for example, when you see it starting just distance yourself. Stop going around as often etc. and communicate with those you trust in the group to see if it is okay to come back when the drama dies down. They will wonder where you went but then you can just say real life has been taking its toll. For the most part, if you stay out of the drama it won’t find you, however, if the drama includes you…good luck and Lord have mercy on your soul young padawan.

Achievements:

Both systems have an achievement system in the HUDs this has got to be my favorite thing with both A&D and Bloodlines. It’s the only thing that made me want to continuously play because if you’re getting rewarded for something, you’re doing it’s like validation. It’s like you’re doing something right an instant gratification. Which to be honest, I’m the type that needs instant gratification to feel like what I’m doing is right or okay, etc. I love the achievement system on both the websites are clean, easy to follow, and it just makes me want to beat everyone in the high score and achievements table because then you are well known. Other than that, you don’t get much out of it. Skilling and items: Well, this is a fun one to explain so the best way to describe this is on a smartphone you have an app store whether it be the Apple App Store or the Android Google Play store. Let’s say there is a game you want, and you find there are in-app purchases. That’s kind of how these systems run their game on Second Life. You can buy blood, tanks, caskets, etc. for Bloodlines to help your chances in the game with the virtual world currency Linden which you buy with real money or earn doing a Second Life job. With A&D there are add on’s, skilling items, etc. that you can buy to put on your land to craft in the comfort of your land, etc. So welcome to the land of in-game purchases though both claim that they’re all free. But to be fair they are free, but they have to make their money from, somewhere right?

In the end, it just comes to personal preference on pretty much everything discussed above do you want an active or inactive group? Do you want angels versus demons or vampires versus Lycans? The sky is the limit and just like everything else you can do in a virtual world you can be who you want and do what you want. These are just roleplay experiences to either get you into roleplay or put you on a set quest path like in a video game. Ready to add some spice to your virtual life? This may just be what you’re looking for.

How to Obtain a Pet in Second Life? & What are Breedables?

August 1, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The first question you might be asking yourself just by examining the title is, what are breedables? The definition of breedables in the world of Second Life is a pet that is taken care of just like you would take care of a pet in reality. However, this pet can be bred to make exclusive versions of the pets you have that you can either sell for online currency or keep and show off. Breedables are popular because it gives the full experience of owning a pet such as buying food, collars, water, etc. to take care of the pet and keep it’s stats or happiness, health, and sleep levels up just like you would take care of yourself or a real-life pet. However, some people only use breedables for breeding them and making popular breeds or unique traits and coats for their pets. Some sell for over USD 100 in the virtual world platform of Second Life. Amazing! Isn’t it? This is just one form of pet that you can own in Second Life. However, if you’re like me and have too much responsibility with a real-life pet and don’t want to put too much real-life money into Second Life to get virtual currency to spend on taking care of a pet, then you might be interested in virtual pets that aren’t breedables and guess what? They do exist, and they’re just a one-time price.

JIAN is a famous pet maker in Second Life they specialize in creating mesh and Animesh pets that you don’t have to take care of, but you can interact with them. By interact you won’t be able to feed them or whatnot, but you can hold them, pet them, give them toys, watch them wander around, take pictures with them and Instagram it all over the internet or whatever millennials do nowadays, etc. This is my chosen option for having pets or any animal in Second Life as these are carefree, so if I’m offline, they won’t get sick, pass away, or die. Which let’s be honest I think most of us would prefer something like the JIAN pets, especially if you have a busy lifestyle or use Second Life to escape real-life responsibilities.

An example of breedable pets that are popular and constantly found throughout Second Life are:

Amaretto and ABC horses
KittyCats
Zooby Babies (yes breedables can be baby avatars as well crazy huh?)

These are just a few, but these from what I’ve seen are the most popular breedables that can be found and that are enjoyable to most individuals. I, for one, will be honest with all of you I have had and acquired all three and have been roped into them for years. However, now I only have KittyCats which keep getting sick because I’m not around a whole lot (at least they’re not dead) and Zooby babies (recently they went from prim to mesh so to take care of them is a lot cheaper than in the past and worth it). I will type up a whole post about Zooby babies and my experience with them in the near future. If you’re interested in that, please keep an eye on future posts. But from experience breedables can get pricey, especially if you don’t control yourself with how many you have. If you have one or two, it isn’t so bad but any more then that and to keep them happy and healthy takes a toll. To be fair though a lot of Second Life users see breeables as almost a game. If this is something you’re interested in, then go for it! It can be fun but realize money does go into them and to keep your breedable habits under control if you try it.

As far as JIAN pets I own quite a few of their pets and animals but my all time favorites that I own are:

Guinea Pig’s
Cats
Wolves
Ferrets

These are so great, especially if you like watching animations they scamper around, do little tricks, make noises, everything a breedable can do. They are fantastic and a great addition if you own a parcel or piece of land to call home on Second Life. They have their perks, and in the long run, they’re a lot cheaper than taking care of a breedable.

Overall, there are two ways to have pets in Second Life above I have provided two examples one primary example of breedables and one example of just having a pet or companion to have with you throughout your virtual journey. These are just some ideas if you’re looking to get started with a pet on Second Life. I will be creating posts both on JIAN animals and my breedable experiences. I’m going to have a post on Zooby babies and hope you will keep an eye out for all of them. If you have questions about breedables or finding a pet for you’re avatar and self to enjoy in Second Life, please leave a comment below, and I will answer as soon as I possibly can.

What is a Virtual World?

August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Even as an individual who has a deep understanding of virtual worlds, there isn’t a set definition as to what a virtual world is. This is mainly because each individual uses a virtual world platform for something different. For example, my definition of a virtual world is going to come more from a creative aspect because that is what I use them for. For someone else, it could come from a business viewpoint. They could want to start a business in a virtual world in hopes it will take off. In this case, their virtual world experience would be more business-oriented. However, the most common is the individual who wants to escape reality. Virtual worlds are highly popular amongst individuals who try to escape their reality for one reason or another. This is because there isn’t a set goal or quests you have to go through like you would in a video game. You can do anything and be anything you want in a virtual world, and this is what ropes people in.

My definition of what a virtual world is would be; “A creative outlook and an expansive world where I can meet new people, network, pursue my creativity in interior design and create an online presence both through my avatar and land (or room depending on the virtual world).” With my viewing virtual worlds from a creative standpoint, everything to me is considered a blank canvas. A canvas in which an entire online community comes together and inhabits a vast online world that they create themselves.

However, my friend, who has been with me on my virtual world journey and has experienced them for himself sees it as both an escape and means of business. He knows virtual worlds won’t supplement his income but its something he enjoys as he is a workaholic in the real world, so when he relaxes he still needs to be doing something productive. His idea of a virtual world is; “A vast playing field of various blocks of ‘land’ that creates a full online world and is inhabited by a community of individuals who want to network, meet, and create. Just like an individual would experience in reality,” This proves that there are various definitions of what a virtual world is but these are just a few examples that explain it.

Nonetheless, it is essential to note that virtual worlds aren’t considered video games. You’re probably wondering how? Or why? And this is because, for the most part, video games no matter what even if their open-world has an end or end goal that you obtain. Not only that but video games also have quests, NPC’s, and a million different other things, for the most part, no matter what you’re always on a set path to reach the end of the game at some point. They also have storylines and dialogue throughout. Virtual worlds don’t unless you want them too. Virtual worlds are just like living in the real world but without the commitment. It has its own currency, pets, avatars, space to make your own whether it’s land or a room, and experiences that you make on your own or with others. Virtual worlds help to provide, for example; people like me instant gratification because everything is immersive and at your fingertips. You can have anything and do anything you want. Virtual worlds have more freedom then video games and are more than just a glorified chatroom.

Every avatar you see is a person behind a computer screen. Not everyone is on a virtual world platform for the same thing, so it’s important to respect people whether their reasons are ‘kosher’ or not. Virtual worlds give so many opportunities to individuals I highly recommend getting into them as they can be used in various ways. They can be used for education, experiencing new places, travel, shopping, building, etc. The sky is the limit. They are what you want it to be, and I hope this has not only convinced you to take that journey and explore the virtual world industry but will also show you that there is so much to life both online and offline.

Charming Ellie

Living Your Virtual Life to The Fullest

Category: How To’s

SL Purposes & Dreams

Blogging Success Have I Made it?

How-To Decorate a Room on IMVU

Hit the Restart Button and Be a Noob for a day

What Noobs Fear the Most

Sailing 101 in Second Life

Alleviating Drama

Introduction to What The Virtual World in Game Systems A&D And Bloodlines Are And How to Choose One to Get Started

How to Obtain a Pet in Second Life? & What are Breedables?

What is a Virtual World?