Tag: avatars

Hello Kitty 45th Anniversary Event an Astralia & Sanrio Collaboration

Hello Kitty 45th Anniversary Event an Astralia & Sanrio Collaboration

by Ellie_Avora ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Finally, something to report to all my Hello Kitty and Sanrio fans out there! To be fair, this isn’t about the Sanrio Town or the Hello Kitty Online game. Second Life often has various events going around made by creators and brought in from people just like you and I. A new event that just recently started up is Astralia’s Hello Kitty 45th Anniversary event and Celebration. It’s posted throughout the Second Life Linden Labs blog and to be honest I’m a little late hopping on this event bandwagon. Reality has stolen me from my creativity, and I’ve been hustling like most of us nowadays in the workforce. I had no idea that Astralia was a licensed partner with Sanrio no wonder I loved their products. For those who don’t know a lot of my inventory is filled with items from Astralia, I feel I’ve put a lot of real-life money into Second Life just for their creations and now it finally makes sense. Being a huge Hello Kitty and Sanrio fan since I was a little kid, I had to take part in this glorious celebration, and I’ve decided to take all my readers with me on this fabulous adventure!

*Note: Ahead of time I apologize if there are more photos taken and placed in this post than some of my others. This is a huge interest of mine and I’m just super excited to share my adventures at the event with you. Also, if you’re a premium member now is the time to use your perk in being able to enter sims, events, and shopping centers before those who don’t have the premium membership. For those who didn’t know this is one of the best perks of premium so you’re not standing outside of a sim for hours waiting to get in. Use this to your advantage for future places and events you want to get into. *

To Begin… Words of Encouragement:

I encourage all of those who love to explore in Second Life to visit some of these events that pop up always of the year. You don’t even have to like exploring just to check out some new places and redirect from the usual of your virtual life. I’ve learned the hard way the past few days but trying new things helps you to grow emotionally, physically, and mentally no matter what age you are.

Upon Entering:

You’re welcomed by a welcome bot created for the event. Those who don’t know these welcome bots aren’t real people behind the avatar. They’re set to send you a greeting either privately through IM or local. At this point it will also ask you if you want to join the Astralia group which is $149l this is for their VIP group honestly, it depends on who you are but I only pay for groups if I’m consistently at the store all of the time and want to support the creator. So, for me, the group was worth it. It’s up to you whether it’s worth it to you.

To you’re right you will see a map of the entire two sims and to the left, you will see a board that talks about the racing area where you add on a HUD and how to use it. Right behind you when you first pop in is the racetrack and right in front of you is where you want to go for everything else. Being me and wanting to see everything and not just the race track I just kept going straight. There was a good amount of people to make it a joyful experience. Not too many to the point where I’m lagging out of control but just enough to the point where I could meet new people, chat and enjoy everything in the sim without feeling like I was alone. If you keep going straight upon entering there is the Astralia store and then a right and left path, it’s up to you which way you want to go upon entering the sim. There was so much to explore that it took me about two hours to fully enjoy, try, and explore everything in the event. 

Souvenir Photos:

When you first enter from the welcome area and your past the bot to your right there is a photo area where you can snap yourself a souvenir photo. I did this because let’s be honest, events come and go, and I wanted to remember this one. This event hits home for me mainly because I’ve been a huge Sanrio and Hello Kitty fan since I was a kid and I’m still a huge fan. I never did grow out of it and I embrace it! But this was a lot of fun to do I’m glad they had a small area for this.

Shopping:

If you keep going straight after you first enter it leads you to the Astralia items for the event. You can buy pretty much everything that’s on the sim created by the Astralia. There is so much I’ll be honest; I’ll probably end up buying everything there’s so much that I want from the store all these items are created and licensed by both Astralia and Sanrio. These are going to be exclusive after the event so if there is something you want; I’d buy it before the event ends. Keep in mind a lot of the things will be a little pricey because it is Sanrio related items and they’re all part of an event, but this is something you should expect. It’s like going to Disney and expecting a water bottle to be $1 which we all know is never happening in a million years. I’d suggest checking out the store though it’s worth looking at.

Games and Interactive Things to do:

Where do I begin? There’s so much here to experience and do. From checking out a party area to the racecourse, outdoor bouncy maze, kids’ playground, Ferris wheel, boats to ride throughout the sim, and a small sitting dock. I loved the party area it did seem a little overwhelming at first, but I don’t expect anything less when it comes to Sanrio and Hello Kitty related anything. There is a large birthday cake which I grabbed a photo of and at the beginning of the event they held parties and DJ’d in that area. There is a VIP lounger for Astralia VIP members who bought the $149l group tag. There’s also, a Ferris wheel that works that your avatar can ride on and see one of the sims from up above which is always a fun time. You do lag a little when riding the Ferris wheel just a heads up on that I think it’s because of how much scripting went into the Ferris wheel itself to make it move… the racecourse almost takes up a whole other sim which is amazing and everything is Sanrio related it was so much fun to take a trip through my childhood in a race car. What I must say I enjoyed the most were the small little tube boats that you could take through both sims. The event is made up of two sims if I didn’t specify before and you’re able to explore everything from the comfort of your boat! It was a lot of fun and super exciting. If you’re also someone who enjoys playing Second Life as a child avatar (I do it sometimes for family RP’s) there is a small child’s area called the “child playground” here there is a bounce house, trampoline, and other interactive items you’re little avatar can interact with. Another thing I wanted to bring up was the gigantic board game looking area where I ended up sitting and taking a couple of photos and just relaxing out while I looked around. It was so relaxing, cartoony, and just environmentally pleasing. I loved it more than I probably should have! This is a Sanrio/Hello Kitty Heaven if you’re a huge fan you won’t know what to say and will probably spend a whole lot of time here.

To conclude, I am super speechless there was so much to explore, it kept my ADHD brain satisfied for hours. Which a lot of things don’t keep me entertained for long periods. I realized a lot of players in the area were new and a lot of them created avatars and entered Second Life specifically for the event. This event is bringing in new members into the virtual world community and entertaining our veteran players who have been around since Second Life has been around. Between the games, mazes, and interactive things to do on the sim there is a little something for everyone. Don’t forget about that souvenir photo I don’t want you to regret not taking one while you were there! I hope some of you will go and visit this event whether you’re bored and need something to do or just love Hello Kitty and Sanrio this is the perfect celebratory event for you.

SL Exploration: The Butterfly Effect Club EST 2008

SL Exploration: The Butterfly Effect Club EST 2008

by Ellie_Avora ♥ 1 Comment

Let’s be honest there are so many clubs in Second Life that it’s hard to find ones that stand out from one another. However, I stumbled across this little gem while on my explorations throughout Second Life it might not seem like much at first sight but there is more than meets the eye. Between the kind and drama free people who come in and the themed atmosphere that fits the name perfectly there is so much about this club to talk about.

The Butterfly Effect Club was established in 2008 by LadyD Beauregard-Barbosa. I’ve had the pleasure to meet her and experience all the life this club fills everyone that comes in with. With so many Second Life clubs popping up and shutting down throughout the platform this one has been around since 2008. It’s popular and gets traffic! The music played here depends on the DJ at the specific time but tonight I came in during a Halloween costume contest event. The music tonight was a lot of your Halloween classics such as monster mash and many others. However, there are always events being held and contests each time the club is up and going. The club currently is decorated for Halloween seeing that it’s only eight days away and to be fair it the decoration is nice and sticks to the ghoulish theme. 

This club also has a shopping mall attached to it so if you’re looking for some new clothes you can find them here and then go dancing afterward. Most clubs have been doing this recently but keep in mind clubs who do have a small shopping section or are connected to a mall are small shop owners trying to get their products out to everyone out in the world of Second Life. Anyone can be a small business owner, but this is how beginners of creating outfits, furniture, etc. start. They start by renting out a small section in a mall or club that hosts these creators. So, if you’re feeling like supporting these small businesses feel free to drop by their shopping section right when you land before entering the club. As I explored it there were some dresses right behind the club to look at. In the club the photo to the left shows in the background the small little shopping area the club has. It’s where it says, Gaall in tiny letters sorry that it’s so small!

For those of you who are big on Angels & Demons, Bloodlines, Rage, etc. this club is on a clan land but it’s an open space for everyone. Everyone is welcome it doesn’t matter who you are, what your avatar looks like, etc. everyone is accepted in and can join into the fun and consistent conversation that can be found. The club is active, not only that but the clans here on the land are all active as well if you’re looking for a place to join and are a part of any of these in world systems. I’m also 99% sure that it’s a safe spot for Angels & Demons so you don’t have to worry about getting attacked while enjoying your time and just relaxing. Even though contests are going on and a lot of people come to the club just for the contests and then leave their keyboard you don’t find that here. It’s overall, just a different type of environment that you can’t always find on Second Life and if you’re a part of any of the systems above than most of the users in the club already have something in common with you.

I can’t stress enough that this club is 100% drama free! I’ve never seen an argument, misunderstanding, or disagreement since I’ve dropped by. To be fair, that’s hard to find nowadays because let’s be honest there is club drama everywhere you turn for the most part. It’s nice to have such high energy, calm, and enjoyable place to just be yourself. There is little to no judgment and it’s just a nice atmosphere to be a part of. I’m being very unbiased with this post as this is my experience when coming here. Normally when I visit clubs you realize why they don’t last it just doesn’t have a lighthearted and enjoyable atmosphere. Whether there is a conflict between staff or toxic people entering it’s hard. Here I haven’t experienced that and if you’re looking for something new to experience with a pleasurable clubbing experience than this is a place to look at. For example, tonight we talked about breedables for a bit I’ll be honest, I haven’t been looking at the chat a lot because I’ve been typing up this post, but everyone gets along. Also the picture on the left shows the contest board which is behind me and LadyD with the host and DJ tip jars and a vote stand. Everyone can vote once a day and these vote stands are important to clubs so if you go check it out don’t forget to click it.

Overall, something to keep in mind is sometimes these clubs who have been here for long periods are worth looking at and exploring more than the newer ones. Looks can be deceiving even though the clubs out there now use mainly mesh or are decorated in gorgeous ways the staff could be the complete opposite. This club has the best of both worlds it has mesh objects, décor, great staff, amazing users coming into just dance and relax. These are how Second Life clubs should be!

What Noobs Fear the Most

What Noobs Fear the Most

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.