Almost everyone is aware that Linden Labs recently started
making new age (as I’d like to put it) Linden Homes that keep up with the
innovations of Second Life. It’s a slow process but little by little they
continue to build the Bellisseria continent up with hundreds of new Linden
homes to choose from. The original Linden homes are still available today and
they’re the easiest to obtain as of lately. The first homes that were introduced
right after the Summer of 2019 were the traditional houses and the announcement
of their houseboats. For those who are unaware of premium land fees that are
included with your premium account have recently risen from 512 sqm to 1,024
sqm. These new Linden homes use up the full 1,024 sqm of land fees that you
have with your premium membership instead of the original 512 sqm. With the
rise of your land per sqm that you receive that means you also obtain more
prims that you’re able to decorate within these Linden homes. How exciting! I’m
a little late to the ball game when explaining the Bellisseria continent as
other bloggers have obtained some of these new Linden homes and have already
posted about them. But what they haven’t posted is something I’m going to be
explaining.
Along with these new traditional Linden homes and the welcoming of the houseboats to the Bellisseria region the other day they’re building onto the Bellisseria region more to make more of these homes available. I logged on at around 1:30 pm EST yesterday and they had houseboats and traditional homes available. Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough for either but the fact that they’re becoming available more often than before states that they’re building onto the region, so everyone can partake in the new age of Linden homes in Bellisseria. It seems every few days between 1:30-3 pm you can find some of these available whether people abandon them and let them go or Linden Labs adding more of these homes for their consumers.
This region is highly sought after and recently I also noticed their new camper region in Bellisseria having more options available and availability for us premium users. Make sure that you keep an eye open. However, keep in mind the camper region is a little different as far as the Bellisseria homes that they have released before this region. The campers are smaller is square meters making them similar to the original Linden homes at 512 sqm’s per parcel and camper with an amount of 175 prims to decorate with. This isn’t an issue but you have to be okay with the fact that it’s not using your full land tier that comes with your premium and that you don’t have the same amount of prims to decorate with like the traditional homes and the houseboats that were released before the camper region. The camper region is brand new to the Bellisseria region and was announced on September 24th before Halloween came around. All the campers were snagged almost immediately after they were released. I was able to find a lot more of these available when looking to get something in the Bellisseria region with my premium account. I feel you have better luck obtaining one of these than the other Bellisseria Linden homes and I think it has to be with the square meters and the prim amount. I don’t know about you but if you want more just add more land tier to your account and buy some mainland if you want more land to decorate on or whatnot. That’s just my opinion or if you don’t mind using a sandbox than that is completely free and with your premium account, the Sandboxes that are available for premium members are normally empty. Take advantage of this!
To draw these conclusions since now I live in Bellisseria I
traveled around a little and I was just exploring my surroundings, However, I
came up to areas that said SP and then a number means that they’re building
more of these new Linden homes. To be honest, through my explorations they’re
either adding beach homes next or they’re going to work on making more
houseboats in one specific area. To be fair though I think the Campers part of
the region is where I currently reside… has the most privacy. For the first
time I also accidentally walked into a Linden while they were working which is
indicated by a blue dot on the map instead of a green (first time this has ever
happened to me off of Teen Grid in the past). Ahead of time, I’m sorry Kona
Linden for walking in on you while doing whatever you were doing in these
areas. When they’re building up new sections the area is unnamed and yellow
lines are indicating the separation of parcels. The green that you see in these
photos indicate the position of the Linden home and where the rezzer will rez
it when completed. I didn’t expect to walk into this building process but also
keep in mind in December they’re releasing a new Linden home option as well so
keep your eyes peeled for that. This information is found on the new blog post
that Linden Labs had made for today. There’s a lot of work being done and it’s
all super exciting!
In conclusion, those who feel like it’s virtually impossible
to obtain a new Linden home it’s not. They’re starting to pop up a whole lot
more with more opportunities every day to obtain one. Don’t lose hope if you’ve
been trying to acquire one this shows the initiative that Linden Labs is making
to create more of them for their consumers like you and me. Also, after today’s
newest blog post on the Second Life website, they’re releasing a new theme of
Linden homes for us as well which will be shown during the December holiday
expo this year. There are going to be more chances than ever to move away from
the original Linden homes. For those still trying to get one of these Linden
homes may the odds ever be in your favor and good luck.
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.
Today we’re taking a mini-adventure to a small European
village called “Ville de Coeur” this is a primarily English-speaking
sim that has French architecture and culture. If you’re looking for a place
that is both nice for photography and gives you a small taste of France, then
you have come to the right place. This little village can be found in the
“Destinations” tab of your viewer under “International”
which means this area gets a lot of traffic. This is a place I’d consider
checking out as it also mainly meshes and keeps up to standards with Second
Life’s graphics advancements otherwise known as going fully mesh. While
exploring this little village you’ll find that the demographics of users that
you’ll find here are normally 35 and older. However, now and then I’ve run into
someone who is around their late 20s early 30s. If you find someone younger
here, for the most part, their either exploring, looking for a place to do
photography, or just have an old soul. To be fair, this sim appeals to anyone
and everyone even though it attracts older and mature individuals so don’t let
this frighten you away from the overall concept and amazing community this
little town has to offer. There is so much to do, always someone to talk to,
and from what I’ve experienced thus far no drama (I normally try to find places
with little to no drama, because who wants their Second Life experience ruined
by other peoples issues?).
Ville de Coeur as told by one of the users who own a gallery
within walking distance from the entrance of the sim is 7 connected full sims.
I’m mainly focusing on the main area as this was mostly what I explored but
will be sure to explore the rest later and compile a detailed post on it. This
area is very pleasing to the eye, relaxing, romantic, and overall a
lighthearted atmosphere. There are always people here and from what I’ve
experienced everyone is extremely friendly in the area. There isn’t one person
that I’ve questioned as far as their motives, everyone just wants to talk,
relax, and enjoy the scenery. There are a lot of dance balls, poses, and
snuggle areas as well as a small café by the docks. There are residential areas
where those who want to be on the sim can live and enjoy more of the community.
I wouldn’t say this is much of a come and go destination… if you come here you
come and stay and explore everything. The French theme is seen everywhere with
mimes lining the streets, churches, the French flags above the market corridor
and cobblestone streets. In a sense, if you’re into old architecture it reminds
me of an older France then today’s rendition of the country.
Meeting new people:
As I’ve stated, this sim is filled with so many friendly people my first visit into this area a gentleman was sitting by the dock with some coffee and a bottle of wine in a small little café created area. He welcomed me in and then asked me if I wanted to join him for a little bit if I’m honest I had to leave not long after he invited me over to chat and hang out with him. I felt bad because he was so nice about it and talked to me about the community. He explained, that he owned a small gallery in the area which is where I asked if it was real life photos displayed in Second Life or more along the lines of Second Life photography and photo editing. His gallery is Second Life photography there is nothing wrong with that as I take photos of all my adventures and then of course post it onto this blog. I will be joining him on a small walking tour of some point in the small village and community.
I’ve come here at all hours of the night so I could type up a genuine and true portrayal of this sim it required me to pop in quite a few times to be able to do so. In the end, if you’re looking for a drama-free place to meet new people and make new friends this is probably the perfect place to be. There is so much to do from walking around with a walking tour either with someone or alone to hanging out on the beach and partying in the small gazebo with a bar, seating, and dancing, there is so much to do. Also, if you love randomly dancing consistently throughout a city like you would find in a Broadway show when in a small city or village than you will appreciate all the dance orb rezzers throughout the entire sim. This is a perfect place for romance as well as it’s a very enjoyable place to be with that special someone. There are a lot of couple’s activities and dancing is for more than one person as well as some of the specific walkers. What I love the most about the people here is they don’t have a hidden agenda. You might get someone saying you’re pretty or attractive, but they aren’t going to try and de-robe you in bed within the next hour of talking to someone. Everyone here has values and isn’t the type to cause drama from what I’ve experienced the 8 times I’ve visited this area. The people who are here are here to be a part of a community and have fun by surfing the waves, dancing, virtual drinking, etc. Sex is not the primary thing on most of the peoples’ minds here so it’s a nice escape from the rest of Second Life.
Scenery:
When exploring if you can’t tell this sim is made from a
French theme then you might want to re-evaluate what you can and cannot see.
The theme of this village Is to connect it with an older version of France.
Which of course is one of the most romantic countries in the world. The area is
lined by the French flag in banners throughout the main sim of this area to a
small gathering area with a water fountain. Which by the way is a super nice
touch with the cobblestone streets, if I’m honest the area reminded me of how
Charles Dickens in his literature describes his surroundings in 1800s England.
It’s very beautiful and I feel literature enthusiasts and historians will
appreciate this area! There are shops everywhere but ahead of time, I’ll
explain that a lot of the shops here are mainly older Second Life outfits that
aren’t mesh. But to be fair I still have some outfits like those in my
inventory some things just never get old even when everything moves forward.
It’s nice to support small businesses though so don’t let that throw you off
from looking around. There aren’t any roads throughout this sim it’s all paths
and walking areas so don’t be ready to bring out your Lamborghini’s and other
cars you bought on the Second Life marketplace.
Aside from the actual city feel itself there is a nicely made beach right across the way with steps leading down to it. Over by the café I mentioned when you first land inside of the small village there is a boat dock. If you love to sail this is an awesome place to do it, I rezzed my boat and explored the scenery especially the outskirts of the sim it’s surrounded by beautiful trees and mountains. A perfect place for photography! The beach is right next to the docks.
There is so much to do there are sitting areas, you can swim, surf, sail, drink, dance, you name it you can do it on the beach except be fully nude. This isn’t a nude beach if you want to be nude on a beach there are sims specifically for that sorry my beautiful nudists out there. Right next to it which I explained in the “meeting people” section of this post is the small little shack where you can drink, sit, and dance in an outside bar-like setting. Right next to it is a small swimming area it’s a pool with a beautiful gazebo where I took a photo of my avatar. It was such a pretty section I just had too! There aren’t couple swimming animations but it’s there if you want to take a dip in the pool instead of the beach.
Everything about this sim matches the theme perfectly. There’s
also a residential area if you’re looking to live in this small community to
find out more about this please visit the Ville de Coeur website at https://villedecoeur.online/ where you
can find more information about the community, events, and residential areas.
To conclude, I enjoyed my time here in Ville de Coeur and
plan to visit more in the future. The scenery is gorgeous, and you can do
pretty much anything in a beautiful setting. There’s so much to do and it’s
just overall a super appealing area with so many kind people in the area to
chat with and enjoy your time with. With so much to do, I would come to explore
the beauty of this sim and how well made it is. If you have any more questions
or want to know more about the sim please visit their website at https://villedecoeur.online/ until next
time…
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!
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.
My inner bohemian came out today and I kid you not when I
say I found the perfect dessert fantasy sim to explore. Based on Arabian night
tales that anyone could find in literature and cinematic films. This area has
anything from hidden tombs to a relaxing oasis. There is something for
everyone, the traffic is very slow, and this is an area I’d like to promote up
a little more because there are more than users are giving it credit for. Sims
often go overlooked especially international areas from the destinations list.
This place reminds me of Aladdin.
To be fair this Arabian oasis is both historical and
romantic I’m a hopeless romantic and honestly, I’d bring someone here on a
date. There is so much to do and explore and the architecture is simply
gorgeous. From exploring a palace to exploring the outdoors with palm trees,
crystals, vases, and more there is so much beauty to be seen. Inside when you
first start on a little island surrounded by a colossal building you have two
paths you can go on. One leads you to what I call the jewel and treasures room,
the tombs, and the oasis. The other path leads you outside on a little path
with gorgeous scenery and sitting areas. To be fair I started on the route to
the tombs, there are statues everywhere that are textured so nicely that they
look realistic. Crystals are lining almost every door frame which shows the
fantasy aspect. The door frames remind me more of an Egyptian building kit I’ve
seen but it works just as well with an Arabian theme as well.
Tomb:
The tomb is located up the stairs which feel like you’re in
a tower. There is an open tomb where you’re welcomed by a statue that makes me
question if there is a mummy that escaped inside of the sim. Luckily, I haven’t
seen one yet, so I think we’re safe! To the right, there is a sitting area and
a statue which people normally pray to. To be honest, my knowledge of Arabian
culture starts and ends with Aladdin, some literature, and this sim. So, If I’m
wrong about something this is a disclaimer, I don’t know a whole lot about the
culture, but I started reading up on it recently to better understand some of
the Arabian sims on Second Life. The architecture is Moroccan and almost
culturally accurate from what I’ve seen when looking up photos on google. Yes!
I google imaged everything to discover how accurate everything in this sim
truly was even though it is explained as being a fantasy type of sim. Gems are
lining the doors and there is writing covering the walls. The inside of this
structure is very dark, but it has every right to be so if you take photos just
be careful and aware that they may come out way darker than you expect it to
be.
The Outdoor Part of The Oasis:
On the roof of the structure, you’ll find a gorgeous palace
area with peacocks and an outside corridor with a little birdbath that had
crystals at the bottom, paired with beautiful scenery. This is where I’d
suggest bringing someone if you’re looking for something elegant and romantic
to woo that special someone. The floors are brick and tiled to show wealth and
purity the peacocks moved around the corridor. The outside reminds me of an aristocratic
house’s garden. It was extravagant and beautiful I suggest checking it out if
you’re looking for something new to explore in Second Life.
In The Palace:
In the palace there are more than enough sitting areas,
however, keep in mind a lot of the couches, chairs, and floor seating is
one-person seating with not that many poses if any aside from one when you sit
on the object. But the inside of the palace is simply gorgeous and it’s
huge! There’s so much to see and take
pictures of. I had to be careful with how many photos I took because I was
getting picture happy inside of the palace. I’m sure there are other surprises,
but I didn’t go too in-depth with the inside of the palace.
Nonetheless, I’m sure there are places little Easter eggs
and hidey holes I haven’t yet explored throughout the entire island. As there
are so many places in this one area to explore and so much to see. But, from
what I have seen this is a beautiful Arabian adventure for any explorer who is
interested in a fantasy Arabian night adventure. From an underground
exploration into a tower with a tomb to a rooftop fantasy Arabian garden with a
gorgeous palace there is a little something for everyone to enjoy here and if
you’re a photographer and love photographing your adventures or need a place as
a realistic background for a client this is the perfect place for it!
Exploration lies deep within our human DNA, no matter what we love to explore even if we aren’t aware that we’re doing it. I’ll be honest today was a somewhat boring day for me in my reality and I thought I’d jump into Second Life and do a little bit of exploring. During my travels, I came across a Russian sim by the name “Russian Province COBKOBO/SOVKOVO”. I felt like exploring something that at some point could also be seen in real life, so I used the destinations button on the left-hand side of my firestorm viewer and went to the “international” tab to begin. Heads up there are a lot of Brazil areas to visit recently. Since this wasn’t a Brazilian area, I chose it not that I have anything against Brazil there are just so many areas made to replicate it and when you’ve been to one you’ve been to them all. I can’t wait to jump right in and tell you all about my experience in the Russian Province COBKOBO/SOVKOVO!
The scenery in this sim is very well put together and is a beautiful little town to take some photos in if you’re a Second Life photographer. The scenic surroundings are so relaxing and welcoming that it relaxes you and makes you enjoy the area. It has an older country feel to it that I surrounded by trees, forests, grass and flowers (here and there). It reminds me of an area before capitalism takes over and builds skyscrapers, shops, cities, etc. in its place. Keep in mind this is just one sim there aren’t any connecting sims to visit but honestly, you only need the one sim it’s so beautifully put together and there is a lot to see and explore. When you first enter the sim there is a bike rezzer to your left where you can rezz a bike from a store called {What’s Next} that you’re able to use on the sim to cruise around while you enjoy the scenery. It’s a fast and easier way to get around the sim because guess what? This sim disabled flying so you’re either walking, running or biking. It stays true to realism and to be fair you must give the creator credit for that. If you’re making a realistic place, why shouldn’t everything about it be real? One issue I’ve had is because there is a lot to load even with good connection speed and a gaming laptop with high specs it took about 5-10 minutes for the entire area to load. So, if you visit please be patient while everything loads in. Go grab a glass of water start some music get comfortable by that point it should be ready to go.
The small-town community feels is just something I can’t get over I live in an extremely populated area in my real life and I’ve always like small old town areas because it’s the complete opposite of what I experience and it’s nice and relaxing to me. There are slopes, hills, and trees galore but what I loved the most were the little sitting areas that are scattered around the entire sim where you can sit and just enjoy your time. These areas have cuddle options so if you want to take someone on a date here it’s perfect! My new favorite little gem about this place is a small little walkway leading you out to a small little beach area with a dock overlooking the water and hills afar. If you turn the environment settings to sunset, it’s worth every moment you spend there. If only I had a cup of tea and a book it would be the perfect afternoon the sun glistens off the water, it’s almost something from a dream scene that you’d see in a movie. If you don’t visit for anything else, I highly suggest visiting just to see this viewpoint from the dock.
One thing I wanted to mention is sometimes people get
annoyed when visiting sims because there is furniture or scenery that looks to
much like prim instead of mesh. I’ll be honest even I get a little bit annoyed
about this. Luckily this scenic area is all meshed all the furniture, houses,
objects, trees, surroundings, grass, and plants are all mesh and look realistic
and true to their textures. Thank goodness! This is somewhat a pet peeve of
mine now, not that I have anything against prim but with today’s expectations
of Second Life and advancements in technology and graphics, I can’t fully
appreciate prim anymore because of the realism mesh objects bring. Also, I find
mesh important when creating a realistic area because realism is key if you’re
trying to recreate a real place. Another quick thing I’ve noticed, and I didn’t
take a photo of it because I didn’t feel the need to is right when you rezz in
there is a camping site. With this, there is also a concert stage that looks
like it doesn’t blend it with the rest of the theme and scenery. I’m not quite
sure if I like it or the setup it almost feels as if it’s out of place with
everything else. However, this is something that can be overlooked considering
the rest of the sim. An important note is there’s a sandbox on this sim with a
30-minute auto-return so if you need to rezz or unpack an item then this little
town has it all with its area to do it!
Overall, if you’re looking for a place with a little bit of small-town charm and a sim that gives you beautiful scenery and shows the beauty of the countryside in Russia than this is the area to explore and I highly suggest it. It has so much to offer and so much to explore I was easily able to spend about an hour here. Below is the SURL that you can copy and paste into your viewer at the top or you can just click it and it will bring it up in your browser to teleport too. This place is something special!
What can I say? Virtual worlds give us an experience that we might not be able to experience. It helps us to fulfill ideas of travel it will never replace going to the actual location; however, it helps you to see what a culture could look like or what a place could be. Virtual worlds give the user a platform to explore and interact with their surroundings via their avatars. I know with open simulation virtual worlds (open sims) the user can walk freely in their surroundings and interact with most of the objects in the environment. For example, I’m the type of individual who always felt like I was born in the wrong era. It couldn’t be any truer as sometimes I feel lost in the world, I’m in now there is a sim in Second Life that I just adore. It’s called 1920’s Berlin. This area I came across through the destinations guide a few years ago when I wanted to join a historical roleplaying sim. The environment is specified by the detail what it looked like in Berlin during the 20s it’s spot on! I looked at photos on Google to be honest because I wanted to see how historically correct the environment was. This is an amazing example of exploration in a virtual world you’re able to live in a world that uniquely is yours. Whether you want to live in the 20s or Luxembourg in the 30s-40s or you just want to go out and enjoy the nightlife. It’s all possible, throughout my explorations throughout virtual worlds during the years I’ve come across galleries with users artwork, photography outside of the virtual world and inside, with the technological era growing tons and tons of blogs and YouTube videos that you can access straight from the virtual world platform, there is so much it’s somewhat hard to even explain it all.
I’ve been an IMVU player since Beta testing
Virtual worlds not only give us a place to grow, learn, and explore, but they give us the confidence to live our best life even if it’s just through a computer screen. I’m by no means promoting that you shouldn’t go out and experience the world outside your front door but for those who can’t this is an awesome alternative. There is so much to do, honestly, I could spend hours just exploring, taking in world photographs, and living life. Virtual worlds are more about the experience and the exploration than it is anything else, however, it is important to note that everyone joins a virtual world for different reasons. I didn’t know what my purpose was after schooling when it came to Second Life, but I shortly found it afterward. My high school when I first started using Second Life as a platform for teaching, creativity, and communication with classmates and teachers while providing us with hands-on experiences that were created in the world. In 9th grade we would go on “field trips” to a virtual MOMA museum since obviously going to New York is kind of pricey. My school at the time used Second Life as an educational platform at some point it died out, but it was the only game kept on the school laptops that I could continue to play and explore at my own leisure. You know something to waste the time! That’s when I learned my soul purpose and what I wanted to use virtual worlds for I wanted to use them for exploration and interior design. Through the years I also picked up the title’s shopaholic, virtual world guru, and fashionista but that’s also just me living my best virtual life. I do consider shopping to be a source of explorations because you jump around to different places there are some places, I’ve never even known about that I’ve visited and just walked around their decorated sims without buying anything. One of my favorite shops in the world till this date is called +Half Deer+ the sim is so beautifully created, and it reminds me of a kawaii London feel with old telephone booths, pastel desks, brightly colored sidewalks, and gorgeously pink and light green colored trees. It almost looked like a fantasy-themed park and it is still one of my favorite sims to just hang out in even if I don’t buy anything. Exploration is so important in a virtual world platform even if it isn’t part of your purpose when joining a virtual world, it is an important aspect of one and you’ll most likely be finding yourself exploring different areas at some point during your virtual world experience. I know I’ve been discussing more from a Second Life and Open Sim standpoint these are just my favorite types of virtual worlds because there’s so much freedom with movement and a user’s creativity. However, I also wanted to discuss exploration from an IMVU standpoint!
Chatroom with random people photo taken by: Lizzicess (aka you’re wonderful blog host)
IMVU is all about
exploration while chatting their avatar creation and room creation system is
what makes them so popular as a “chatroom” based virtual world platform. Their
goal wasn’t to provide freedom of movement but to connect users from across the
world pretty much forcing them to be social with others. It’s a social platform
hence the reason why their exploration is through the creation of rooms like
“chatrooms” instead of vast areas of land that you explore. Even
though it’s more limited as to what you can do and explore there is a sense of
exploration still attached to the world of IMVU. Through personal experience,
there are a lot of clubs, kawaii and Japanese type rooms for my otaku’s and
anime fans out there, parks, restaurants, and scenery. IMVU uses a posing
system where you sit on a “pose” and it will animate your avatar in
the specific area. Poses are what IMVU revolves around. Exploration is seen
more for photography purposes for virtual world enthusiasts and photographers
for IMVU otherwise it’s an immersive chatroom. There is nothing wrong with that
I play IMVU very often especially if I’m feeling super social and creative
because the interface is so simplistic. The way of doing things such as
creating environments and rooms are simplistic as well. I could place
furniture, poses, etc. and finish a gorgeously made room within an hour at
most. It probably takes users less than that. The only reason it takes me that
long is because I’m picky about how I create things in virtual worlds both
avatar and room/land wise.
When you join a virtual
world, you join to explore whether it be finding who you are as a person,
actual places, or even exploring friendships and relationships this is a place
where your imagination comes to play. Virtual worlds give us as the user an
opportunity to do things we probably wouldn’t or see things we might not see in
a safe environment from the comfort of our own homes whether we’re on the
couch, a comfy computer chair, or in our beds ready to go to sleep for the
night and just need something to waste some time. There is so much to see and
explore! If you want a game where you can explore than a virtual world might
just be the right choice for you.
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 DestinationsWhat the destinations guide page looks like in the browserDestinations 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.
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.
Charming Ellie 