Mainland, Memories and Early Predictions

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During the early years in Second Life my friends and I spent countless hours parked on the wall surrounding Bear Dream Lodge Infohub. We had many deep conversations about the future of the grid, while modeling the latest in freebie fashion. I don't remember any of us having any grand business plans or motivation to improve our new reality. I seem to remember telling people I already had a first life job, I was just here to live out my fantasy as a socialite, which, it turned out, was just a glorified bum. 

Our loitering was frowned upon, but it didn't matter. We'd claimed the space as our own. Looking back, as our numbers grew, our congregating on the wall did take up space that prevented new residents from arriving, so there was that. 

Teh smexiness, it hurts me. (Click to embiggen)

When Linden Labs began offering private islands for purchase, I speculated that soon our beloved Mainland would become an apocalyptic landscape, lawless and covered in slums, abandoned by the elite who'd fled to private islands, leaving those of us who were less privileged to fend for ourselves. Many of the wall dwelling crowd agreed, painting a dim view of the future.

To say our imaginations ran wild is an understatement, but there were wee bits of accuracy to our predictions. 

Most rental estates fled to islands, which at first seemed like a horrible thing, but gradually rent prices began to level out. It wasn't long before more and more residents could actually afford "luxury"  island living. Fast forward to today when even premium account holders, with the offer of a free house on Bellisseria, still opt to live on private estates.

As for Mainland, it's not the post nuclear hellscape I imagined back then, but it does feel sort of empty. There aren't the strict rules of the estates, giving you the freedom to do pretty much whatever you want. A UFO abducting a cow behind your ultra-modern beach home? Sure, go for it! Dragon breedables wading in the surf? Not a problem. As long as you're within the Linden Labs Terms of Service, you can entertain any flight of whimsy your heart desires. 

The flip side of that is, so can your neighbors.

Adding to the feeling of emptiness on Mainland are the vast rolling hills of abandoned land. Abandoned land happens a few ways. One example, someone buys up large parcels without regard to the tier they'll have to pay, intending to stack skyboxes on every square meter, only to realize no one wants to live that way, even in Second Life. With no way to make tier (virtual taxes, sort of) they usually try to sell it first, eventually giving up as they lose money and letting it go. It then becomes the property of Linden Labs. 

And that, is good for you if you're looking for land to buy. You can purchase any abandoned land for L$1 per square meter directly from the Lindens. 

There are some wild builds along the highways of Second Life, making exploring one of my favorite past times. Playing GTFO or taking part in the weekly Grid Drive will add another layer of excitement to your exploring. 

You never really know what you'll see, which is usually a good thing.

Anywho, I hope ya'll have a good week. We'll talk again soon!

Places to go in Second Life - Siren's Isle

Sunset on Siren's Isle

Over the weekend, I wanted to do some exploring, so I pulled up the map and looked for a good place to begin. I hadn't cruised the Blake Sea in a while and I love to be on the water, so I started plotting a course from the northern coast of Corsica down and around the islands to see if it was going to be doable. I think I could have made it, but it would take a while and I didn't have a lot of time.

I decided, instead, to teleport to Windlass where I knew there were rez zones. Once there, I dropped my boat in the water and made me way over to Siren's Isle.

There's always a gathering of residents at Siren's Isle, some in boats, a handful on the island itself, flying overhead and swimming underwater. You never know what you'll find when you get there. On this recent visit, I saw a woman riding a dragon, a Ninja Turtle flying a helicopter, several boats, people fishing and one man in a three piece suit, pacing back and forth in the shallow waters. 

I donned my bikini and stretched out on the deck, listening to the gulls and the waves crashing into the shore. The gentle rocking of the boat, the sunset, the two ladies quietly fishing off the back of their pink and white vessel all adding to the ambiance. 

Siren's Isle used to have a serious griefer problem, but I haven't experienced any in recent months. That's a chance you take anywhere residents gather. 

From here, you can set off in any direction to explore the open sea. Just make sure to keep your mini map open to help you navigate. I usually check the big map every once in a while to make sure I'm still on my chosen course. 

Exploring is probably my favorite pass time on the grid. What's yours? I'd love to know.

We'll talk again real soon. Keep living your best Second Life.

Cheap Land and Blessings from the Innerweb Gods

My photo with Santa looks more like a hostage situation.

Anyone who knows me personally, knows I don't stay anywhere for long. I often joke that the name of this blog should have been "I've moved again."

A few months ago I changed back to a Basic account. I was spending more money than I felt I should on virtual pursuits and decided to drastically scale back.

When I tell you I'm on a budget, know that I've been living the freebie life. 

My one SL related expense was rent. I had a little sandy beach for me and all my alts. The neighbors must have thought I was really popular. Prior to that I had leased a parcel on a fantasy, role play estate. I loved it there, but I've never gotten into rp much, my social anxiety causing me to either over compensate by coming on entirely too strong, or to going completely silent. As a result, I never felt like I fit in. Let me make it abundantly clear that it was no reflection whatsoever on the community there. Bless 'em, they tried to include me. 

When I moved to the beach estate, I made sure to do the math to ensure that I stayed within budget. About two weeks in, a first life weather event took my access to power (and a lot of other things, but I'll spare you.) It was a struggle. I was able to log on using my phone as a mobile hotspot, just enough to keep rent paid. 

During that time, the aftermath of the previously mentioned weather event caused me to re evaluate my spending again. I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to have "normal" internet back. 

When the innerweb gods did decide to smile down upon me, and a collective rejoicing echoed throughout the mountains, I did more math and realized I was paying more than what a Premium Plus account would cost me.

WTF?

So after some hand wringing, I upgraded my account. The same day, I went in search of a 2048m piece of mainland, which I quickly realized I couldn't afford. (For real, what's up with these land prices?) Bellisseria was an option, but I've lived there in the past and it's not really my first choice. 

For the record, Bellisseria has a very vibrant and active community, it's just not my thing.

Since old habits die hard, I went in search of a piece of abandoned land. I wanted roadside, quiet area, not TOO many ginormous prims to derender and a place to rez my boat nearby. I spent some hours over the course of a few days looking for the right parcel. 

I think I've found just the one. It's two regions away from an infohub, just in case I get nostalgic for my early years and decide to go n00b watching. 

I filled out a ticket, which is no longer a form, but a friendly little chat with the chatbot. I figure with the holidays it'll probably be next week before I hear anything.  Any earlier than that I'll consider to be a Christmas miracle. I'd like to think all the Lindens are at home, enjoying festivities with their families anyway.

I hope everyone has a safe and peaceful holiday! 

Until next time :)

Nothing to Do? No Friends? Make Your Second Life Great Again.

Are you bored in Second Life? 

You've shopped the sales, built a wardrobe to rival the Kardashians and found the perfect hair and skin. You look fabulous! But now you're standing alone in your skybox, with no idea what to do next. 

It happens to all of us. Whether you're new to the grid or a long time resident, everyone finds themselves in a rut from time to time. After encountering countless residents looking for something to do, I decided to come up with a list of tips for breathing a little life back in to your Second Life. 

Find a Job

Having a job in SL is the most effective way to get out, meet some people and kick your social life into gear... and it's fun! I've met some of my best friends while working. There are countless host/hostess jobs, role play positions, openings for dancers, club managers, personal assistants, the list goes on.

Make sure you shop around and find an employer who works with your in-world schedule. Keep in mind, the majority of business owners don't consider Second Life to be just a game. Honor your commitments and respect that they've likely invested real world money into their venture. 

You can find job listings by browsing the classifieds, visiting the employment forums and on social media sites. 

Host an Event

I've used the events listings to club hop, enter contests, join discussions and explore.  Hosting events makes it easy to find people who are online the same time you are and share a common interest. 

I've found that many residents don't realize that you don't need to own land to hold an event. You can have a basic account or be new to SL. This excerpt from the official Second Life event rules explains that an event can even be held on "public" land:

You may currently post up to 15 events per day (including event edits). In addition, your friends will now be able to post events on a parcel that you own. However, you must set that parcel to show up in Find Places as a Hangout. If your parcel is not set up as a Hangout, the parcel will not be available to your friends, but will continue to be subject to other availability rules.

To further clarify, you may post an event on a parcel if:

• You personally own the parcel and it is at least 512 square meters in size.
• The parcel is owned by a group that you are an owner of, or that you have the 'host events' ability for, and is at least 512 square meters.
• The parcel is in a private island that you are on the access list of, and is at least 512 square meters.
• The parcel belongs to Governor Linden and is set to show in Search Places as a Hangout.
• The parcel belongs to a friend, it is set to show in Search Places as a Hangout, and is at least 512 square meters.

An event is defined as a special group activity that is led by a host on land owned either by the host or by a group the host belongs to. Examples include discussions, group meetings, hosted dances, classes, tours, and competitions. 

I've hosted discussions on varying topics from SL relationships to how to survive a Mars colony. Whether you're an intellectual or just looking for some folks to share celebrity gossip with over coffee, creating your own event is a great way to find other people who share your interests and time zone.

Learn a New Skill

Have you always wanted to learn another language? Ready to tackle Blender, but not sure where to start? 

Our virtual world can be a resource to learn fresh, new skills. A quick search of the classifieds finds free English lessons, DJ classes, even classes on public health.

Builder's Brewery offers ongoing classes in creating almost everything on the grid. Mesh, basic prim manipulation, scripting, textures, you name it. You can visit their in-world location here.

Look on YouTube for how-to videos by some of our long time residents. For business advice, Black Dragon settings and creating SL content for social media, I head for Meela Vanderbuilt or Strawberry Singh. There is an abundance of long time residents with great advice on all things Second Life. 

Play a Game

I'm not talking about the gaming sims, where you can lose your $L balance in a matter of minutes. We have board games, like Simopoly and Greedy, SL versions of popular first life games. You can find sims with public access to most of the popular ones. There are usually a few people in and out, looking for someone to compete with. 

I'm personally addicted to Bubble Pop. I need a 12 step program.

My favorite driving game, GTFO, uses a HUD to create a freight delivery system. Use your own vehicle to explore the mainland and Blake Sea picking up and delivering imaginary parcels, while discovering new and unique places around the map via roads, waterways and air.

Participate in Groups

Enjoy chatting with other residents about common interests? 

We all belong to in-world groups for our favorite stores and sales, but there are other groups for everything under the sun in SL. Do you have first life hobbies? Is there something you've always wanted to try, but can't because of physical limitations? Explore those interests virtually. Learn to fly an airplane. Gallop into the sunset on your fancy Irish Cobb. Groups for aviation, role play, driving groups or equestrian competitions can be found by using the in-world search. 

Seriously, there is a group for anything you can think of.

Some are more active than others and most are free to join. Be sure to take a moment to read through their rules, you don't want to step on any toes.

I speak from experience. 

There's no reason to be bored in Second Life. I think we get in the habit of doing the same thing, each time we log on and forget how expansive our world is. Hopefully, this will give you some new ideas. 

What do you do when you feel like you're in a virtual rut? Share your ideas in the comments below!

We'll talk again soon, keep living your best Second Life!

Second Norway: A Thriving Second Life Community

 

One of the many roadways running through Second Norway

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently packed up my mainland parcel and relocated to Second Norway. 

I had looked at several options. While I continue to root for mainland to thrive, I couldn't afford the parcels that had all the bells and whistles I wanted. I've leased homesteads before, but I didn't like being cut off from the Blake Sea, not having neighbors, etc. 

Exploring by horseback, speedboat or auto are how I spend my slack time in SL. After weighing all the options available, I finally found a solution.

Second Norway is the best of all worlds. 

The medium sized island I chose is close to the open sea and easy for me to navigate. I only ran into someone's pier once. 

I'm not a great driver on land or sea, but boats are way easier.

In addition to residential islands, Second Norway has a network of roads on larger islands, connected by a series of ferries and bridges. One boasts a large airport, and others have airfields, a golf course, diners, marinas and other opportunities for role play. 

I stumbled upon a clinic yesterday, with a full list of services ranging from OB/GYN to psychiatric services.

I read back through some old forum posts created around two years ago, when Second Norway announced it had gone bankrupt. There seemed to be some confusion about the actual ownership of the area and whether Linden Labs actually controlled the property. 

I kept digging and found this article by Stex Auer on Medium featuring an interview with the new owner, Vanity Bonetto.  In the article, there is a good explanation of the future intentions of the new management team. I'm happy to see that it's still successful. 

I have been a little disappointed by one aspect of life here. There don't seem to be any active groups or regular events. I could be wrong, maybe I've missed something. I searched public groups and joined a few, but it's been crickets so far. I wouldn't mind hosting the occasional discussion or get together, I'm just not sure how I'd go about it.

I am open to suggestions.

Maybe I could organize a horseback tour? 

I don't know, we'll see.

In the meantime, I've enjoyed meeting a few of the neighbors, they all seem pretty friendly. I love sitting on our dock, watching boats go by or seaplanes flying overhead. It all reminds me of the coastal Virginia community where I grew up and my heart still sometimes aches for.

That's what Second Life is all about isn't it? Creating a virtual space to visit and remember those things you can't do in first life.

And the weekend sales. We can't forget the shopping.

Until next time, keep living your best Second Life!

Exploring Role Play: The Realm of New Vale

I'm a complete novice when it comes to roleplay. I never got into games like DnD or RP sims on Second Life. I did spend a few years wearing a set of Neko ears and a tail while hanging around on venue rooftops, listening to performers and deejays, but I think that was more my 1st life crippling social anxiety than actual RP. 

When I saw the listing for New Vale on the Destination Guide, I was curious. I visited their website, expecting to find pages of rules and backstory, but was surprised to find a general description of roles and general rules. There is a backstory, but it's not overly elaborate, giving players the freedom to create a variety of characters and story lines. I also found that OOC visitors are allowed and photos encouraged, so I hopped on the train to New Vale.

Click picture to enlarge

The sim is beautifully built with lots of twinkling weeping willows and flowing water. Upon entering, you'll find well manicured streets with homes, businesses, a park, even a school. I spent an afternoon wandering around and encountered quite a few people milling about. I didn't engage in conversation with anyone, lest I interrupt them, but there was no shortage of other avatars.

It wasn't all twinkling trees and waterfalls. Literally across the tracks was the grittier side of town with shady looking characters and a no-tell motel, complete with empty pool.

Click picture to enlarge

If you'd like to visit New Vale, click here to find them on the map. After arriving in the train station, pick up your free dice and titler (available on the Marketplace for free,) take a moment to look over the rules and check it out.

A quote from Lala:

 Players who enjoy the place and want to help shape it will be welcome to start their own simwide storylines and hold events if they like. I'm providing the canvas for you to paint. 

We desperately need more creativity in Second Life. It's become centered on buying clothes and taking pictures for Flickr, which is fine if that's your thing, but I miss the days of weird characters running around, the days when my friends were tinies and dragons, when we danced with the fae and the furry alike.

Maybe I'll dust off my alt and re-visit New Vale, after she receives a substantial upgrade.

Be careful out there and create your world.

Adventures in Teleporting and How To Set Your Landing Point

This week I've been doing a little more Gacha shopping (it's becoming a problem, seriously,) and dipping my toes back in to the Second Life live music scene. Back in the day, I spent hours swooning to the sounds of virtual crooners, eventually ending up in an ill-fated relationship with one.

Questionable life decisions aside, my main takeaway from this past week has been a problem arriving at events.

While browsing the listings, I found an Open House for a new rental neighborhood. It's name was similar to a place I know in 1st life, so I took it as a sign and went to check it out. (I'm all about the signs.) I tped over and landed in the ocean, beneath a dock at the bottom of a rock. Flying wasn't allowed, so I had to hike up the side of the rock, in my 6 inch heels and ended up INSIDE it.

I was not a happy camper.

The only way out was to cam through someone's window and sit on their sexy boom-boom couch, next to their child's crib. Thank goodness no one was home. I creeped myself out.

The area was well built and rather nice, but if I were looking for a rental, there's no way I would trust the technical prowess of landowners who couldn't properly set their landing point.

It's the little things that ruin a business.

If you have land and you're not sure, it's easy peasy to set the landing point for your land before you schedule an event or run a classified ad.

(Click picture to enlarge)

First, go to the spot you want people to land on when they tp to your parcel, shop, region or whatever. Go to your land tab, then options. The bottom of the popup window will show the current landing point. To change it to your current position, click "set."

See? Easy peasy lemon cheesy. Now your potential customers don't have to swim, fly or hike out of the swamp to find your event.

Sometimes when I'm at a loss for what to write about, I hop around the grid with the Destination Guide. A few days ago, there was an event for animesh creators. I love me some woodland creatures, so I headed over. Upon landing, I was greeted by a popup from a security orb, threatening to boot me out. I checked it again this morning. It's still listed on the Destination Guide, but the security orb is still there. Now they have a sign saying they don't open until noon today.

I'm not sure of the process involved to get featured on the guide, but imagine you're a new user heading to an event, only to be evicted. It's a problem.

One night I tried to attend a live music event at a well known tiny community. The landing point had a sign (that had to rez before I could read it,) leading to another landing point that still wasn't the venue. I ended up messaging a random person from the mini-map for a tp to the venue. Luckily she turned out to be very kind and helpful.

I get needing the landing zone to be away from the venue. SLag is an issue where many gather, but a simple note card giver with the landmark would be more practical . I'm sure you worked hard on your lovely sign, but not everyone is going to see it.

As someone who used to hold their own events, I know how much planning goes into them. I understand the investment of time and money, but I also know the frustration of looking for something to do and ending up stuck in odd places, of being new and not knowing how to dislodge myself from a tree.

Anywho, be careful out there. We'll talk again soon.

Finding Bargains at Gacha Resellers

Click to enlarge.

 After my return, it took me a while to figure out what, exactly, Gachas were. Once I found out, I made a conscious effort to avoid the little machines like the plague. I don't have anything against them as a rule, but I know me and my addictive personality. I knew I'd get hooked and end up begging for $L at the infohubs for hair money.

I once became so obsessed over a piece of land that I got involved in an auction bidding war and ended up buying more $L in the process which almost resulted in my paying about 5 times what it was worth.

Luckily I was out bid.

I do, however, love shopping at the many Gacha reseller areas. They're like ginormous flea markets of STUFF. Most stores are set up with little boxes neatly aligned with rare and common items clearly marked. Great for finding that rare piece to complete your collection. I'm not interested in collections though. I want to wander around and look at everything in-world. Shops like the one pictured above, with a smorgasbord of items crammed together remind me of the 1st life thrift stores that I love.

Click to enlarge.

 I try to avoid stores that specialize in pets. I don't need more, but I'm a sucker for anything cute and cuddly, like this little dinosaur. My home will be full of chubby pandas and shark plushies if I'm not careful.

There were a few things I had in mind before I set out on my shopping trip. I need something for my back deck, but I'm not sure what. Maybe an outdoor dining set or possibly a yoga mat. Or fairies and gnomes. I DON'T KNOW.

That's what's great about shopping the resellers. They're full of ideas, different styles and designers. Marketplace is great if you know exactly what you're looking for, but if you're like me and not sure, it can be frustrating.

I looked on the Marketplace recently for a small, contemporary fireplace to fit my latest house, but without much luck. So when I wandered in to the back room of a Gacha shop and found this, I was super excited.

Click to enlarge.

 It fits the space and style of my new home perfectly.

If you set out on an epic Gacha shopping trip, try the smaller places first. With less traffic, their prices tend to be a little lower and they stock the same items you'll find at the massive sim-wide malls.

Anywho, that's what I've been up to this week.

We'll talk again soon!

Visiting Storybook Forest

Being an adult isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sometimes it's nice to put all of your grownup responsibilities aside and enjoy simpler times. That's what I found at Storybook Forest, a beautifully landscaped fantasy build paying homage to all our favorite fairy tales. 

Upon landing I was greeted by woodland creatures going about their daily routines. I followed the path across the bridge and to the forest where I found vignettes paying homage to Cinderella, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel. I was surprised to find "live" avatars playing the parts of beloved characters. I didn't try speaking to them, so I'm not sure if they were actually "there" or not, but I did witness a queen fleeing across the bridge towards the castle. 

I tried to shoo the wee ones away from the candy house but they wouldn't listen. The old witch kept shouting something. I'm not sure if she was saying "Land Ho!" or if she thought I was showing too much skin.

Mice on a mission!

Storybook Forest is the kind of build you want to spend time to explore. There are lots of photo opportunities, with grazing unicorns, sandy beaches and shafts of light that add to the fantasy ambiance. 

Escapades, Rubber Duckies and Whacking Sticks

Today I took a quick tour around Escapades. It's a cute little seaside build with a quirky, monster killing adventure. Anything that involves a whacking stick has to be fun.

I figure, most of you have probably already been, but I'm so behind on things. If I'd stop buying houses, then re-landscaping, then re-decorating I'd probably be up to speed. It's probably for the best. Nicotine withdrawal has me fantasizing about riding naked through an infohub, giving everyone the finger while screaming like a banshee.

It's okay though, I think I finally found someone I can get along with, for the time being.

Exploring Mainland: Part 2

I began my ride along Route 8, clearly marked on these little signs at each junction. As I said before, I assumed I'd find vast abandoned parcels with little or no tasteful builds.

I was so wrong.

While there were large unused parcels, there were more that were beautifully landscaped with comfy  homes.

And pets. Lots and lots of pets!

There were gas stations and GTFO hubs everywhere. GTFO was a mystery to me, one of the newer Second Life games that came along when I was away. After reading up on it, I understood why me and Coal almost ended up as roadkill. Those eighteen wheeler drivers are just like the real thing, whizzing by at breakneck speed.

One hub was a very realistic truck stop, with a car wash, showers, a convenience store and a diner. I think it was "Naughti Gurl's."

While I get the appeal of private sims and places like Bellasaria, I love the quirkiness of mainland. You can be riding along, admiring the city skyline in the distance, then suddenly stumble across a massive castle, built high in the sky.

The abandoned parcels, however, worry me. I wonder what will happen to them. You can purchase them if you own other land in the region, but what happens when an entire region is abandoned? Will it stay empty? Will it become Linden managed property like the new homes regions?

I guess we'll see.

You can find these pictures and more on my Flickr page.