Our coverage of yesterday’s article on PCPro’s impression of Second Life garnered far more attention than we expected, and as such we are going to being our own investigation into Second Life to see what the story is. However, I’m somewhat new (My last login was 2 years ago) so we need help from you!
We need information from you, the Second Life community, on:
- Where to go
- When to go
- What to check out
- What to avoid at all costs
Also, if you’re up for it, we’ld like some answers to a few questions:
- Where do you login from (Country), and what time (and specify the time-zone)?
- About how many people do you usually interact with in a session?
- If you run an SL business, have revenues been increasing or decreasing?
- If you run an SL business, has the number of customers been increasing or decreasing?
The actual feature will be a few days out, as we need to gather data on user trends and get a general feel for the space. One complaint many of you had was that the original author only spent a few hours on a single day at non-peak times. I hope to do better! Simply post your answers in the comments (consider it free advertising if you run an SL business), or send them to us directly via the means in our About Page.
So, let us know.. What’s up in Second Life?
Note: I’ll be creating a new user account specifically for VizWorld. Check back tonight for details necessary to contact me.
Update: Logged in now as “Vizworld Titanium”.
Don’t forget to check out SL’s fast growing Independant e-commerce site and forums http://slapt.me
You should check out sailing. Throw me an IM in-world or come visit the Blake Sea and surrounding yacht clubs (e.g.: Nantucket Yacht Club in the sim of the same name, Starboards Yacht Club in Hollywood).
There’s usually someone floating around.
Also, while it’s seasonal, there are lots of fairs and hunts and various charitable events, like Relay for Life.
You may also want to take a look at what role SL plays for people with disabilities. Check out Virtual Ability.
Come to the Odd Ball! 11am SLT Sunday (although perhaps not this weekend; we’re on the road); 7pm SLT on Mondays, at SLURL http://bit.ly/OddBall
This is an art performance worthy of SIGGRAPH, you might truly enjoy our stuff. Check out http://oddfellowstudios.com or just search for “Tuna Oddfellow” in youtube, flickr, or your favorite search engine, for more info.
Tuna was declared SL’s “most talented avatar” in summer 2007 by NBC and a resident audience of about 300 or so, and received L$1,000,000 as a prize. He appeared (in avatar form!) on the US broadcasts of America’s Got Talent twice that summer, and hasn’t slowed down since.
Our SL wedding was featured (as a machinima) on BusinessWeek.com
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2008/tc20080214_131079.htm
Curiously, I have to say that Fish and my real life is also stranger than fiction, although the other Shava and Tuna probably have their RL counterparts beat on that account.
Like a laser light show, the experience of our show is immersive and not really prone to faithful recording. You just have to come see!
Say hi when you come!
For your other questions:
Logging in from USA/EST
100 or so AV’s in most sessions where we’re working, maybe 20 when we’re not
Increasing revenues
Increasing customers (audience)
Yrs,
Shava Nerad
aka Shava Suntzu
Come see what some of our nonprofits are doing in Second Life. The Four Bridges Project houses organizations like Amnesty International, BORDC (Billof Rights Defense Committee), Peace Train, Second Pride, Veterans for Peace, Invisible Children. These real life organizations maintain an active and vital Second Life presence combining music and the arts, presentations, festivals and fairs to advance the organizations real life missions. Search us in the Places tab, find us in the showcase or IM myself (millay Freschi) or Siri Vita in world. We’re happy to introduce you to SL’s community of activists making REAL LIFE changes!
Can’t wait to read you!!!
Far from needing “Life Support”, Second Life provides it!
Whatever you decide to do, just keep one thing in mind: Second Life is just like a small city. Think of it that way and it all makes sense. Some good, some bad, and a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with you… oh and generally, in most neighborhoods, the sidewalks are empty.
I’m from ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Island in SL, We’ve been in world for about three years, We’re hoping to do more with the island this year. The island is mostly run by a keen group of volunteers so we can’t be there all the time… but we’re hoping to have people come and give lectures, and to promote creativity. I was recently in a tv documentary called “Alter Ego” which aired on SBS last month and I have a tiny, credited part in the film “Beautiful Kate” as my avatar was in the movie. always pleased to help, look me up if you’d like.
Visit http://www.eLearningFuture.com, search for “Second Life” and you’ll get the plain language results of a Ph.D. study on learning and training in SL using a hands-on visual model of accounting. Surprising results when comparing learning alone versus in small groups.
One of my favorite places in SL for music events is the Rose Theatre. Watch the videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro8T7s4gV_8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0jbqhedk0c
Website of the Rose Theatre: http://www.impl.org.uk/
I login from Italy, usually in the evening between 9PM and 2AM and on weekends. My time zone is CET (GMT +1). I usually interact with a dozen people, mainly those who hang out in our community. I don’t exactly run a business but we rent stores and houses in our community to cover costs for the land. Number of tenants is stable.
You are welcome to visit the East River Community (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Helvellyn/43/174/30) for an example of a SL community.
1. US Central
2. Personal circumstances permit me many hours of time in-world per day, so I interact with dozens of other avatars.
3 & 4. aren’t applicable.
All of the above recommendations are excellent; I’ll add three. In SL, there’s:
— Pteron, which looks like extraterrestrials built it;
— Lusk, home region of Luskwood, SL’s oldest social community for furries.
Outside of SL, have a long look at Koinup ( http://www.koinup.com ), a photography ‘socnet’ for all virtual worlds, where images of SL predominate. Many of them include SLurls (location coordinates, like those given above).
Most of all: Thanks for going about this the right way!
David Ramsay Maps
has anyone mentioned
the builds of
AM Radio
all this stuff is easy to find on search
or profile pics
The Savoy Jazz Club
* I recommend Steelhead City and its surrounds(Boomtown, Shanghai, Harborside, Port Harbor, St. Helens).
I recommend Rockcliffe University.
I recommend Spaceport Alpha/Bravo (esp. around shuttle launch times).
* Log in anytime! Steelhead has a regular Friday night (usually lightly themed for fun!) dance starting at 7 SL. Location of dances varies around their sims.
Last year the residents of SL raised a good chunk of RL change for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life to the tune of over $200,000+. Stay tuned, find, and check out the info for this summer’s extravanga as well as events leading up to it.
* Check it all out! The Sistine Chapel re-creation is an awesome build.
* Like someone else said, if you are uncomfortable in a location teleport out. It’s virtual. And there are differences if you go to adult sims or just mature and PG sims.
1. U.S. Eastern Time Zone
2. 1 to 25 avatars/people at any particulate time
3. N/A
4. N/A
Check out the events schedule for show and tell, blitz building and primtionary. At the NCI show and tell/blitz events you’ll find some of the best content creators showing off their skills, and the primtionary events are always fun to check out.
In addition to visiting all the places mentioned, go to some concerts by live musicians – Von Johin or Noma Falta are just two examples.
I’m inworld a lot from the west coast of Canada and I talk to about 20 people a day unless I go to an event or have to go shopping. In the latter two cases I might speak with 30 or 40.
I tell new arrivals in SL that they should seek out what they like – use the general search tab for things you’re interested in. 🙂
What to see in SL really depends on your interests. But, here are some suggestions on great builds. Some are more popular than others.
Mont Saint Michel: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mont%20Saint%20Michel/75/16/21
Templum ExObscurum: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Templum%20ex%20Obscurum/117/185/22
Lost Gardens of Apollo: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Apollo/76/212/24
Sick: http://slurl.com/secondlife/sick/217/123/28
Magic of Oz: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Magic%20of%20Oz/125/145/28
I would also venture to real life business and university locations in Second Life to see what they are doing in SL. You can also get some other places to visit on my blog: http://effie-emmons.blogspot.com/
If you really want to mingle with people, I suggest visiting a LIVE concert. The most popular times for attendance seem to be during the evening hours of USA time zones. To find a concert, see my blog at this URL: http://effie-emmons.blogspot.com/2008/06/sims-are-alive-with-sounds-of-music.html. I have some popular artists listed as well as instructions for finding concerts. There are many artists including Kim Seifert, Savannah Coronet, Shantu Selene, Colt Arun, Gary Jonstone, Shaye Dezno, Nad Gough, Norris Shepherd, Skye Galaxy, Maximillion Kleene, Niles Compton, Edward Kyomoon, Allister Westland, Lightnin Lowtide, Stella Silvansky, etc. Well, I know a few people. 🙂 I have a live music venue in my store also. My next event will be 5-7 p.m. SLT on Wednesday, January 20.
I am from the USA, EST
I interact with anywhere from 6-over 20 people a day. It depends on what I’m doing.
I do run a business called Effie’s Designs. I build home décor for castles. My designs lean towards Gothic influence. You can find Effie’s Designs at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Snow%20Crash/38/111/46
Both revenue and number of customers has increased. In comparison of December 2008 and December 2009, both factors have increased over 10 times. It is a business. Just like businesses in real life, you have to put advertising and money into the business to make it grow.
I hope this info helps.
Shameless plug: http://nci-sl.org/
Watch Treet.tv! Television filmed in SL that has talk shows, sports, music Culture, business talks, Education, comedy and Fashion. Check it Out! http://archive.treet.tv/ that will give loads of great ideas of what people do in SL, oh and visit our studios! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Northpoint/153/48/29
I say just Log in – Search what YOU are interested in and WANT to check out. Therefore, no influence to the BEST locations by others. Even without the help, if you search and seek out what you want, then i certainly doubt you will be dissapointed. Because like i said before, if Sex is what you ‘look for’, and have the intention, then thats what you will find. Just like the Real World.
Have Fun though! 🙂
Another suggestion is to use Search > Events for Events occuring at the time you are able to log on. There are several categories to choose from in a drop down menu. Chestnut Rau’s events listings in New World Notes is always worth checking out.
If you are feeling less than comfortable as a new person check out Caledon Oxbridge or New Citizens, Inc http://www.nci-sl.org/blog/ . Both are private organizations set up to help people new and old gain knowledge and skills in SL and also socialize a bit. If you drop by the main location for NCI http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kuula/71/173/28/ there will usually be someone around 24/7.
Another thought is to look at the SL names here in comments. Use Search > People and see if someone is currently on line (it will say that close to the date on their Profile showing when they started in SL). IM them, they obviously like SL and have been around and if they are not too busy might give you a bit of help. They’ve all been new themsleves and seen lots of people struggle to get about in SL when new, so they are unlikely to be snarky about the fact that SL might be outside your personal comfort zone.
I login from the USA at various times of the day and will interact with 20 people on an average session in world. I’m not much on retailing but I have a little shop and business did pick up a bit recently. I think that was mostly due to people buying gifts for the holidays.
i really have no idea where to recommend you to go to.. but i wanted to applaud you for taking the time to ask for assistance in this instead of the other sites that log in, say this place sucks, and log out. really looking forward to your article 😀
I’d say visit Frideswide, the home of Oxford University’s First World War Poetry Digital Archive’s recreation of the Western Front. Check out Better World, the Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum, the Dresden Gallery.
If you’re into Steampunk, visit Caledon and the other Steamlands like New Babbage, Steelhead etc al – and in particular visit the Libraries in these regions, where there are some excellent exhibitions. Check out the Steamlander site, http://www.steamlander.com/community/ and the Aether Chrononauts Calendar: http://www.stnx.at/a9a3 for news of events and activities.
We’ve covered quite a few interesting people and places in our weekly TV show, Designing Worlds: http://www.stnx.at/a9a2.
Chestnut Rau writes a great SL events listing on Wagner James Au’s (SL:Hamlet Au) New World Notes blog. It is published on Thursdays for the whole weekend. It is called Chestnut’s Choices and you will find it here: http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/
ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) leads excellent free biweekly tours on Sundays, 9AM PST to Second Life places of educational interest. Check here for details and a also good sampling of the places covered: http://secondlife.iste.wikispaces.net/SLTours
i recommend the above site http://www.youtube.com/draxtordespres as a repository of machinima news reportage on social, political, corporate topics, etc etc etc
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Star%20Journey/126/115/439
Sometimes the best finds are not in sims that are always full and often laggy 🙂 Try this 3D immersive version of a RL book.
Also look up Alpine Executive Centre for a great mix of business and fun.
or Adrian Gilpin’s Pathfinder sims – a really lovely build or for fun find the Treasure Quest on Sinner’s isle for friendship and fun.
There are many amazing places to visit check out the Showcase section in your search tab
Also, read the Alphaville Herald and New World Notes. (Go forth and Google, my good man.)
*Go to the Blue Angel at 5pmPST Sunday
*Go to art sims. There won’t necessarily be people there, but it’s very interesting to see what people are doing (click on lots of stuff, and don’t forget to *really* look around. Spend some time!)
Search the following: Cetus, Kolor Studio, Art Center at The Port, Bentham Forest, The Frank Lloyd Wright Museum, and works by Bryn Oh (Immersiva) and AM Radio (The Space Between these Trees).
*There are always tons of people at INSPIRE SPACE park and usually at the Truthball Cafe. Visit the Hotel Chelsea.
*Browse the Showcase items in the Search feature.
*Check out Roleplaying Sims like INSILICO and United Federation Starfleet, or Caledon (Victorian/steampunk).
Go to a class at Oxbridge.
I would never tell anybody to avoid anything… if stuff is uncomfortable, you can always TP away, or log out and back in, for god’s sake. It’s *virtual*.
Look at the map, and look for green dots. Go there, and see what’s going on. Some of them are RP and you *have* to participate or get an observer tag. Sometimes those green dots will be bots (you can almost immediately tell–they talk to you right away and are all business). Sometimes you won’t be able to find them because they’re up on another level. Try clicking on a green dot you can’t find, calling up their profile, and IM them to ask where they are… perhaps they’ll TP you in.) Yeah, people like shopping. You should at least *go* to a few malls and see why.
Personally, I like to wander, so I don’t always hang out with people every time I log in, but when I want company I’ll go to an event or to a club (usually alt7) for good DJs and music. Club Industry is also nearly always crowded with avatars that will blow your mind. That poetry reading at the Blue Angel is always packed.
And yeah, sex sims are often full. Humans are obsessed with the forbidden. So what? I haven’t been to a sex sim in ages. There’s plenty to do either way.