I ain't dead. I'm doing some real-life catch up and spending more time playing Minecraft.
Tourist Information Office is still in Second Life (last time I looked) but not being updated.
I set up this blog to share the things I enjoy about Second Life. Picture taken at Twisted Paradise. Whale by HPMD. Disclaimer: Any views or opinions expressed on this site reflect the views or opinions of the content creators on this site and not of Linden Lab or its employees, directors, officers, agents, or representatives.
My Thoughts on the Gachapocalypse
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| Pictured - CC's 'Warlock's Cabinet', MadPea's Y2K computer, Hextraordinary bonsai, and Nomad "Misfortune Teller". |
In May 2019 I wrote about Gacha in Second Life. Gacha machines were vendors that dispensed one of several displayed objects when you paid for a pull. There was no guarantee you would ever get the prize you want, since the outcome was random, and the machines were programmed so that you had more chance of getting 'commons' than 'rares'.
Some have compared gacha machines to gumball machines in real life, but a gumball machine has a definite known content. Gacha machines dispensed 'virtual' content, that was computer generated. That meant that although you might have gotten the 'rare' on the first try, the odds were that you will have a better chance at getting a 'common'.
In spite of that, many merchants made a living making and selling gacha items. Another group made a living buying gachas and re-selling them on the secondary market. There were rumors that some merchants who created the items also sold some gachas on the secondary market as 're-sold', but it was never proven.
When I wrote the article it seemed like gacha were an integral part of Second Life, then Linden Labs announced that selling Gachas would no longer be allowed after August 31st. There has been a lot of discussion about the pros and cons of this move.
Apparently the move was in response to some concern that using gacha machines could be considered gambling, since you are paying for an unknown result with the possibility of getting something worth more than you paid. There were comparisons to 'loot boxes' in some video games.
I hadn't played many gacha recently. I bought items in full sets, or from the secondary market. At one time I had a minor addiction, because it was a thrill to get a rare after only a few pulls, but looking back I realized that, like a gambler, I remembered the 'wins' and not the 'losses'. In the end it seemed gachas seemed to be a waste of time and money and my inventory was full of worthless duplicate 'commons'. Unfortunately, some items were available only through gacha machines or the secondary market.
My Research:
With many merchants opting to have "End-of-Gacha" sales I decided to have one last fling. I decided to visit four merchants whose work I liked and try my luck do some research. My goal was to see how long it took to get complete sets.
In the end I made about 150 pulls, paying about $13.00 U.S. dollars. I got some of the rares I wanted, but one machine required 100 pulls to get the full set.
Some of the rares I got were MadPea's "Big Bulky Computer" from their Y2k set, Nomad's "Misfortunate Teller", and the complete "Industrial Art Deco' furniture set from Nomad.
Conclusion:
Some of the items I got I would have bought as individual items, or in a fat pack, but some were in gacha sets that had as many as 27 pieces, which would make getting a full set a grind and an expense.
Since common gachas are often sold for less than the original 'pull' price on the resale market, I doubt I will be able to recoup much of my investment by selling the duplicates.
Postscript:
Note: 7-11-22 Since regular Gachas were banned, I find that former 'gacha' items are being sold several ways.
Individual items that were bought from gacha machines are still being sold on Marketplace and inworld by resellers.
Some gacha makers have repackaged their items into vendors giving you a choice of individual items or "fatpacks" containing every item in the set.
Still other makers are using "Meopons" or "Up Next" machines that offer you one item for sale, and a look at what is 'up next' if you buy the current object. Some of these vendors seem to be stuck on one unpopular item, and some appear to automatically rotate the items. In one case I actually bought three items in order to get the fourth to complete a set but I am more likely to landmark a machine and check back periodically. I have not seen a lot of activity around these machines except at the Arcade.
Many stores have put former gachas into 'fatpacks' that are selling for less than some of the rare items inside, but making the items in the fatpacks non-transferable.
From a buyer's viewpoint, I appreciate being able to buy individual items or fatpacks without having to gamble and having accumulate a lot of 'commons' before I can get a 'rare', although I miss the thrill of the chase a little*.
*just a little
Another Wonderful Discovery - Lara Panthar's Ramshackle Gallery and Related Adventures
Second Life is full of surprises. At the suggestion of another resident I travelled down the Linden Road in Bennafield, and came to The Snarky Cake Shop.
Next to it is the Graveyard of Unfortunate Deaths.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bennafield/116/235/53
Both made me laugh, but when I took the teleport to the Gallery, there was so much more to see and experience.
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| Beating the drum in the Gallery |
Ramshackle Gallery is not just an art gallery. In her work Lara Panthar has used classic avatars, photographed in Second Life. Clicking on the "Adventure Awaits" frames will send you to a new adventure placed in the setting of her recent art pieces. Look for treasures, and see what photos you can take.
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| The parrot will not help me with clues, even when I ply him with rum. |
Another location is the Jungle River Adventure.
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| Jungle River Adventure. Is it raining? |
The last, and most difficult challenge, was the Resident Evil Adventure where you search Spencer Mansion for clues, and collect hidden items along the way. I found this adventure to be genuinely scary (I don't like zombies) but enjoyed the game nevertheless. If you are a fan of MadPea games you will like this one.
You can join Lara's 10L Group for only $10L, and each month there are new gifts for sale for only $10L, not to mention all the free gifts hidden in the adventures. There will be a new adventure in the Fall.
Visiting Asmita Duranjaya's "Fractal Art" Exhibit in Osgrid
I belong to a group called Cercle Fafner, which sends out announcements of art exhibits and related activities. I had been visiting the artist Asmita Duranjaya's exhibits in Second Life ever since I had seen her "Oracle", but this time when I got an announcement of her newest exhibit, it was in Osgrid, another virtual world.
It turns out that my regular Firestorm viewer only works for Second Life, you have to use FirestormOS viewer to get to Osgrid and some other virtual worlds.
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| 'The History of Fractals' in Osgrid |
'The History of Fractals' exhibit is on a lower floor. I learned a lot about the different kinds of fractals and the people who discovered or invented them. There is a display of Asmita's fractal art on the upper floor. Visit the lower floor first, and then see if you can solve the crossword puzzle on the upper floor.
A related exhibit, "Reconnaisance in a Time of Darkness", a shared art installation, is nearby.
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| A shared exhibit. Information on artists is on the perimeter. |
I am sorry to see residents leave Second Life for other worlds, but I can understand why an artist whose works are large scale would want to find less expensive space.
I re-visited SLEA recently, and while it is an amazing place, there is only room there for half a dozen large installations at a time.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLEA%20Bridge2/106/112/50
I'm still working on an outside Art Gallery for the Tourist Information Center.http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mocha/17/191/31
Visiting New Babbage - A Steampunk City of the 1800's (Updated 3-23-22)
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| Clockhaven |
New Babbage is a virtual representation of a steampunk city set in the 1800's. Walking through its cobbled streets is like walking back through time and into an alternate universe. Many writers have lived here and written stories about New Babbage*, and many machinimas** have been made there. It is a place of mist, mystery, and story. Legend has it that all the mad scientists and villains that have been kicked out of other SL steampunk locations have moved here.
I spent days collecting landmarks, and I kept finding new places to explore, until I finally decided to shorten my list and just blog about a few of the many interesting sites.
There is more information at my new "Tourist Information Center" in Celchu.
It is recommended that you set your browser to "Shared Environment". Also, changing into steampunk garb will make you feel less like a tourist - there are several off-the-rack system avatars that will fit right in.
Let's start with a meal at Brunel Hall. Food is free, but you need to join the group first. After that, click on the Information sign for a brochure. Sit down at one of the set tables. Touch the plate to get a menu, and touch the cutlery to get utensils. Click the chair to get eating animations. You may have to make some adjustments.
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| Lunch in Brunel Hall |
There are reputed to be secret tunnels under the restaurant/hotel, leading to other parts of New Babbage.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Academy%20of%20Industry/52/76/108
Full of pancakes and strawberry mousse, I head to Piedmont Landing. This large open space was set up as an event space and ballroom.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/79/18/139
Next, down the stairs to see the elegant brass rose fountains. Then down the left-hand stairs and to the left to Langdon Gardens. The small building here is a recreation of a study made for Mark Twain.
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| Mark Twain Studio |
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/12/42/101
Along this street are the offices of the Babbage Gazette, Loki's Airshop Company, and The Urchin Shop. There is a tram stop just around the corner.
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| Everything you need to urch! |
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Square/191/58/106
The New Babbage Paleozoic Museum. Touch the fossils at your peril.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Clockhaven/29/102/111
The Silas Marner Gallery offers a wide range of art, from sculpture to painting. There are now miepon machines instead of gacha machines.
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| A fine selection of sculpture and painting. |
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Square/201/180/111
There are more bars, art galleries, museums, shops, and fascinating builds than I have room to put here. Who knows what you will discover!
*Tales of New Babbage is now up to Volume Three.
**'machinima' is a video made in virtual reality. Check out YouTube.
Looking For A Refresher Course In The Basics? (See update note on bottom)
Linden Lab is in the process of updating the new user experience for Second Life, which is good, but sometimes those of us who have been around for a while would like a refresher course in some skills. Second Life is constantly changing and we can't keep rolling up new avatars. Right now the system will not let you go back to the Learning Regions after you have gone through the new user experience. You can still visit Social Island, but its resources are limited.
There are a number of places in Second Life that offer real-time help and/or structured tutorials. I am listing them in no particular order. Some places may appeal to you more than others.
Virtual Ability - Disability Support & Community. This island is operated by a group that provides training and information facilities for people with disabilities and chronic illness. There are no full-time on-site helpers, but they have volunteers that will set up appointments for newcomers who need it, Anyone can visit the public grounds, and I found the tutorial path easy to follow.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Ability/125/137/23
Caledon Oxbridge Gateway - New Resident Help - Caledon is a steampunk/Victorian themed mini-nation within Second Life and has a long history of helping newcomers. It offers many in-person classes about different subjects, and the Gateway Tutorial offers extensive information and also some interactive learning.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Oxbridge/85/141/27
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| Caledon Oxbridge Orientation Course |
New Resident Island, Lawst Paradise = Lawst Island is set up like a medieval fantasy landscape. Many of the tutorials are in small cottages that offer information on related subjects. One of the exhibits I appreciated was a walk-through tutorial area on avatar body types. As you work through the tutorial you are given a free mesh body and clothing. There is a board that shows staff on duty to help with questions.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lawst%20Paradise/208/49/23
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| New Resident Island |
New Citizens Incorporated - This large group has several different learning centers, and satellite information kiosks in different parts of Second Life. , The volunteers at their Kuula location are especially helpful. There is an area to one side of Kuula that looks like a library reading room, with notecard information, and there are tutorial boards on one side under the large sign that says "Balloon Rides." NCI excels at providing group activities and classes on SL skills. There is also NCI Island where tutorials are more spread out but no active volunteers. Join the group to get frequent notices of activities you can join.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kuula/67/170/28
Helping Haven offers more classes and in-person help. You can take a teleport to the New Resident Information Shack to get the written tutorials and afterwards look around for all the other services they offer.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Helping%20Haven%20Gateway/49/52/26
Many real life educational facilities have virtual space in Second Life and offer SL orientations for their students. Rockcliffe University is one. The start of their orientation path is under the black dome on the hill and is pretty traditional but as you walk you will get additional chat messages in each zone.
Rockcliffe has many activities and learning opportunities open to Second Life residents, and also hosts meetings of educators and students who have never been in Second Life before..
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rockcliffe%20Gateway/210/234/48
Firestorm Resident Help Area starts with a small path with simple tutorials, but at the end of the path there is a teleport to different places in the Firestorm area. I've found the support staff here to be very helpful. There are many activities here - for those who are interested in science fiction a visit to the space station is a must. The Social Area has portals to random destinations. The nearby Ghost Town is a great game where you can solve a mystery and practice camera skills at the same time.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Firestorm%20Social%20Island/11/5/2701
These next two places do not offer basic tutorials but they are welcoming to newcomers and offer a variety of classes and activities.
Inspiration Island is welcoming to newcomers and offers a variety of classes and activities on subjects like "Whole Brain Health" and Tai Chi. They have huds that will help you visit a number of subjects on different themes.
Tour. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Inspiration%20Island/209/123/1003
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| Inspiration Island |
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cookie/81/99/21
London City Gateway - Unfortunately, I am banned from the tutorial area, but it has a good reputation. There is an age limit, but if you are fairly new it could be a good choice. . All of London City seems to be very popular, so it could be your cup of tea - just the tutorial area is off-limits to us oldsters.
I recommend joining all the different organizations that sponsor orientation areas to get notices about all the classes and activities that they provide.
There is a lot of information on the Second Life forums and related pages, and Strawberry Singe has made some excellent videos about learning to use Second Life.
There are many other resources and I have found that residents are almost always willing to answer questions. I just prefer to have some information first, so that I know what questions to ask.
Don't overlook the classes offered by places like Happy Hippo, Dreams, and Builders Brewery. Check their bulletin boards and join their groups to get notices.
Visit the Tourist Information Center in historic Mocha for a notecard with landmarks rather than slurls, and other free information. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mocha/12/227/31
Update July 22, 2021. After reading about upcoming changes on Inara Pey's website I visited the new "Welcome Back" Island for residents who are returning - not much there. The New Resident Island experience, though, for new users (who use the official Second Life Viewer) integrates the physical island with a pop-up 'help' window that explains basic things like walking. Nothing about flying, though, although apparently there were live volunteers offering help if you needed it. Apparently the idea is that newcomers are already computer savvy and can just google more information if they need it. A step in the right direction.
Events: Second Life Birthday
The Second Life Birthday Party is one of Second Life's big yearly events, and has many different parts.
Part of it is "Shop and Hop" - there is a huge temporary Mall with over 100 stores, and each shop has a free gift for residents.
Another part is the non-commercial Regions that house different exhibits, large and small, by residents and by Linden Lab.
A third part consists of live events including music, dance, and presentations. This year there was a presentation of a new home theme for residents.
That's a lot, and I will refer you to the different links to get a complete picture.
I have been to maybe three of these Birthday parties in the past. In my opinion the exhibitors' area most resembles the "community exhibits" of a large County Fair, with the resulting chaos, only you don't get full-sized dragons at County Fairs.
This year, though, I made a thing...In County Fair terms, it might be considered the equivalent of a lint collection...
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| Turtle fountain - background de-rendered |
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| Another view |
What this is, is a large fountain surrounded by giant picture blocks. A huge turtle floats below cascading clouds, with four life-size elephants on her back. The elephants support a map of Second Life, and above the map is a red balloon carrying a small hippopotamus with a spy glass. I didn't make the turtle or the elephant or the hippo - I just made the simple parts, but I did put everything together*.
The title of my exhibit is "Where Are These Places in Second Life?" with a CarmenSanDiego theme. I have been collecting landmarks for hidden, forgotten, secret and overlooked places in Second Life for some time. Each block has a photo showing a destination, and clicking on the block gives visitors a notecard with the landmark and some information. I also made a box of "Free tools for explorers".
The whole process was exciting and terrifying. I had about two weeks to put everything together, and kept changing the layout. I had to re-check all the locations and make sure that nothing had changed. In one case I had to spend time to make sure that you could still complete a long quest. It was a lot of fun to see the other builds go up and talk with some of the other exhibitors.
After the Birthday exhibits are over, I will take some of the build back to the Tourist Information Center and install it there. Maybe even the fountain.
Now I can relax and visit the other Exhibits.
I was very excited when I heard someone chatting about 'that great big turtle', but then I found out that there was a bigger turtle in the Spellbound Region made by Walton F. Wainwright of Contraption. His turtle has a cathedral on its back, and a giant tree on top of the cathedral. The whole structure is 233 meters high. The turtle moves, and Walton made it himself, so I have to agree it is superior to MY turtle - still...
Next year.
*Yeah, Terry Pratchett reference.
A Visit to Paris in 1900
A Central Landmark is Paris Eiffel, one of five regions that make up this faithful reproduction of Paris in 1900. Paris Eiffel 35/97/22. Many of the signs and information are in French, but there are English translations for most of them.
The reproduction of the Eiffel Tower dominates the central region, flanked by a reproduction of the Arc de Triumph. You can walk along the streets of old Paris, hire a cab, take a tram, or rez one of the self-driving cars along the avenues. Underground you can take the Metro between three stations, or ride a boat through the Catacombes.
There are many educational displays throughout, that make it seem very much like a living museum.
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| You can rez a period vehicle. |
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| La grande roue |
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| At the base of the Eiffel Tower |
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| This might be a good place to brush up on your French |
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In Galerie des Machines a ghost came up and spoke to me - but it was in French..
*This is "BGC Diner Patron - the Reader, by Krikket Blackheart. It was a prop for a photo assignment. |
Shopping in Second Life
Shopping is a popular activity in Second Life. Linden Lab even has a page that tells you all about it. There is a list of selected stores in the Destination Guide.
There are several ways to shop: Inworld at virtual stores. online through the Marketplace, and at periodic inworld sales events where items are on sale for a limited time.
My 'go to' for sales is Seraphim, which has a pretty comprehensive listing of sales and hunts; however, sometimes I will also see items from SL bloggers who are showing off items they have gotten on sale or as a group gift. I also get sales notices from groups I belong to.
When I am inworld and see something I like I will try to find out who the creator is, and look for their store.
Some things to remember:
Disputes between buyers and sellers are considered private matters. In Rand Linden's words:
However, Linden Lab cannot verify, enforce, certify, examine, uphold, or adjudicate any oath, contract, deal, bargain, or agreement made by the Residents of Second Life. Nor does Linden Lab enforce or uphold rental agreements between Residents. While you may have a valid agreement with another person, Linden Lab is not a party to and cannot resolve your dispute. Please contact the Resident involved and resolve the issue with them.
Looking at Marketplace Listings: You can look for items either by sorting through categories and sub-categories, shown on the left side of the Marketplace page, or you can use keyword search.
Either way you can narrow the search by putting in price ranges, land impact, and permissions. You can also ask not to see Limited Quantities and Demo Items.
Different "Keywords" will get different results - Remember you can use terms like "And", "Or", and "Not" to help narrow your search.
This is what I got when I put "t-shirt" in the Keywords field.
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| Top part of Marketplace Ad The numbers refer to different parts of the ad. 1. General maturity level: Unless you are specifically looking for 'Adult' objects, it is safer to put 'General' in your search fields. Maturity level is right under Merchants/Stores tab at the top. 2. General categories and sub-categories. The merchants usually choose this, and they can choose wrong, but search results are erratic in any case. 3. 'Add to Cart as Gift' means you can pay for it and send it to someone else. 4. 'Buy Now' - Pay for it right away and get it without putting other items in cart. 5. "Get the demo version" - always a wise idea. Remember that whether or not a clothing item fits depends on what kind of avatar body you have. 6. 'Visit the Store' shows you all the other Marketplace listings, not the Inworld Store. 7. "Works with Mesh Avatars" - some things don't. 8. Permissions: "Copy" - You can make copies "Modify" - You can change this product "Transfer" - You can transfer this product Having all these permissions means it is "Full-perm" - you will see a lot of products on Marketplace that are "Full-perm" and some merchants make a living by buying full-perm items, modifying them, and re-selling them. Read the fine print. 9. Automatic redelivery - means that they have a re-delivery method that works without you having to contact the seller directly. 10. "100% Mesh, Fitted Mesh" - Just because it is 'mesh' doesn't mean it is great. Also, be careful of ads that state item is "Low Land Impact" - Just because an item is only one prim doesn't mean it will rez quickly - badly configured mesh, poor scripts, or too many complex textures, can slow things down. 11. "Flag this item" - if you think there is a problem with the listing you can flag it and ask Linden Labs to eject the seller. Unfortunately, the scammers just seem to set up shop under another name. 12. Details. The more information the better. Also check "Features" and "Content" for more information. 13. Reviews. It is always good to read reviews, if there are any; however, you can only leave a review if you buy from the Marketplace. Merchants have to pay a fee to sell on the Marketplace, and may prefer to sell from their inworld store Some merchants offer a lot of information at the bottom of their listings. One seller had links to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, and Instagram, as well as videos of his product. Smaller merchants may not offer all this information, but it does not mean there is a problem with their product. |
"See Item In Second Life" - if you decide to visit an inworld store listed on the Marketplace always teleport in 'flying' mode, and be prepared for surprises. Marketplace listings have a lot of parts, and when a merchant is moving his inworld store the last thing he thinks about is changing the teleport location on his Marketplace ad.
I prefer shopping Inworld if it is an option but using the Marketplace makes it easier to find items. Inworld you usually get a chance to see the merchandise in person, and many merchants go to a lot of trouble to make their inworld stores interesting places to visit. Some may have both inworld and Marketplace stores. Some may offer a wider variety of goods on the Marketplace simply beause of space limitations.
You find some merchants that operate only inworld and some that sell only on the Marketplace, so look around.
Shopping : My Favorite Stores - Kei's Spot
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Path%20of%20Destiny/166/193/2497 & Marketplace
When I first visited Kei's Spot I was intrigued by her supplies for "Preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse" .
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| A bicycle power generator |
Most recently I purchased her Interactive Sewing Set. It includes a drawing desk, cutting board, sewing machine, stuffing area, wall display, and embroidery area. Chat instructions direct your avatar through the steps until you have made a complete sheep stuffie.*
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| Stuffing the stuffy in the stuffing area. |
Note: I do not know this merchant and I am not getting any incentive to feature her store on my blog; however, I just like to recommend places that i don't feel are getting the attention they deserve.
Shopping - Some of My Favorite Stores - D-Lab
D-Lab has always been on of my favorite stores. It was where I bought my first flying pig. As more and more SL creators got into the 'cute animals' business D-Lab branched out to more realistic furniture and sci-fi builds. Most recently I bought their 'Iron Wall' space station.
D-Lab used to be headquartered near Poecila on the Mainland but now it has its very own Region.
D-Lab was always fun to visit, with its large and small animated creatures, and its humorous builds, but as they added inventory, their space was getting crowded.
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| Animated toy animals. |
Now it has more room to display everything. Here you can see old and new creations, including houses, vehicles, furniture, and dolls. There is an impressive "Sky Pirate" line, futuristic space stations, and the tiny animated Piccoli.
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| Some of the "Sky Pirate" pieces. The 'whale' is a vehicle. |
Andika, which also produces mouth-watering virtual food and celebration items, shares the Region.
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| Why am I suddenly hungry? |
Take a while and explore. Just look for "D-Lab" Region.
Second Life: a game, a business, or a world?
(Wherein the author paces back and forth, talking to herself).
My answer to the question "Is Second Life a game, a business, or a world?" is "Yes".
A Game? Second Life has gaming elements, and it contains games. Linden Lab denies that Second Life is a game because "There is no manufactured conflict, no set objective".
A Business? Second Life is a business run by Linden Labs, and the fact that many of Linden Lab's employees are also Second Life residents does not obscure the fact that the company needs to make money in order to survive.
A World? Second Life is a world because it has virtual land and water areas that are connected to each other and that can be explored, and you can build a structure that resembles a home.
Saying Second Life is "a 3-d virtual world run by a large business in which the residents/customers create a large part of the content, and which contains gaming elements." though, is awkward.
In the context of "Second Life is a world" if I think of it as a 'second home' and when I read something like Mona Eberhardt's post "Interpreting Second Life's 2020 Metrics" I get uneasy.
- If Second Life is a game, I can lose.
- If Second Life is a business, it can fail.
- If Second Life is only a 'virtual' reality powered by computers and not a real world, then it can disappear, and all my virtual lands, the silly things I bought, and my avatar and all its accoutrements disappear as well.
At this point I start experiencing a sense of existential dread.
Am I a resident, a gamer. or a customer? Again, the answer is 'Yes'.
As for it being a game, after reading Mona Eberhardt's post and watching Torulf Jenstrom's talk on monetizing game transactions (Which was embedded in her post) I started wondering if Linden Labs was incentivizing me to spend more in Second Life.
Torulf Jenstrom's Keynote speech at a 2016 Game conference in Helsinki, was titled "Let's Go Whaling!" and he talked about how game companies can get their players to spend money on IAPs (in app purchases) above and beyond the initial price of the game. This speech brought widespread disapproval from gamers, and from game makers (who didn't want you to know about this.) I cannot find any current mention of Torulf Jenstrom on the web now, but his speech is still generating comment.
If Second Life is a game, and I am a gamer, what kind of gamer am I?
Bartle has studied gamers and lumped them into four types: Achievers, Socializers, Killers, and Explorers. You can take the Bartle Test yourself here.
Torulf suggests that you can monetize 'achievers' by offering items that make game-playing progress more convenient. (Example: tokens that let you 'undie' in a game - or a Premium membership that let's you get into large events more easily).
He suggests that 'socializers' can be incentivized by offering paid content that allows communication customization. (Groups, anyone? Voice morphing?)
'Killers' can be monetized by offering them weapons or equipment that give them competitive advantage. (Going Premium?).
'Explorers' can be monetized by offering to sell them more content to explore. (Wanta buy a region?)
So, am I being influenced to spend more because of something that is part of the game, or by something else?
Some random, not yet coherant, thoughts:
Gamers can be influenced to buy "Loot boxes" in many games, and you can find gachas in Second Life that usually require multiple tries before you actually get what you want. But - In SL gachas are produced by resident businesses, not by the lab. Is the way that Premium housing being distributed also a gacha? Again, 'no', because you only get one house at a time, and you do not have to spend more on each try - just time.)
Am I being incentivized because I have 'Loss aversion'? (Here I would say 'yes' because if I don't pay tier I lose my home parcel.) I am also being affected by 'Sunk cost fallacy", which encourages me to pay for a premium membership so that I don't 'lose' the parcel with my home on it. (On the other hand, I could rent from another resident on a monthly basis and lose nothing except my home base if I don't pay my rent. Still, if my landlord doesn't pay his rent I'm in the same situation as if I hadn't paid tier.
Am I willing to pay more for rare items? Yes; however, most of the rare articles are produced by other residents.
Idea of "Sunk cost fallacy". "I have bought all this furniture, so I need someplace to put it."
Am I being influenced by the "IKEA affect" - if you make players work for something they place more value on it. (Yes and yes - do I buy more at popular sales events if they are hard to get into?)
Am I influenced by 'Social proof' where a high-ranked player gets a certain item. Am I trying to keep up with 'the cool kids'? (Yes and yes - I keep trying to upgrade my avatar and her clothing and am embarrassed when I have to walk around in a system body and avatar.)
Do I suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out) - yes.
Torulf also characterized players as being 'minnows', 'dolphins' and 'whales' based on the time it takes them to make a decision. He stated that being in a 'Hot state' where you need to make decisions quickly, is when you have fast reflexive thinking and instant gratifica†ion. Having more time to make the decision means slower analytical thinking.
He states players are less anxious about making a purchase decision when they have fewer choices.
Are we being positively reinforced for making purchases? I would say the recent live auctions during Fantasy Faire was proof of that, and also an example of 'hot state' thinking with instant gratification....(I almost bid on something and I envy the resident who got it).
Conclusion: Am I being incentivized to spend more money in Second Life? Yes, but I do not think it is a deliberate plan by Linden Lab, I think it is my human inclination to want to be more Barbie and have more possessions/land than anyone else.
That said, I need to remind myself that in the end I will have only my pictures and my good memories. This is also true of real life, and I have few regrets for most of my travel in real life. As my late sister-in-law wisely said "They can't repossess a vacation." Second Life will live on in the memories of those who 'inhabited' her.
Or perhaps it will be rebuilt in some new reality, and we will be like the suvivors of The Great Erase.
Fantasy Faire 2021
Fantasy Faire in Second Life happens for about two-weeks every Spring. This year there are over twenty regions*. The virtual real estate is provided by Linden Lab, but Second Life residents make the landscape and the builds. It is a magical place, and it is only here for a short while. There are merchants, and music. There is storytelling and roleplaying. There are quests and contests. Over all there is a riot of costumes. It is an enchanted environment, but Fantasy Faire is one of the events in Second Life that raises money for the American Cancer Society.
Trying to do and see too much at once can cause sensory overload.
There are legions of bloggers** covering the event, so I'm just going to do a tour of each region and practice taking pictures:
Wandering Woods:
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| A meandering path through a blue twilight world. |
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| In the deeps, wisps of light amidst giant bones, surrounded by a warren of icecaves. |
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| Looking up at the snowlands above. |
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| A scrimshaw skull |
Valhalla:
From the ocean level, where giant statues guard the entrance, through level after level of heroic builds, this region is amazing.
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| At the entrance to Valhalla. |
A soft land designed to look as if it had been knitted out of yarn.
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A giantess tries to join the dance.
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| A large dragon on a high perch. |
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| I wait for a small dragon to use the teleport first. |
In Ostara the skeleton of a dragon is near an altar with a gigantic egg.
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| My avatar is just a speck on the skeleton's skull. |
Ling Xiao Long: I don't know how, but the artists made the entire landscape look like an ink-brush painting. Even for Second Life, this is weird.
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| I'm in a painting! |
Tempest Bay: On the surface, this looks like a typical sailing port, but when I explored a cavern that led below the town I found a crew of skeletons dancing near the wreck of a pirate ship.
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| Dancing Skeletons |
The Seventh Valley:
One of the major quests at Fantasy Faire this year is 'The Language of the Birds' and many of the quest birds are in the wooded valley.
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| Heron |
The Amethyst Rift:
A still picture does not do justice to the beauty of this Region.
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| The translucent paths are safe. |
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On the edges of the rift there is evidence of a prior civilization. A group of young explorers seem to have captured a monster of some sort. |
Cerulean Bombora:
Small islands with monuments where you can light a memorial candle in remembrance of those you've lost.
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| Memorial candles |
A'Dracunas:
Some residents have hollowed out these strange ovoid objects to serve as shops.
But one seems to be hatching.
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| Royal hatchling Gilgadrac |
Peaville Goes Nuts:
A fairy-tale world where a Peanut Prince meets a mysterious stranger.
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| Tiny treehouses and mushroom houses. |
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| A 'Hipp-Pea' under a Dragon Tree |
Will future elves live in a neon jungle? Part of the Region is dominated by a statue made of a net of lights that gradually changes color along with parts of the surrounding build.
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| Statue of light |
Isles of Tarrin:
A peaceful pastel village floats above the sea.
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| A floating island village. |
Somniatoris Arx:
In a city of spired churches, the central cathedral houses a giant skeleton.
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| Who (or what) was this? |
J'adoube:
Giant chess pieces scattered around a rich landscape.
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| J'adoube means to reposition a chess piece without moving it. |
Yin Yang:
A land of Japanese temples, rainbow waterfalls, and golden dragons.
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| An unexpected delight. |
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| Upper Yin Yang Region by moonlight. |
The upper part of this region is one of the event areas, and the bottom part is an undersea art installation. The stage changes according to the nature of the entertainment.
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| The 'flowers' are seats. "Drum" is about to start. |
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| A small piece of Haveit Neox's sculpture. |
The Dark Awakening:
A transition area of small vendors and ghost sculptures.
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| Looking towards the sea. |
For many years now, there have been quests at the Fantasy Faire. This year the Main Quest was "The Language of Birds"and involved finding and talking to birds all around the Faire, then using the information you've gathered to solve a puzzle that opens the way to a treasure trove.
The cost for all this treasure? The Quest Hud cost less than a US dollar. For a slightly higher fee you also got a themed costume.The quest and the prizes are the same.
Smaller quests in Valhalla and A'Dracunas also offer prizes.
The odds are that you will read this when there is NOT a Fantasy Faire in progress. Mark it on your calendar for next year.
5-5-2021 The Faire is winding down now, and in a few days all that will be here is empty space. I'm still wearing my Quest costume and I feel like the little girl who is still wearing her Halloween costume in November. Don't let it end! So far the Faire has raised the equivalent of $56,000 US dollars to support The American Cancer Society.
*A region is an area 256meters by 256meters.
**I have read through most of these blogs and I'm fascinated how each blogger sees Fantasy Faire from a different perspective. A lot, of course, are series of selfies disguised as 'fashion blogs' but many include storytelling elements that enhance their photos.
I skipped the ones that had 'adult content' warning.
I added some of the better ones to my blog list.
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