Not signed in (Sign In)

Web Nuggets: Can Someone Explain 'Second Life' To Me?

Bottom of Page

1 to 20 of 62

  1. <
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. >
  1.  (453.1)
    I'm not slamming it or anything, I'm just curious what it really is and why it's drawn so many people. I signed up a while back but the limitless possibilities almost gave me a heartattack. I've read Snow Crash so I'm not completely inept at avatars and such.

    Stuff like the newspapers I've been hearing about that people actually write, or the interviews with actual authors, or the I Am Legend game within Second Life, how is that possible? Who makes the clothing, etc.?

    Can someone lock a virus into my computer? What's the Pros and Cons?

    All the help I can get will be much appreciated.
    •  
      CommentAuthoroldhat
    • CommentTimeJan 7th 2008
     (453.2)
    I'd call Second Life a glorified chatroom, but it's a bit more than that. I'd say it's almost like a physical manifestation of the internet. If it were in fact, a tangible world. The fact that the possibilities are limitless is one of the things that draw people in. You can create your own space, provide whatever information you want within that space (including music), create your own clothing, change any aspect of your avatar, meet with people from another side of the world, and of course let's not forget the hours upon hours of sex in furry costumes. MUSTN'T forget that. It is the internet after all.

    But people like Second Life for various reasons. I enjoy the social aspect of it. Through going to some of the clubs or just random locations, I've met some amazing people. I also love the user-made gadgets that you can get a hold of over there (I met someone who had a tesla coil jet pack).

    As far as virus stuff goes, I don't know. Mr. Ellis or any of the other great users on here would probably know something.

    Hope that helped. :)
    •  
      CommentAuthorZ
    • CommentTimeJan 7th 2008 edited
     (453.3)
    You're not the only one head-scratching, Chris. I've made an avatar as well, and so far I'm both under & over-whelmed all at once.

    I commit about twenty to thirty minutes to it every evening to try and gain interest, so far no luck.

    Re: your question about who makes the clothes, lots of people can. They give you a toolbox of shit to tinker with, and some really crafty/creative sorts make some pretty cool shit. If you decide you want to spend money on it, you can exchange real funds for in-world currency and buy some to wear. I haven't done it yet, but it's not as costly as it initially appears.

    -Z
  4.  (453.4)
    It's basically the biggest open-plan game ever. Anyone signed up and online can design and make content (ie. clothes, weapons, avatars, game systems, animations, anything etc.) with some practice with the built-in tools, of course... Overall, there is no purpose to SL, but within it you will find many, many different themed games and simulations.

    There's a handy search option, which means you can find whatever it is you might be interested in (be it bizarre post-apocalyptic wasteland simulations/hardcore orgies/8 Mile replicas/samurai training villages)

    The pros are that your options are essentially limitless, and its fun to chat to people, and they're generally pretty helpful in getting you set up. The cons would be that, if your not interested in making your own content, you will usually have to pay for it. Its not generally expensive or anything, but its part and parcel of SL. You can earn money in game (taking part in trivia/surveys/"camping:), but its too slow, tedious and for too little money to be worthwhile. There are free items to be got, but they tend to be of pretty low quality, but there are exceptions. Also, every now and then you get "griefers" who do things such as have large boxes that show a mans innards via his anus that follow you around and sing "Its Raining Men", but that's pretty rare. Lag can be an issue too in busier sections, or if you have sucky broadband...

    I remember they had a Transformers press conference in SL, with avatars of Michael Bay, Megan Fox and Bumblebee etc., just talking about the movie. The I Am Legend game was built by Warner Bros. or an agency they hired, Im guessing. Its basically extended advertising, companies taking advantage of a new medium, but the means are there to build these kind of things yourself or with friends.

    I'm pretty new to it, but I find it interesting just wandering around seeing all the different things that people create in it, and building badass avatars...
  5.  (453.5)
    Oh and as far as viruses go, I think its pretty safe. As a general rule, content you own online is stored online, not downloaded to your computer, so there's little chance of you getting anything nasty on your hard drive.
  6.  (453.6)
    Thanks guys. Much appreciated. I'll check it out tonight.
    • CommentAuthorWilf
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2008
     (453.7)
    As someone who doesn't use Second Life (tried it, didn't get on with it at all), the stories I hear about Griefers always sound amusing!!

    Do Griefers actually cause problems, or, when it suddenly starts raining purple flashing octopus cocks, do you think "Well, that's unusual and amusing"?
    •  
      CommentAuthorroque
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2008
     (453.8)
    I'm not a griefer, but I do enjoy wearing tremendously ugly/disturbing avatars and-- in places where it's acceptable-- wearing huge floppy cocks. I enjoy doing this stuff in RL too, but in SL you can take it farther.
  9.  (453.9)
    i used to frequent sumo's as a rabbit who wore a prude t-shirt. I did once participate in a bad poetry evening in a 1920's opium den which was fun, as was their biblical themed evening where my sloth avatar won me a prize (woo). as a friend once said, 'people like to extend the wooden cock of friendship' on SL.
    •  
      CommentAuthorblu
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2008 edited
     (453.10)
    Do Griefers actually cause problems, or, when it suddenly starts raining purple flashing octopus cocks, do you think "Well, that's unusual and amusing"?


    Griefers do cause some problems usually by crashing SIMS and knocking them off the grid for a while. Busy/popular sims like Toxian City get attacked by griefers pretty regularly because obviously it's more fun to blow up a place that affects more people. One example: someone dumped a bunch of giant, multiplying rolling hampster balls that eventually overloaded the city and crashed it. It's amusing sometimes but frustrating when you're in the middle of an RP or a conversation.

    Another example: some guy came into Toxian one night and somehow put cages around everyone and you couldn't get out of it unless you signed off - essentially making everyone leave the city. Toxian City had a big New Year's Brawl Tournament that everyone could sign up and fight in different classes with some pretty impressive prizes going to the winners (free DCS weapons and XP points). Early on in the evening the city got hit with several griefer attacks from people trying to spoil the fun so they actually had to limit the city to Toxian Citizens only for that night.

    The GM's have gotten pretty good at catching people who attempt to sabotage the city (and Linden Lab is always keen to help) but there's always some kid thinking one step ahead of them.
    •  
      CommentAuthorblu
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2008
     (453.11)
    If anyone wants a tour of Toxian City (and it's not in lag hell at the time) ... IM me in-world (Cerdwin Flanagan) and I'll be glad to walk you through it. I think it's a great example of what's possible with SL... a detailed city, story-driven RP threads, almost always something happening there, an interesting weapons/experience points system, even city-generated creatures that you can fight if you're keen to do that kind of thing. You can even earn money (tips) there dancing or bartending.
    •  
      CommentAuthorLBA
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2008
     (453.12)
    I'll take you up on that blu, when I have time to get back on 2L (look for an IM from Case Faulkner)

    unfortunately we're back to remodelling my home and i have to spend real life with spinning saw blades, nail guns, and crowbars, which is fun but in a different way.
    •  
      CommentAuthorblu
    • CommentTimeJan 8th 2008
     (453.13)
    I'll take you up on that

    Would be my pleasure.

    unfortunately we're back to remodelling my home and i have to spend real life with spinning saw blades, nail guns, and crowbars, which is fun but in a different way.


    mmmmmmm... blades and nail guns and crowbars... indeed good stuff. Nothing like making things with your hands.
  14.  (453.14)
    Let's see, I started up my account and some guy kept talking dirty to me -- I'm a straight guy. Then I left and I went to a sex shop just to see what's actually in there and I was greeted by a girl sucking off some guy in the shower and a poor girl who was about four feet tall getting her backdoor jammed in by some guy with tattoos.

    Then I left some cafe and a woman comes up, says "Y'know, I've been fucked here more times than I have in real life and it's soooo much better here." This was not in the sex shop, it was in the cafe.

    I'm just glad I didn't teleport into the bestiality farm.
    • CommentAuthorWilf
    • CommentTimeJan 9th 2008
     (453.15)
    Griefers do cause some problems usually by crashing SIMS and knocking them off the grid for a while. It's amusing sometimes but frustrating when you're in the middle of an RP or a conversation.


    That's what I wondered, because from a non-user's point of view, 'Site crashed by infinitely multiplying hamsters' sounds so much more entertaining than 'Site taken down by DOS attack' or similar. I actually had a bit of admiration for the people who could pull this stuff off, but it appears they are just annoying gits!
    •  
      CommentAuthorhyim
    • CommentTimeJan 9th 2008
     (453.16)
    Can Someone Explain 'Second Life' To Me?


    Second Life is online technologies packaged for the non-gamer generation.

    On the supplier side, Second Life is the first successful foray in commodifying services into virtual goods. Linden Lab is not in the business of entertainment or online services, it's in business of real estate. The beauty of it is there will always be square miles for Linden to sell at a marginal cost of near-zero.
    •  
      CommentAuthorblu
    • CommentTimeJan 9th 2008
     (453.17)
    I actually had a bit of admiration for the people who could pull this stuff off, but it appears they are just annoying gits!


    I suppose the entertainment value will vary with the way it affects you. The rolling hampster balls were interesting to see until you got booted off the game. Last night's griefer attack was something new: someone found a way to move "permanent" structures in Toxian - building walls, street lights, stairways and sidewalks - and piled a bunch of them up in the center of town like a giant sculpture. Toxin GMs had to shut the city down and reset it to put everything back.
  18.  (453.18)
    someone found a way to move "permanent" structures in Toxian - building walls, street lights, stairways and sidewalks - and piled a bunch of them up in the center of town like a giant sculpture.

    Holy shit...

    Probably a disaffected DCS hacker who once got caught...!
  19.  (453.19)
    i never knew there was a way to get into build permissions. Although perms have been getting rather screwy of late on things you build.
    • CommentAuthorhank
    • CommentTimeJan 9th 2008
     (453.20)
    love the asset server lag!

1 to 20 of 62

  1. <
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. >