A Virtual Pilgrim’s Progress — The First Part
by Alphaville Herald on 04/12/08 at 5:04 am
A newbie learns how to dance, finds a job, considers an avatar sex change
by Roby Core
I was reading some Google news the first time I’d ever heard about the Second life virtual world, and I thought it would have been childish stuff, but I got curious, and now I’ve picked a very basic avatar available on the subscription page and I’ve logged in. I wanted to move a bit around, see what kind of population lives in second life so I had to face an unexpected matter – how to do the very basic things.
I’ve spent several hours to understand how to walk properly, look around reading menus and tutorials plus being in the place where everybody starts where you find people who are going to ask you help instead of teaching you.
Things start to be interesting, so I decided to work a bit on my avatar – upgrade a bit the basic appearance and try to make a cooler version of myself out of it. After several more hours I’ve realized that couldn’t do much. I’ve decided to look for help and I quickly learned few things: 1st: that a man avatar can’t get easy help as a looks like all the community is after female avatars. 2nd: that finally, when in the avatar island, I found a female avatar giving me some tips and free shopping landmarks, I found out that even if you can get a lot of stuff for free you still would want to make some money to buy the coolest staff, participate in events and more.
A this point from what’s supposed to be a quick look, I already had a full day playing around the virtual world, and I’ve decided to stick here for a while. On the second day I decide to try to find a job and make some money, (unless you want to pay for virtual stuff with real money as a it’s offered by the system) and get confident with all those menus and functions.
Male avatars won’t talk to other males, female avatars think you are trying to pick them up
Ehhh…. Not so easy again, businesses in SL are taken seriously and nobody will give a job to a “newbie” as everybody was able to immediately identify me. I was trying to talk to someone skilled to get any kind of advice but again, male avatar will not talk much to another male avatar, and female avatar will think you are try to pick her up, I was almost thinking to give up when at VooDoo Lounge club, probably the first place anybody will find as it’s close to the starting point, I saw a redhead standing and just watching around, so considering that I had just learned to animate my avatar to dance I ask her to dance.
She agreed, so I took one more chance and I’ve gone like: “do you know how to move around in this world?” she told me that she was an old player so I told her my effort to upgrade my look and find a way to make money, well….. after short conversation she not only give me some advice but actually offered me a job and some money as advance to upgrade my avatar. Yes, she was Pixeleen Mistral, the managing editrix for Second Life Herald, we have gone talking and “dancing” for a long while and she offered me a job to write about the efforts that I’ve made during my first few days in SL.
Now, after a week or so I am still a “newbie” but things are going better, even because with the confidence I got by the events so far, I’ve finally decided to create a female “sexy” avatar which gets easy help, both from female and male avatars, and it’s actually impressive how people are interested in making sex with a cartoon just clicking here and there, maybe can be just a safe way to explore hidden fantasies but is it actually fun???
By the way I don’t think I will buy even a 5 L$ in a penis for my male avatar which for the moment will have to survive without one, but I will try to get one of those super sexy body with realistic pussy for my female avatar, that seems more useful here.
Rusty Roar
Dec 4th, 2008
Thus far very interesting Roby. You’re right, it’s a steep learning curve.
I wish you all the best ;^)
Regards,
Rusty
Ratcloner101 Stoop
Dec 4th, 2008
Wow, Pix, getting kind of desperate these days, settling for noob men now? And converting them to female avs too? I see what you’re doing here.
Damaged Goods
Dec 4th, 2008
Do yourself a favor, uninstall SL and never ever look back. Before long you will get too immersed and then Lindens come to fuck you over with one thing or the other.
It aint worth it anymore…
comrade
Dec 4th, 2008
If you want a really nice place to live where you can root around looking for stories and investigating stuff, trying out new bombs and stuff, try a place called Ravenglass. When you rent there be sure to put out spy particles and stuff because with Waterhead and the Furries so close weird *bleep* is always going on there.
LOL
Dec 4th, 2008
I have recently Created a MOD\ADD-ON for UBISOFT’s Game FarCry 2. it is on Fileplanet as a FREE DOWNLOAD. it will allow you to modify the ARN and UFLL chracters, it replaces the default faces with the Real Life faces of Robin, Phil, M and Harry Linden.
Happy hunting!
HiredGun Destiny
Dec 5th, 2008
Second Life Customer Service is nothing but a line for players to call to be told Linden Labs WILL NOT do anything about anything that happens on their Grid.
I got scammed in a mainland deal….got pissed off…..called LL…only to be told they would investigate.
Well needless to say nothing was done within the timeframe that allowed me to recieve a refund from either PayPal or my Bank.
So Be It…I frackked up and it only cost me 12$ to learn…cheaper than a night out drinking.
So Linden Labs makes me pay 9.95$ a month +5$ a week Land Maintence Fee
WHAT THE HELL FOR?
If they readly admit they can do nothing about what happens inside their game.
Why Pay Them to have Non-Existent In World Support
Now the same day …as this land problem…they charge the WRONG PAYMENT METHOD for my account…I had updated the payment inforamtion that same Morning and made a purchase to confirm it was moved to my new payment method.
Now I log into my bank account only to see they had charged the wrong account…I called “Billing Support”…support my arse…they made me feel a fool..then told me they would do nothing about this problem either.
So I decided to Google any Message Board Associated with SL and tell the players my problem.
DON”T LET LINDEN LABS STEAL YOUR MONEY!!!!!!!!
Keep a free account or don’t play at all.
Just my .02 on the matter
HiredGun Destiny
HiredGun Destiny
Dec 5th, 2008
Kill this comment…..but I hope you post my last one even if it just to warn another player of the complications of contacting SL Customer Service
Sassy
Dec 5th, 2008
Roby:
One of the most important things I learned early on was to read a person’s profile before speaking with them. You can quickly identify those who might be good to talk to, versus those who are simply prowling for their next sexual conquest.
It’s true, though, that as a female I did not lack for kind offers of assistance early on, among a host of less generous offers. I was able to politely decline both sorts of offers, except for two.
One was from a genuinely amazing person who sincerely complimented me and spent time getting to know me, and then offered a small gift as a token of friendship. Still on my friends list two years later.
The second was a hero who rescued me from an uncomfortable situation, and went on to become my SL partner.
It sounds like you have found good people to help you as well. To me, that’s the best thing about Second Life – the opportunity to meet and befriend amazing people who would otherwise never cross your path.
If you do decide to try out life as a female avatar, I’d recommend being honest about the situation with those you get to know. Strangers need never learn, but nothing kills a friendship faster than lies.
Good luck with your continuing adventure!
Anonymous
Dec 6th, 2008
btw the redhead had a penis just fyi.
BK
Dec 6th, 2008
The only time LL actually helped me is when my Credit Card couldn’t process. I think they were like “Oh my god, we can’t take this customers money, and he wants to give it to us? HELP HIM IMMEDIATELY!”
Sadako Shikami
Dec 12th, 2008
@ Sassy: great comments!
Roby … i’m disturbed that you had to choose to be a female character just to “get help.” i’ve always helped males equally, assuming all new persons are equally confused when they enter Second Life. Just be YOU!