Would you like to see or live in a planned community?

SL has Aqua Shopping Park, which is just that. It's well laid out, easy to navigate, attractive and has hardly any lag. On a smaller scale, there's also The Collection at Garrison, which is extremely well built and textured. Both areas have great content, all close at hand, and Garrison is even right next to a telehub. Despite having a shop in each location, I still get 95% (or more) of my sales from my stand-alone store in Gallinas.

Jonquille, you're pretty well established and your clothing is known for quality and a particular style and appeals to a niche market. Your repeat customer base is likely going to prefer to shop at your main store. I know this because it is where I have preferred to go even though I initially came across your product line at a satellite shop. Don't let modesty over your talent allow you to confuse your situation with that of a less established person who hasn't achieved the level of success which allows one to compare main and satellite locations. Just because you sell more at your main shop, don't disregard the possibility that the satellites may serve to bring new customers to it.

I like Aqua, and Boardman & Brown, and Purple. My impression is that they have resulted from the efforts of more established players, do you agree? I think the overall growth of SL has changed the conditions of the playing field and warrants a new set of rules.

I see your point, and thinking of it that way, I do agree. For new creators, being in some kind of shopping area with more established creators would be very good exposure. A stand-alone shop is the most useful once you have a name people are willing to search for and port to specifically for your items, but getting the exposure to get to that point would be well served by being in a center like Aqua, The Collection and other well laid-out centers.

And thank you.

I am CERTAIN the satellite shops bring more customers to your main store. When I am looking for something, and find the same store name several timesin Find, I will make it a point to go to their main store, rather than the satellite ones. If I happen along a satellite one, I will take note of if they have a main store, and visit that before buying anything.

Part of the problem in zoning residential away from commercial is that in many, many cases it won't work because others live IN their shop and want both. So non-zoned areas are important for that, in addition to the fact that there are people who don't like restrictions, and/or who enjoy a wilder area.

Me, I have the best of all worlds. I live on the zoned community of Azure Islands, which is residential with a shopping Sim. (It also has way too many red lines, so zoned residential is not necessarily an escape from that.)

I have my shop in a new Sim, which is a VERY unzoned area, with a tall club behind me and a large God knows what on one side, and what used to be a huge, way overpriced mall on the other but is gone now, and Linden Lab on the fourth side. This is all ok by me, cause I don't live there. If the tall club got a lot of traffic, that would be even better, but I've never seen anyone in it.

Then I have my work area, which is unoccupied land, wherever it may be, which Prok lets me use (in addition to being able to work on smaller projects at home). Home - store - work. As far as I'm concerned, I got it made in the shade all around.

coco

Coco, I suggested commercial and residential designations as options in addition to maintaining freestyle zones.

i'm a firm believer in zoning. My first build was in lusk, and I love boardman and aqua. I also share some land with friends in non-zoned areas. I'm not sure how much the playing rules have changed, since those now-established players that influence those areas were not always so established. If you are interested in a mainland zoning project, maybe the person to talk to is Jack Linden who monitors the old zoned sims?

So I don't think we need to ostracize zoning to the islands. The mainland grid is huge now, and only expanding. Plenty of room for both.

The more options the better. Some people want no zoning, some heavy zoning, some want a very light-handed set of rules.

and yes, I can't wait for 1.7 and improved management of CPU resources!

It's the growth and size of the grid as well private islands and communities which makes today's conditions much different than what well-established players were faced with when they were starting out.

I know, I was just tossing that in. I should have been more clear.

coco

“As I have land in a neighboring sim, I benefit from the effort and patience exhibited by both you and Prok in the development of this area. It was very cool to log on the other day just in time to watch you and a regatta of sailboats racing past. The feeling of expansiveness & continuity found in these sims adjacent to the water void sims cannot be duplicated in a private island scenario. An individual private island feels like a playpen to me, especially if you are using any type of vehicle there, with its isolation and disconnectedness from the mainland.

Without going into detail, I believe the commercial realm would benefit from existing close proximity to each other. A large part of the find and advertising issues would be addressed of content creators would work togther with each other and land dealers to create areas of the grid known for it's content. Similar to the furniture district in North Carolina, if I were a creator of prefab homes and home contents, I'd be looking to set up shop near the Purple sim and its Home Depot like complex. Owners of clubs, *ingo events, and games conglomerating in adjacent sims and working together (even with the competition!) to create known entertainment districts. We have the sims to isolate the shooters; what's the big deal with labeling other areas as well?

Basic zoning designations would need to enabled by LL similar to the pg/mature ratings for residential and commercial as well as free style. SL is certainly big enough to allow for all three to coexist. Beyond providing the identifiers, LL should not be expected to manage or otherwise babysit this. They have made it clear they will not do that but are willing to support member based initiatives. This means you have to do the work yourself to establish a network of like minded individuals. It also would also help if we could get past the evil land baron image and try to view and utilize land dealers for their ability to provide the startup funds and their land management skills. Either that or come up with the cash and do it your self.

Just some possibilites for the mainland as private gated communities in private islands meet the residential needs of many already. “
Margaret Mfume

Margaret;

Thank you for writing such a descriptive and informative post I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I’m going to take the time next week and check out the area you described above it really sounds like it was planned well. As well as other planned communities that have been talked about in this thread.

I agree with you if residential areas are created then connecting commercial areas would be of great benefit to the residential area. Also to others in SL to enjoy. Balance is the key to anything of this magnitude.

The reason I am focusing this discussion on the mainland is because I have owned islands and I did feel somewhat disconnected from the main grid. Some community areas in the past have succeeded and some have failed on the mainland. I looked at Lusk, Boardman and De Haro this week as well as several communities both on and off the main grid.

I honestly don’t think LL needs to zone areas I am hopeful that residents will zone themselves. Although that may have to be the alternative to keep ppl on the same page as far as zoning goes. I’m a bit up in the air on that issue but open to any discussion about it.

Just throwing an idea out here but your post got me thinking. What about progressively zoned areas, beginner, intermediate and expert. For example beginner area would be empty residential or commercial lots or small prefab homes and shops. Perhaps apartments and strip malls. Next would be intermediate for those who are a little more advanced in their SL and could afford a better home or a larger plot. Always keeping in mind to give ppl choices. They could for example build a nicer house in this area or buy a nicer prefab again both residential and commercial zones. Finaly expert areas for well established ppl regardless of age of their AV I have met some pretty new AV’s who really are doing very well only after a few weeks in SL. The expert area could be perhaps a very professional mall and well defined upscale residential area. Like I said this is just tossing an idea out there. Not something I have plans on nor something I consider the final solution to the landscape litter.

Your post got me thinking and for that “Thank you”

Mar

I'd like to see more planned, unplanned communities. Which means, in a Nam June Paikish sort of way, communities organized of artists that are utterly chaotic. Things like some of what early SL used to highlight (see Welsh, crossreference it with Baku), where you have "normal" houses next to all manner of bizarre builds. A place where neighbors don't complain about eyesores, but through some sort of mutual admiration, respect, and maybe even a dash of cyberchi, they let their energy flow.

Now, I've seen some wonderful artistic installations like Burning Life and the expanse of The Port, but they're not really for "living in". This would merely be the next domestic step, and perhaps even consist of purple (or other unusual, since those textures can make a big psychological impact) ground.

COMMUNITIES FOR THE CRAZY!

I know just what you mean, Torley! I had been reflecting on the Heidelburg Project in Detroit and it's potential implications in SL before I got sidetracked and had to shift my mind over to thinking about Biloxi.


http://www.heidelberg.org/

OOOH COLORS ~goes to take a look~ thanx for the link Margaret!

It's in Danish, but there are some English-translated pages ...

Anyway, I've been there, and the houses that people build there are so whimsical and silly-looking. I loved it.

http://www.christiania.org/

I like themed communities too. Is Darkwood still elf-like?

I can sort of understand the desire to live in an urbae community where everyone keeps their builds to a certain style, and work together to keep their sim the epitome of suburban living. Personally I'd rather eat a bag of rusty nails than hem myself in like that. I enjoy the random element of SL, I like to see huge sprawling builds right next door to a first attempt. I delight in random texturing, oddball designs, and the general messiness of the mainland. Zoning creates order. For some this is a pleasure, for others a mind numbing exercise in tedium.

Long live The Random.

It's more about a non-commercial, good performance zone than recreating suburbia imo.

I think Taco is a good example of a whimsical theme that works I adore ideas that are out there. Wayyy out there sometimes lol. A planned community doesn't have to be white picket fences, this is sl after all anything we can imagine we can build

Mar

My original answer to this, and to the poll, was No. After reading through the thread, I'm rethinking that.

I should say, I don't want to have the land I own in a planned community, and I probably wouldn't buy new land in a planned community. I like to be able to build whatever the hell strikes my fancy at the moment, then tear it all down and start something new. I own enough land to be able to do this now without annoying my neighbors too much, so it works for me. Edit- However, if there were suddenly a retro themed sim or area, I might quickly rethink buying, too.

If there would still be plenty of anything-goes mainland sims, I wouldn't be at all oppossed to LL, or land owners, (of course) making themed and/or zoned sims. I think SL is more than large enough for people to be able to 'play' however they like. N-berg is a good example of how it can be done, as is Luskwood. If someone wants to try and create an urban/ghetto/suburban/country/exotic/residential/commercial/industrial/etc... themed zone, then I say go for it. If they can't afford an entire sim or a large chunk of land to accomplish this, then sure, let LL release land with themes.

Are there really suburbia zoned communities? I could imagine that being better than random chaos for most people, actually it might be interesting from a sim life perspective, closer to real life means easier to relate to.

But wouldn't people generally pick more interesting themes like... I dunno, feudal japan just to name one random thing?

Oh I fully agree. But the ones I have seen so far...well...It's all a touch too civilised for me. I'm not about to insult those who dwell in them. but for me I will always adore the semi ordered chaos of the mainland. I'm sure one day there maight be a themed sim I would love to be a part of, but it just hasn't happened yet.

Non commercial, non cramped, everything abiding by certain building codes. Hmmm....Suburbia

I don't think you'd get a feeling of suburbia in the area Doc and I are talking about. I own my own land, am not part of either zoned group, and therefore have no restrictions at all. Nonetheless, I am mindful of the visual aspects of the terrain. Of the two areas in which I own land, it's my building area preference due to its relaxed atmosphere and performance.

My taste is kind of quirky irl as well in terms of residential dwellings having long called suburbia the American Scream rather than Dream.

Everyones dream communities? hmmm now there is a good question....whats yours?

Mar

I sold all of my land on Pinastri tonight and bought into Dreamland (newton parcel).

I got sick and tired of eyesores getting put up. One of my former neighbors in Pinastri built an ugly assed giant stone penguin.

I am confused but that's nothing new. Do you mean the Lindens creating a planned community with no sex clubs (giant purple boxes) and no tacky stores (500 meter tall signboard full of garbage) or what?

Eveyone I go in SL nowadays I see a combination of tacky looking stores and structures that god knows what they are there for.

I would love to see entire sims devoted to eyesores and other ones devoted to private non-profit builds.

Somehow I think I am the only one with this opinion by looking at things but I would love to live in a sim with no garbage.