Ahern Welcome Area blues? What's been happening?

I won't mince words and I am gentle, but basically, I haven't felt many good Welcome vibes at Ahern recently. Clearly not as much as when I first started, and this isn't a matter of nostalgic retrorocket boosting either -- there are definite negative events, recurring, I've observed.

Since the WA is the first place new avs turn up, a bad first impression may send them logging off and ending their trial, and thus ending their Second Life. Who knows what quick reactions may shut someone's possible bright future. It's hypothetical, but forthcoming great contributors to the community might never come to be upon being treated badly. Like a baby learning to crawl before it becomes a strong adult, the crushing of a boot (figuratively speaking) will do far more damage to the seed than the tree.

Several amazing individuals who I was accustomed to seeing and learning from, like Kex Godel and Toy LaFollette, are no longer there. Apart from them needing clones, I'm thankful for their aid and cheeriness. Change happens, but this leaves a void and I haven't felt a new corresponding presence to fill that. The onus is on no one, as these are merely the humble observations of a raving melongirl.

Chances are new avs won't have much of a voice either, because they likely have not heard of the Forums or ways to share these concerns -- until later in the timeline.

I am also keeping in mind that this is cyclical, and while some say "history repeats" yet others say "history rhymes" and even others declare "history to be a waste of time", I unquestionably want the SL experience to be an enjoyable one.

Please feel free to share your perspectives and experiences from Ahern. Hopefully we can discuss and all learn something about whether the Welcome Area is perceived as being true to its name.

remember when there were liaisons at ahern?

Oh good Huns... I just asked about that too, curiously -- they have so much of the gridverse to cover (including sandboxes). I do remember seeing Liasons a lot more frequently in the WA.

Torley's right, sadly.

Ever since stipend reform, people have been using the Welcome Area as a place to bitch and moan and be unpleasant. I rarely see the constructive friendliness in the obvious role it played when I was a newbie. There are still great friendly people, but there's other stupidity happening in WA that overshadows it.

For example, the other day one unnamed individual told another unnamed indvidual that a particular typing animation override looked not unlike a certain auto-erotic activity. The user of that animation override was offended and before long a bickering party began the likes of which you would expect to find in a primary school sandbox.

As amusing as this ridiculous drama is to observe, Torley's point that newbs observing this behavior might be put off from SL is worth considering. The WA is the very first place you see. If people acting stupid is your first taste upon starting your Second Life, you might well go elsewhere.

Why does this matter? Because by and large SL is a great place to be. There are many great people and a lot of talent. It's very exciting to be a part of this action.

Sadly, there are plenty of actual and mental children, and while most of their antics are confined to leaving explosives in the Morris sandbox, it's disheartening to see unproductive behavior spill into the WA as well.

I agree Torley and thank you for starting this thread!

I was at the WA for a bit tonight, and it did have a strange feel to it. Yes there has been more negativity there of late, and I've noticed fewer Mentors wearing their titles (me included) and fewer Lindens on duty.

Tomorrow's another day and with the morning sun, new awakenings are born - and this being SL, don't be surprised to discover awakening-Welcomes returning to the WC!

Now you know why I use to spend a lot of time there rating Newly arrived people. I had many tell me they stayed in SL because I rated them Positive.

Rate absuing for a greater good...gotta love that justification.

Quiet, Moopf. You don't know the great pain which Magnum endured for the better good of the grid! He toiled endlessly, so that a newbie might smile with joy when he received a completely unwarranted and untrue rating of his uncapabilities! He carried our burdens on his back, while sowing the world with rates like some sort of Johnny Ratingseed!

He deserves neither our contempt nor our disdain! I have been assured by a top-level Cardinal that his beatification is a sure-thing. Inevitably, some sort of rate-miracle will transpire, thus ensuring his status as Patron Saint of Rates.

Me thinks this is the sort of attitude Torley is talking about. ^^^^^^^^

Thanks for posting your observation Torley. Last time I hung out at the WA, I had the same feeling. It is strange. The area used to be fun with people dancing. taking folks on balloon tours, giving out heaps of freebies and chatting. Now I hear people putting down builds and talking about how much they hate SL ect. Very depressing.

Pft, the welcome area isn't totaly blue, theres some green, grey, and other wide assortments of colors!

I think the WA is just becomming more like a regular chat room, which is sad. I haven't had much time to go over there lately. Maybe its all my fault!

I'd love to start giving balloon tours again. But, LL broke buoyancy and won't fix it. /me grumbles.

Back to happiness now

I blame Loki...orange just gets to people sometimes. Maybe if we stuck a warning label on him.

Just spent over an hour at the Welcome Area - about 25 people, two Mentors, one live helper, two Lindens, three or four newbies - and lots of partridges in the pear trees.

Some hostility - but a couple of us stepped up and chilled the heat. To make a difference, just walk the walk.

That pisses me off to no end....Love taking your balloon up for a good float ...now it just limps around on the ground. Truly one of the few vehicles in SL that worked well and now its broke.

Torley, Great post and Admittedly 18months ago I quit frequenting the welcome area as well as doing Mentor events.

I still help a newb when asked and keep my disdain at short notice.

But, unfortunately the focus is no longer on the influx but quelling the backlash of whats already here. Sad but true.

To be honest there is simply no way to prepare a person for what they are about to encounter.

I had an Idea once which kinda went hand in hand with the Live help thing of Live Buddy but I dismissed it because of all the vehemence on the forums I decided against even mentioning it.

Basically would work like this.

A) new member goes to Orientation Island.
B) from the online participants they are assigned an inworld buddy.
C) Im Informs the Inworld buddy of newcomers arrival.
D) the IB then IM's the Newcomer while they are still on the island and answers any questions as they make their way down the path.
E) when the Newcomer is ready to Teleport to the mainland they go directly to the Buddy as to stave off the assaults they would recieve at the WA
F) the Buddy then proceeds to show them around SL for the next 7 days.
G) in the process the buddy helps get them aclimated and familure with all of the aspects of SL.


But this was a grandious idea that at the time I thought of it would have been shot in the ass repeatedly.

Now I think it may very well be applicable since Liasons are no longer in the Welcome Area.

Just my .02$

Shadow

I would go to the WA to hang out and maybe help new people. But once I get there, the vibe that I get makes me fly away or TP back home. It does feel like a chat room where everyone is one-upping the other person. Other times, no one is talking at all which is even more unsettling. It's not very foreign to me, no one talked to me when I first arrived too. The only time the WA felt fun and welcoming to me was when I stormed the place with a couple of naked Legos.

Yeah, I've been noticing not-fun vibes at the WA as well. Which is so weird because it used to be such a place of friendliness and altruism (and I try to help people when I can; although I'm afraid I don't have the patience that, say, a Mentor should).

Now, why the Welcome Area? I don't get it. What's so great about bitching and moaning there? I guess because most of the people bitching and moaning are newish, and the WA is still sort of "home" or it's just familiar to them.

Someone ought to start a "Help Save Endangered Newbies" group ... I'll join

Actually I was thinking of starting a "Save a Newbie shoot a Rate Whore" campaign but that might be construed as bad.....

LOL especially because often they're one and the same.

Nah if they are under 30 days they cannot officially be labeled as a Rate Whore so....Newbies are safe...LOL

I went to the welcome area recently to find some newcomers and give them a landmark to my money tree which I'd moved and was over-rezzing envelopes in spectacular fashion. I needed the prims so I thought rather than deleting the tree I'd give out a landmark at the WA. When I got there I made the mistake of asking aloud if anyone was interested, to which I recieved plenty verbal abuse from the AVs there. Not one was a newbie! All of them several months old, and all emanating such negativity I was amazed. Torley, sadly you are correct in your observation.

Not to sound like an echo Torely, but I too agree.

Of course it's been a lot more quiet since I muted a few members of S.H.O.

We are all real people here, game or not, and it astounds me everyday to see people purposely do what they know (or should know) will offend, anger, or generally go against TOS in the welcome area. Not just on accident or thoughtlessness... but aggressively going out of ones way to hurt someone.

I've always see the WA as the "generation gap filler" where the older meet the youngest.

Lately in the WA I've been insulted openly, had comments directed at me addressed to nearby people and frankly... heard "banana-phone" enough to turn off sound forever.

I don't mind the WA being used to "show off". But "showing off" does not have to be disruptive. I have seen AVI's that made my jaw drop or made me laugh out loud and hope that type of behavior never stops.

In the past when I've been insulted I may do something defensive verbally, but would never retaliate, report, nor neg rate ( I did neg rate one person.. but ya had to be there to understand). Besides, too much other fun stuff to do. However, the mood in the WA is changing fast. I hope this is a fad, not a trend.

I never asked for ratings in return

If people asked me if they should rate me I said NO

I am sick and tired of you all accusing me of rating newbies for the ratings. I did not.

I rated them so they would have a good memory of our world that I cared so much about

I don't think it's just the WA that has this feeling. Most days all of SL feels this way to me.

Consider this Camille... and boy I hope I'm wrong. What if the "WA feeling" (where so many new people are getting examples set) is the REASON it's spreading all over.

The only solution is more weirdness!!!

*Flips giant switch

*spotlight shines a giant onion onto the clouds calling for help