Changes to Event Support

Just a note to let you know an announcement about changes to the events support policy has been posted here.

Changes to Events Support

When we began the beta version of Second Life (Fall 2002) we really wanted there to be lots of fun things to do. We also hoped that there would be classes and demonstrations for newbies to learn all the complexities of the SL tools.

In order to make holding events more feasible, and more attractive, we put several incentives in place. In-world announcements, subsidized prize money, support payments, map locators and directories on the website and in-world, have all contributed to supporting a plethora of events -- dances, parties, games, contests, and classes -- each week in SL. Some of the events are extremely creative, and some are less so. It's clear though, that the events culture in Second Life is thriving!

Given this, we've decided to eliminate the Linden-funded financial incentives for holding events. With the exception of educational classes for the benefit of newbies (mentor and instructor-led events), we'll stop support payments at the end of this week (16 January). There won't be any change to dwell payments.

I'll be in-world each day for the rest of the week. If you want to talk about the effect of this change on you, and brainstorm ideas for how to fund your events, please feel free to join me. Just check the events calendar.

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With the exception of educational classes for the benefit of newbies (mentor and instructor-led events), we'll stop support payments at the end of this week (16 January).
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So only mentors will get any money? And only certain people are accepted as mentors?

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If you want to talk about the effect of this change on you, and brainstorm ideas for how to fund your events, please feel free to join me
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Ha ha ha. Apart from charging people (who will have no money because of the other changes) what options are there?

Robin, as I understand it, Andrew Linden said this will take effect Wednesday. How will this discussion be constructive if it won't be able to affect the patch?

/clap cheer backflip

it's about damn time.

be the host be the host be the host

This is truley the worst thing LL can ever do IMO.

Good Work Lindens.. This is just what SL needed...

Funny, I thought "just what SL needed" was lag and bug fixes?

Moonshine Herbst made a hilarious observation that we would soon be seeing stripper schools and escort classes. If instructor led, would this skill based training qualify for funding?

For the record, I won't be giving out any prizes in any future Impromptu Races I run. Since the races need several empty sims to run, I can't use dwell to cover the prize money, and with the end of event support, the Lindens won't cover it.

... passing out the Vaseline ...

SOooooooo translated into english what you mean is this.....................

Dear all........We at Linden Labs have decided that all those who pour lots and lots of your real life $'s into second life and convert them into $L will still be able to monopolise everything so dont worry

as for the rest of you who are only playing a game.......tough s**t.

What planet do you people at LL live on? There are clubs in this game that pay over 100 'dancers' to up their dwell what difference do you think this scabby announcement will make to them? - NONE.

To the rest of us that rely on in game support however it means goodbye club - goodbye Second Life.WE dont have the real life money to pour into your game but we were surviving very nicely thank you very much on the $250 per event you paid.

No ifs - no buts - this goes ahead and we're gone.

Alby, YDM!

Event abuse has been rampant for a long time. I for one am totally with this change.

AMEN TO THAT SISTER!

I liked hosting a 10-15 prim building event and some quizzes now and then... And of course, awarding the best with some prize money.

So much for that, I'm not that rich to just give away my money and work for free

I think only the rich will be able to hold events with awards now

(Eg. with quizzes I WAS kinda working for free, like 20-40 minutes to prepare one, and even building events take a longer time to host, but that part is okay with me, I'm not really doing events for money.)

This just brings things more inline with SL not being a game, which is fine by me. In real life you pay to go to events, why should it be any different in SL? You know it may even raise the level of events, as hosts will have to put more effort into creating unique, entertaining events that attract people willing to pay. If anything this turns running events into a proper profession in SL, where hosts have to actually think about what they're offering. I look forward to seeing a much better quality of event because of this.

The next step is removing dwell. It's a false payment and it's not needed if events or attractions are charged for. Sure collate the numbers for top places list, but don't pay anything out on it. Make event hosts charge, the quality will end up going up and those that run the really popular, entertaining events, will benefit a lot. Dwell is worth so little anyway (unless you're the top 3-4 daily).

I can't wait to see how the events list changes because of this, because at the moment it's the biggest mess of "none events" going.

Your i the minority then. Mess with the money your going to piss ppl off.

Don't be unhappy. I have just expand Chung Support for events. So if you enjoy holding events for people to enjoy you can still earn nice money, up to 1000 L$ per event.

You can find details here

I even support some types of events that Linden Lab has not been supporting even before the changes

It's a cool way to help, Anshe.

I'm not sure it is the minority, certainly if we take the basis of any evidence for a decision either way on the reaction on the forum. It seems that there's a faily even number on either side and many in the middle that don't really care either way.

But even if my view is with the minority, it's still my view, as your view is yours.

One thing Moopf does bring up that's a good point - we have a system to charge admission to events that NOBODY uses.

But, encouraging to charge admission and reducing stipends in the same patch is counter-intuitive.

This is exactly what needs to happen, Anshe. The community needs to create it's own support mechanisms. Handouts from LL can't work long term, it's up to the community to mould it's own direction.

okies..I am not an SL veteran by any means so this is coming from just what I have seen in-world over the past 4 months...

On one hand I agree with the event change. Something had to be done to stem the number of copy cat events that showed no sign of letting up. How may "sexy avi" event s can you possibly have at the same place day after day???

The other part of this though is that it kills things like trivia, races and such. I was going to start holding a weekly trivia event at my place, now there is no way I can support it unless I a) charge a fee for entry b) offer something other than L$ for the prizes or c) win a lottery to afford the cash prizes. Offering something other than cash prizes might be a nice laternative once I improve my building and Avi skills but at the moment that's not good enough.

I haven't seen the ratings change info as I write this, but if what I have read is correct and the fee for a rate is going to 25 L$ then I guess I rate like a bandit 'til 06:00 Wenesday and then I am simply going to have to stop entirely as it is not going to be worth it. To pay that kind of cash to rate someone and not get any real benefit in the stipend is going to simply make the rating system go away very quickly.

This change is really only beneficial to the talented people out there that can make stuff that we buy. The problem is going to be that we aren't going to be buying anything.

WTG Lindens.

If this means the death of the free money ball racket I'm not going to shed any tears.

I this means the death of lag inducing clubs full of rating whores I'm not too sad about that. I never rated anyone simply because they rated me. I will continue to rate people who I think deserve it. Or I might give them L$25 instead!

But I dread to think of the consequences of player lead money lending to events. A few years back I had a dream that I looked up at the lovely night sky only to see a huge "Coke" advertisement had been built in space to orbit the earth. Now it will happen in SL. Simply replace the words Coke with whoever you like.

Hey, I DO!!! PAY! Around 25 USD/month, for SL and all it contains (events).
Isn't that enough?

BTW, with this thing, I think I get LESS for my 25 USD/month! Because till today, I payed, though indirectly (through LL) for events I attended. That was 'included' in the monthly premium account.