My 1 year review of SL.

I am bored at work and have been reflecting on the last year I spent in SecondLife. I do not have an exciting story but I will start at the beginning anyways for anyone that may be interested.

This time last year, the couple weeks before Christmas, I was trying to get banned from TSO. The game had grown very dull and the lack of individuality was really killing my desire to be part of that failed community. I was sick of seeing hundreds of other AV's that looked just like mine.

Finally, on Christmas Eve, late at night while my children fell asleep in anticipation of Santa's visit, I decided to download SL and give it a shot. I had just got through reading an article about the complex economy. Well when I first logged on to this new world, I was frozen still. Once I got past the orientation island, I could not move, just stood there in the welcome area typing. No one seemed to be eager to help me figure out the problem. I was able to type and talk to others, everyone seemed to think it was a system problem of mine. At that point I had decided it was a poorly developed game and I had no time for such a headache. The holidays came and went and I still existed in my boring TSO life.

I week later I was very annoyed to look at my bank activity to find out I had been charged $80 from some company called Linden Labs. I was so mad I called my bank to reverse the charge but they insisted I call the company for a refund first. That night I logged on to SecondLife to let everyone in the welcome area know that SecondLife was a scam and I was wrongfully billed (later I found out I checked the wrong box for billing options).

It was then that someone took the time to ask me a few questions and showed me where to find the system settings. I am embarrassed I can’t remember who it was, I am thinking maybe Ana Lilly and a friend though. (If I am wrong please forgive me, I have killed many brain cells since last year). ANYWAYS. they were very helpful and even gave me a tour of SecondLife. I was immediately impressed with many of the users creations and was very eager to start creating my own identity.

One thing I was not happy with was everyone looked like a model. So I made it a point to try and separate myself and make an avatar that was much less than perfect. Eventually I evolved in to the short little man I am in world today. I still vary from time to time but some thing in me likes always being the little guy in a crowd of giant picture perfect faces.

I spent nearly 8 months playing with scripts, textures, builds, and the other great toys that separate SL from other worlds. I was eager to find my niche, but the knowledge I gained in playing around in all areas is something I am finding to be invaluable to this day. I guess you can say I am the "jack of all trades, master of none." That is until animations were introduced. I had a little experience with Poser and was very excited to be able to give my avatar its own attitude with body motions. That was the beginning of Mr. P's. I was having so much fun with making animations and poses but I still think of myself as learning, so I decided to set all my animations for sale for just $10. Seeing so many people using my animations as I travel the world has been more rewarding than the small amount of money I may have missed out on by not selling them for more.

Still I felt the feeling of getting bored after 9-10 months. I rarely signed on for a couple months, only to check my store sales and upload any animations I may have created. I was very close to canceling my account and just letting the year expire. My problem was I did not go out often. I normally spent my time absorbing new knowledge and seeing what new tricks I could teach myself. It was not until recently that I attended my first event. I have also grown addicted to Fairplays Poker Tables in the last few weeks. I recently just reminded myself, there are many interesting people in world and I was missing out on so much stuff by getting out and meeting new people. Yeah, I have a few friends from SL and also brought a good RL friend to SL, but besides those few, I never felt motivated or the desire to get to know many new people. Occasionally I would pop in the welcome area to get some cheap ratings or show off an avatar I made, that was it though.

Well that’s my boring story for now. I have decided to exist in SL another year, mainly because I do not believe there is any other virtual-world in existence that will allow me the individualality and creative outlet that I have found here in SL. I plan on getting out more this next year and maybe I'll get to know some of you more. I hope to make my mark in this growing world and be a good contributor to the success and growth of the second home I have come to love.

If you actually read this whole thing, thank you.

Excellent post Mr P! I enjoyed reading it !

*wipes away tear*

Touching TSO Refugee Story!

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!

Beau, thanks for sharing!

I started a year ago tomorrow, and have gone through similar periods of boredom, especially after my business partners left and my dreams of my business were put on hold. I would just log in occasionally, build something or check something, then leave.

I'm glad you're rediscovering the world.

very nice read, thank you for posting.

Good post man. I understand about the everyone's-a-model thing... I personally just went with what I liked. I have a rather average SL face (RL average, not SL average), and a scraggly quasi-mullet. Just so you know we're not ALL perfect ;P

Me too.

I just want to make it clear...I AM still a grumpy little bastard. I WOULDNT want any of you to think any different

Nicely written, Beau! It's always interesting to hear about other people's initial SL experiences -- everyone has some funny stories ('cept maybe me, actually ). Oh, and early Happy SL Birthday!

Thanks for the fascinating report. We'd love to hear similar reports from others.

Well this is my first post on any of the SL forums. I came over from There. My husband and I have both been in SL for about 2 weeks and it's tons of fun....we love it. There's something for everyone. And I'm sure we'll be going strong in another year.

Hey Beau, nice post.

Great Post Beau, Not saying that to be a kiss arse either because your story almost parallels my own. 2years ago I got fed up with TSO just after it went LIVE. I came to Second Life and back then there was only a 4hr window to get in world. It was also closed Beta. There was no real welcome area you just rezed in world as RUTH. I instantly fell in love with the world and it was almost a week before I met anyone.

Jan 13 marks 2years in Second Life for me, I think in 730days I have not been in world maybe 9 of those days. This Thursday December 23- December 30 will be my first Real Vacation from Second Life. So, Im glad you stuck around Beau and glad your enjoying it as I still do.

Shadow

Great story!

Thanks for sharing

Nice post

I started at around the same time - early/mid december last year. It's an entirely different world to what it was then, but so far it's been great stuff. Here's to the future.

Great story Beau.
Good luck in SL and hope to see you around someday. I am definitely checking Mr. P's.