When did SL stop being fun

Was it when I realized that relationships built on SL were so fleeting.. people no longer logging on? (and not because of disagreements)
Was it when all the fun little competitions disappeared? The ones that drove me to discover new talents and skills?
Was it when my Second Life became my first life?
or, Was it when I had to start working to create a life instead of playing to explore?

I miss the friends that disappear without notice and the fun involved in the lost skills competitons that even newbies can find success in. I wish I was the type of person who could create them, but I am not.

If you're not an alt you got very jaded very quickly

But yeah. I feel the same in a lot of ways - especially your first point... just taken me a year longer to get that way!

I'll be here until the sandbox sims disappear, but I understand your point of view. I think also, it is important to make new friends, because that can really influence your experience for the better in SL. It has for me, at least.

Its easy to think of the 'old days' and all, god knows I've done it, but you can't let it trap you in some unsatisfied frame of mind. There are good things out there, you just have to stumble across them by exploring.

Well yeah I'd say you got jaded very quickly if you're not posting under an alt lol. I can totally agree on some points though. I've lost a few very dear friends, well not lost but I never see or talk to them much. When SL became their job or they closed themselves off alot of us got left behind. I guess it really depends on the kind of person you are when it comes to your relationships lasting. I try my best to keep in touch with all of my friends no matter how much work I have to do or what's going on. I do this because friendships are important to me and I know it would hurt some of them at least if I left them in the dust. Their absence would weigh heavily on me. Some people are able to just shut themselves off to one or two people, work, and not make an effort to keep old ties. You can't really take it personally but I know it stings just the same.

You have to find new things about Second Life that keep you going. Maxx is right about making new friends. I continue to meet really wonderful and creative people and find new inspirations. We all get burnt out, I did for a month or so and I took a break to do other things. Somehow we always come back .

I understand completely.

about a year from now?

I too have felt that way. My best remedies to SL burnout, and fleeting, yet heartfelt relationships, is to explore new places, and make new friends. I build as well, because it is still enjoyable to a degree.

But new people are what keep me going, and new sights to see. I just went out to Nowall again and everything had changed it it was wonderful! I also just fly off in a random direction, and see what I find.

But alot of folks do make SL thier business, and alot of folks don't take SL relationships very seriously, right or wrong, and alot of SL does get old after a time (events particularly). Unless you have a goal, I believe your best hope is to treasure the friends you have that are still around, make as many new friends as you can, and explore as often as possible. Things change constantly and quickly in SL, and sometimes it's easy to get lost or fade away.

I find it helps to step away from SL for a while and then come back to it.
Also not reading anything on the forums helps too.

it stopped being fun when they took away our money...

Hrmm. I guess I was getting a bit disenchanted about SL around October when *PREEN* got hit by the privs bug and half of my inventory became public domain. I was fustrated because I lost my hard work over a Linden bug (as did many others) but the Lindens pretty much ignored the issue. In fact the Linden that investigated my case cracked jokes! During that time I found myself playing SL less and less until finally I just logged in to answer *PREEN* customer support IMs.

Then an in-game friend said some encouraging words that motivated me to come back. I did my best to raise hell with the Lindens over the issue (some may remember my prolonged threads). I finally got some face to face time with Philip himself and the issue was resolved to my satisfaction. More importantly, a precedence for stealing content was set in favor of content creators.

Moral of the story, in SL as in RL...Life it's what you make it. Rather than pine for the good old days, why not work on creating some good new days? Do you remember that perfect group of friends you use to really click with? Well why not try to round up new friends that will click even better than you ever expected? Maybe you can tell your old friends to get their butts back in the game (like my friend did to me). The only thing more contagious than pessimism is enthusiasm.

I am not trying to blast sunshine up your butt here. Just telling you what has worked for me.

December 22, 2003

Excellent!

Yeah, SL has it's ups and downs. Mine is currently recouping from a major downer...

Interesting. Certainly that's the last time it was really a game seperate from RL.

true it was more separate from RL then, but for most of us, owning land and being able to actually build on it was just a pipe dream with server resources being gobbled up by a select few.

Well, I'm a brand-new player so it hasn't stopped being fun for me!

I understand what you mean about fleeting relationships, though, and I think this happens in any game (particularly the reality-based ones). And yes, finding new people always worked for me, but only to a point - sometimes it helps more just to find a new game, if you've been playing the old one so long. (Speaking from my own experience.)

As far as the contests, though, I'm not sure what you are talking about, because as a new player, I've found plenty! I played Trivia, Bingo, costume contest, and dance party where people won cash. That was all last night!

coco

A few months ago when it was just the same thing over and over again and no one would talk with me.

I still play though, so I guess the "not fun" part doesn't really matter...

*shrugs*

Darnit, did SL become no fun again? I know I don't get out much, but just once could someone IM me with a heads-up? This has got to be about the 10th time SL has become no fun since I started, and I'm always the last to know.



But seriously, when I get bored with what I've been doing in SL I just focus on other things for a while. I mean, even if I completely quit wasting time on SL, am I ever going to finish all the commentary tracks on the Lord of the Rings DVDs?

Very good advice David!

Yeah, I'm in another stretch where SL seems "no fun" and it's simply because I don't find people to play with. If I sign on and no one seems to be around or they're too busy, SL is no fun. If I manage to get together with some friends, old or new, then it is fun again.

Probably when there's nothing left for me to do.

I don't see this happening any time soon. n.n

When Greed and Lack of Original Ideas and Thoughts became common place.

Its kinda like watching TV and noticing that you just watched the same show for the fourth time that day.

When SL became a Second Job..and you notice you are working the entire time your online....its time to take a break or you will burn out.

Not saying everyone mind you but you'll notice that less and less people that are over a yr old are still around anymore or on even close to as much as they once were.

have you tried the sex balls?

To those of you who asked, yes, this was under an alt name.... not on purpose tho... it is just the name that I signed in under and wasn't paying attention.

It has been a tough week... after a series of SL expectations unfulfilled and being a part of a group that disbanded.

I laughed at the sex ball suggestion.... That isn't me but I figure it must have some fun involved or you wouldn't have mentioned it.

I realized yesterday as I finally took a break from my projects that part of my sadness came from trying too hard to make things come about (and not seeing their realization) rather than exploring. The competitons/games that I used to go to were natural places to meet and greet and help. I love Tringo and find it very relaxing... but it involves concentration (for me at least) and not the usual discussion that leads to a new connection.
I have been trying to do to much.

I appreciate the responses to my post. You made some really nice points. Maybe I won't get the same feel from SL as I had but there is still a lot to do.

Thanks for the responses. I am in the calm after the storm and ready for some rebirth.
lol

Still loads of fun for me. Maybe you are looking in the wrong places.

DNA

I know what you mean.... those feelings recently became almost overwhelming to me, as well, after I lost someone I thought was a dear SL friend, but who apparently just decided he didn't want me as a friend any longer. I have over-reacted, I guess, in that I've cut myself off from getting close to anyone new.... have just a few good friends, all female (why is it that females make the best friends in most cases?). But I realize that's just a personal problem and will eventually pass if I just hang in there.

Don't give up on SL. I know I don't plan to. My skills are limited, but right now I'm trying to improve them and focus on building things rather than cultivate new relationships. It does make you feel better when you learn something new or create something that turns out well.

i understand perfectly. my entire cirlce of friends from when i first came on are gone. it was the friendships that kept me going. when my best friend finally had to give up because of work i think thats when i realized its not so much fun anymore.... i wont cancel but im downgrading to basic for a couple of months.

jacobi