So, How's SL Since Changes Were Made and How's Your Business?

Hello there. Just checking in to see how your SL life is and your business since changes were made with Bonuses.

and VOILA!!

As if it were magic!

*waves to flakey*

I have absolutely no idea how to answer this without a predetermined set of answer choices.

Well, I selected Poll; but obviously it didn't go to the polling question page, it just posted hehe. I've been away so long, maybe I forgot how to post a Poll lol.

everything's pretty much exactly the same for me except meeting people is nicer without the awkward obligation of returning their automatic ratings. they don't rate me and i don't rate them and everybody's happy.

haven't noticed much difference in money. my total goes up every week just like it did before.

I would be curious to know what the active population is compared to before. Maybe a Linden could provide us with some stats?

Well this place filled up fast.

So, how you doing?

My business has been steady.

what business? SECOND LIFE IS DEAD! LINDEN POLICY HAS KILLED IT



er.

not so much.

You need to give a poll with the following choices to fit your thread theme...

( ) Awful
( ) Really Awful
( ) I'm leaving SL because it's so bad
( ) It's so bad I can't comment.
( ) Other, please explain how bad it is...

The changes sure change a man... I used to be black!

My naughty grrrl alt's business is same as ever, and I anticipate this will grow as a gradual population shift occurs (not going into detail here coz my theory is based on conjecture in the absence of accessible statistics including players genders). On the other hand, the events business has slowed a bit. Generally speaking, fewer people are attending events and it takes significantly greater effort to get the fewer numbers to show. This is consistent with the reports of other events hosts, though, so I am not taking it personally. I think that the absence of substantial prizes and the accompanying festivity of giving those away, in combination with folks being asked to pay for a small cover when they never had to before, is thrusting us into a new era of SL Cocooning. I talk about this at greater length in the events thread. ty for asking Blake! ~ Perse

gosh people are still beating on this dead horse? when sl went to 1.2 there was doom and gloom screamers all over the place. the vast majority of people just went on or left as their lives dictated. thats all that is happening. everybody chooses their own path to pleasure in sl, and if that path is no longer available, either change or leave. its supposed to be entertainment.

if a person is not finding their fun in sl, then of course they should move on. i have said this before, if your crowd was only a crowd cuz they wanted a money ball spitting out lindens, then u never had much of a crowd.

so sayeth:

marilyn

Actually, Marilyn, I am blessed to have a number of nice folks who drop by to hang out, so I do still have a crowd and I never had a moneyball (hates the things). But, it is superexciting to be able to give out a substantial prize for someone who proves him or herself as a top scener, or poet, for example. It created a level of festivity, which in turn helps people to remember their experiences fondly and more vividly. I think that people misinterpret as complaining or beating a dead horse an interest in the effects of particular changes in the landscape. Blake didn't complain, he asked. I didn't complain, I merely answered. I love my second life, after all. And my numerous posts and questions and solution searching were never about beating anyone's horse, dead or living. They were about the very thing you talk about: changing. Change is the only thing we can be sure of, so I have done it, but haven't hit on a good solution yet except for offering an events selection of truth or dare and nothing but truth or dare. Otherwise, events have to be subsidized or paid for through gambling (hates gambling as much as she hates moneyballs). But that's ok, i just do fewer events is all. Again, if we aren't to ever talk about our true experience, how can we tell if things are working? Are we to glue on perpetual happyfaces? Should we limit the icons below to indicate only the happyface reactions to ideas or trends? It is in fact my love of second life that makes me want to see it succeed as entertainment with a variety of fun things to do other than casinos and moneyballs. I would love to chat about this more in world if you ever want to meet Avie to Avie. ~ warm wishes, Perse.

hey, u bet persephone, i would like that too. always nice to meet new people. i wasnt responding to u so much as this thread in general, btw. as u can see by the number of times i have posted in over a year here that i am not big on the forums. i do browse them tho. the continued posting on the topic of how this change in the economy is affecting everyone got me tired is all. this same subject can be seen in numerous threads if someone wants to page back.
the change affects everybody differently because everybody is different. for many it meant no change at all. the same voices singing the same song made my eyes glaze over is all.
so look me up or i will look u up, would like that.


so sayeth:

marilyn

Since the changes went into effect...

My Business died

I have no business in SL.

Actually as one of the people who totally freaked out about the changes, I must admit that our club is doing better than ever! I used to get the 1500L bonus every week and that has dropped a lot, however donations of $L and quality products has helped us thrive thanks to our loyal supporters. Yes, I use a good chunk of my own money also, but I have curbed my personal shopping quite a bit to keep the club rolling, because I certainly have plenty of stuff.
When we do run events, which is 3 to 4 nights a week, a good portion of the crowd stays long after the actual event is over because we are having such a good time. However on occasion I do throw in bonuses here and there
We don't have any paid employees, the owners and DJ's do all the work themselves just for the fun of it. We have a couple of dancers that even knowing they won't get paid, aside from tips, WANT to be there and be a part of it.
I think part of our magic is that we don't run events constantly so when we do (usually Sun, Tues and Thurs) its almost more "special". We usually come within 10 to 4 slots of making Popular Places after an event and that is just fabulous to me. Would I love to make that list just once? Of course!! But I made a firm decision not to sacrifice my off-nights and jeopardize that "magic" by running events for days on-end. (This is NOT a knock on those who do...if you can afford to employ the help and not get burnt-out, more power to you and you DESERVE those top slots!!)
In summary, yeah things get a little tight sometimes, but I will be the first one to admit that I freaked out for no reason and I have realized that in the end most people choose your place because of the atmosphere, friendships and fun more than for the chance to win money and prizes

Very cool Queenie. That's really good to hear

No you don't. So get out and STAY out. pfft.

If we used the same paradigm for evaluating event-based businesses (such as clubs) as we use for evaluating sales-based businesses, would this mean success? The venture costs her money, and the employees are unpaid. The venture is not a capitalistic success. It may, however, be a success in terms of making Queenie and her friends entertained. Certainly it is a success for SL as it gives their users something to do in world, making for more satisfied customers and longer-playing customers (social groups make one more achored to any community). But if, say, a jewelry store was asked to pay customers more than they paid it, and if none of the people who worked there were paid, but instead supported it with unpaid time and maybe even out of pocket $, would it be considered a success? I have nothing bad to say about builders and scripters. Those folks do great work, and deserve to be paid for the content they provide. I happen to believe that club owners and events hosts do as well. Thanks for the great work you do, Queenie. I have been to a couple of your contests and had fun (though in a different avie). It cheered me up tremendously, one night, when I reeeeeely needed cheering up. Thanks to you and to the DJs and other great events hosts on your team. ~ Perse

My business is pretty steady.

Mines doing about 200% better.. But I made some new items and put alot of work in

So I haven't been able to tell if there have been any adverse effects from the changes.. I didn't notice any in the week or so before I put the work in..

I'm in a similar boat as Queenie. Since the changes that began in January, I've really only noticed minor reprocussions. I think one common denominator between Queenie & I is that we're not in this for the money, and there have been many generous folks who have donated to help us out. I too, have little need to go shopping or buy anything - just about anything I need I create myself if I can, or have friends that graciously help out.

All of our "employees" (they're really volunteers) at the Shelter are unpaid as well, other than me reimbursing a host who throws their own money out for something. Any income we've made has always been turned back around into either the club, or the crowd, and I wouldn't have it any other way. And for the times when we dive into the negative, I happily use my own money to keep us on track.

The Shelter *is* my game experience for me, and I enjoy every bit of it. All the hours I spend in SL maintaining the Shelter are a labor of love. The friends I've made are amazing, and the opportunity to help others and the satisfaction I get out of it is like nothing else.

Is the Shelter a capitalistic success? Hell no. But that's not my metric

So, to answer the original thread - Yes... things have changed... but nothing so significant as to hinder my game enjoyment, or the "success" of the Shelter. I'd like to think I'm flexible enough to work under any model LL decides to throw at me

Travis