OK, I'm Pissed Off (and not about the economy)

I pulled this quote from another thread because it illustrates an attitude that has me hopping mad.



Is anyone else in SL who has taken the time to master the skills required to do graphic design, script, animate, or build (and don't forget buying 3rd party software like Photoshop or Poser) more than a bit tired of being styled as some $L-obsessed oligarch grinding the poor & downtrodden under our steel-toed boots?

The market tends to set prices for goods and services in SL. If something isn't selling, then the price usually comes down. Doh!!

This is not RL where you are forced to buy food, clothing, and shelter to survive. There is nothing in this game you MUST have. You don't even HAVE to have land. Maybe some of folks need to get a firm grip on the difference between NEED and WANT.

The sheer balls of thinking that you are entitled to my hard work because you WANT it.

Surreal

Surreal -

I said some of the same things (albeit a bit more calmly) in these economics threads earlier tonight. I'd quote them here, but I've made 20+ posts and my wrists are already hurting.

Take care,

--Noel "HB" Wade
(Tread Whiplash)

Hell, I'm beginning to think that even if I offer my stuff for 1L it still won't sell.

I hope Ferran doesn't eat all the cookies or drink last of rum tonight!! And you're right Surreal, none are forced to buy anything

heheh I've been told by many many people that I undercharge for everything -- so I guess after this shake up I'll be more in tune with the world overview.

(this means - no, I'm not changing my prices).

Siggy.

Congrats are in order. The Lindens just created "bourgeoise class warfare" in Second Life. And SL is more RL because of it.

Reduce prices or die, simple as that.

Crazy-talk! Remember folks, BASE STIPEND isn't changing! Its just the bonuses from ratings and such that are getting chopped down, as well as event payouts.

People should still be able to afford items at a reasonable price - but "reasonable" will probably end up a bit lower than before, that's all!

Take care,

--Noel "HB" Wade
(Tread Whiplash)

dude, where's the sex balls?

Dude, you're not entitled to them. But I'll drop the price a little.

I have experienced the same thing several times. Where I have spent a large amount of time building some thing. And then it doesn't even sell. After comparing how many of my free good have been given out from my place, and how many of my free good have been given out on sl exchange. I truly believe advertising, is almost more valuable the quality of good.

WHen I do want some thing it ushally costs anuff that I then can't afford to buy any thing else. Perhaps this has caused the populas to become penny pinchers.

Pete - I told you not to grab my balls in public!
hahaha

Well Catherine - everyone said 'pump up your prices or die' all last year - Instead I just charged what I thought was reasonable - and give me a lil lindendollars to play with..

And flourished.

If everyone cut their prices by 80% I'd still be cheap by comparison... so nope.. I'll wait to die

Siggy.

What utter bullshit.

Creative, productive people who make cool stuff that other people want to buy, and who price it at a price people can afford will sell.

Creative, productive people who make cool stuff for themselves, or barter services with their friends will have cool stuff. (hey can i trade some clothes for some scripting?)

People without skills or time will either spend what they have stipend wise, or they will buy $L on the IGE/GOM. This is called living within your means - SL/RL.

Personally I'm hoping we will see a resurgance of creativity since that will be more rewarded now... than merely having a virtual pulse and being able to lick a money ball.

Surreal

Yes! Thankyou.

(people just don't appreciate how much work it is to wrestle the peasants into the grinder and form them into patties!)

~Lag induced double post removed~

I'm really quite glad now that I didn't listen to everyone who told me I should at least double my prices. I hate repricing.

While I understood their reasoning.. that people equate expense with quality or desirability, (or in some cases downright elitism, "I can afford this $1000 outfit but a newb couldn't, fa fa fa.." it wasn't a mindset I allowed to become my own. I always found it amusing that while my stuff sells pretty well, it probably would have sold better if it was more expensive.

If the recent changes in the economy bring about the sort of reaction everyone seems to be predicting, I welcome it. People like Ferran and Surreal, who put a lot of time and effort and creativity into their products, will be the cream that rises to the top.

Bartering would be nice, and foster the idea that goods have an intrinsic value of their own - but I'm betting we'll need a secure trade interface before that happens.

And c'mon - LICKING money-balls? As if you actually had to put that much effort into winning money, before now!

Take care,

--Noel "HB" Wade
(Tread Whiplash)

Uh... yeah.. BUT... consider this. The BASE stipend for Basic members is $50L per week, right?

Is Cubey/anyone going to drop the price of his latest and greatest vehicle/creation that cost him/her/whoever to a point where a newb doesn't have to save for more than one week to buy it? I suggest a week at best because of the "I want it NOW" mentality that virtuality creates (if you don't believe in it, why are you here reading this now?). If it can't be bought within two weeks - for less than two weeks stipend, then I believe most basic account residents will pass...assuming they have no other income, and most won't.

What happens next is that the incentive for truly complex and creative endeavors for profit will dry up... why? Little return for investment in time. LL already trotted out a "seed money" idea and then withdrew it with little warning. They drop this bomb on us with practically no warning. They don't seem to make a high priority (despite the rhetoric to the contrary) of fixing long-standing bugs. Why should anyone, especially someone trying to work on the "Cutting edge" of LSL, texturing, whatever within SL - why should anyone invest time and effort only to see it go unrewarded - especially if what they work for is financial reward -- as promoted in SL advertisements?

I repeat.... Basic stipends without supplements, at least at the current Basic stipend level, will cause people to hole up, hold/attend fewer events, create/buy fewer things and eventually will cripple SL's economy and its social structure/culture...... later if not sooner.

Korg -

I've responded to all of the points you brought up in other Threads tonight...

But I want to repeat something I've said many times in the last few hours:

The users (including myself) who are on a Basic Account with a L$50 Stipend are not, can not, and SHOULD NOT be LL's focus!

Those of us on Basic Accounts are here getting what amounts to a "free ride", thanks to the money being put in by other paying customers. We're here to increase the user-base and provide an "entry path" for paying customers. For LL to remain a functioning business (thus letting us continue to play SL), they have to make money. That means charging money to cover their expenses. THAT means providing benefits and incentives to be a paying customer, to encourage people to do pay for accounts. If I can be on a "Basic" account and make L$1000/week simply by rating people - what incentive do I have (other than Land) to upgrade? Not everyone is interested in land; and there are also Rentals available. No, the economy must be regulated to ensure that paying users are getting more benefits than the "free users". But again, items in SL are all "luxuries" - none are needed for survival. Its not "taking money away" from us, its simply forcing us to be more choosy about what we spend, and spending our money a bit more slowly.

Second point (which I cover more thoroughly in other threads):
SL is about new and creative experiences, isn't it? Its not JUST about collecting the latest and greatest clothing. Some people, given the economics of the last few months, have been lulled into this behavior - and these changes are something of a rude awakening IMHO. I'm not saying everyone should be forced into crafting or anything like that... But SL is what you make of it. This idea that we should all be getting money for nothing is ludicrous. No other online game or real-world place gives you money simply for showing up, week after week. This is a false psychology that people have gotten into; and while its nice, I think it needs to be changed - for the long-term health of the system.

Take care,

--Noel "HB" Wade
(Tread Whiplash)

It cost over 300 US dollars for Poser and over 100 for photoshop etc. Many people come to Second life because they cannot walk in the real world like me.

To me, Second Life is real. I am free to be what I want to be. I can walk I can fly. IN the Real World, I have to take medicine just to keep my heart from exploding. And a back that everyday blows another disk... At least in Second Life, I don't feel pain. I don't suffer like I do in the real world.

The changes that Linden Labs will make at the request of the Vocal Minority will hurt many of us who do not have paypal, and depend upon bonuses to have a good living in Second Life. I do not have more than 5,000 lindens and usually average less. All this change will do for me is cause me to have to pay more for what I do. I have a business but if it were in the real world, It would already be bankrupt.

Seeing as it was my statement that started this I just want to say I was just asking a question and if you read the entire thread I started it is more about general ways this will or wont effect us and how people are going to handle these changes as a business runner and as a consumer. My statement was to highlight extremes of a coin one side being we all change adapt to keep things running smoothly and skip away holding hands into a sunset with butterflies and rainbows in our footsteps while the other a capitalistic F the little guy gimme my money attitude. Sorry if it upset you or anyone else. I was on a fact and opinion gathering mission to get a better idea how people planned to change to the situation. I stated questions that I myself didnt necessarily have and in a manor I felt both sides of this situation could relate to and address in a postive manor so if I had the opposite effect on anyone that read then forgive me.

You can get Poser Artist (Poser 4) for around $100 and Paint Shop Pro for around the same price you indicated. The bar for entry to be a creator here is a little high, that is for sure.

For every Wilde Cunningham that gets attention and community support, I am sure there are dozens of people who really NEED SL and are going to be hit by this pretty hard.

I blew a disc and can't walk so well. I can work now, but I come home in pain and exhausted. I use SL as distraction therapy. The pain is a lot less when I am flying! While I don't have any money issues, I would definately suffer for not being able to enjoy my SL to it's fullest.

Further on the back pain front, please check out the sciatica link in my sig. Your experience would be appreciated there.

I also added your blog to my personal blog, Use the Pain. You have a great site!

Thank you for your kind remarks.

I have done so many different back treatments none of them worked. I will look at yours and see if I have or have not done that treatment.

Thanks

Not to deny you your arguments - but I must make a small point:

It costs nothing to work with Prims. Between YadNi's Junkyard, TLC, and other places - you can get 300+ textures for free.

It also costs nothing to work with Scripts.

PaintShop Pro allows you to try the software for 60 days for FREE.

The cost and complexity to get involved in creating things with SecondLife are lower/easier than just about ANY other online game out there.

You ONLY have to pay if you are going to be a hardcore clothing or animation creator.

Take care,

--Noel "HB" Wade
(Tread Whiplash)