Divided Welcome Area, Soapbox Regions, and the Linden Zerg Button

After force-feeding myself a jolt of social behavior by getting locked out of my own new plot by a rather large event (simlock) and reading the posts here concerning thoughts on getting more people to events, I realized that there are several social atmospheres in Second Life that could potentially use a revamp as Second Life grows, because they potentially face this problem.

First off, we have the rant wars on Ahern that seem to be the flavor of the week. If it's so bad as that, perhaps it's time to develop alternatives!

... just kidding. Actually, my first point has very little to do with those cries of bloody murder.

Rather, as Second Life grows, the Welcome Area's role as public chatroom and newbie help comes into question. With the advent of the Greeter program, at least, the latter is mitigated somewhat. However, it is undeniable that the Welcome Area exists in many ways as a social gathering.

As such, enter a technical problem: What if the Welcome Area becomes so congested with avatars that actual newbies are punted out? I haven't been to the Welcome Area in... well, a while - but as Second Life grows, is it not a forseeable conclusion?

By means of edit: I've been told there's actually more than one WA already in existance to pick up excess. My mistake on this point, but decentralizing the WA might be a good idea.

To address this, and by extension, the *ahem* aforementioned "drama," I suggest that the Welcome Area be split into multiple Welcome Areas that function on a randomizer from Newbie Island. That is, decentralize it.

Now, before the pitchforks come out from all non-Lindens reading this, remember the title for this ra... err, question - isn't just the "Divided Welcome Area." Now, I know clubs, sandbox regions, events, et al, exist as social areas as well. However, with all due respect, perhaps it's time to catter directly to the niche? I know if I want to socialize, I dial up friends on IM - because frankly, the Welcome Area is the equivalent of this forum's General forum in my opinion, better or worse, and I shun clubs. Socialization, however, simply exists.

Okay. You can take the pitchforks out now.


How about Linden-sponsored "Soapbox" regions or plots, with telehubs (figuratively) five meters away, that exist solely as "lounges" for avatars to chat? Better yet, plop down a scripted object linked up to IRC to take this a step further. And, more importantly, do so to transplant the "Welcome Area" community as it grows, to ease congestion.

Oh yes. PG rules for those areas, please. It's also forseeable that these could be centered around the new "Welcome Areas" and, frankly, the social folks will probably flock to one specific region of these, anyway. Just so they're there to pick up the excess should one or more WA be pop-locked.


And now, one more point. This one is pointed explicitly at the Welcome Area grief.

How about a Big Red Linden (Zerg) Button in the Welcome Area(s) specifically to address the aide of new players? That is, if a resident is less than 7 - 14 days old, allow this resident the option to press this button to call an online Liason, or equivalent, to their immediate aid. This certainly sends a positive signal of "we care" to newer residents if this option existed. Conversely, alts abusing the system that are rooted out of the woodwork could be pegged for a TOS violation.

What I specifically like about that is existing LSL could be used to call a Linden in this manner - it would just need to be added.

Either way, I'd be interested on feedback to address these forthcoming issues. And apologies for the incoherent post - blame the season premiere of Bill Maher.

Yes it's true, there are multiple welcome areas to manage overflow, although we've only called them into duty a few times.

The 911 button idea is an interesting one to ponder. I wonder if it would be possible to implement something like that without running into the 'boy cried wolf' problem?

And, since I've asked a question, and this is a fun subject to discuss, I'm going to copy this thread over to the General forum for further discussion by everyone.

I imagine you'd have to use those Super-Duper-Secret Linden Scripting Powers (R)(C)(TM) to implement something like that, since I don't think we've got an llDetectedAge() function available. Might want to also limit how frequently it could be used by an individual in any given period of time.

Zerg? WTH? I mean... is the Linden gonna show up in a Zerg avatar and eat the poor n00b?

Yes we do. You can get the key and request the date of birth from the data server
See llDetectedKey, llRequestAgentData and the DATA_BORN flag...

I'd pay L$ to see this. Kekekekekeke N00b Rush ^_^!!!!11

Jeffrey, I'm sure this is a good and thought out idea, but its way to long to read for me, I don't have the attention span to read long posts, could you sum it up in a shorter way?

Seriously? Duhhhh... tard vixen. Thanks Eggster for making me feel dumb. In public.

I believe he's advocating random Zerg attacks, as well as subdividing the welcome areas so that new players don't get completely lost and overwhelmed by all the babbling non-new players who seem to linger about like a noisy, bad smell.

Oh, and a Big Red Button(tm) that very young (gamelife!) players can mash to get help from a Liason. Or be eaten by Zerg, depending on a complex formula partially determined by the time, date, and the total mass of prims currently in all the sandboxes.

Sure. I was out of town for the weekend, but here goes.

1) Perhaps the WA for newbies should be split up on a randomizer, to ease server load on Ahern and tensions that griefers would scare off newbies.
2) "Soapbox" or "Social" regions or areas might be a good transplant for the WA/chatter culture as Second Life grows, as safe regions that are not simply events, clubs (or equivalent), or the WA.
3) A Linden "Panic Button" for calling Lindens to the WA, (or equivalent) for those residents under a week or two old. Alt problems of that?

Sorry about that. I was caught unprepared for Robin to "General" this topic from the Hotline forum. Thanks for doing that, though.

if you decentralize then then there won't be a soclal hotspot like ahern anymore...

There are always people at the WA and it isn't a club... why ruin this...

I disagree. People naturally will flock somewhere, even if it means the typical WA minus the inflow of newbies for *every* trip from Newbie Island. Frankly, the existing WA in Ahern has so much going for it already, besides the fact that it is "in the know" (for example, it's located near sandbox regions, Stage Four, Oak Grove, and Luskwood), that this isn't even a question about "dispersing the social clout of it."

Rather, the emphasis is on load status (newbies leaving the island to hit 20 FPS, for example), aesthetics of the WA culture, and "spillover" or alternate gather regions for socialites other than Ahern, as Second Life grows. I see it as synonymous to different channels on a very popular chat sim that continues to grow.

So, "why ruin it?" No such intension with said proposal. Rather, I'm addressing the fact that it EXISTS, and ask humbly that there should be more of a good thing, or in this case, "social regions" to catter directly to more of what it is. Socializing.

I endorse this product and/or service.

Thanks for summerizing! I like the ideas, but the thing about hanging out in the WA is to help newbies if they need it and to provide a "welcoming" experience, perhaps if it is seperated (which I do think it does often get crowded, so it probably should be) have signs point to "Want help? Want to chat? Go this way! ->" or some sort.

The Panic Button could be abused, maybe have it so that it has to take X ammount of people clicking the panic button for it to work. Or maybe have the Panic Button just open up the IM window with a Linden... but that'd require interface changes and more.

Also if the WA's are split it will help spread out the crowding as well. Often even when *I* teleport into the WA it can be overwhelming having alot of people surrounding you.

Good ideas!

it is *RARELY* ever too crowded in ahern... even with 25 people there are still well over 1000 simfps.

decentralizing it will truly break whatever "magic" draws people there.

I wouldn't say anything if there was another non club place where there were always people.

but there isn't.

Secondlife doesn't have enough people in the grid at one time to be able to use all the potential hang out places. The WA is special in that people do go there, oldbies and newbies alike.

I have been thinking about this off and on the last day or so since all these topics about the Welcome area came into play.

The Welcome area is a new members first experience right after Orientation Island.

In the Past the Welcome area was a massive hang out for a lot of Rate Whores and Club Pimps.

Rate Whores in the aspect of garnering that oooh so high rate status for their monthly Stipend.

Club Pimps would hang there and snag up a new female to come dance in their club or work doing something where they flaunted their sim avatar in some Lewd manor.

If a Person did this and feels offended by me saying it then maybe you do have a moral concience.

However, in respect to Jeffery's intial post I think this one can be solved rather easily.

We have the Mentor Program Which when I first was in it was primarly to assist and direct new members to things that may intrest them. Even this has become severely misused as several attained Mentor status to accompany the aformentioned Rate Whore definition.

I propose that LL should possibly take several of the following steps.


1. Set up Ahern the welcome area to only admit Players under 30days only.

2. In conjunction with this LL set up a Welcome Area "Semi Liasion" group that works in shifts to welcome new members to SL. Note these members would have specific limitations such as their avatar could not be rated. Any conversations that were aquired or associated with "Pimping" would mean immediate dismissial. They would use Avatars that were given to them by LL for the Sole Purpose being a Welcome Area Greeter. These Greeters would only be allowed in The Welcome Area Sim and not able to cross those borders.

3. Additionaly ...disclosure... these Greeters would not be allowed to disclose personal Avatars much like a Linden.

I personally think doing the above would enhance the intial welcoming of Avatars. It would also give that 1 on 1 experience we used to enjoy in early beta and more than likely a greater number of New members would stay being much more throughly versed on the aspects of SL.

But again thats just an Idea that I think would cut down on the tremendious amount of ignorance that goes on at the welcome area.

Anyway just my .02$

Shadow

Concerning the sim FPS, thats not entirely true, if you have 25 people in WA, plus an event going on at Stage 4, the sim's can go well under 1000. Plus, lag isn't only sim lag, 25 people some of which have attachments well over 25 prims can cause alot of client lag, anyone with settings that are not bare mininum will suffer a deal of client side lag. But other than that, yes lag can be pretty low in Ahern.

I agree with everything else you've said, the WA is a special gathering place and a rarity in SL, since its pretty much the only place in SL like that. When I want to go somewhere that gets a steady stream of people and that isn't all about sex, I go to WA.

Shadow, I think doing that, having things like shifts, restricting who can go to the WA, would break what makes it what it is and destroy the atmosphere (the good atmosphere aspects).

While something does need to be done to easily get rid of trouble makers (which seem to be in bulk anywhere in SL anymore) and people shouldn't crowd around the telepads and ratewhoring and such should not be done, I don't think it'd be good to do any sort of restrictions on it like that.

The welcome area is a disaster. Two experiences:

When I first joined SL and was blundering around to figure out how to work things, I stumbled upon the shooting range and was trying to play with a gun. A griefer showed up with 10m cube attachments and completely blocked my view. It was only my first 10 minutes in the game, I had no idea what was happening. I almost quit right on the spot because it wasn't fun. Luckily I have discovered the joy of unleashing my creativity. With two weeks of crust, I can look back and I understand "grief" -- but I am still shocked that this happens at all, let alone in the welcome area.

(Suggestion: No attachments, vehicles, scripts, etc in a welcome area. Noobs aren't ready for it, and griefers will drive them away)

Then I got my girlfriend to try SL, and she says that when she first logged on, she was relentlessly "hit on" by several different people all at once, asking her to join them in other places, giving her all sorts of things, and even rating her (positively!) even though she didn't say or do anything. (By "hit on" I mean like when she walks into a bar in RL and guys are all over her with practiced opening lines and trying to buy her drinks.) It made her VERY uncomfortable and she does not want to log on anymore, she doesn't see the point. (Now I get RL grief for spending so much time online, she thinks I'm only in there to hit on women.)

I don't think it was just people being friendly, she's REALLY turned off, and she likes chatrooms.

LL should pay more attention to new-user experience.

Buster

They thankfully are. Ongoing, and hopefully soon to come.

Sorry to hear about your negative experiences, Buster, and thanks everyone for sharing. A lot of good stuff here that gets me excited about the future were additional measures implemented to increase the warmth of the WA.

Solution: I will have agents placed around the WA with physics guns that can pop troublemakers at will using long-range targeting.

Pay no attention to the mortar gun by the target practice booth.