Idea to better the new-user experience

Hey, I just loaded up Wells Fargo's Stagecoach Island and something dawned on me, since I was entered the world for the first time -- and I had to sit there for 3 minutes as the new-user area around me loaded in. On a 5Mbit cable connection.

New installs of Second Life (and SI) should have the area around the new user entry point as part of their install -- like a 50m circle to start. That way when the new user comes in for the first time, they are not presented with a world that's half there.

Nice idea, bad implementation, that would just mean waiting another 20 mins at the loading screen as EVERYTHING loads, I'd rather be able to walk outta lag filled zones that slowly rez in, Plus that would be bad news for clubs that are still going and you gotta wait for EVERYTHING to load

No, you didn't understand. I'm not talking about loading it at the loading screen. I'm talking about having the new user area installed along with the client. Like when the installer makes the cache directory, it installs the new user cache files there, too.

In fact I don't think you understood my suggestion at all -- it has nothing to do with clubs or lag zones or anything. It's to make the brand new user area load instantly when they first log into the game.

Would this affect older users when a new update comes up Aaron? Or would new users download another version of SL that included this material?

Especially since you only go to Orientation Island once, really no need, i could understand for areas like Ashern and Dore, since there newb welecome area, but not the beginner island, since that's less then a 5 minute run

It is certainly an interesting suggestion, Aaron. The whole startup needs a push, I think.

I was at the Welcome Area for the first time last night (I somehow avoided that way back when I joined) and though I have nothing bad to say about it, it just seemed to lack a little pizzazz. Your suggestion could possibly help this.

Although, I was half drunk, dead tired and a lot bit cranky . So, maybe it's OK the way it is.

Pendari, I don't see it affected established users at all, it would just be some cache files in the cache directory -- the only trick would be for Lindens to not make any changes to the welcome area except when their's going to be a new client put out, so the client installer could have the most up-to-date cache files in it.

I would only suggest 1-2 areas be "pre-cached" -- the first is a 10-20m circle around where your avatar appears for the very very first time. I created a new avatar about two weeks ago and it took forever for the welcome signs and stuff to appear. If that area right around their avatar was already loaded when the new user first pops into existence, then the client can start downloading all the other stuff in their visual range WHILE the user is reading the notecards and stuff they get when they first pop in.

Here's a threadlink with a few more suggestions/opinions on a similar idea from July '05:
/13/70/54746/1.html

I think it's fine the way it is.

Most newbies are too antsy to putz around on Orientation Island anyhow (and then some even complain they dont know how to do anything ) I however, had my avi all set and costomized to a T, and followed the whole path before I even left the Island. And folks wonder why I'm so well-oriented

As for the welcome area, I was in the Teen Grid when I was *born* and the welcome area was empty. So I flew around and met some folks in the sandbox, and I was hooked from then on. But, as such, I dont know how the average user spends their first day in SL. The TG was a bit less crowded at the welcome area, and WA was not the hangout is was when I got to the MG.

Anyhow, because of this, I'm not sure I see the bigdeal with waiting a few seconds while things rez... I found it pretty obvious that the loading wasnt complete, and I wondered around a dirt mound for a few seconds and read some signs. No biggie ^_^

And, also. If SL is created on dynamic content, it might be a bit tricky to pre-pack any sort of area, unless of course, it is an off-line area used to let folks putz around, but then there goes the social plunge taken by newbies bumping eachother and learning to fly for the first time.

Any pre-packing would also potetnially kill the 17mb client download.