Early Creators Oral History: Add your comments here!

The oral history (starting with bUTTONPUSHER today) is just the beginning; I'll be posting others, as they arrive. If you've been in SL since it was LindenWorld, please feel free to answer any or all of the same questions Mr. Jones does, in his entry. I may post quotes from here in Notes, or even seek you out for a full interview.


1 - WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?
2 - WHO WAS HERE, WHEN YOU ARRIVED?
3 - WHAT WAS THE "CULTURE", WHEN IT BEGAN?
4 - WHO WERE AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, BACK THEN?
5 - WHO ARE STILL AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, EVEN NOW?
6 - WHAT KEEPS YOU HERE?

Ironicly I was in a prenatal doctor visit with my then GF and of course like a typical guy, was reading the latest issue of TYME.
I stumbled on the SL article and was intrigued. The pictures first caught my eye, as they didn't look "dressed up" they (to me) looked like real screen shot quality.

I was then curious as I read further and the concept shown in the article was what I was looking for in a game, so I applied.



Hard to remember everyone that was on at that time but here goes a few.

bUTTON pUSHER (of course)
Steller Sunshine
BBC
Nada Epoch
Law Murphy

and a few others that off hand I don't recall, but plz if I knew ya back then don't be offended. LOL being a noob then I was havin a heck of a time figureing it out to remember all who I came into contact



Well being a noob then and getting used to the interface and trying to figure out what to do I had all I could do to learn what I could.

But what I do remember was the social climate was much more calm than it is now. People weren't out to cause trouble as much. It was extremely friendly. I was more willing and able to go and meet people and build. As SL grew it got more complex and well more and more trouble makers showed up.
Also as I grew with SL, it felt like more then just a game. It was a community, after about 2 weeks I learned enough to get close to many. It felt like a tight nit community, friendly, careing, calm. But since about early Feb it seems to have changed a bit. But change is always a factor in everything. Especially with more and more people added. But SL can't survive on just a few.



IMO everyone at that time was valued. the people that stood out the most to me were those listed above. But that list is not all conclusive.

But as I have posted before the one that helped me the most was Stell.



Of my list, they all are still valued by me. But there have been many additions.



What a loaded question lol.

SL is still by far the most interesting thing I have done on my computer. I used to be an IRC junkie and never played much with 3dvr stuff. But SL has broadened my interests and knowledge in scripting and 3d modeling. I believe I have obtained a skill I otherwise would have overlooked. I am not a programmer IRL. I always thought I wouldn't have the patience for it. I know lsl is a light version of programming, but it has definatly peeked my interests to pursue gaining further knowledge in programing. Also some of the people in here I have met are very nice and would feel a loss if I lost contact with them.

Not to mention I met my now Girlfriend and possably future wife here in SL (who just happens to be my SL wife) )

1 - WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?
a new york times article about lw when I should have been reading the job postings

2 - WHO WAS HERE, WHEN YOU ARRIVED?
Steller, Paul, Mac to name a few. Stel was my first neighbor. The beanstalk she built was inspiring.

3 - WHAT WAS THE "CULTURE", WHEN IT BEGAN?
I was a hermit (much like now) mostly we just built our little hearts out and traded bugs to make sure we weren't nuts. The first building contest, fireworks display & pool party were a trip.

4 - WHO WERE AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, BACK THEN?
Steller with her positive attitude and amazing building skills. Spacedave with his insane texture library. BP with his devotion to figuring out those scripts. BBC with the endless collaborative projects and ideas. (go sentence fragments)

5 - WHO ARE STILL AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, EVEN NOW?
Out of the EC's I'd have to say Stel, Nada, Paul, BBC & BP.

6 - WHAT KEEPS YOU HERE?
Inspiration when it grabs me. Sadly, lack of time in rl has cut into SL over the last few months. (

! What brought you here?
1 - WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE? I was browsing the internet looking for new multiplayer games and found information on SL. It looked alot like the Sims which my kids were playing at the time so i signed up for it so they could try it. They never got a chance to play , I took it over as soon as i logged in because this is my type of game.

2 - WHO WAS HERE, WHEN YOU ARRIVED?
The first person i met was Derek Jones, who im convinced is the most insane person ive ever met lol. he was standing in a feild launching rockets so I hung around for a few days and learned how to do it. We became friends and did alot of things together since.

3 - WHAT WAS THE "CULTURE", WHEN IT BEGAN?
Maybe it was just me but i didnt see much of a culture at first. People were all busy on their projects and there wasnt a whole lot of comunnity gathering. that soon changed however as linden labs started supporting events and working to bring people together more. I think the game now is much more fun than at first except for the few trouble makers ive met lately.

4 - WHO WERE AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, BACK THEN?
The person i looked up to since the beginning was Buhbuhcah Fairchild, he amazed me with the stuff he built and still does. I sneak into his house sometimes late at night and look at what hes made lol.

5 - WHO ARE STILL AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, EVEN NOW?
I have many valued friends, I wont name them all because there are so many but you know who you are! as time has gone on ive met some people that i have a great time with.

6 - WHAT KEEPS YOU HERE? I have spent a long time as an atrist and building is like sculpturing but alot cheaper haha, i am able to make things i cant afford do to in life (i wish i really lived in a house that big hehe) the game gives me a relaxing and fun experience that i enjoy everytime. and i got to say that the laisons are among the nicest and most helpful administrators ive met in any online game a big thumbs up to them.

Great comments, folks, keep 'em coming! Will post a few excerpts this week...

I know this is kinda outdated but if anyone wanted to know...

1 - WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?
Seeing it on Portal and thinking, "THat looks cool!"

2 - WHO WAS HERE, WHEN YOU ARRIVED?
A bunch of people. Mainly Zanlew and Fey stood out to me since I lived near Zanlew and launched rockets like mad off of his roof lol

3 - WHAT WAS THE "CULTURE", WHEN IT BEGAN?
I loved rockets and so did a lot of other people, but others were all building houses to settle down. And then there was a lot of side stuff going on.

4 - WHO WERE AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, BACK THEN?
Seemed a lot smaller than before so I would say pretty much all the guys from linden world or whatever, Zanlew, Billie, George Busch, bunch of others whose names aren't coming to me right now...

5 - WHO ARE STILL AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, EVEN NOW?
I'd say Skee, Vershean, Yuniq even though Yuniq left, Tcoz, and I consider pretty much anyone who makes things valuable.

6 - WHAT KEEPS YOU HERE?
The ability to actually do what I want. It's so much like the real world with one difference: You don't have to have a degree in electrical engineering or whatever to make house lights turn on with one click or whatever. The possibilites are endless and I can and will persue my dreams I might not be able to achieve in RL

1 - WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?
I'm an old time VR junky, and was reading an Active Worlds news group comment "hey, does anyone know if that program Second life is any good?" in a very doubtful / cynical tone “or is it just a bunch of pretty screenshots…..” (quote not accurate)

So I went to my favorite search engine, http://www.dogpile.com and found ya!


2 - WHO WAS HERE, WHEN YOU ARRIVED?

bUTTON pUSHER (of course) Yes,
Steller Sunshine yes
BBC yes
Nada Epoch great classes, yes, and thanks Nada, again!!!
Law Murphy yes
Marie Currie
Andrew Linden
Lots o’ Lindens, that I’ll forget to mention I’m sure…. Hunter was there, and has been helping me lately ( Hi Hunter!)
3 - WHAT WAS THE "CULTURE", WHEN IT BEGAN?

Mostly everyone has been nice. The money crunch was on, and some tensions were high. I suspect it’ll be a future difficulty too, LOL

4 - WHO WERE AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, BACK THEN?
For me, it was Nada Epoch because I really enjoyed learning scripting and making things function in-world

5 - WHO ARE STILL AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, EVEN NOW?
Everyone, everyone is valued and important (vote for Ingie Bach…..LOL)

6 - WHAT KEEPS YOU HERE?
Mostly my fixation on VR. I’m not just here, I’m in AW, I’m immersed in at least one MPRPG game at any time (currently AO) and I read SnowCrash when it came out around ‘92, and became a cult follower ever since.

So I’m a geek, oh well…………………..

1 - WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?
AN Ad on Avault for what looked like quite possibly the coolest online game I'd seen.

2 - WHO WAS HERE, WHEN YOU ARRIVED?
Haney in his first buncha days as a linden. Nada with wild wings. BBC as a potbellied yellow dude. Steller and her treehouse.

3 - WHAT WAS THE "CULTURE", WHEN IT BEGAN?
Culture? I spent most of my time in the wilderness. Stillman was all fonteir way back then - roaming bugs that ate my livestock, the works.

4 - WHO WERE AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, BACK THEN?
The first 8 people in Tyrell were great for scripting help. Haney 'cause he was friendly. Steller for designing me a taxi cab I hever got to use properly.

5 - WHO ARE STILL AMONG THE MOST VALUED MEMBERS, EVEN NOW?
Err. Sadly I haven't been in world in ages. Work and SL compete for my time and in the end real world $$ beat out L$

6 - WHAT KEEPS YOU HERE?
The fact that it really is stilly one of the most ambitious and amazing projects I've been privy to.

One day I'll come back in world instead of just cruising the boards. Then I'll get back to my ICBM inter-sim transportation system and my chess game.

Yay Celerity!
One day might be sooner than you think. I'm gonna keep bugging you to play, you know

*heh* you're not the only one.

Maybe you should assinate my boss so I get a little more time off.