Updating the New Resident Kit -- advice/help sought

Hello, everyone.

Instead of indulging in the drudgery that is sorting through my inventory (like who wants to do that if given a choice), I've decided to spend today updating the New SL Resident Kit.

I used it last night and found some issues. Plus, I've been collecting guidance and suggestions from other people in the past few months.

So... if anyone has any further suggestions, now is a really good time to express them

Please see my PICKS for where you can pick up a copy of the kit (folder and boxed format).

Also, I'll be establishing a new system for those who display the boxed kit at their location. I'll be creating a Vendor so that I can update the kit on the server any time and people need not worry about swapping it out when there are updates.

Thanks, all! It's because of you that this kit keeps improving.

MWAH! *kitty headbonks and purrs to all*

I realize I'm appending my own post, but could someone who has some time and is really savvy with respect to skins and body parts contact me in world. I'm checking out new places and I can't tell if these freebies are legit or not. Thanks much.

I'd like to see this post made a sticky. Lucrezia has worked hard on this and I know people pick these kits up because I've left them out.

Wish I could help. If I had any savvy at all, you'd be the first one I'd share it with.
/me kitty headbonks Lucrezia right back. Or would that be elf headbonk?
Hope others more helpful see your post...

Ohhh elfbonks! I'll take those.

I think I've sussed that they're legit, but of course if anyone wants to IM me still, I'll ask for a recon. ha ha.

Whew... been at this all afternoon and it's coming along. Can't TP into ETD to save my life though!

What about talking to Eloh Eliot(I think that is the name) from Another Shop for their skins? She is currently giving away her skins full perm with files so that people can learn how to make skins or derive from her work. Just search for Another Shop and visit it, and view her blog about them here; (ok I cant get it to NOT show the link twice, but here it is)

http://eloheliot.blogspot.com/

With the sale going on there, it took me quite a few days to get into that sim. Sale goes thru the 26th so it could be really difficult until then.

The entire Quad there is pretty bogged down right now, a sale on at least 3 of the 4 sims, some of the biggest sales for the fashion crazed...(yes, I already got in and ran). Persistance pays off, and going in the middle of the SL night too.

Oh! That's what's going on. ha ha. I guess newbies will be SOL for a while then! And I can't update my LM in my notecard until I go there! ha ha.

Thanks for the tip.

Thank you, that's great!!! Will do.

This is a great thing you're doing. Things change at warp speed in SL, so someone taking the trouble to keep this up to date is a godsend.

Good on you.

I'm happy to do it. It also gives me a chance to tighten up the whole kit and rewrite some parts of it as well. So I'm just sitting under my maple tree, rewriting and reorganizing.

I tend to get lots of newbies on my land, so when I can I'll talk to them and give them a copy of the kit.
I can't wait to see the update, I'll keep an eye out for good stuff

I cant wait to get it either, the last time I was at a welcome area I handed out 20 of them in about half an hour. It has its own folder in my 'most important items' folder too!

If there is anyone who wishes to beta test the new kit version, please drop me an IM. Beta testing can also include sending me any resources, landmarks and information that I missed! Thanks, all.

Self Shape Making and Slider Responsibility, with the sub heading: Just because the slider goes to 100, it doesn't mean you have to.

plus a little something about Creator Theft, perhaps if they know beforehand, the consequences, or how to report it, it may slow it down.

You so rock for this Lucrezia!

Awesome, thank you!!!

And um yeah... duffel bags aren't necessary to prove how manly you are... neither are DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD boobies. *giggles*

Keep in mind, that unlike this time last year, there's a LOT of flux going on in the economy, and a LOT of good places are being forced to close down, downsize, relocate, and remodel, many places are joining forces, huddling together for warmth against the cold.

I'd say more than 60% of my landmarks are now dead-ends. In fact, I find that many content creators have closed up shop entirely.

While of course, Landmarks for many educational sites are immune to this, it's a VERY wise idea to double check all your landmarks, and do it frequently. Especially if you're handing them out to new users. Last thing you want to do is send them to a hair shop you KNOW sells a huge hair pack for 10L, only to have them complain that they're falling out of the sky and landing in a river, utterly lost.

I agree completely. There were only one or two genuinely dead Landmarks. The few others that didn't lead to the right place were because the vendors moved to bigger digs. I'm pretty fussy about who I Landmark. Fly by nighters need not apply

Most of my links are educational, but shops and so forth -- I want established creators. For just the reasons you mention! Thanks so much for your support!

that's the problem of course, a LOT of the "established places" are having.. changes. Take for example Panache. Panache has this cheap hair pack, that while we've all seen it to death, really *IS* one of the best hair packs available for 10L. Candie Vonta and Midnight. They also had THE MOST GORGEOUS 1L skin "demo" pack... (skins that were never made for retail, the demos had perma undies). BUt they've recently changed a lot of things around, and last time I was there half of what I was looking for, was gone due to them being "mid move"

Some places, like let's say TaP.. (Skin) have made sweeping changes to their product lines. In fact, I have found that many of the items I have loved around the grid, are no longer sold for whatever reason. A great example being PixelDolls. And some places have changed their names, merged with other companies, and some have closed down entirely (Adri's Flea Market, we loved you!)

If you're going to include landmarks in a pack, make sure you're willing to go through every few weeks and update those landmarks. At that point, yes, it becomes a job. Be sure you're prepared for that job. (not just for the OP, but anyone giving out landmarks these days)

OOOoh one more thing! be wary of landmarking shops in malls. Malls have habits of cloing when the market gets lean.

Lucrezia..... you´re doing an amazing thing with this kit. I´ve been handing it out all over the place and it´s being picked up from my garden as well. I´d be happy to beta-test btw.
Question........ would it be interesting to include a notecard about the music scene? It´s growing rapidly and IMHO a cool thing to recommend, because it´s a friendly crowd.

Regarding the migration of Landmarks... I do mention in the kit that Landmarks are fickle things and IF the shop is no longer there, I explain how to use Search to look for the new location or verify its existence on the grid. This in itself is a great exercise for new residents because so many people don't know how to use the Search when they get to SL. I have a whole notecard on how to use Search.

So honestly, I don't think verifying Landmarks every couple of weeks is necessary. Moreover, I don't think my unwillingness to perform this task so frequently should terminate this resource.

However, if the majority of residents feel that if I don't verify Landmarks every two weeks, and that it's not a good way to teach new residents about search, then please let me know so I can turn to other projects and dump this one.

The amount of work that goes into this is rather massive, but verifying Landmarks every two weeks -- sorry, THAT I don't have time for. Speak now, please

I want to do what will help new residents, not hinder them. For months I've received many compliments from new residents and the only complaint was not about Landmarks, but that this person thought some of my wisdom was too playful (i.e. SL is a very serious place for some people who integrate it fully with their RL etc. etc.).

Actually, that would be great. I was looking at my Landmarks for places where people can go and dance and it's very small. Do you have time to write a little notecard regarding the music scene in SL and drop it to me? I'm afraid I don't know much about it. Thanks so much.

Lucrezia,

I personally don´t think there is any need whatsoever for you to start verifying landmarks.
That would be an impossible task and way too much to ask!

Besides, the notes in the kit explain very clearly how to use search to find places if landmarks are outdated.

And I´ll put a notecard together with some music tips and ideas as well as a `how to listen to music in SL´ explanation. Will drop that on you later.

Thanks again for all your AMAZING hard work on this!!!

no I didn't mean to axe the project at all, I guess what I'm saying is, they're volatile.

It's definitely a good thing that you're wanting to help new users, and I APPLAUD your desire and interest. a packet of collected quality freebies AND a notecard with landmarks.. that's something else entirely. That's a KIT.

I would just hate to see your kit limited ONLY to "a list of landmarks for noobs". That kind ff thing needs a LOT of upkeep, and if allowed to get too stale, the well intentioned "assistance" becomes a wild goose chase for the poor noobs who have barely mastered "opening the box".

Does that mean every 14 days? no.

SL is a fluid and changing world. we don't have URLS (yet).. so just be prepared that after some time, your landmarks will go stale. check in on them periodically. However frequently you feel is neccessary, to make sure they're still good. Or do as many on the web have have done, and ASK people to tell you if any of your landmarks have become dead ends.