One Year Ago Today...

A year ago today, I visited the SL website, read the stuff about a virtual world and virtual land and all that hype, and with some trepidation, I created an account, and logged on for the first time. If I remember correctly, the download version was 1.12, but it was upgraded within a week.

I found myself someplace surrounded by a bunch of male and female 'clones' all standing around with 'editing appearance' under their names. I didn't like the default look (for some reason it let me pick an avatar on the website but I didn't look that way when I logged on-- my first exposure to SL borks) so I quickly figured out the appearance thing enough to make me look different from everyone else -- change the hair, shape, skin. I moved away and sort of stumbled around not knowing really what to do with myself. Then I saw a sign, that said you could fly by holding down the page-up button. I don't know how far I flew, or where I went, but I flew and flew and flew. I saw all kinds of buildings and roads and now and then I saw other people -- but I am shy and kept my distance.

I found a spot that was empty and I landed and spent about 15 minutes playing with the appearance editor, I had made my avatar look like a unique individual. I was still very much a noob but I was no longer a cookie cutter default noob, and I was satisfied. Then I flew again. Thinking back, I have no recollection of an Orientation Island, or Help Island. I didn't know that new arrivals arrived on some restricted place until I read about that in these forums. I do not remember consiously doing anything to leave the arrival point other than flying and flying and flying. It's possible I may have clicked something or teleported but I do not remember that. I just remember the flying. (If you can't tell, it made a big impression on me )

At one point I found a thing that looked like a big glass ball, and you could sit in it and it would bounce you up in the air. I figured out how to sit in it and figured out how to stand up and get out, but I never figured out how to make it bounce me into the air. I was dissapointed about that.

I found a marina with sailboats and yaghts, and I found out that you can't just sit in them and ride off with someone elses stuff, when the boat told me it wasn't mine to play with. Feeling chastised and worried about annoying the boat owner, I wandered some more.

The landscape was littered with x-mas ornaments that night, and I remember a blue window with a message not to touch, take, or rez them because they were "Malicious Christmas Ornaments". I remember thinking that 'malicious christmas ornaments' sounded very funny, but having already been reprimanded by the sailboat, I knew not to touch other people's things.

Eventually I found a very pretty little park by some water, called Polihahu Park. It was quiet and peaceful and I decided that I wanted to stay there till I understood more about this fantastic, colourful and amazing world. I figured out how to 'landmark' the park so I would always be able to get back there. After exploring a few hours more, I eventually went back to the park, and logged off for the night.

My question to you all is this: If you have been here a year or more, what do you remember about last December in SL? And if you are younger than a year, what do you remember of your first SL experiences?

-Atashi

I'm quite a bit younger than that. .but the main thing that made an impact on me was the building.. I still have my first creation, a little caslte made of wiremesh that casts a pink glow.... took me probably 3 hours to do it, but I was so proud ^_^

That first day I became a bunny (Thanks to a good friend) and was happy about that too. I looked good in my opinion, and I liked it. THen he told me I could make stuff and took me to a piece of road in the sky (I later found out to be his land) and talked me through the beginnings of it.

I spent 8 hours just messing with building that day.. flexied one corner of the castle and laughed hysterically as it slowly slumped over, leaving the cone-turret floating above it. Then I found the physical ability, and made a ball roll down a plane for ten minutes, watching the differences each time.

I suppose the biggest impact to me was building in general.. I started immediatel and havent stopped or run out of ideas yet ^_^

I think last December was full of drama; people breaking up, people getting together, people fighting, people having fun. I was seriously "nesting" at that point; playing with my house, buying stuff, learning how to build. I remember being confused about how scripts can live in objects (slow texture animate, I believe it was). I remember my friends becoming SL strippers and watching them get all excited about it. (Been there, done that in RL. LOL!) I remember the landscape being littered with casinos and wanting to build something pretty.

HAPPY REZDAY ATASHI!!!!!

Not quite there yet myself, but what I remember most of all is thinking "WOW".
Around 11 months later and I still think the same.
The possibilities, the amazing things people have created, the wonderful people I've met and continue to meet. I also remember looking around and wondering how all those people managed to look so cool, where I looked like .... well.... not so cool.

The main thing that's changed for me since then is the fact that I eventually managed to learn how to fly in a reasonably controlled fashion....... after about six months. Next challenge is to learn to walk up stairs

Great thread.

I remember reading about Second Life on a website about virtual worlds, but didn't know much about it. I had never played any online games because I computer couldn't handle it. I finally upgraded my computer, and one night I thought I'd try out Second LIfe ( I really wanted to try Sims online at the time lol). I made my "character" look nothing like me at all. I didn't really understand what this world would be like, so I didn't know how long I'd stay (explains my fairly manly name too...first name that came to mind at the time, and I thought I could change it at anytime...) I wandered around the island for a week. Yes a week. I thought that that was all it was gonna be. I stumbled about hoping someone would talk to me, but no one did.

I finally found out how to search and tp, and I suddenly realized how huge this place was. I remember ending up on some beach somewhere and I could see people talking and having a good time, so I walked over to them. They were all these amazing avatars. It was a furry/anime/superhero club contest. I felt so noob it wasn't funny. They were so nice, and gave me a big freebie start up kit, and I ran off to try on my new clothes.

I found another beach which became my home for a month or so. I met a guy there who fancied me, and took me out to buy me a new hair. This was one of those turning points for me. Seeing me with my new shape, freebie but ok skin, and awesome new hair dancing at a club.

I was hooked.

I can't even begin to recall all of the adventures, relationships, friendships, and fun times I've had since then. I now own land, run a successful business, and have many many many dear friends in Second Life.

It's been a blast

Joined in November '06 and had a special guy by December. I wracked my brains about an appropriate SL gift. I remember all the snow in many places, and ice-skating parties, and everyone who wore santa hats. Ice skating was a lot of fun, but it took a while to figure out how ice skates worked. I was interviewed by a reporter from a California newspaper and she blew the lid off my christmas present surprize in the article she wrote. LOL

I don't remember much - short attention span - even if it was only a few months ago. I do remember that on my 1st day, on Orientation Isle, while trying to read and understand how to tweak my avatar, (and get one of those keys you needed to get off the Island that kept disappearing so you had to go back...Grrr) some guy kept bumping me and bumping me (trying to hump my leg? Who knows) Finally, I told him "Quit it A**hole, before I give you something to really bump about". He was the first person I chatted to, heheh

Yes. I was here last December and my fondest memory were the Christmas parties I attended. I was invited by two friends I had met in my first days in SL. My circle of friends increased tremendously during those Christmas patries. I also learned how to use Dance Balls and many other poses and animations during last year's Hiloday Season. Its was a wonderful Time!!!!

I forgot to wish you a Happy Rez Day!!!!





I'm still not sure how to fly in a non- jerky sorta way. I have a Flight Feather (and now a Mysti-tool) but not sure how that helps, lol You give me hope, though...

I remember the mainland for sale list starting at L$16 per meter.
Happy Rez Day!

Let's see...

Around last December, I was in hyper happy mode because my then-new island was going great and one of my oldest friends in SL had come back for the holidays. As I recall, I'd just launched a product at that time which turned out to be fairly popular, too.

My starting experience on SL was decidedly variable I think I went through OI, straight to the Ahern WA (no HI in those days!), and while searching for places for new people, found my way to NCI (which was still the original Brace build) and met several people there who are still good friends in SL. On the other hand, though, I also met someone who saw I was wearing a Cosplay group tag, showed off several outfits and vehicles they'd made, told me they made them themselves so I could never have anything like them, then blew me up with a particle wand. (Ok, now I look back at that I can see they were only trying to do it in a "hey, isn't SL neat that you can do this kind of stuff" way, but I remember being rather upset about it at the time. I haven't spoken to that person recently but I've been generally friendly with them since )

I also remember being in such a rush to experiment with HUD attachments, directly after the release of the version of SL that implemented them, that I rushed straight past Philip Linden who was just chilling in the Ahern WA, seeing how the upgrade had gone!

I came into SL in advance of a prominent judge speaking in SL. I crashed after a while, and couldn't get back to Orientation Island. haha! I ended up near Sistiana. Fortunately, by that time I already knew how to fly, change clothes, etc. But what a shock it was to go into GraceMart and see all the sexual furniture! haha.

Happy Rezday, Atashi

Happy rezz day.
I was here originally in 2003 but I was really clueless, really, really sick and I had no friends.
I returned last year and what I remember I still was pretty lonely, sick, disoriented and lost. I was trying to relearn how to do art and figure out this place again. Everything had changed and I was having really hard time. I was thinking about quitting and just crawling back into my bed, quit eating and just give into the ongoing illness I have been struggling with in real life. Then someone did something incredibly kind for me. It was most precious thing a person had done for me in long time. It was someone who I have briefly talked to over dozen times and very little since because I haven't been able to reach her. For Christmas gift she sent me her older versions of Adobe PS and CS
Something I would have never been able to afford and it made a very dismal Christmas and December a whole lot brighter.

I began SL on May 1, 2007.

First I heard of SL was from a visitor to my longtime IRC rp home. He was on IRC (Internet Chat Relay) that day searching for an alternative to SL for a friend who had lost use of her more powerful computer but still wanted to be involved with the specific rp community. While introducing his friend to text-only IRC (the woman seemed totally lost and confused with "only having words" which I remember thinking very strange - I mean, what else is there, right?), he told us about this wondrous world of SL where one can actually "see" everything we've been roleplaying through text descriptions alone.

It sounded pretty much like Active Worlds which I had tried years ago with a free account when it first began - and hated it. In RL I have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time so having to think, type, AND move was just too much. I usually ended up way underground someplace or high in the air and couldn't return to "ground level." Plus, this supposedly wonderful 3D environment looked like a vast wasteland. Build? I have to BUILD someplace to live? Why? I can just rp on IRC without building.

I left AW after about a week or so. Remembering that experience, I really wasn't interested in going through that again. And stated emphatically that I had been on IRC for *coughs and mumbles something* years and was quite happy, thank you very much. The visitor left his Yahoo contact info with us and said if any of my home decided to come to SL, he would be happy to help in any way.

We thanked him politely and figured that was that.

~ ~ ~

2 1/2 months went by. Several of us in our home would ask each other, "Have you tried that...ummm...Second Life thing yet?" One person had, even prior to our visitor, and said it was ok. She had made a basket and someone actually bought it. ACK! "Made?" Oh dear....flashbacks to having to build a house.

Finally curiosity got the better of me and I decided to check it out.

I played EverQuest for about 7 years and that helped IMMENSELY in adjusting to the 3D environment, but still soooo much to learn. The first day I spent 4 hours editing my appearance and clothing myself (using strictly the edit appearance menu - was still on Orientation Island and had no clue one could purchase...anything!). Was tired and a bit befuddled by then so logged.

Next day: Contacted the visitor who had come to our IRC home. He was delighted - tp'd me to his SL home sim, began showing the basics of "SL Survival" to me, and introduced me to some people. One of them took me under his wing and took me on a whirlwind spree to show me where the best (in his opinion, but he did have good taste) clothes, hair, skin, etc. places were. SKIN? HAIR? Didn't I already have those? But, then, I saw some people who must know how to work those appearance slider thingys better than I as their hair kind of "floated" and "moved" while mine looked like a helmet.

Thanks to a random visitor to my previous online home, my introduction to SL was fairly smooth and I had an almost immediate circle of friends and a place to live (that I didn't even have to build *grins*)

Almost one year ago, my neighbor came by and told me he was going to put on a show. He asked if I would stand in as part of a "band" he was putting together as back up for the live performer. I said ok, then worked for hours trying to get an animation that I could use done in Poser. I finally got it to work so that my hands were actually on the guitar, only minutes before the event started. While I was standing there pretending to be a musician (I can't play a note) I recorded some video of the event. You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajfE8fYtFWQ I am the one with the red bass guitar. It was one of the most interesting experiences I have had in SL, and it was just about one year ago...

What a nice experience FD. Thanx for sharing. No matter how difficult things can sometimes get, you just never know what the next morning will bring...

Happy Rezday Atashi!

Thank you all. I am enjoying reading the memories and experiences you're sharing with us. It's interesting 'comparing notes' on the first experiences, as well as understanding other peoples' perceptions of things through similar time periods.

When I compare where I am in SL today with where I was a year ago, in some ways I've come a long, long way and in other ways I'm very much the same... My SL skills have improved of course; I learned to build and script, and I can do some passable texturing and mediocre animations / poses. I opened a little shop which has grown into a nice little venture, and I own a two-island estate with about 20 rental properties.

On the other hand, my avatar shape has barely changed over the course of the year... the biggest change was when I found out I was 7 feet tall, I made myself 'real' height which makes me look short in SL of course I have a nice skin but I still prefer to wear the kind of footware that doesn't come with prims... system shoes I guess they're called? And I prefer system clothes... now and then I'll wear fancy outfits with prim shoes and skirts and whatnot but that's not really my style. And perhaps most unchanged of all -- I am still shy. I still won't explore crowded places unless I'm with a friend -- and usually it's the friend who's exploring and I'm just following along. In fact, the one time I visited the forum cartel hangout, I made sure first that nobody was around! (It's not that I don't like people, I'm just, well, shy.)

Thanks again, to everyone who's read and/or responded to this thread.

-Atashi

You know it took me ages to pluck up the courage to go there, I'm a bit shy as well.
But now I'm glad Bilbo talked me into it.
Been a few times since and it's not as scary as it seemed.

I did the same thing lol.. and havent been back since, though its a nice place

Happy Rezday Atashi

Happy rez day!

I remember...

Wandering through Winterland endlessly, and skating all night in the Musical Ice Caves, DharmaEcho Garden, or the Musical Ice Caves. I remember enjoying 00 but being a little disappointed by the Winter Festival build in Demersal. I recall a big tree on an island with a festive name where residents could leave cards and ornaments. I recall playing in the Winter version of Thrill Ville before it closed cuz of Copy Bot. I think fondly of the spot my mommy made for the holidays, an the decorations at home, and opening presents (on RL Christmas morning!) at our home in Islandia.

In short, I remember it being the most magical time to ever be in SL.

Mari

heh my first day in SL.... oh that was a gem....

back in 04 some time (I deleted my first Av) I logged on at the invitation of some friends and my my RL love at the time.... wandered through OI, learned how to move physical objects, immediately edited my ruth-ness into a more acceptable shape, and TP'd out.... to end up in a telehub some distance from my destination of 'Weirdorkistan' (where some friends were waiting)....

found someone nice enough to instruct me on getting to my destination, and I was off.... got some freebies, spent weeks as a purple winged faerie, wore boxes on my head (the onld default attachment spot) and met some really cool people like Simone, Munchflower, FlipperPA, and a few other names that are now huge (they were pretty big back then too, but I didn't know that). spent almost every minute online w/ my RL love (because were were LD at the moment) and just felt so GOOD about at least being that close....

learned a little scripting and building, making trinkets for friends, unleased my inner goth, and my inner sub, had loads of fun, and made friends I still have today... made a new av (which I had to pay for), deleted the old one (because I never liked the last name, just chose it to match my love's) and spent a little time just playing...

lost it all for a year (RL circumstances, loss of net) during which time those friends all sent me messages and checked in on me (via IM/e-mail/phone) untill I finally made it back... still have many of those friends, and several new ones that I cherish, enjoying what I can, shaking my head at the silly crap LL does, but still taking it all in for what it's worth... which for me, is a lot.

oddly one year ago today I wasn't able to be on SL, and missed all my friends sorely, glad I don't have to now.

oh yeah, happy rezday =)

I joined SL back in april of 06 and what a day that was heh

I saw mention of SL on another forum I used to frequent and was curious so anywho...

I joined and went to OI and did the stuff moved the ball, adjusted appearance etc.

Then got to the balloon ride to go to HIP and when entering HIP could not get any further, something was stopping me from entering the rest of the island.

a very nice mentor was there and he helped me out by getting a linden to see what the problem was (at the time I was clueless what a linden was, so do not remember which linden helped)

I remember seeing someone rez in next to me looking like a giant orge scared the crap out of me LOL

anywho I crashed (no surprise) and ended up on mainland when I logged back in, a linden brought me back to the HI (this was before they had the public versions of OI and HI)

this happened about 3 times, each time they brought me back (which I found out is something they rarely did at the time, and afaik never do now)

the last time I crashed back to mainland I just stayed there and explored it hehe

now, dec 06, I remember making xmas stuff to sell, and customized stockings for hanging on the fireplace (wonder if the ones who bought some are using them this year)

not really much else about xmas of 06 in SL that sticks with me, because my xmas of 06 in RL was way much more overwhelming
(it was my first xmas in a new life, and newfound and a long time coming, happiness)

it was my first xmas as a stepmom (and I have no kids of my own) so it was my first xmas as a mom of any kind

Happy Rezzday, Atashi!
I joined SL in February, 2007, but my RL husband joined in November of '06. I remember when I first saw him playing it on his computer, and realized I had read a story about it on yahoo mentioning that Duran Duran would be playing a concert in SL through "avatars" and thought it seemed like an odd idea when I read it. Well, my husband quickly made friends willing to help him out and show him the ropes....most were female. He began spending quite a bit of time on SL, and at first I definitely had a problem with it. I met him through yahoo chat, so I know that virtual relationships do happen and can develop into a RL relationship. So, I started paying more attention and actually grew quite fascinated with it. He is a big PC game player, and had read about SL in a computer gaming magazine. In February, after income tax, we were able to set up a second computer, which was his old one and network them so that I could have one to use, also. I joined SL immediately. I remember orientation island and learning to walk. Even after watching Keith, it was different when I was actually controlling the avatar. I remember attaching the torch, editing my appearance and walking. I logged off from OI, and when I logged back in the next time, it told me that Help Island wasn't available, or something like that, and teleported me to an infohub on the mainland. I remember some guy asking newbie me for sex, and I just walked on by. My husband explained about sending me a tp, because I really wanted out of where I was. I remember my first shopping experience, and the first time I bought $20 US in lindens to get my first skin from RaC, now I have 4 of them. I remember my first flexi hair, a long blonde ponytail. Now I have tons of hair in all colors and styles. I remember making my first outfit, using system shirts and making a prim skirt....lol. But being proud when it all came together well, er, well...well enough! I remember my first little house I rented and how quickly I used up 200 prims in decorating. Ahhhh, those were fun days. Less than a year and a lot has happened, a lot has been learned, and still more to learn, I hope.