Money/Clothes?

Hey, so I'm now, been browsing this thing for about 2 years and decided to give it a try today finally.

So, to get skins, hair, clothes I need to buy them? How? Where? Is there a way to earn credits? Because I'm not thinking on wasting real money.

How can I make my clothes? Do I need, again, to pay to make them?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Dirtypop and welcome. I'll try to answer at least SOME of your questions. First, as far as skins, hair, clothes, etc., there are tons of "freebie" places. One of the ones I like best is Free Dove (try the search and TP there). Everything there is, as it states, "free", and you'll find some decent quality. There are also lots of very generous people here on the forums. If there's something specific you need, just ask. I know I have a lot of things in my inventory that I could share depending on what you want.

As for making your own clothes, let me tell you, unless you're artistically inclined, it's cheaper to invest a few bucks and buy them. There are folks who spend HOURS matching seams and choosing textures--it's not something that is "simple"; it's truly, IMHO, an art. If you DO decide to try your hand, there are some tutorials out there that are free--check the Wiki. You'll need, at the minimum, a good photo editing program, such as Paint Shop Pro or, the one I prefer, Photoshop. Remember, too, that there are "upload" charges for any textures you make ($10L per upload).

Finally, you can make a little "money" on SL by camping. Granted, you'll only make a small amount for a great deal of time invested, but I know folks who started as campers and now own great businesses. Remember, on average, $260L is only $1USD, so even the "expensive" things are relatively cheap.

You can find freebies.

Making items will cost you a small amount as you'll need to make pictures but really, the money you can make back can far outweigh the initial investment.

Check out the other forums here for tips on how to create. Alternatively look inworld for places like Fermi Sandbox, NCI, Ivory Tower.

As someone under 30 days old, check out places like NCI and Free Dove. They have free stuff and certificates for free items. But generally yes, you have to buy the better stuff. The easiest way to get money in sl is to buy it. You can get a lot of entertainment for just a few dollars.

Go to Sarah Nerd's Freebie Paradise, where you will find everything for the well equipped newbie.

Another place you can find at least some skins, hair, and clothes is in the Library section of your Inventory folder. A while ago, LL updated the default avatars with contributions from some SL designers, and I have to say the standard inventory stuff is pretty good now.

You CAN make clothes in Edit Appearance mode (right-click on yourself and choose "Appearance" from the pie menu), but basic texture clothes can look really lame - I really recommend freebies/Library stuff.

There is a sticky thread in this forum about working and making money in SL - I think it's gotten pretty long, so it ought to keep you busy for a while!

Welcome to SL, and I hope you're able to get your avatar looking the way you want.

ETA: Sorry, I guess I was thinking of the Frequently Asked Questions sticky, but I thought at one time there was a separate one on work/money in SL.

Start hanging out with Damien. When he nods off for his afternoon nap, just lift his wallet......and stick his hand in a bowl of warm water...just for the Hell of it.

Another way to get "nicer than freebie" freebies is to stake out some Lucky Chairs. Lots of stores have them, and all you have to do is find one with your first name's initial on it...they change regularly...and sit in it, and you'll win whatever that chair's prize is. A lot of time's they're freebies as we know them, but I have gotten a lot of VERY nice items...items I still use...in Lucky Chairs. The easiest way to "get lucky" with Lucky Chairs is download and run the OX DOS HUD, which will let you find and TP to chairs with your initial, and will tell you what prize you're going after. It will help you find stuff and save you TONS of time. Search groups for OxDOS, and join the group. You should be able to find a copy of the HUD attached to a notice, or if not, IM the group and somebody will send you one.

Extreme Makeover skins has a nice 'new avatar' box for male and one for female human avatars.

I took both to see what is in them.

The male one has skins and other things like an AO (animation override i.e. new walk and movements). The female one has a note card with places to go in SL including landmarks for new things for avatars under 30 days old. Also skins/shapes. Both boxes have clothes, too.

Not a bad deal really.

Only if you want me to, I will send you some more landmarks, so you can get more free stuff.

If you don't want to "spend real money" i.e. buy Linden currency then pretty much working in SL or begging or finding some money (i.e. money trees/camping) are the only ways to get Lindens.

There are 2 freebie blogs just for men btw. URLs:

http://ffform.wordpress.com

http://freefindsformen.blogspot.com

Oh, just remembered! Caledon Oxbridge has some really sweet gifts for new residents, as well as one of the best tutorials I've seen and very helpful staff.

And some of their stuff costs L$1, but if you have a few lindens to spare, the GNUbie store has some really nice stuff donated by some well-known content creators.

Another way to get free stuff is to join the various shopping groups like Fashcon. Sometimes stores will announce that they have free gifts out or will give out gifts to the group. You should also try joining the groups of stores that you like because they might also give out stuff. It's all rather random though.

I have heard this sentence so often now it makes me shake my head in wonder.

Spending money on a thing that supposedly entertains you is a waste? Then don't do it in the first place.

People cash out big bucks for stuff like WoW, but in SL, they don't want to "waste" money. Interesting concept, especially since for an initial investment of 2.50 US $ you get around 570 L$... which can get you pretty far, clothes-wise.

Somehow, just because you do have the opportunity to MAKE money here, I find new people are less willing to SPEND any of it than they are on other kinds of entertainment...

This + 1

*Definitely* don't waste any real world money until you are sure you want to stay and play. You wouldn't buy a horse in real life to find out if you liked horse riding, would you? If you throw money at vendors before you have some idea of what you want and need you are *bound* to waste cash. Grab all the freebies you can find, work out how to adapt your shape to whichever skins you like, and then build your wardrobe so that it matches what you want to do in sl. There is no point in spending hard earned bucks (that you could be enjoying pouring down your throat in the form of alcohol) on steampunk outfits and then finding out that the only thing that you enjoy in sl is yiffing.

Pep (You might want to consider playing as a female; they have a lot better free stuff than men)

Ass

Don't be so hard on yourself!

Pep (Is that a new sort of masochism?)

Thanks for the answers you all.

I did decide to browse around for the free stuff and I did find some cool things.
As off making clothes, I can say that I'm REALLY good with graphics, but since I'm new I better browse, and "play" around some more before I start anything.

Those saying I should not spend real money here have a point, I mean I won't really spend a lot of time here, I'm in college and I arrive at home very late, the only time I have to spend time on sites like this is when I'm on vacations (like now).

Give me a few months and I'll know SL REALLY well hehe...

Once again, thank you.

There are loads of quite good free things about - clothes, skins, hair etc.

If you find you enjoy Second Life you probably won't mind spending a small amount of real money on it.

Learning to build things and to make clothes and other textures is very rewarding, a great creative outlet. You might even end up selling a few things!

Hi, and welcome to SL!

For every good male freebie out there, it is 100 good freebies for women. You don’t need to spend all your time on your looks in SL, but it’s good if you can judge the free stuff you find, and toss away what looks terrible.

My fashion tips for men:

- You will notice that sometimes when you put on a pair of pants, there’s a jagged edge where the pants legs end. (Sorry if this is unclear, English isn’t my #1 language). This is something that a lot of older freebies have. Delete them, you will find pants that look better!

- Find the camera controls under “view” on top of screen. Cam around yourself and check that you look ok from the front too. (And that you have remembered to detach your penis! LOL actually a lot of new men walk around with the free penis poking out of their pants…. Not fashionable!)

- Your shirts and t-shirts should meet your pants. The bare tummy doesn’t look good on men. It doesn’t look good on a lot of women too, but that’s another topic.

- Bling is evil. Just say no to bling.

-You should learn how to edit prim attachments. Belts that cut into the body and necklaces floating over your shoulders are examples of that.

- You don’t need to look like a bodybuilder on steroids. A lot of women, myself included, prefer a more natural lean shape. Delete the unnatural shapes you find in freebie dungeons.

- Don’t buy things you can’t modify. This isn’t so important when you only pick up free stuff. But learn to pick apart freebie stuff; it can give you hours of entertainment. And you don’t want to buy stuff that’s no mod, if you decide to spend some money on SL.

For an instant good look, I just give you a slurl to one of my freebie blogs that do some male fashion too. You *need* these free shoes from Hooreenbek. http://fabfree.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/almost-as-tasty-as-chocolate/ and http://fabfree.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/get-lost-at-ka-designs/

The GNUbie Store in secondlife://Powder%20Mill/ .

The Silent Sparrow freebie box in secondlife://Silent%20Sparrow/ if you're under 30 days old.

The freebies are a good start while you learn what SL is and decide what you like. But really, most stuff in SL is so cheap in terms of real-world money that it is almost laughable to worry about spending "real money" on them.

Where in real life can you get new shoes for a quarter? Or a designer dress for about a buck? Or a complete makeover (new top-quality skin, hair AND clothes) for less than 20 bucks?

$10 USD will buy you about L$2590 right now. For less than the price if a pizza, or a movie ticket and popcorn for one person, or a discount-priced movie on DVD, you could buy a whole new wardrobe in SL, and have L$ left over.

Think of it as an entertainment expense. Even if you turn around and decide that SL isn't for you, you're no worse off than having gone out to see a movie, and the movie turned out to be a stinker, or having tried an anchovy pizza and getting indigestion. Except that potentially the etertainment value of money spent in SL could last a LOT longer than the movie or the pizza or whatever else you might have blown the same amount on for entertainment.

I have to agree with what some others have said about this. Somebody had to "waste" their time to create the clothes or whatever it is that you would like to have... but you're not willing to part with 40 cents or $1.00 to compenstate them for their time? That being said... pretty much anywhere you go you will see freebies set out for the taking. As far as objects go... get yourself some "full perm" objects (houses, furniture, etc) and start taking them apart. It's the best way to learn how things are put together.
Good luck!

You can rez a free demo horse and ride it all over The Commons/Caledon. It lasts until you detach it. So yeh you can try most things in SL free (at least until the grid change, heh).

Some people see it as a big step to register their CC to buy Linden so I get being hesitant to take that first step (agreeing with Pep a third time but not within the week time limit. Phew. /me puts silks beneath a floorboard).

--

Oh & btw Extreme Makeover Skins is in the kite hunt, so find the 2 yellow kites; one has a male one has a female freebie shape, no idea what they're like. But freeee. (Their free av starter kits are near their lucky chairs, side room.) So let us know your progress, OP, eh?

Thank you, but you're OK Clarissa; I find even rping slavery of any sort objectionable.

Pep (Although you don't have to be subservient to wear silks)

Wait, wait ... can I ask a question here? If you've been "browsing" for two years, do you mean to say that you have never been inworld?

I'm just making sure you understand that SL is not a web site. No, really, We've had people show up thinking it was. No offense or anything.