Newbie needs some Info pointers please

I am not a premium member. I am certain others would appreciate pointers to information or locations on the following. Thank you for the assistance!

1) I have seen references to some location where a newbie can get a free residence, perhaps a temporary one, but can't find info on where that location is? Can someone please post the SLurl?

2) With the ?camera? in the usual view mode, everytime I sit my Avatar near a wall or walk near a wall, my view is of the outside of the wall and not the inside where my avatar is? Is there any information on how to fix that so the perspective stays with the avatar?

3) I would like to have a second avatar to use, and easily switch between which one I want to use, but I can't find any info on how to create a second avatar and then switch between to different avatars within the same account? I imagine there is a way to do so w/o having to completely "rebuild" my avatar every time?

Many thanks!

1) I've seen them but can't remember where. I'm sure others can be helpful there.

2) Go into Mouselook and that should eliminate the problem. It is the view as if you are looking through your avs eyes. Personally, I'm uncomfortable with mouselook but I havent given myself the time to get use to it. Others prefer it.

3) Unfortunately building from scratch is the only way to create an alt.

Ok....firstly.....no clue where to get a free residence....but I have a guest house you are welcome to use until you find what you want. IM me in-world.

As for view....very simple....hold down your alt key and use arrows to zoom around....mouse to pinpoint the 'center' of view.....practice, you'll get the hang ot it quick.

As for a 2nd AV.....you wont really be able to change your 'name' per say...but you can change your look with a new shape or by getting a custom avitar like a wolf or dragon...or what ever....there's tons out there to choose from...tho they aren't normally cheap.

If you need any in-world help with this stuff.....look me up....I'm always willing to help new folks cause people were so cool to me when I first started. I learned a lot via the kindness of strangers. *grin*

Davie,

Welcome to SL!

Can't help you with the first one - I still don't have a residence and don't feel I need one, but here at least some answers to your other two questions - others may be able to do a better job

Learning to cam is one of the skills you will pick up in SL - it will become second nature to you after a while. The thing I usually do when I sit down and get the view of a wall is to rotate my cam. When sitting you can do this with the arrow keys - left and right - this will rotate your view around the sitting position (unlike when standing when it will turn your avi). Do this so you get the view that you want.

And your look - folders are your friend. If you create a folder and call it "Avi1" and then another called "Avi2" you can copy whatever you want to wear in each of those folders, shape (your body shape), skin (how your skin looks), clothing, jewelry, whatever you like. once you have that set up you can drag the folder onto your avi and it will automatically wear everything in that folder, changing your shape and skin, too. (The only thing this won't work for are items that are marked "no copy", in which case you either keep your one copy in the folder or add it by hand later.)

Does this help?

1) I also am aware of places like that but can't give any information about them.

2)In addition to using Mouselook view, you can also do some nifty things with the camera through which you view the SL world.
Firstly use the mouse wheel to move in/out.
Secondly use the Alt key when you press the left mouse btton and you can pan, and zoom, and my favourite is Ctrl Alt when I click to 'lock' the camera on to a location, object or avatar other than my own.
Ctrl Alt C will also remove the constraints on the camera positioning and can be a real boon when you are building.

3) I assume you are referring to the physical appearance of your avatar. It can be changed simply by dropping a folder full of clothes/hair/eyes/body shape/skin from Inventory onto the avatar itself. Instant quick change. Of course you need to set up the folder first, but that should be a once only thing for each 'look' that you want to have.

HTH

I think the people who run the Blackwater sim do something like this.. Take a lot around there for notecards or maybe an LM and see if something turns up. Worst case, it's a cool sim to look around in.

I cant remember where the free homes places ive seen were, but should be able to find with searches or something=/

For view, hold down alt to rotate around your av and zoom in/out, and hold ctrl+alt to rotate around your av and also go up/down around your alt.


For the alt, within one account its not possible. You can make a second account, and use that, starting from scratch, but if you just want the looks of a second av, you can do this::

Put on all skin/shape/clothing/accessories, everything you want for the first av. Then right click on your av and select 'Make Outfit'. Select everything you can to add to it, and select rename to folder name (If you want). Name the folder whatever you want to, and click OK. Theres your first. TO put it on, right click the folder and select 'Add to Outfit' or 'Replace outfit'

DO the same thing to create a second, third, fourth, however many you want. If a clothing piece is no-copy, don't add it to multiple outfits, it will move from one to another instead of copy while you build another outfit.

I just remembered where I saw the free places to live. They are dorms at STA Travel Orientation. I didn't really understand how it worked but I didn't take my time. (short attention span here)

It's at the STA Travel Orientation (98,196,24). I dropped you a LM inworld.

We offer 2 free weeks in a fully furnished 2 room "Crew Quarters" at the Valqui Hyperport for players under 30 days in world. Contact me in world and I'll hook you up. I've heard a few other realtors do it but I can only speak for myself. =)

I know there is a place called Hawaii that has free beachhuts by the week. Not sure which Hawaii it is though, you could try a search.

Wow ! Tthank you all for the fast and informative replies!

1) Free residence. The main reason I asked about this is that I don't understand how to mess with appearance and all that with some level of privacy...w/o a residence? Not that I should be modest about an avatar , but it seems wierd to be changing cloths and appearance in the middle of some road or shop with other avatars around? Would be nice if when entering edit appearance you became invisible to other avatars, but that doesn't seem to be the case? Is there another suggestion for a way to mod appearance offline or in some other way that allows you to do it w/o the SL world watching?

2) I was hoping there was some setting somewhere that could be changed so that the "follow behind" distance could be shortend from what appears to be 20ft to something like 6ft, but it sounds like I'll just need to master the camera controls, and what I am experiencing is no different from what everyone in world experiences.

3) Creating the "folders" with two completely different avatars seems to be what I am looking for, but since I buy most stuff and don't build anything like forms, skins, clothing etc.. I'll need to see if the "no copy" setting is a problem. If it is, looks like the solution will be to create a second (ALT) account.

Question? If you make an ALT account, but have all the stuff you want to use (purchased) in you primary account library, is there a way to transfer those items to the new ALT account?

Thanks again!

Davie

True - but highly unlikely you'll get one. I try all the time and haven't found an empty one yet

You can give any item that is transferrable to an Alt. If it is copyable you will keep a copy. If it is No Copy you will lose it, although you can always give it back and forth.

For a place to change, you can Join The Forum Cartel. At the Group hangout is a skybox that all members can use as a dressing room. It also makes a great skydiving platform.

Creating the alt won't get around the "no copy" thing... when you transfer it, it will take it out of your inventory and give it to your alt. So either way if you really want two copies you will have to buy them.

Here's another solution - have one folder that is "common" to all your looks. Put the no copy stuff into there. Then have your avi1 and avi2 folders with the stuff unique to each. Then you only have to drop two folders per change onto your avi, rather than each of the items..

it is manageable, without having to do each individual item - it's just specific to your circumstances, that's all.

As someone else said, just about the only thing you can't change easily is your name. Everything else you can change. Oh, and your friends list, of course - that is why some people create Alts, so that they can have different groups and different friends for each "alternate personality" they want to have.

I have enough trouble with my ONE personality, so stick to one logon.

Good luck!

If the purchased stuff is transfer copy then you can send over a copy to your alt. If it is transfer no copy, then you have to figure out which account to keep a particular thing in. If it is no transfer then you can't transfer, even if the real life you is behind both accounts.

Now then - "outfit" folders and "no copy": A no copy item can be used in more than one outfit, but you will have just one copy and that copy can only be in one folder. I.e. - no copy hair, if you want to use with more than one outfit, you will have to go through a somewhat complicated process of "dragging on" the new outfit, and then finding that hair and putting it on again (or other no copy item).

There is a changing room in a skybox, but the group is not open to anyone to join. As I've found from personal experience.

Landlords like me, Raymond Figtree, and others, buy these up and then smash them.

No, seriously, these do exist. I'm considering providing some of these, not to increase traffic numbers, but honestly because I like having people around enjoying the community and socializing with the residents.

Welcome to SL, Davie. You might get the impression that SL is going to hell in a handbasket by reading these forums, but we're just venting. It's really a great time in there.

1) There are lots of places with free changing rooms to use in private. The Infohub at Hanson has 3 or 4 I think. Just click on them to teleport.

3) Some people organize their folders by copying items and sticking them into different folders, like "Outfit A" might have a skin, clothes, hair, etc. I do it a bit differently than this in that I have a "skins" folder, a "hair" folder, a "skirts" folder, etc, so that I can mix and match as needed, without worrying about copy rights.

4) The ONLY way that something will transfer from your primary to your alt account (and back) is if that item is transferable. That's it. I would highly discourage an alt until you're comfortable with your primary, and all the stuff you can do with it. Learn as much as you can about inventories, shapes, skins, etc before delving into the world of the Alt.

To change the following distance, you can just use your scroll wheel on your mouse. That move your view closer or further from your avie. Also, if you go to the top tool bar and click on "view" and then down to camera controls and click on that, you will get a little box in the bottom left hand corner with 2 circles with arrows. This also allows you to move in and out and around....you can play around with that and learn it to your advantage. Or clicking and holding your left mouse button, then pressing alt and moving your mouse allows you to cam around.

As for creating an alt, the only way you can give them items from your inventory is if the items are transferable. When you buy something, or it's in your inventory, and says "no transfer" beside it, you can't give it to anyone. Usually "no transfer" items ARE copiable while "no copy" items ARE transferrable. Transferable means you can give that item to someone else or even sell it at a yard sale at some point. Helps to keep people somewhat honest so they aren't selling copies of something they bought that someone else created.

If you would like to join, I will send you an invite. we had to turn off open membership due to spammers. Anyone who asks will be invited.

Avion - if you ever do decide to do this, please consider me as a needy candidate for a home as well I've been trying to find a place since I joined a couple of months back to no avail. I've been waiting to hear from someone about a lovely small japanese home for nearly 2 weeks but the person still hasn't gotten back to me.

/me sighs...

Brenda - that reminds me - could you send an invite to my alt? Ladyfox Aluveaux? I'd like to be able to be there in furry form too Or should I send you an IM inworld?
Thanks!

I'll see to it tonite

You're quick!

NCI has changing rooms. Check for them in Search, on the Places tab. I was also at a sandbox (can't remember which one, unfortunately) that had some. Another alternative is to find a very isolated place, possibly underwater, and keep a lookout for approaching AVs on the mini-map. I can't remember which sims I've seen recommended, but you may want to try a forum search. Finally, you can build a platform, sit on it, and take it up into the sky for some "alone" time.

Not completely free, but the last time I checked, the Movix Media City sim had some very basic hotel rooms available for L$5/night. One of my newbie friends stayed there for a while.

Keep in mind, however, that with SL's camera abilities, privacy, even in a closed room, is somewhat illusory.



I have a wheeled mouse, and use the mousewheel to zoom in and out on my avatar. I *think* pressing the ALT or CTL key will let you zoom in and out by mousing back and forth, but can't remember for sure and am not in-world to test. You can also open the camera controls (through the View menu, I believe) and zoom in and out with those. ASL (the Academy of Second Learning) used to offer a camera control class, and may still.



It depends. If the items are no-transfer, you can't give them to your ALT - or anyone else. Ever. If they're transfer, but no-copy, giving them to your ALT means losing them from your main's account. Unless the ALT gives them back, but that sounds like more of a hassle than folders.

Oh, and if you use an ALT, you'll probably end up logging one off to log in the other. There is a way to run multiple accounts at once (haven't even tried, since I'm sure my little computer isn't up to it) but otherwise you have to back one out completely to send the other one in.

Personally, I haven't found many no-copy items that I use from outfit to outfit, and even then, I haven't had a problem putting most of the outfit into a folder and adding the final bits separately.

Hope this helps - and welcome to SL!

Nic