Basic versus Premium

First of all, I'm really new here, so pardon me if this is covered, somewhere.

What are the specific benefits to having a premium membership, besides being able to own land?

I went to the upgrade menu, but it didn't really offer an explanation as to why I'd be willing to pay money for this game.

Any clarification to any additional benefits for premium over basic membership would be welcome.

have a great weekend everyone.

GUIDE: LAND RENTING ADVICE FOR NEW RESIDENTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Key words: land buying tiers renting owning

Hello and welcome to Second Life!

Here is some advice that should make your land renting experience more pleasant.

1. Caveat Emptor - Renter Beware.
2. You don't need land for Second Life to be enjoyable.
3 Renting versus Owning Land
4. Land or property?
5. Mainland or island?
6. Plot size matters.
7. Location! Location! Location!
8. Your Friends can help.
9. If you have a problem... ask for help.

1. CAVET EMPTOR - RENTER BEWARE

Renter beware. Or at least be aware. Learn what you can about renting land, why you want it, and what you can do with it. The advice in this notecard should keep you out of most land trouble, but in the end you are responsible for your decisions. Renting is different from ownership - the landlord makes the rules and each landlord is different. Check what you are committing to before you pay.

2. YOU DON'T NEED LAND FOR SECOND LIFE TO BE ENJOYABLE

To enjoy Second Life you do not need land.

Renting land is best if you want to:
* Have a shop in a popular place.
* Are a basic account holder.
* Want to live in a community with rules (a zoned community).
* Want to pay in Linden$ rather than US$.
* Want to move when you want.

3. RENTING VERSUS OWNING

You can "own" SL land directly. If you own SL land, you will need to pay monthly tier fees to Linden Labs.

?

OR

You can pay for the use of land from other players on the mainland. You can also "rent" land from other players in island sims (off the mainland) which can be more like ownership; you can have access to land control features. Neither of these two options require you to have land tier, so you will not need to pay tier fees to Linden Labs. The main difference between ownership and renting island sim land is that the owner can at reclaim the land from you at anytime.

4. LAND OR PROPERTY

You can rent a bare piece of land or land that has been developed in some way. Developed land generally costs more and it may already have a house or apartment on it. If you want to build rent a bare plot of land. If you like the idea of just moving into a house then rent land with a house or apartment on. There are also many suppliers of prefab houses to choose from.

5. MAINLAND OR ISLAND

You can rent land on the mainland, or on islands with their own rules. Each island has different rules - *find out the rules before you pay*.

Some landlords will deed your land to a group of your choice. This will allow you more control such as terraforming, admit and ban lists. Some landlords may call this ownership and ask for an upfront fee (to "purchase". Some landlords don't and will deed to group for a normal weekly rent.

If a landlord calls the land owned rather than rented they may expect you to find a replacement.

Many islands are themed and have rules. You may only be able to build a house (not a shop or a club) or it may require you to build in a theme.

Some island rentals are paid in Linden$, some require US$ via paypal.

6. PLOT SIZE MATTERS

The more land you rent the more stuff you can put on it usually. With each rental you should be told clearly how many prims you have use of. With bare land it will be available in the About Land in the World Menu. Renting a house or a shop in a mall is different - clicking on the rental box will usually tell you the rules.

7. LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!

Look at the land before you rent it. For a house you may want a quiet area away from clubs and things that cause lag. For a shop you may want the opposite.

If you rent on an island and it has very busy events there is a possibility that you may not be able to access it while the sim is crowded.

Location affects rental prices - the more traffic a commercial area has the more rent you will probably have to pay. PG land is generally cheaper than Mature land.

8. YOUR FRIENDS CAN HELP

If your friends rent they may know of places nearby. Ask around.

9. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM...ASK FOR HELP

The advice in this notecard does not cover everything that can happen in a land deal. If you have a problem ask for help. Ask your friends, Live Help (help menu->Live Help...), on the forums, e-mail [email]support@secondlife.com[/email] or if worst come to worst, search for someone online with the last name "Linden". They are employees of Second Life and are there to help you.

-----------------
contributor:
-StoneSelf Karuna

Specials Thanks to:
Roberta Dalek, Pendari Lorentz

Apart from being able to own land, which you obviously get, your weekly stipend is ten times as much -- L$500 a week, as opposed to L$50 for a basic account.

Buying L$2000 a month would cost you something like $7.50 or so, so it's really not a bad deal. You're basically paying a couple of dollars a month for the ability to own land. Even less if you pay quarterly or annually.

P2

Apart from being able to own land, which you obviously get, your weekly stipend is ten times as much -- L$500 a week, as opposed to L$50 for a basic account.

Apart from being able to own land, which you obviously get, your weekly stipend is ten times as much -- L$500 a week, as opposed to L$50 for a basic account.

Buying L$2000 a month would cost you something like $7.50 or so, so it's really not a bad deal. You're basically paying a couple of dollars a month for the ability to own land. Even less if you pay quarterly or annually.

P2