Value of unique/rare items+artwork...
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Deeblue Zeeman
T-800
Join date: 12 Mar 2003
Posts: 186
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03-14-2003 13:58
I'm currently building a gallery (art, photography, etc) with unique, one-of-a-kind items such as framed photographs, paintings and designs all either photographed/designed/painted by myself or by my close friends. My intention is to offer "rare" items for people to buy and/or trade, that will hopefully be more valuable since they are the only ones of their kind in the whole Second Life system. I'm hoping that there are users who will enjoy collecting unique pieces of art for display in their SL homes. I've only been using SL for the last 3 days now so I haven't had the chance to fully explore the whole place yet and check out what kind of communities already exist. I guess at this point I'm just wondering if the people I just mentioned (art collectors) exist in the system yet? Is there a 'market' to support the things I'd like to create? Do people recognise/appreciate the worth in unique & rare items, or are most people still going through that phase of wanting copies of all the neat/novelty items that are floating around? (If I hear another rocket going off nearby, I swear I'll... hahaha, j/k). Perhaps the Second Life client at some point, in addition to the regular flags you can assign to objects, will have a "unique/rare item" flag? So that items created as such would gain more value over time somehow? Interesting thought. </ramble> 
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Deeblue Zeeman
T-800
Join date: 12 Mar 2003
Posts: 186
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03-14-2003 15:31
Anyone got any thoughts or opinions? Anyone else out there creating something similar to offer to the SL world (more unique stuff as opposed to mass produced items) ?
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Shebang Sunshine
Royal PITA
Join date: 3 Dec 2002
Posts: 765
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03-14-2003 16:20
It's a nice idea, but people simply don't pay much for textures.
Might be able to make a bit off of newbies who don't "know any better".
I tried the same type of thing using some of M. C. Escher's works (I got permission from the copyright holder first). Didn't/hasn't flown.
Next I tried bundling several textures together in a box, and sell them as a package for less than the cost of uploading them. That also hasn't flown (not sure if that's because the images themselves weren't what people wanted, or if they simply haven't been noticed in my little shop on the edge of Tehama).
Dunno. At any rate, good luck with however you decide to do it!
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-- Gravy: the new ice cream.
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Datura Fairchild
Dress Diva
Join date: 11 Dec 2002
Posts: 133
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03-15-2003 11:45
Yeah, textures aren't easy to sell. I haven't sold anything in a long while. And the few things I have sold have been objects, not textures (clothing textures). I've made far more from a few comissions than I have from my shop. It's just not really worth it to be a shopkeeper if you're selling certain items right now.
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-Datura
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Kerstin Taylor
Goddess
Join date: 13 Dec 2002
Posts: 353
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03-15-2003 12:14
Anyone who knows me knows how very much I'm against selling textures (hehe) -- that is, the kind you apply to objects. Unless they are textures that you've created yourself. But even then, I don't think they should be sold for much more than $10 each. And I also don't think many people would buy them cuz they can just get a similar one off the net.
Textures that are works of art are different though. Particularly if they are rare/unique. If you try to sell the masters, I don't think you could get more than the $10 cost of uploading -- because, again, people will just go snag it off the net and upload it for $10 themselves. But even on rare paintings not available on the net, I doubt you could get more than $10 each. Cuz again, people will just go find something similar and upload for $10 themselves.
People have talked about having art galleries and art museums, and I think that would be a great idea for what you propose. Your income (if that's what you're looking for) would come from your vote box there though.
I'd like to see your work if you have it on the internet somewhere. I may be interested in putting some of it in my upcoming shopping complex. If you want to explore this further, gimme a holler inworld.
Thanks - Kerstin
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Maxen Underthorn
Registered User
Join date: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 193
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03-15-2003 13:57
You do know that any images you upload into the game become the property of Linden Labs? I myslef am an artist and won't upload images of my own work for that very reason.
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Deeblue Zeeman
T-800
Join date: 12 Mar 2003
Posts: 186
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03-15-2003 14:55
From: someone Originally posted by Maxen Underthorn You do know that any images you upload into the game become the property of Linden Labs? I myslef am an artist and won't upload images of my own work for that very reason. The images I'm uploading are quite a nice, visible, detailed size for in-game purposes (256 x 512 for example), but ultimately, the fact that Linden Labs has ownership of what basically amounts to a medium sized thumbnail image of a real life painting or photograph which is exponentially more superior and more valuable (and definitely NOT belonging to Linden Labs)... Well, you see where I'm going with that... It doesn't bug me that they gain ownership over content uploaded to their system. They're not out to rip anyone off, it's simply a clause put in so that if Linden happens to, say, take a screen shot of Second Life for publicity purposes, and that screen shot contains original designs or art uploaded by the users, Linden Labs doesn't have to get into any weird or complex legal situations over royalties or copyrights for that content in order to be able to use it publically, etc, etc, etc. Bottom line is, Linden Labs definitely does not strike me as some kind of sheisty company that exists purely for personal gain and profit. There are a lot of other far easier (and more dubious) ways of making money these days... Building an insanely complex and time consuming online community doesn't seem like something a company would do if they were just out to make a quick buck. hehe.. I'm rambling again.
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Maxen Underthorn
Registered User
Join date: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 193
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03-15-2003 18:40
I agree with you. I just beleive any image of my artwork is mine no matter where it might be.
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Ama Omega
Lost Wanderer
Join date: 11 Dec 2002
Posts: 1,770
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03-15-2003 20:19
I would have to check again but I do believe they don't claim sole ownership. Unless they claim sole ownership they can't prevent you from using it (to my understanding) and that would be -my- main concern. I do realize it may not be everyones.
And the real reason for this clause is so they can take any fabulous thing you create in game, take some screenshots and put it on a box or in an ad to tout the game and not have to pay you for that. If such an action would be against your desires, then yea don't upload it.
However from a legal point they do probably have more power than that.
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Yuniq Epoch
Lotus Blade
Join date: 26 Feb 2003
Posts: 80
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03-15-2003 22:44
And yet, they run into an interesting legal conflict when you throw someone else's copyrighted material into SL... which happens a LOT. But I'm sure that's an issue they're fully aware of...
These things tend to have harsher wording than it seems they need to, simply because the legal world has no concept of grey areas. Sometimes you need to snatch a little black to get all of the white.
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Maxen Underthorn
Registered User
Join date: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 193
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03-16-2003 10:16
That's how I see it as well. Unfortunetaly that dosn't leave any grey area for the player either.
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