Economic Observations

I listened to all the arguements for and against the changes to Second Life recently. I've with held my judgement to see how they would unfold as always giving opportunity and success and/or failure based on actually playing and seeing the affects first hand.

I own a club but cannot sustain it to the level I want to because of the decreased amount of Linden I am able to get. And I work hard and for hours and hours trying to create things, learn how to do things and hosting educational events. Unfortunately and to my sadness I wish that I could run it like it should be. To host events costs money to draw people. You can theoretically give prizes that don't cost anything but those aren't a draw to get people to come to your club.

Second, I've began creating new items for sale. This too is an extremely slow process and have begun to find my frustration at my limitations. I have a ton of ideas but cannot implement these new and fresh ideas because of my lack of knowledge and expertise in the areas. The cash generated from this creativity isn't enough to sustain me nor covers the uploading costs and the time I have invested in it only to add to the frustration.

Thirdly, the balance of reducing the weekly payouts and raising the rating prices are counter productive. My personal weekly paycheck has gone from approximately 1650L/week, down to 1063L/week and now down to 876L/week. Having been cut approximately in half. This money previously was used to help me create things and to run my club because I put a lot of time and effort in both. I cannot afford to rate people and vice versa others are having the same problem. If the weekly cut is made then the increase in rating someone should have gone up that significantly. Going from 1L to 5L would have been easier and not as costly.

Fourth, Not everyone can afford to buy Linden and this is what the economy is forcing people to do. So while those that can afford it can go to a website spend some real cash and get Linden...while those that cannot afford it like myself struggle to make it week to week in SL.

I've been fortunate that I have friends to help me here and there and been supportive. However, this gets me to thinking of the poor new people that come in with hardly anything at all, no knowledge, no skills and no Linden. How are they to survive if people like me struggle week to week? They may not have the hours to dedicate to the game and I can forsee that they will get frustrated and leave before the trial is over.

While I understand the need to change the economy and the economic principles behind the decision, I don't think it is well balanced. I continue to play and try to find ways to make Linden without buying it, but its getting harder and harder.

I've read the posts where the people have said they like the new economic plan. I've also noticed that those people are the least affected by it meaning they have established businesses and already own, operate and have found their niche within Second Life.

Just my two cents *Wearing flame retardent suit, Grins*

i'd like to gently suggest that the people who are least affected by it are the ones who have a business model that's better suited to sl. some people think you have to pay to rent space for 20 vendors in order to make selling things worthwhile. you don't. that's just a big expense for not much return. some people think no one will go to events unless there are cash prizes. that suggests to me that the events aren't much of a draw by themselves and we need to look into new kinds of events. just saying alot of economic woes might come from looking at sl from the wrong angle.

i don't sell things, i don't get paid to do events, i don't get dwell and i don't buy L$. all i get is my stipend and bonus and that's always been enough for everything i want to do and all the uploads i can handle in a week, new clothes, ratings when i want to give them, toys when i want to buy them and such. sl is simple not complicated. if your second life is getting complicated you might want to look at why that is and what you can do to simplify it.

make sure you live within your means. everyone likes to go big right from the start but it's smarter to start with what you can handle and build up from there. crawl before you can walk and all that. and if you find out you just can't get where you want to be with the means you have, well living with what you got is better than getting stressed over something that's supposed to be fun.

Actually the only ones to benefit from the bizzare changes are the Money Exchangers. And now the Linden is through the roof. Isn't it.

I am sure I could live within my means and I do, from week to week, if I didn't want to be creative and do something with the time I spend on SL. Not everyone is a club person I understand that but I love it. I love having one and love the people that come, love having events and stuff. I am a social person and a leader. So should I aspire of not being creative simply to live within my means or should I try and make Second Life experience all that it can be and try to make it without buying Linden. My post wasn't simply about me, it was my perspective but I worry about new people and how it all affects them when someone like me can barely make it. That's all. Just observations Game on.

Sorry if this post seems out of place, feel free to delete if it is but it seems you are looking for some suggestions or advice so I'm going to take this oppertunity to propose that you give MetaAdverse a try. Visit http://www.metaadverse.com for details but I'll summarize it quickly.

Basically it's an advertising/sponsorship open market that connects advertisers and publishers in real-time. What this means for you is that you can earn L$ from the traffic your club generates. I know a few other club owners are having success with it. Signing up is completely free and it's a great way to make up for stipend loss due to the recent economic changes.

Rathe Underthorn
http://www.metaadverse.com

Lacie, we had a lot of discussions on this topic last month in the "Events" thread. What it boils down to is that if you have to pay people to hang out at your club, you have a lame club. When people go out to enjoy the night life in SL they are going out looking for fun people and good music. Money balls and raffles may get bodies in the door, but $$ doesn't get them interacting and enjoying themselves. I spent a good 5 hours on Saturday night in 2 different clubs, both of which had excellent DJ's spinning live (not just some badly put together internet radio stream). I wasn't there for the $$, I was there because of friends, witty conversation and good times. Spend money on a good DJ with a following, advertise your music style in the your events list, welcome new folks when they arrive and keep lively conversation going amongst your guests. A good host/hostess is always aware of their guests; who is sitting in the corner, who isn't having a good time, etc... The only good money worth spending is on your DJ and (unfortunately, now) security.

The linden is exactly where it was before the change ...right at $4.00 per thousand.

Uh, no it isn't. It's at 3.91 per $L1000, about the same price as it was before the brouhaha.

VOCAL MINORITY ASSEMBLE! WE MUST YELL LOUDER!