No preparation for Linden Lab Media hype and influx of new players

This happened last month with the Brazilian press coverage of SL and now again today with the 2 articles released in France. Why aren't we meeting and preparing for the influx? The Linden Lab Media Dept. doesn't communicate with the rest of the staff? It seems as if Linden Lab is shocked and amazed each time this happens. The volunteers - if properly prepared - could help with new player retention if we were INFORMED PRIOR to the release of the promotional articles or press coverage. There was absolute dead silence in the Greeter group today and there was chaos all over the grid.

Can a system be put in place to make us effective and not bystanders?

Uff no wonder the Free Dove today was full of french speakers. I couldn't understand a bit or help newbies because we couldn't understand.

THere were more french than english speakers.

I dont know.. but, SL is getting too full and this is kinda crazy how the lag everywhere you go to SL is unbelievable. Hard to have fun anymore.


I mean I have fun meeting others, but I can't understand anything at all.

I love SL, if only we are more prepare somehow...

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I suggested we are offered a opt-in e-mail sign up to receive the heads upo when media is going to be circulated in a area that has never had media about SL released before.

It's probably true that they actually don't know when it's going to happen. If I can say so without blowing my horn excessively, I have a business that sometimes gets bits of media attention, and the way I find out is invariably that people write to say "saw you in X". My stuff has turned up in Wired, Discover, the New York Times and on prime time TV all without warning: you give an interview and then three months later maybe they run something, maybe they don't.

I imagine it depends on how much topical news there is, whether other linked stories provide a hook, and whether the editor got his favorite flavor of donut that morning. The journalists themselves don't know what will happen to their stories.

Big blogs, in my experience, will also sock you without warning or mercy. Smaller journals and blogs are often nicer about asking first, but of course it matters less if they're not going to demolish your site or order system.

At least it explains why I suddenly got a chance to practice my French chatting skills this week

I often meet newbies who hardly know any English and it makes me wonder if some method could be created to channel people who don't know enough English to an area where they are likely to meet people who do speak their langugage.

Maybe even orientation islands in different languages...

Just brainstorming here.
And I am not an official greeter, just like to help a newbie when I meet one.

For your information : a private island named Gaia has been dedicated to greet and help french speaking residents. A lot of french-written notecards are available here. Type Ctrl-M, Gaia, Teleport.

At the risk of sounding like a noob what is an sl greeter? And how can I join?

Elinah

To be honest, I spend less and less time in Help Islands, due to several reasons. Lack of forethought by LL in keeping those, that give their free time to 'welcome' new comers, informed about policy changes regarding potential trends.

Also because my math seems to be from a different world: 2 years ago, less than 500,000 accounts, the system would support very few more without horrendous lag, less than 20,000 ppls in game. 1 year ago, still the same, lag eased a bit and became less 'noticeable'. Some 6 months ago, big celebrations SL reached 1,000,000 accounts, yet the system would not support more than 25,000 ingame without issues. Today, over 4,000,000 accounts, and still the system cant support more than 25,000 ppls ingame without issues.
When is something going to change to protect those with estabilshed accounts, to promote confidence when the accounts figure reaches over 10,000,000 in the next few months, to support even a 30th of those ppls actually wanting to play ingame?

All I have seen so far is a Blog from LL offering a 'fall back plan' to prevent those with no information on file and 'free' accounts, from loggin in when things get tough for them. The suggested level of implication would be around 25,000. How are they going to implement that? Maybe start kicking out of game one by one, those they now discriminate against to allow a 'paying customer' in? Is this form of discrimination not against the very TSO that forms the backbone of this 'community'? Or is the plan to get everyone to become a 'paying customer'? The ONLY reason to hold a premium account is to buy land direct from LL.

For the record, I joinned SL nearly 3 years ago, paid a one off payment for 'lifetime membership', I own several plots of land, for which I paid a 3rd party, and pay teir to the same. I have paid several thousands of USD for the privilage of playing the game, employ the many talents of people ingame, brought a lot of development and technology into game for everyone, NEVER taken a single L$ out of game always reinvesting it, do not earn a wage from my business's, yet I am referred to as a 'freeloader, chump change grabber, a non-supporter of the sl community etc etc, by those that believe by paying no more than 9USD a month, it is they that should be privelaged over me.

The first time I get a denied access notification from LL when I try and log in, simply because they have reaped the rewards over the years and not re-invested that wealth themselves to prepare for the onslaught of accounts which they have made no effort to stem the tide of.... my finger will reach for the delete key and sl will no longer exist on my PC's.

More brainstorming - Maybe it's time to consider the integration of a reasonbly simple text based translator into SL? I use Google translator quite often, and the translations are a bit rough, but they work well enough to get an idea.

I suppose the ultimate goal would be that residents select their default language - when a "French" person meets an "English" person, the translation happens automagically. If there's an indicator advising that a translation is in place, eash resident can adapt their language to compensate (e.g. by saying "I like your outfit" instead of "cool rags !!".

I know it's probably a fair way off, and there are other more pressing and more significant priorities, but it should at least be on the Linden radar. This segregation of nationalities at the moment is a bit of a RL experience - have translators really would enhance a one world experience...

The Sl greeters are phased out and now are SL mentors. You can find info and join at http://secondlife.com/community/volunteer.php at bottom of the page is the link to join.

Mars, if you paid LL any money you are on the list to get in under restricted access. You have alifetime membership. This means to me that you had to pay them something in a credit card. If this is true then you are fine.

Here we go again. No perparation.No commucation.No sence..........
Why is it that people like AWM are people like him or her get treat so badly? They paid alot of money to access sl for the years and look how thye are treated? Why? Because frankly llabs has lost its way and have forgotten people that made then get where they are now. Mind you the influx of members from around the world is wonderful.BUT!!!!!!!!!!!! with common sence! Not to let tons of under 18 years and no payment online people.... Why is it that LLabs LOVES to use its members to their liking like they have AMW.......... then say one day.OH! Sorry but since your a lifetime member you don`t mean much anymore.....At one point they were trying to resuce the number of lifetime members right after the 6/6/2006 explostion of freebie accounts....

I really feel for you AWM....I really do.Nobody that has given as much as you have should be treated that bad..... But let users sell their accounts to others.OH HELL YES Llabs does not care........common sence nolonger is the minds of llabs. Only how much blood the can pump out of you then throw you away........SAD SAD SAD SAD SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Usagi

Apparently not. My account still comes under the 'free account' heading, simply because I do not pay 9$ a month for a premium account, nor, due to my continous re-investment of any monies made in game, back into the game, have I had to buy and L$'s, even though I have paid out 1,000's USD in RL.

I made this thread to 'enlighten' all those who recently joinned the witch hunt to have 'free accounts' offloaded out of game, in preference to those that 'totally support SL' with a premuim account. The very fact that LL would event post that as an answer to the current under investment in the asset servers, is frankly against their own TOS in respect to discrimination. The weirdest part is, that it was LL that made the distinction available in the first place and continue to do so.

Are you for real? LLabs thinks this? Well why don`t you give llabs a $9 and give them their monies which they sims to relaly need ( the whole $9).. Has it come down to this? people that have put monies in the game and or have payed their dues are being treated this bad? Given then $9.00 and get it over with its not worth your time dealing with such cheap business sence llabs is now doing to those like you.

This HUD attachment was developed by Max Case and is available from him in-world. Check his picks for the location. You can also get it on SL Exchange at :http://www.slexchange.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=138377.

Oh, the price is pretty competitive too - it's FREE.

Respeck, Max, and kudos