"First Life Plus" - suggetion for an SL spinoff

For most of us, Second Life is just that - a freedom for our RL-ers, admittedly through us avatars, either to live their own extra, parallel life or to create, control and observe a virtual friend living it for them!

But some people come into SL as themselves, living SL as an extension of their RL existence. This is probably a growing trend with more and more companies and other RL organisations getting involved.

So it occurred to me that there might be a market for LL to create a "First Life Plus" package, using SL graphics and interface but separate from the grid. Customers (businesses, clubs, pubs etc.) would get a stand-alone sim and control of access through their own website. Something like this would form an ideal platform for people who know each other in RL to socialise as themselves in, say, a 3D virtual beer garden run by the local pub, with others who can't get to the real place at the time. Given that Skype, MSN etc are so popular, I'd imagine this would be well used.

I know this happens in SL already, but this system would allow people to use their own names and registration, access, fees etc would be controlled by the purchaser of the sim. All LL would do is sell the package to the purchaser.

This wouldn't bar RL-extensionists from coming into SL, but it would provide something tailored to their needs and if they left SL it would be no loss to LL as they'd only 'defect' to another LL product!

I think it's brilliant. And I love the name!

If people were forced to use their real-life names, though, it probably wouldn't get anywhere.

coco

So wait, this would be a place put together by RL companies?? So you could choose to either go into SL where it's mostly made by regular cats like us (well, regular like ME anyway ) or choose to be subjected to advertising and go into FLX (that's what I'm calling your invention)?

Now, I'm one of those that treats SL as a creative extension of my RL (as in I don't care if people see a pic of me and know what city I live in, etc...) but I just don't see how this would benefit anyone...except for the main grid so all the blingtards that buy junk to look like Vin Diesel and Carmen Electra will go elsewhere and ease the load on the servers.

So I vote YES!

From the way in Interpret Conifer's Idea..

First Life Plus would be the place to channel all of these "features" and efforts to bring more of first life onto the grid.

Thus leaving the people who come to Second Life - to get AWAY from first life concerns ... In peace.

Sounds good to me!

I vote yes. Even give 'em free memberships to Corporate World....

Corporate World might even be fun.

/me ducks as things at thrown at her.

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What I really want is a much better search function . . . which might be impossible.

You know, I think this system you guys are talking about is called "Home" and will be released on the PS3 in the next year.

I would like Corporate World - which I call "Advertising Land" (used to call it Advertising World, but the initials are AW, another game, so I changed it) - and I would go visit it.

I would just like it . . . far away from us. Visit there when I want to see their cool stuff (which is why I wouldn't like it to be mandatory to have to use your real name). Go to SL to get away from the frickin real-life advertising.

I just don't like SL turning into AL.

coco

I beleive this sort of private island, without access to the rest of the grid has been done, and on a number of ocassions, Western Union springs to mind.

I've looked at the site for "There" and the trailer for "Home" and it all strikes me as very odd. Why go to all the trouble to create a virtual space that is so much like real life? (albeit a slightly idealized one filled with beaches and nightclubs).

Really, I can (and do) meet and socialize with people in RL. But I can't (for example) hang about in a steampunk/fantasy world or go on a flight in an airship.

But, as evidenced by all the casinos and tawdry clubs that are, in fact, popular in SL, those of us laughing at the idea of a "First Life Plus" might actually be in the minority in SL.

Interesting replies. My main thought behind the suggestion was that it might cater better for people who know each other in RL to meet online as themselves with their real names. I mean there could be local neighbourhood groups, pubs, sports clubs etc. People would still be able to create whatever avatar they want but would probably choose to have a self-resembling one or a total fantasy one!

Even families who are split apart by long distances in RL might find a "First Life Plus" sim a life-enhancing experience.

And, when they have had enough of chatting to freinds and family about RL activities, they can still log on to SL as whoever they like and do whatever!

In a way, but I wouldn't stop people who want to bring their first life into SL, I just thought there might be a market that caters better for them. Hopefully a lot of people would decide to join both systems, or might join several First Life Plus sites.

I believe he meant Wells Fargo.

There is a Western Union >.>;

This would also be well suited to incorporate voice chat.

A Western Union what? Western Union virtual world? provide link, please.

Sounds like a great idea. Opens up the grid, gives people more options, hurts no-one I can think of. People who are ill or travelling or handicapped in some way can still hang out with their buds...Gee, what's not to like?

Wishing you great success.

Will avatars/textures/skins/scripted-objects/etc be importable from the main grid?

If so: A rogue personal server will be able to copy and, likely, distribute whatever people import with them, regardless of the owner or the creator's permission.

If not: Everyone starts off with a vanilla inventory and a newbie body in each seperate "1.5th life" area.

Based on what's been said so far, that wouldn't matter so much, as in "First Life Plus" everyone would play an avatar looking similar to their RL selves.

I just meant there is a Wester Union, like the bank. I misread the original post about the bank, thought they were just talking about the bank in general existing.

If I wanted to see what people really looked like, I'd hang out in RL more.

I'm all for personal sims, owned by us for whatever we want... but it's a pandoras box of sharing and trust issues that will be absolute hell to iron out.

Plus the fact That LL could simply supply the software and the client would install it on their own computer so whatever happens regarding members' behaviour would be nothing to do with LL.

You wouldn't have to have an avatar looking like yourself, you could still customise it, but people would probaby either be themselves or someone like Homer Simpson or Snoopy!!!!

If Linden Lab creates a real life oriented communication system using SL techniques, a sort of 3D virtual-world phone system, then we could have a beLL "phone book" with white pages for people and the yeLLow pages for businesses.