Mainland Sim purchase group for creative builders

I have followed this thread with interest since its early days. And I am going to take “the best, from the best” and go forth I have been able to put together four adjacent Mainland regions, plus another 1.75 regions jutting out from the four. My approach is a little different from Ged’s in that I’m “slicing and dicing” up front, though I will certainly have to adjust as we get renters.

I have started a map of the development. You’ll notice I worked predominantly on just one end of the regions. ((On the left side, you’ll notice more densely populated area. This is to fulfill commitments I made while joining the other four_and_three_quarters SIMS.))
I’d like to get feedback before continuing. See the FIRST DRAFT of the map at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacershepherd. Use the zoom tool to better see the image. You will see that two Linden Roads intersect in these regions.

My goal is for a THEMED residential/low-impact commercial area, basically a pine-wooded hillside area. Ged and I have discussed the use of <group-owned> roads to help steer the development, while serving as primland. I believe this also adds to the social element. (Plus I like walking around SL, so I liked the idea of the Linden Roads).

What are your thoughts on separation of parcels? Woods? How about a stream which would add interest? with waterfalls (height-limited since this is mainland), and bridges on roads and between adjacent parcels? I don’t know how primy this would be. I’ve never dealt with waterfalls and streams.

That looks excellent Jacer! It will be SO much easier for you to spread out parcels a bit, with multiple adjacent sims. That's one of my big regrets with mainland -- the inability to easily expand adjacently, the way you could with islands. You managed to bypass that future problem by starting out with a NICE amount of land upfront. I envy you, lol.



Yes, I think we might have chatted about that. Although not cutting parcels beforehand offered early renters more flexibility, it definitely restricted possibilities as the Linji sim filled.



The unfortunate thing about Linden roads, though, is that they don't give you additional "prim pool" to use, nor can you build / landscape further on them. I preferred to avoid Linden roads, and went with group-owned roads.



I think separation of parcels depends heavily on your rental pricing structure. Too much separation, and you lose a lot of rentable land, and will need to compensate with increased rent prices, which will not be popular. Too little separation, and you might end up with cramped feels.

Funny you should post this response, just now, though. After the first experiment with the Linji sim, I learned many of the things that you commented on above, and as of 2 days ago, have now started with a NEW sim -- Peronaut sim.

(Note to moderators: once again, I don't think this thread should be used to "advertise" rental availability, but I do think that sharing ideas about our experiences trying to develop models of sim communities are appropriate for this forum.)

You might be interested in checking it out. I love streams and waterfalls, and picked the Peronaut sim expressly because it had good terrain variety. Almost 5,000 sqm in the center, on the "slopiest" part, was reserved as a public park. Thanks to my estate manager, Sierra Mills (who is an aspiring landscaper), Peronaut Park currently has a pond at the top, and waterfalls and a meandering stream flowing all the way down, to enter the ocean. Alongside the stream, and crossing it here and there, are little paths.

Trying to build on the "social" aspects of community, the park is circumscribed by a road on group-owned land, and all parcels have roads that connect them all. I tried to break up the roads with little "pockets" of sitting areas / mini-parks.

I was unable to separate the parcels with additional space, as it would have forced the rent prices up, which I didn't want to do. I bet if you could do it, especially with the amount of space you have available, it'd look really nice.

Pictures of the parceling and roadwork for the new Peronaut Sim, as well as early pictures of the pond / waterfalls / streams, can be seen here:
http://slged.blogspot.com/2007/04/peronaut-new-mainland-rental-sim.html


(click thumbnail to link to bigger screenshot)

Actually, those old pics do NOT do the park justice -- if you're curious, you should just visit the Peronaut sim, and see for yourself. It's great walking, IMHO, lol.

I really DO think that mainland sims with covenants may be a nice alternative to traditional "ownership", while offering a way to avoid the nastier aspects of mainland ownership.

I'd love to hear comments about what other people have experienced.

Actually, Joie Salome, who I've been chatting with recently since working on Linji, is developing a _really_ nice private island community as well. I truly envy the flexibility she has with terrain editing, with an island, but once again... the bottom line of monthly tier proved prohibitive for me.

I lived in a town that had community involvement for a few years. I even owned several thousand sqm of 'commons' which kept space between parcels and made a nice little walking path around the sim. Why would I do this? I needed the prims this undeveloped commons afforded me, and it added to the neighborhood. When I left, much of my properties were bought up by uncaring, unneighborly types, who went so far as build barbed wire fences which blocked the serene docks and sewage pipes draining into the bay. A huge two hundred foot white refridgerator went up on the shore and another guy built a concrete bunker style store complete with paint graffiti on it. The shoreline went from wonderfully scenic to derelect slum in no time flat.
http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/pic.aspx?id=114173&sort=Pictures.PictureID+desc&Search=fridge
It all depends on who you can trust. There is no sure way to know that who your dealing with is going to continue to be a team player. Just takes one or two schmucks to blow the whole thing out of the water. Next thing you know, the town has gone to shit.

I concur that it doesn’t add prims. However I was bolstered by a couple of threads in which people stated they really like roads. Here is one example of positive road comments.




Winter, I agree that it only takes a couple people to blow the whole thing. HOWEVER, that is one of the nice things about offering Rentals. We have ‘some’ control over resident impact on other’s in-game experience. Ged has a very well-written, unambiguous covenant, which he has graciously offered to us other residential-minded folks. For those desiring to read about the pro’s and con’s of offering mainland via sale or rent, please see earlier posts in this same thread.

*sprays water all over my monitor*

Indeed... indeed.

As a side note, I'd love to see more themed land in SL, and with this explosion of available land and sims, I hope to see some great things from creative types.

Dear god, man, you're scaring the hell out of me that you can actually speak that way.

Desmond Shang -- well-mannered steampunk Victorian by day, l33T AOl pwnr D00D by night...

Someone needs to put that on a T-shirt (or a nice dress shirt) and give it to Desmond to wear proudly as he parades down the cobblestone streets of Caledon.

Roads rock!
Anyone who needs proof is welcome to visit my Region of Dechene. Linden roadway cuts diagonally all the way through it. I cut paths and roads in between EVERY lot branching off of it. Put up mostly the country style Damini prefabs and a few castles and period homes I made. This sim is 98% full of tenants and stays that way. Lots of trees, nice people and it's a great place to ride a horse around or just go for a walk in the woods.

In fact ALL the 6 sims I own or manage have roadways and paths and themed settings. Even the little 8192's I set up are like little neighboorhoods with a central park, fountains and walkways. I'm proud to say I am even running some of Jacers land and own a little in one of his regions and am actively working on making the new road project of his a go there. It's hard to find people that think like him in SL and are willing to back up thier ideas with actions.

I just finished a walled midieval town in Spini and am building a new Wild West city in Stheno. I buy add land and put up trees and waterfalls just because I can.

But you can't control everything. In Kenilworth, where my secondary office is, I had initiated a road project and had the entire sim connected lengthwise with a really nice 32sm wide roadway. One guy got into a financial bind and sold a 1024 lot. The first thing the new owner does is send me an all caps screamfest to get that ugly $%^*# road from the front of her lot. (As built it was encroaching in 16m of her lot across one end.) I IM'ed her with a pleasent "Good Morning, there's no need to shout. The road isn't taking any prims from your land and it connects the entire region." She replied with a verbal torrent worthy of any seasoned sailor, told me she was banning me from her land and muting me, (oh gee that hurt, lol) and other such nonsense so I just removed that section of the road rather than listen to her ranting.
Now we have an incomplete road that ends right before her lot and starts up again right after it. Looked really silly so other parts of it have been removed or shrunken and now it is only a walkway here and there with a ittle road left in the center. Doesn't connect anymore and more than one neighboor has IMed me to ask what happened. Then to top it off she puts up a brick bunker square box store with a 10 meter glowing sign spinning happily away in the sky over it. It faces where the road used to be and has a gray stone sidewalk in front that she has carefullty avoided actually conecting to the road. lol. But that's SL and you can't get along with everyone.

Roads are great, they foster community, but unless you maintain full ownership of the land you won't be able to maintain the road. That's why RL cities own easements.
I wish you all the best on this project and if I can help in any way definately contact me!

Hey Aminom, did your project get off the ground yet? I owuld love to see how far you have gone with this.