Privacy in Apt Living?

Hey Everyone-

I'm a newbie looking at renting my first apartment. I've searched through a bunch a threads, but haven't found the answers I'm looking for. Maybe you all can help?

I found a hi-rise apt that I LOVE, but it looks like there's no way to restrict people from coming in...Is there anyway around this? The owner said they could ban people if I give him their name, but what about just randoms, etc?

Let me know if you guys know a way to deal with this!

Thanks,
Reichel

You could do what my mate and I did in our first apartment; build some walls around the TP point and add a lockable door assuming the layout allows this and you are able to build on the land. Just keep in mind a locking door will only keep out casual or clueless snoopers. More advanced users and camera spies will find ways around locks. Hmmm, sounds like SL mirrors RL yet again.

Something else to consider in an apartment if you're concerned about privacy is conversation. Remember that everything you "say" in normal chat can be heard for around 20m or so. Unless the units are separated by more than this distance your neighbors will hear what you say and vice versa. So, if you want a private conversation, be prepared to take it into IM and also be ready to ask your neighbors to do the same. (Unless you're a virtual voyeur and want to eavesdrop on them....heehee.)

As Deej said, there's no surefire way to keep the hardcore snoopers out. However, there's a simple trick to keep the casual snoops & newbies from walking in: The Wall.

Build a wall and put it up against the door inside your place. Either keep it solid all the time, or turn it phantom when you want to go out. When an unauthorized person opens your door from the hallway, all they see is wall (and not your living room).

If you really wanna freak them out, make the aforementioned wall invisible with an Alpha texture (so they *do* see your living room, but can't walk into it and don't know why). This can be a good time to sit down with friends & popcorn.

Heck, if it's not that large and you can spare the prims, just coat a couple of x by x by x boxes with a clear (alpha) texture and place inside your apartment when not in use. My first apartment was two 10x10x8 cubes for the living area and a 10x10x8 cylinder bedroom area. Three prims blocked most people from being able to move even if they cam-ed in and sat somewhere.

A

Thanks for the suggestions guys...I like the idea of the invisible wall! LOL

What about keeping visitors who've been there...from coming & visiting whenever they want? Is there a way to do that?

Reichel

The only thing you can do is to install a security orb that will push them away after 10 seconds or so warning. If you set it up right, that can at least keep most of the annoying unwanted guests at arms length. But they can still peep at you from a distance, with remote camera tricks. They don't even need to be in the same sim.

Setting up a security orb on rented land may be tricky. Check with your landlord for recommended solutions.

The only real "privacy" in SL is if you own the whole private island, and only allow access to invited guests. Anything else can be defeated to some degree.

In truth, there is no way to stop peepers and creepers unless you own your own island. Basic things like locked doors will keep noobs out and privacy tints will keep people from walking up to your window. But it won't stop camera work or sitting on prims that are then moved into your space, unless land restrictions prevent object entry.

In looking for apartments, you should be sure to get some with locking doors at the very least, and privacy tints for windows. Ask about the security orbs, and check the land settings.

Despite all of the to-do about security measures only foiling the attempts of newbies, you don't really need to sit in your aparment with a tin foil hat on thinking everyone out there is trying to spy on you. Most of the SL population are just normal folks like you who prefer their privacy and aren't trying to get a quick peek.

Things that should be BASIC in all aparment complexes:

* A door that is openable only by access list. This means that when the owner locks it, it cannot be opened EXCEPT by people on the access list. This is a much more logical way to go about things than the ban list. This will allow in your friends, and keep out the general public--especially newbies who don't know better than to wander into someone else's living room.

* Tinted windows. This is easy and inexpensive, and as someone who has been the victim of countless "fly-bys" (you know, I actually had someone stand outside the window an IM me once... ????) it is invaluable.

My biggest problem with apartment living is the sound coming from the other apartments. I can hear ALL their chatter, and during my time in a high rise, I had some neighbors who didn't think to use IM for some of their more intimate conversations. I got to know them much, much too well. Is there a solution for this?

I had the same problem with my first Real Life apartment.

=p

Same for me, but on top of it i had no tinted windows nor a door that lock well

Locks or no locks people will still get in, no doubt about it.

best bet for privacy is to buy/rent land you have officer controls over and only allow the people you want in in.


Also, apartments are so close together they arent really my idea of privacy lol. (Hearing peoples convos, etc) However people dont seem to mind it too much. I have 5 sets of apartments and theyre rarely empty.

But if youre going to rent be prepared for nuisances.

I live at 580M with no other property withing about 200M. The replacement house I am now finishing off has one very large sliding door and a balcony almost the size of the living area. There is a lock on the door, prims with a transparent texture on the inside and default on the outside so that I see out but noone sees in without a good bit of effort messing around with a camera.

I also have a box giving a warning to anyone flying within 30M and sends them to their Home location at 20M which works very well. Configuring the box is easy and could easily work even in an apartment I think. If you would like to see how that box works and could be setup for your apartment IM me in world, I am off work so online and building etc for about 15 hours a day so you should find me.


iAndrew Bailey

Whilst people can swing cameras through walls and locked doors I've never bothered with security. Keeping an eye on the mini-map for green dots and changing to IM is all I do. Visitors soon get bored and go but if they distract you with chat a simple mute should suffice. Adjusting my camera to exclude them helps too.

Thanks for the help guys! The apt I'm renting (yes I made the big leap! lol) does have tinted windows which is great. And it's a high rise with 20ft ceiling height. So I haven't heard a single peep Although I have to admit, it doesn't seem too crowded, I think it's a new development.

One of my tasks today is look into those security orbs, b/c I asked the owner and she said that they can be used as long as they don't disturb the neighbors...which seemed odd to me? How could it disturb the neighbors? I guess I'll find out

Although, that box you mentioned sounds interesting too...hmmm

The big thing is to make sure that your security orb has an effect radius that does not extend into neighboring apartments or parcels. Most orbs have a range variable as well as a way to ensure the effect does not go past the parcel boundries.

I've found the best security is to live on well-managed, residentally zoned private islands. Find someplace that seems quiet, with low traffic. Griefers tend to prefer crowds and sandboxes and commercial areas, where they can readily find lots of victims. They don't often venture off into the back woods or to seldom-visited areas.