Newbie Kit: What do you wish you'd known?

Explain how to use the Support Portal...where it is, what the various options are, Premium vs. Basic help available, etc. Stress the Knowledge Base, as so many questions can be answered there.

Also, someone mentioned Jill-in-the-Box; that's actually something Linden Lifestyles put together (with some help from places like Calla) and there's a Jack-in-the-Box option too. Avatar at Pixel Dolls has some complete avs, males and female, for 350L (?)...and when I say complete, I do mean complete (skin, hair, clothes, AOs, etc).

Oh, and one of the female default avs now has a skin made by Munchflower Ziaus of Nomine...the clubbing one, I think? It's free and soooooo much better than the others available, so I'd definitely recommend rooting through the Library for it.

I have a bunch of locations listed on a 'Newbies' tab in my Picks, if you want to take a look...I'll put it all on a notecard some day. lol

A separate notecard, by all means...not for any reasons of morality, but to give enough room to discuss the subject.

I'm still learning about the differences between poseball animations, scripted genitals, couples HUDs, emotive gestures/sounds, and simple racy chatting. Would sure be nice to have a guide to all that. Especially since the best (or at least, most popular) accessories are not cheap.

Be sure to include in your FAQ how to emote "/me". I was in SL for six months before I finally asked someone how to do it.

A landmark to Info Island - the Library Reference Desk..not only are the librarians on duty all the time (RL volunteers) but there is generally a group of regulars sitting around talking..and if someone needs an answer or a landmark it's a great place to go!

Perhaps a SLSexEd class can be instituted.

I wish I had had all the above, but the fact that shocked the heck out of me, was that there were all these free items! A free house? Who knew? I remember friends telling me they got a freebie, and I had no idea what they were talking about.

The whole starting up process was lame when I signed up over a year ago. I sure hope it's better. It was truly a "throw you in the ocean, hope you can swim" experience for the first few months. So here are my votes on extra Newbie stuff I sure could have used in my nonexistent kit:

Notecard with hints on land purchasing that explains the cost per $L calculations, and what prims mean, and what landbots are and how to search for land, etc.

A whole other notecard regarding Prims.

When I started there were no land/search/copy/ruinSL bots. Nor did Griefers exist. I think a list of SL pests would be a BIG help for many. (I'd also include sleeper 16 m plots, real estate griefers, camera snoops, land swoopers. Geez, where did all these pests come from?)

Is there a glossary of SL terms?

The freebie stores list with landmarks.

I wish that someone had taught me how to unpack boxes. No one taught me that one for about a week so I ended up with quite a few boxes on my head. I have a good notecard my friend Oriana made if you want one.

Ask some really nice helpful people to add their names to a notecard and offer a 911 call to. If you start SL without friends who are NOT newbies, finding one person who is patient enought to answer a question like "Help theres a box on my head" is difficult.

Thanks, all, for your overwhelming responses and support. That's great.

And yes, if anyone has any helpful items or notecards (some of you, I'll be stalking your Picks), send them to me in world and of course I'll credit.

I think my project has taken quite the expansive turn, which is fine. This will allow me to review everything, and streamline it while incorporating all your amazing suggestions.

An SL Sex Ed class would be amazing!!! The irony -- I used to run student to student sex ed classes at University way back when, discussing everything from alternative lifestyles to safe sex. Hmmn, is there a niche for this? I know I need another project like a hole in the head, but... damn that's a good idea. Someone should do it!

As much of a joke as it was meant, it actually isn't a bad idea. Instruction could entail the basics that sex is part of SL, how it is accomplished with poseballs and furniture, the various toys and systems available, and the basics of good sexual citizenship. Perhaps the manufacturers themselves would sponsor it, offering newbie starter kits. It would have to capability of being a greifer's delight, but it could work I think. A very ambitius undertaking, for sure.

My response to every person that asks me how to make money...start taking classes and find out what you like to do and go from there. Search, events, education in the drop down box and go crazy.

I'm still doing research on the topic. I'll get back to you in about six months.

I have quite a bit of land and we have a community centre on the land that would be ideal for instruction. Unless someone else takes this up and runs with it, I would very seriously consider putting on such a course. I'd have to put together a serious proposal and present it to those parties whose items are used and see if they would be willing to sponsor such an educational seminar.

Then again, maybe such a class already exists in SL??? Is that possible?

It's definitely ambitious, and to be done correctly would take a lot of work. Work I'd be willing to invest, I think, if no one else wants to.

*kitty ponders heavily*

I have a THiNC printing press - if I can get this list together I can make a 'book' that can be passed out to Newbies (or anyone needing info)...I would donate my time and pay to have the pages uploaded (only 10L per page)...

There is no way to have landmarks in the book itself so it will have to be an inforamational guide with an accompanying notecard with links.

I'm in the process of moving right now but will have time soon.

If you think it would be worthwhile that is..

I know it's been mentioned before....... but i'd say LM to the Free Dove (where they also have instructions about unpacking boxes ))) and loads more instructions for new arrivals. Plus they run classes on just about anything too.

The Free Dove is a super resource. I just wish they would be a little more discerning with the freebies they accept. Some of them are very good, but others are terrible quality.

A note card with LMs to all the stores whose designers have freebie boxes is a great idea.

Having read this thread I think I'll make a freebie box available at my own store.

You're welcome to provide a LM to the Shelter - similar mission as NCI, except our focus is more on providing a postive initial social experience, rather than on education.

Lucrezia i have just IM'd you in world, and would like to talk to you about this, also anyone else who thinks this sort of class would be a good idea. Please IM me in world to discuss it. I would be willing to teach such a class, or steer small discussion groups on the subject of SL/RL sexual education. I am willing to answer questions privately on my qualifications for this sort of class, which i have been asked to run before.

Imogen

I have not read every post, but I think a list of misleading freebie to watch out for, such at the "Modern Table" that infact when you attempt to rez it is actually rezzes grass, or that "Holy Bible" that actually rezzes a listener as mentioned by another newbie. At the very least it should be mentioned that some freebies are misleading and should be rezzed in a sandbox first to be sure it is actually what you expect.

Lucrezia,

A SL Sex Education class has been something that NCI has been interested in offering for several months, lacking only the time to design one and the teacher to teach it. If you would be interested in teaching one for us, we can offer a place to teach it on mature land at our NCI Beach campus, promotional help, and a 500L$ per class hour Instructor Honorarium. If you are interested, please get in touch with me in world (I'm normally on after 6pm SL time).

Carl Metropolitan
NCI Executive Director

This one seems to come up a lot and I had trouble with it myself early on: explain the difference between skin and shape, including the fact that they must be replaced rather than removed when someone wants to change them.

Imogen -- feel free to contact me, too, if you might be interested in teaching such a class through NCI. I can also receive IMs via email while not in world. Thanks!

We had to make the same decision at NCI. We opted to include most everything we got, on the "one man's trash is another's treasure" principle.

That's one of the reasons why I don't want to put freebies in my newbie kit -- it's really an individual choice and preference. Besides, I remember being a newbie and hiding out on a small spit of Naughty Island having a blast going through my freebies to decide what to keep and what to delete. Made some friends that way! LOL

However, useful freebie tools are always good -- ie the feather, hug/kiss anim, sexy walk etc.

These are such great ideas, and I like the fact that things seem to be organizing for an SL sex ed class (I'll be in touch with a few of you when I get time to go in world tonight).

It's really nice to see people come together for newbies. I think we all remember when...

How about someting to explain some of the subgroups of SL to newbies, so that they may know dat not everybuggy is comin' at SL from the same place.

Give at least some sense of Gor, furries, elves/fantasy RP, spcialities like Midian City, and - of course - kids. I'd love for newbies to know dat most kids they'll come across in-world are not little pervs or something - an I get tired of having to explain all the time.

Mari