Why Build, What to build?

A long time resident of SL, just passed a year, i've gone throuhg many different sizes of land worked on projects and other things.

But the problem is I'm lacking motivation to build. I started building my tiny av a mansion, which after 5 hours i got bored of linked and out in my inventory.

I want something people will want to come see, i'm fed up of the generic home builds in SL that serve no purpose.

I wonder why we build walls roof and stairs in our builds, we dont need these things. Problem is my land serves no purpose at the moment other than my own little sandbox.

Anyone else into building had similar thoughts? It's like writers block.

It sounds as though you have a motivation, but it doesn't suit you.

Instead of building something you think other people would like to see, build something you would like to see. Make it yourself, so it will be unique. Invite friends over. Others who are interested in seeing what you like to see (and spending time where you like to be) will naturally tend to it, through either word of mouth or a Places listing.

"If you build it, they will come."

That does seem to bring a good point though, especially when you're trying to build something marketable.

Its discouraging when you have an idea for a build and then turn a corner only to see someone else thought of it months ago...

People need privacy to pixel slap.

I agree with Snark, make something for yourself. Make that vacation destination you always wanted to see or something. Be selfish with your building. It's always much more fun that way.

I don't know, I think it's a challenge then to see if you can build something as good as (or better than!) what the other person did. It's always neat to try to figure out how they did the weird little scripty bits, or got the perspective just right.

But maybe I just haven't had my land long enough to get jaded about it?

Karma, you won't have much problem impressing others. What matters first is if you like it otherwise it won't be appealing and you lose interest. If you don't like generic stuff then improvise on it or perhaps not even consider those features at all.

You are experiencing existential builder's angst.

This too shall pass. And probably lead to your building something even better! And different.

coco

In a similar world to SL, I once built from memory, the home that I grew up in, including the surrounding homes and yards as I remembered them. To this day, It's kind of eerie to visit that build. If anyone would like to visit; AlphaWorld 7855N 8780W

I've recently found it quite interesting and challenging to build structures that look realistic, with high quality textures, and yet which are also low prim designs. I've been studying 'prim torture' techniques to get shapes that allow me to reduce the prim counts, and have been making my own textures.

I have a Tudor-style Tavern that I am constructing right now. It's a 20 M by 20M "T-shaped" building, with two stories and a peaked thatch roof, and lots of leaded glass windows... and so far, it's well under 30 prims. It will be more when I finish adding the stairs, doors and furniture, of course, but should still be far more efficient than most people would expect. And it only uses a few specialy made textures, so it rezzes pretty fast.

A matching 5M by 5M one-room cottage is only 9 prims, including the door and a window that has a windowsill, so that the wall has visible thickness when you look through the alpha-mapped window.

I think people make buildings that resemble real structures because they give us a 'sense of place' when we are in them. It improves the realisim of the experience. We don't need kitchens, bathrooms or any of that, really. But it's pretty cool to chat with someone while sitting at your virtual dining room table, and to be able to go to the kitchen and bring back some tea to share with them.

At the same time, SL offers the ability to escape entirely from real-world building restrictions. Some friends of mine have a home with no walls, and whose 'roof' is a series of turning gears on upright shafts, like parasols. They have enclosed rooms for privacy, but the obvious part of the home is very open and non-traditional. For them, it's more of a landmark and a platform to stand on while building, than it is a living space.