Question on Building

Hi all I'm new to SL about a week, and recently I just started to learn to build. The main question I have is not really how or work builds as I have a friend in-game that can help but from what I understand building and selling is the big way to make Linden if you're not a premium member, but seeing as most everything has been built what would I build that really isn't out there as much as most things you see?

Well, buying L$ is becoming a much more attractive option as prices fall but that doesn't really answer your question.

Welcome to SL. It's driven by your imagination so go nuts and have a good time with it.

My best advice is to build what you like and what you enjoy building. It's a dangerous guessing game trying to figure out what the Next Big Thing will be, and probably hopeless. Have fun, whatever you do, and if it is uniquely Yours, people will want it, but don't let saleability be the driving factor. This way you might stay sane. Sane longer, anyway.

Oh no, no, no. We haven't even begun to scratch the surface of "everything".

Look around a little and if you don't see it, build it. This much freedom can be daunting but trust me, before long you'll have a to-do list so long your grandchildren won't finish it. But neither I nor anyone else can tell you what you should build.

Hehe thats the funny part, I have looked around and I've seen everything that has been built. I'm not trying to find the next fad.

What you are expressing (slightly rephrased) is the classic "artists dillema."

How can I (paint a picture, make a sculpture, etc.), since they have all already been done?

The answer is that everything hasn't "all been done," as is instantly proven by the next big thing that comes along. The advice (above) to follow your heart and make things that appeal to you is probably the best way to go.

Failing that, do what everyone else does nowadays and find something sufficiently old and obscure to copy, and change it just enough so you don't get into any legal problems.

In 1899, the commissioner of the U.S. Patent Office issued the following statement: "Everything that can be invented already has been invented." That was 1899! Imagine if people had listened to that statement.

In 10 A.D., the Roman Engineer, Juius Sextus Frontinus said, "Inventions have long since reached their limit, and I see no hope for further developments." At that time the most advanced technological acheivement in human history was the arch! Imagine if people had listened to that statement.

Now in 2005, Lexy Aleixandre is saying "everything has been built" in Second Life. Lexy, take a cue from history. Everything most certainly has not been built. But even if it had, so what? Ever go into a town and there's a McDonalds on every corner? Are any of those McDonald's owners worried that they won't be able to sell hamburgers just because someone else is doing it 2 blocks away? Of course not. They're all doing just fine. There's plenty of business to go around.

The same is true in SL. There are 50,000 people in this little world of ours and the population is growing faster than yo can count. Try as we might, none of us will ever be able to sell to everyone. So, the answer to your question of what should you make is that you should make whatever you like. Do what you love and if you're good at it, the business will be there. You know, "if you build it, they will come."

What you don't want to do is to try to build your business around what you think other people aren't doing. That's never any fun and it just doesn't make sense. Make your ideas reality as they come to you and don't worry about what anyone else is or isn't doing. If you happen to think of something first, great, but don't not do something just because someone else already has done it. Run your own race, have fun, and you'll do just fine.

When I started, my big quest wasn't in building, but I soon became attracted to the idea of constructing some kind of underground lair and dungeon.

Of course, with the "first land" not going farther than 4m below original ground level, it wasn't much of a dungeon, but I'm sure other people with fewer limitations on their land have already build cool dungeons, caves and such, but I haven't seen them yet.

Next thing I did was come up with the idea of a huge residence that used as few prims as possible for such a huge size. I sort of overdid it, as anyone who ever visited my house can attest.

After my initial goals were met, it boiled down to the little things, like trying to make a spiral stairwell to the basement in only one prim (done), make grass flooring surrounding such a complex object (done in 2 prims), etc. etc.

Eventually you'll know that it's all about what you want to build. Plan it on paper and see if you can make it within the limited confines of your land. Then sit back and see if anyone likes it.

About selling, I would suggest becoming proficient before making anything to sell. The money is there to be made, but it'll probably trickle before it gushes.

Well thanks all for your adivce and well I've found something that I'm good at, well sort of. Right now I've become an abstract Sculptor, making those I already have four built and right now I'm in the process of making more.

Currently I will be looking for shop space to rent, to showcase my stuff. After the I get all that done, I'll probably do a commission system where the more complex the peice the higher the price but still build my own from time to time.