Lost In The Void: Unexpected Virtual Land Price Hike Leads To Anti-Linden Protest, Self-Immolation

As I write this, several dozen Residents are encamped outside the entrance of the Linden Estate Services office, most waving protest signs, some engulfed in flames.  It's part of a larger backlash against last night's announcement that the Lindens will significantly increase the land use fees of "Openspace" regions (or in Resident vernacular, void sim), from USD$75 to USD$125 a month, starting next January.  Designated by the Lindens for "light use", Openspace regions, as the name suggests, were intended to emphasize open landscapes and water bodies, with little or no homes or other objects.  Instead, land manager Jack Linden claims, these regions "are being used about twice as much as  we expected." Hence the price increase.

To give this a real world analogy, imagine that the Lindens were the US government, and they sold off large portions of Federal parkland to citizens at bargain prices, with the understanding that the private landowners would preserve their estate in more or less the condition they bought it.  In response, there's an unexpected demand for this land, while many existing owners begin converting much of their pristine land to real estate.  So the government suddenly increases the cost of new parcels, while greatly raising the property taxes on previously purchased regions.

If that happened, Washington D.C. would probably be overrun by protesters, too.  Especially if it happened now, during the height of global economic uncertainty and recession.

Reaction across the metaverse blogosophere has been thorough and generaly heated.  Here's a sample:

This means the end of the openspace boom

"Many of us will be out of business, or have to change openspaces back to normal estates, because the difference in tier is going to be very large... Anyone working for LL should realize that their paycheck is blood money, squeezed from small people who wanted to make money here by creating and selling.  It is time for me to go. I will convert this blog into my creative writing blog."

- From Lillie Yifu, major landowner and blogger

* * *

Linden Lab Betrays Consumer Market

"Linden Lab has destroyed credibility with its latest surprise announcement to 'jack-up' the prices on more than 50% of the grid's monthly fees... Linden Lab has been touting its land 'growth' for the last 5 months since Mark Kingdon joined as CEO. I called it a misleading charade when in fact the growth was a conversion of full to void sims--actually lowering the number of prims on the grid. I called it a bubble. But never ever, did I imagine that Linden was pulling a bait and switch move on the entire land market."

- From RightasRain Rimbaud, major landowner and CEO of NWN partner Rezzable

* * *

Linden Lab Raising Tier on Openspace Property

"Linden Lab is within its rights to make this price increase, no matter how much it riles people.  But wouldn’t a better approach be to use the metrics they must be collecting to track down the violators and boot back all/part of the prims on those lands?"

- Harper Ganesvoort, Around The Grid

* * *

LOLcat Openspace protest by Vint Falken, found on Crap Mariner's Openspace Flickr stream, created, he explained to me, to show the void/Openspace sims threaten by this coming price increase.

* * *

New Void Sim Price Hike will destroy the foundation of themed sims in Second Life

"Today, we are faced with a very different economy and a multitude of entertainment choices. We're also in the midst of an economic downturn that may take us a decade of hard work to fight our way out of. Linden Lab would do well to remember that... The consequences of this action are more than a little dire-- not for Second Life as a whole, but particularly for sims that rely heavily on open spaces for not just an aesthetic, but their day to day activities. Sims like the Second Life Sailing Confederation, or the Wild West sims, or Caledon, or Antiquity, all of which have significant open sims that being used as an essential aesthetic for community activities.. the draw, if you will."

- Hotspur OToole, SL steampunk blogger, Hibernia on the Skids

* * *

Flickr Openspace/Void sim protest stream created by Crap Mariner:

* * *

WTF LL of the Day: Openspace Sim Smackdown

"Reacting in a knee-jerk 'SCREW SL!' way isn't the answer right now. Be angry, fine and yes, but as we have seen in the past, our being ticked off at something they've done (gambling ban, SL5B, trademarks, land devaluation) hasn't made a damn difference, now has it? ... The way I figure it, in the end we hate these kind of policies, but we really do like being here despite it all. Oh, my Las Olas home is a rental on an openspace sim. Am I screwed? Yup, probably, maybe."

- Eladrienne Laval

* * *

The Death of a Dream

"I believe Linden Lab have really dropped the ball on this one, and what was already a fragile Second Life economy will suffer even more now. More designers will drop out of selling their wares in Second Life, land barons will get fed up and leave and we will generally see spending by residents drop as a result of the increase."

- Prad Prathivi, Metaversally Speaking

* * *

Linden Research, Inc. sleight of hand

"If the 'abuse' of open space sims that Jack Linden refers to is the real problem, then Linden Research should:

   1. provide realistic, explicit guidelines for what appropriate use is (number of avatars? script resources?)
   2. provide metrics tools for use by landowners (at a minimum) and other residents
   3. throttle performance on open space sims (hard limits to number of avatars and script time)"

- Otenth Paderborn, Tenth Life

* * *

Openspace Sim Owners, BOHICA

"The whole RL world is currently in the throes of a financial downturn (how deep or long, it’s anyone’s guess at this point), and despite indications to the contrary, the SL world is not immune from RL’s effects... Much as I hate to see anyone screwed over by LL, the fact remains, if they go down, all of SL goes down with them, and we’re all screwed.  And maybe that poisons the dream of a 'real' Metaverse for years, or decades."

- Erbo Evans, Erbo Avenue Exit

* * *

Shouting Into The Void

"Everyone knew that OpenSpace sims were being used for all sorts of things apart from Sailing and Occasional Walks In The Park. The Forums were full of advertisements for them as residential, and in fact, complaints were regularly raised that OpenSpace areas were being passed off as full-fat Sims in sales - because on first glance they appear fine, and even on subsequent glances, and in fact they are fine in a lot of cases where certain types of scripting or high occupancy are not involved. Please - the idea that this is an issue that has suddenly appeared out of nowhere is not credible."

- Ordinal Malaprop, An Engine Fit For My Proceeding

* * *

Linden Lab changes Openspace (and for the better)

"Openspace sims being used for homeowners, and stores is a bad thing; it hurts those whom rent regular sims and those on the mainland.  The rise in Openspace sims creates less of a push for mainland and regular sim rentals forcing business people to change their business model for cheaper Openspace spaces or forcing people out of the rental market because they are unable to compete."

- Nexeus Fatale

* * *
Linden Lab giveth and taketh away - Developing an exit strategy

"I know many of you are exhausted, angry and disheartened. As recent events have demonstrated again, and given that many of you feel that we have come to depend on Linden Lab to act unreasonably, I want to encourage you to begin developing an intelligent exit strategy, but please don't forget to stay in touch with the contacts you have carefully forged over the years. We want to stay in touch with you."

- Bettina Tizzy, NPIRL

* * *

OpenSpace Sim Prices SHOULD NOT Be Going Up! VOTE To Stop This ridiculous increase!

"As a resident since 2005 I feel like it is my duty, and the duty of all residents who agree with me on this, to vote and protest this!"

- JIRA feature request ticket created by Catherine Night

* * *

Much thanks to NWN cub reporter Patchouli Woollahra for alerting and teleporting me to the heart of the protest!

Comments

[Seven Shikami]

"Here's all this cheap land which actually has no restrictions on it for use except for us politely asking you not to overuse it."

*months pass*

"Whoa! People are overusing it since we didn't put any restrictions on it whatsoever and made it incredibly affordable?! I had absolutely no idea this could happen! Well, let's jack all their prices up instead of implementing usage restrictions, because that would take some, y'know, programming effort."

Comedy like this writes itself. This whole thing could've been avoided if the Lindens realized that they were handing out too much for too little in the first place.

[Moggs Oceanlane]

The Second Life - Openspace/Void Sims Flickr group was created in response as a peaceful protest to show what might be lost if this change goes ahead as planned.

In the group discussion you will find links to numerous blogs on the issue, along with other relevant links and resources.

People certainly feel passionate about the issue within hours of it's creation the group had over 80 members and over 120 images and it continues to grow as more residents wake up, wipe the sleep from their eyes and hear the news.

[GoSpeed Racer]

All those communities who did use it as intended will be punished and possibly destroyed. Sims with a vehicular component (Sailing, flying and driving) rely on voids for their special activities. Take those away and they no longer have appeal will fall by the wayside. Some no doubt will go under.

[Gahum Riptide]

I wonder if there's some way for them to query the system to find out useage stats to see WHO is misusing the openspace sims, and then contact those people, rather than applying a broad brush to everyone?

I'm sure they know who has openspace sims, so why not make a visit over time to each of them to make sure they're complying?

[Vint Falken]

Says JIRA issue MISC-1776 maybe? =)

https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/MISC-1776

[Nexeus Fatale]

I think that by doing this LL is going a good thing (as mentioned here: http://www.nexeusfatale.com/journal/linden-lab-changes-openspace-and-for-the-better/)

For those whom were using openspace sims as homes, etc, that was not the intended use for these sims to begin with. It's not like they hid these facts from anyone, it was out there in the open for all to see.

[Ordinal Malaprop]

It has mostly been said, but I made a few comments here: http://ordinalmalaprop.com/engine/2008/10/28/shouting-into-the-void/

[Sered Woollahra]

As often, the good suffer from the bad. It was clear that these sims were not intended for residential areas, shops etcetera; no one would have to be really surprised that the Lindens do something to interfere, here.

But the way Linden Labs have handled this, is definitely not smart. Up front, they assumed anyone would abide by the guidelines as published, which was idealistic maybe, but terribly naive. And now they correct the situation with a blunt axe! This should have been thought out better beforehand.

The ones I feel really sorry for, are those who did use the openspace sims the way it was intended to. They are harshly punished for other people's behaviour, here.

[Eris]

Not sure your parkland analogy holds water but still...there's a solution to the problem: add a surcharge for high bandwidth usage on OpenSpaces.

OS sims have already a prim limit set on them, so that can't be the problem - perhaps they could add an active script limit too (if there isn't already one) to prevent one heavily-scripted sim dragging its server-neighbours down.

Beyond that Linden's main issue must be the bandwidth the over-used OS's are generating - so either put a limit in place or preferably add an automatic surcharge. If your OS sim uses more than the monthly limit of bandwidth then you start paying extra for it - on a sliding scale up to the US$295 level a full sim would cost you. That way modest users could still enjoy the value of an OS sim but the people hammering them will have to pay their way or move to a full-spec sim and be done with it?

[rightasrain]

@Eris--but isn't the void issue then just the same as the full sim issue? So does this mean LL will "jack-up" prices on full sims also? The CTP (yes, I made that up = cost per thousand prims) on a full sim is half of the new void CTP. So if I move 4 voids onto one full--then I just moved the same problem within the same network. Looks to me like a full techincal meltdown at LL as the design flaws are breaking the service finally.

Isn't really the biggest problem that LL has 2 flawed design concepts-- 1) all inventory available all the time to all people for free 2) avatars can wear and collide with as much stuff as they want for free. So there is no economic disincentive to manage activities on the grid.

I mean--why not ban bots and campers? How much impact on severs are real people vs npcs?

Jack Linden is just makin stuff up as he goes along it seems--and now LL is letting him dangle.

[Dedric Mauriac]

Linden Lab should perhaps take another look at their PR department. Who the heck let this decision leave the desk with full approval?

[Nika Dreamscape]

Also, Podmafia podcast discussed this on episode 69 http://slpodcast.net/2008/10/podmafia-69-openspace-catastrophe/

[.-]

I was just brought to tears watching the photostream at http://www.flickr.com/groups/openspacevoid/ The thought of so much beauty and creativity being lost is heartbreaking. And on a personal note, the future of my own openspace is up in the air, months of dreaming and work perhaps only to fade away.

Hamlet, thanks for your bold stand on this. The survey is a great idea too.

[Raul Crimson]

Sharing my opinion here: http://raulcrimson.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/openspace-sims-another-linden-mistake/

[Ann Otoole]

People that think LL cares are deluded. LL appears to be run by Rivers Run Red now. There won't be any resident created content allowed in SL within a year and all stores will be RRR stores. There will no longer be private islands and all land will have to be bought from RRR. You watch.

Aptly named that Rivers Run Red company.

[Jago Constantine]

If you think this is bad, wait until Linden Labs announces the new rustproofing fee.

[Sered Woollahra]

Linden Labs, how about a 'pay per prim' system?

http://sered-sl.blogspot.com/2008/10/alternative-openspace-solution-pay-per.html

[Hamlet Au]

"LL appears to be run by Rivers Run Red now. There won't be any resident created content allowed in SL within a year and all stores will be RRR stores."

Ann, what's the basis of this assertion?

[T_S_Kimball]

Ann, I'm usually in agreement to some level, but that's a bit harsh without citing a source or other method of citing a 'proof.'

Sered, that was done in LL's initial incarnation; It was killed posthaste. Go *way* back on this weblog, or grab Hamlet's book (section: Tax Revolt). Hold on to yer hats, as this may be a revisit of that.

--Tim Kimball
aka Alan Kiesler

[cyn vandeverre]

If open space regions are being over-used, I completely agree with hard usage limits being imposed on them. This will stop the over-use dead. End of technical problem.

Trying to solve a technical problem with a fee increase is stupid.

[Ilsa Munro]

Regarding the assertion that the voids aren't intended for residence - I know that that's the stated policy, but if one gives a moment’s thought to the significant changes made in the void sim rules one has to wonder if that policy was being given a wink and a nod by LL (tm).

The three main changes that I’m aware of are:

1 – Doubling the prim allowance. Since the stated purpose of void sims is beautification and recreational use – in fact according to Jack Linden’s blog post - “For those that don’t know, an Openspace is a type of private island that we made available for light use countryside or ocean.” – what need was there for the additional prim count? Granted it may have been a side effect of updated server software which LL (tm) unwisely pitched as a benefit. I don’t recall seeing a great outcry for larger prim allowances on voids – in fact I think most people, certainly vehicle enthusiasts would have happily accepted a 50% reduction in the prim count in exchange for a doubling of the physical size of the voids to reduce rocky sim crossings. We don't want to park we want drive/sail/fly.

2 – Eliminating the four void sims to one full sim rule. Previously the number of void sims an estate owner could hold was proportional to the number of full sims they held. The current rules have no such limitation. What’s more in the past it was necessary to order voids in lots of four. Under the current rules they can be ordered one at a time. I’ve read of people with a 20 to one ratio, most of which are “rented” out to others.

3 – This to my mind is the biggest point which runs totally contrary to the stated usage policy. Previously a void had to be connected to the full sim or estate with which it was associated. This made perfect sense as it was intended to beautify or provide recreational space to that full sim or estate. Under the current rules a void can exist completely on it’s own with no physical connection to any other part of the grid, much less the sim or estate with which it is associated. A single sim sitting in the middle of nowhere does nothing to beautify the surrounding area, and operating a vehicle on a single sim ranges from dull to maddeningly pointless depending upon the speed of the vehicle. A single sim is suitable for only a few things – homes, businesses, of simply goofing about. Most people aren’t going to invest that much in simply goofing about so that leaves homes and businesses as viable uses for a free standing sim.

I know it makes me sound suspicious at best and like a raving nutter at worst, but at this point I have to ask how – when the current system was first being discussed at LL (tm) - none of extremely predictable outcomes ever came up? Take a popular commodity – private sims. Increase their value – double the prim count. Eliminate the built in rules which enforced the stated use policy – remove the four to one and physical proximity requirements and allow them to be purchased singly rather than in lots of four.

I'm sorry, but a chimp could predict what would have happened.

No offense to chimps

[Gahum Riptide]

There Ann goes with a reactionary, unfounded assertation. Really, can you back that up Ann, or are you saying that just to get some attention here?

[Veeyawn Spoonhammer]

If someone can point me to a sane, technical discussion of what all is going on that would be swell.

Because the abuse of OpenSpaces seemed inevitable and the decision to raise prices so abrupt and heavy handed I feel like there's a technical issue that isn't being discussed.

Is this all related to the network infrastructure info that just came out?

[Ananda]

Yeah that.

Because as it stands I personally don't fathom how using an OpenSpace as a residential (i.e. mostly deserted) sim in any way constitutes "abuse", compared to say the intensive physics requirements caused by vehicle races. Nor are trees and plants of the sort we have now less intensive than houses. So I have to call BS, they simply decided it was time to make more moeny and came up with a "good" reason for it.

If LL believed they had serious competition you'd think sometime in the past 5 years they would have figured out how to build a stable load-balancing server that can host many multiples of empty sims, and prices would have dropped instead of gone up. How many cycles of Moore's Law have we gone through now?

But in the meantime I don't expect this to impact the population numbers at all. Come join me in the longtime unwashed unpaying masses!

[Princess Ivory]

Regarding "misuse" of the voids by the rental market, in some cases people who were perhaps new and/or naive (we all were once, about land, remember? LL makes it very confusing to master) were sold sims which they may have believed were "real" sims, not light-use voids, or they may not have understood the difference. They were told their prim allotment by the estate owner, and began happily building. And as long as they stayed within their prim allotment, they thought everything was going along just fine. And no big bad Linden came along to tell them otherwise. Until now. Much later. Most unfair.

This could/should have been handled with a less heavy-handed approach. But that approach is the one I have always witnessed during my 2 years in Second Life®. So why should this be any different? There is such potential for what this world could be. And it will be mismanaged to death by the company that owns it all.

Princess Ivory