In Second Life's Welcome Area, Hell is Other Avatars

Mr. jjcc Coronet recently shot this arresting, beautifully photographed video in Second Life's Violet Welcome Area, a place that new users are likely to see on their first visit to the world, and somehow, it perfectly captures SL not as it can be at its best, but as it more often is. (Warning: Contains offensive, salty, testicle-punchingly banal language.) In it, a marvelously diverse array of avatars stand around in an incredibly vivid and luscious 3D world... and talk about such topics as anorexic zombies, trolling, who is an old hag, and the existence of God.

Of this conversation in the Welcome Area, Mr. Coronet tells me, "It's like this most of the time."

Comments

[Adeon Writer]

I agree. I've been there. It's like that most of the time.

One of the most important rules of SecondLife: Stay the heck away from Violet, Ahren, Korea1, and Waterhead. If you were unfortunate enough to find yourself starting in one of those places, it is in your best interest to get out of there as soon as possible and never return. They're the worst that SL has to offer, and the huge world is infinitely better outside of them.

I don't know how you manage to maintain a positive opinion of SecondLife setting up camp in Waterhead, Hamlet. Don't you hear what goes on just a few meters away?

[Ignatius Onomatopoeia]

Groan. I'm reminded of why I brought every student in at the New Media Consortium site.

Keep this is mind, Adeon: the wretched hives of scum and villainy that are the WAs also concentrate the problem. That way, we can enjoy the rest of the virtual world without the company of so many vile idiots.

[Silverfox Rainbow]

its kinda sad that most newbies nowadays when they arrive in SL at one of the welcome areas, this is what they either 'hear' or see, some really creative done avis there (cookie monster!) but yes stay away from the welcome areas, there is so much more to explore out there :)

[Scarp Godenot]

I think in a rl bar, that Adam guy would get punched out in about 15 minutes. ha ha But obviously these people love this kind of interaction. It is very similar to early internet flame wars. People complain about it, but still love it and hang there indefinitely.

[mrfagat]

I've never been punched in a bar because I don't act the same way in a bar as I do on SL. Genius!

[Melissa Yeuxdoux]

Good grief. Makes me doubly glad I don't have voice enabled.

[jjccc coronet]

First of all I'm not fat.
Second of all, cause I make videos about second life, good or bad, I get tared with a brush that paints me as a bady in second life, which is OK, i'm not in sl for the popularity contest like some are.
The people I hang out with, really are the salt of the earth and not bad people, when I hear stay away from these place cause its newbie unfriendly that's total bullshit.
I hang out at Violet, waterhead, Ahen, Korea1 and all the other places I hang out in my opinion are the best bunch of people your likely to meet in second life.
Anyone who says otherwise is probably the worst kind of person you really don't want to hang out with at all in second life as there just back stabbers.
OK we are all loud mouths on occasion and have allot to say about every thing but its good to vent and if this is not for you, then there are other places in sl that are less lively and far less crazy, but I like it.
It is what makes second life cool, the total diversity that allows different mixes of people from all over the place to be creative, nasty, nice, rude, loving, wicked, caring, intellectual and many other adjectives that make second life what it is.
......and stop disliking my videos on YouTube just because I hold the mirror up to your face and you don't like what you see. Be critical of me and the way I do it, that's OK, I don't mind. just disliking my videos, I do work hard on doesn't help me make better video!

[Chenin Anabuki]

The best part to me is the "Hey! Don't walk away when I'm talking to you. ". I don't think the convos are so terrible. It was actually interesting for the most part. I have seen/heard more dull, pointless hazing in other WA.

[Vecky Burdam]

@jjccc coronet
You sound like the people in your video. Your comment damaged your credibility more than just shutting up.

[foneco zuzu]

I didnt had any problem with welcome centers but lag!

[Booper]

I love how they're debatting who is dumber than who. They're all morons. Why aren't these idiots at work during the day? Violet is always full.

[Ann Otoole InSL]

Force avatars to listen to muzak in welcome areas.

[Doreen Garrigus]

Wow...I want to say how very very much I appreciate the Tinies of Raglan Shire.

[allison]

This makes me glad I pulled out all the voice crap from the SL client.

[GreenLantern Excelsior]

Ahern, Korea1, Violet, and Waterhead are only a few of the Infohubs and Welcome Areas in Second Life. Boardroom, Hanja, Hyles, and Pooley have newbies too, but they aren't massive hangouts like the first four. I especially like to help the newbies in Boardroom because the noise level is lower. Those first four, plus Moose Beach, tend to host certain folks who enjoy being the center of attention. You can turn the volume down on the usual suspects and help as many newbies as you like.

[Carlett Resident]

May I also suggest the Clementina infohub for those interested in the history of Second Life? Besides being the oldest build still standing (it was built in 2001, before the official beta began) it has an underground museum with memorabilia and pictures of both early SL and its predecessor, Lindenworld.

A must for the oldbies who want to teach newbies that SL is far more than sex and drugs and rock and roll.

AND it is almost always empty. Peace of mind for the lovers of quiet.

[jo yardley]

Yes when I first entered SL in 2007 I encountered something like this and left again.
I only returned to test a new computer and was very lucky to discover one fun sim otherwise I would have stayed away for ever.

SL should try and create 1 person individual skybox rooms so you can learn and explore a few options on your own without being bothered.
A personal lobby.
You visit them, learn a few things and move on.

Or at least turn voice off in the teleport area...