Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style
Valentine's Day is almost upon us, and if you're planning on celebrating with that special someone in the SL then there's a good chance that you've already lined everything up for this coming weekend.
Either that, or you're scrambling.
And I don't blame you. Second Life has its limitations, and those limitations just love to get in the way. Even the best laid plans can be ruined when you realize that perfectly boxed item isn't transferable, or that leisurely drive around the mainland in your mesh convertible will get a little too bumpy whenever you're crossing sims.
Whether you're looking to polish up some existing plans or you're not even sure where to begin, I've got a few simple pointers in mind to help you have an utterly seamless evening with your virtual Valentine. First up:
1. Send Gifts Via the Second Life Marketplace
The Marketplace is an easy go-to for just about any holiday, and has over one thousand pages of Valentines goodies specifically. There are a lot of stores in Second Life that do sell transferable good or offer gifting options in-world, but the SL Marketplace has this option built in no matter who the vendor is. Not only can you get your honey the perfect gift, but they'll receive it with the intended permissions, meaning that people who like to copy and modify their stuff can do so. Just remember that the SL Marketplace typically sends gifts the instant you buy them, so if you want to time your gift perfectly you'll want to keep it open in a browser to send right when that moment hits.
2. Shop Smart
If you're buying a gift for someone fashionable, don't just buy them something from their favorite store (unless they've been dropping clear hints). Fashion enthusiasts in particular will often have everything they want from their top stores already, so unless there's a very new release they have their eye on you may want to take a less direct approach. Instead, search one of the many SL fashion feeds for one of those preferred brands, and see what bloggers with a style similar to your partner's are wearing with it. There's still a chance you'll end up buying something they already have, but the odds are in your favor that you'll surprise them with something different.
3. Scout the Perfect Location in Advance
If you're planning to stay in then this tip doesn't quite apply, but if you and your partner like to go exploring then have a list of potential locations on-hand well before the big day. Saturday isn't the time to be flipping through page after page of search results for romantic gardens or virtual coastlines, trying to find one that isn't actually a 2007-style dump. If you don't have any leads of your own, scan Flickr and blogs (my favorite is still Mademoiselle) to see where the most current and intriguing builds are.
4. Don't Wear What You Always Wear
Not everyone in SL eats, sleeps and breathes fashion, but like it or not your avatar is still the most immediate representation of you in the virtual world. If you're planning something different than the routine, then an avatar that's different than the routine can be an important part of that. You don't need a head to toe makeover, but even something as simple as tucking a prim flower in your hair or throwing on a different outfit quickly communicates that you're doing something special.
5. Don't Just Imitate Reality (Unless That's Absolutely What They Want)
We're so eager to imitate reality in virtual spaces, but that imitation often doesn't make any sense at all. Candies you can't eat, roses you can't smell, plush bears you can't hug. It's a performance. Maybe you're with someone who wants that performance, or maybe you want that performance. Plenty of people do and that's totally fine. It's familiar and it's comforting, but it's not the limit of what's possible. A spur-of-the-moment diving trip isn't feasible for most of us on Valentine's Day, but in SL it's just a few clicks away at any given time. Don't be afraid to use your imagination and try something different, and definitely don't let what would be within reach in reality limit your virtual world plans.
Got any virtual Valentine's Day tips of your own? As always, feel free to share in the comments below!
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Iris wrote: Not everyone in SL eats, sleeps and breathes fashion
What heresy didst thou just speak? There is only fashion, fashion is The One. Fashion is the Precious. Fashion is as Fashion does.
Posted by: CronoCloud Creeggan | Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 10:32 AM