Mesh in Second Life Hasn't Hurt SL's Creative Community - But Creative Elitism Has (Comment of the Day)

SL mesh and animation creator Kate Alderman (who makes cool animations like the one pictured here) makes some interesting points on the ongoing debate, has mesh detracted from Second Life as a creative platform? No, she argues, because creativity takes many forms - not just the prim-based building that Second Life was first famous for:

I think this represents a very narrow view of creation and creativity. Does one really have to rez a native prim to be creative? Torture the thing, texture the thing, link the thing, to be creative?

No.

There are hundreds, nay thousands, of very creative groups in SL. Roleplay and community building are creative in and of themselves. It takes vision and drive to bring people together to work toward a common goal, or even in a common theme.

Decorating, landscaping, terraforming: designing a comfortable vista, or space in which to relax - or get manic - is creation.

"Artiste" types may prefer to think of these things as design, and not art in its truest form, and they are entitled to their opinions. But I see it as art. I can make kick-ass textures, which some folks view as art (I don't, it's more of a science, just like building with native prims in-world). Design, art, whatever, is creative.

There are dozens if not hundreds or thousands of writers and poets who get together in SL and share ideas and use SL as part of their creative process. There's so much inspiration. There are amazing and thought-provoking builds, of course. And those appeal to folks who consider themselves Literary. However, great story-telling requires great characterization, and there are a lot of characters in SL. But better still, there is a lot of dialogue in voice, where a writer can learn how people from other regions and countries speak, and text, where it is often easier to learn how others think. And of course, a lot of the writers groups in SL engage regularly in round-robin story telling. They could do that anywhere, but the ones I know choose SL because they feel more of a connection.

Speaking of which, she points out that most (or at least many) SL creators tend to be solitary people, and on a related point, argues that creative elitism is hurting Second Life community growth as a whole:

Most of the builders I know (162 on my friends list, 1314 in my personal group), rarely build with others. It's a solitary process, and it doesn't matter whether the building is done in world, or SL is just the display area for the building and creating that is done in other applications. If a person only logs in to upload, chances are good they rarely left their platform or the sandbox when they built in world.

And even though I have other points, the last I will address is this: By the time I first rezzed in 8 years ago, most of the people creating accounts weren't creating accounts to have a creative platform, they were creating accounts to make connections. Because they weren't easy to make, they left.

They still aren't easy to make, even though Linden Lab has made the UI more user friendly. They aren't easy to make because there are a lot of elitist attitudes, which began with the "artiste" types who couldn't lower themselves to reach out to noobs. And, as will happen because of human nature, the elitist attitudes infected the commercial builders and designers, who in turn infected the retail bloggers, who in turn have infected full time residents who've never blogged or built a thing in their SLives.

Moreover, this whole "OMG everything has to be *original* mesh!" happy crappy stifles the creativity of a lot of residents who would love to build with mesh kits, (or sculpts or even native prims), because no one will notice their work. They won't get feedback, in the form of comments (or the all-mighty L$) because their work is not original mesh.

Their work won't get seen because as we become a more mobile society in first life, residents rely on social media to find new things. Folks creating mesh don't want competition from people who are using kits, bloggers want things to blog, and it would seem they want to blog original mesh, especially original mesh from the elitist creators. You see the vicious cycle.

The Lab cannot fix human nature. It's up to the residents to keep new residents. It's a resident-built world. The residency has to be more welcoming and more tolerant to grow the residency, and to nurture creativity.

Myself included.

Or if I may put it another way, better social/community tools will do more to improve Second Life creativity than creative tools per se.

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Comments

[Orca Flotta]

Excuse me but let's forget the creative part for a moment here, and think about SL. No, even better, let's fuck creativity, it's a natural part of SL, it's a given. Makes no sense to think and theorize about it. Many people think to live in SL they need a house. Someone's gotta build a house = become creative. And from a pure SL perspective - the only valueable perspective btw - building that house in world means more hours spent in world, means more people inworld, means more life, more action, more busy people = goal achieved = profit!

And let me be a total radical arse now: fuck social shit too! It's not needed. We found that out long ago when the lab tried to turn SL into a 3D facebook thing and fortunately failed ... like they do so often. People who are in world, building or doing anything are kinda forced to be social networking and communicating if they wanna achieve anything.

If the author of the article can only be creative when she's offline and needs tools to be social with other (offline) residents she should ask herself if a virtual world is the right solution/place/game for her in the first place.

[Orca Flotta]

Tssk tssk, stupid Orcs forgot the most important argument: I bet 90% of SL resis aren't creatively active, they just aren't creative, they don't feel the urge to create anything. They wanna find nice stuff in the shops or on MP and don't give a single fuck about how it was made or if it's original mesh or unoriginal mesh or mesh at all. They do what SL was intended for: they live theri second lifes in world, not offline because let's stay logical here: a SL resident, let's call him Longdong Resident only exists in SL. Same as the resident Orca Flotta. Once she's offline there is no Orca anymore, she's just a minimal entry in some database. Of course I - the real me, not Orca - can be creative offline, scribble my blogthingy or work on THE German novel of the 21st century or paint a picture or do whatever. But it's got nothing to do with SL, it doesn't affect my avie or the artificial world we all love so much.

Of course everybody is free to create their mesh stuff with offline tools, and I know the "vicious circle" that forces creators offline. BUT please don't try to turn the offline creative process into something it isn't. Don't try to make it a part of your Second Life. Because Second Life happens exclusively on the grid, in your viewer, not in Blender, Maya, the Gimp or any other offline tool.

[Shockwave Yareach]

So. My being a bit of a loner and building what I want, how I want, and to the specs I want, makes me an elitist now?

I rather thought I was simply creating my own little world, you know, like we are supposed to do in SL. I had no idea my using SL for my own purposes and in the way I like meant I was the equivalent of people who skin baby seals.

Tell you what - if you don't like that I'm an introvert and have better things to do than gossip with you, keep your personal opinions to yourself. And I'll keep my opinions about people who can't help but insult others for minding their own business to myself as well.

[Jolee]

I'm thankful beyond words for your post.

Today, I was looking for information on using a feature in PS when I came across an article about original mesh in SL, and anyone who uses templates are the lowest form of human begins and should be flogged to death. That they'd (me) ruined Second Life with their (my) cheap "crap," and they went so far as to name one of the most successful full perm designers on Market Place. Then, in came the commentators full of hate, declaring their self righteous opinions that they wouldn't "touch" a template mesh if their pixel lives depended upon it--none, who by the way have attempted to make a box.

They were devising "rules" that when there are shopping fairs the template designers shouldn't be allowed in, or they should be listed so these pixel bitches don't have to walk past their booth, least this foul smell coming from templates cause them to swoon. They were full of disgust that the same style was everywhere (obviously they've never gone to the mall).

This went on for pages and pages. To quote one, "I am usually a mesh snob and 98% of the time will only purchase original mesh. I can’t really explain why; it just feels wrong buying something if I know the creator didn’t make it."

I could hardly believe what I was reading, and my heart sunk. I went to MP and removed all the items I'd paid for listings, because now I was found out and a piece of shit. I was so upset that I'd befouled Second Life, that I began debating on leaving, once again (having left once before over bullying). Could I never find something in SL that made ME feel good?

These haters affect the very income of Second Life, because now I'm not advertising. I wonder what the CEO would think of this? That no matter how they try to make SL friendly, it's full of people just like these blog posters.

But... suddenly, it came to me that these haters have nothing to do but slam others, and it's their ignorance the shows.

It reminds me of the early days of e-books, when the published paper writers would not accept e-book writers, and went so far (within our world-wide writers organization)to not allow the e-book writers to receive the coveted "published" award, which gave the members additional privileges, such as meeting privately while the rest of the hopefuls sat in another room listening to yet another writer talk about how they wrote their books. Let me tell you how that turned out. It divided our organization, caused infighting and ruined the most amazing creative group, to the point of almost imploding. I was on the fence at that time, with both a published (paper) book and an E-book. I didn't know which room to sit in!!!

I was also a judge for many years for one of the most prestigious awards. Some of those beginning E-book writers are now on the NYT best selling list.

Just imagine if they'd listened to all that negative talk?
When we divide and turn on ourselves, we destroy that which we love. Often its done out of pure jealousies, meanness, and lack of pleasure in our own lives.

Now back to SL. I'd like to explain to the uneducated that putting together a template outfit isn't as simple as one said, "throwing a texture" on an dress (that someone else made). They've never worked with the shadow maps or UV textures. Do they think that's easy? It requires use of pen tools, puppet warps, texturing, layers upon layers. Then, putting it all together, setting up huds, bringing textures inworld, and finally, photo shoots, many that take hours to set up.

I don't make mesh. But neither did I make the paper I typed my first novel on (or the computer I use now). Template mesh is a canvas. Period. One of the most important things I came to know, either it was told to me, or it was realized, is "Art begets art."

Spending hours on the canvas of someone's full perm creation should not feel like a miscarriage, but after reading that blog, I felt as if blood had seeped out of me, and the death of my art was imminent, because total strangers had judged me.

The other irony, was this full perm mesh creator was the first to bring mesh to us, and all these people who once used her clothes, and since learned to create mesh have encouraged others to turn on her like rabid dogs.

There were comments as well of the nerve of template designers to have the gall to charge the same as the holy mesh creators. Have these people lost their minds? No one is saying they have to purchase the items, and the price set is none of their business.

The went on to bash the 60L Weekend sales as well, and yet I know many members who really enjoy the weekends because someone has taken the time out of their real lives to create a fun shopping experience.

Finally, I say to these naysayers, you don't know how these "original mesh designers" come about their mesh. They could hire out, they could steal it from libraries, and the assumptions that these "gods" are sweating over their computers for their "art," is nothing short of laughable.

And yet, I didn't laugh. I felt I should just give up. I'm a loser in Second Life.

Of course, that's ridiculous. I'm not a loser. I take money out every month, so I must be doing something right, but these fashionistas are clueless about the Road Less Traveled, or the joy people get out of making things in Second Life. If it's not up to "their standards," don't buy it, but also don't use your words to hurt those who think it's fully up to their standards.