Pictured: Cassie demonstrating Lelutka's Axis HUD for customizing highly detailed SL Avatar expressions
Great conversation about the difficulty of customizing Second Life avatars, which now include countless user-made systems (like the one above) built on top of the default system, with reader "Scott" making this point:
While I don't disagree that creating a beautiful avi can be complex and difficult for new users, I don't agree with the implication this is a problem for Second Life. I remember the difficulties and frustrations of learning how some of this works. I still don't understand all of it, but it was (and still is) enjoyable to learn. I get a sense of accomplishment. The subtleties of second life avi construction become an "inside joke" with others who have had the same struggles. Not only do you get a sense of accomplishment, but you get the feeling of becoming a member of the "club" who have leveled-up and made a kick-ass avi.
This is very true -- while Second Life is not a traditional MMO, the very complexity of its user-experience has turned avatar customization into a kind of leveling mechanic. (Which is not too different from many traditional MMOs where you can immediately identify veteran players by the special details and features of their avatar.)
Seen this way, buying customization options from other users becomes a short-cut for leveling up:
New users can still experience Second Life for free. However, they can level up and make "in-app" purchases if they want a shortcut. Alternatively, they can do the really hard work of creating mesh. I have looked into creating mesh myself and, although it looks like something I would enjoy, I just don't have time. As a result, I make the in-app purchases to create my avi and make him look good. The other alternative is to not level-up and use the Linden avis. It seems to me that users are increasingly taking this approach (admittedly I am using my own anecdotal experience as a guide). I just think all of these so-called "problems" are really kind of the messy part of a user-created world. They keep the community alive and vibrant with users of varying skills and capabilities all interacting and learning with one another. It's fun and relaxing for me.
Overall, I don't disagree with the "facts" of this post, I just don't agree with the implication that those are a problem for Second Life.
I guess it really depends on on how you define "problem". To Scott's point, this complexity and leveling system is a powerful if unintentional mechanic for maintaining the established user base. (Once you've put in the effort to make a great avatar, you want to maintain the social status that comes with it -- and also upgrade it with the latest enhancements.) Then again, this also makes Second Life utterly obscure to nearly all new users, and insures usage rates will slowly, steadily erode... as is happening now.
So to paraphrase a line from Death of Stalin, while SL's complexity might seem like "no problem", it's actually more like: "No: Problem."
Good step by step tutorials that would be easily accessible by new SL users (maybe featured by LL or put in the spotlight) would come long way making that problem bit smaller.
I know that should be in mesh product designer realm but in reality new Second Life users don't know who the good designers are and what tutorial to follow.
In my opinion Linden Lab could do so much more helping to ease the 1st steps for new users to improve the user retention rate.
I am a content provider in SL myself. Whenever I find some time to create something new I try to come at it with understanding that for most of the people facing something new, something they are not used of is scary and frustrating.
Creators goal should be to make 1st steps for people when they are trying the new product as easy and fun as possible. Good user interface experience makes distinction between a good and bad product.
Often to the point that even if the product looks better looking, most users will prefer to use the product that is easier to use because using something that is easy to operate is already rewarding by itself.
In my opinion LL should maybe employ or temporary hire an user interface specialists that would look at SL as a whole and come out with some pointers about how to make SL more easy to use. LL should use the new knowledge to organize content developers, give materials (invest, market) and provide new and better tools for content creation in Second Life.
I think similar thing should be employed in Sansar as well. I am currently discouraged to use Sansar because I don't find it easy enough to develop anything inside it. Development in sansar I feel is restricted to professionals only. The reason why Second Life was able to grow was because it was easy enough for everyone to create content and make some money. Think about Minecraft growth again. Platform that is to have a big community needs to be inclusive rather than exclusive on this creative ground. Content development needs to be in real of everyone. This is what Philip Rosedale got right with Second Life. I still remember his conference about introducing the prim (presented as a building atom) to the world. People started loving SL because it helped them be creative.
Out of all virtual worlds platforms that are coming to the market the most successful will be the one that is most easy to use (+ other factors, but personally I believe that ease of use is the most important one). Just look at the Minecraft. It is so much less than SL but it managed to grab much bigger market than SL. Because its easy and fun to use. While Second Life can not be changed to be like Minecraft. SL has another big competitive advantage over it that is not fully using. This big advantage is L$.
->
Personally Linden Dollars (L$) for me are the reason why I learned programing and kept improving my skill until I was able to earn with that skill more than RL salaries...
Sometimes in technology its impossible to avoid complexity in those cases creator/designer needs to find a way to implement incentives for use and learn. Reward the new user to acquire new skill. This can be done in many ways. In case of Second Life there is nothing better than L$. Linden Lab should reward all new users with L$ for progressing through complexity. 1 L$ is 0,0039 USD. LL should gamify SL. Doing that makes it more fun and fun is what sells the most.
Linden Lab should recognize importance of doing that and if the company is not willing to invest into possible solutions for their own platform they should at least promote and better support the members in SL community that are getting it and are working towards that goal.
Long terms SL users and other creators are actually rewarding people who try to tackle the biggest problem of SL. Which is user retention. You can only keep "players" if you provide enough fun for them.
I make games in SL using L$ as incentive. The systems using L$ as a reward are very successful and a lot of people contact me and thank me for creating them.
Instead of LL it is the Landowners who are supporting these systems with their own L$. In our community we are all aware that it is the community that make SL not the empty lands (even if they're built as attractions). To grow and maintain the community someone needs to invest into it. And that is what Linden Lab is missing. They are not investing in the community as much as they could. If Linden Lab wants to save SL or prolong its life the management of the company literary needs to dedicate at least 10% of overall company profits for investments in the Second Life community. It just that what it takes and all the remaining power users of LL would also start investing in Second Life.
I have not been developing new game systems in Second Life because I am unsure in the future of Second Life. I am still waiting for Linden Lab to create a viable investment strategy to turn around Second Life before I will be prepared to invest my creative time in it. Not just making the product cheaper (like lowering the sim tiers) but actually making new investments in Second Life community growth. Second Life needs crisis management and some bold steps to turn platform with declining user growth into overall growth again. New virtual worlds will have tough time building community and I estimate that might take few years.
And community will only stick if the new worlds will be easy enough for them to use, to the point where its fun to use and enough people have the tools to release their creative forces. Virtual world creators are building the future - future user interface for human communication. It needs to be better than what people are used to. It needs to become what a mouse was for computers.
So many people criticize LSL scripting language and how its restrictive. But its actually serving its purpose better than anything. With it average Joe can make prim do magic.
I've written much more than I intended so I'll stop here. Just wanted to put something out for people to think about.
"Hi5"
Posted by: Wili Clip | Wednesday, November 07, 2018 at 04:24 AM
Sansar is a great example of what "working closely with content creators to find solutions" will get you.
It's not content creators fault that SL is broken. We can't let them be the solutions unless we are willing to be owned.
The SL game has got to be returned to the users. The market is part of the game, not the entire game. We're watching the hoops and hazing rituals of membership into the "prefab pretty club" shrink the user base drip by drip. Trust me, it's not always because the users can't meet the challenges. Sometimes it's simply because the process is inefficient and the results are unsatisfying. Maybe this "elite club" is only a collection of people who are content with being told what "good" is and will do whatever they're told to do.
That's not a "level up" for everyone.
Posted by: Clara Seller | Wednesday, November 07, 2018 at 09:03 AM
Will Clip, thx for promoting my 'Education Currency' concept.
"The currency is user generated. It is created/minted/obtained by participating in skill or knowledge achieving activities."
http://www.manupool.de/en/answers-about-the-geo
Posted by: Fim | Monday, November 12, 2018 at 02:14 PM