Sephina Frostbite Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 So my best RL friend and her BF would like to start playing secondlife. That want me to describe it to them and even though I am 4 years old almost I don't know how to describe it in a way that's intriguing and fun. The more I talk the more nerdy I sound and feel. So If someone could help me describe SL in a fun way, that would be awesome. Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dresden Ceriano Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Sephina Frostbite wrote: So my best RL friend and her BF would like to start playing secondlife. That want me to describe it to them and even though I am 4 years old almost I don't know how to describe it in a way that's intriguing and fun. The more I talk the more nerdy I sound and feel. So If someone could help me describe SL in a fun way, that would be awesome. Thanks for your help. Why describe it to them when you can show it to them? You said they'd like to start, so they're obviously already interested enough to try it. Just tell them to create accounts, be there to greet them when they first rez and show them around. ...Dres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marigold Devin Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Sephina Frostbite wrote: So my best RL friend and her BF would like to start playing secondlife. That want me to describe it to them and even though I am 4 years old almost I don't know how to describe it in a way that's intriguing and fun. The more I talk the more nerdy I sound and feel. So If someone could help me describe SL in a fun way, that would be awesome. Thanks for your help. Give them the link to the Second Life website, get them to create an avatar, download the Second Life viewer and meet your avatar inworld somewhere. They will need to learn the basics, but I'd leave that chore to another day and just show them the joys of teleporting around the grid to some of your favourite places in world. I made the error of trying to show too much too soon to a couple of my real life friends which resulted in them logging out and booking into rehab Facebook, never to return to SL. And yes, I feel very nerdy (but I wear that badge with pride :matte-motes-big-grin: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooja Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 It's a game where you not only can't win, but most people don't realise they are losers. Wooja . . . believit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren Toxx Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Tell them what you do in SL, and other things that you know can be done even if you don't do them yourself. Don't try to describe it or "label" it, you know that's as futile as all the debates that have been attempted about it... so just let them decide what it is, as a function of what can be done in/with it. And don't let yourself be worried about sounding nerdy. I myself see no point whatsoever in soccer or collecting stamps, yet I see no reason to call 'nerdy' those who do, just because they have different tastes and hobbies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Clarence Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Wooja wrote: It's a game where you not only can't win, but most people don't realise they are losers. Wooja . . . believit Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriLexa Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 this is pretty much what I have told a few people who ask me: The enviornment is similar to 3D interactive video games with realistic graphics, except SL is not a game. It's a virtual world where real people interact. While you are there, you can do everything you normaly do in RL. Go to clubs, dance, have relationships, work, have a baby, RP, live in a house, shop, sell items/services etc...You can also create and build things. The world is just like the real world, there are oceans and land. There are thousands of different user created places that exist such as amusement parks, forrests, night clubs etc... There is also an economy based on the Linden...(then at that point, I get strange looks and end the conversation by saying) It's not for everyone and the best thing to do is try it for yourself. Edit: I have to add that people familar with games like the Sims and Sims online, have a better understanding when you try to explain mainly because you can compare and contrast those environments. But imagine explaining this to someone who has never played a 3D grapic rich video game, maybe they played tetris and candy crush but never anything beyond that. So, they can't even imagine a virtual world where you are completly on your own with no clear objective or tasks like a game. You just basically "live" there. It's hard to grasp let alone explain. There are some doc films that they can watch that will give them a better idea, one is called Life 2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriLexa Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Marigold Devin wrote: Give them the link to the Second Life website, get them to create an avatar, download the Second Life viewer and meet your avatar inworld somewhere. They will need to learn the basics, but I'd leave that chore to another day and just show them the joys of teleporting around the grid to some of your favourite places in world. I made the error of trying to show too much too soon to a couple of my real life friends which resulted in them logging out and booking into rehab Facebook, never to return to SL. And yes, I feel very nerdy (but I wear that badge with pride :matte-motes-big-grin: ) Yes and the process is fun and daunting at the same time. Both people have to have alot of patience and have to be ready to put in some hours. I have done this for a few people and I developed a process just to keep it from being overwhelming, but that is hard to avoid. I find it easy to be on the phone with them and I talk them through the process of creating an account, downloading the viewer, logging in. Once inworld, I go over these basics (while still on the phone): 1. panning/looking around/zooming in/out 2. walking 3. explaining avatar appearance 4. changing 1 or 2 things for avatar appearance (teleporting to a store, landmark a place, buying 1 or 2 items, accessing inventory, replace/wear/add, saving outfit) 5. using chat 6. using search (find a certain place, teleport again, and explore on your own) then that's it for Day 1 (and maybe this goes into Day 2 or 3 LOL) At that point, everything else can be learned/done as they go on because I'm pretty exhausted after that and so are they. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sassy Romano Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Sephina Frostbite wrote: So my best RL friend and her BF would like to start playing secondlife. My question would be back to them.. ."why?" What are they looking for, what intrigues them about wanting to join? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamara Artis Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Say they can make a hot avatar from their dreams and go have pixel sex. They can buy awesome outfits, cars and houses and play business, models, supercool important people, and anything they want. Say there is a place for anything they imagine, everything they imagine can be bought or ordered to be custom made. They can even learn to make their own stuff and sell it to others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orca Flotta Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 SL is an open end creative platform. Sounds boring, right? But isn't that how they used to describe it themselves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Clarence Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 SL is a place on the internet where Jumpman thinks he is da kang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooja Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 SL is a place where Jonathan Swift would have been banned, not for advocating cannibalism, but for the feast being composed of minors, dressed only with condiments. Wooja . . . acceptadinnerinvitationfromhannibal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canoro Philipp Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 SL is an unlimited world that people have created as they desire, the goal is to be free and use your imagination to reach anything you would like to be, the resources are there, us up to you to make your desires a reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPG0809 Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How well do you know your friend? Maybe you can describe things in SL related to their interests and show them. Maybe show them some Drax Files videos. I show my friends the story with Ellie Spot since I think it's the most relatable. Also, try not to oversell it like its this world of infinite of possibilities or something like that, it all depends on the person to make the most of it and to get their hopes up and they don't immediately find what they want, they'll probably get discouraged. I would include the economy, how almost everything is made by the users, and describing some nice places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli May Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Sephina Frostbite wrote: So my best RL friend and her BF would like to start playing secondlife. That want me to describe it to them and even though I am 4 years old almost I don't know how to describe it in a way that's intriguing and fun. The more I talk the more nerdy I sound and feel. So If someone could help me describe SL in a fun way, that would be awesome. Thanks for your help. If they already want to play it, why do you have to make it sound "intruiging and fun"? Just show them how to get started and help them when they get in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venus Petrov Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Wooja wrote: SL is a place where Jonathan Swift would have been banned, not for advocating cannibalism, but for the feast being composed of minors, dressed only with condiments. Wooja . . . acceptadinnerinvitationfromhannibal Only if he offered some Chianti and ffffava beans. IdaeatitinaNYmin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Studio09 Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I would describe Second Life as an on-line, multiuser enviroment that is only limited by a user's imagination and the time and money they want to invest in it. Its main uses are to facilitate social interaction between users via their avatars and to provide a creative platform for self-expresion and/or to make money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Jetaime Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I'd tell them SL is a virtual world where you can be anything you want to be and do most anything you always wanted to or that you never even thought of. It is a place to meet and make friends with people from all over the world who you'd have no chance of knowing in RL. It is a place where you can create most anything you'd like, or do nothing but have fun living the good life as you define it without restriction (other than the TOS LOL). In short its a vacation you can have anytime you want to take it, whether it's for an hour once in a while, or a big part of your day. Yes, there is a learning curve and you won't be able to do everything right away, but if you stick with it you'll be glad you did. After all many of the best things in life are tough to start at first. Having brought a lot of brand new people into SL my advice is to be on the phone with them when they first log in and send them a TP right as they arrive in world to keep them from even having to deal with the trolls that hang out where newbs come in. Tell them to log in one at a time so you can grab each them immediately. Spend a just a few minutes on navigation, then explain and set up a private voice or skype call with them so you stay in touch no matter where they wander off to, then take them to fun and/or amazing places according to their interests. Don't try to push a lot at them at first. Let them see SL and get hooked first. Once they are, they'll be a lot more likely to want to learn and you can answer their questions as they naturally come. Your home is a good place to take them at first and if you don't mind, I'd get them to set their home to your house so they have a safe place to log in and out of until they know enough of the ropes. If you'd rather have privacy, pre pay the rent on an affordable furnished place for them for a couple weeks to serve as the same purpose. Having a safe and secure place to set home to and retreat to if they get overwhelmed or need to escape trolls can make a huge difference If they stay, after they have the chance to set up PIOF they can pay the rent or find another place once they know more of what they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseburgerpickle Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Say they can make a hot avatar from their dreams and go have pixel sex. They can buy awesome outfits, cars and houses and play business, models, supercool important people, and anything they want. Say there is a place for anything they imagine, everything they imagine can be bought or ordered to be custom made. They can even learn to make their own stuff and sell it to others. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This should be enough to convince anyone. :matte-motes-big-grin-wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christin73 Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 SL is a virtual world where you can litterly do anything you dream of. Only thing limiting you (other then prims) is your imagination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please take a moment to consider if this thread is worth bumping.
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now