Newcomer Questions

[Eravo]

Hello everyone!

I have always wanted to try out Second Life but due to a slow laptop I couldn't. However now that I built a new gaming pc I and logged into second life I have hit so many walls... it's quite frustrating.

Well on my second day I have already realised this isn't really a 'game' and so I have a couple questions I would like to ask.

1) What the hell do I do? As someone who has been online for a couple of hours, what can I do other than get some free stuff for my avatar.

2) Is it hard to find a job and get hired being a newcomer? Also what kind of jobs are there to get, I am a male btw. I ask this already because within the first 15 minutes of playing I realised I need money. :matte-motes-frown:

3) How hard is to script in Second Life? Do I need any programming expereince and if so in what language? At the moment I am learning python before I start C++ and it would be very cool if I can do some scripting ingame since I want to be a game developer.

4) How hard is it to learn how do design things in Second Life? This is coming from someone with no graphics or animation experience. Do you recommend I learn outside of Second Life first?

5) I find it quite hard to meet people specially when most of the social people you meet are already in conversations and it feels weird just jumping in. Are there any groups or areas where I can meet people? Also do most people prefere to use a mic or type ingame? I have met one person who offered to help me which was great but for future references any tips will be great.

That's all I can think of for now, sorry for the long post and I appreaciate the help!

 

[Chic Aeon]

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Eravo wrote:

Hello everyone!

I have always wanted to try out Second Life but due to a slow laptop I couldn't. However now that I built a new gaming pc I and logged into second life I have hit so many walls... it's quite frustrating.

Well on my second day I have already realised this isn't really a 'game' and so I have a couple questions I would like to ask.

1) What the hell do I do? As someone who has been online for a couple of hours, what can I do other than get some free stuff for my avatar.

 

You can explore -- tons of places to see. Check the official destination guide for a start. You can start a business (eventually). You do need some skills but exploring will let you learn about the world.

2) Is it hard to find a job and get hired being a newcomer? Also what kind of jobs are there to get, I am a male btw. I ask this already because within the first 15 minutes of playing I realised I need money. :matte-motes-frown:

 

Yes, pretty much no one wants you when you are brand new because you haven't figured a lot out (even the viewers take a lot of time). Best bet for money these days is the Linden Realms (also in the destination guide. You can make a fair amount there and also learn how to walk and run and talk and whatever

3) How hard is to script in Second Life? Do I need any programming expereince and if so in what language? At the moment I am learning python before I start C++ and it would be very cool if I can do some scripting ingame since I want to be a game developer.

 

I don't script but it sounds like you do. LSL is supposedly "easy" within the realm of things. I can tweek and change but have only writting one script. Still it is fairly easy to tell what is going on in the script. If you have a scripting background then I would definitely go that route as good script people are much in demand. There are beginner classes at some schools and I imagine you can find a lot on the web through Google.

4) How hard is it to learn how do design things in Second Life? This is coming from someone with no graphics or animation experience. Do you recommend I learn outside of Second Life first?

I would stick with what you know (scripting). This is supposed to be FUN!

It takes a lot (sometimes a whole lot) of work to learn to create the more complex items in SL.

5) I find it quite hard to meet people specially when most of the social people you meet are already in conversations and it feels weird just jumping in. Are there any groups or areas where I can meet people? Also do most people prefere to use a mic or type ingame? I have met one person who offered to help me which was great but for future references any tips will be great.

Check out newbie friendly areas like New Citizen Incorporated (others are in the Destination Guide. I grew up with NCI so that is the only one I can recommend. They have been around forever. Always plenty of folks to talk to. clases too.

That's all I can think of for now, sorry for the long post and I appreaciate the help!

 

Welcome to SL.

 

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[Dillon Levenque]

Eravo, Second Life has a fairly steep learning curve. For most people, a few hours inworld (which in my particular instance would be all I could spend in two days) would not be nearly enough to get even remotely SL competent. Two weeks would be more like it. I suppose if you're able to be logged in for hours at time it might be different, but even if that's the case you've got plenty still to learn.

You don't really need money at this stage; I'd spend more time looking around then trying to get money. You can always just buy some money if you want: all it takes is a credit card. The SL dollar, called the Linden Dollar, is around 250 to one USD, so it doesn't take much of a dollar investment to get enough Lindens to throw around, if you feel you must.

Employment for brand spanking new avatars is virtually nonexistent. You will be assumed to lack basic knowledge until you've been here about 30 days. Many (free) classes in how to do SL things for beginners do not accept students less than 30 days old, for instance. There are scripting and building classes, by the way. Lots. Free, too.

I'll finish with a link to a post here from a frequent forum contributor. The post itself probably won't interest you, but it you scroll down to the bottom you'll see a blue-green all caps line about 'EVERYTHING  YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SECOND LIFE...". That line is a link to a veritable ocean of knowledge about this place.

http://community.secondlife.com/t5/General-Discussion-Forum/is-NUDITY-the-new-BLACK/m-p/2884294/highlight/true#M200635

Have fun.

[Perrie Juran]

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Dillon Levenque wrote:

 

I'll finish with a link to a post here from a frequent forum contributor. The post itself probably won't interest you, but it you scroll down to the bottom you'll see a blue-green all caps line about 'EVERYTHING  YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SECOND LIFE...". That line is a link to a veritable ocean of knowledge about this place.

http://community.secondlife.com/t5/General-Discussion-Forum/is-NUDITY-the-new-BLACK/m-p/2884294/highlight/true#M200635

Have fun.

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Thanks Dillon. 

That old thread is still pretty good but a few things are dated now. 

Like Rod collecting unemployment. 

I don't know if Void would come back to update the list.

Would be nice.

[Cilene Inglewood]

Hi Eravo - I sent you an IM and friend request, in world so that I can give you some points there

[Bobbie Faulds]

If you're interested in scripting, Builder's Brewery and Happy Hippo both have good basic scripting classes that will teach you the basics. They also have building classes, BB has a 5 part one that's well worth taking for intro to your building tools. Those should get you started. There are also scripters groups in SL.

Enjoy.

[LlazarusLlong]

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Eravo wrote:

 

1) What the hell do I do?

 

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Hi Eravo. The best thing you can do to get started is to meet people and make friends by conversing with them.

Try teleporting (tping in SL - that's SecondLife - jargon) to a busy place. You can find busy places using the Search function, which is surprisingly quick and effective, by typing in a keyword like "romance", "bar" or "BDSM".

Once you are there, check the list of other avatars that are present and IM (that's "Instant Message") anybody with a silly name, especially if it includes numerals, as it is likely an indication of the avatar's long internet history, possibly starting on AOL or in an old shootemup like KillMeKwik..

The trick to starting a conversation is to say "WANNA F***???". The upper case letters and three question marks (it has to be exactly three) indicate that you are being ironic, sarcastic and sardonic, which are traits that are treasured by regular players in SL.

You are likely to get three possible responses.

1. No reply at all probably means that the avatar is probably the alt (that's "alternative identity") of a Linden, which means you have hit the jackpot. Keep typing that initial phrase, and after ten repetitions the Linden is bound, by the Secret Rules of SL, to give you one of their personal bears, which you can either wear on your shoulder to provoke much admiration, or redeem for 10,000 Linden Dollars at the Russian Laundry sim.

2. The second response will involve some sort of suggestion that you tp away before you are ARd (Abuse Reported). This is a coded reply, and is actually an invitation to join that person at their home location, which will be the top entry on the relevant page of their Profile. TP there and wait for them to get there, at which point you will probably be given a tour of their residence; if they are held up, feel free to try out their poseball furniture.

3. The third response is potentially the most fun. The avatar you have communicated with will invite you to initiate a role play, by humorously mentioning, in a pseudo-angry tone, that they are there with their partner, and that your attentions are not required. This is true irony, and hides a request to interrupt their activity in a manner which onlookers might consider disruptive, but which you know is a piece of performance art which is likely to be fully appreciated by the participating parties.

Oh, and If by any (unlikely) chance the response to your initial approach is along the lines of "Sure thing, big boy" I suggest that you exit the game immediately, as you have chosen an FBI agent training to identify paedophiles, a money launderering terrorist, or a member of a 1980s band trying to resurrect their reputation using SL to show how kool they are.

I hope that this will be of assistance. If you would like clarification, or further hints please do not hesitate to ask more stupid newcomer questions here in the forums.

[Aethelwine]

Try helping haven and caledon (spelling probably slightly off) university. Both places are friendly and instructive for people new and learning.

[Lexia Moonstone]

linden realms is the best way to get free L$ you might all so look for hunts inworld to get free stuff too.   A hunt beside giving you free items will all so show you around SL a bit more too.

Learn before you spend L$ or buy land.  Land is tricky and the marketplace is fulled with stoles items and scams, most experienced users never fall for them but new people are easy victims.  I would recommend going to Caledon Oxbridge University they have some on going classes.  Besides building classes there are all so some on shopping, land and avatar safety.

if you all ready know basic programing then this page should be a big help

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/LSL_Portal

The advice I give to most new people for meeting people is to fill out your profile, and join some groups.  Yours is completely blank, and your only 2 days old which makes you look like a griefer to others.  Griefers get banned so frequently, so they have to keep making new accounts which is one reason many people don't trust new accounts, but most griefers don't take time to fill out a profile.  The other reason to fill out your profile is that many people hanging out in a public social place will profile surf and then IM people they think have an interesting profile.  To see what a good profile looks like go do some profile surfing some place with lots of people and you will quickly see what I mean.

 

 

 

[Eravo]

I guess I will spend the first month just wondering around and getting to know the basics before taking the classes. As stated here in this thread most seem to want people up to a specific age before taking them on, fair I guess.

Thanks for all the other advice, should be enough to occupy my time with until I get the hang of things.

[ScarlettElizabet]

There are many things to do and place to go in Second Life.Use your imagination and you can do ANYTHING (almost) in SL. You can be adventurous and do roleplay ..lots of free items on marketplace and you can dance, sing make money, work, marry have friends and parties , raise exotic pets and sell them, have babies and families explore your sexuality if that is something you are interested in (and a lot of people do that ) you can shop until you drop, dance the night away at any kind of venue you desire...ride dragons, soar through the air flying, work on your photogrpahy skills, build things and learn how to texture and script etc etc. Some things cost a lot of Linden and some cost nothing.

I would suggest to meet people go to your search  and click on places...find something that sounds interesting and has a lot of people. There are many people that will help you along the way. Listen to advice people give you...and don't believe everything people tell you.

I have a lot of places I would suggest going but not sure if its allowed in here. . Most of all...Enjoy SL...it is an amazing place