New residents: Appearance making first impressions.

[Finrod Ghennyn]

If you'd think SecondLife is about anything except for appearance, in my mind your wrong.

You come across allot of residents daily, meaning you want to pick-out only the ones you expect to be 'nice' or 'trustworthy'. You do this by making a first impression, either made by appearance, way of speaking, movement or even your SL birthday.

However you are free to look as scary as you want too, some things affect the treatment you undergo.

If you are new, and you don't have the lindens to purchase a 9.000L$ worthy skin look for freebies. Often there are loads of well looking freebie skins around, as well for clothes.

Satisfying:

-Spontaneous

-Nice hair (This sounds ridiculous but the original avatar hair is a turn-off.)

-A steady pace of movement.

Dissatisfying:

-Rudeness

-Sloppy avatar

-Wearing weapons (ABSOLUTE NONO.)

-Annoying movement (Flying up and down while in company, making sidesteps all the time, getting out of view. Etc.)

 

[Persephone Emerald]

This is good advice. SL is both a visual & textual medium.  This isn't Facebook or Twitter, so the appearance & behavior of your avatar matters.

I don't know why LL still gives newbies that horrible walk my friends & I call the "stupid walk".  There are plenty of good free AOs available, as well as nice skin, hair, clothes & everything you need to personalize your avatar & make it reflect who YOU are. It's actually much easier & cheaper to create an avatar that reflects your inner self than it is to look nice, scary, gorgeous or however you'd like to look in RL.

Second Life is a fine place to experiment with how appearance affects how people treat you, but be certain it DOES affect how people treat you.  I want people to see my main avatar as nice, approachable & "normal", so that's how she usually looks.  Sometimes I want to look a little scary or off-putting, so sometimes I use an avatar or body that looks a lttle scary or even monstrous, but that isn't how I normally present myself in SL.

How you speak, write & gesture also affects how people view you.  Using too many gestures shows that you want people to pay attention to you, but don't really care how they feel or what they have to say.  Not using understandable grammar & spelling gives the impression that you're not educated, which most people translate into thinking you're not very smart & probably not worth talking with.  A limited use of text-speak is reasonable when writing in chat, but long run-on sentences with no punctuation are difficult to read & inconsiderate toward the person trying to understand you.

 

[Finrod Ghennyn]

I totally agree with you, it's a complete misunderstanding that a forthcoming has no connection with eyecandy.

You'll have to bare with Linden Labs though, they added quite some avatars to multiple styles of avatars. In your library aswell as on account creation. Variations for businessmen, roleplayers and clubgangers.

I don't think Linden Labs every intended to be a part of the creation, they are just holding the ropes. Without the residents, SecondLife would still be a classic primtown.

And you're completely right on the way of speech, unintentionally it can really anger me when somebody that doesn't speak a language i can understand. Especially when one is bugging me over something that might not even be in bad intention.

[Marianne Little]

I agree that appearance matters. Sometimes I overhear noobish looking avatars (often men) hitting on female avatars who's clearly spent a lot of time and §L on their look. The same men turn nasty and often accuse them of beeing "Superficial" when they get a cold shoulder. Pot, meet kettle...

Also, avatars who moan and complain that they will not spend money on a "stupid game". Often, they beg for money too. So, it's ok for others to spend money on you?

For me, an avatar who's well put together send out a signal, that the typist has something common with me. They have taken enough interest in SL to look for items to customize their avatar, they have learnt how to unpack, wear and edit stuff, bothered to get an AO...

It is not about spending money, but you have to invest time to learn and search. It is true that male avatars have a much harder time to look good on a budget. I wish LL would have some tasks that was rewarded with a few §L. Let us say a new player could rez a cube - awarded with 5 §L. Resize it and texture it with a texture from the Library - awarded with new 5 §L. And so on. That way they would learn how to use build tools. The tutorials could give the player a total of, uh 50 §L? It would give them something to use, even if some would run and tip a stripper 50§L, lol.

[Finrod Ghennyn]

You are actually bringing great idea's to the table. Im not sure LL would have ears for it though.

Maybe if they indeed made some 'library' avatars that are of any better welthy quality then these raggys. But maybe intentionally they want to split the grass from the weeds?

[Marianne Little]

I can't take credit for it, I read it several times before. So LL is clearly not interested. The lack of tasks to perform when you start SL and that new avatars have no goals, no rewards...

[Penny Patton]

Agree 100%, been saying it for years. New residents need a more engaging tutorial/orientation when they first start. One that leads them through certain tasks, in turn teaching them to head out on their own.

When you first log in to SL, the first thing you should be greeted by is an in-viewer pop-up right in the center of your screen, telling you to set your Display Name. From there you shoudl be given an opportunity to fill out some basic profile information and then sent out into the starting sim.

 LL tried something like this with one itteration of the New User Orientation, but it was clumsy, relied on a HUD that didn't quite work, and the goals didn't really help a new user all that much. LL needs to do more with interaction between the viewer itself and SL, as far as tutorials go, or they need to fix content creation to the point where such orientations can be done well with scripted HUDs and triggered events.

[Burl]

Once upon a time there were seperate Help Islands like the Help Island Public on the mainland. These were staffed by Mentors, volunteers that helped new people. Sadly, there are no Mentors to greet you on your first login, like there used to be. That's gone now. I really love my time in SL, but Linden Labs seems intent on shooting itself in the foot sometimes by making bad decisions that affect old and new residents in bad ways. 

Fortunately there are places like NCI, Builder's Brewery, Caledon Oxbridge, and other places that new people can go to and learn, if they find out about these places. . 

But I get the impression a lot of times that there are certain people that don't want to learn, even when offered help. 

I've been in SL since 06 (yeah, an alt ) and only last year did I get a skin. I had been using the basic skin and hair (a mohawk), and a lot of times freebie clothing (depending on what I was doing, I do have some nice clothing though). All the time I made friends, had fun in SL, and was never called noob, even though I might have looked noobish with the basics. I think a lot has to do with your attitude and it comes across when you talk to people. So, even though my outfit might be free and using the basic skin and all, I had no problems. 

A friend who was new told me once that an oldbie came up to him (he was a couple days old) and pretty much insulted him on how he looked and that people would not talk to him unless he had expensive outfits, expensive skin, prim hair, high prim attachments (whatever that meant) and things that showed he had spent a lot of Lindens on his look. BUT she offered to help him become one of the beautifull people.

yeah right, welcome to Second Life

Ok, part of that was a bit of ranting.

If someone is in need of help and willing to be helped get started, that's very cool. By all means then give then some pointers at least and guide them to places that they can get cool freebies and places that specialize in helping new residents. 

New Residents, you can look good and feel good about yourself as you start your new life in here. There are people that are willing to help you get started. Having a good attitude is a great first step.

Burl 

[Bree Giffen]

The default avatars have really improved over the years. Sometimes I get confused as to who the newbies are in the welcome area. I can spot the overused starter avvies like the blonde with the red sweater and the college guy with a backpack. I tend to treat them as if they are all the same person. I think that when a person starts to think about improving their looks, that's when the hooks sink in and we, as a community, need to work to reel them in. Teach them about freebies. Teach them about buying stuff. Pretty soon they'll be complaining on the forums like the rest of us.

[Randall Ahren]

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Burl wrote:

And wisdom to know the difference.BUT she offered to help him become one of the beautifull people.

 

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May the Linden gods grant each resident the serenity to accept the things they cannot change, the ability to change the things they can, and the wisdom to know they are beautiful.

[Persephone Emerald]

:smileyhappy: I love your sentiment, Randall

[Randall Ahren]

There are two types of residents: (1) those that are into avatar appearance, and (2) those who are not. 

Linden Lab believes in both.

 

[Syo Emerald]

Its interesting how different people react depending on your outward apperiance. For example at a beach. I was there two times. The first time as a human woman with blond hair (just a normal shape, no big ass or breasts you know) and I still got much attention from others being there. The second time I go there as a furry female. The avatar was made perfectly. High quality, nice hair.....all you can want for being a cute little junglecat. But it was funny, nobody said hello to me, but to the normal boring human girls that also came to dance a bit. But on the other hand I got in my IMs a few compliments for my avatar at the same time as nobody said hello in open chat.

 

Its like in the real world.....people judge you by first impression.

[Persephone Emerald]

You got compliments on your avatar in private IMs.  I think that counts as getting attention.  For me, pubic chat is often putting on a show & acting social, while private IM's is more personal & more real.  That perception is probably a reflection of the kind of person I am in RL. I don't like being the center of attention, so I appreciate other people who feel the same way.

[Syo Emerald]

I guessed the guys were maybe confused about how to think of my avatar, cause I only got the compliments from girls while being a furry.

[Ariel Vuissent]

Honestly, I have occasionally wanted to go up to new players and ask them if they'd like some help with their avatars. What stops me is that many new avatars now are alts (not all, but many - some will say directly in their profile that this is not their first account); and a fear of accidentally insulting someone. Plus not knowing a whole lot of good freebie places.

For me, the most off-putting thing about an avatar's appearance is a lack of AO. I've noticed more men without AO's than women, which makes sense, because it seems harder to find good male AO's - or anything, really. But the jerky head movements and walk don't really appeal to me. I've never outright refused to talk to anyone without an AO, though.

One of these days when I finally clean up my inventory, maybe I'll put together a couple decent quality "noob" packages - one male, one female, with a free AO, a few free skins and shapes, a couple free prim hairs, and some clothes and shoes to get them started. Plus some landmarks, etc. Maybe an instructional notecard on how to use the marketplace to find more, or something. It would be a start, at least.

[Torley Linden]

I believe common consensus is that the spiky/clumpy system mesh hair is a sure sign of noobness, or you have a non-realistic avatar which it suits well. (Or you're a griefer, haha.)

A tough thing for some is balancing chat between inworld open chat and IMs. IMs to me can be like a cellphone or getting distracted doing texting, where your focus is drawn away from the immediate space in front of you, and transported remotely. So I've learned to be more conscious of that over time.

The wearing weapons thing is interesting: I once was discouraged by my managers from bearing arms early in my Linden days — unless I was in an explicit combat area — but after that, I've got numerous compliments. But then again, I usually didn't have a gun drawn and cocked forward, and it was holstered or my hand was holding it downwards. So there's that subtle body language which isn't immediately apparent to control.

I'm so guilty of "annoying movement"; I'm a rabid camscanner and either move my camera all over the place when talking to someone to get some great photographs, or I like to pace in circles. I've been called out on it a few times to the tune of, "Torley! Why are you going away in the middle of our conversation, that's so rude..." *blush*

Oh, and HAVE YOUR PROFILE FILLED OUT. EXPRESS YOURSELF TO BE FASCINATING. NOTHING SADDENS ME MORE THAN A BLANK PROFILE. IT'S LIKE A BLANK CANVAS. UNLESS YOU'RE JAMES FRANCO... UNACCEPTABLE.

Okay, shouting is rude too.

[Persephone Emerald]

Luv U Torely!

 

I'm also guilty of fidgeting in SL.  If I don't sit my avatar down I keep walking back & forth, side to side, sometimes facing the person I'm talking with, sometimes not.  I think I just can't get comfortable with my camera view.  I want to see how I look, how the other people look, how we look standing or sitting together.  Then I'm also trying to type in the right window & sometimes pulling items out of my inventory to show them.  I probably look pretty noobish when I'm talkikng with someone in SL.

[honerken]

You say this, yet I still see these 1300 + day accounts with no AO and free skins while around like nothing, especially on adults sim.  I'm assuming their personality gets them by.  :smileyvery-happy:

[Nuuna Nitely]

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Randall Ahren wrote:

There are two types of residents: (1) those that are into avatar appearance, and (2) those who are not. 

Linden Lab believes in both.

 

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 Yes this!! I am into avatar appearances and I notice good looking avatars more. But that doesn't mean I expect everybody to be as vain as me.

Oh and I love me some nice looking weapons!

[Kolby Nissondorf]

Very true and quite interesting!

Great post.

[Dana Hickman]

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Marianne Little wrote:

I agree that appearance matters. Sometimes I overhear noobish looking avatars (often men) hitting on female avatars who's clearly spent a lot of time and §L on their look. The same men turn nasty and often accuse them of beeing "Superficial" when they get a cold shoulder. Pot, meet kettle...

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This^^^^

I could go off on a 30 minute rant about completely noobish AVs (mostly men) hitting on all the hottest, most heavily invested females they can find, but I won't. I do just have to wonder what they think the counter-compliment SHOULD be when they look like that, and then proceed to compliment ones looks and wait for the same in return...

[Ren Toxx]

 

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Syo Emerald wrote:

“[...] but to the normal

boring

human girls that [...]”

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First impressions, indeed :matte-motes-smile:

[Syo Emerald]

First impressions, indeed **Only uploaded images may be used in postings**://secondlife.i.lithium.com/html/assets/emoticons/mattemotes/smile.png" border="0" alt=":matte-motes-smile:" title="" />

 

Ah, that was just to point out I was the only one you would notice form far away. Definitly, a group of halfnaked human avatars can look like a group of sheep form far away. No colorful point in it :matte-motes-bashful-cute-2:

 

But it wasn´t meaned to be mean. (and sorry about my english)

[Uallas Borgin]

I would say to newbies that behind every avatar is a real life person. Don't do anything in sl that you would not do in real life, like going into peoples homes, being rude or use bad grammar and spelling.

I like to practice the sword and archery in SL.. AO's conflict with the animations in these weapons so I have to turn them off, even detach them to have less scripts running. I often forget to re-attach them and have grown accustomed to the newbie waddle and stands. I have a high end ao but sometimes I get nervous just by watching my avatar gesticulating without any reason.

 

A very respected friend of mine never had an ao and has a newbie skin and hair. He is into role play and I never saw him in anything else then chainmail and surcoat. He gets his respect from being a gentleman, a great scripter, builder and designer of mazes.

 

My advice to newbie would be that  your character and the effort you put into learning new  skills far outweigh any skin, clothes or ao. As far as appearance go, I would suggest being original. Any one can buy the body, skin and clothes of a top model. People expressing their own character or the character of the avatar they want to create are harder to come by. If anything distinguishes a noob from an experienced resident it is that the experienced resident expresses his personality while the noob tries to look good.

If all else fails try to create a better you: same face, hair, general shape but with the things you like less corrected the way you want it.