I miss the Second Life of old

[EliseAnne85]

13 minutes ago, Kalegthepsionicist said:

I m new, so Idl how old sl look like, but I was been told that old sl is  more slex like people hook up each other is it true ?

Maybe, sort of because when all were Classic avatars people weren't as choosey about the avatar itself since we were all Classic avatars.  Many mesh avatars of the past few years won't even dance with an avatar who is not mesh.  This has been called "mesh snobbery".  The OP is also addressing mesh snobbery in their opening post.  

Edited March 30, 2023 by EliseAnne85

[Scylla Rhiadra]

23 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I object. There were far fewer big sales events, absolutely, but somewhat LESS shopping??? Girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl. What do you think kept me here? Who you kidding?! 😄 Shopping's always been a staple! Maybe I did even more of it back then because it took so dang long to find things without Flickr and Seraphim at my fingertips, so I was always bouncing all over the place. I could lose whole days browsing skins at Nomine! Oh man, all those old stores ❤️ Remember those? Some of which are still around!

Hmmmm. I don't know, maybe???? I mean, I certainly shopped a lot then too (and usually focusing on hair and boots, as I mostly do now). 

But I don't think it was as big an "activity"? We didn't have all of these sales and events. My Saturday is built, much of it, around shopping. And the opening of a favourite shopping event can be a big deal. It was important, but I don't think it loomed quite as large as an expenditure of time and focus of attention as it does now?

[Ayashe Ninetails]

17 minutes ago, Kalegthepsionicist said:

I m new, so Idl how old sl look like, but I was been told that old sl is  more slex like people hook up each other is it true ?

Seems about the same on that front. Probably more of that going on today since it's far more realistic than it used to be both with furniture and animations and...well...*cough* flexi was a hilarious time. That's all I'll say on that. 😄

[Kalegthepsionicist]

16 minutes ago, EliseAnne85 said:

Maybe, sort of because when all were Classic avatars people weren't as choosey about the avatar itself since we were all Classic avatars.  Many mesh avatars of the past few years won't even dance with an avatar who is not mesh.  This has been called "mesh snobbery".  The OP is also addressing mesh snobbery in their opening post.  

i ve been told,

things chabges since they can convert L tobreal money. people staert o compete each other. and more that  ome to sl to be gold digger. and the society changes.

they add you friend not tobe your real friend but they need you maybe to attend their set, come ro their club  etc, or to their sim . its all about L$

Edited March 30, 2023 by Kalegthepsionicist

[Kalegthepsionicist]

2 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Seems about the same on that front. Probably more of that going on today since it's far more realistic than it used to be both with furniture and animations and...well...*cough* flexi was a hilarious time. That's all I'll say on that. 😄

i ve been told now many in sl is Linden dollar hinter so they focus to create rather than socialize. they more focus and too serious with the traffic, rather than create harmony atsmosphere.

etc yeah something like that.

Edited March 30, 2023 by Kalegthepsionicist

[Ayashe Ninetails]

2 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Hmmmm. I don't know, maybe???? I mean, I certainly shopped a lot then too (and usually focusing on hair and boots, as I mostly do now). 

But I don't think it was as big an "activity"? We didn't have all of these sales and events. My Saturday is built, much of it, around shopping. And the opening of a favourite shopping event can be a big deal. It was important, but I don't think it loomed quite as large as an expenditure of time and focus of attention as it does now?

Definitely nowhere neaaaaaaar the number of events we have now, very correct on that! I do feel like we had different types of events back then, too. Yard sales and clearance sales and "help get this stuff out of my inventory" sales were huge, for instance. Lots of stuff actually listed in the Events tab. 

We did have more in-world magazines, but I don't think their focus was too much on shopping, right? Definitely nothing at all like Seraphim now. But yeah, it was still pretty big. I remember people flocking to Gurl 6 to grab hair on sale, for instance. Omg...blast from the past on that one. 😄

Also, we had the ability to build a LOT back then in-world (even hair!), so plenty of people skipped out on the shopping experience and instead gathered at sandboxes to make whatever they were looking for (furniture, homes, accessories, etc.). But we still had our big shopping spaces. And malls. Oh god. The mallllllsssssss.

[Polenth Yue]

19 minutes ago, Kalegthepsionicist said:

I m new, so Idl how old sl look like, but I was been told that old sl is  more slex like people hook up each other is it true ?

Nope. Not any more or less than people do now. Which means it's around if that's what you're looking for, but there's plenty of other stuff that's not that.

[EliseAnne85]

16 minutes ago, Kalegthepsionicist said:

i ve been told,

things chabges since they can convert L tobreal money. people staert o compete each other. and more that  ome to sl to be gold digger. and the society changes

Let me translate this as best I can as I used to translate the scribble (I mean writing) of foreign doctors.  

"Things changed since they can (now) convert L to real money.  People start to complete (with) each other.  And, the more that come to SL to be gold digger (quick money). The (more) society changes."

Is that a fair translation?  

Personally, I don't run into too many gold diggers here on SL.  I am a small cat avatar in SL for one thing and don't date in SL.  

But, if you mean greed takes over, the society changes.  That is probably true.  But you can find items in all price ranges here in SL and including FREE.  SL has always, imo, kept SL open to all, even those who couldn't afford it.  

People have many different kinds of way to make lindens in SL other than involving sex.  

Edited March 30, 2023 by EliseAnne85

[Kalegthepsionicist]

5 minutes ago, EliseAnne85 said:

Let me translate this as best I can as I used to translate the scribble (I mean writing) of foreign doctors.  

"Things changed since they can (now) convert L to real money.  People start to complete (with) each other.  And, the more that come to SL to be gold digger (quick money). The (more) society changes."

Is that a fair translation?  

Personally, I don't run into too many gold diggers here on SL.  I am a small cat avatar in SL for one thing and don't date in SL.  

But, if you mean greed takes over, the society changes.  That is probably true.  But you can find items in all price ranges here in SL and including FREE.  SL has always, imo, kept SL open to all, even those who couldn't afford it.  

 

 

lol you misunderstood

 

I ve been told, since the mesh come and big player come to create animesh, avatar etc, there ate more things todo than at past time, people that serious in SL start to be creator , .they learn blender and give mote time to create rather than socilaize.

tey all i call godl digger.

this person I met she tod me now is better than past. at past time there are few activities than now.

she said at past time most people just socialize and hookup, now plentu you can do. than past..

 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by Kalegthepsionicist

[Ayashe Ninetails]

13 minutes ago, Kalegthepsionicist said:

i ve been told now many in sl is Linden dollar hinter so they focus to create rather than socialize. they more focus and too serious with the traffic, rather than create harmony atsmosphere.

etc yeah something like that.

Hmmm, no I don't think so. SL has always attracted a very creative population, but these days, you really have to know 3D modeling and/or rigging, animation, or scripting to get fully immersed into the commerce side (if you aren't a service provider, that is). The barrier to entry was a lot lower pre-mesh, so pretty much anybody could come and build cool things and make money selling them.

I would say a lot of the population here today is more adventure/social/exploration/arts/activity focused and less creator/builder-y, but that's just a guess.

[Kalegthepsionicist]

3 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Hmmm, no I don't think so. SL has always attracted a very creative population, but these days, you really have to know 3D modeling and/or rigging, animation, or scripting to get fully immersed into the commerce side (if you aren't a service provider, that is). The barrier to entry was a lot lower pre-mesh, so pretty much anybody could come and build cool things and make money selling them.

I would say a lot of the population here today is more adventure/social/exploration/arts/activity focused and less creator/builder-y, but that's just a guess.

well i foind many sex worker in sl.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

17 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Definitely nowhere neaaaaaaar the number of events we have now, very correct on that! I do feel like we had different types of events back then, too. Yard sales and clearance sales and "help get this stuff out of my inventory" sales were huge, for instance. Lots of stuff actually listed in the Events tab. 

We did have more in-world magazines, but I don't think their focus was too much on shopping, right? Definitely nothing at all like Seraphim now. But yeah, it was still pretty big. I remember people flocking to Gurl 6 to grab hair on sale, for instance. Omg...blast from the past on that one. 😄

Also, we had the ability to build a LOT back then in-world (even hair!), so plenty of people skipped out on the shopping experience and instead gathered at sandboxes to make whatever they were looking for (furniture, homes, accessories, etc.). But we still had our big shopping spaces. And malls. Oh god. The mallllllsssssss.

True enough. I haven't forgotten the giant and ugly malls -- my visual cortex is still repairing the damage.

But I had half-forgotten the sales. I remember a HUGE one, when Coco went fully mesh and had a clearance sale on their prim and sculptie things. And LG, and Powder Moon when they went out of business: older mesh, but the PM stuff, some of it anyway, I still wear. And later, Giz Seorn and Addams both had sales on older stuff (I really liked the stuff the Addams used to make before they started to focus on the sexed-up hockey mum look).

And one real difference you point to is that almost all of my purchases in those days were apparel of one kind or another (including hair). I really rarely bought anything else: I'd make it myself mostly instead. Whereas now, a really solid chunk of my shopping budget goes to stuff for photo backdrops.

But the malls. Arrrrghhhhhhhh. Every once in a while I'll still stumble across an old style mall, and it's a bit like a really really bad acid flashback. 

[Scylla Rhiadra]

4 minutes ago, Kalegthepsionicist said:

well i foind many sex worker in sl.

There have always been sex workers in SL. I actually had more of them in my friends list ca. 2009 than I probably do now. One of them had an RL phone sex service she also used to promote here.

[Kalegthepsionicist]

9 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

There have always been sex workers in SL. I actually had more of them in my friends list ca. 2009 than I probably do now. One of them had an RL phone sex service she also used to promote here.

yes that what i been told by person i met. old yime most here is slex , vut now is more creative skilled 3d or something like rhat

I met a man, accirding to him he is architect real and he use 3D and upload the house he create in here as sample

Edited March 30, 2023 by Kalegthepsionicist

[Scylla Rhiadra]

Just now, Kalegthepsionicist said:

yes that what i been told by person i met. old yime most here is slex , vut now is more creative skilled 3d or something like rhat

Well, I think Ayashe is correct in that regard. There certainly are a fair number of creative people who are skill in mesh, or texturing, or animations, or scripting. But on the whole, that side of "creativity" is much more specialized now than it used it to be, because the learning curve for mesh objects and apparel is higher than for building things with prims.

A higher percentage of the population, possibly, are now just pure consumers in that sense. But people have found other ways to be creative too. Most notably photography, but also creating extremely cool places to be, RP, and some forms of performance (such as dance acts and music).

[Ayashe Ninetails]

Just now, Kalegthepsionicist said:

well i foind many sex worker in sl.

Plenty. Same as it was waaaaaay back in the day when I joined, too. That's not really changed much, minus the tech (mesh, animesh, sync'd animations, etc.) getting a whole lot better.

 

1 minute ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

True enough. I haven't forgotten the giant and ugly malls -- my visual cortex is still repairing the damage.

LMAO...no rhyme OR reason, either. Just a whole bunch of random stuff tossed together to blingy flash and strobe for absolutely no good reason. 😄

 

2 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

But I had half-forgotten the sales. I remember a HUGE one, when Coco went fully mesh and had a clearance sale on their prim and sculptie things. And LG, and Powder Moon when they went out of business: older mesh, but the PM stuff, some of it anyway, I still wear.

I wonder if I was gone by that point. I dipped out somewhere after...2010 or 11 or so? Popped in and out every few years after that. I vaguely remember seeing some Lolas out in the wild and thinking "alright, that's enough Second Life for me for a bit" and leaving again, ROFL!

 

6 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

And later, Giz Seorn and Addams both had sales on older stuff (I really liked the stuff the Addams used to make before they started to focus on the sexed-up hockey mum look).

*dieees* I love Addams for my basics (tanks, sweaters, jeans, bras, etc.), but...too dang funny!

 

7 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

And one real difference you point to is that almost all of my purchases in those days were apparel of one kind or another (including hair). I really rarely bought anything else: I'd make it myself mostly instead. Whereas now, a really solid chunk of my shopping budget goes to stuff for photo backdrops.

Saaaaame. I made my own jewelry, piercings, transdermal and subdermal implants (don't judge me - I was in the midst of my BMEmag phase, lemme alone 😄), etc. Now, I'm out there buying jewelry on the regular like a basic brooch. Pfft. 

 

12 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

But the malls. Arrrrghhhhhhhh. Every once in a while I'll still stumble across an old style mall, and it's a bit like a really really bad acid flashback. 

LOL! You couldn't find a single club that wasn't surrounded by a sea of commercial rental boxes. And none seemed to have free booths available! Surprised some malls still exist. I almost want to visit one for the nostalgia (but I won't).

[Scylla Rhiadra]

5 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I wonder if I was gone by that point. I dipped out somewhere after...2010 or 11 or so? Popped in and out every few years after that. I vaguely remember seeing some Lolas out in the wild and thinking "alright, that's enough Second Life for me for a bit" and leaving again, ROFL!

Hmmm. At a guess, 2013? Or so? But it's all soooo foggy now. I bought a LOT of boots, none of which I can wear anymore of course, and all of which had insanely high complexity numbers. But if there is one thing Coco does very well, it's boots.

7 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

*dieees* I love Addams for my basics (tanks, sweaters, jeans, bras, etc.), but...too dang funny!

Agreed! That kind of thing, esp. when it's in a weekend sale, is mostly the only thing that takes me to Addams anymore. 

Although occasionally I'll find something older, realize that I want it in another colour, and go back to get it. I now have their Abbey leather jacket in 5 single colours as a result . . . Not very efficient.

10 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Saaaaame. I made my own jewelry, piercings, transdermal and subdermal implants (don't judge me - I was in the midst of my BMEmag phase, lemme alone 😄), etc. Now, I'm out there buying jewelry on the regular like a basic brooch. Pfft.

Yeah. The other day I was searching the MP for hoop earrings. Hoops! OMG, seriously, I need to buy those in mesh?

 

11 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Surprised some malls still exist. I almost want to visit one for the nostalgia (but I won't).

Mostly these days the ones I find aren't functioning retail malls, but weirdly creepy and ironic recreations of RL ones, ca. 1980-2000 or so. But I HAVE found at least one old actual SL mall fairly recently: I was chasing down a creator from probably 10 or so years ago, and found her surviving in-world store in the middle of one.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

2 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Hmmm. At a guess, 2013? Or so? But it's all soooo foggy now. I bought a LOT of boots, none of which I can wear anymore of course, and all of which had insanely high complexity numbers. But if there is one thing Coco does very well, it's boots.

I was most likely on break at that point. Maybe? I do remember logging in in 2020 and trying to figure out why invisiprims no longer worked, soooo I was gone for quite a bit I realized. LOL! I was suuuch a mesh noob until just a few years ago. I'm sure I've still got stuff in my inventory from way back when, too. I never went through to clear out all my old sculpties and flexis. Oof. 

 

5 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Agreed! That kind of thing, esp. when it's in a weekend sale, is mostly the only thing that takes me to Addams anymore. 

Although occasionally I'll find something older, realize that I want it in another colour, and go back to get it. I now have their Abbey leather jacket in 5 single colours as a result . . . Not very efficient.

Addams is great when you can catch them at a Shop & Hop or random credit-offering event combined with one of their sales. They're so good about honoring credit during sales. That's when I'll go stock up on things I absolutely don't need more of - jeans and pants! 

 

8 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Yeah. The other day I was searching the MP for hoop earrings. Hoops! OMG, seriously, I need to buy those in mesh?

Lol, man I've been there. I've been tempted to just throw on my old stuff, but I can't justify rocking a 40+ prim (or more) necklace when I could just drag myself over to a shop and grab a new one for 50L in a weekend sale. I buy rigged necklaces, though, so at least I don't feel like I'm doing myself completely dirty!!!! And earrings in shapes and designs we can't achieve with normal prims. 😄

 

14 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Mostly these days the ones I find aren't functioning retail malls, but weirdly creepy and ironic recreations of RL ones, ca. 1980-2000 or so. But I HAVE found at least one old actual SL mall fairly recently: I was chasing down a creator from probably 10 or so years ago, and found her surviving in-world store in the middle of one.

Recreations of RL malls could be kind of interesting if done well. Cute little food courts and fountains and things. I wouldn't mind that too much. So much better than a massive blinding white or silver box tossed in a sim somewhere.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

11 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I'm sure I've still got stuff in my inventory from way back when, too. I never went through to clear out all my old sculpties and flexis. Oof.

I still have everything. 

I mean . . . everything.

11 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

That's when I'll go stock up on things I absolutely don't need more of - jeans and pants!

You can never have too many of those, especially if they come in different leg lengths to accommodate . . . boots! And low-rise and hi-rise, and medium-rise, depending on the top you're wearing. And different colours and styles. 

Do we need to apologize for this?

No, we do not.

11 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Lol, man I've been there. I've been tempted to just throw on my old stuff, but I can't justify rocking a 40+ prim (or more) necklace when I could just drag myself over to a shop and grab a new one for 50L in a weekend sale. I buy rigged necklaces, though, so at least I don't feel like I'm doing myself completely dirty!!!! And earrings in shapes and designs we can't achieve with normal prims. 😄

Very much this, for all the reasons you give. Also, while texturing isn't that difficult, making normal and specular maps is a paaaaain. And why, when, as you say, you can usually get something much nicer, and with a lower complexity, on sale?

This is why we are all consumers now!

11 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Recreations of RL malls could be kind of interesting if done well. Cute little food courts and fountains and things. I wouldn't mind that too much.

I went exploring with friends using one of those random group teleporter things a few weeks ago, and we ended up at two of these mall recreations. Really well done, actually . . . but spooky, because what completely empty mall isn't?

I kept expecting zombies to appear . . .

Edited March 30, 2023 by Scylla Rhiadra

[Ayashe Ninetails]

2 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

I still have everything. 

I mean . . . everything.

I managed to drop several thousand off my inventory number simply by searching "Demo" and deleting the results. Now if only I could bring myself to search for "flexi" and "sculpt" and "prim" and...

 

4 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

You can never have too many of those, especially if they come in different leg lengths to accommodate . . . boots! And low-rise and hi-rise, and medium-rise, depending on the top you're wearing. And different colours and styles. 

Do we need to apologize for this?

No, we do not.

Lol, you know what's funny? Silly aside, but I realized the other day that I don't have nearly enough tops. Tons of pants to last me forever. But tops? Nope. I think I've got more evening gowns than normal shirts and tanks and tees and crops and... 

Gowns. I have more mesh gowns. And caught myself demoing yet another one in yesterday's Hello Tuesday's sale! How do I even shop? Do I know how to shop?

 

7 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Very much this, for all the reasons you give. Also, while texturing isn't that difficult, making normal and specular maps is a paaaaain. And why, when, as you say, you can usually get something much nicer, and with a lower complexity, on sale?

This is why we are all consumers now!

This is honestly what I would say the biggest, most noticeable change from "then" to "now" is. Not the population, not the quality of socialization, not the frequency of random chat, not the in-world exploration/activities. The shift from creative to consumer - that's the biggie. Standing around building and scripting for hours with my friends used to be an entire vibe! Now everyone I know is so damn good at interior decorating and landscaping and photography - well, no wonder why. We were all thrown out of the building world on our butts and had to find something creative to do and all landed in the same fields! 😄 

 

17 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

I went exploring with friends using one of those random group teleporter things a few weeks ago, and we ended up at two of these mall recreations. Really well done, actually . . . but spooky, because what completely empty mall isn't?

I kept expecting zombies to appear . . .

Ooooooo. Now I want to see someone recreate the abandoned mall from The Last of Us! Overgrown n stuffs! Yaaaaaaaas. Because that's not creepy at ALL!

[Scylla Rhiadra]

12 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I managed to drop several thousand off my inventory number simply by searching "Demo" and deleting the results. Now if only I could bring myself to search for "flexi" and "sculpt" and "prim" and...

Noooo. NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY! You NEVER KNOW!

Ok, get rid of demos. Mostly. Although, for instance, I have a folder full of Magika demos because . . .

. . . well, I don't actually know why. I just do. Don't judge me.

14 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Lol, you know what's funny? Silly aside, but I realized the other day that I don't have nearly enough tops. Tons of pants to last me forever. But tops? Nope. I think I've got more evening gowns than normal shirts and tanks and tees and crops and... 

Gowns. I have more mesh gowns. And caught myself demoing yet another one in yesterday's Hello Tuesday's sale! How do I even shop? Do I know how to shop?

I think I have a reasonably balanced wardrobe, actually. Except for shorts. I hate shorts.

15 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

This is honestly what I would say the biggest, most noticeable change from "then" to "now" is. Not the population, not the quality of socialization, not the frequency of random chat, not the in-world exploration/activities. The shift from creative to consumer - that's the biggie. Standing around building and scripting for hours with my friends used to be an entire vibe! Now everyone I know is so damn good at interior decorating and landscaping and photography - well, no wonder why. We were all thrown out of the building world on our butts and had to find something creative to do and all landed in the same fields! 😄

Yeah, I think so. And I am TERRIBLE at interior decorating. I'm not that great at landscaping either . . . I've been working on the parkland part of my parcel for weeeeeeeks . . . I just can't figure it out. Help!

16 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Ooooooo. Now I want to see someone recreate the abandoned mall from The Last of Us! Overgrown n stuffs! Yaaaaaaaas. Because that's not creepy at ALL!

One of these exists, somewhere? What's that really old dystopian sim, Everwinter? Maybe Hashima has one: I haven't visited that yet!

(I think we are hijacking this thread, and we're going to get into trouble . . . !)

[Ayashe Ninetails]

7 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

(I think we are hijacking this thread, and we're going to get into trouble . . . !)

Naaah, it's mostly relevant to Old SL, old stuff from Old SL, how shopping evolved from then to now, building in 2007 vs. today, etc. We're good (probably!).

 

10 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Yeah, I think so. And I am TERRIBLE at interior decorating. I'm not that great at landscaping either . . . I've been working on the parkland part of my parcel for weeeeeeeks . . . I just can't figure it out. Help!

Send me a DM here on the forum when you get a chance (with pics, if ya got em). I'm still feeling my way around the landscaping thing (do not ask me to terraform tho, bad ideas), but I might be able to help!

[Randall Ahren]

What was the last year of the SL of Old? 2009?

[Sid Nagy]

IMHO the arrival of sculpties was a huge game changer. When was that 2009ish?
A lot of people who came to build just for themselves (so non commercial) stopped doing so. People who build their own houses for their parcels could no longer compete with what was sold on the market, sandboxes became more irrelevant.
Building in SL became building for SL (with other software). The social aspect of meeting up in sandboxes vanished.
 

[TheresaLynn08]

I miss the old times as well.