Simulated intimacy in SL vs the world ..

[Coffee Pancake]

5 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

Even advertising the real relationships that occur within SL would be a problem. I just don't think the public is ready for that yet, as it's on the internet where porn is, and so they see it that way.

An advert from 5 years ago.

The only comment ... "wow, I can't believe Second Life is still around"

 

 

[Luna Bliss]

Personally, I'm getting sick of people who can't believe anything on the internet is real.

How many still say "oh that's just one of my internet friends", as if they aren't as real or even valuable?

I even had a friend who said what I did was not actually art, as I did it on the internet.  Good thing I'm not a violent person.

[Luna Bliss]

7 minutes ago, Hunny Bunny said:

14 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

Even advertising the real relationships that occur within SL would be a problem. I just don't think the public is ready for that yet, as it's on the internet where porn is, and so they see it that way.

Bellisseria is perfect -- couched as a game -- people playing house, setting up homes.  This is what should be advertised more.

BTW, there are loads of people in SL who see the potential of virtual realities as as an amazing venue for people to understand themselves through relationships. They are in that SL section of the population you like to make fun of by imagining they see themselves as the "better people".  This is what we should be advertising, people into virtual reality who already have the societal seal of approval (those who are or were in various academic professions).

Expand  

If I want to play The Sims I'll go play The Sims.

The point is...likely there are lots of people having sex in Bellisseria as well as having real relationships. I doubt that is happening in The Sims to such a degree.

[Love Zhaoying]

I have an idea - the big moneymaker Slex creators, clubs, etc. can advertise on the internet.

 

[Hunny Bunny]

 

9 minutes ago, Coffee Pancake said:

An advert from 5 years ago.

The only comment ... "wow, I can't believe Second Life is still around"

 

 

Did she imagine eating at the Chinese buffet for longer than four hours?

[Coffee Pancake]

4 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

The point is...likely there are lots of people having sex in Bellisseria as well as having real relationships. I doubt that is happening in The Sims to such a degree.

Oh my.

Um .. 😂

[Kathlen Onyx]

7 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

The point is...likely there are lots of people having sex in Bellisseria as well as having real relationships. I doubt that is happening in The Sims to such a degree.

It could be soon though. They are working on a multiplayer game for the next Sims Release.  When that will be released is anyone's guess but even in the "Sim's Online" there was a large BDSM presence in the game.  

[Hunny Bunny]

2 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I have an idea - the big moneymaker Slex creators, clubs, etc. can advertise on the internet.

 

The big moneymaker is LL who tax and fee all the slex creators, clubs, etc..

[SandorWren]

11 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

Even advertising the real relationships that occur within SL would be a problem. I just don't think the public is ready for that yet, as it's on the internet where porn is, and so they see it that way.

Bellisseria is perfect -- couched as a game -- people playing house, setting up homes.  This is what should be advertised more.

BTW, there are loads of people in SL who see the potential of virtual realities as as an amazing venue for people to understand themselves through relationships. They are in that SL section of the population you like to make fun of by imagining they see themselves as the "better people".  This is what we should be advertising, people into virtual reality who already have the societal seal of approval (those who are or were in various academic professions).

40 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

To add a serious post to my previous tongue-in-cheek one, the problem is that if you advertise sex or relationships on the internet the general public will THINK this is what's being advocated -- a crude type of sex, like porn.  This is why we need to be careful advertising either sex or relationships to the public...because if we did...this would attract those who want crude sex...and it would indeed become what Ingrid described.

This is where it gets a bit more complicated. You are assuming that people with high degrees of education are not interested in "crude sex" and "porn". I can guarantee you that is incorrect. That is why I feel there has to be a balance. That SL has to offer more than just "playing house" or "virtual" porn in and of themselves. And SL does that quite well.  It's a question of how to present it to the public.

[Coffee Pancake]

4 minutes ago, Sam1 Bellisserian said:

even in the "Sim's Online" there was a large BDSM presence in the game.  

Even IMVU had that last time I looked .. and Findom !

[Coffee Pancake]

10 minutes ago, Bagnu said:

You are assuming that people with high degrees of education are not interested in "crude sex" and "porn". I can guarantee you that is incorrect. 

I've been on the wrong end of a few career academics in my time in SL .. those encounters tend to be unforgettable and intensely graphic.

[Luna Bliss]

17 minutes ago, Bagnu said:

This is where it gets a bit more complicated. You are assuming that people with high degrees of education are not interested in "crude sex" and "porn". I can guarantee you that is incorrect. That is why I feel there has to be a balance. That SL has to offer more than just "playing house" or "virtual" porn in and of themselves. And SL does that quite well.  It's a question of how to present it to the public.

I'm not assuming that -- I'm only saying I don't want SL to be ONLY about that.

[SandorWren]

1 minute ago, Luna Bliss said:

I'm not assuming that -- I'm only saying I don't want SL to be ONLY about that.

Then we agree.

[SandorWren]

3 minutes ago, Coffee Pancake said:

I've been on the wrong end of a few career academics in my time in SL .. those encounters tend to be unforgettable and intensely graphic.

That's not always the case either though. Everyone is individual.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

55 minutes ago, Coffee Pancake said:

I've been on the wrong end of a few career academics in my time in SL

Well, um . . .

[Love Zhaoying]

6 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

1 hour ago, Coffee Pancake said:

I've been on the wrong end of a few career academics in my time in SL

Well, um . . .

Being "on the wrong end of the stick" sounds like a "lifestyle choice"!

[Rowan Amore]

2 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

the general public will THINK this is what's being advocated -- a crude type of sex, like porn.  This is why we need to be careful advertising either sex or relationships to the public...because if we did...this would attract those who want crude sex...

Where have you been?  Even without advertising, there have always been people whose sole purpose when joining or logging in is finding FREE SEX!!!!!   

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 minute ago, Love Zhaoying said:

Being "on the wrong end of the stick" sounds like a "lifestyle choice"!

Possibly.

I'm a little uncomfortable (for personal as well as theoretical reasons) with blanket characterizations of people in SL, and we're coming close to that in this discussion of academics (which I am) and SL educators (which I am not, but I've known many).

Is the idea here to truly democratize SL . . . or to replace one person's supposed idea of "better people" with our own?

[SandorWren]

11 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Well, um . . .

/me smiles. I was waiting for you to comment.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

1 minute ago, Rowan Amore said:

Where have you been?  Even without advertising, there have always been people whose sole purpose when joining or logging in is finding FREE SEX!!!!!   

Much of my entertainment back in 2005/2006 came from hanging out at sims watching day old newbies with their prim thangs out running around "hi how r u"ing fully-dressed women. Truly a sight to behold. 😄

[Scylla Rhiadra]

2 minutes ago, Bagnu said:

/me smiles. I was waiting for you to comment.

Academics are no different from anyone else. They have sex, they like music, they go dancing. In RL, I have one colleague who sometimes wears her collar . . . to work, and to teach.

SL educators are academics who have a particular perspective on SL because what defines them as SL educators is the fact that they see a particular function for the platform -- which is, on one level, absolutely no different than someone who sees the particular function of SL as "getting laid."

I've had mixed experiences with SL educators. Some are pretty backwards, others are arrogant. Some are wonderful, such as the two who actually brought me into SL. But that, again, makes them no different than anyone else here.

[Love Zhaoying]

23 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

Where have you been?  Even without advertising, there have always been people whose sole purpose when joining or logging in is finding FREE SEX!!!!! 

But if it's "free" sex, doesn't that ruin the business model of most Second Life users?

[Love Zhaoying]

24 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Possibly.

I'm a little uncomfortable (for personal as well as theoretical reasons) with blanket characterizations of people in SL, and we're coming close to that in this discussion of academics (which I am) and SL educators (which I am not, but I've known many).

Is the idea here to truly democratize SL . . . or to replace one person's supposed idea of "better people" with our own?

Well, I was just making a half-wit statement along the lines of:

- First they tell us to "Pull the stick out of your bum", then they tell us to "Put the stick up your bum"!  Make up our minds for us!!  Which end is the "wrong end" of the stick!?!?

The "lifestyle choice" part of my comment was just meant to mean regarding, "anyone who wants a stick up there, or to use a stick on someone else".

All in good fun!

 Sorry!  Nothing to do with "Academics" in my statement for once 😉 

[Sammy Huntsman]

I mean SL has always been about exploring, discovering, and creating. I mean I can see them advertising something like showing off meaningful friendships and relationships in SL. But what else would you want? I mean this started off as an animation system overhaul, as you wanted better-simulated sex. I totally agree, that a lot of systems need a major overhaul. Then it went to advertising SL by being inclusive, including specific content. But you are saying you want intimate moments, like kissing and handholding. And then it talked about LL being responsible for making adult experiences for us when residents have been doing it for ages. I mean if you want something an amazing adult experience in SL. Why don't you make it? I am sure with your mind, you could come up with something awesome. 

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 minute ago, Sammy Huntsman said:

I mean if you want something an amazing adult experience in SL. Why don't you make it? I am sure with your mind, you could come up with something awesome.

Coffee's point, re. the animation thing, is that the code base doesn't currently support the more up-to-date and versatile kinds of animations that other games have. Anyone creating poses and animations is limited by the kinds of formats and approaches that the platform will actually support. And no single creator, working independently of LL itself, can fix that: the best that they might be able to manage is a crude hack of some sort. The code base itself needs to be updated to accommodate new, different, and better forms of animation.

As to whether fixing the animations should be a priority . . . that's another question. I think a really broad and representative survey of residents would reveal that more would be interested in improvements to the behaviours associated with mesh garments and hair. But I could be wrong!