Mainstream failure of SL & Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

[Prokofy Neva]

1 minute ago, Persephone Emerald said:

I'd rather SL would not be turned into Virtual World Facebook, thanks. So, no. Just no.

There is a theory of free speech, which is sorely tried by the Internet's capacity, which is surely larger than Skokie, IL, but which I generally think still prevails, although I'm happy to say I'm very old school on this.

And that is that you should allow free speech (except for incitement of imminent criminal action, or with limits as to time, place, manner in local jurisdictions) because good speech will drive out the bad. So that if you censor a term like "CIS-gender" in fact you drive out not your targeted minority and its boosters, but drive out liberal critics of gender extremism as well -- so you need to let a thing like that go.

And the same applies to advertising. Good advertising that is tasteful, useful, that brings "a willing buyer to a willing seller" -- instead of blighting the view with extortion and ugliness -- would drive out the bad. I'm confident of this. Because I see it is true.

Example: certain furniture stores have figured out that an additional revenue stream is to allow rentals companies or any other content or experience sellers to buy ad boards on their store walls. They set up a place for this, and I never see anything unwanted, ugly, or forced in that space. Clubs do the same thing -- and ditto. It works. It gives revenue to the host; it enables clicks to interested parties that then TP to your venue. 

[Silent Mistwalker]

35 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

Is there no "Sims" example? I am ignorant, but I thought there used to be a "Sims Online".  

I think that @Silent Mistwalker has written about Sims a lot. Silent, if that was indeed you - can you confirm there was - or was not - a "PG Sandbox" versions of "The Sims"?

 

I never played Sims Online, just Sims 1, 2, 3 and 4.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims_Online

 

[Caeruleiae]

25 minutes ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

Peace? 🌿

Definitely lol 

[Coffee Pancake]

12 minutes ago, Persephone Emerald said:

I'd rather SL would not be turned into Virtual World Facebook, thanks. So, no. Just no.

I don't think LL could even if they wanted to. It would be open rebellion.

[Silent Mistwalker]

36 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

Yes, that was my memory. (I read a lot.)

So if it "did" exist but "does not" exist, that means it isn't an example per Coffee's request for current examples.  Even if it were a "PG Sandbox".

 

See my post above. It still exists and is free to play.

[Silent Mistwalker]

36 minutes ago, Chery Amore said:

Lol there was a lot of sex going on in the Sims Online too  through roleplay and all they had was talking to each other while making out in a hottub or Woohoo bed. People will do what they can with what they have...

 

That's why so many people created mods for the "offline" games. I love having the ability to pick and choose how I play and what goes into my game.

[Persephone Emerald]

32 minutes ago, Caeruleiae said:

I don't doubt their prior skills and knowledge-I do doubt their ability to properly market sl though. I wouldn't be amazing at marketing sl either-the difference between m and them is that I would know it right away and wouldn't let the marketing languish the way it has for the entirety of sl's existence.  If they have better ideas for how to market-they really should be bringing them to people who can bring them to fruition. Stagnation in marketing will kill even the best company-but especially one that is looking to expand their audience. I'm not saying they're idiots-just saying they wouldn't last long for us if they didn't have the ability to get it done and weren't willing to speak up about what's not working. That's what I have to do when something isn't working or a campaign isn't giving us the results we think it should-figure out why address issues adapt and modify where necessary. Sometimes it means putting people better suited for the job in that position.

I think the methods they've chosen for marketing aren't working and have never really worked. I think they need to go further outside of the box-regardless of the resumes people on the marketing team might have. If they can't give results those really don't matter-do they? Ll is looking to expand the resident population-retain those new people-and maintain the ones they have there. That means they need to venture away from whatever they've done so far because it just hasn't resulted in the numbers they want. I mean I don't want to make it sounds as if I am only intending to insult them-but clearly what they've tried doesn't work-so change things up. 

And yes get away from the whole idea that some people-some groups-some communities-whatever-are better than others and deserving of more attention. I stand by my belief that ll does not know their audience and at this point-may not even know their future target audience. They can do better though-of that I'm sure. 

I'm sure LL can track what kind of marketing works and what doesn't work. Their CSI crossover marketing years ago worked so well that it caused welcome regions at the time to crash. Positive mentions of SL in the media helps. Positive blogs about SL work. Good-looking starter avatars and Welcome regions, especially if they include links and mentors who actually help new users will work.

I don't think LL needs to be too obvious in using sex to sell SL to new users though. I think sex is implied with attractive mesh avatars, sexy clothing in the stores, and the many, many Adult sims in Search and Adult items on Marketplace.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

9 minutes ago, Persephone Emerald said:

I'm sure LL can track what kind of marketing works and what doesn't work. Their CSI crossover marketing years ago worked so well that it caused welcome regions at the time to crash. Positive mentions of SL in the media helps. Positive blogs about SL work. Good-looking starter avatars and Welcome regions, especially if they include links and mentors who actually help new users will work.

Wasn't there a mention at one of the SLB20 events of some sort of media "crossover" in development? Very secretive, but involving SL being featured in a show, a la CSI?

Personally, I'm hoping for a Real Housewives tie-in. You know, "Real Housewives of Zindra." Where all the participants look like eBody Waifu

https://twitter.com/teal_aurelia/status/1674679519410810881?s=20

Edited July 2, 2023 by Scylla Rhiadra

[Love Zhaoying]

12 minutes ago, Coffee Pancake said:

I don't think LL could even if they wanted to. It would be open rebellion.

Like I always say, LL gave us "swords" and "torches" free in our Libraries!

 

[Love Zhaoying]

8 minutes ago, Persephone Emerald said:

I'm sure LL can track what kind of marketing works and what doesn't work.

I sure hope so, without metrics, Marketing is just a black hole!

"What, you posted on Twitter and retention didn't go up? Go post again!"

[Chery Amore]

3 minutes ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

That's why so many people created mods for the "offline" games. I love having the ability to pick and choose how I play and what goes into my game.

I agree and do that with many offline games I play .. including the offline Sims games, Skyrim and more... However if there is anything resembling somewhat realistic people in games (with legs!) either with or without a multiplayer function there will be those that will find a way to sexualize it when and if possible.  I don't think necessarily it's anything to be ashamed of as long as it's safe for the audience and age group that engages with it.

[Quistess Alpha]

2 hours ago, Coffee Pancake said:

We got some [adult] regions at SLB20. That's it.

Oh I missed that. Did we?

[Qie Niangao]

4 minutes ago, Quistess Alpha said:

Oh I missed that. Did we? [get adult regions at SL20B]

Sure did, both at the Exhibitor Showcase at the birthday itself and at Shop & Hop. They're listed in separate sections under an "adult" header, so search for "adult". The best freebies at Shop & Hop are in the Adult section, by the way.

[Silent Mistwalker]

16 minutes ago, Chery Amore said:

if there is anything resembling somewhat realistic people in games (with legs!) either with or without a multiplayer function there will be those that will find a way to sexualize it when and if possible.

That's been true since the web existed. lol 

[Persephone Emerald]

30 minutes ago, Prokofy Neva said:

[snip]

.. Good advertising that is tasteful, useful, that brings "a willing buyer to a willing seller" -- instead of blighting the view with extortion and ugliness -- would drive out the bad. I'm confident of this. Because I see it is true.

Example: certain furniture stores have figured out that an additional revenue stream is to allow rentals companies or any other content or experience sellers to buy ad boards on their store walls. They set up a place for this, and I never see anything unwanted, ugly, or forced in that space. Clubs do the same thing -- and ditto. It works. It gives revenue to the host; it enables clicks to interested parties that then TP to your venue. 

I've seen a few tasteful billboards on Mainland. I suspect what helps make them tasteful is that there are only a few.

Privately run stores, clubs or sansboxes can curate which ads they want or don't want. Linden Lab wouldn't be able to do the same, because they would be viewed as being biased. I'd rather let residents decide on where they allow ad boards on their property and which ones they will or won't allow. That there used to be more ad boards in sandboxes and clubs than there are now (I think) may show that they are not a very profitable or effective marketing tool within SL.

[Coffee Pancake]

8 minutes ago, Quistess Alpha said:

Oh I missed that. Did we?

Yes. You can only reach them by teleporting though as they are disconnected off to the side.

SLB Alluring, SLB Daring, SLB Euphoric and SLB Irresistible 

[Fauve Aeon]

2 hours ago, Coffee Pancake said:

I would like LL to start talking, positively, about the biggest demographic we have.

I guess my question would be ‘Why’? What further goal or purpose would it serve? Rather it’s better to market the under-used features to new demographics to help grow those user bases, IMO. I also think the adult community and the sex work community may be separately considered as a general rule - with some crossover but not as much as many may think. The first set of people actually inhabits the world, the second uses SL minimally and as just another advertising platform. I believe this is an important distinction. 

You post about the search results in another thread last month…

On 6/9/2023 at 12:16 AM, Coffee Pancake said:

search is camped and ruined by garbage locations stuff full of bots

Yet you serve search up as ‘proof’ in this thread. Which is it? 
 

 

I think this is true, also the Senra avatars as new starter avatars. The clothing took a while to rez on them at the birthday event in my viewer and I think they look pretty ok naked. 😉

12 minutes ago, Persephone Emerald said:

I don't think LL needs to be too obvious in using sex to sell SL to new users though. I think sex is implied with attractive mesh avatars, sexy clothing in the stores, and the many, many Adult sims in Search and Adult items on Marketplace.

[Coffee Pancake]

Just now, Fauve Aeon said:

I guess my question would be ‘Why’? What further goal or purpose would it serve? Rather it’s better to market the under-used features to new demographics to help grow those user bases,

This is a huge mistake.

If you go to a town and want to open a shop, looking for the shop they don't have so you can fill an obvious void is a mistake. The town has no need for dolls-shoe-store. They town has nine restaurants, open a tenth.

As people have been very keen to point out, people who adult, also do other things. Adult stuff is a proven draw. market that and everything will grow organically.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

23 minutes ago, Chery Amore said:

However if there is anything resembling somewhat realistic people in games (with legs!) either with or without a multiplayer function there will be those that will find a way to sexualize it when and if possible.

Who needs legs? Or bodies?

I'm old enough to remember when THE hottest spot on social media for sex hookups was the Facebook game Scrabulous -- because it had a live messaging feature that FB at that time still lacked.

What that didn't mean, however, was that they should have boldly started marketing a Scrabble clone as an "adult game."

[Quistess Alpha]

7 minutes ago, Coffee Pancake said:

SLB Alluring, SLB Daring, SLB Euphoric and SLB Irresistible 

Oh, so, adult themed event regions?  new mainland or adult-friendly bellisaria would be nice (Yes, people can and do adult in beli, but I know anecdotally a few people who have shied away from it because the rules are just vague enough that "a" land is "safer" for adulting.)

[Love Zhaoying]

13 minutes ago, Fauve Aeon said:

On 6/9/2023 at 1:16 AM, Coffee Pancake said:

search is camped and ruined by garbage locations stuff full of bots

Yet you serve search up as ‘proof’ in this thread. Which is it? 

Good catch!

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 minute ago, Quistess Alpha said:

Oh, so, adult themed event regions?  new mainland or adult-friendly bellisaria would be nice (Yes, people can and do adult in beli, but I know anecdotally a few people who have shied away from it because the rules are just vague enough that "a" land is "safer" for adulting.)

Oh sure. THAT'S what we need!

Sex on people's front lawns! Lawnmowers with "Adult" animations! (😮) Husband-swapping coffee klatsches! DOGS AND CATS LIVING TOGETHER!

O Tempora! O Mores!

 

[Fauve Aeon]

*edit for context - regarding ‘add a 10th restaurant, market to adult’, etc…

 

If everything was restricted by geography and travel time, as it is in First Life that may be true but in a virtual world where everything is literally at our fingertips and travel time is 3 seconds, there’s no need for this style of like + like marketing. I don’t need a 10th restaurant,  I crave something novel, that I haven’t experienced before. People who buy shoes also buy other things, people who play games also enjoy other interactive things, people who sail also may enjoy other immersive or competitive experiences. You can draw similar parallels across the gamut of human experiences. Flip it and people who enjoy all these things may also enjoy having virtual sex but we mostly all know that it is here and available, to the point of scarcely even needing to talk about it much. But it’s not often our defining characteristic of our inworld personas and activities maybe, so forgive me if I say that I find your focus a bit one dimensional and myopic. 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Fauve Aeon
Clarity

[Love Zhaoying]

2 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Sex on people's front lawns! Lawnmowers with "Adult" animations!

The combination sounds very dangerous. 

[Fauve Aeon]

1 minute ago, Love Zhaoying said:

The combination sounds very dangerous. 

Only if the ‘grass’ is long. Bah dum *tsh*