What is the split of SL users between RL Nations?

[Love Zhaoying]

12 hours ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

13 hours ago, Cinnamon Mistwood said:

A year or so ago @Scylla Rhiadradescribed what she likes about living in a city.  I was shocked at how vibrant, alive, and beautiful she saw where she lives - Cafes, parks, museums, art, and theater all within walking distance.

That is a foreign way to live for me.  I have lived in suburbia-type places before and Belli is a darn good example even with all the different themes.

However, like @Ceka Cianci I live on the side of a mountain far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city I drive to for work.  I find it beautiful just like Scylla finds her city life.

LL will never please everyone with Bellisseria or any theme they choose.  They have to make generic enough places (within their theme) that people can still be creative and make it their own.  Sure, if you fly over and only see an aerial view, it all looks the same, but if you view it closer, you'll see many different styles from many different people. There's a different view on every street.

Mainland really is for those who want even more freedom for their vision.  If I want to live on the side of a mountain in SL, my only choice is mainland.

If people from other places want their choice and a representation of their homeland or dream theme, they will need mainland, too.  

 

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I am more than a little surprised at how contentious my suggestion has proven to be!

I don't see the suggestion in your post, or the responses to it, being contentious. 🙂 

 

[Extrude Ragu]

One of the issues that leads to the 'Americana' of SL is that parcels are made up of rigid squares.

Personally I think (and have advocated for repeatedly in the past) that we should be able to define any arbitrary space of any shape or mixture of shapes as a parcelprivate dwelling and let people create what they actually want.

[Rat Luv]

9 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

This guy doing the video reminds me of that one American guy speaking for all americans when he said we don't have meat pies in america.. lol

7 hours ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

Wait what? If we don't have meat pies in the US, then what the hell was that I ate growing up in the 60s and 70s? I mean, they've only existed in the south since the 1700s ffs.

I find that hard to believe...this American influencer says the USA only eats sweet pies!  He doesn't look like he would lie 

 

9 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

Tennessee is not California! \o/

We get confused because both are well known for surfing 🏄‍♂️

[Modulated]

2 minutes ago, Rat Luv said:

I find that hard to believe...this American influencer says the USA only eats sweet pies!  He doesn't look like he would lie 

 

We get confused because both are well known for surfing 🏄‍♂️

Influencers, about as useful as concrete shoes . lol

[Ceka Cianci]

30 minutes ago, Rat Luv said:

I find that hard to believe...this American influencer says the USA only eats sweet pies!  He doesn't look like he would lie 

 

We get confused because both are well known for surfing 🏄‍♂️

I couldn't stand to watch that guy eat and then talk.. Especially the jellied Eel and then just keep speaking out of his back side.. lol

[Silent Mistwalker]

4 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

I couldn't stand to watch that guy eat and then talk.. Especially the jellied Eel and then just keep speaking out of his back side.. lol

I don't know who that is or what he is eatin but it don't look like nothin I want to eat... lol

[Ceka Cianci]

1 hour ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

I don't know who that is or what he is eatin but it don't look like nothin I want to eat... lol

It's Jellied Eels.. hehehehe

[Krystina Ferraris]

If one’s experience of American suburban living is Celebration, FL 34747, then I suggest to widen your horizons and travel to some real places, like Charleston or anywhere in the Midwest or gee, even Folsom lol

About styles of subdivision other than what is currently offered, next time I’m driving to Dublin I’ll post some pictures of what suburbia here actually looks like. Trust me it’s nothing like the picturesque Cotswold village up the hill that Scylla showed us.

I can’t imagine why anyone would want to replicate that in here if given a choice.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

9 minutes ago, Krystina Ferraris said:

If one’s experience of American suburban living is Celebration, FL 34747, then I suggest to widen your horizons and travel to some real places, like Charleston or anywhere in the Midwest or gee, even Folsom lol

About styles of subdivision other than what is currently offered, next time I’m driving to Dublin I’ll post some pictures of what suburbia here actually looks like. Trust me it’s nothing like the picturesque Cotswold village up the hill that Scylla showed us.

I can’t imagine why anyone would want to replicate that in here if given a choice.

Oh sure, of course. My mother grew up in Hounslow, a suburb of London. I've visited it (and many other parts of Britain): it's a pretty dreary warren of identically squat and ugly red and white brick housing, what passed for a middle class subdivision in Britain in the 30s and 40s. I am very well aware that most housing in the UK does not look like picturesque Cotswold villages.

But all of this is sort of missing the point, which was emphatically not about which nation has the nicest houses. I said that Bellisseria felt arid and boring to me, not that I think US middle class residences all look the same, and all suck.

What I was arguing is that more diverse and international themes would be good. I showed the Cotswold cottages not because I am under any illusions about the "superiority" of British middle class suburbs, but because they are examples of what might be attractively and appealing added to the offerings in Bellisseria. That's all.

[Raspberry Crystal]

41 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Oh sure, of course. My mother grew up in Hounslow, a suburb of London. I've visited it (and many other parts of Britain): it's a pretty dreary warren of identically squat and ugly red and white brick housing, what passed for a middle class subdivision in Britain in the 30s and 40s. I am very well aware that most housing in the UK does not look like picturesque Cotswold villages.

But all of this is sort of missing the point, which was emphatically not about which nation has the nicest houses. I said that Bellisseria felt arid and boring to me, not that I think US middle class residences all look the same, and all suck.

What I was arguing is that more diverse and international themes would be good. I showed the Cotswold cottages not because I am under any illusions about the "superiority" of British middle class suburbs, but because they are examples of what might be attractively and appealing added to the offerings in Bellisseria. That's all.

Oooh, I am quite fond of 1930s semi-detached houses, but the density of Hounslow wouldn't appeal to me.

SL has its limitations, and of course Belli has its own subset of those. I quite like it on the whole though.

It has taken me too long to realise that cultural filters are invisible from the inside, in the same way that within a family you see how you differ from your siblings, but an outsider will notice the similarities.

I'm not sure if it might not be worse to have Cotswold Cottages  as a theme, because to someone from that area of the UK they would end up looking too changed to be totally familiar and that could cause more dissonance in the end, especially as the americanisation would be somewhat invisible to the majority and could cause conflict.

What I have come around to liking about Belli, are the accidental joys, finding an area of the log homes which reminded me of the English Lake District, with its deep, long and narrow waterways, or a windmill free waterfront in the chalet area, which had a familiar riverside vibe.

They are better doing what they know, and if there is enough SL randomness in the process, we may end up with something we want almost unintentionally.
 

[Love Zhaoying]

1 hour ago, Krystina Ferraris said:

If one’s experience of American suburban living is Celebration, FL 34747

Irony, since that city was planned to be a "perfect small town" with a town square, etc. and only exists because Disney built it.

[Sid Nagy]

2 hours ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Oh sure, of course. My mother grew up in Hounslow, a suburb of London. I've visited it (and many other parts of Britain): it's a pretty dreary warren of identically squat and ugly red and white brick housing, what passed for a middle class subdivision in Britain in the 30s and 40s. I am very well aware that most housing in the UK does not look like picturesque Cotswold villages.

But all of this is sort of missing the point, which was emphatically not about which nation has the nicest houses. I said that Bellisseria felt arid and boring to me, not that I think US middle class residences all look the same, and all suck.

What I was arguing is that more diverse and international themes would be good. I showed the Cotswold cottages not because I am under any illusions about the "superiority" of British middle class suburbs, but because they are examples of what might be attractively and appealing added to the offerings in Bellisseria. That's all.

 One really has to walk on eggshells in this thread.

[Zalificent Corvinus]

43 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

Irony, since that city was planned to be a "perfect small town"

Britain has one of those.

It's called Milton Keynes.

It's widely known to be a miserable sinkhole of soul destroying tedium, where the favourite pastime is trying to tip over the concrete cows the powers that be decided to use to decorate the side of the road leading in.

 

"Properly Planned Communities" invariably suck donkey butt. Belli included.

[Love Zhaoying]

31 minutes ago, Sid Nagy said:

 One really has to walk on eggshells in this thread.

It shouldn't be that hard to avoid judging other countries' living and building styles, and avoid bragging about one's own country's living and building style (at the risk of being called out for B.S.).

I suppose some just cannot help themselves!

 

[Love Zhaoying]

32 minutes ago, Zalificent Corvinus said:

1 hour ago, Love Zhaoying said:

Irony, since that city was planned to be a "perfect small town"

Britain has one of those.

It's called Milton Keynes.

It's widely known to be a miserable sinkhole of soul destroying tedium, where the favourite pastime is trying to tip over the concrete cows the powers that be decided to use to decorate the side of the road leading in.

 

"Properly Planned Communities" invariably suck donkey butt. Belli included.

Again irony, since Celebration is near DisneyWorld..it SHOULD be the "happiest place on earth"; people will only live there if they chose to (not counting people who somehow were "forced" to work at DisneyWorld and find the area too expensive).

I'm sure it was a good idea at the time (the Florida Celebration project), but getting any "good idea" to "catch on" is hard.

How does this connect to the OP topic of the thread?  In my opinion, it's a "full circle" connection:

- People from different countries who see Second Life as being a GOOD representation of either their "ideal", of their "home country", or of "what they wish it was like at home" will probably like Second Life "buildings" and "communities".  This could have the effect of reinforcing those people's POSITIVE image of Second Life, encouraging friends etc. to join, and increasing the membership from those countries. (Those people become "net supporters" of the Second Life "buildings" and "communities".)

- People from different countries who see Second Life as being a POOR representation of either their "ideal", of their "home country", or of "what they wish it was like at home" will probably NOT like Second Life "buildings" and "communities". This could have the effect of reinforcing those people's NEGATIVE image of Second Life, NOT encouraging friends etc. to join, and NOT increasing the membership from those countries. (Those people become "net detractors" of the Second Life "buildings" and "communities".)

 

[Krystina Ferraris]

1 hour ago, Love Zhaoying said:

Irony, since that city was planned to be a "perfect small town" with a town square, etc. and only exists because Disney built it.

Exactly too perfect, it’s even advertised in the Osceola County touristy things to do as “perfect smalltown with a stepford wives vibe” or something along these lines. And guess what people buy it too.

[Love Zhaoying]

1 hour ago, Raspberry Crystal said:

What I have come around to liking about Belli, are the accidental joys, finding an area of the log homes which reminded me of the English Lake District, with its deep, long and narrow waterways, or a windmill free waterfront in the chalet area, which had a familiar riverside vibe.

They are better doing what they know, and if there is enough SL randomness in the process, we may end up with something we want almost unintentionally.

For me this was true even before Belli. My last "legacy" Linden Home was ordinary (relatively), but it was on the edge of a nice park lake. That made it "special" to me and I kept it for several years just for that reason.

[Love Zhaoying]

11 minutes ago, Krystina Ferraris said:

Exactly too perfect, it’s even advertised in the Osceola County touristy things to do as “perfect smalltown with a stepford wives vibe” or something along these lines. And guess what people buy it too.

Some people have never been to a "traditional small town" with a thriving "Town Square", where all the businesses are actually open and busy, etc.  Celebration "gets this right", I visited so know (IMHO). There are a few similar areas in my part of Florida also, but usually the "Town Square" is built intentionally and not "old " / "square" or anything more than a "Town Centre shopping district".

Anyway, since this thread also touches on Belli - I'll add that since Belli lacks "commercial" activity (beyond "fake businesses"), that "intentional community" vibe is completely missing the "thriving Town Square". Which makes it even more "Stepford".

Watch the film "Don't Worry Darling" sometime if you haven't! It combines these "small town" + "Stepford" themes.

 

Edited January 28 by Love Zhaoying

[Luna Bliss]

4 hours ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

 I said that Bellisseria felt arid and boring to me, not that I think US middle class residences all look the same, and all suck.

What I was arguing is that more diverse and international themes would be good. I showed the Cotswold cottages......they are examples of what might be attractively and appealing added to the offerings in Bellisseria.

What you call "arid and boring" is simply the base structure LL has provided so that WE can add our own touch and give the homes 'character'.  Once Belli is explored in depth one can see how some people do this better than others, or have the inclination to do so.

If you add too much 'character' from the getgo it can limit how much the homeowner can accomplish with their own touches.

[Luna Bliss]

Interestingly,  RL polls show that most people want to live in the country, with the suburbs a close second, and a minority prefer cites.

I think SL mirrors RL in many ways in terms of preferences.

LL is on the right track with Bellisseria.

[Luna Bliss]

2 hours ago, Sid Nagy said:

One really has to walk on eggshells in this thread.

Kinda hard to do if you start out wearing what's known in 'Murica as sh*t-stomper shoes:

[Silent Mistwalker]

9 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

It's Jellied Eels.. hehehehe

No thank you!

https://eels.historiacartarum.org/uncategorized/death-by-eels/

[Ceka Cianci]

6 hours ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Oh sure, of course. My mother grew up in Hounslow, a suburb of London. I've visited it (and many other parts of Britain): it's a pretty dreary warren of identically squat and ugly red and white brick housing, what passed for a middle class subdivision in Britain in the 30s and 40s. I am very well aware that most housing in the UK does not look like picturesque Cotswold villages.

But all of this is sort of missing the point, which was emphatically not about which nation has the nicest houses. I said that Bellisseria felt arid and boring to me, not that I think US middle class residences all look the same, and all suck.

What I was arguing is that more diverse and international themes would be good. I showed the Cotswold cottages not because I am under any illusions about the "superiority" of British middle class suburbs, but because they are examples of what might be attractively and appealing added to the offerings in Bellisseria. That's all.

For the record, I wasn't reacting to anything you may have said..I was mostly having fun in the thread.. Then started to watch that video.

One of my favorite things that helped keep me in SL was meeting people from all over the world and listening to them talk about  where they live and what it is like where they come from.. That broke a lot of the myths for me that I had grown up listening to or even seeing on the news or even taught in school..

I just loved listening to people talk about how the houses where they live are all made of stone because of this reason or talk about the foods they love  that are made locally.. I loved soaking all of that up and still do..

A lot of videos are informative, but a lot are also short sited and feel like they were made because someone came up with an idea for some likes. That's the kind of thing that reminds me of the misinformation I grew up with.. They run to a Wiki or do a little quick research and hurry up and get a video out..

It really gets me going, when it's an American talking about America and getting it wrong.. That or that meat pie dumbo speaking for all American while eating Jellied Eels.. lol

I wanted so bad to reach through the internet and just slap the scruff off that  guys face.. hehehe

 

 

[Ceka Cianci]

2 hours ago, Luna Bliss said:

Kinda hard to do if you start out wearing what's known in 'Murica as sh*t-stomper shoes:

My part of the country we call'em Shiat Kickers.. Shiat stompers  here, are above the calf and made of rubber.. LOL

 

[Silent Mistwalker]

19 minutes ago, Ceka Cianci said:

My part of the country we call'em Shiat Kickers.. Shiat stompers  here, are above the calf and made of rubber.. LOL

 

Those look like ropers* to me. These are sheetkickers:

 

The pointy toe and the slant are so it rolls off the boot.

Yes, I prefer Justins. Square toes are swampstompers. 😁

 

 

*ropers are lace ups the rest are not

Edited January 28 by Silent Mistwalker