Nobody goes to the Community Exhibition in WelcomeHub.

[animats]

A major landowner in New Babbage and I were discussing setting up a New Babbage area and portal at the new Community Exhibition in WelcomeHub. But after spending some time there, it turns out nobody goes there. It's hard to find. The most direct route, where the sign points, is through the bingo hall. Yes, WelcomeHub has a bingo hall. Nobody plays bingo there, of course. It's also possible to fire yourself out of a cannon into the Community Exhibition. Nobody ever uses the cannon transportation system.

WelcomeHub remains a demo area for SL bugs:

• Too many people stuck in semi-permanent pink cloud mode.
• One new user in a Senra outfit has a teal head, but no hair. Hair not rezzing is a frequent problem.
• Someone is stuck underwater, swimming frantically, in high heels and a skirt, but not moving. Wonder what swim HUD they bought?
• Someone else is stationary but stuck in a run animation.
• Many new users have bad user name choices. Random strings, numbers, etc. Maybe LL should give new users one free name change in their first 30 days.
• Some people are so lost that they never make it out of the landing circle.

That's the Second Life new user experience.

[Love Zhaoying]

That Community Exhibition is VERY small and "weak" IMHO, LL should have gotten a lot more participants before opening it. 

When I first went, I counted EIGHT participants IIRC.

(A lot of us posted about the Community Exhibition in the previous thread on that topic.)

Best of luck with what you decide to do!

 

[Arielle Popstar]

49 minutes ago, animats said:

A major landowner in New Babbage and I were discussing setting up a New Babbage area and portal at the new Community Exhibition in WelcomeHub. But after spending some time there, it turns out nobody goes there. It's hard to find. The most direct route, where the sign points, is through the bingo hall. Yes, WelcomeHub has a bingo hall. Nobody plays bingo there, of course. It's also possible to fire yourself out of a cannon into the Community Exhibition. Nobody ever uses the cannon transportation system.

What are the prizes? Can't expect people to come if there are no real prizes.

[kaahupahau]

Well, I was told that, long ago, there were new users welcome centers, such as NCI Kuula, GNC New Berlin and others. Whilst they still exist, new users are not routed there automatically or are not even made aware of these Community Centers.

Before that, there were the Teleport Hubs and and other places, like Waterhead  and such. They still exist, they are still connected to the roadways that can take people around the virtual continent - but there is no life anymore around there.

I visited Bay City last month and ran around there an entire afternoon: There are zero lifesigns! It looks nice, of sorts, but... It's dead.

I don't know where people end up these days, but when its a lagfest, a dead end or some epilepsy inducing SnowCrash-style location, that is not going to win SL new customers. Sounds like New Babbage would be an Okay place.

In general I think the community centers should be regular destinations for newbies again, where they crash into people that at least have a chance of speaking the same language, or the newbie arrival areas should be located next door to populated locations.

The OpenSim'ler of OSGrid have it, in my opinions and maybe unintentionally because of having smaller userbases than the monolithic block that is Second Life, better: Their newbie arrival location contains, like Newbie Island, a basic instructions parcour - so total newbies have a chance finding a living being to ask for help when they have issues - and there is a general social meeting area, so it makes sense to go there to meet other people anyway.
Fun fact: Uploading files, especially mesh components ( Tinkercad is so much fun! ) is for free there, not some convoluted and costly process to make your own glasses and clothes when "content creation" is presumably a fun pastime - in SL its a costly job by comparison.

When I arrived in 2017 I was dropped off in London City which was a lagfest and had like a gazillion people running around and talking in parallel. So despite it having several positive aspects, it was too much, too fast, for me as a newbie. If I wouldn't have been picked up by my friends who were just waiting for me and who had given me their names in advance, I would have quit Second Life right then and there.

Hearing that New Babbage has Landowners with a pulse ad breath makes me think that it would really make for a good social hub, newbiecenter and such things more.

Edited February 17 by kaahupahau

[Zalificent Corvinus]

1 hour ago, animats said:

Many new users have bad user name choices. Random strings, numbers, etc.

What did you expect, "all the good names are already taken", and most people have very little imagination.

Enter a name:

Jane

That name is in use

Jane2

That name is in use

*some time later*

Jane38759XXX123abc

Welcome to SL, account created...

 

1 hour ago, animats said:

it turns out nobody goes there

Are you really surprised?

 

[Arwyn Quandry]

Random strings of characters and numbers as usernames are the norm on many platforms. For years, SL escaped that by allowing users to have a first and last name, giving you a better shot at a usable and interesting name. Now that last names are paywalled, usernames suck as much as they do everywhere else. SL isn't the outlier in that respect and I don't think being surrounded by people named things like "kaaarein69291841" is what's turning new users away.

[kaahupahau]

Just now, Arwyn Quandry said:

Random strings of characters and numbers as usernames are the norm on many platforms. For years, SL escaped that by allowing users to have a first and last name, giving you a better shot at a usable and interesting name. Now that last names are paywalled, usernames suck as much as they do everywhere else. SL isn't the outlier in that respect and I don't think being surrounded by people named things like "kaaarein69291841" is what's turning new users away.

First thing I did when I made my OpenSim / OSGrid Character was giving myself a proper first and last name. Fun thing: I identify much more with that character as with the one here which has no family name.

[Zalificent Corvinus]

5 minutes ago, kaahupahau said:

First thing I did when I made my OpenSim / OSGrid Character was giving myself a proper first and last name.

First thing I did in SL, was pick a name with no crazy numbers and letters, properly capitalised.

Zalificent.

Been a couple of occasions, I'd comment in a group chat and one of the Jane38759XXX123abc's would reply "wow thats a kewl name".

They just lack the imagination to NOT try and call themselves by their RL first name, or a standard RL first name.

 

 

[Rowan Amore]

1 hour ago, animats said:

• Too many people stuck in semi-permanent pink cloud mode.
• One new user in a Senra outfit has a teal head, but no hair. Hair not rezzing is a frequent problem.
• Someone is stuck underwater, swimming frantically, in high heels and a skirt, but not moving. Wonder what swim HUD they bought?
• Someone else is stationary but stuck in a run animation.
• Many new users have bad user name choices. Random strings, numbers, etc. Maybe LL should give new users one free name change in their first 30 days.
• Some people are so lost that they never make it out of the landing circle.

The pink.clouds are generally the bots.

The teal hair IS the hair which is more.of a hairbase.  Create a new account and see.

I see people running in place elsewhere so.It's not a welcome hub issue.

The bad name choices are often the bots again as well as.those people just standing at the landing circle.

A mole will come by now and then and put those bots up in a dressing room.  I've seen a handful of them there for days.

[Love Zhaoying]

39 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

The pink.clouds are generally the bots.

The teal hair IS the hair which is more.of a hairbase.  Create a new account and see.

I see people running in place elsewhere so.It's not a welcome hub issue.

The bad name choices are often the bots again as well as.those people just standing at the landing circle.

A mole will come by now and then and put those bots up in a dressing room.  I've seen a handful of them there for days.

Adding..wouldn't a "real user" log off, rather than being stuck somewhere, or running in place, or being just a cloud? This came up in other threads too. I know @animatsmeant well in posting about it..

[Rowan Amore]

21 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

Adding..wouldn't a "real user" log off, rather than being stuck somewhere, or running in place, or being just a cloud? This came up in other threads too. I know @animatsmeant well in posting about it..

If you stop by on restart days, you'll see numbered account dropping in at the welcome hub quite often.  You'll also see unloaded avatars standing in the shrubbery all day.  These aren't new users.  These are more than likely, bot accounts.  I've messaged more than a few of them and nada.  The ones who are rezzed and moving normal often respond to a hello in local.  It's not rocket science.  

[Extrude Ragu]

I spent a few hours out the front of the new community exhibition the other day.

For new users, they should, in theory actually end up there, because the 'follow the arrow' tutorial from the landing zone does take you there.

One newbie made it as far as me and proceeded to try to hit on me (as you do) but most of the new accounts did not complete the tutorial.

In my opinion, having seen the landing area and the route newbies are supposed to take, I think a secondary art pass would help. The choice of fonts, the textures etc it's all a bit 'technobabble' and not very enticing to explore.

The tutorials look very informative but it's just not so inviting a path to walk along. It's all a bit sterile.

[Extrude Ragu]

Something I'd like if a Linden or a mole could clarify on:-

There is a sign telling established SecondLife residents to stay out of the Landing Zone.

But I'm not sure if we are allowed in the tutorial area, just behind the landing zone? Can anyone sit in the booth with the beer crate inside it?

[diamond Marchant]

4 hours ago, animats said:

A major landowner in New Babbage and I were discussing setting up a New Babbage area and portal at the new Community Exhibition in WelcomeHub.

So I also considered setting up a sailing area… and submitted an application. The result? Nada, zippo, zilch… in plain language, no reply what so ever.

Edited February 18 by diamond Marchant

[Persephone Emerald]

11 minutes ago, Extrude Ragu said:

Something I'd like if a Linden or a mole could clarify on:-

There is a sign telling established SecondLife residents to stay out of the Landing Zone.

But I'm not sure if we are allowed in the tutorial area, just behind the landing zone? Can anyone sit in the booth with the beer crate inside it?

I think it's fine for us to be anywhere except inside the landing area, in front of the passageways into and out of the landing area, or sitting, standing or hovering over the landing area as if we're looking down at the newbies or stalking them.

[Gabriele Graves]

5 hours ago, Rowan Amore said:

The pink.clouds are generally the bots.

The teal hair IS the hair which is more.of a hairbase.  Create a new account and see.

I see people running in place elsewhere so.It's not a welcome hub issue.

The bad name choices are often the bots again as well as.those people just standing at the landing circle.

A mole will come by now and then and put those bots up in a dressing room.  I've seen a handful of them there for days.

He's been told about the bots at the welcome hub multiple times, including by me.  Doesn't seem to take that onboard for some reason.

[Alwin Alcott]

Aren't the mentor programmes running anymore? Or is it in proces to be given up as so many initiatives ever started?
There should be enough by now to have enough of them to have a 24/7 coverage, and as so people who direct newbies to the different places.

Of course a fight against sticky bots needs other abilities than welcoming real new accounts ( eject and send to a external desert where they belong)

It's still my opinion that settled residents should stay away there. 

Edited February 18 by Alwin Alcott

[Zalificent Corvinus]

3 hours ago, Extrude Ragu said:

For new users, they should, in theory actually end up there, because the 'follow the arrow' tutorial from the landing zone does take you there.

Have you played any online game, ever?

People don't "follow tutorial arrows". 

They log in, do the "create a toon" thing, the tutorial starts, go from point A to point B and talk to npc #1, but point F looks more interesting, and npc's #5,#37 and #93 look like fun. They will get to pont B, and npc #1 EVENTUALLY, if it's essential, but only if the tutorial gives them no choice if they want to leave noob land.

 

I certainly didn't follow the tutorial route all the way to the end, back when, I side tracked, permanently, as soon as the "actually teaching you useful stuff" part ended and avoided the "pathetically failed inane social engineering tell you how to have approved fun" part began.

 

And not because "oh they used the wrong font on the sign, if they had been to MY art school they would have known better and it would be more enticing".

 

The problem is the noobs do not want to do that drek, pure and simple, they don't want to play NO-PRIZE-Bingo, they don't care about the Virtue-Signalling-Park.

 

It's like the Prachette joke about Barbarians visiting Ankh-Morpork. They walk in the city gate, ignore the pamphlet on "Things to do", and ask the Guard "Which way to the wh*re pits buddy?".

 

Edited February 18 by Zalificent Corvinus

[Love Zhaoying]

When I read the OP title and am reminded of the old saying, "Nobody goes to that restaurant anymore, there are too many people there."

Because: If "all new residents" (except "special Gateway" residents such as the Firestorm Gateway if it still exists) start there, then "obviously" people "go there", not necessarily by choice. They just don't "stay"; why would they? Why would anyone, with all of Second Life to explore?

 

Edited February 18 by Love Zhaoying

[Krystina Ferraris]

10 hours ago, animats said:

through the bingo hall. Yes, WelcomeHub has a bingo hall. Nobody plays bingo there, of course. It's also possible to fire yourself out of a cannon into the Community Exhibition. Nobody ever uses the cannon transportation system.

 

A bingo hall and a cannon ? What’s this a pensioners’ resort 😂 

Where do they get their ideas from lol 

[Jaylinbridges]

My new Senra alt was sent directly to the Firestorm Welcome Island, which had more helpers and was actually scenic, unlike the sterile hospital build at the Welcome Center.  We decided I was sent to FS because they checked my computer hardware and could tell I was not the first SL account.  But others claim they were sent to the SL Welcome Center that also were alts, so who knows.  I think they use the SL Search algorithms to sort out who ends up where.

Second thought - since they can tell what my old accounts are, they would also see I used Firestorm 98% of the time, so they sent my alt to the FS Welcome Island.  You mean they can program that all into the sign-up process?  Those SL coders are real wizards.

And BTW I did sign up at the SL new account page.  I never knew there was a Firestorm gateway and had no choice where I would be dumped.  And, I was forced to download the SL Viewer to make my new alt with, to get the full newbie experience.

Edited February 18 by Jaylinbridges

[Extrude Ragu]

More people watching this morning. One newbie did make it to the community exhibition this morning, and even looked around, but I wonder if it clicked with them that the exhibits are not the destinations themselves. The newbie seemed not to be reading things in general, rather seeming keen to make progress and reach the 'finish'.

Perhaps the welcome hub assumes too much that newbies will read things.

When they reached the back of the exhibit and there was a big fence blocking further progress, they logged off.

Where they logged off

Maybe a great big 'where next' sign with a link to the destination guide around that back wall might help with that issue of people who need to feel like they're progressing. I can see how to a newbie it might look like 'that's it, you've seen all there is to see'. That or a portal to somewhere interesting or maybe portal park etc.

[Extrude Ragu]

Another observation. There's this buy L$ kiosk at the end of the orientation tutorial:-

The kiosk. Note that the orientation exit is behind it.

I've seen two newbies stop in front of the kiosk and become distracted by it (Presumably fiddling about with that web page floater that pops up, getting nagged to set up payment information)

One of the newbies after clicking the kiosk and seeing the web page, logged off.

I wonder if this is really a smart place to put the kiosk. I get LL probably want newbies to set up payment information on their account, but this kiosk appears long before a newbie might become in any way invested in SecondLife, or has even seen examples of what L$ can buy. I can't help but feel it would have been better for the newbie to see some actual content first. Maybe even a shop, so they could become invested in the platform and had some kind of motivation to buy L$

 

[Love Zhaoying]

6 minutes ago, Extrude Ragu said:

Another observation. There's this buy L$ kiosk at the end of the orientation tutorial:-

The kiosk. Note that the orientation exit is behind it.

I've seen two newbies stop in front of the kiosk and become distracted by it (Presumably fiddling about with that web page floater that pops up, getting nagged to set up payment information)

One of the newbies after clicking the kiosk and seeing the web page, logged off.

I wonder if this is really a smart place to put the kiosk. I get LL probably want newbies to set up payment information on their account, but this kiosk appears long before a newbie might become in any way invested in SecondLife, or has even seen examples of what L$ can buy. I can't help but feel it would have been better for the newbie to see some actual content first. Maybe even a shop, so they could become invested in the platform and had some kind of motivation to buy L$

 

It is more than a little odd and out of place!

[Alwin Alcott]

I'd like to know what the retention figures are doing since the new set up of that new welcome hub and all around it, there should be at least some data to work with by now.
Is it working or are the newbies only the new hobby for some settled residents, mentors and bored entertainers that need new goals themself?
If the new program doesn't work again, skip it. If it does work, find out why and focus on that point instead of adding more diffusing options for newbies that hardly know how to walk.

what i read is still "we think"we could"we this"we that .. and no-one knows what the newbie wants. The resident made ideas never worked for retention, because it's about them, not about the new players where we know nothing about.
A huge amount are alts/bots. Don't waste time on those.