I Believe The Stink Of Adult Activities And Related Social and Political Issues Hold Back Second Life

[MissSweetViolet]

7 minutes ago, Hymn Celestia said:

Second Life for the win!

It's not an adult activity that brings me to SL and I know I'm not alone.

 

You definitely aren't alone, and that's a beautiful pic!

[Ayashe Ninetails]

While SL is very pretty, visually, when I'm looking to design something, it's all about ease of customization for me. 

SL looks muuuuch better than the Sims 4, but I don't need to learn 3D (or even open Photoshop) to swap shapes and textures around in The Sims.

Plus, I'm one of those weirdos who loves farming my own resources to build with, so games with a lot of crafting in addition to building appeal to me much more.

I could go farm rocks and stones and wood in Minecraft alllllllll dayyyyy (especially once modded to add a bajillion new biomes and material types, plus foods and plants and flowers and and and).

SL decorating, while I love it sometimes, generally leaves me very frustrated.

[Sammy Huntsman]

I am just gonna say this, this is such a stupid topic. I mean can we stop telling humans how to act, look or dress in any world, or even act like getting rid of these topics or activities will make SL so much better? 

[Cinnamon Mistwood]

18 minutes ago, Istelathis said:

I don't do adult activity, and I do agree almost everything you can do in SL can be done better in other games.  I think that is probably the same for adult activities too though, especially games made specifically for sex, such as VR sex simulators. 

One thing SL has going for it, is the variety, it is a jack of all trades.  You can do just about anything you could imagine, that is what appeals to me about the platform.  I might feel like driving, but at the same time, I may want to explore, perhaps I want to build something or just play a zombie shooter.  It is laid back for the most part, does not require me to load different software for whatever I want to do, I just teleport and it is done.  It is like the ultimate ADHD platform, I might just be wandering down a trail, see a horse, and think.. I want to go riding!  Then my mind wanders off to a huge tree I see in the distance, then I have an urge to build a tree house, then while building the tree house I imagine Gozilla rising from the ocean, and start working on a gigantic monster, then I think since it is an ocean I would rather that giant monster be a rubber duck, then I want the rubber duck to move in a certain direction and knock down buildings, so I set up a few buildings, and put a script in the rubber duck..

 

Then I decide, I've had enough and I want to go bowling, so I rez my bowling lane, throw a few bowling balls, then decide I want to go exploring again, but want to just sit back passively as the environment passes me by, so I hop on a train, then I think it would be fun to create a train.. etc, etc, etc.

 

I think this is why most people stay. Even if they initially came because they heard about teh sexies and wanted to be a part of it. That alone won't keep SL alive.  We need all the activities and communities we can get.

Things to do alone

Things to do with others

A way to create stuff

A way to customize 

Something to drive

Something new to try

There is no one activity that keeps SL going no matter how important we each think our niche is. SL is more resilient with all the freedom to be whatever you want today.

[MissSweetViolet]

2 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

While SL is very pretty, visually, when I'm looking to design something, it's all about ease of customization for me. 

SL looks muuuuch better than the Sims 4, but I don't need to learn 3D (or even open Photoshop) to swap shapes and textures around in The Sims.

Plus, I'm one of those weirdos who loves farming my own resources to build with, so games with a lot of crafting in addition to building appeal to me much more.

I could go farm rocks and stones and wood in Minecraft alllllllll dayyyyy (especially once modded to add a bajillion new biomes and material types, plus foods and plants and flowers and and and).

SL decorating, while I love it sometimes, generally leaves me very frustrated.

I love to decorate in SL, but I understand what you mean, it's not the easiest way to decorate, which is probably why I do all the decorating at my sister and I's place [she hates doing the decor]. 

Same with Minecraft, farming, resource gathering, that is so my go to in Minecraft, and farming, love the farming too!

[Love Zhaoying]

2 minutes ago, Sammy Huntsman said:

I am just gonna say this, this is such a stupid topic. I mean can we stop telling humans how to act, look or dress in any world, or even act like getting rid of these topics or activities will make SL so much better? 

But without stupid topics, what would we talk about?

[Cougar Sangria]

It was never adult activity that brought me to Second Life.  My friends failed to mention the adult part, lol.  I didn't even know that existed until I was approached.  I couldn't find the logout button quickly enough after that encounter.  I came for the ability to craft an avatar, dress her up, shop for her, make a home for her, and shop some more.  Then, I got into photography and breedables.   I fell in love with landscaping, terraforming, and visiting the wide array of regions to explore.  Of course, adulting eventually was in there somewhere.  Winks.

[Kathlen Onyx]

1 hour ago, MissSweetViolet said:

I don't know about this, I've yet to find any place with the level of avatar customization that SL has, maybe OpenSim would come close, wouldn't know though because I've not tried it out. I've heard that just about anything goes there for rules though, which does not make me want to check them out.

Opensim is almost an exact replica of SL except because there is so much copybotting most of the stuff doesn't work or looks terrible because the textures are missing. Anything you can do in SL you can do in Opensim, if someone has made or stolen it.

One thing I do wish they had that almost every club has is the dance ball with the avatars in it to couple dance with.  Have not seen that here.  It was fun pretending Jack Sparrow was my mate for the day.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

1 minute ago, MissSweetViolet said:

I love to decorate in SL, but I understand what you mean, it's not the easiest way to decorate, which is probably why I do all the decorating at my sister and I's place [she hates doing the decor]. 

Same with Minecraft, farming, resource gathering, that is so my go to in Minecraft, and farming, love the farming too!

Yep! Moving things around and positioning is totally fine and very easy, but if you're going for a certain theme that's a bit off the beaten track, just the shopping aspect can take a lot fun out of it. I spent ages hunting for 80s retrowave neon furniture and decor for a paid decorating job I was hired to do, for example. I did find stuff, but it took a lot of digging to find it. I was designing an arcade/gaming lounge. Of course, I can't easily make that in Minecraft either, buuuuut...well actually I dunno, never tried. I might have to try that sometime.

The good news is furniture and decor is often mod here, but the bad news is modding it WELL often requires leaving the platform and opening graphics programs, and I just don't have that kind of motivation.

But yeah, gathering is so relaxing to me. I always play Minecraft in survival, but in a peaceful mode with hunger because, listen, I need my foooooood. The food/farming/cooking/baking/gardening/ranch/livestock mods are SO GOOOOOD. 😂

[AmeliaJ08]

I think adult activities are the only reason SL is still with us and open to all that it is.

The pixel humping makes all the other stuff viable. I'm not aware of any real competition to SL, VRChat probably comes closest but there isn't another virtual world like SL.

 

[Kathlen Onyx]

I think people like the adult side of SL, even if they rarely use it, because it's there if they want to.  Take it away and SL FAILS.

[Sid Nagy]

1 hour ago, Love Zhaoying said:

But without stupid topics, what would we talk about?

I paid 200 USD and I'm not allowed to terraform in Bellisseria?

[Love Zhaoying]

21 minutes ago, Sid Nagy said:

1 hour ago, Love Zhaoying said:

But without stupid topics, what would we talk about?

I paid 200 USD and I'm not allowed to terraform in Bellisseria?

I saw someone respond in that thread, that you CAN terraform behind your home (which surprised me, not sure if it was just ranch theme, 2048's, or where that is possible).

[Love Zhaoying]

I don't think it is so much a "stink", as a "stain".

A "taint", if you will.  

But that's "neither here nor there".

IYKYK

 

[Arielle Popstar]

1 hour ago, Kathlen Onyx said:

Opensim is almost an exact replica of SL except because there is so much copybotting most of the stuff doesn't work or looks terrible because the textures are missing. Anything you can do in SL you can do in Opensim, if someone has made or stolen it.

One thing I do wish they had that almost every club has is the dance ball with the avatars in it to couple dance with.  Have not seen that here.  It was fun pretending Jack Sparrow was my mate for the day.

If you're seeing missing textures, then you might be using the same viewer to access both and having some cache issues. Best to use separate viewers for each to avoid it or having to clear cache regularly.

[Tarquin Evermore]

On 5/11/2024 at 8:48 AM, Codex Alpha said:

Second Life doesn't need adult content to succeed, and it may actually be what keeps it from growing into what it could be.

Take a look around you. Millions and millions of users are on platforms enjoying similar activities to Second Life, from creating User-Generated Content, making games, making worlds, and even cashing out money from making all of it. All without the stink and complications and scandals that come from trying to have Adult content and activities overlap with more non-slex related activities.

Millions of other users are spread out on a variety of platforms from VR to gaming and the line between 'game' and (sick of this word) "metaverse" is blurring.

Most of this activity and joy are on platforms that have no Adult content, no comment, promotion, agenda or public discussion of social issues like politics, gender, sexual preferences, etc and yet they are growing every day.

The overwhelming market available out there looks at SL as an unsafe place for children, a 'dirty' place riddled with pornographic actions, slex scandals and issues, and may contribute to why potential users and creators of any age don't sign up.

I am the last of 25 of my personal network that all had a presence on SL at one time or another - how many more did they have in their networks that I am unaware of?

The SL of today, and how LL presents itself on it's front pages, forums and marketing material are much different than when I joined up years ago, and the world has changed as well.

Perhaps it's time that Linden Lab considered a new and fresh approach - or perhaps a re-alignment of what it promotes and advertises - and starts trying to get a market share of the vast millions of users and creators waiting to graduate from and/or explore new platforms like SL.

Don't make me point to SL's average concurrent numbers to bring back the reality that their market share is literally miniscule compared to what it could be.

----

Responders: This is my opinion only.

Please respond to the main point, whether you believe SL would succeed or fail over adult content, and more importantly WHY you believe it so...
Also consider too, that on LL's failed Sansar, the small amount of users there also claimed that if Adult content was allowed (and social issues put at the forefront) - that it would succeed as well. Were they right?

Keep personal attacks out of it, please.

If you don't want to participate in X rated activities in Second Life. Then don't. There are a tons of options for  you to enjoy SL and not be involved in A rated sims. Don't take this away from those who do. 

Edited to add:

Second Life also may be the only safe space for many out there to express their gender identity, sexual identity, ext that may go against strict social norms of where they live, or they have ultra strict family. 

Edited May 12 by Tarquin Evermore
Adding information

[diamond Marchant]

4 hours ago, Paul Hexem said:

That's good that you do other things in SL. I never said you can't do them. Only that every single one of them, other games do better and SL wouldn't be able to compete.

Some people like using hand drills instead of electric ones for wood working. None of those people are a large or successful business.

It is nice that you express your opinion and rank things and such... but it can come across as a bit pejorative.

When I say "a lack of shopping in SL would be a deal breaker for me", believe it. It is irrelevant whether or not other "games" have better shopping. If LL pulled the plug on shopping (probability close to zero) I would leave. Point is, I care about shopping and SL shopping is sufficient. Some types of adult RP, some  skanky clothes, human child avatars, prim babies,  a few Linden Home themes, charities.... don't mind them but they not why I am here and I would be just fine without them.

Edited May 12 by diamond Marchant

[Tarquin Evermore]

On 5/11/2024 at 10:19 AM, Danielle Atheria said:

I believe SL is as popular as it is because of Adult themed sims…case in point look at Relay for Life (American Cancer Society) biggest contributor to SL is the adult network (can’t remember the name im not in their group) last year and this year as well. Not sure about before but it shows to me anyway what most in SL are doing 

I thought ACS/Relay for Life biggest event was Fantasy Faire.

[TheAwkwardMochi]

On 5/11/2024 at 3:48 PM, Codex Alpha said:

 

The overwhelming market available out there looks at SL as an unsafe place for children, a 'dirty' place riddled with pornographic actions, slex scandals and issues, and may contribute to why potential users and creators of any age don't sign up.

SL is not meant for children to begin with, and potential users of "any" age are not the target audience. It's a very safe place - for adults. 

If you give people a platform and tools to create, sooner or later they'll make adult stuff. That's how it works - how it always worked. It's rather naïve, asking questions about whether or not SL should be a platform for Adult activities and creations, in a world where Minecraft porn exists. (I know that some of you are now going to feel an urge to google that, but please accept an unsolicited piece of advice - DON'T google that. Trust me.)

The power of SL is that it is what you make it. You can spend years on there making art. Or scripting. Or exploring. Or playing dress-up with your avatar. Or engaging in the wildest forms of debauchery. Or listening to music and chatting about weather. Or whatever in between. Taking a whole aspect of it out would mean that it no longer can be what you make it. And it would certainly use a lot of its appeal. 

 

[Sid Nagy]

36 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I saw someone respond in that thread, that you CAN terraform behind your home (which surprised me, not sure if it was just ranch theme, 2048's, or where that is possible).

No that is impossible.
Difference with the other themes is, that the ranch parcels ain't completely flat just like with the other themes.
The back yard is either slightly up hill or slightly down hill.

[diamond Marchant]

47 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I saw someone respond in that thread, that you CAN terraform behind your home (which surprised me, not sure if it was just ranch theme, 2048's, or where that is possible).

Somebody said "where there is a will there is a way" and another said "you can file a ticket" which is true. Bellisseria does have a few bugs and they are repaired if the proper channels are followed.

[Tarquin Evermore]

On 5/11/2024 at 11:08 AM, Sadvhi said:

There are transparent girls swimsuits listed under Children's Apparel

Whut?

[Zalificent Corvinus]

7 minutes ago, diamond Marchant said:

don't mind them but they not why I am here and I would be just fine without them.

No, you really wouldn't.

Imagine the Arrogant Ignorant fun Hating Puritan Killjoy Concerned Vigilante Citizen Crusader Moral Moronity Bigot Force get their way and outlaw ALL "Adult Activities and Content" from SL tomorrow.

 

Guess what happens next.

Your favourite clothing store closes, because HALF their sales is selling lacey lingerie, and that's now BANNED for not being Bigot Force Approved "Garments of Morality".

 

When that clothing store closes, it stops renting its store parcel, from the Rentals Company, who already lost $15,000 a year in income  from Zindra and the A rated estates AND $300,000 of sunk costs buying all that now BANNED land. So the rental company closes its doors and cashes out for good.

 

When the rentals company closes, EVERY G and M rated parcel they own gets cleared, so oops, your favourite G rated Bigot Force approved Dinkies Club gets evicted. So do half the other stores you shop at.

 

Your favourite boat vendor closes because HALF their sales are military boats, and Adult Content like combat is BANNED, your favourite RP sim, the Sci-Fi themed Trek Wars (tm) sim closes, because the land company they rented the sim from went down in flames. You can't by Trek Wars Trooper armour or blaster rifles because the ban on combat has closed the gun and armour makers. You can't dress as your favourite alien race, because most of them are pole dancers in Space, and BANNED.

 

Claiming that all the non-adult stuff in SL can happily survive with out all that "skanky filth" is like claiming the lungs, spleen, kidneys, liver, and digestive tract of a human body can happily survive without the heart and blood circulatory system.

 

The knock-on effects each EVERY part of SL, and EVERY activity.

Good luck with that.

 

[Tarquin Evermore]

26 minutes ago, Zalificent Corvinus said:

No, you really wouldn't.

Imagine the Arrogant Ignorant fun Hating Puritan Killjoy Concerned Vigilante Citizen Crusader Moral Moronity Bigot Force get their way and outlaw ALL "Adult Activities and Content" from SL tomorrow.

 

Guess what happens next.

Your favourite clothing store closes, because HALF their sales is selling lacey lingerie, and that's now BANNED for not being Bigot Force Approved "Garments of Morality".

 

When that clothing store closes, it stops renting its store parcel, from the Rentals Company, who already lost $15,000 a year in income  from Zindra and the A rated estates AND $300,000 of sunk costs buying all that now BANNED land. So the rental company closes its doors and cashes out for good.

 

When the rentals company closes, EVERY G and M rated parcel they own gets cleared, so oops, your favourite G rated Bigot Force approved Dinkies Club gets evicted. So do half the other stores you shop at.

 

Your favourite boat vendor closes because HALF their sales are military boats, and Adult Content like combat is BANNED, your favourite RP sim, the Sci-Fi themed Trek Wars (tm) sim closes, because the land company they rented the sim from went down in flames. You can't by Trek Wars Trooper armour or blaster rifles because the ban on combat has closed the gun and armour makers. You can't dress as your favourite alien race, because most of them are pole dancers in Space, and BANNED.

 

Claiming that all the non-adult stuff in SL can happily survive with out all that "skanky filth" is like claiming the lungs, spleen, kidneys, liver, and digestive tract of a human body can happily survive without the heart and blood circulatory system.

 

The knock-on effects each EVERY part of SL, and EVERY activity.

Good luck with that.

 

Do you think puritans will stop at X rated things? Then they want anything goth, pagan, anything not their favorite God, get banned for being "Immoral" and leading people to some bad place.

[JUSTUS Palianta]

6 minutes ago, Tarquin Evermore said:

Do you think puritans will stop at X rated things? Then they want anything goth, pagan, anything not their favorite God, get banned for being "Immoral" and leading people to some bad place.

As a pagan that makes me sad.  The beauty of SL is doing anything we want.