Who - aside from users - will benefit from the Mobile Ap

[Chic Aeon]

I have been thinking about this lately and it seems like a good thread for thoughts.

The recent Roundtable told us that the mobile ap will not be able (for now) to visit adult sims, buy linden dollars or shop the marketplace. Please correct me if I got that wrong.  

So folks that have adult sims will not be getting mobile visitors.

Creators selling on the marketplace will not be getting mobile customers. 

*************************************************************

Some folks are changing their A designation to M.  I get that. As far as "I" can see the mobile ap may get new users into SL who will later log on via computer. Of course these days there are plenty of folks who ONLY use their phone and don't have regular internet connections.  In the beginning I thought this would be a big boon for SL even though "I" would never use it. But now I am wondering if it will make much difference.  

It MIGHT encourage folks to shop inworld, but they would still need a regular internet connect in order to have linden dollars to spend.  No?  So what does the NEAR future of mobile look like? 

 

Go forth and discuss.  

 

[Love Zhaoying]

It may encourage "mini-games" within SL.

[Zalificent Corvinus]

11 minutes ago, Chic Aeon said:

So what does the NEAR future of mobile look like? 

A colossal waste of time, effort and money chasing an imaginary new market who won't spend any money here, or stay more than 5 mins anyway, and where what liittle if anything, they spend, will be subject to a 30% Awful Mac Tax.

[Madi Melodious]

I'm going to admit that I have my doubts about the mobile viewer.  I just don't see a enjoyable SL being translated to mobile.   They may have something up their sleeves that I'm missing.   I won't be using it because I already spend to much time in SL.

[Codex Alpha]

60% of Roblox's current users are around 16, soon to graduate off the platform, with their experience of LUA, building worlds, etc and might look for something more.

The top game on Roblox is a roleplay game. Perhaps this group might be looking for the next thing they can do this type of activity on. Perhaps LL is thinking this might be the case and are pivoting to welcome those possible players.

I was surprised such a high percentage was using Mobile to use Roblox.

The question will be: who will be using mobile still coming here, will they be as avid to consume SL on Mobile as they do Roblox? And do desktop users on Roblox mainly be the creators and developers?

Roblox Stats  It's no laughing matter. Roblox has MILLIONS of users... some could come here.

Edited May 23 by Codex Alpha

[Zalificent Corvinus]

23 minutes ago, Codex Alpha said:

60% of Roblox's current users are around 16

So, still not with disposable funds of their own suitable for a platform like SL, and thus, not able to provide any revenue, not even the 30% Awful Mac Tax.

 

25 minutes ago, Codex Alpha said:

with their experience of LUA

So, basically a useless skill in SL, which doesn't use LUA.

 

26 minutes ago, Codex Alpha said:

I was surprised such a high percentage was using Mobile to use Roblox.

Nobody else is. They use the cheap android phones provided by mommy and daddy, because they have no disposable income of their own with which to buy a PC.

Want to know why the percentage of Console users is so low?

If mommy and daddy bought them a console, they have a whole world of games that are far better than Crapblox.

That's why.

 

29 minutes ago, Codex Alpha said:

And do desktop users on Roblox mainly be the creators and developers?

Of course they are, writing scripts without a keyboard is a mugs game, 3D modelling on a phone? Dream on.

 

31 minutes ago, Codex Alpha said:

t's no laughing matter. Roblox has MILLIONS of users...

And from SL's point of view, 99.9% of them are completely useless as targeted "potential paying customers".

 

What part of "Crapblox has ziillions of useless people that SL doesn't need or want, or have a hope in hell of attracting" do you not get.

 

[Rowan Amore]

And any Roblox graduate will come to SL for the adult stuff which they won't be able to access on mobile.

[Midnoot]

People acting like just because it's not targeting a NEW demographic that it's bad .

 

I for one, can't wait to be able to log into second life at work and become a big slacker . Unless it's just a lumiya clone which can't even see half the mesh items without deforming them .. in that case, forget it.

 

I'm a little worried now , hearing that adult regions can't even be mobile..... the massive influx of toddlers on their phones ( that imvu got when it went mobile) was already scary enough,  but now it's looking like it's made for THEM... :C 

 

It will increase second life traffic , regardless of what messed up demographic it brings . From old users being able to be on more frequent , to the unattended todddlers with ipads and iphones .

Edited May 23 by Midnoot

[Bree Giffen]

I'm guessing the mobile users will just be like tourists and we'll feel like locals who live in a touristy area. Maybe we'll just be chatting? Is that all we can do with them? And they'll be looking at us like fish in an aquarium. The people who view SL through mobile might think it is interesting enough to install SL to their home computer. 

[Cristiano Midnight]

What is the onboarding for new users like on mobile? It is hardly stellar on desktop.

[Alwin Alcott]

I know i'm no target for the mobile .. can hardly see on my laptop/desktop whats going on... not going to try on a screen smaller as my hand.

[BilliJo Aldrin]

If LL wants a mobile viewer, that's great. Make it downloadable from the SL website, just like the desktop viewer,

That way LL doesn't have to bow to Apple demands for censorship.

[Aethelwine]

The only reason. I used a mobile app in the past was to let people know my pc was in for repair and unable to login. In those circumstances I have also used it to pay rent. It seems like the mobile client won't let me do the second of those where radegast, metabolt and lumiya worked fine 

Whoever the mobile app is for it isn't me.

Edited May 23 by Aethelwine

[Jaylinbridges]

Back when Oberwolf was just hired, his plan to grow SL was to attract teenagers, who would then graduate from high school and get RL jobs.  They would then be able to afford their own desktop computer to play SL.  The mobile phone was the conduit to get them interested at an early age.  I remember him saying as they become adults their tastes will grow and would find SL more attractive.  There was never any mention of retaining older residents, since they were already addicted.  And if they could not afford to keep up with the hardware advances, well then they won't be the big spenders in SL either. 

Why was the Social Casino ever built?  Who's idea was it?  Why is it still there, sitting empty?  Will it be overrun by Iphone users?  The last I heard any SL executive talk about the Social Casino, there were all kinds of promises of new features coming soon.  That was about 2 years ago.  Who was the prime fan of the mobile phone development?  The VP of Engineering.  He narrated the first mobile video.   He is gone, as is the VP level Marketing specialist they hired.  What went wrong?  

The mobile phone might work for skilled gaming, but you can't gamble without paying for it.  If you use your mobile phone to log into the SL webpage you can still buy Lindens. Or can you with the I-Phone without paying 30% to Apple?  

Postthought -  You must be 19+ and be in state/country where online gambling is legal to enter a skilled gaming region, and it must be a private region, not allowed on mainland.  Age verification is checked before you can enter a region.  So are skilled gambling regions allowed with the mobile phone?

You don't need 3D graphics to send text messages.  The mobile phone won't work for driving or flying around the grid, or playing any motion games.  Is it just to attract the younger generation, and hope they have desktops?  What is going to attract them if nothing they are looking for actually works, or is banned?

Edited May 23 by Jaylinbridges
answered some of my own questions

[Love Zhaoying]

1 hour ago, Cristiano Midnight said:

What is the onboarding for new users like on mobile? It is hardly stellar on desktop.

There is no onboarding for new users on mobile yet, that we know of. Mobile testing is currently only for existing users. So..we don't know how wonderful or awful it will be, or if onboarding will be via a website (or traditional viewer) and not the mobile app.

Edited May 23 by Love Zhaoying

[Zalificent Corvinus]

2 hours ago, Cristiano Midnight said:

What is the onboarding for new users like on mobile? It is hardly stellar on desktop.

Non-Existent, because you have to be $250 a year Premium Plooooose  just to APPLY to try the beta version.

Do TRY and keep up.

[Mr Amore]

Using SL's inventory is fiddly enough on desktop, I can't imagine anyone accessing it on mobile.

The Senra avatars were an opportunity to overhaul the inventory system with a visual wardrobe, like all modern games do it. To retain new users SL needs to look and feel familiar.

 

What do people do in SL any longer, clubs, shopping events, dress avatars and furnish homes? How well will it translate to mobile.

[Thecla]

My desktop graphics card broke about a month ago, and I had to access SL from a 13" laptop. It was excruciating.  Use SL on my phone? Fuggetaboudit, short of desperately needing to send an IM or something. Which means I'll download the app and use it once a year.

OF COURSE you're not going to be able to visit adult sims on a mobile viewer, that is the worst idea ever. EVER.

Someone visits SL on their cell phone, visits an adult sim, encounters some inflagrante action....AND PASSES THEIR PHONE AROUND.

If you think SL has a tawdry reputation now, just imagine where that would go if adult sims were on the mobile app. Could well spell the end of SL in a matter of months.

Edited May 23 by Thecla

[Sid Nagy]

LL is trying to make Second Life broader accessible, so that the platform has a longer lifespan ahead of it.
That is a good thing in my book.
If it is a successful way? Nobody knows for certain until a few years after the launch of the app.
But look on what device the new generation hangs out (see Codex's post).

I guess, it will be more attractive for potential new users, than trowing the money towards mirrors and the *****ty lightning that comes with it.

Edited May 23 by Sid Nagy

[BilliJo Aldrin]

42 minutes ago, Mr Amore said:

Using SL's inventory is fiddly enough on desktop, I can't imagine anyone accessing it on mobile.

The Senra avatars were an opportunity to overhaul the inventory system with a visual wardrobe, like all modern games do it. To retain new users SL needs to look and feel familiar.

 

What do people do in SL any longer, clubs, shopping events, dress avatars and furnish homes? How well will it translate to mobile.

you forgot build and do the nasty. 😂

[BilliJo Aldrin]

27 minutes ago, Sid Nagy said:

LL is trying to make Second Life broader accessible, so that the platform has a longer lifespan ahead of it.
That is a good thing in my book.
If it is a successful way? Nobody knows for certain until a few years after the launch of the app.
But look on what device the new generation hangs out (see Codex's post).

I guess, it will be more attractive for potential new users, than trowing the money towards mirrors and the *****ty lightning that comes with it.

LL’s motto… If we can’t do anything useful, we can at least something stupid 😂

[Blush Bravin]

I never shop the marketplace using the in client browser. I pretty much use MP for browsing and then tp to the shop to do the purchase; however, when I do make a purchase from the MP it's through chrome. Why couldn't someone using mobile use their browser from their mobile device to access MP that way? As for buying Lindens, have to be honest, I've not actually purchased Lindens in a dozen or so years, but when I wasn't making all my Lindens from my store, I also purchased my Lindens from Chrome. I don't like using the inworld browser for shopping or financial transactions, other than buying something at an inworld shop. So, I'm not so sure those are limitations that aren't easily overcome. 

The issue with not being able to access adult land is troubling. But I'm pretty sure LL is going to do all they can to overcome that roadblock.

[Sid Nagy]

1 minute ago, Blush Bravin said:

The issue with not being able to access adult land is troubling. But I'm pretty sure LL is going to do all they can to overcome that roadblock.

Maybe somewhere in the future: A different version for Google and Mac stores and an adult version for direct download on their own website.
And who knows, maybe SL will wander in a total different direction than that we are used to and find normal now.
It all depends on how LL can make their bread and butter in the future.
The new generations are different than ours, that is not new either. It is always action - reaction. Changes are almost mandatory in the cycles of life.
 

[Blush Bravin]

Just thought of something else. I have a game I play, Palia, that is available straight through the web and also through Steam. So wondering if that's not an option for SL. Perhaps if someone comes to SL through the mobile but then decides they want to access things not available to the mobile, then they can just log in a different way using something other than mobile. So perhaps this is just another way to introduce people to what SL has to offer.

[Codex Alpha]

10 hours ago, Zalificent Corvinus said:

So, still not with disposable funds of their own suitable for a platform like SL, and thus, not able to provide any revenue, not even the 30% Awful Mac Tax.

 

So, basically a useless skill in SL, which doesn't use LUA.

 

Nobody else is. They use the cheap android phones provided by mommy and daddy, because they have no disposable income of their own with which to buy a PC.

Want to know why the percentage of Console users is so low?

If mommy and daddy bought them a console, they have a whole world of games that are far better than Crapblox.

That's why.

 

Of course they are, writing scripts without a keyboard is a mugs game, 3D modelling on a phone? Dream on.

 

And from SL's point of view, 99.9% of them are completely useless as targeted "potential paying customers".

 

What part of "Crapblox has ziillions of useless people that SL doesn't need or want, or have a hope in hell of attracting" do you not get.

 

No, it's YOUR Point of view, and YOURs only. Stop acting like you are the authority on everything, because you are not. Your NPD is clearly on display at this point.

Here's how your ego exposes how ignorant you are on many topics, blinded by your own sense of superiority to others:

Children have plenty of disposable income and for generations have been the biggest consumers. It's been known in gaming and music industry and movie industry that their largest consumer base are in fact around 12 years old, who spend a lot on games, movies and music.

There are 54 million Americans in Generation Z, (aka Generation We / iGeneration). Teen and tween Gen Z kids, ages 10-17, account for $44 billion in discretionary spending each year. According to Forbes, they’re poised to become the largest generation of consumers by 2020, responsible for up to $143 billion of direct spending.

LUA is a popular language and has been used in many games, Many games with the same kids you keep disrespecting, such as World Of Warcraft, Minecraft and many others. Those skills are valuable, and those 'kids' will be adults soon and looking to graduate somewhere. And guess what?

Coming soon: client-side scripting with Lua in SL!

We’re happy to unveil our experiments with using the Lua scripting language as part of our content and customization tool box. Possible areas of application include test automation, mods/plugins, and new options for content visible to the user, like HUDs, local content etc . Many other sandbox worlds use Lua and we are excited to see how this approach to content creation can enrich Second Life as well. 

A large portion of Robloxer will always be consumers only, as are many SLer's, and the rest will be developers. I only point out the amount of mobile users they have, as LL clearly wants to get some of that market, and it's okay.

Who cares if Roblox is turning a profit. They grew by 300% in only a couple of years, they have millions and millions and millions of users - I'm sure they'll figure it out. You and others can only dream of having just a percentage of those users. In the grand scheme of things SL isn't even on the map!!!!!! Instead of trashing every other platform, look to them to learn what is working and what is not, and use that to get more customers. Enough of your irrelevant 'what abouts'.

Maybe you should do a bit more research before doing your usual debunking and bad faith counter-arguments you make here.

I've had to deal with people like you on many platforms. The die hard, defend this platform to the death, crap talk every other platform... and you know what happens when there's like 20 of you? The platform dies!

Your attitude is also based in fear. I've seen that fear before, and how it destroys communities, and withers them into a dead husk over time. Fear that the little puddle you have been 'reigning' in or having any visibility whatsoever will disappear when a platform becomes an ocean. Build a boat and learn how to sail on it.

Edited May 23 by Codex Alpha