Geography of SL, or, what is mainland, and what is it good for?

[CaerolleClaudel]

Way back a long time ago when I started in SL in 2007, I think there was only mainland? For years now I have seen references to what a mess the mainland is, and I am not sure I even know *where* or *what* it is anymore. I just zoomed out as much as I could and took a screencap; the little red house is my skybox, I think, and the little blue bust is Warehouse 21, a popular club. Is the group of continents at the bottom right mainland? Or is only one of these continents considered mainland? I think I was confused about this back in the day, too...

I guess all the little dots, including where I live and the club must be private regions?

I never specifically go to some geographical location, I go to place, so I never consciously go to the mainland (wherever that is). I think I actually rented places to stay there in the past. What is there now? Anything that anyone would go to? Or just a lot of old jumble? Why do people go there?

Thanks!

[animats]

All those big areas at the right are mainland and Bellessaria. They're big areas of land where you can travel around. There are roads, airports, and some railroads. Most of the land is privately owned and there's all sorts of stuff. But no one will tell you where the good stuff is. You have to find it.

[Orwar]

   Yes, the larger, semi-cohesive cluster of islands at the bottom right are the mainland continents. 

   A slightly out-of-date map, but aside from Belli's growth since then nothing much has changed.

   The little thing at the bottom right of that map is the continent where the old Linden Homes are at (I've heard it being referred to as 'Premium 1', but I don't know if that's its official name), but it, along with Sharp, which is where the 'teen grid' was at back in the day (not sure if it's 'mainland' per se) aren't connected by water to the other continents. Also, not all continents qualify as 'mainland', depending on the context; Belli and the old LH continent have their own covenants and prebuilt houses and so aren't quite as chaotic in terms of builds as the others.

   And then, there's Zindra, which I think most people would say is mainland - but it's also disconnected.

[CaerolleClaudel]

5 minutes ago, animats said:

All those big areas at the right are mainland and Bellessaria. They're big areas of land where you can travel around. There are roads, airports, and some railroads. Most of the land is privately owned and there's all sorts of stuff. But no one will tell you where the good stuff is. You have to find it.

Thx! I guess there may not be many stores or clubs or stuff located there?

What sorts of stuff are there? And what is the 'good stuff'?

[CaerolleClaudel]

5 minutes ago, Orwar said:

   Yes, the larger, semi-cohesive cluster of islands at the bottom right are the mainland continents. 

   A slightly out-of-date map, but aside from Belli's growth since then nothing much has changed.

   The little thing at the bottom right of that map is the continent where the old Linden Homes are at (I've heard it being referred to as 'Premium 1', but I don't know if that's its official name), but it, along with Sharp, which is where the 'teen grid' was at back in the day (not sure if it's 'mainland' per se) aren't connected by water to the other continents. Also, not all continents qualify as 'mainland', depending on the context; Belli and the old LH continent have their own covenants and prebuilt houses and so aren't quite as chaotic in terms of builds as the others.

   And then, there's Zindra, which I think most people would say is mainland - but it's also disconnected.

Thx! I did find some maps, but yeah, most seemed pretty old.

I went to all the clubs I have in my Landmarks and all of them except one were on one of the little dots, I guess private regions/islands. The exception was a club located on a continent far off to the east of the mainland continents that does not show on my first screencap or your map. Is that Zindra, the adult region? My skybox is in an Adult region, as are a lot of the places I go. I assumed they were all Zindra, but seems I was wrong.

Thanks for your help!

 

[CaerolleClaudel]

I guess my question, too, is why is so much stuff now places other than mainland? Cheaper land? Less lag or some other performance issue?

[Scylla Rhiadra]

Just now, CaerolleClaudel said:

Thx! I guess there may not be many stores or clubs or stuff located there?

What sorts of stuff are there? And what is the 'good stuff'?

Most large stores are located on their own estates (and I suppose many of the clubs too), but there are plenty of stores, malls, and other things on the mainland as well.

Much of the mainland is a bit chaotic looking, in part because it's been neglected somewhat by LL, and in part because there is so much that has been abandoned there. There are some really lovely parts of the mainland, though, and it's the best place to explore because they are all really large, contiguous areas with roads and, in some cases, railroads. So it's good for driving and riding.

The main thing about mainland is that you can "own" land there. Estates are of course "bought" from LL, and then land is rented out -- but your immediate landlord is the estate owner usually. On the mainland, you can "buy" land directly from LL, up to the limit of your tier. So, I "own" a smallish parcel of land on Heterocera Atoll that I can basically do whatever I want with, without worrying about a land covenant or landlord.

[Anastasia Loxingly]

22 minutes ago, Orwar said:

 A slightly out-of-date map, but aside from Belli's growth since then nothing much has changed.

Gaeta 1 and Gaeta V are mislabeled.

Belli's growth has lead to channels connecting just about all the continents so you can now travel by vehicle in one continuous journey through all of normal mainland. (barring Gaeta 1)

Justice for Gaeta 1!

[Anastasia Loxingly]

32 minutes ago, CaerolleClaudel said:

I guess my question, too, is why is so much stuff now places other than mainland? Cheaper land? Less lag or some other performance issue?

Private regions can be Adult rated unlike normal Mainland, offer more security due to whitelist access, and give the owner absolute control over the aesthetics in and around their region. That's a big draw for some.

[CaerolleClaudel]

Just now, Anastasia Loxingly said:

Private regions can be Adult rated unlike normal Mainland, offer more security due to whitelist access, and give the owner absolute control over the aesthetics in and around their region. That's a big draw for some.

Thanks!

[Qie Niangao]

Mainland + Bellisseria is uniquely suited to large-scale exploration and travel, whether in vehicles or just wandering from region to region without needing to teleport. There are some very scenic routes for this. There's nothing really comparable on private regions, although for sailing specifically there are areas like the Blake Sea that include a bunch of private estates connected to Linden water and Mainland.

But Mainland isn't ideal for clubs and stores, mostly because a Mainland parcel owner has only so much control over what happens on their parcel, even if that parcel is a full region. Estates have more security options (including "estate bans"), and can redefine the look and terrain of each region in ways that were permanently designed into Mainland regions when the continents were created.

[CaerolleClaudel]

4 minutes ago, Qie Niangao said:

Mainland + Bellisseria is uniquely suited to large-scale exploration and travel, whether in vehicles or just wandering from region to region without needing to teleport. There are some very scenic routes for this. There's nothing really comparable on private regions, although for sailing specifically there are areas like the Blake Sea that include a bunch of private estates connected to Linden water and Mainland.

But Mainland isn't ideal for clubs and stores, mostly because a Mainland parcel owner has only so much control over what happens on their parcel, even if that parcel is a full region. Estates have more security options (including "estate bans"), and can redefine the look and terrain of each region in ways that were permanently designed into Mainland regions when the continents were created.

That makes sense, thanks!

[Bubblesort Triskaidekaphobia]

2 hours ago, CaerolleClaudel said:

Way back a long time ago when I started in SL in 2007, I think there was only mainland? For years now I have seen references to what a mess the mainland is, and I am not sure I even know *where* or *what* it is anymore. I just zoomed out as much as I could and took a screencap; the little red house is my skybox, I think, and the little blue bust is Warehouse 21, a popular club. Is the group of continents at the bottom right mainland? Or is only one of these continents considered mainland? I think I was confused about this back in the day, too...

I guess all the little dots, including where I live and the club must be private regions?

I never specifically go to some geographical location, I go to place, so I never consciously go to the mainland (wherever that is). I think I actually rented places to stay there in the past. What is there now? Anything that anyone would go to? Or just a lot of old jumble? Why do people go there?

Thanks!

You need to go to the New Kadath Lighthouse, and explore the exhibits there.  All of your questions will be answered, and more!  I love that place.  The early grid stuff is above the entrance when you walk in, that will explain how the grid grew from DaBoom to Bellisseria.

IIRC, a linden once said that Bellisseria is mainland.  It kind of makes sense.  If Zindra is mainland with different rules, and Sharp was mainland that used to have wildly different rules, then Bellisseria can be mainland with different rules, too.

[CaerolleClaudel]

14 minutes ago, Bubblesort Triskaidekaphobia said:

You need to go to the New Kadath Lighthouse, and explore the exhibits there.  All of your questions will be answered, and more!  I love that place.  The early grid stuff is above the entrance when you walk in, that will explain how the grid grew from DaBoom to Bellisseria.

IIRC, a linden once said that Bellisseria is mainland.  It kind of makes sense.  If Zindra is mainland with different rules, and Sharp was mainland that used to have wildly different rules, then Bellisseria can be mainland with different rules, too.

Thanks, I will check it out!

[Ceka Cianci]

I believe there was more private regions in 2007 than there is now, even in 2006 I think there was..

There was a lot of people trying to build their own home owner communities and would have more than one sim.. It seemed like a lot of people that I knew back then were always talking about their sim or trying to get me to buy their land.. lol

The club I worked for back then  itself, had around 22 sims.. Also where I have lived since 2006 has cut back on the amount of sims they have as well..

I think there was a lot more hope of making  good money back then from SL..

I know I was doing pretty good just working for a place.. hehehe

Mainland is just a variety of everything.. A lot of time, I never even know I'm on it unless I happen to look at the map.  I know it's not as laggy as it used to be, but that could be for a lot of different reasons now..

 

[AmeliaJ08]

I have always been curious, if you buy a region is it possible to locate it near mainland or are there restrictions?

That is to say would it be possible to build up something like Second Norway today? a private estate but it's located close enough to the traditional mainland that it almost seems part of it... but isn't, obviously.

[Ingrid Ingersoll]

This is Heterocera (or Atoll Continent) is the second historical mainland continent. It has lots of roads and it's fun to explore. There are actually some really nice neighborhoods along those roads. 

Edited September 15 by Ingrid Ingersoll

[Bree Giffen]

I honestly forgot where I rented my skybox and zoomed out on the map to find I'm on the Jeogeot continent. I'm next to a road and I will see people traveling along. Businesses have popped up but they haven't caused any problems. I've only rented parcels on the mainland since I've been in SL and haven't encountered many problems.  The one time I had lag was in a home near the border of a region and had to move out because it was so unpleasant.

[Clem Marques]

10 hours ago, Orwar said:

And then, there's Zindra, which I think most people would say is mainland - but it's also disconnected.

True, Zindra is Mainland by definition, but yes, it's disconnected from all the other Mainland continents. Probably as a safety measure to keep General/Moderate users from unwittingly venturing into the adult-rated content that's all over Zindra by accident while travelling. They have to teleport to get there.

Edited September 15 by Clem Marques

[Rufferta Mainlander]

The SL Wiki has info on Mainland, although I don't always agree with it. https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/List_Of_Continents

A great help to me has been the "Continent Locator" you can pick up at the International Bazaar in Ross. Wear it, and it will tell you what continent you are on. The script has not been updated, so it doesn't recognize most of Bellisseria. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ross/40/229/57

Random locations on each 'Mainland' continent.

• Heterocera Explorers' Info Centre http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rivata/34/196/86
• Nautilus - The Market - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nautilus - Shalim/231/112/25
• Jeogeot - Han Loso - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//136/199/46 or http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Han Loso/136/199/46
• Sharp, or TSL (Old Teen Second Life) - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lodestone/85/108/56
• Corsica - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Laserlight/74/53/66
• Gaeta 1 - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kamalakara/39/10/21
• Gaeta V -- http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//185/189/47 -  or http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Demorgan/185/189/47 - Pod Tour Station - take a ride and get a list of pod tour stations for more in-depth coverage
• Sansara - Linden Playground - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//134/120/35  
  In Sansara there are sub-areas such as the "Color Sims" - about 30 regions where more extreme terraforming is allowed. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mauve/224/185/43There are also areas where the land has double-prim capacity (More LI per parcel) like Bay City http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Daley Bay/233/24/25 or Horizons. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Horizons Elara/155/182/23
• Satori -(Sometimes called Maebaleia) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Soulgiver/154/56/60
• Zindra - Pengallen Park - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//141/92/55  or http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pengallen Bridge/141/92/55

As for Bellisseria being a continent - If you consider a 'continent' to be a large land mass, it qualifies; however, while using your Premium benefits to claim a home in one of the subdivisions there is a great way to start out in Second Life, you cannot re-sell or terraform the parcel, and the Covenant restrictions can hamper your creativity. Great bargain, though. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wandering Eyes/55/58/22

The Four "Old Premium Continents" or 'First Generation' homes are separated from each other and from the larger Mainland, but there is still much of interest there. Each of the First Generation continents are almost cooky-cutter versions of each other, with some special places that only show up on one of the continents - like the Dragon Quest at Cape Ekim - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cape Ekim/199/146/41 

Some Infohubs on the First Generation continents.

Tahoe Infohub http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//169/149/28

Elderglen Infohub - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Elderglen/128/128/29

Shareta Osumai - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//138/137/87

Meadowbrook Infohub - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Meadowbrook/64/173/41

Hope this is some help. There is also a 'Mainland' discussion board in the Land Forum.

Edited September 15 by Rufferta Mainlander
Added Belli Citizens Group Headquarters

[SarahThe Wanderer]

I have a love/hate relationship with mainland, a lot of times I say I'm  giving up on it, and one time I finally did, but few months out of mainland, and i'm already missing it, so I'm back again! 

I don't know what exactly is so charming about it, but it has this unique element maybe inclusivity? it's a bigger world with endless possiblites,  that all other private regions and bellisseria are lacking, I've been literally everywhere in SL , I had lands in every continent in mainland ( expect for the Geata 1 and 2 they never appealed to me, zindra too never had and never will ) multiple lands in private regions, have owned private region and homesteads, tried all themes in belliseria , also lands in horizons, I'v experinced it all, and if I had to choose just one place to be in; I'd choose Mainland above them all!
 Mainland is a challange for your creativity and most important thing your patience, it defnitly not for soft hearts : b

I'm impressed by the people who create beautiful places in mainland more than the ones who had it easy creating in private regions, mainland builders are in my opinion more creative and skilled than private regions ones; because of the challenges they have to deal with.

 Mainalnd also in my opinion mostly apeal to explorers and builders, the normal resident who only want to have a beautiful home may strugle there!

Edited September 15 by SarahThe Wanderer

[animats]

Here's a Drivers of SL video. A somewhat random trip around parts of Mainland.

There's one of these drives each week. See the Drivers of SL group.

[Coffee Pancake]

Mainland is the heart and soul of SL, but it's also an outdated concept that with hindsight, hasn't ever functioned as imagined or intended.

Land occupancy has always been spotty. People have always wanted to live by roads or water. No one cares for mountain sides.

The infrastructure, roads and the like, varies from "maybe fine" to "historical prim cack".

There has always been at least twice as much as was actually desirable.

Land barrons and scumlords have long since destroyed any possibility of recovering it.

Edited September 15 by Coffee Pancake

[Cynite00]

I don't like mainland because it's laggy and ugly. That's pretty much it.

[CaerolleClaudel]

10 hours ago, Bubblesort Triskaidekaphobia said:

You need to go to the New Kadath Lighthouse, and explore the exhibits there.  All of your questions will be answered, and more!  I love that place.  The early grid stuff is above the entrance when you walk in, that will explain how the grid grew from DaBoom to Bellisseria.

IIRC, a linden once said that Bellisseria is mainland.  It kind of makes sense.  If Zindra is mainland with different rules, and Sharp was mainland that used to have wildly different rules, then Bellisseria can be mainland with different rules, too.

OK, so I did go there last night (this morning? what is late and what is early when it is 5AM and you have been up all night lol). I saw something similar a long, long time ago somewhere else, but good to find this place, thx!

First thing I noticed, wow, massive lag and low FPS even though no one else was around. I seem to recall lag was a bigger issue with mainland, anecdotal in this case but still seems to hold.

I did not know about the rail systems, those do look interesting! Looks like you can actually ride those? That might be something I would at least try, walking is too slow and not going to do the car thing lol. I am not really sure how to find places to get on all those lines, but there was a map and sign outside the building that mentioned a place in SL where you can at least find out about the Bellisseria one, I think, as well as a website.

Zindra, OH.MY.GODDESS. I was just randomly clicking on places of the Japan-looking mainland continents and on the Zindra continent to see what came up, and yeah Zindra seems not just Adult rated, but like extreme XXX rated. Now I do remember going there a few times just to check things out and it was too much for me. Some of the places that popped up put me in mind of the Reavers in the series Firefly and the movie Serenity, if you are familiar with either of those.