Raevyn Addams

I use Deetalez because I ADORE the chubby body appliers for my Maitreya but they also cater for SLink and a variety of other bodies and heads too, including classic. My second favourite is ItGirls for the realism and detail. I also like the details on the Izzie's skins too, which are worth a mention (and all her body imperfections including pores, stretchmarks, veins, dirt and mud, sunburn, burn scars, wrinkles etc are amazing!) Le'tre isn't bad, Insol, NotFound, Bold and Beauty, Ys&Ys, Sessions; they've all been named before.

To answer the original question I don't have a set amount in mind when I decorate, but I do try and keep the land impact as low as possible. Sometimes I have to factor in what I want more; detail or clutter, and that in turn defines the majority of the decorating process. Since I created my own additions I've been able to tweak things until I was relatively happy with the outcome. While I could still change the LOD on one aspect (a planter box out the front), in all reality I'm at the stage I can overlook it. My house is set on a hill and at a distance away from the road so people have to cam to see my place anyway. Raising the LI for a better LOD seemed like take it or leave it type deal. As for the numbers: I meshed the interior walls (for the Adams) to create an additional bathroom and second bedroom, doorways, skirting boards and floors for 12 LI. The fence, two garden beds, fire pit and addition to steps are 17, and pergolas front and back are 2 LI each for a total of 33. Ideal for me, maybe not as detailed as others may like. I also wanted to have room for my Zooby Animesh baby so I had to accommodate prims for that (averaging 105 Land Impact, depending on her attachments). My main goal was to ensure that I had a house that I could live in and looked lived in too, as opposed to just another display home. That meant adding clutter. To do all that, on top of furnishing the extra two rooms, came at a cost. Not everything is animated so that meant I could link a lot together. But then I also don't need every item of furniture to be usable either, so its another trade off that has worked for me. Helps in terms of less scripts to run, but then I have more textures and objects to render so... *shrugs*

I'm actually against the idea for real commercial spaces in Bellisseria, but I DO like the idea of a town square set up. As for what that would entail, who knows. As much as I have previously advocated for Linden owned and decorated mock-businesses, now I'm not so sure. To have that might at least give the impression of a town as opposed to the gated community we currently have (not that there's anything wrong with it at all), as well as give those who want to meet OOC a place to go beyond parks and beaches, and partially cater to the RPers of the new continent. But then I have to wonder; what happens when the novelty wears off? Not only that, where does it end? People asked for an airport (air strip) and got it. People asked for rez zones and got them. People asked for more houseboats and got them (though yes, that was always going to happen, just maybe not so quickly ahead of original schedule). All this is a win for many and yes it brings more to the land than just some nice houses and well landscaped streets and beaches. But I really fear that adding ANY commercial aspect to Bellisseria is a slippery slope that leads us straight back to Mainland 2.0. LL and the Moles still have a lot of work left to do to complete Belliesseria, as well as work on the new models, work out bugs, land scape, field all the questions and JIRAs and all the rest, but then should this retail aspect be introduced they have to ensure that it too runs smoothly without causing issues for residents either on that particular region, or near to it. The more "we" give them to do, the more that finish line keeps being pushed back, and the irritation and impatience for all those still left waiting for a home gets louder. I do understand that the drawcard of tourists and residents alike is right now untapped potential, especially in the wake of fee increases that are putting a strain on merchants. I get it because I'm a merchant too, even if small fry. But I'm with @Cougar Sangria and @Walpurgisnacht etc. Keep Bellisseria as a place where we escape everything else (our retirement homes), and use the mainland for... well, everything else.

For anyone who suffers from Depression, or knows someone who is, this is a VERY relatable song. Catchy too! ❤️

Builders Brewery hosts classes on scripting too. Can be easily found in world using search. And if you have issues you can ask for real time "support" in group chat. There's usually someone there willing to help where they can. I've attended a few classes now, I have the wiki bookmarked, and I also search online (usually outworldz) for open source scripts that I can learn from. But it all starts with an idea of something I want to do. Without that initial drive, learning scripting is like algebra; a lot of letters and numbers and symbols that don't make much sense until you want to solve a problem.

Part of me hopes you're wrong and that we get to choose an update to a newer style once they're released but I understand your point. It would also be jarring to have the suburban look that we have now suddenly ruined by a few gypsy trailers and an brick urban apartment for example. For what it's worth I like the way it currently looks, so if it came down to a choice between these four styles and something else I'd simply abandon land and roll the dice on the new. Can't say that's a major inconvenience really. To a degree we almost do on some regions in Bellisseria where the Winchester style model is all you can see in any direction for miles and miles... Though at least we have colours and some landscaping to break that up far more than we ever did on the old LH continents. Perhaps that will change as the shuffle for houses continues?

Agreed, but I understand why they likely won't. And while it's not a popular opinion, maybe an overhaul of the stipends allowance in general across the board is overdue too. Rewarding older members is great, but if LL truly wanted to simplify why not one set stipend for premium, none for basic. One number across the board, regardless of age. Like I said, not a popular opinion, just an opinion. *runs before the torches and pitchforks come back out again* 😋

^ This. And I'm part of the over 40's crowd. Though as tempted as I am to find that walker @Blush Bravin posted - and I am - I'm not ready to retire in either life yet! In saying that, I do love my Bellisseria home. Of course I wish for a better locale. I want what I don't have, just as people who don't have a home want one; it's the human condition to want, even if you don't need it. But with all the pretty pictures posted on the forums I understand why people are so keen to jump aboard. Hopefully they will be able to soon. Like so many others who've posted before me, I've built towns and cities over the years. I've bought and sold land. I've decorated more rentals than I'll ever dare admit. Now I feel I can just relax again and just appreciate the simple pleasures of being here. And it's nice to be able to do that. There's so much to see and do in SL that sometimes I forget to just stop and smell the proverbial (probably mesh, definitely low land impact, good LOD) roses. My best friend doesn't have a house yet, but is open to the idea of getting one when the demand isn't so chaotic. She loves my place and says it's the best set-up she's seen me do, so even if I wanted to move she won't "let" me. I'm not sure if that makes me a retiree or a hostage, but either way, I'm not going anywhere any time soon! But on a side note every time I hear retirement homes, I think of HBO's The Soprano's… and we all know how THAT turned out. 🤣

I'm going to be honest here, even if it flies in the face of public opinion. It is after all only MY opinion here and not gospel, so take that for what it's worth. My initial answer to the question is quite simply; YES. Once you get over the knee-jerk reaction of my apparent bias, I'll explain why. The entire premise of Second Life is that people can be what they want, do what they want, look how they want... which is why I can't understand some people's choice to remain as a generic default avatar - or avatars that look as they did 10 years ago. Okay, personal tastes aside, it could be a question of affordability, and beauty is subjective in the eye of the beholder. What appeals to me will not appeal to everyone, I also understand that. But there's a distinct difference between someone who really wants to look good or put together an avatar that they feel represents this ideal they have, compared to those that simply don't bother trying to embrace the possibilities that SL affords at all. Now it's true, people don't have to try if they don't want to. It's their Second Life to do as they see fit. They shouldn't need to impress anyone if they don't want, and power to them for doing their own thing. But in my eyes, since my opinion has been asked, your avatar says a lot about you, just as how you choose to dress yourself and style your hair and present yourself everyday in the real world says a lot about the real you. People judge you in your everyday real life. You can bet they are judging you here in the virtual world too. It's human nature. It's habit; and some of us are more judgemental than others. Maybe in a virtual setting it's a pointless endeavor too. But a quick glance at any avatar can tell you something about a person's tastes; whether they're into fantasy, or highly eroticised, or imaginative, or a realist, or even possibly a troll before they even open their mouths or say a single word in local or in a mic. Looks DO matter even if again we know we're not actually looking at anything "real", just virtual representations. And visual stimulus DOES effect our brains. It stimulates our senses. Watch your favourite TV soap and you'll find yourself drawn to certain characters and repulsed by others. Sights evoke responses, and it's no different in this virtual world. Visuals are what we are here for. Over the years I've been approached by random men and women looking for sexual encounters. Back in the day when I was a noob myself I didn't care how anyone else looked. Now I certainly do. This change happened because I started changing how I looked. The more effort I put into creating my avatar the more I started recognising the fact others weren't. I couldn't understand it and I still don't, but that doesn't make either of us wrong, it's just a matter of opinion. If given the choice for let's say "romantic relations" between a default "noob" looking avatar and a nicely proportioned and well constructed mesh avatar, the mesh avatar would win 9/10. Does that make me shallow? Absolutely! But does that mean every mesh avatar is the best choice? No. Visually they appeal, but the second someone opens their mouths any interest I have either grows or evaporates into thin air. Now maybe it's my fault for overlooking the default avatar. I didn't give that person the time of day I should have. I judged them poorly. Maybe they actually were fantastic people that I'll never get the chance to know in that way. That's my mistake. But I equate it to mutual effort; if you're attracted to a well-constructed and otherwise "expensive" looking avatar but can't be bothered committing the same effort or expense for yours then what benefit is there for me? I chose to spend a lot of money. I worked on my shape. I am constantly trying to improve. Why can't you do that so I can experience that same attraction to you? Cost aside, this isn't a dig at anyone who wishes to appear different. I adore realism. So if your avatar is an amputee or in a wheelchair or anything to that effect I'm not turned off by that. If anything I'm a little more intrigued; the fact you chose to add alphas and wear apparatus in itself shows attempt from the default shapes, and that display of IMAGINATION matters! But I'm certainly not rude enough to ignore anyone regardless how they look. If you're nice to me and say hello I will be nice and say hello back. We might talk. We might become good friends (and I am friends with many "classic" avatars). But in terms of making that initial impression there has to be something there. Maybe not the perfect avatar, maybe amazing character instead; you make me laugh, you're a great conversationalist, we share the same interests etc. But, especially regarding sexual encounters, if you don't visually appeal to me in any way, then the deed just won't happen. I want to enjoy what I see. That's my right. It's a fantasy, and fantasies are supposed to appeal. == I want to clarify that I don't jump on the first mesh avatar I see, not at all, but they are the ones most likely to get my attention, especially in a crowd of noobs all wearing the exact same avatar. In short, the better looking or better constructed avatar, the better they stand out 😉== Going beyond that initial attraction there is of course more effort. The whole 'getting to know you' stage that many overlook with a regrettable message of 'hru?' or 'hi sexy u horny?' It's like that old saying that beauty is only skin deep. An avatar can look absolutely stunning - or revolting - but without substance behind it there won't be anything to build on. So looks are only part of the equation. They get you through the door. Your attitude decides whether you last the distance or not. There has to be shared interests, some initial spark that make us want to keep talking, or stay in contact, or something. That's how friendships - and bonds - build. Once you get to know someone it doesn't matter how you look, but you can bet your friends are still going to judge you, or make recommendations - even if they say they love you just the way you are. Perhaps the best way to describe it is like family; In the real world my mother loves me unconditionally. I love her dearly. But that doesn't mean she stops wishing I'd lose a few pounds, or not get anymore tattoos, or dress more femininely. And I don't resent her for wishing that... It just means we have different opinions. She wants what she thinks is best for me, and I want what I think is best for her. We're both entitled to that. Now I was a noob for a good long while too. My avatars have always been larger women; they reflect a facet of the real life me. And being fat meant I was often judged by others as being a troll. I wasn't and I'm not. But people still judge. I keep repeating it because regardless how fine-tuned your particular moral compass happens to be, casting judgement is in our nature. In a generalized statement; if I was sitting at a bar next to a size 0 super model, I guarantee most potential dates aren't going to care about my winning personality. At least not in that initial moment we meet. The rest takes time. It takes effort; again, its that whole getting to know each other stage. We can all stand up and proudly declare otherwise as to how we would be the exception, but I am talking generally, and of course that's dependant on personal bias; some might not like super models. But in front of our friends, in front our family, our work colleagues, and so on, in the real world perceptions (and appearances) matter. There are multi-billion dollar industries geared towards serving our vanity and to a lesser degree on the Marketplace too. And before you tell me this is all too much RL and not enough SL, think again. Behind the keyboards we're still human. We bring our beliefs and opinions and bias here. To whatever degree we try and temper it with tact and understanding it's unavoidable. We're fallible. We're flawed. That doesn't make us bad people, just different. There's nothing wrong with that. Regarding attitudes; if you jump into people's IMs and cause havoc, that makes you ugly. Your avatar might be nice to look at but your attitude stains it. No amount of money is going to make you a better person (or avatar), and sadly there's a vast majority of people in SL who act as though looks equate to supremacy. That's not the case at all. In my eyes there's no competition to see who can look the best, be the best, have the best like there's some point to prove. But at the end of the day we are a competitive species and is the human condition to want bigger and better and keep up with the proverbial Joneses. I know the question wasn't intended as such, but I'll also add a final point; While people may treat you a certain way depending on your appearance, they will also treat you a certain way when you are not. Case in point; role play. For instance, your avatar has taken the job of a police officer. There are certain expectations people have as to how police officers should look. Unless you fashion your avatar accordingly, you risk ruining the immersion for others. And it will influence how you are treated by others. It seems like an overly simple statement, but as a former RP Region owner I can tell you that commonsense is not common. It's barely occasional. And even this can be polarizing. How you look can affect how others write. It effects how stories develop. There's a power to that, that not a lot of people seem to comprehend. Bonds are often formed in RP; I met my best friend this way, and she confessed to me years later that it was my "attention to detail" that caught her attention. She IMd me. We got to talking, and have been friends ever since. So in the long run I really do think appearances matter - in an ideal world they probably shouldn't, but they do - but that's only my (rather longwinded) opinion.

I ranted my butt off over at the other thread: TL;DR: I like some things, some I don't. While I can continue to afford it and enjoy any benefits at all to being Premium I'll continue to pay. When I don't, or can't afford it, I'll stop. Simple.

It's okay, I'm not taking offense at all, merely responding to your quote: For me, personally, no inworld store? No sale. The exceptions to that rule are slim to none. We're all free to shop where we like, how we like. Just as we're able to choose whether we choose to pay for Premium or not. That's all I meant. Again, as stated then, no offense was intended and none was taken. Sorry if it was taken that way 🕊️

It's probably not intended that way, and I don't want to step on anyone's toes at all, but I have a minor store on the Marketplace and no in-world store. I pay for a premium account but the only land I own is Linden Land in Bellisseria. It would be good to earn enough from my store to be able to purchase and rent additional land in order to have an in-world store for customers such as yourself who only purchase in-world and not on MP; but it's not always viable. And certainly not for small-time merchants like myself. Yes, I could give up my LH and rent a mainland parcel big enough to accommodate both a retail space and a private section for my "home" but if sales aren't great I'm spending more than I earn. There's no profit in that. As for my thoughts on the rest: While I don't like the Premium account price increase, as stated by others in a way its inevitable. No time is ever going to be a good time for change. And since I live in Australia the conversion rates between USD to AUD means I pay around 1.50 for 1 American dollar on any given day. When the economy has bad days I pay more; which can be double what my best friend in the UK pays for her conversion rates. It's not fair but sadly unavoidable. My real life job is not guaranteed so I pay premium by the month - and that means I'll have to miss out on locking anything in. Paying monthly costs more in the long run than paying annually, and when you add that to the conversion rates the cost of just being a member is more expensive still than what others pay. Yes, the double processing fees are going to hurt. I hate it, but I can't do anything about that beyond shuffle my budget and cope as best I can for as long as I can. If circumstances change and I can't afford SL I will be disappointed, especially after having spent so much time and money over my 8+ years here (this was not initially my main account, fyi). As hard as it is considering walking away if it came down to the wire I would have to. Second Life is a game after all; a luxury. Other priorities in life take precedence. If they begin to suffer, SL has to go. It's really that simple for everyone. The reduction in Region price thing amuses me. While any reduction is welcome, it's almost tongue-in-cheek. The first sim/region I bought years ago cost me over $650 Australian dollars prior to the recent price reductions. By most people's standards that's too much money to justify, and I vowed to never buy another region again. Even at a reduced price a region today still costs me close to $350-400 AUD; so at the end of the day a $20 reduction means nothing. It certainly doesn't sway me to even considering another purchase. I understand SL is a business and that they have to make a profit somewhere. I get that. But the reduction is too small a drop in the ocean to be taken seriously. Lower tier first. The groups and IMs changes: I can take or leave. At the end of the day I really don't care. As it is I probably don't make use of the benefits that I currently have. After reading something previously mentioned by Patch Linden about groups (specifically large groups) potentially causing lag I've trimmed them down anyway to barely 20; so offering more doesn't change a thing for me. I agree with others in that a raise to the stipend would have been MUCH more appreciated, even useful. That way I wouldn't have to pay more processing fees to buy more Lindens to buy more stuff... but again, this is all business. But changing the Limits for Basic I don't agree with. Don't take away what people already have, just don't offer them any more. While there absolutely should be a clear definition between Free and Paid accounts this new system really does feel like a 'Rob Peter to pay Paul' scenario, and I can understand why it would upset so many people (my other alts are basic members btw, so yes, I feel that pain too). All-new Membership level has me cautiously optimistic. Until new details are released I'll continue on as I am and decide when that hammer eventually drops. Overall these changes have me feeling... underwhelmed. And it hurts me to say because I do recognise LL is trying to evolve or adapt or even catch up after all these years, and genuine effort is preferable to none at all. It's just the same old story of not being able to please everyone all the time - and I don't envy them that. I do like my Linden Home though and am looking forward to more models, so I guess that's something positive? I was planning on bringing one of my alts up to Premium if one of the styles was more urban, but now I sincerely really don't know. It's a case of wait and see and hope for the best. That's all I can really do. 🤔

I think you're just behind me, a few houses back. I saw the coloured lights and cammed over. Love the front entrance too; all that greenery. Gorgeous! ❤️

I think the OP's question is valid regarding the POLICY of the restrictions. Regarding personal choice of location, we're all entitled to pick and choose and change our minds. While there are some that dearly want a house there are also those (many in fact) that have a house or houseboat and do nothing with them, either at ground level or in the sky, and that too is their prerogative. I'll admit I've even considered changing my location too for something closer to the beach but with demand so high and spaces limited I haven't. Back when the first houses were released I did take a gamble; 9 times in fact. And just got the one I have now before they all ran out. But the notion I even want to change location doesn't make me wrong or even greedy; it's freedom of choice. And that's something all of us are entitled to.

Could be different if you aren't in the US. I'm not, and at my (Australian) conversion rate the monthly Premium payments are around $15 AUD a month. And yes, I pay monthly; I usually can't afford the lump sums of annual payments. Personally I prefer the weekly stipend, additional attachment points, and the prim allowance that being Premium grants. But yes, it comes at a cost, and one I am willing to pay even a little more for

Thank you! 😘I meant to thank you earlier. I got too distracted... visiting ghosties… 👻

Maybe its sleep deprivation, but I laughed hard when I read that. *wonders what their sigil would be, and who would stand-in for the pixelated, and headless, Eddard Stark*

We really need a double-lock feature on link sets. Because as careful as I think I am most of the time editing linked items, I just KNOW (and experience has already taught me this on many, many occasions) that I will inevitably screw something up. Like change the colour of all 150+ objects with the same texture... It's going to happen. Watch this space 😑

Same here too. It's good practice to use the same textures as often as you can in a build to save on load and rendering time too, or so I've been told, so this would be a benefit. As it is I resort to the old take-photo-and-crop trick, but that doesn't always make for seamless results. Case in point; my fence. I used the LL brick wall that shipped with the pack but the posts were too LI heavy so I made my own. Even adjusting the texture faces by increments doesn't line my picture up to the actual wall any better - and it's giving me an eye twitch. I even attempted to make a sloped roof section but again, my usual trick just didn't cut it, so the pergola remained. A full texture pack would be ideal, exteriors especially. One can dream.

I just love the smiley-faced avatar behind the body fourth-walling us almost as if to say "didn't do it, just found it like this, I swear." And I agree with the posters before me. Leave it. It's good to see folks can still have a laugh even after all these years. The ants are a great touch!

Made my pilgrimage and took an offering in remembrance of avatars passed. As an afterthought, be kind of neat to have it here as a tourist attraction. Come to Bellisseria, we have homes and houseboats and parks and an airport and ooh look there, a legend/ghost! *laughs*