Persephone Emerald

^ I love this last one most of all. It reminds me of how I will sometimes do the Twisted Hunt dressed as one of the cubes, then sit there and wait for someone to Touch me. It's best when the cube is scripted to break or say things, but it confuses the hunters either way.

Reading this article made me think of this question: https://www.thegamer.com/facebook-metaverse-second-life/ For some this may not be a secret wish, but I suspect that for many of us old-timers we would secretly love to act as silly and unaware of SL social rules as we used to do. My all-time favorite activity that is not entirely socially acceptable is making objects physical and then dropping them from a great height. A semi-transparent sphere encompassing an avatar is the best, especially if it's set to having Rubber physics. You can roll off a platform, bounce when you hit the ground, then roll into another person's property or into linden water. Walk inside this sphere, and you'll feel like you're inside a giant hamster ball. I once accidentally made a giant sky platform physical and dropped it into a the goth club neighboring my mainland property. I apologized and removed it ASAP, but it was still funny to see it slicing through the gothic cathedral next door. I also made use of this physics trick when an SL soon-to-be ex "borrowed" a substantial amount of RL money that he looked like he might not be willing to pay back to me. I made over a hundred Easter eggs with prizes inside, all physical and sitting on a sky platform. Then I deleted the platform and let them fall. Users of our sandbox sim found brightly colored Easter eggs all over the sim with gifts inside, but these eggs were also named things like "Snake", "Weasel", "Jerk", & etc. as a sign to this soon-to-be ex that I was not above hurting his reputation with our group members if he failed to return my money. In the end, I was one of the few (or possibly the only) person whom he paid back before abandoning the sim and moving on to greener pastures. Even in a big public sandbox, it's fun to make some giant physical rubber shapes, drop them, and see how they bounce and roll.

Nobody else can see your notes. I sometimes make notes to remember how I met this person or who they are to me. Sometimes I copy part of our last conversation to help me remember what we were talking about. I don't do this often, but it has been useful to differentiate SL "one night stands" vs. someone I helped in a group vs. a neighbor to my land vs. some random person who now wants to send me DJ requests to come to a club.

I think most mesh heads default to lips that are too full for me. Try taking both the fullness and thickness down little by little, and don't go under 20 for either. Taking the slider numbers too far from 50 may mess up how your lips will look, such as showing your teeth when you don't want them to show. You can also play with the lip width and corner of mouth curve to see what that does to your lip shape. I like to set lips for females at 60 to 65 for a slight smile, but for males 50 to 60 looks better. For makeup and skins, those that are made specifically for your mesh head will work best. You may be able to work with a smudgy eyeshadow from a BOM makeup layer that wasn't made for that head, but lipstick that doesn't match your lip outline will never look great. If you don't have lipstick made for your lips, check out Trend or other makeup stores for their group gifts, store credit gifts, and sales. Also try using the lipsticks in your Head HUD and lowing their opacity, so they blend softly onto the lip texture on your skin. For eyes on LeLeutka at least, I've found BOM layers go under applier layers, so you can blend eye makeup this way too. Lower the opacity of the applier layer to blend it softly onto your skin and BOM layers, or leave it at full opacity to get a stronger, sharper applier layer.

And yet, concerts with RL performers have been hugely popular in Fortnite. So maybe "If you build it, they will come" is not true. The platform has to offer something that plenty of people want and are willing to pay for. Second Life is not hugely popular like Fortnite, yet we've had inworld concerts in SL long before any other virtual platform did. We've had people selling both virtual and RL items in SL for years (though not many RL items). We've had a sandbox world that grew into a multidimensional virtual world (closer than any other virtual platform has come to a real Metaverse). We've had both adult/ NSFW and "safe" areas in SL for years. We've had the most customizable avatars for years. Inworld framerates can be low at times, upsetting content and people are common (but not worse than on Facebook), and there are no clear game objectives, rules or cheats for "winning". Yet, there is the opportunity to find a wide variety of entertaining content and make a profit in providing it. I don't think the limiting aspects of SL are ideological, but rather they're mostly technical. Meta (aka Facebook) is limited by the greed and power-hunger of it's creator, so it will likely never be able to create a virtual space that many people want to inhabit for long periods of time. Flat Facebook is bad enough, but people using it can turn their eyes away if they wish and can filter their experience to some small extent. I would go crazy if I had to inhabit a 3D version of Facebook for more than an hour, and I certainly wouldn't spend money there if I didn't have to do so. I would go into Fortnite, Sansar or SL to watch a concert or play, but I wouldn't do so if all the avatars looked like legless playdough creatures. The visual graphics have to be worth the immersive experience, and not just an excuse to try to sell me something else. Virtual Reality should be an escape from the many stresses of RL, not a piling on of more of the same.

You must've forgotten about Captain Jack (a recurrent character on Doctor Who and lead character in Torchwood).

Giving gifts is allowed in SL and on the Forums. It's not gambling if the person isn't putting any money (or other valuables) upfront that they might lose. If spending time to try to be Tama Suki's friend could be considered a gamble, then you might be right though.

One thing you could do (as a builder using textures) is to link maybe 4 pictures/ textures onto 1 picture, then upload that 1 picture/ texture. You could then use offset functions to display only one part of this composite picture on a surface. This tool would be most useful when texturing different surfaces on the same item, as each part of the this composite texture would count (for rendering cost purposes) as the same texture.

^ This. There are all kinds of perverts in SL, so for this discussion I'm defining Cam-Pervert as those who enjoy looking at other avatars for salacious reasons, assuming those avatars don't know they're being looked at. A Cam-Pervert is not likely to be a newbie, since most newbies have not learned how to cam and certainly don't know how to turn off the ability of others to see they're being cammed. Camming is a common part of SL, for various reasons, mostly not salacious. Camming up one's own skirt to do a panty check, looking at what an avatar is wearing, or camming inside a house to see how it's been decorated are all normal and acceptable SL behaviors. Camming on others who might be naked or engaging in adult activities is also normal in SL, so if you don't want to be Cam-Perved, you have to learn how to disable letting others outside of your home parcel view avatars inside it, then don't ever get naked or do anything adult in someone else's parcel. If it still bothers you that other people can look at your avatar, maybe SL is not a good fit for you.

If you go to the Firestorm website, they have tutorials on how to do stuff. There are a few variations on how to put animations into the built in Firestorm viewer AO "HUD". The easiest is to either wear or rez an AO HUD, Open it, & dump all the Contents into your Inventory. This creates a folder which I advise dragging into your Animations folder. There will be a notecard in this folder that has a list of animations in it, such as: [ Walking ]walk1|walk2|walk3 . This notecard tells your AO HUD which animations to use for each of these actions. You can rename this notecard at this point if you wish. You can also delete the scripts in this folder if you wish, but do not delete or rename the animations in this folder. Open the Firestorm AO by clicking the ^ arrow on it. Now drag the notecard that lists your AO animations into the window at the top of your open AO box. This creates an AO set with the same name as that notecard. From this point you can adjust how your animations will work, but you now essentially have an AO set built into your viewer. Selecting Cycle or Randomize for sets of animations such as Walking will cycle or randomize which animations will play for that action. You can also select how long you want each animation to play before moving to the next one in a set. Do not delete the notecard or animations in this folder, or the folder itself. The Firestorm viewer creates a subfolder in the Firestorm folder that is a copy of this folder and works in much the same way as folders in the Outfits folder works. It links to the original folder, so if you delete a crucial element in that original folder, your Firestorm AO will now be broken. It's easy to add, delete and replace animations or AO sets in this AO "HUD" though. Clicking the Trash icon deletes stuff. Dragging notecards or animations into the proper windows adds stuff. I've chosen to use a more complicated and time-consuming way of making up my AO set, which I don't advise unless one is comfortable modifying notecards and scripts. I put the animations from multiple AO HUDs into the folder with the notecard that directs which animations to use for each action. I demo these animations inworld, delete the ones I don't like, and rename ones that have overly long names. Then I rename and open the key notecard, delete the names of animations I don't want to use, Copy and Paste the names of animations I do want to use, before dragging this notecard into my Firestorm AO "HUD". This method takes a long time, but allows me to customize my AO sets to suit the personality of each of my avatars and to remove animations that I don't like.

Body Language has very nice AOs but they're expensive. They had some half price at the last Shop And Hop event, so they might be in the next one in February. If you don't mind their prices, you can pick up some "free" group gift AOs from them by joining their group for $L 350. "Eat Me" Amimations has some free & cheap AO sets, but their animations are not quite as smooth & natural-looking as the ones from Body Language. I'd recommend getting one of their sale $L 50 sets, since the free ones are mostly not Bento and the $L 50 sets are better looking than the $L 10 sets. If you know how to mix and match your own set of animations, their free and sale AO sets can mixed with AOs from other creators pretty easily too. There are several other AO stores, but I've carefully studied the animations from these 2 stores recently as I was making up new AO sets for my avatars. Always demo animations before buying them. * If you're using the Firestorm viewer, it's pretty easy to add your AO set into the viewer too, which would reduce your HUD attachments and script lag.

I have been having this same problem all month long. All I get is a page that says HTTP ERROR 500. I suspect the problem is that there are far too many posts within that sub-forum, so they system can't handle opening it for me.

I updated My guy's look a bit more.

SL is not intended to be an easy way to make money. It's intended to make for money for Linden lab. If you just want to play and have fun, then you can earn a few lindens to help you join groups and get their group gifts by playing one of the inworld games that let you win or earn a few lindens. If you wan to make more money than this, then you'll have to develop skills that other users are willing to pay for. If you want to be a stripper, escort, club host or DJ you will need to create a good-looking mesh avatar and learn how to communicate well in text and voice. If you want to make and sell stuff, then you could learn how to make shapes, textures, mesh items, scripts or animations. All of these jobs require RL time, effort and some money, so No, it is not easy to make money in SL.

That's a great-looking avatar. I think the top one looks kind of like Cher.

Unlike normal video games, Second Life content is 99% created by other users. Over time Linden Lab has also brought in new ways of making and using content, so SL can be a confusing mish-mash of options that continue to change over time. (Think of this as part of the history and culture of this virtual world.) Some skins cover both body & head. Some work on either the body or head, so you need to get both from the same store or figure out how to match skins that didn't come from the same creator. First, you've picked up the free mesh head from LeLutka. That's great because gifts like this come very rarely. Now you need a mesh body. I suggest getting the free male body from Legacy (which should fit old TMP male clothes) because it's free or only $L 1, so it's worth trying. I also strongly suggest getting the Belleza Jake body before Christmas because it's a great deal now. (Belleza fell behind on their updates for 2 years, which led some to think their bodies were not worth buying, but since they've been 1/2 price, I'm sure their sales have been great, which means designers will continue to make clothes for their most popular bodies.) The $L 1500 price for Belleza Jake is about $ 6 in US currency. With Belleza Jake ($L 1500) , Signature Gianni ($L 4000) or Legacy Male ($L 5000) you can find plenty of free or discounted skin and clothing. The current Jake v 3.1 fits LeLutka heads fine, but still needs an update to fit other mesh heads well. In my opinion the best deal for male hair is to join the "Not.Found" hair store group for $L 50 (20 cents), then pick up all their group gift hair that you like. There are pictures up in their group gift section for most of their gift hair, but don't overlook the gift packages on the ground that have a bunch of older hair styles in them. A few of their gifts are system layer beards or mesh beards. One necessary part new players sometimes forget is a good AO (Animation Overrider). There are several free ones available on Marketplace and inworld, but most of those will not be Bento, which means they don't move your fingers and face, so may look less natural than Bento animations. Getting one AO set of normal standing, walking, sitting, flying & etc. animations is the easiest way to animate your avatar so it looks less generic and seems to have a personality. With more experience you could make up your own animation set from various animations, but that's more work than you'd want to do now. For now, you should probably get a free AO, but if you wanted to spend money on it, Body Language has 4 sets of male AOs for $L 900 each in their shop in the Shop & Hop mall event. Also in my opinion, Bento animations are more important in situations where other people will be looking at your avatar such as when you're standing, sitting or hovering. I doubt people will look at your hands and face when you're running or flying. I have little experience in where to get the best male skins for the best price, but I can offer a little advice. 7 Deadly Skins is currently free to join their SEVEN group. I'm not sure if that group tag will let you get the pack of old male skins they have upstairs in their male skin section, but it's worth a try. While their male skins are not the best on mesh bodies, they look good on LeLutka mesh heads and don't usually show a neck seam between the Belleza Jake body and a LeLutka head. If their skin says it's BOM, it will look fine on your fingers too, though I can't vouch for whether the skin on your toes might be off a bit. Finding clothes you like can be challenging or fun, depending on where you look. For free stuff, I recommend joining "SL Frees and Offers" and "Fabulously Free" inworld. For a GQ look, join "L' Homme Magazine", since they have free gifts in many of the high quality men's stores. Gabriel is a clothing store that has some free jackets and shoes for anyone, a great $L 1 section of older clothes (including sizes for TMP men's bodies), and a nice 50% off section. The styles at Gabriel are Cyberpunk, Japanese influence, young & hip, roleplay, and some classic and casual clothing. Also join other groups for men's clothing & stuff and go to events that focus on stuff for male avatars. Once you find stores with content you like, join their groups and get their free group gifts. Join and drop as many free groups as you like to grab their group gifts, but be careful of dropping groups that could cost money to rejoin later. Finally, depending on what you want to do in SL, you may want to buy a "male attachment", otherwise known as a p.e.n.i.s. If you want a free one, the only one worth getting is the Huggsie on Marketplace. If you want to actually look good naked, you'll have to buy one and tint it to match your skin. These items come with interactive HUDs for added realism and fun. These items should not be worn while dressed, as they can show through clothing and add to your script lag even when made invisible.

Ms AnonyMouse sent me an unexpected gift too! I kept wondering how anyone could know I'd wanted a butterfly avatar. I'd completely forgotten about my MP wish list. Thank you, so much Ms. AnonyMouse!

That's a great-looking avatar. 😉 If you want to wear the same head on either a male of female body, the LeLutka River head has both a female and a male version included for the same price. I got River for a female head because it most looked like a younger RL me. (Note: these heads can be modified greatly with shape sliders, but the shape of the nose and lips can't change very much, so pick the head that best matches the nose and lips you want.) My look with the River head.

I'm not sure of your avatar gender from your post, but if you need a good female mesh body for under $L 200, you're best bet is the Athenae body by LucyBody, on their Midnight Madness board. There is also a BOM applier for sale next to the MM board for $L 197, which is well worth getting. This body is compatible with Maitreya Lara mesh clothes and SLink mesh shoes, so you'll find plenty of clothes to fit it. If you want a curvier female body, the free eBody Curvy or Legacy''s free female body (fits TMP mesh clothes) are other options. If you're willing to spend $L 1250, Belleza's mesh bodies are still on sale too. Isis is similar in shape to Maitreya, but really only fits Belleza Isis mesh clothes. Freya is a curvier shape with more clothes made for it than for Isis or Venus. Venus is their older shape, which is not well supported. For guys looking for a free body, the best choice is Legacy's free male body (fits TMP mesh clothes). For a guy willing to spend a little money, your best best is the Belleza Jake body for $L 1500 on sale. This body, along with Signature Gianni and the not free Legacy male body have the most mesh clothes made for them. Belleza Jake is made to fit LeLutka mesh heads, but does not currently adjust the neck size well for other mesh heads. It does not usually show a neck seam with a LeLutka head, but this can depend on which skin you're using or certain HUD settings you have in place. My guy alt Evan wearing the Logan Head and a 7DS Sven skin. - Alycia wearing the Kaya head and a 7DS Alexia skin.

That's true. The language of domesticated dogs is similar to the language of wolves, yet domesticated dogs have developed a kind of smile that mimics the human smile, something that wild wolves do not do. Coyotes, on the other hand, communicate in ways that are different enough from how wolves and domesticated dogs communicate that coyote-dog mixes can sometimes confuse domesticated dogs. Canine language is primarily a combination of vocal and body language cues. The bow that means "I want to play with you" is one example of the learned canine language of wolves and domesticated dogs. The side head tilt means, "I'm trying to understand what you're saying or why you're doing that." I think they also do a "snort of disgust" when they don't like something, but I've yet to see this documented by a canine behaviorist.

Which viewer are you using now? If you use Firestorm, they have an inworld group that can direct you on how to fix most viewer problems.

We can already understand what our dogs and cats want when they stare at us. All it takes is years of watching them and interacting with them. They communicate their desires to us pretty effectively - if we pay attention to them, rather than just to our cell phones, televisions and computers. It helps to learn a bit about canine and feline behavior though, so as to not anthropomorphize their thoughts too much. In my experience, pets have pretty simple desires for food, attention, security, pack social status, physical exercise and mental stimulation. They would not want nor enjoy our complex and misleading communication structures.

No, we post it on our Facebook and Instagram feeds instead. <smh>

Be forewarned, the reaction you get from a merchant when offering constructive feedback may vary. If I tell a merchant that their vendor is not working or I can't get into their store due to Convex Hull being set up incorrectly, they are usually appreciative and nice in their response. On the other hand, some merchants may think their store set up is just fine the way it is, and the real problem is that you complain too much. It's best if you can identify a specific problem that they can easily fix, and if you're respectful and polite in your note to them. Also, in my experience, merchants who are rude to customers, constantly complaining, and paranoid about having their stuff copied or resold do not last long as merchants.

SL residents used to get a choice of last names years ago, but in one of the leadership changes someone decided they were no longer necessary. Then for a while it became a kind of status marker between older and newer users as to whether one had a last name of not. There have pretty much always been users who wanted to change their user name after they picked it, so during another leadership change LL decided to charge people for that privilege. In order to get a last name now, one has to become a Premium member, then pay $40 to change their name (first, last or both). I suggest using one of the avatar outfits in the Library folder of you Inventory until you've explored SL for a while and decided whether you really want to spend time here or not. Then try using a free mesh avatar, or a free mesh body and head. Mesh bodies and heads look nicer than the standard ones and can be alot of fun to dress up, but they also complicate the user experience.