Is it free to create items in Second Life?

[BlackCrow23]

If I choose to create items in Blender, for example, and upload them to Second Life or to the marketplace, is that free? If not, is there a way to create items in Second Life for free, and sell them on the marketplace?

Please let me know, as I would really enjoy doing this and seeing how it goes, but I can't put any real money into it at this time.

Thank you in advance for any helpful responses.

 

Regards,

BlackCrow23

[Pamela Galli]

There is an upload fee, which for mesh will vary with the polygon count.

[doobie322]

Yes its free to create items (except for the upload fees, L$10 per texture, etc) and also to use marketplace for sales. Marketplace does charge a commission per items sold depending on cost per item, but its minimal.

[BlackCrow23]

So it just costs L$10 to upload something? So, let's say I create a piece of diamond jewelry (say, a necklace with a diamond in the pendant section) in Blender. Now, I want to sell it on the Marketplace. How would I go about uploading it and selling it, without having to pay real money?

[BlackCrow23]

Also, let's say that I want to use the in-game builder to create (say...) a crate? Let's say that the crate should say "DANGEROUS" in red on all sides, and I create the image for that in a photo editor. Would it cost to put that image on the crate?

[Pamela Galli]

To upload anything is a minimum of 10L.

[Alwin Alcott]

it costs AT LEAST 10L, the 10L is only for textures, mesh items can go much higher

[Alwin Alcott]

if yo plan to go sell blocks with a texture i reccomend you think twice but indeed the textue upload will be 10L

[BlackCrow23]

Okay. That one was just an example. However, from what I am understanding, it's going to cost Linden currency either way, correct? So, is there any way to make some Linden currency to get started, without having to put any real money in to it?

 

Thank you to everyone for your helpful thoughts and input.

[Alwin Alcott]

my advice would be to find your way in sl first and not step into business before you know basics inworld

[Gaia Clary]

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BlackCrow23 wrote:

is there any way to make some Linden currency to get started, without having to put any real money in to it?

 

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You could begin with offering services of whichever kind you can do. For example you could create things for others and get payed with Lindendollars for this...

However according to this page:

https://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Uploading-a-mesh-model/ta-p/974185

you have to provide payment information before you can upload mesh objects. So you need some valid bank information first (credit card, paypal account or so...) And i also remember you have to do at least one transaction (buy linden dollars) to verify your payment info.

So, maybe you just create your payment info, buy some lindens (5 US$ gives you about 1300 Linden$) and then you have plenty of room for uploading content before you have to begin making money with it...

[BlackCrow23]

I understand what you're saying. I would still like to know what I might need to do in order to prepare for this type of thong, whether I will need to spend real money or not. If it's going to be possible to get some Linden money in the game fairly quickly and efficiently, that would be great. At least that would give me a start. But if it's going to be nearly impossible, I don't want to bother with it.

[BlackCrow23]

Hmm... Okay. I don't know that my girlfriend would be very happy if I start putting money into the game... Is it possible to get Linden dollars and convert to USD?

[Pamela Galli]

There are plenty of threads about how to make money in SL. Just do a search, either of the forum or Google, and take your pick.

 

The short answer is that unless you give people a reason to give you money, they won't.

[BlackCrow23]

Okay. Are there any in-game resources that can be collected and sold for Linden currency?

[Pamela Galli]

Yes.

[BlackCrow23]

Like what?... And how do I collect them?

[Sassy Romano]

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BlackCrow23 wrote:

 So, is there any way to make some Linden currency to get started, without having to put any real money in to it?

 

 

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Create a female avatar and become a good stripper/escort.  If your girlfriend has an issue with this instead of putting real money in, get her involved, offer her as part of a double act.

[BlackCrow23]

Yeah, that's not happening. We're both Christians. I'm sure there's a less vulgar way to make money in the game.

[Pamela Galli]

Like I say, a search will turn up threads on the topic of earning Lindens, which does not belong in the mesh forum.

 

Or you could look in the employment forum.

 

[Sassy Romano]

Oh, how about set up a church, church's are always rich, they get people to give them money for some reason.

[Pamela Galli]

Churches are always rich?

[Chic Aeon]

Well THIS was the most fun thread I have read in awhile (OK, I haven't been reading much, but still).

 

SL IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.   If you main interest is money it will be difficult to do it without spending any. Yes, it is possible and I did it that way, but I spent I LOT of time at first earning almost no money in order to pay for uploads. So the bottom line -- as has been said by many before me -- give up your coffee money for a day and buy some Lindens.

 

For $3 "real" money you could upload 30 textures or 27 SIMPLE mesh items (simple is good as it means you made the mesh "light" )     You could THEN sell them and make some money. I am guessing you actually need to buy $5 minimum, but you will need to check that out. Still, very little.

 

Note that there are MANY VERY TALENTED creators already in Second Life so the competition is fierce. You need to be good at your creative endeavor, "niche" and a marketer.  (or at least two of three as I am a very bad marketer and do well .

 

An of course there ARE other platforms that are free. You will however make VERY little money there on average. It is all a balance.

 

 

[Rolig Loon]

Chic is right.  You can't upload mesh creations without having some form of payment on record with Linden Lab, either a credit card or a verified PayPal account.  Depending on the complexity of your model, it could cost anywhere from 4 or 5 cents to several dollars (USD) to upload a model and then, as others have said, L$10 (4 cents) per texture for each new texture upload.  How much you spend depends on how ambitious you are and how many mistakes you make.  Until you are creating models big-time, though, you can do quite well by spending no more than a few dollars a week.  Treat it like any hobby -- buying paint brushes or modeling clay or yarn.  If you can't afford to spend the money to create your artwork, you need to take up another hobby.  As hobbies go, this one is pretty cheap.  Skip lunch occasionally and buy L$ instead of a Big Mac.

Also, remember that hobbies are supposed to be fun.  If you're expecting to get rich making things to sell in SL, you are doing it for the wrong reason.  If you enjoy being a creator, you'll put effort and resources into it just for the fun of seeing your creations come to life.  If someone else likes them enough to pay you a few L$, that's great too.

[BlackCrow23]

Thank you to those of you who have provided useful answers (not "churches are always rich" (grammar corrected)). You have all been very helpful. Even if I put $5 in to it, how easy (if I'm decent at 3D designing) would you say it would be to get my real money back, and then to continue forward after that? Even if I don't make a whole lot of real money, I think making some Linden currency and having some money to spend on things in the game would be awesome as well.

Any thoughts, comments or suggestions?

Thank you again for the useful and helpful responses.

 

Regards,

BlackCrow23