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Second Life is Whatever You Desire it to Be
JKnight1
Member Posts: 72
Alright, I've seen A LOT of people saying Second Life is just for porn, immature people, and full of "Those yucky furries". Well, i'm tired of that and I feel the need I must defend the game I play and enjoy
1: Second Life is a GAME, it is an MMO. Let me explain. A video game is any interactive digital entertainment that allows you, the player, to make change within it's environment. Second Life is ALL about changing your environment with interactivity. It is a virtual world, yes. But it isn't real life, it is fantasy. An MMO is any game that has a world where other REAL players interact and experiance the world together online.
2: The game is NOT just about porn. Mature content is actually only about 30-40% of the world. The rest is rated PG. Second Life even has a Teen Second Life that doesn't allow any form of mature content. Especially porn. You have to look for it to find it. If you do not like the content of the SIM you are in, leave. You were not forced to see, view, or interact with that environment. Second Life encourages the player's fantasies, be it sex, drugs, happy elves, mock-cities, clothing, whatever. Second Life encourages the player to create whatever he desires, it is MEANT for that.
3: Furries are not evil, bad, or immoral. MANY furries are very mature and avoid the sexual side of the furry culture. Yes, there is a sexual side to the furry culture, as there is to the human culture, and the dolphin culture. How do dolphins and humans have anything to do with this? Humans and dolphins are the only creatures on earth that have sex for not just procreation, but pleasure as well. Furries are the same way. The furry phenomenon has a huge following and wide spread support across the world. There are conventions, parades, even festivals dedicated to the furry culture in the US, Great Britain, and France. I will admit, I myself am a sexual furry. I do not hide that fact, nor feel I should. I enjoy the culture, the fun, and the acceptance that doesn't exist in the human culture. Furries do make up a lot of Second Life but they are not the entirety of the world.
4: The game is meant for those who have at least a sub par or higher IQ. The game is a challenge to learn, the building tools are very deep, and allow for just about anything you can desire to be made. It is a fascinating and amazing game for artists, builders, programmers, and all other types of creation.
5: It isn't a waste of money. This game actually allows you to make money from it, at the loss of Linden Labs. Money allows you to own land, start a business, and purchase quality content made by others in Second Life. You can GAIN from playing, unlike world of Warcraft, Everquest, EVE, or a multitude of other MMO's, where it costs 15$ a month or more for something that you will never get anything but enjoyment from. Second Life has many REAL WORLD businesses in it, such as American Eagle, GAP, and many major car dealerships. Why? because it is a feasible and viable form of income.
Second Life is an amazing game and an amazing world. It's community is VERY diverse yet VERY helpful. Unlike many other MMO's, such as World of Warcraft, the community is VERY mature and kind, and are willing to provide a helpful hand to newbies. If you have an overactive and artistic mind, or desire to immerse yourself into diverse worlds and roleplay, Second Life is something you should check out.
Comments
My idea of a Second Life would be something thats very different from my main life, I dont want to have to deal with every day crap on my second life, I wanna fly a space ship or live in a distant galaxy, or cast spells and be able to carry a sword with me without getting arrested by the cops and I dont want to have virtual sex, id rather handle that in my main life.
Just my opinion though
A man dies daily, only to be reborn in the morning, bigger, better and wiser.
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Exactly. Second Life is whatever you desire it to be. Don't want to have virtual sex? Then don't. Want to be some crazy-ass race? Go for it! Want to own a business selling lingerie? All yours!
Problem is, the majority of people in SL are there for virtual sex. Compare how many avatars are in a sex club or Gorean sim with how many are in "PG" content Sims. There were recent studies into what items were most purchased in second life and genitalia topped the list.
Saying sexual related content is only 30-40% of SL is a gross understatement. Its really more like 80-90% if you are counting active content and not all the barren wastelands of pg and corporate empty sims.
But at least you admit Second life is a Game. Many there have a hard time admitting that "Its not a game, Second Life *is* the Metaverse"....
I posted something about 2nd life being mostly about sex or porn once and I got a warning for it! How are you guys not getting the warning and a deleted post. Hrmmm... Oh well - I wanted to ask about this game - it seems to be going strong for some very odd reasons (not porn).
I saw a tech show that featured this game as some kind of virtual pyrimid scheme - of course they didn't call it that but, it stated many things that made it sound like there is a big business in the game that is making some crazy huge money off of others....
Can someone explain what this huge company is and what's going on?
I truly think the whole sex/casino aspect of SL is totally overblown. It is so easy for people to say that this is what SL is all about or that this is what most people do in SL.
I have been in SL for quite some time now and I have never intentionally nor accidentally come across a sex area or a casino. If I see one, I simply steer clear.
I spend my time socializing, dancing, and visiting art galleries. Many people are hugely unaware of the amazing art and music scene that takes place within Second Life. In real life, I cannot afford to be an art collector. In SL, I am able to collect great art and, in turn, display it for other people to see in my own art gallery built on my own (and features my own art). I could never do this in real life. The costs are just too high. At least 3-4 times a week, I catch a live music act. Musicians from all over the world playing music that I would never get the opportunity to hear in real life. This is the true underground.
It is true. Second LIfe is whatever you desire it to be. If all you come across is casinos and sex areas, then you aren't exploring and taking the time to really learn about everything SL has to offer. The SEARCH button is your friend. Joining GROUPS is the best way to get in on the happenings within SL. While randomly roaming around and exploring is a great way to enjoy SL, if you don't know much about SL, it can easily look like a waste of time. But, always remember, that everything one sees was built by a fellow resident. Not some stuffy overpaid developer who honestly gets paid too much for what they do!
To the people who want fantasy or be able to fly and stuff like that in their SL. Flying is a standard feature in SL. Also, people create whole simulations that are either fantasy or sci-fi based complete with combat (or simple RP if that is what you prefer). Sure, the mechanics might not be as smooth as a typical computer game but the fact that it can be done is quite amazing. No other product comes close to trying to be all things to all people and this is just the start!!!
I thank Linden Labs every day for Second Life. I no longer play any MMORPGs. I no longer play video games like I used to. The love I had for MMORPGs was due to the fact that I could exist inside of a virtual world. But, the limitations of those worlds left a really bad taste in my mouth. After the debacle that was Vanguard and the boredom I experienced in LotRO, I could not take it anymore and wanted a "game" that would challenge my creativity. I left the online world to play Sim City and The Sims 2 and then found out about Second Life. I haven't looked back since.
Lets Eat It!
I think people refer to it as a pyramid scheme if you are a person who rents from a landowner. As a result of renting, just like in real life, one has to pay the landlord rent. The landlord can charge what they want (but there is so much rental space out there that if a person ends up paying too much rent, they simply didn't do their research). Most of the time they charge enough to pay for their monthly real life fees.
If you own your own land, you have to pay Linden Labs land use fees. This does not count for the most basic parcel of land. But, just like in real life, consider it a property tax.
I have yet to experience any kind of pyramid scheme in Second Life. I own my own land. I purchase goods (mostly clothes and art) from other residents of Second Life. No pyramid scheme here.
Lets Eat It!