Calm Before the Storm in Second Life?

I like these calm little moments before the storm, it reminds me of Beethoven.

Gary Oldman

  

We’ll well into the New Year! 

The Holidays have passed and, hopefully, the hangovers as well!

The first page has already been torn off the calendar.  (Yes, Significant Other warned me that I may be ridiculed for admitting to still using one of those but I do love Snoopy’s and Woodstock’s pictures every month.)

Now, we get back to the ordinary pace of life, whether it be in Second Life (SL) or

Real Life (RL). 

Which brings us up against the 800 pound gorilla in SL this year.

Sansar (Or, SL 2.0 as some of us used to call it.) may soon be upon us. 

Of course, we still don’t have an official launch date and according to Daniel Voyager’s recent poll, most respondents don’t expect Sansar to be released to the public until sometime in 2018.  (Hey, Linden Lab has never been too forthcoming about SL why should things change with Sansar?) 

A recent article from Wagner James Au on his exceptional blog about all things virtual, especially SL, New World Notes, got me thinking about one of my old concerns about Sansar. 

Au started by quoting longtime SL resident and Metaverse aficionado, Gwyneth Llewelyn, who believes that ultimately Linden Lab will have no choice but to push people into Sansar.  Yes, she says Linden Lab has promised not to close down SL but how realistic will that be and for how long?

Ever the optimist, Au outlines a scenario whereby increasing Premium SL subscriptions could offset falling private sim revenues to keep SL going indefinitely. 

As much as I respect and admire Au, and plug his blog whenever I can (If you don’t read it you really should.) I’m going to disagree with him here. 

Here’s why.

Sansar represents a fundamental shift in how we interact in virtual worlds.  And, yes, I understand that means we may have a lot less than what we enjoy today inworld. 

From a strictly business perspective (I freely admit I’m probably one of the least creative residents in SL but I do know something about debits and credits!)  Linden Lab will be facing a difficult choice.

Sansar will probably cannibalize the SL user base. 

SL is an aging infrastructure which will require a significant overhaul eventually.  (I

have to believe that given all the recent hacking scares that Linden Lab is pulling some long nights just to keep up currently.)  This isn't a put down, every platform faces this moment sooner or later. 

As Au points point, private sim revenues are falling and, while increasing Premium subscriptions is a good idea, I don’t see Linden Lab running the promotions necessary to draw in new Premium subscribers.  Furthermore, would more Premium subscribers create more demand on a system that may be already struggling under its existing load?

So, does Linden Lab split its bets and double down or just play one hand?  (Significant Other always laughs when I try to use gambling analogies which is a big reason why I don’t gamble in RL.)

I suspect that Linden Lab will have to make some difficult choices sooner or later. 

And, all this assumes that Sansar is successful.  What if it isn’t?

All bets are off then in my opinion.

My overriding fear is that Sansar will lead to the elimination of SL. 

And, before everyone sends me comments about change is good, inevitable, and necessary, I get it!  (To the guy who sent me a link to Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, many thanks!  Please don’t resend because I already had a hard copy edition which I’ve read.)

Let’s talk about what we lose. 

Unless Linden Lab does something very creative, the investment of time and money people spent creating wondrous builds and everyday objects could be lost. 

If this were to happen, how willing would these folks be to sign on somewhere else and do it all over again?  Would this precedent hang over Sansar like a dark cloud and hinder its own vibrant growth?

What of the communities that have grown up in SL and may come to a sudden and

final end?  Will they become a diaspora like the folks from there.com ? 

Not to end on a low note, I do have hopes for the future.

I want to see Sansar succeed and I want to see SL continue to grow and thrive.

These goals are not mutually exclusive, they can both coexist.

All they require is planning and effort.

Also, more transparency from Linden Lab wouldn’t hurt!

Speaking of whom, if anyone from Linden Lab would ever like to meet me inworld for an interview to tell their side of the story, I’d be happy to do so! 

Also, James Wagner Au is running a poll to see when respondents expect Linden Lab to push people over to Sansar.  Check it out here!   

Let’s see what happens with SL and Sansar, I have a feeling that this year will

answer a lot of our questions! 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life  please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Controversy in Second Life

 

Within any important issue, there are always aspects no one wishes to discuss.

George Orwell

 

          One thing about Second Life (SL), you can always count on it for a bit of controversy. 

          Most times, I just ignore it or create my own for the sheer Hell of it.  However, recently, there has been one controversy that I just felt I had to wade into and give my two cents on.  (Significant Other wants to know what took me so long.)

          A week ago, a Real Life (RL) writer, Karyne Levy, the Senior West Coast Tech Editor at Business Insider, wrote a story entitled Second Life has devolved into a postapocalyptic virtual world. The weirdest thing is how many people still use it.  (Yes, I know it’s a mouthful.  Just be glad I go for succinct titles for my stories!) 

          As you can surmise from the title, it’s not exactly a gushing review of a wonderful alternative reality where we can all feel good about ourselves.  On the other hand, I can’t say that Karyne really got too much wrong.  (Truthfully, I think I’ve been harsher in some of my stories than Karyne was.  But then she probably has more than the two followers that I have which may explain the dust up.)

           I join the fray not for the love of the fight.  (Significant Other’s eyebrows arch.)  I join because I think we should keep things in perspective and not be too thin skinned.

          Bloggers whom I follow and have considerable respect for really went to town on Karyne.  (Whom I wouldn’t know if I tripped over her but I feel I owe her some benefit of the doubt as a professional courtesy if nothing else.) 

          Wagner Au on New World Notes blogged, “Business Insider just published a fairly clueless post about Second Life.”  While Wagner blames the lackluster technical components for this clueless piece of reporting, I think he misses the point.  If this is what SL has to offer after eleven years of operation then who’s to blame?  The journalist?

          Mona Eberhardt, in her blog, ascribes the poor reporting to a lack of research on the part of Karyne.  It’s hard to think of a worse comment to be made about a journalist.  However, Mona doesn’t challenge Karyne’s facts just her conclusions. Hmm…

          Finally, there are more but I don’t to be writing this story all night, Nalates Urriah, writes in her blog, Nalates’ Things & Stuff, “While Karyne distorts what SL is and misses much of what is going on, the article is not that bad. It is just the typical ignorant writer writing without bothering to do more than a minimal amount of research on their article. A basic noobie thinking they know what SL is.”  Ouch!  OK, but didn’t we all start as noobies?

          After reading these blogs and a few other comments, I feel that we’re shooting the messenger here.

          Do we really think every journalist should research and prepare their technology before they go in to write a story as if they’re going into Deep Space?  Are we saying that the only way anyone can appreciate SL is by an effort comparable to the Normandy landings?  Whatever happened to the spur of the moment?  Having fun for the sake of having fun?  (Significant Other notes that the world’s in trouble if I’m the one asking this.)

          If this is what we mean then Linden Lab (LL) had better change their marketing strategy because that’s not how they lure people in.

          Do we really feel that the only way SL can be presented fairly is by controlling the message in some Orwellian fashion?  (Like how I name dropped there?)

          Journalistic integrity is under attack in SL. 

          The bloggers whom I quoted above I respect, follow, and will continue to follow.  I share and retweet their content.  I will continue to do so.  They publish quality,relevant blogs and I know what’s involved in trying to run a blog.  (I’m not saying I’m as good as they are, I just know what it takes.)  I encourage anyone reading this story to check them out.  I just feel they missed Karyne’s point. 

          How many of them, contacted her as I did and offered to show her the better side of SL? 

          I’m disappointed that Karyne had such a poor experience in her visit.  SL is much better than that.  Notwithstanding, my periodic jabs at LL, SL is a wonderful place with great people in communities that are truly tight. 

          Blaming Karyne for her experience and reporting on it is would be like blaming the survivors from the Titanic for not doing their due diligence before boarding when they complained. 

          If we want to criticize let’s look more closely at LL and its culpability.  Near as I can tell, Ebbe Altberg’s only response to all this was to refer Karyne to the Drax Files.    Nothing wrong with that but a stronger response is in order.  (If I’ve missed something here then please set me straight.  Don’t just criticize me for not doing my research!)  I feel this is just another example of that typical LL customer service that we all know and love so much. 

          Some who are jumping all over Karyne are also swallowing LL’s line about SL 2.0 hook, line, and sinker.  Let’s see what happens there first before we go clapping anyone on the back.

           I make a standing offer to Karyne and anyone else who wants to see the good side of SL to meet me and I’ll show you around.  I think after over three years of blogging about SL I have something to say.

          If writers, whether noobie or otherwise, walk into a buzz saw whenever they’re perceived to be critical of SL then we’ll all suffer. 

           I’ve included pictures of some of SL’s highlights but I encourage everyone to go and see these wonderful places for yourselves.  I’m about as good inworld with a camera as I am in RL so checking for yourself is highly recommended.  (Significant Other nods violently in agreement.)

          As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.   

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

 

 

Photo No. 1 Osho Meditation Island

Photo No. 2 Overlooking the Waterfront

Photo No. 3 Port Scene in Ancient Alexandria

Photo No. 4 Baroque Neighborhood

Photo No. 5 Renaissance Faire Landscape

Photo No. 6 Sunset at Beau Belle Village

Photo No. 7 Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Photo No. 8 Christmas in Second Life

Photo No. 9 Dragon’s Eye View of DaVinci Gardens

Photo No. 10 Asian Victorian Gardens

Why I Won’t Try SL Go in Second Life

My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.

Abraham Lincoln

 

          Once again, I’m going to be controversial.

          (Significant Other rolls eyes and heads off for the television mumbling something about having seem this film before.)

          I’m also going to step out of Second Life (SL) and blog about Real Life (RL) right at the point where both worlds meet.

          Why am I doing this? (Drum roll please!)

          I’m doing this because of the latest “thing” to come along in an effort to salvage SL while being a nifty piece of technology only picks the pockets of its potential users.

          Here’s my beef…

          Recently, with much hype and fanfare, a company called OnLive introduced a new product by the name of SL Go.  SL Go is an app designed for Android devices such as tablets to provide a true 3D experience in SL for residents.

          So far, so good.  The lack of a true mobile device for SL has been a long time gripe of mine and others.  What I have a problem with is the pricing and the paltry free trial offer.  Obviously, OnLive hasn’t been paying attention to recent industry trends.

          Let’s start in reverse order.

          The free trial period is twenty minutes.  So after downloading the free app from the Android store, a user has only a short period of time to determine if they want to sink any money into this.

          How expensive can this be?

          Fasten your seat belts folks, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

          One hour costs $3 US.  Three hours costs $8 US.  Ten hours costs $25 US.

          Don’t believe me?  Can’t say I blame you.  Check them here for yourself.

          Whom are they kidding?

          How many people can afford or will pay these prices?

          The limited trial only adds insult to injury.  Ever try to do something in twenty minutes in SL? 

          When many highly successful app’s like Evernote and Hootsuite not to mention SL itself use a free and premium versions pricing model to attract subscribers and then offer additional services for a fee, a reasonable fee mind you, what was OnLive thinking?    

          My guess is that they were running low on venture capital and needed to bring in cash flow.  I get that but this isn’t how I would have gone about it. 

          The really sad thing here is that the app appears to be a neat piece of technology.

          Three SL bloggers whom I have a lot of respect for and trust their opinions were beta testers of SL Go and wrote reviews.  There were Frau Jo Yardley, Wagner James Au, and Daniel Voyager.  (Please don’t think poorly of them just because I think highly of them.  They’re very influential in the community.  Au literally wrote the book on SL.)

          Additionally, there’s competition.  Maybe not as technically appealing as is SL Go but it’s something.  The two competitors are Pocket Metaverse Pro and Lumiya.  I’ve experimented with both.  I used the former on an iPhone and it saved my bacon once when I had a problem with my laptop.  The latter I used on an Android tablet and is probably the closest of the two to the SL Go experience.  Neither is great but they’re affordable and in a pinch they’ll keep you connected inworld. 

          For someone who’s looking to use this app it’s going to come down to economics.  If you have the money to throw around then go for it.  If you’re like me and you’re careful about what you spend inworld (Or, your Significant Other monitors your spend and return on investment.)  I recommend sticking with your desktop/laptop or using one of the tools I mentioned above.

          One of the beta testers acknowledged the cost issue but said the pricing model was beta too and could be changed.  I’m afraid my colleague is a little naïve.  I’ve been around the block long enough to know that when a new product launches with a pricing scheme that’s it.  Too many business cases have too many spreadsheets showing all the money everyone will make.  If anything these prices are the floor not the ceiling. 

          Interestingly, when I recently ran a story on suggestions for improvements in SL to be given to the new CEO of Linden Lab, Ebbe Altberg, my respondents didn’t even mention mobility! 

          I’ve had my say!  If anyone does use SL Go, I’d really appreciate hearing about whether the functionality is worth the price. And if OnLive ever decides to have a more reasonable trial period I’d be happy to check it out. 

          Now, if anyone would like to see me get excited about new technology for SL and virtual reality then let’s keep an eye on Oculus Rift.  It’s a 3D immersive headset for virtual worlds like SL and this could be the killer app for virtual worlds.  This is innovation.  Still a ways to go here but definitely something I’d consider spending some money on.  More to come!

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.    

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

 

Ten Years of Second Life

I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then, my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. Absolutely everything was the same except I could fly.

Dwight Schrute 

              

                Ten years!  Yes, that’s how long we’ve now had Second Life (SL) to leave our first lives behind in Real Life (RL) and go online to explore, make new friends, and get into all the mayhem we’d never dare to as humans.  (Or, at least some of us do.)  The anniversary celebrations will take place at SL10B inworld.  This year’s theme is Second Life – Looking Forward, Looking Back. 

           At 12:00PM SLT on June 14^th, SL10B opened for Press Day whereby SL bloggers and journalists got to see the exhibits.  Daniel Voyager has been doing a great job of reporting the run up to the grand opening and I’m sure will do a great job of describing events and builds. 

          (For those who may be worried about why I wasn’t there, RL does occasionally get in the way of my going inworld.  Also, I do tend towards edgier fare in SL.  I will visit the exhibition area and don’t worry, for those of you who’ve read some of my recent stories, I’ll wear clothes!)

          But, now, I want to do a little retrospective about SL.  Ten years is a long time for a technology.  Some might say it’s several lifetimes.  Let’s look back on the original promise of SL and see if it was fulfilled.  And, if it wasn’t then how long does a promise have? 

           For those just joining, I’m an explorer and writer in SL and this is my blog.

          I’ve been inworld blogging about my wanderings for just over two years.  I was late to the party.  I’ve had a great time and look forward to another ten years on the Grid.  (BTW, if you’d like a very good account of the start-up and early days of SL, read Wagner James Au’s The Making of Second Life.)

          In my humble opinion, there are three phases in SL’s long history.  (In case you haven’t noticed yet, I tend towards a lot of sarcasm.) 

          The first phase was the Golden Age.  That pristine, early, primordial time when everyone thought a brave, new world had been discovered.  We would all have virtual lives.  We would wear virtual clothes from virtual Gap stores. Virtual Toyotas would take us where we wanted to go.  We would live in virtual homes in virtual neighborhoods with our virtual friends.  The capstone of all this was that famous cover on Businessweek.  Remember that?

          Well, the Gap stores and Toyota have been closed for quite some time.  Then there was what Linden Lab thought we’d all be doing inworld with our virtual lives.  As a good friend of mine recently said, “They thought we’d all be going to pottery classes instead we’re making out like rabbits!”  More about that later. 

          So what happened to end the Golden Age and brought on the second phase?

          Well, there was the Great Recession, that little economic upset which nearly reduced all of us to a barter system while being homeless.  (Unless of course, you happened to one of the 1% but I won’t go there.)  I showed up shortly after this.  (Yes, I know, I have a bad habit of showing up right about the time the punch bowl is taken away.)  I found many abandoned sims.  There were all the empty sims that I’d rezz into and felt like I was on a tour of virtual ghost towns.  Elsewhere in the Metaverse, I found blogs and websites which apparently stopped in 2008 or thereabouts.  I felt like I was aboard the Mary Celeste after her crew had gone walkabout.   

          While all this was occurring, the RL technology was changing around SL.  When the first glimmers of this new virtual world occurred, most folks used desktops with broadband and physical cabling to connect to the Metaverse.  Email was the killer app.  Folks were just beginning to step away from AOL and Compuserve.  (Anyone remember that last one?) 

          Along the way, mobility came along in the form of smart phones and tablets.  Those desktops with cables are now laptops with wireless.  The communities reformed in Facebook and Twitter among other social media apps.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, SL started to get a little long in the tooth.  Some of the fun and exciting things that used to go on there, if somewhat quasi-legal, like gambling and financial services, became forbidden activities.  Oh, and did I mention that the Grid received a reputation, which I’m still trying to determine whether deservedly or not, as a hotbed of uninhibited sexual license. 

          So where does this leave SL as it enters its third phase?

          I’m not sure.  I’ve blogged about this before and the jury is still out for me.  Even Wagner James Au seems to be rethinking his original position about SL.  Some feel that social media like Facebook will crowd out virtual worlds.  There is a school of thought that virtual worlds will ultimately become a regular part of our virtual existence.  New technologies such as Oculus Rift and the eventual migration to mobile platforms would help this to occur.  I agree with these assertions but I also believe that a viable, self-sustaining economy is crucial as well. People not only need a reason to come but a reason to stay and keep coming back.  Economic self-interest will do it every time.  (Apologies to my Marxist friends.) 

          Ten years with an aging technology and potentially a declining user base (Yes, many people keep signing up but how many return on a regular basis?) leaves one to wonder what might happen.  I always like to look at questions like this in terms of people, process, and technology.  (OK, I used to be a consultant it doesn’t mean I’m a bad person.) 

 In my travels, I’ve encountered various types of people.  Serious roleplayers, fashionistas, BDSM afficianados, nudists, naturists, (if I don’t make the distinction, I’ll get angry emails) tekkies, artists, and people who just want to hang out with friends and have a good time populate the Grid. 

          As for processes, there’s not much to talk about inworld.  Customer service has been a perennial complaint among residents.  Unscheduled maintenance is another favorite gripe.  Longtime residents bemoan the loss of the Lindens who used to hang out with residents, helping them, and answering their questions.  The fact that Linden Lab (LL) no longer sponsors the annual anniversary celebrations is a telling sign. 

          Then there’s technology.  I’ve touched on this already but I’ll make a few additional comments.  Lately, complaints about system crashes seem fewer.  Yes, mesh has arrived and seems to be a disruptive technology for those who based their SL work and businesses on the older technologies.  I still worry about the aging platform that underlies SL.  Those who have spent their careers in IT understand the risk of staying on outdated technologies too long.  (Although, some consultants have made a good living out of helping clients catch up!) 

 Coming to the end of my cerebral meanderings, I have to ask whether SL get another ten years. 

           Not if things stay the way they are.  RL investments have to be made but before that happens, SL needs to have a reason to draw residents back in.  Or, maybe SL will just be another ghost town in the development of cyber civilization much like Ur and Babylon were in the development of RL civilization. 

          The promise has yet to be fulfilled.  (But I hope it will.  There’s a lot of wonderful people in SL.) 

          Looking forward to seeing you at SL10B! 

 As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.