I joined Second Life in 2010. I was curious about virtual worlds (I’m still fascinated by them). My curiosity led me to work for a company that had a presence there and gave me my start in online community management.
One of my favourite online community jobs there was working in a sim (short for simulated environment) run by the U.S. Army for military families, mostly wives stuck on bases overseas or separated from their deployed husbands. We played games, watched movies, danced, went fishing, and just had a lovely time. It’s long gone, but you can see photos of the Army OneSource sim on Second Life on Flickr. For a little while, I also got to work as a Linden Lab Helper and help new users as they arrived in Second Life for the first time.
My work and my play in Second Life ended when I moved to Australia in 2012. I left my desktop behind and came with a laptop that couldn’t meet the graphics demands, but I always hoped to go back. I never deactivated my account, and although you can have a free membership, I maintained my premium membership. Recently I got a new computer and finally returned to Second Life last week.
What is Second Life?
Second Life is an online virtual world. You might think of it as a game, but there are no objectives or manufactured conflict. It’s a blank canvas and it’s up to you to create your experience in it. Some people do play games, which range from table-top games to combat and roleplay. Some people are in it for the social aspect and enjoy activities such as fishing, surfing, or dancing (and, yes, people can also pursue romantic and sexual relationships). Some people are creators and run businesses. Most of what exists inside Second Life has been created by its users, called residents, and not the creator/owner company Linden Lab. Some creators focus on making art. Others are builders of the towns and cities that we visit in Second Life, the clothes we wear, the homes we live in, and the vehicles we use. These goods are bought and sold. Therefore, Second Life has an economy; its currency is called the linden and it can be exchanged for real-life money. Outside of Second Life itself, there are thriving blogs, photography, and forum communities.
It’s been eight years. My Linden Home is right where I left it. A Linden Home is a home in one of three themed neighbourhoods; it’s a perk of premium membership. They’re very dull, and there are many more real estate options, but it suits my needs at the moment. It’s looking better now that I’ve added a loft and furniture.
I was glad to see that some of my favourite sims are still there. These include New Toulouse, a city in the swamp loosely inspired by New Orleans during the early 1900s; the 1920s Berlin Project, a historical roleplaying community; and the fantastic steampunk cities of New Babbage, Caledon, and NeoVictoria.
It was quiet when I visited those places. Being in Second Life from Australia makes for a different experience. The timezone difference means most of the people I used to see are not around when I am and the places I used to visit are quiet. Some residents I knew are gone. A few real-life friends that were in Second Life no longer are. Some of them have gone on to play MMOs (massively multiplayer online games).
Residents speculate whether the growth of MMOs, video games, and mobile gaming has affected the growth of Second Life. Without the numbers from Linden Lab, we can’t say for sure. It’s hard to tell if Second Life has grown; it was always huge, but I have observed a few changes. The most noticeable difference is the takeover of mesh.
The growth of mesh
To keep it simple, meshes are 3D models that enable more detailed, complex, and realistic objects and avatars. The original Second Life avatar is plain, but it can be made more attractive and personal with a customised shape and skin plus the addition of hair, clothing, and so forth. But the avatars still lacked detail, and the clothing looked painted on. The attachment of prims (primitive building blocks) made clothing look a little more dynamic. It’s worth noting too that there are many fantastic designers and, like “real life”, some clothes look better than others.
Everything in Second Life is still made of prims, but, in 2013, a different kind of prim was introduced: mesh, and fitted mesh came a short time after. What we’re seeing now are more “bones” in the avatar, which allows us to animate more of the avatar body. It also allows us to give the avatar and clothing more detail. Now we have mesh bodies, mesh heads, and mesh clothing.
The difference between the old system avatars and the new mesh ones is striking. Bodies looks smoother, more detailed, and more lifelike. Clothing no longer looks flat and behaves less stiffly. Prim attachments are no longer necessary. And designers have gotten better at making skins, hair, and other items.
Mesh bodies and heads aren’t standard in Second Life. Linden Lab didn’t make them. They were made by creative residents of Second Life who wanted to look better. The result is a beautiful, but imperfect solution that adds layers of complexity to Second Life, which already has a big learning curve.
Is the learning curve worth it? It has been for me. Although I like video games (I’m still obsessed with Skyrim), I like that Second Life lets me do nothing and anything I want. Video games have a story to tell; in Second Life, you create your own story. And you can look however you want. I spend most of my time exploring Second Life fashion and art as a human, but you’re not restricted to a human avatar. I also really enjoy the creative aspect of Second Life. Video games are extremely creative, of course, but in Second Life I can engage directly with creators and learn more about their creative process and also about content creation in a virtual world.
To find out more about Second Life, visit the website. And if you’re in Second Life, let me know in the comments; I’d love to connect inworld.
