Hello dear friends of our historical virtual world

as you certainly know there have always been debates about Second Life's success and its future. I recently came a across a RL article from an italian newspaper (of course i read the english tranlation^^) that clearly stated why Second Life is in fact a world in decline: Considering the users that seem to lose interest and big rl companies retiring from the grid.

Having discussed this with some of friends we concluded that the historical world is probably less affected than other communities. But i have to be honest...I rarely visit sims outside the historical world (for me thats meliora, the coeurs and versailles and several other regions). I have no clue what the world looks like in second life. and lately I havent even met new people which is due to the work in versailles. But for some reason I get the impression that less and less people log in or register.

I would like to know your opinion about this. Are we living in virtual world in decline? a dying world (and some even say that virtual worlds in general are old fashioned)

and apart from that...what do you expect from the NEW ceo of Linden Lab. Do you think some things will change? or even improve?

updated by @anne-comtesse-de-noailles: 06 Oct 2016 06:05:11AM

i feel as though, maybe its thecost of living in sl, the cost of lindens has gone up, and if you dont know how to make and sell items, then your only other option would be to buy the lindens, and they are just tooo expensive, even for a princesse!

>>>miss you guys, wish i had a good working computer to come back with, im hoping to have one very very very soon, but until then i send my love<<<<<

Clap, clap, clap!

So well said , Stormy! I love this burst of optimism, this injection of hope and jolly good mood! It looks like you...

I absolutely agree with you...and thank you for putting it so well.

I personally think our world is somewhat different from the rest of sl..we have got beautiful houses and sims (thanks to all the designers, sim owners and residents) and most importantly our very own progressive economic market lol. we have seen so many new designers of wigs, gowns and accessory...its amazing. I get the impression that we never had so many.

people will probably always be fascinated by this place in sl....since it is completely different from the rest and unique

we miss you dear darling...but when you come back soem particular buildings may be finished lol....who knows :P

I do hope everyone does not think that because im not in sl, i dont care for it, i do! I love it, thats where i think about being atleast5million times a day, i can get lost in trying to make something, or even think about how to make somethinglol,*sigh* i miss it! i miss the people too, this is a new year, and sl is changing everyday, i just hate missing it!

oh gosh! i am missing it!!!! i need a computer repair guy asap!!!!! i love watching the progress of the palace, and our community as a whole!

I also read the article and I keep myself updated on the type of review you have in RL about virtual worlds ...
Well I think that SL is a great resource for our imagination ... I think Linden Lab should know how to "reinvent" ...
It 's true baroque our community has built a micro world very lively and full of activity ...
In a few months we have new talented seamstresses, wigs wonderful, beautiful places, as in RP active Versailles ...
You have to think necessarily "positive" ... because SL is our dream factory ...
I dream one day to read in the SHOWCASE linden a section on places of the 18th century;-)) and I'm sure that day will be ...
We must not lose hope, because we will be until we ... SL ... there will not ever forget that SL is all of us .-)))!!

oh yes i dream of that too my dear.

I am sure it will happen one day. the point is that LL will not contact us for sure....we have to get in touch with them ourselves to get into that showcase. that might an idea for the future.

breath in...and out...everything will be fine XD

i am sure you will be back again soon. at times a break from sl is very good as it shows us why this world is valuable.

I can send it to you in second life.

I have it in a notecard

I remember reading a similar article about the supposed decline in SL. While I am firm that the roleplaying aspect is growing (not only the historical RPs, but others) Second Life is at the point of a gradual decline. In my opinion, I think LL should be more concerned about developing, promoting and, yes, investing in innovation rather than raising rates. Should SL want to grow - and I'm sure they do - they have to come up with ways to make it more stable. The grid is one of the biggest problems, though it has improved. Perhaps they should reintroduce some of their former policies with huge regulation (i.e. gambling, banking) although that would never happen. Even if there was a way to promote and oversee virtual microlending. I do love SL (when I'm able to get on) but it's still has a long way to go. Better than the competition, for sure.

Second Life is no longer on it's highest point. When Second Life was first launched it got hudge publicity because it was something so new for people. It was new because it had a economy and people got to build the world themselfs. Besides that, the idea of a ''second'' life was a quite interesting. However, Second Life is no longer something new and got out of publicity. No publicity means less members. I know I got in touch with second life because it was on television, now I never see anything about it on television anymore.

It's getting harder and harder for people to make lindens in world. And especially that was what attracted people so much to second life, it's economy. Second Life however did make a big mistake by stopping the camping. Camping was a way for newbies to make lindens, make stuff with those lindens and sell those or to purchase things. I am one of the people who started like that, and I know others did so too. For those who don't have the chance to start like that, it's getting harder and harder. Of course it's a free game, but eventually, without lindens you are nowhere.

Besides, the image Second Life has isn't that great either. It's seen as a world for either old men, people who have nothing to do in their real life, pornographic world and even as a place for pedophiles. (Yes, pedophiles are playing little children in second life, there's a documentary about it on youtube!). I can understand why people wouldn't be so interested in joining Second Life.

Actually, I hardly leave the 18th century world sims hardly, sandboxes are generally the only place where you will find me outside of the 18th century sims. Though, I do worry that if things will go on like this and Second Life will stay out of the (positive) publicity the future won't look that positive.

I do worry for the day we will all have to say goodbye to eachother and leave everything we created behind.

We hope ...
If the LL manages to "reinvent" (like Madonna), then we can look into the future ... but if you like everything the god 'Money' takes over ... then we have to worry ...
The LL should not forget us ... and I repeat that SL is an evolving world created by ourselves why people ... and I agree that we need to create stability for those who determine whether they are citizens ...
For example ... we have had a "black hole" from the old Versailles ... and now look at people like MJ and MA have created the new Versailles ...
You have to take example from the courage of these people ... ...
We must believe in it and make investments ... and put your heart ...

So many thoughtful replies and on a whole true.

But what I find most telling is they all come from some of the most creative people in SL. I am going on 4 years now and my thought about SL is: look what we have created from what we had to play with. Lucas point about our personal inventory is the most telling. Open your inventory and bring out that prized first dress or house you built and compare to what you are making now. It is truly astonishing.

I accepted a long time ago that SL commerce wouldnt be lucrative. How could you apply your RL hourly rate on to some of these wonderful things? Nonnas sculptures, Lex & Gallyons wine, Ephes dresses, Bedrichs builds. To mention but a few. One could never charge enough to make them profitable or get the money for their value.

So this all tells me we do it because SL allows us to truly create and grow as craftsman and artists. And a forum to present. That is why we come back. That is why we may swear we wont come back tomorrow after todays tiff. But we do. And we will.

Old saying: You get out what you put in.

Do we know if SL will be here tomorrow? No. but if it does go we all have had a truly intriguing evolution in our creativity. And more importantly if she starts to sink fast we will exchange (or have already) emails with those we love.

I think things will improve. As a business owner in both Sl and RL I have noticed an uptrend in the SL economy this past year. My store is doing quite well and I am glad I took the chance and invested here three years ago. As for the New CEO I have met him a couple of times when I worked at EA and he seems very personable and he isn't afraid to jump in and get the job done. I think he will do well. The company was wise to downsize, that, in my opinion shows a company that knows what it's doing not a company that isn't well run.

Ah well, maybe now is a good time to talk about why I got into Second Life in the first place.

It was really intended, for me, as research for a book I am working on - as a few of you know, I am a fashion journalist in real life, and am (still!) working on a book about fashion in the twenty-first century.

The fashion industry's interaction with Second Life has been very interesting - Armani was in Second Life, and Mr Armani himself was interviewed by Candy Pratts Price of style.com (although in hindsight the now-sadly removed YouTube clip seemed far too slick to be true)

The thing that triggered my interest was Ann-Sofie Back's A/W 2010 collection, which was inspired by her experiences in Second Life:
http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/show.aspx/catwalk-report/id,8763

What Back found fascinating was that, in a world where anything and everything was possible, people by and large prescribed to society's norms, choosing to craft their avatars as 7-foot something muscle-sinewed hunks or gargantuan-titted Playboy bunnies (the very fine Comtesse de Noailles has bemoaned just the same thing to me!).

Therefore, when I first logged on, it was in the name of research and completely oblivious to the appeal. And, if I hadn't found Versailles and the historical RP community, I doubt I would have stayed as long as I have.

I cringed a little reading my review of Back's collection because I talked about Second Life as an 'online gaming phenomenon' - but, upon reflection, I think it is best played as a game. Second Life, I feel, is most interesting when you're playing a character and enjoying experiences impossible in real life. Where else could you wander through a genuine 18th century environment, free from all restrictions, dressed in the garb of a lost time? That for me is far more seductive than wandering through a virtual concrete mall.

Well, that's my stream of consciousness chat anyway. And on that note I really should try and get back on track with my research - so any fashion designers/consumers/fans IM me!!

I'm very optimistic about the future of SL, especially since the announcement of the new CEO. I think that it's a very good thing to have someone steering the ship that knows about managing IT shops as well as gaming and virtual worlds. It's a much better fit than having someone with a marketing background in that position.

From what I can gather, SL isn't in decline but has plateaued which is just fine with me. It's gone through the "bright, shiny & new" phase and now is progressing to "stable & established". I have to laugh when I read about the "good old days" which supposedly ended in 2007 especially since I didn't join SL until 2008.

We've been able to create and maintain our own little historical community for quite a while now and I think it just keeps getting better thanks to everyone that contributes on a continual basis.

All and all life in SL is good

If you would like to read a thought provoking article see Second Life Next: 2011 by Dusan Writer. It's looong but really worth the effort.

--
Proprietress of Tatiana's Tea Room ~ Owner of the Provence Coeur Estate ~ Webmistress of this site

why do I always hapopen to be the last one to learn such thriving news??? MICROSOFT? oh my goodness. if that is indeed the case we can look forward to a great future.

so let me change the general question of this discussion: Do you think SL would profit from this change? and what do you think would microsoft change if this source is believable. It seems like the new CEO has got some very interesting plans...

I am well hunnie

since Versailles is closed at the moment and we keep working there I almost meet no new people. I have felt pretty siolated lately...maybe thats why I thought about whether it's game over lol

The Microsoft rumour has been around for a while now. I've followed a couple of trails that have discredited it so I'll believe it if/when it happens.

On another note, I believe that it's Rod Humble's first day as CEO today

--
Proprietress of Tatiana's Tea Room ~ Owner of the Provence Coeur Estate ~ Webmistress of this site