Hello EveryoneI always find it fascinating to see how every individual approaches sl. Some people see it strictly as a game, others as a means to socialize, others as a venue to create and on it goes. The uses are as varied as the people themselves.For me, the line between rl and sl is very thin indeed. Some of my sl friends are as close to me as my rl ones. In fact, I really don't distinguish between the two. The "work" I do in sl is as rewarding as what I do in rl. Again, I don't really distinguish.I would be interested to see how you perceive this virtual world. A game to play? A business to grow? Is it very real to you? What do you think?


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

updated by @tatiana-dokuchic: 25 Oct 2016 04:48:51AM

The virtual world and the relationships with ppl in it are as important as those in the RL world. The similarities between the Avi and the person behind him are numerous, fortunetly the Avi lives some 350 years prior but otherwise the motivations, likes and dislikes are much the same. But the Avi is a better dresser and seems less effected by that second slice of pie.

Heya TatiGreat idea to have this site...Hooooooooo!!!SL a game or not?I see this debate arise quite often especially with newbies.To answer this you have to ask what can one do within SL and then ask if that is a game. If the answer to pretty much everything is YES then SL is indeed a game, so let's have look. Here's some examples.I can;Speak to people.Learn things.Listen to a live musician.Watch a live simulcast of the space shuttle launch.Get involved with a charity organization.etc. etc. to the power of 3 recurring.So now we ask;Am I "playing talking to someone"? Am I "playing learning things"? Am I playing hearing a live musician?Am I really watching a simulcast of the space shuttle launch or am I just playing watching?Am I really involved with an inworld charity organization making an actual RL difference or am I just playing a game?It seems irrefutably NOT a game when u look at it this way but all those newbies can't be stupid. What is it that makes people feel that SL is a game?There's a few answers here, a couple might be;The fact that you are required to move an object (avatar) around a rich/immersive 3D environment makes for the feel of a game.Motor neurons, the same ones required for games, are called into action while using SL.The actual possibilities in SL are overlooked here.This aspect of SL is, in a sense, a game but does not define SL the whole as game.You can play games within SL which makes people feel that SL is a game.. Zyngo, chess etc. then there's games which are partly a game partly social interaction. Like, avatar chess, Role play or other.None of this makes SL, the platform, a game anymore than RL chess makes RL a game.Probably the most significant thing that connects SL to RL is the ability to transact.When I were a wee newbie I accidentally purchased a no trans ladies dress for $1600L, (I wear a tiny dog avatar....Male!!), don't try tell SL's a game.~_~P.S My gf swears it was not by accident.

Are we all the dashing lads we play at in RL when talkin up a lass in a pub or as brilliant as we play at in front of our boss or as tough as we act in front of our Mates? Of course once past a certain age ending in the proverbial "Zero" many of these things loose thier significance and keeping the German Shepherd back from the morning Protean Breakfast drink is an accomplishment.

I know that the line between fantasy & reality may be a tad blurry for me but here's the thing; I really like some of the fantasy aspects of sl! As Seamus says, that second slice of pie - no problem. I can dig in the garden all day in a ballgown and not get dirty, I don't have to dust the furniture, I can fly and best of all I can build replicas of historical buildings, learning about them as I go! I mean, how cool is that?Jimpsky's point about motor neurons is an interesting one. And speaking of the brain, I often dream that I'm building or wandering through a home that I have been working on in sl. It's funny how the virtual crossing over into dreams makes it more "real" in my perception. Anyone else out there dreaming there sl experiences?"When I were a wee newbie I accidentally purchased a no trans ladies dress for $1600L, (I wear a tiny dog avatar....Male!!), don't try tell SL's a game." ROFL


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

Great question, Tat! My sense is that SL is a game and more than a game I first came because I heard that many young people were getting into SL, and I was curious. I was very much NOT into computer games. I thought I would stay maybe a couple of hours. It has been a couple of years now. SL surprised me at many levels. I love the artistry of so many avatars who can create visual environments, matched by the cultural and social environments.Of course sometimes there is entirely too much drama but then, I think of SL as a laboratory for social development as well. Some people have never had the benefit of exposure to a lot of different children when growing up and so did not learn at a young age to relate to a variety of personalities and demands. Others have come from large families, or large class sizes, or went to boarding schools, where they learned the need to adapt. In many ways, SL seems to have this function. One cannot always have one's own way, even when one owns a SIM. SL can, therefore, be a safe place where one may learn also the art of human relationships.And try this in the court of an absolute monarch (when that absolute monarch is not YOU), and you can learn humility and adaptability very quickly.Is SL a game? Yes, but SL is also an excellent learning environment.

Isn't it cool how you expect to stay for a couple of hours and end up spending years doing something!I think that you're going to find drama wherever you find a group of people. SL just might emphasize it a bit more because of the "disinibition" people using the internet feel. On the other hand, I just read an article that suggests that internet groups can actually help people to develop better social skills making them all around happier individuals. That seems like a pretty real accomplishment!


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

Hi Everyone, I pretty much agree with what's already been said. If reality is in the moment of what we perceive then Sl is indeed real. Sometimes after being in-world for several hours it's a difficult transition for me to get up and go teach a class. I almost have to have a transition period of a half hour or so to feel back into the real world. I am not into role play mostly because I don't want SL to take over my life to that extent. I love Sl but want to maintain a healthy balance between the worlds.

Just when I start thinking of SL as a game my credit card statement comes in ... Norma goin on a diet next month.

I have personally never dreamt about sl. very strange even though I spend quite a lot of time in here. I often dream about people in baroque dresses and suits with wigs and stuff (no but REAL people, no avatars). quite funny isnt it. last night I dreamt about an ongoing concert and saw the people in their dresses. it was an amazing feeling.and I agree with tatiana. I personally love to build in sl. I get to know these places much better this way.

While exploring Royal Court content this evening, I have come across this forum discussion from last fall - well before I became a member, and I feel compelled to respond. How real is Second Life to me? As real as First Life ~ plain and simple. It is an extension of the world before me, albeit through another dimension - with so many perks thrown in for good measure! It has stirred within me, at one point or another, every emotion known to man, sometimes very surprisingly so. It has given me better acquaintance with myself, in my reactions to challenges and situations which have presented themselves - and, within its vast offerings, has unearthed curiousities and creativities long lain dormant - giving them a unique platform for development through exploration, entertainment, and education. In addition, the establishment of genuine, supportive friendships with people from around the world, whilst doing so, is nothing short of astonishing.