Getting Started In Second Life

What you see when creating a new account.

Today, I want to chat about starting your Second Life journey. I've been hanging out in this virtual world since 2021, but it feels like new users have it way different now. To really get into the nitty gritty of it, I went undercover to see how different things are these days.

First off, new users get these fully meshed bodies, which is such a step up from those old classic avatars we had. It's great because nothing's worse than rezzing in with an unflattering look. No shade to those who use the classic avatars, but they just aren’t my vibe.

Sure, the new avatars aren’t perfect either, but they definitely have their perks. The full mesh models with bones offer way more flexibility compared to the older ones, especially when it comes to tweaking shapes and using AOs. AOs, or Animation Overlays, are basically what makes your avatar stand and walk in a more lifelike way instead of just standing there like a robot (though I know some people are all about that look).

Side by side comparison.

When you first step into the world, you land in a place called the WelcomeHub. It's a lot different from when I started, which was in a place called Social Island. We'll talk about that another day. The WelcomeHub is way better because it doesn't just cover the basics like moving around; it goes into detail about what to do in Second Life and how to do it all. But I have to say, I think I got rezzed into the wrong spot when I entered. All I saw were some chairs and a bunch of empty space, so if I were a true newbie, I’d definitely be feeling pretty lost.

Where I rezzed in.

Luckily, I already had the hang of moving around in Second Life. If you're wondering, you can use the WASD keys or the arrow keys to get around, just like in most classic video games today. But honestly, I don’t want to call Second Life a classic game because it’s really more of a social experience online.

I stumbled upon a big sign that said Quick Start Guide and decided to check it out. Once I was in there, I found a bunch of signs and videos showing how to navigate and “play the game.” I guess this is where new users usually rezz in. The learning area has definitely seen some upgrades in Second Life. I've included some screenshots of the learning area to give you an idea!

There were so many signs and videos that it felt a bit overwhelming, but at least they were thorough. Now, I want to talk about something Second Life really needs to improve: the helper button. In the last screenshot, there’s this button on the left that says, "Can I get help from a real live person?" I clicked it because I thought new users would really appreciate it, but no surprise here—no one responded. I was super let down because this could’ve been the best part of the new user experience. Sure, it was a little after 7:30 PST when I logged in, so maybe that’s why no one was around, but it still felt pretty underwhelming. You might say the helpers have business hours, but if that’s the case, it should definitely be mentioned somewhere.

So after the Quick Start Guide, you reach the shopping area, which I thought was pretty cool. It’s got some free stuff for new avatars, and you even walk over a bridge into a real shopping zone. I was surprised to see some big-name brands like Chris Two, Tardfish, Teegle, and Madpea. But honestly, it seems a bit pricey for new users. I think it’d make more sense to highlight the popular body and head options instead of focusing on these accessory stores. Don’t get me wrong; I love these shops and they've been a huge part of my Second Life experience, but they can feel a bit overwhelming for newcomers. It might be better to include these stores but also lead with popular choices like Lelutka, Reborn, Legacy, and Maitreya.

I get that the whole deal with the new mesh bodies is to keep things fresh, but it’s kinda unfair to mislead new users about the look hierarchy in Second Life. The truth is, it can be tough to fit in without an upgrade. Sure, you’ll manage just fine in the new user areas, but if you want to check out other places, like roleplay zones or beyond that, you really need to upgrade your avatar fast. A lot of folks in Second Life might say it doesn't matter, but honestly, people will often ignore you unless you look good.

After I finished checking out the shopping area, I decided to see what else the WelcomeHub had in store, and honestly, I was pretty surprised. There was this spot called skill gaming that looked like it had all sorts of stuff, but to be honest, I skipped it. I was kind of worried it might be like a casino or something, but maybe I’ll give it a go next time I’m there.

Instead of the gaming area, I noticed they had these rezzable bikes and go-karts. I hopped on a bike and took it to the race course, but then out of nowhere, I got attacked by some bird! I think it was a seagull, but I’m not totally sure. It was a silly surprise, and I was laughing so much that I told my partner, "Omg! I think I’m being attacked by a bird right now!" It definitely wasn’t what I expected from a newbie area, but I had a blast.

I had an awesome time exploring the area, but honestly, the sim felt super empty. I'm not sure if it was just the time I logged in or if Second Life is just lacking new users these days, but that was pretty disappointing. It might have even been because there weren’t many conversations happening. I decided to reach out to a few new users to see how they were feeling about it. Turns out, most people seem to join based on others' recommendations. I've got some snippets from our chats (of course, redacted).

[19:41] Me: Helloo, are you new to second life?

[19:48] NewUser1: yess

[19:49] Me: How are you feeling about second life so far?

[19:49] NewUser1: it look cool I just still a bit lost but I get there

[19:49] Me: Are the tutorials helping you any?

[19:51] NewUser1: I did the dance ones and it seemed okay

[19:51] Me: What do you find the most confusing? Maybe I can help :)

[19:53] NewUser1: uhh I guess just where to start but I didnt really even look past the dance one yet I had to do some stuff n just came back

[19:53] NewUser1: I go to quick start guide

[19:54] Me: I'm more than happy to offer any advice, what are you looking for from second life? Maybe I can point you in the right direction

[19:56] NewUser1: its okay I just looking around cus my girl got me on it

[19:56] NewUser1: she gonna help me eventually haha

[19:56] Me: Has your partner been a long time player on second life?

[19:57] NewUser1: yeah I think so lel

[19:58] Me: Oh wow! I'm mainly just curious what brings people into games like second life so thank you for the insight

[19:58] NewUser1: well I liked how it looked cause it seems like you can really do a lot with your person and I just wanna express myself in a way tbh

[19:58] NewUser1: and have fun and socialize ofc

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[20:15] Me: Hello, are you new to second life?

[20:15] NewUser2: yup

[20:15] Me: How do you feel about second life so far?

[20:16] NewUser2: it's an interesting place

[20:17] Me: What made you decide to join?

[20:18] NewUser2: a friend recommended it to me, he said it is an interesting game in its own way

[20:19] Me: Haha, that it is! Have you looked at the tutorials?

[20:20] NewUser2: nope, I just installed it

[20:20] Me: Oh wow! What are you wanting to get out of your second life? Are you interested in the fashion or the communities?

[20:23] NewUser2: I really don't know what to expect here in second life, iI had no idea of its existence until a couple days ago haha

[20:24] Me: Well, there are a lot of things to do here. I think a lot of people get really wrapped up in the fashion, but there are some really big roleplay communities here as well

[20:24] Me: But if roleplay or fashion isn't your thing, then you can always check out some of the gaming sims since there is a big variety of games to play

[20:24] Me: And some even give free lindens :P

[20:26] NewUser2: woah so there are a lot of things to do in second life

[20:26] Me: Yes definitely, but I know it can feel really overwhelming at first

[20:28] Me: So what excites you the most? Fashion, friends, games, or roleplay?

[20:29] NewUser2: I guess roleplay and making new friends, maybe some games too

To sum everything up, I really hope more people jump into Second Life and experience the fun I had exploring the WelcomeHub and other spots. My advice for long time players; please keep inviting your friends! The more the merrier!