Bay City - Up And Running!
Thursday, May 8th, 2008 at 9:39 AM by: Michael LindenNow open for Resident inspection — Bay City! Regions intended for a vibrant urban experience, double primmed for your pleasure. Roads, parks, a movie theater and city services are already in place, maintained by Linden Lab. Close to the offices and shops of Nova Albion, with broad canals usable for travel and tourism — but with broad, clean beaches and plentiful vegetation.
Rail and water trolleys carry the Residents of Bay City about; a balloon tour provides dazzling aerial views of the city. Connections to the world at large by ship, seaplane, dirigible, road and rail are available.
In just over a week, auctions will begin for the many attractive parcels in Bay City’s first twelve Regions. Ranging in size from about 512 square meters to nearly 2000 square meters, the parcels cannot be terraformed, joined or divided by their owners. Buyers will receive a package of textures and objects to help with their building projects.
Governor Linden said in a pre-recorded statement, “We hope that the Residents of this new city will produce interesting and attractive structures, in styles appropriate to the period 1930 to 1960 when most of our buildings were erected. In any case, the Residents of Bay City will form a unique and bustling community.”
Bay City — easily reached by Route 66 from Nova Albion, or by sea via the Straits of Shermerville.
“Bay City — the City by the Bay.” Directions Today: Bay City is so new it doesn’t show on the map yet, but it is there, and it’s worth a visit! To get there, open your Map in-world, search for Cape Haven, and teleport there. Bay City will be SOUTH of you.
You can open the Mini-Map to see which direction you need to go, just fly up above the water (in Cape Haven you land on the ocean floor) and then fly due South to visit the new Bay City — the City by the Bay.” [Edited to add directions for today, -- Katt Linden]
May 8th, 2008 at 9:55 AM
‘Grats, Michael & all the Moles!!
Any chance you can poke the sim map to update - slurl just shows ocean.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:01 AM
*makes note to come ’round, be touristy, and take some pictures*
May 8th, 2008 at 10:07 AM
I thought Lindens were out of the content-creation business.
Whatever happened to this grand “resident generated” world?
May 8th, 2008 at 10:07 AM
Sounds great. Would love to see it. Unfortunately TPing to any of the Bay City sims or North Channel seems borked.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Can’t seem to TP there :/
May 8th, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Sorry, the regions are so very, very new that the map doesn’t yet match the current locations. Try teleporting to the “Cape Haven” region this morning, it’s immediately adjacent to Bay City.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Oh that sounds really cool. *tries to scrape some L$ or USD together to buy a parcel*
May 8th, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Ditto..cannot tp to location either…
May 8th, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Got there wow this is amazing Great work!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:35 AM
That’s a great build! The beach area MooseBeach compliments it beautifully and the canals are fantastic! Great stuff
May 8th, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Sadly, it seems that after residents have spent the last few years experimenting, funding, and suffering through the growing pains of the project, Linden Lab has now made the decision to switch their focus from “partner” to “competitor.”
I’ve always wondered why LL hasn’t made more of an effort to showcase the exceptional builds, projects and achievements of its residents. I am now beginning to get a glimpse into the future of Second Life.
The plan: First put out the undesirables by banning self-proclaimed “immoral” activities like gambling and other adult entertainment. Next put the economic competitors out of business by lowering the price of sims and supporting Ansche Chung’s 10L efforts. Last, put the social networking and community-builders out of business by starting their own virtual communities and promoting them instead. What’s next?
Of course, if you’re one of the select few who LL HAVE chosen to focus on by allowing you to create one of the integrated “Welcome Centers,” or if you’ve been lucky enough to get featured on the designer pages, then that’s your good fortune. But it seems the rest of us will have to struggle to find other means of overcoming the extreme advantages that LL have for promoting themselves and the Chosen Ones.
It does seem as if LL is trying to tell us that the relationship was fun, but it’s time for them to move on and spread their wings.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:41 AM
mhh /me having a strange feeling about it … @ Lindens Why you getting involved with Content Creation ? The Whole “here is the ToolBox do somthing Great” Sandbox thing is what SL was about or did i miss something ?
May 8th, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Looks great, and a lot bigger than I expected! I’m glad to see some roads and waterways running through it; much more attractive than block after block of shoebox houses lined up in a grid.
I’m looking forward to seeing how it shapes up once people start moving in and building up their own homes and shops!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:44 AM
First 12 sims? How many are planned?
Any guesses as to what price these parcels will fetch at auction? Shall we set the over/under at 100L/sqm?
May 8th, 2008 at 10:46 AM
cool I’m sitting in da trolley for da tour!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:49 AM
I can’t TP to any of the Bay City sims… From Cape Haven it’s a long way to there and it’s not all covered by sims so flying or sailing is out…
Any other brilliant ideas?
May 8th, 2008 at 10:50 AM
All you need for this launch is a live performance from the bay city rollers ….ok maybe not!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Once in Cape Haven increase your drawing distance or you won’t see it, it’s not too far from there and it doesn’t show in the map, you can fly to it in no time
May 8th, 2008 at 10:52 AM
By the way, where did my Blog avatar come from and how can I change it?
May 8th, 2008 at 10:56 AM
i love it!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:01 AM
When can we start bidding on the lots?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Go to Cape Haven and head south, check the mini map, you’ll end up in Bay City.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:06 AM
*S* *A* *T-U-R* *D-A-Y* *NIGHT!*
*S* *A* *T-U-R* *D-A-Y* *NIGHT!*
LOL @ Ciaran - Gawd I date myself… Bay City Rollers rocked, man!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:14 AM
@ 3 & others.
“Why are Linden Lab getting Involved with Content Creation?”
Answer is, they will always need to be Involved a little bit with Projects Like this, but the Builders of Bay City, and who work on the LDPW Projects is a Group of Resident Builders. They are given a Mole account, but are not Lindens. However Lindens do need to be Involved, to do the stuff that Residents can’t do and generally oversee the builds.
This project is very much Resident based and created.
And if a Resident was to do it all, they’d have to become a Linden to have Linden Powers, and then they’d be a Linden.
Great Job on this!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:15 AM
@ 19. I think it is your WordpPress Blog Picture. If you have a WordPress account, and use that to comment here then your WordPress Picture will show, if you don;t then a pattern is generated. I think this is new on this Blog. I could be wrong
May 8th, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Funny thing..I actually was raised in a RL Bay City… Looking forward to what it has to offer..
May 8th, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Loved it, from what I saw, looks great, I too will be trying to scrape a few $L together to buy a little plot, looks to be very interesting. Easy to get to also if you read the instructions given.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Anyone know if there are any rezzing platforms somewhere near to rezz a vehicle?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:20 AM
I’m just posting to see what my blog post picture pattern is.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:24 AM
#28 - was wondering the same thing, I saw a guy driving so there may be unless he rezzed it elsewhere?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:25 AM
@11 and others… people bi*t*h and moan when the Lindens leave things to residents, such as the mainland, which is a disgrace overall, then they complain when the Lindens actually do something beautiful, useful or good.
Bay City is a speck in the ocean in terms of land mass, just as Sistiana and the rest of “downtown” SL are. If you have a good product, people will come, there are all levels of taste and budget and something for everyone.
While some people do make money in SL, please in case you forgot and take it too seriously as we all do sometimes, it is a game underneath it all and with a few exceptions, most of us are here to have fun. While I too sell land, I am not in the least concerned about the Lindens building content, I applaud them for it- it improves ALL of our SL experience. Good job Michael and team!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:28 AM
How nice. Wouldn’t it have been better to finish roads in sims a year old first?
So, nice little restrictions so LL can show off to corporates. Isn’t that a little dishonest, when everywhere else you will still have ad farms and all the rubbish?
If you did that with other mainland areas we wouldn’t have all this problem to start with…
May 8th, 2008 at 11:42 AM
@ Donna and everyone else wondering about the funky pictures next your your name:
It is a new feature of WordPress. So, put your mug up there so we can all see your pretty faces when you post!
http://en.gravatar.com/
May 8th, 2008 at 11:43 AM
@ Everyone.
Here’s a link to the Linden Department of Public Works Official Wiki Page. Take a loo!
<a https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Department_of_Public_Works:
May 8th, 2008 at 11:45 AM
@ 33, Ari. My mug? I’m still drinking from it… >>.<< lol Kidding, gonna try get a pic up now lol and Thank You.
(Sorry about the Link i just pasted above with the odd little <a and : as it was my attempt at html lol)
- Donna.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Oh but they are using Identicon
(Picture generated from your I.P. Address)
Will have to ask Linden to switch to Gravatar.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Explain Ari? It is your WordPress Image right? Confuzzling lol Perhaps Katt could do a Blog Post briefly on it! YAY
Ooh Vid Tut Torley! lol
May 8th, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Well congrats to the Lindens. I have to say that they made a good move here. Bay city is very well layed out IMO this just is one region and gives a prime example to new comers what they can do in SL. So we may have many more really cool looking regions like this instead of the Mainland cluster **** people call cool.
keep up the good work and whiners.. Progress is good
May 8th, 2008 at 12:00 PM
LOL -
(I know this is off-topic - but to answer a LOT of question here):
Identicon is an icon created for you based on your computer’s IP address. So you will (usually) have the same icon. This is created for people whi do not already have a profile icon.
How to get your own profile icon?
Create a wordpress blog (free) and upload a picture to your profile.
OR
Go to http://en.gravatar.com/ and create a free account. Upload your picture for your profile and any blog you post to that supports it will put your picture. if you have a web site, your name will link to it.
(That’s why many posters here have names that link to their blogs)
There - Lindens: I will send a bill for explaining this to everyone for you. LOL :p
May 8th, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Yes please can we have a rezzing area so vehicles can be gotten out? It’s all well and good having roads if we can’t use them.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:09 PM
hehe thanks Ari!
May 8th, 2008 at 12:09 PM
@34, inslmeghandench, thanks for the link to the Linden DPW page.
@39 Thanks for explaining the “avatar” icons, Ari
Kudos to all of you who posted helpful directions and information!
– Thanks!!
May 8th, 2008 at 12:19 PM
… and the first self replicating phyiscal prim attack queues up on the border at Barcola.
Lazy griefers don’t even bother to texture these things any more.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Fantastic effort! Love the Channel Island Asylum. Moving bridges is also a nice move. Congratulations.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:28 PM
I can’t to explore! Been spending a lot of time in Nova Albion, Shermerville, an Luna Oaks in anticipation. When will it be fully wired into the Sansaran continent?
May 8th, 2008 at 12:34 PM
How is ‘double primming’ achieved?
Do you just mean there’s a lot of open space in the Sim, so more is allowed for residents building (2.0 Bonus). Or can LL squeeze more than 15000 prims out of a Sim now?
May 8th, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Hmm, we expect rezzing from Resident-owned parcels will be easy. But of course none exist yet! I’ll go put up some “rez here” signs on some parcels near the entrances.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:39 PM
What about resellin the land? Can parcels be resold?
May 8th, 2008 at 12:40 PM
I think it’s amazing, Well done to all the hardworking Moles!!!!
May 8th, 2008 at 12:41 PM
It happened in the end. Welcome!!!
May 8th, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Michael, or Katt. Can you email me some Images of the Bay City please? (I can’t get on to see it but need some Images) Much appreciated!
May 8th, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Please Lindens, please, think about west haven and co, the auction prices there are incredable high. unpayable for the “normal” user.
i bet the most of bay city will be buyed from landbarons and will be empty and set for sale at giant prices, a very long time…
so lindens, please think about what you do there
May 8th, 2008 at 12:55 PM
disabling resell for a while to keep the landbarons away, and shouldnt there be a covenant?
May 8th, 2008 at 12:58 PM
I hope the residents of Nova Albion will join me in cheering the griding of the Bay City regions to the west and extend a hearty welcome to all the new residents due to arrive shortly. Look for a parade to be announced soon.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:11 PM
Right on, Salazar!!
3 Cheers for Bay City, the moles and.. the residents who will live in and shape our new sister city!!
i think i’ll go take a peek now!
May 8th, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Watch out for the manhole that a mole forget to cover
May 8th, 2008 at 1:16 PM
*pokes Cybin* Here here. I think that’s the saying… LOL
Id love a plot in Bay City! Not gonna happen though >>.<<
May 8th, 2008 at 1:25 PM
@31 - To be clear, I think LL contributing to content could be wonderful thing…but this seems to clearly be a money-making venture that steps into the space of paying residents who’ve been sold for years with the idea that Second Life is their platform to explore and leverage for new business models. Now that those residents have put the time, research and work in, LL are making themselves into competitors in this sphere — and one with significant advantages in terms of marketing. Insofar as “moaning,” most people (myself included) do not complain about LL needing to create more content; this was never billed as their role. From my perspective, their 1st priority should be stabilizing the grid and the functionality for other pioneers to go forward.
I do in fact realize that some think of Second Life as a game; in fact, my business counts on it. That’s how I make a living in SL, and hope to continue to do.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:26 PM
Cape Haven and fly South - or Barcola and fly West works fine for me.
The first building I came to in a quick whizz around was a very creepy asylum????? Is there a message here?
I got my name in the top 10 scores in the bowling alley. Fame at last - but probably shortlived. Easy to be in ther top 10 when not many more than 10 have played
The few griefers who drifted in from Barcola were soooooo sad. They were spewing crud from *plywood* spheres. Plywood?? Svrip kiddies!!!
These new sims will be interesting to watch. Lots of open space and water
May 8th, 2008 at 1:31 PM
@ 58, Rachel Darling. I do understand the point you are making, but I think that some people don’t realize that not all Lindens are employed to Improve Grid Stability, and some can’t even code or script in the slightest. The Lindens hired to code etc. do just that. Also id like to point out that I’ve noticed an Improvement in Grid Stability in the last week, havn’t you? the Gird has had much less bad reports (the status page) and Blog Comments are getting nicer! YAY Also, there’s been no Daily Downtime or DB Issues lately! Wooot things are looking up!
May 8th, 2008 at 1:37 PM
atleast one of the bridges seems to be already broken
May 8th, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Great to see it finally on-line, but I notice there does not appear to be an InfoHub in the city. Or have I just missed it?. If theres not then can one be placed there asap?
If a city is to be ‘lived in’ then it needs people who regard it has home, otherwise its just another place that one has to travel to. Hubs are meeting places and social magnets as (well as places to get info) and if you don’t own land then its the place you start from every time you log in.
How wonderful it would be to arrive in a busy city, rather than a random building, however nice, and have to travel to ….where? Bay City is big and if you are new, or just looking for new people to meet where do you start?
Many hubs have their own social dynamic where people come back often to meet friends. It gives a sense of belonging because you know if you just hang around long enough someone you know will show up. If they don’t new people are always arriving.
It only needs to be a small one, near one of the bridges or crossroads, just so we can set home there.
Bay City is a ‘new’ type of build and if we are going for a ‘thriving social scene’ lets have people who can make it home and identify with it.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Thanks for helping the residents’ real estate development businesses. /sarcasm off
I think any one of the current real estate development businesses could have done this just fine. It’s hard enough to do business competing against other residents. When you compete against the hosting corporation (LL), I’d say that’s a bit unfair.
Let’s see, maybe LL can go into the clothing business next ?
/sarcasm off
May 8th, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Somebody got a discount deal on concrete. Why are all the waterways in prison? So much for enjoying a picnic near the river. And what about going for a sail? All you’ll see is the endless repetition of those concrete walls. No thanks. My only question is how it could take so long to design what looks like a Matchbox kit.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:50 PM
No place to rezz a boat?
May 8th, 2008 at 1:55 PM
It looks great. I wish that Moles had put their main names in their profiles. It would be nice to see who the builders are.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Just watched the roadway bridge go up to let a boat get through..then went over to the power plant..this is amazing! Simply amazing!
May 8th, 2008 at 2:01 PM
@ 66, Molly. Their names are on the Wiki. Here’s a Link.
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Department_of_Public_Works#Residents_in_the_LDPW
May 8th, 2008 at 2:11 PM
Beautifully built and you must ride the ferry and the trolley cars. Fantastic!
May 8th, 2008 at 2:14 PM
I think I can understand why some people are upset.
However, I’ve been to Bay City, and while it’s pretty and nice and all … honestly, there are a ton of other resident-built areas that I like more and are more interesting. Just because something is sponsored by the Lindens does not automatically mean that it’s gonna be better.
And, do note, mentioned above is the fact that Bay City IS resident built. So ….
May 8th, 2008 at 2:20 PM
I guess completing the abandoned roadway infrastructure throughout the world isn’t sexy enough work.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:20 PM
I’ve made a rezzing point at the middle of Cape Haven, and on Route 66 in Molesworth.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Moles are indeed making roads — we had a poll to choose the first route.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:46 PM
There comes a time when we all make mistakes, and its character building to admit to them.
I must confess a mistake I’ve made. I’ve been labouring under the misunderstanding that the LDPW was established in order to help Linden Lab fulfill its responsibilities in creating buildings/facilities that were to the benefit of its customers but which were significantly behind schedule. I mistakenly recalled that the road network and infohubs were specifically mentioned.
How silly of me.
The first LDPW project that the lab chooses to draw attention to on its official mode of communication to its customers is a primarily commercial build, for which LDPW workers have been paid significantly below market rate for their contribution, on sims which will now be auctioned on a parcel basis, at rates at which it would not be unreasonable to speculate would carry a significant premium.
I am a passionate believe in, and supporter of, the staggering creativity of the residents. Barely a day goes by in which I haven’t seen something which makes me marvel at the beauty of, or applaud the ingenuity of its creator.
What disappoints me is that the lab was able to leverage its position to communicate the need for its customers to contribute to public works via the blog, then takes those same enthusiastic contributors and has them produce a build that I do not doubt is excellent (because it is, after all, resident created) but which competes directly against Linden Lab’s own customers in an extremely unfair way.
Why unfair?
Because the build has been created by highly skilled creators which Linden Lab could not have got at market rates without the aforementioned leveraging of its position and then they further leverage their position to be able to market it to its entire customer base via that same channel.
Can a purely resident created large build project do the same? No, of course not, and there is the definition of unfair competition.
Builders of Second Life, I salute you. You have my heartfelt gratitude for having helped to make my time here so far so memorable.
Linden Lab? Poorly done, very poorly done.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:47 PM
go to
http://journal-gazetteer.com/CurrIssue
And you’ll see that Michael explained himself on some of these posnts pretty well.
Me? Meh. I’m still undecided as to what a godd idea this is/was. Time will tell. Glad you finally finished, though and good luck!
/me looks desiringly at the unpaved road in front of his building…
May 8th, 2008 at 3:02 PM
@ 74. Linden Lab have brought attention to EVERY LDPW Project, and the Project as a whole on this Blog, the Official Wiki etc. It is not just Bay City that has been Blogged, but Bay City is Open Now, and so has been Blogged. I am sure every Project, as it is Complete wil be Blogged also.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:10 PM
This is great! I like the standards for road and canal sections (architectural sections that is), but maybe not so much FLAT land everywhere! This is right by one of my stomping grounds =D The bowling alley is a good social scene, but the cafe needs music. No cafe is ever without music! o.O I was unable to find the theatre before “My internet deid” !
May 8th, 2008 at 3:14 PM
@62
I suspect it’ll bne on HUB island
May 8th, 2008 at 3:25 PM
Here’s an Image of Bay City;
https://wiki.secondlife.com/w/images/2/26/BayCity2.jpg
The Image can also be found on the Official LDPW Wiki page here;
https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Department_of_Public_Works
May 8th, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Sweet! Perhaps now that the LDPW has shown what they can do they can start on urban renewal by finishing all those half finished builds LL started so long ago. (You know, the ones on old and established sims that are now littered with ad farms, business in a box stores, abandoned land and junk prims.)
I do find it interesting that as I fly over the big map with “show for sale” selected, it looks like 1/4 of old SL is up for sale. Yup, need those new sims.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:46 PM
@76. Thank you, Donna, that was just the impetus I needed to have a little flick back through the blog to refresh my memory regarding the LDPW blog posts.
Interestingly, I discovered that since the LDPW program was launched on Friday Feb 8, there have been repeated references to Bay City as upcoming, something which, curiously, no other LDPW project has benefited from. It also appears to be the only one mentioned more than once, though I admit I have not had the opportunity to read 3 month’s of blog postings in depth.
It appears the only other projects specifically referenced as “coming up” were the terraforming of some void sims (which either have not been completed or sadly didn’t warrant a blog post inviting us to visit) and the poll for where the road building should commence. As many other commentors have noted, that is a project that enjoys widespread and uncontroversial support.
When perusing old blog posts, I also noted that the only other times that there are mention of land auctions are in reference to what I believe to be Linden Lab’s business to be, the selling of land to customers as opposed to competing directly against those customers in a patently unfair manner.
There was also a pertinent reminder in my reading of past posts that, when allocating land on Linden sims (such as the Linden malls), they have been allocated via a lottery to premium and basic members, as opposed to being sold to the highest bidder.
Thank you, again, for your response Donna, I have enjoyed the opportunity to educate myself further. I shall watch the progress of the LDPW project with renewed interest.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:58 PM
@32 MONTANA ….. straight in the ‘bulls eye’ !
@42 KATT ….. please stop posting ‘emotional’ comments !
May 8th, 2008 at 4:08 PM
[...] City I wonder how many millions of lindens these parcels will cost after leech barons bid them out of existence. __________________ Oh, don’t you…run a [...]
May 8th, 2008 at 4:09 PM
“…the parcels cannot be terraformed, joined or divided by their owners…”
It’s the joining and dividing I am curious about. Is this just initially? Or forever?
Some of the parcel sizes are just shy of, or just a bit over, various tier levels. So you’d be buying something and have “wasted” tier capacity or be bumped in to the next tier.
So I’m curious about this statement.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:11 PM
You guys! The bowling alley is cool but keep going theres an archeological site
May 8th, 2008 at 4:13 PM
As much as I love second life, I think this presents the lab in a bad light. On one hand we had to fight to get ad farms band (although they are back) and then the lab sets parcel subdivision rules so the new emerging middle class rezzies will have a nice stepford wives sim to live on ..lol
May 8th, 2008 at 4:22 PM
@ 81, Topmate. It’s Ok, glad that I could help… I think lol
It’s an interesting Project to follow.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:29 PM
@86 Shermerville which is 1km away is not new and that’s a stepford wives sim
This isn’t a new concept at all.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Content creation against your own paying customers, and in direct competition with other residents trying to establish residential properties. I don’t think there is anything more Linden Lab can do to disappoint this paying customer.
This just sucks.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Well only had a quick fly round but I think its great - wtg Moles. A bowling alley called Hot Balls? lol I still have 512 left on mt tier that i was saving for somewhere - looks like i’ll be bidding
May 8th, 2008 at 4:45 PM
@72, Thanks Michael Linden, it just got more interesting!
May 8th, 2008 at 4:48 PM
When struggling estate and mainland owners walk out the door remember it was LL that screwed them. What’s next LL going to start making fashion for the masses. Wake up.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Congrats for the Buildings, just visited the Location, but my concerns even more raised … what about releaseing a Official Linden “supported” Community driven Shop Plattform … Linden seems to lost the Focus at least thats what i feel about the recent and not so recent behaviour changes SL isnt just a Plattform anymore, well Lindens you cant Compete with Plattforms like Cyworld or the upcomming 3Di Grid but as it seems Linden trys to accomplish something like a “guided World”, please refocus on your “We are the Plattform” credo …
May 8th, 2008 at 5:09 PM
I agree with a few comments up there, this is really just another kick in the teeth for us heavy investors. Ok of course we need places like bay city in secondlife after all thats what its about. Really though it isnt fair for Linden Labs to come along and promote in this way thats what i call a very unlevel playing field.
Theres a lot of pepole in secondlife have put there lives on hold to invest in a business what ever that should be. Then we get overnight emails saying are business costs will rise by 17.5% and then were told are land value is dropping by almost half and now were compiting against the very company whos ment to help us.
Tell me were will this all stop, I know when its only the end consumer left and Corporate pockets are getting fat.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:16 PM
@92 martin
as I already predicted in previous blogs last weeks, the strategy is now fully focussed on getting the maximum of profit back to LINDENLABS itselve, and indeed you are right, next steps can be fashion, houses, etc ….be aware that they work also very close with ANSHE CHUNG ! Former content creators, developers will be outranged using the hard way ! (this happens also during wartimes, eliminate the intelligent and powerfull !)
For example, landprices dropped with 40 %, this will effect the virtual estate market, where older landowners will not be able to sell or rent there land further, look to the new open sim spaces (@dumppricing !), the only one who wins here is LINDENLABS cause they receive the full payment in; 1st the landprice and 2th the monthly landtier. If the market tumbles down, this has no effect on LINDENLABS cause they only sell the islands or lands (direct profit)….. ofcourse a nice strategy ! Therefore, anyone buying land is already ripped of the moment that person buys the land, cause the overflow of land will reach a point where nobody will earn a $ ….. and again that doesnt concern LINDENLABS cause they are already paid ! then the next profit is people abandoning there land due to ‘money losses’ and LINDENLABS reclaims the land back for free (double profit)!
another point is that ofcourse there are hidden agendas, it is only waiting for the next steps or moves to be launched within days or weeks.
look also how much video (help & support) they are launching, this only to keep the crowd low-profile and misleading them from focussing on what is really happening !
PAST STRATEGY
Second Life® is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents
->the residents are building the economy
FUTURE STRATEGY
Second Life® is a 3-D virtual world created by LINDENLABS
->LINDENLABS is building the economy
cosa
May 8th, 2008 at 5:29 PM
Unfortunately I have to agree with Cosa. I’m really going more than weary and angry with each passing announcement and non event that only seems to benifit the pockets of the Linden Lab company. I would of thought they learned their lesson with the GOM and all the bad press that brought them. Apparently not.
(Too bad I cannot say here the real words I am thinking.)
I have no doubt this will escalate.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:34 PM
I had a nice electroshock therapy session at the end of the corridor on the first floor of the asylum. I feel much better now. But I couldn’t find a self-service lobotomy kit.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Sounds like a few people are paranoid… and lack faith in the platform and really… lack faith in themselves and their companies.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Hey Philip - hope you had a “wonderful” time in Europe while the asset servers bonked out everyday for 5 weeks. Where is your part of my $54,000LD tier Philip????
May 8th, 2008 at 5:38 PM
If its Michael Linden it has to be good
May 8th, 2008 at 5:46 PM
I’m not sure why anyone would spend money and buy land in this new are, only to be restricted to only building period pieces from the SF bay area in the early 1900’s.
All people do on SL is sell stuff, sell themselves, or rent spaces for people those people who sell these things. As well as upteen thousand shopping malls, dance clubs, and advert signs.
So with that said how is anyone going to make a “bustling community” when (assuming they are trying to make money) will end up doing these same things anyway I mentioned in the previous paragraph, and still keep it looking like the San Fransisco bay area?
May 8th, 2008 at 5:47 PM
@96 Martin
I am running my own business in RL, so I know really well how strategies, hidden agendas, etc … work!
The business we are in is a very competitive and agressive one. While competitors are going busted due to past dumppricing strategies, bypassing there fix customer base and going straight to the end consumer, we always stayed focussed; SUSTAINED QUALITY LEVELS, GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE, RESPECT BUSINESS & TRADING AGREEMENTS, CUSTOMER LOYALTY, NO HOT & COLD PRICING STRATEGIES, NOT FOCUSSING ON TURNOVER BUT ON 20 % PROFIT THIS AFTER TAX, etc ….
maybe a lesson LINDENLABS should try to put in there brains, if ya screw ya fix customerbase, ya screw ya own future, and this is what is happening now, I predict that within the next 6 months 50 % of the die hard SL users will move to other virtual platforms, platforms where maybe they can restart and hopefully will be treated and respected as REAL CUSTOMERS IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT !
cosa
May 8th, 2008 at 5:51 PM
@98 Donna;
Lack of stability, Lack of service, Linden Lab were lacking; not me. I pay them for server space I do not however expect Linden Lab to be my direct competition. I felt the service was lacking, I felt disappointed. With this latest news however; I feel screwed by the company that I once believed in. By a company that I pay a very decent amount of money to each and every month. To a company in which I have spent no less than 20K US since it began. I feel I have a right to bitch when that company decides they want not just my money but what ever little revenue I happen to generate.
Yeah I feel screwed. Faith in Linden Lab left long ago.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:00 PM
@ 103. They’ve created a social area, and a really nice part of the Grid, on the Mainland. There is enough room in the Economy for you too, what they have done is small and there are so many users and people who want land etc. Some will pay for the Linden Land, and others will STILL pay for the Land that Resident Companies Offer. The Mainland has been there since the start, there has always been land to buy on the Mainland and the Residents wanted the Mainland to be nice and cleaned up, and so Linden Lab has Invested in this, this is what the Residents, the Customers wanted. A nice area of Mainland. And that is what the LDPW has Created. And people will want to live on this land, to put a home that doesn’t make them any profit, which is what allot of people do. And they can do that at Bay City.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:02 PM
“Sounds like a few people are paranoid … ”
Sounds like a few people tend to ignore what happen,what steps got taken, within the Last 3/4 Year ?
I do not Sell Land, nor i Build Buildings neigther i Design Cloths … but i do Buiness within SL and Donna i’m Posting with my SL Nick
And yes i constandly loosing my faith in Linden, not in their Technologie but in their strategic decisions. And as far as i know Faith isnt somthing you cant count on, but maybe i should ask my Tax Agency next time they try to get my Forcast, if they are Paranoid and lost faith in them selfs o.O
May 8th, 2008 at 6:03 PM
@104 People also want affordable shoes, dresses, pants, hair, vehicles. If this were anything but land ppl would be screaming their heads off.
That’s ok; their time will come soon enough. Obviously.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:07 PM
Is there a starbbucks or 7-11
May 8th, 2008 at 6:08 PM
@ 104 Donna
yesterday = yesterday
today = today
tomorrow = mystery
BAY City is step 1 …… BAY City x 1000 is step 2 ….. but guess that ya dont understand what it is all about, to understand the big picture ya need to be a bit paranoid !
cosa
May 8th, 2008 at 6:11 PM
Odd thing for me is its just a yawner….. I doubt if I ever will visit Bay City, unless someone I shop at has a shop there, then it will be a quick in/out.
Ive given up on stability, only log in a hour or so every other day. Got rid of all my land, ignore LL for the most part. I dont really care anymore what LL does, thats all in the past for me.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:17 PM
@ 106 Martin
ANSHE CHUNG started with her 10lindendollar projects (this is only a sniff operation to detect impact on the market, see it as a test), CHUNG as main business partner from LINDENLABS will launch soon larger projects who will affect, skin, clothing, shoes, and many more affecting businesses small or large on the grid ! no one will be able to competete against prices between 1 l$ - 10 l$, only the mass volume/turnover counts here cause no tax is being applied anyhow, so it is 100 % profit for LL and CHUNG. Ok, the only cost is the bunch of chinese rl workers @ a ratio of 25-50 US$ per month !
who wins again ….. LINDENLABS & CHUNG !
cosa
May 8th, 2008 at 6:21 PM
@ 108. I fully Understand, I think it’s the Negative people, who have a closed mind don’t Understand.
If you think Negatively or badly about something, that’s all you will see. If you open your mind and look at the good, that is what you will see.
@ 109 & others. If you don’t have faith in the platform/services anymore, then you shouldn’t use it at all. I myself and others have noticed in fact that Stability and Service in the last few days has gotten better, and compared to allot of Companies Linden Lab does a great job. Things will go wrong, in life something always goes wrong, if a server breaks down, it happens and there’s nothing anyone at Linden Lab can do about it, but fix it. And they do, if a problem happens it is fixed and quickly. There are staff working 24/7 and they are always working towards preventing problems, improving Grid Stability and fixing current problems. But they can’t make miracles happen and it will take time.
They will never be perfect, what is perfection?
Negative people will ALWAYS find something to moan about, something that isn’t right.
Lindens experience the problems too, and are also Residents. Do you think they like having problems? No and if they could fix it all with a click now, they’d do it but it doesn’t work like that.
I wish fellow residents would wake up and embrace good change, and yes I believe constructive criticism is good, but all out negativity is not.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:25 PM
! cosa. Fact or Opinion? Because that sure is not Fact. Believe what you want, but I rest my case on the Paranoid matter, your post proves that theory.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:28 PM
#111 I stay simply to be with friends I have made over the years. I find it quite obnoxios for someone to tell me I should leave if I state how I feel. I find it a poor argument.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Linden Labs is a PRIVATE company is it not?. It can make the rules, or break them. It can stop existing if it likes. It dont have shareholders, just backers. It makes the rules. Its published them, and we ALL signed up to them.
I find it amazing that anyone in their right mind would think that building a business inside SL is anything other than a pastime. They could cash out tomorrow, and what would you do. Force them to reopen, ?
Its a fun ride, but thats all it is. Your IP is worthless without SL to carry it, cos you cant take it out in a box.
The Lab owes us nothing, but they like what they are doing and we are keen to go along with it. We must be we built a world. BUT thats not the same as OWNING it. If they want to change the rules, they can. Last I looked competition is a fact in RL, but of course its all totally fair and open there isn’t it.
If you don’t like what they do, leave. Take your products to another place…Oh yes there isn’t one is there.
There is