Tuesday, December 8, 2009

1 1/2 / 52 - Where do I hang my hat?

Is the Nascera SIMs the new Linden Home Beta continent?

One really should be careful what to wish for.... in my previous post I hoped that the next big mainland thing should be high-density city sims - and what do we get? Bag End in The Shire, ROFL:-)

Oh well, the Lindens want to offer premium account holders the option of having a double-prim 512 with a non removable house INSTEAD OF the "free" 512 tier that is part of the deal now. The parcels will be on a new separate continent, with several different themes available in addition to hobbiton, LOL. Can we at least hope for something a bit like a small city with streets and a harbor?

Someone discovered a new small continent on the map, a 8x8 sim grid all named Nascara 1200 910 and counting (column/row), and speculations are growing. You can't TP there and see though; whatever they do is just visible on the map. But that certainly looks like the Shire for now:-)

Prok and the other mainland landlords targeting newbs are of course outraged, but I don't think they need to be. There will still be lots of people who wants to put up the house of their own choice. With a bit bigger parcel. And without committing to the USD payments.

It also seems that these parcels, unlike the other mainland, will be given away for free, no need to actually buy them.

I think this is great for new residents. From other games and virtual environments, like Sony's PS Home, The Sims and Little Big Adventure, people are used to being dropped into a space of their own. A home. Even Prok have experienced lots of new residents on his public infohubs that thinks they are really home when they rez, and not just "home" at a street corner:

"o there was a girl who kept saying "Get out! get away!" In my experience, this is usually somebody young and unschooled in worlds who thinks she has landed on a space that is her own personal starting pad with a house there waiting for her, and she is mad that other people have invaded it -- you'd be surprised how often that happens LOL."

But unlike any other environment that I know of, in SL one can actually walk outside of ones home and visit the neighbors. And since these parcels will not be subject to property speculations, they will not be vacant.

And that is my biggest hope for these parcels: They may provide the first large-scale, densely populated residential area in SL. With lots of new people moving in and out. Each sim will have 32 parcels; since estates normally have much larger parcels they offer fewer neighbors in the sim.

So, I for one will definitely want one, not as home, but as a kind of vacation spot for when I need to get away from my quiet solitude in the sky.

But my hat will not move I think:-)

2 comments:

Ari Blackthorne™ said...

I think you've hit the nail on the head and I concur with all of what you say here.

I am in SL for three years; a premium account holder the entire time and for what? I measly L$400 per week stipend? (I came in just as they dropped that weekly stipend from L$500 to L$400 and a few months later it dropped to L$300.)

I suppose the stipend is the only reason I've hung-on to my premium account status (otherwise if I cancel and resubscribe later - I'll be at L$300)

I must admit: I don;t keep a home in-world (no need, right) - but I am actually looking forward to this idea. Maybe not "excited" - but yes: I want one, too. LOL

As like you describe: a nice little get-away that we know will be quiet and peaceful and not surrounded by embarrassingly disgusting builds and sky...things floating all over the place in florescent garish colors and blinking, rotating textures. :)

Cristopher Lefavre said...

Thanks for the comment, Ari!

And yes, excited is a bit strong; lets say I am more curious as to the effects this move will have:-)