Unofficial Second Life Mini-FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
by Kex Godel
June 20, 2006
Note: This notecard was up-to-date as of SL version 1.8.4. If this seems notably out of date, please check
for the latest version, distributed at [UnofficialSLFAQDispenser, Grignano(139,256)], or send me an IM.
Thanks! -- Kex
### Frequently Asked Questions ###
Q> "What is this place about?"
SL is described many different ways by people:
- a 3D MUSH
- a 3D canvas where people can create things in a shared space with other people
- it is like a Massively Multiplayer 3D world made of building blocks
SL is not exactly literally a "game" per se:
- there are no specific tasks that you are expected to do
- there are no specific goals other than the ones you make for yourself
- there is nothing here to win, unless you make or play a mini-game *inside*
SL to win.
- there is no enemy to blow up, unless you build one
- there are no resources to harvest
- there are no quests or "jobs" other than those made by you or other
residents
________________________________________
Q> "What do I do here?"
If you're not sure what to do first, try these suggestions:
- Fly around and explore the world to see what other people have created.
- Check out the events list by pressing the ( Events ) button at
the bottom of your screen.
- Start building in a sandbox (i.e. in regions Morris, Cordova,
Goguen, and others).
- Make friends with people in the Welcome Area and ask them where to
find good places to visit.
________________________________________
Q> "How do I make money?"
SL has a user-based economy. There are no inherent jobs or quests and
there are no resources to mine or NPCs to sell to. In order to make
money here, you have to earn your Linden Dollars (L$) from other residents,
or buy them from an exchange.
Common Ways to Make Money:
- Create content, and sell it to other residents. (i.e. objects, clothes,
scripts, animations, textures, etc)
- Do jobs or contract work from another resident. (scripting, texturing,
providing event services, etc)
- Win a cash prize at an Event. (i.e.: bingo, trivia, Tringo, etc)
- Become an official Second Life Instructor and teach other residents
how to use Second Life
Every week premium subscribers get a L$500 stipend on Tuesday morning.
If you still need L$, you can purchase them on the LindeX by accessing
the menu: Help > Purchase L$
________________________________________
Q> "Why is my display so slow?"
SL is a very complex program which will use up most (if not all) of your
computer's resources (CPU, memory, video), more so than nearly all other
3D programs. Unlike other 3D worlds that have an environment that rarely
changes, anything in SL can change at any time. This potential means a lot
more calculations have to be done every frame.
Fortunately, you don't need a high framerate to enjoy SL.
Even 10-15 FPS is quite usable here.
If you are suffering from unbearable lag or instability, or are curious
how to tune your performance, please read the following attached notecard:
[MISSING] (click to open)
________________________________________
Q> "How do I look around?"
The best way to look around is using the Alt key (on your keyboard)
to orbit your camera view.
How to Orbit Your Camera:
- position your mouse pointer over the object you want to "look around"
- press and hold down your Alt key
- press and hold your left mouse button
- move your mouse from side-to-side to orbit, or up-down to zoom
Tips:
- holding down the Ctrl *and* Alt key will orbit your camera on a different axis
- to restore your camera position, press the Esc key
________________________________________
Q> "How do I detach something from my head?" (or other body part)
You can have up to 30 objects attached to your skeleton. This is
a great way to customize your look, but sometimes you might attach
things by mistake (it happens to everyone).
To remove an attachment, try each of these steps in order,
until you manage to detach the object:
Removing an Attachment:
- position your mouse over the attachment you want to remove
- right click on the attachment (it should become highlighted)
- choose "Detach" from the pie menu
If that doesn't work try this:
- click the Edit menu
- select "Detach Object"
- select the highlighed part of your body which the attachment
appears to be connected to
If that doesn't work:
- right click on your name tag, or a visible part of your avatar
body (not on an attachment)
- select "Take Off>" from the pie menu
- select "Detach All" from the pie submenu
If all else fails, try relogging. It may just be "ghosted" (still
visible but not really there).
________________________________________
Q> "Where do I shop for new clothes?" (or other things)
- click the Find button at the bottom of your screen
- select the "Classifieds" tab
- click inside the find box and type a keyword -- for example, clothes
- click the Search button
Tips:
- also try a search under the "Places" tab
Note:
If you don't have a ( Find ) button at the bottom of your screen, make
sure the "Toolbar" menu item is checked under your View menu.
________________________________________
Q> "How do I buy something?"
Typically, you just right click the object and choose "Buy" from the pie menu.
If "Buy" is not available, but "Pay" is, then you are probably dealing
with a scripted vendor. See next question =)
Some things to keep in mind when purchasing things:
- purchased objects are usually copyable or transferrable, but rarely both.
- if you are buying something as a gift for another resident, be sure you
will have the "transfer" permission
- if you are new to SL, become aware of how much the money is worth (usually
about L$250-300 == US$1 as of this writing)
- if you want to be able to customize the item, make sure it is not marked
as (no modify).
BUYER BEWARE! Some unethical people like to scoop up items that other people
give away for free, and try to sell it to unsuspecting new residents. If you
have doubts, IM the creator or ask around.
________________________________________
Q> "How do I use a vending machine?"
Vending machines are all different. But there are some common practices
which most use.
Usually most vending machines have an arrow or two, which lets you
navigate forward or back through the list of items it is offering for sale.
Some may not have arrows, but will go to the next item when you left-click
on the picture.
In most situations, to make a vending machine purchase:
- right click on the picture of the item you want
- select "Pay" from the pie menu
- type in the amount you want to pay
- This is your last chance to change your mind. Cancel the pay
window if you decide not to buy it.
- click the "Pay" button if you are sure you want to buy.
- wait for the blue dialog box to pop up offering you the item
- accept the item from the blue dialog box
Be sure to accept the object when prompted! If you do not, you will
not get the item, and you will not be refunded by the vendor! Vendor
scripts can not tell when you decline an object, so once you pay,
the transaction is certain.
On a *very* rare occasion, a vendor script may have communication problems
with delivering the item. If this happens, find out the owner of the
vendor or store and send them an IM to let them know the vendor did not work.
________________________________________
Q> "Where do I get free stuff?"
- the "Library" folder of your inventory
- the Bazaar in Stillman: [?? ]
- search the "Places" tab for the keyword: free
________________________________________
Q> "I purchased something, but all I have is a box (or bag, or
something else)?"
In SL, every prim (3d shape) has it's own inventory which can
contain other objects. Sometimes people use objects as containers
for other objects when selling them.
To get stuff out of a container:
- go to a place where you can build ("rez" objects)
- drag the container from your inventory to the ground (drag and drop)
- right click the container
- choose "Open" from the pie menu
- drag each item in the list from the item's contents to your
inventory window (drag and drop)
________________________________________
Q> "I just teleported, but I'm not where I should be"
Sometimes you will arrive at a "Landing Point" that's not exactly where you
targetted on the map. If this happens, you should see a red beacon which
you can fly or walk to which marks where you intended to go.
If you have a friend who is already at the place you're going to, ask them to
offer you a teleport. These teleports will take you directly to your
friend's location.
________________________________________
Q> "How do I build?"
If you have ever played with building blocks as a kid, you can build things in SL
just as easily once you know the basics.
To get started down your path to master 3D builder, you need to know some basics.
In Second Life, we build with primitive 3D shapes, usually we just call them 'prims'.
Some of the primitive shapes you can build with include: cube, sphere, cylinder,
and torus. Arranging these shapes and then scaling, cutting, and twisting them
into modified shapes will give you a great deal of flexibility even though you're
starting from these very basic shapes.
To begin building:
- go to an area where you are permitted to build (i.e. a sandbox)
- click the "Build" button at the bottom of your screen; this opens the
Edit window in create mode
- pick a prim shape you would like to create from the top of the Edit window
- left-click on the ground to 'rez' the shape
- your Edit window will then change to editing mode
- open up the edit window completely by clicking on the ( More >> ) button
if you haven't done so already
The General tab is where you set object name, description, permissions, and
the details for selling the object if you are putting it up for sale.
The Object tab is where you will edit the numbers associated with the
object's shape, position, size, etc.
The Content tab displays a list of objects which are contained inside this
object. This is where you will add scripts, sounds, animations, and other
assets which you usually use in combination with a script, or for when you
are using this object to sell it's contents.
The Texture tab lets you set and adjust the texture and color of the object.
Some basic things to try while editing:
- Move the object back and forth with the red, blue, and green arrows.
- Holding down Shift while moving the object makes a copy.
- Holding down Ctrl will shortcut you to rotating the object.
- Holding down Shift+Ctrl will shortcut you to resizing the object.
- To combine two or more prims into one solid object, you "link" them under
the menu Tools > Link.
- Once you've linked objects together, if you want to edit just one prim while still
linked, check "Edit linked parts' in the edit menu.
- When you are done and want to keep the object, right click it and choose "Take"
from the pie menu; it will then be placed in your inventory in the Objects folder.
- Pressing the Del key will delete the currently selected object(s).
- When you are done building, iplease remember to "take" or delete (derez) everything
you built, (unless you have been building on your own land, of course)
For a more thorough introduction to building, attend a building class
(check events), or visit the
Ivory Tower of Primitives for a self-guided tutorial.
________________________________________
Q> "How do I become a landowner?"
Land is a complex thing in SL. It is best to not worry too much about it
until you have been a resident for a few weeks.
You need a Premium subscription to *completely* own land.
If you have a Basic subscription, you can either rent land from another
resident, or upgrade to a Premium subscription by editing your account at
http://secondlife.com/account
If you are a Premium subsciriber and are looking for land in-world, use
the Find panel to search for a good deal on a parcel.
You can also bid on newly released land from a land auctioning system at:
http://secondlife.com/auctions
Once you have found a plot you want to buy:
- Go to the land you intend to buy.
- Enable parcel border display with the 'P' key.
- Right click the ground inside the parcel you want to buy.
- Choose 'About Land' from the pie menu.
- Click the 'Buy Land' button.
Note: If you have never owned land before, you will probably want to check
out the "First Land" program, where you can get 512m for a very cheap
price of L$512. Once you own land, you will never be able to enjoy
the "First Land" offer again.
CAUTION: Be wary of land speculators who want to exploit your one and only
opportunity to buy First Land. Do some research and check out the average
land prices before making any deals with other residents to sell your
First Land.
________________________________________
Q> "How do I rent land?"
As with finding jobs in SL, you need to seek out residents who are offering
rentals, and make an arrangement with them. You may be able to find some
rental property advertisments under the Classifieds tab in the Find window.
Some estates have automated the process using a vendor-like script, others
require you to deal with the landowner to make arrangements.
________________________________________
Q> "How far away can people hear what I say in local chat?"
- 20 meters for normal chat
- 100 meters for shouts
________________________________________
Q> "Why is some chat text white and some grey?"
In the local chat, the darker colore text indicates that the person speaking
is farther away from you than those speaking in the whiter text.
________________________________________
Q> "How do I see what someone said earlier in local chat?"
Press Ctrl+H to open your chat history window. From there you can also scroll
back and select text to copy/paste.
________________________________________
Q> "What are some of the basic social rules here?"
Just like Real Life, people are expected to behave maturely and respectfully
to their fellow residents. Here are some guidelines for standard etiquette
in Second Life:
- Regions are indicated as either (M) or (PG) at the top of the screen. In
PG regions, you should refrain from speech, behavior, sounds, or images which
would not be acceptable to a general audience (similar to broadcast television or
a PG rated movie). In Mature regions, mostly anything goes (other than icons of
extreme intolerance or hate speech).
- Don't shoot at people unless they are voluntarily participating in a game
with you. If you're looking for people to gunfight with, go to the regions
named "Jessie" or "Combat (sandbox)", or other areas marked for combat (indicated
by a heart-health icon at the top of your screen).
- Don't push other people around. Apologize if you do.
- Don't sell stuff that's already Free to Copy.
- If you are building in a sandbox, share the space and prims. Clean up after
yourself when you leave. Do not sell anything in the sandboxes. Do not
"test" your scripts on other people without asking them first.
- Playing sound effects is fun, but try to limit playing the same sounds over
and over again. Keep in mind that sounds also apply to the PG/M content rating rule.
For the official rules, read the Terms of Service and Community Standards
pages on the Second Life website at:
https://secondlife.com/tos.php
https://secondlife.com/comstandards.php
If you think someone is violating the TOS or CS, you can report their behavior
with the Help -> Report Abuse menu.
________________________________________
Q> "How do I script something?"
If you are familiar with programming, the Linden Scripting Language should
be easy to pick up in a short time. LSL is a compiled language which relies
on events to trigger behaviors, with over 300 API functions to allow you to
interact with the environment and the people in it.
The absolutely best reference for LSL is the LSL Wiki at:
http://secondlife.com/badgeo/
If you are not familiar with programming, LSL is a great language to start with;
however, you may want to pick up a book to learn some of the basics of all
programming languages (i.e. variables, functions, boolean logic, conditionals,
loops, etc.) to help build a foundation.
Sometimes the best way to learn is to find example scripts, and jump in and just
start changing them around to see what happens.
You can find a bunch of free scripts on the Second Life "Scripting Library" forum at:
http://forums.secondlife.com/forumdisplay.php?f=15
If you have any questions with scripting, try asking Live Help, or post them to the
"Scripting Tips" forum at:
http://forums.secondlife.com/forumdisplay.php?f=54
Included with this FAQ is my scripting tutorial, which I've composed from my
lecture notes from back when I taught official scripting classes. This guide
(like the class) was designed to be informative to both programmers and non-programmers
alike, and should hopefully help you get started if you are new to scripting LSL or even
programming in general =)
[?? ] (click to open)
________________________________________
Q> "What does that abbreviation mean?"
Here are some common abbreviations that are mostly unique to Second Life:
SL - Second Life
LL - Linden Lab; the company who made SL
RL - Real Life; the meta-place where you need food, restroom breaks, etc
FL - same as RL (unless they mean Florida)
MG - Main Grid (the original main grid, for adults only)
TG - Teen Grid (an alternate Second Life grid for teens 13-17 years of age)
L$ - Linden Dollars; the virtual currency
AV - Avatar, your second life "body"
LH - Live Help; a group of volunteer residents who help people with questions
LSL - Linden Scripting Language; the language used to program objects in SL
LindeX - Second Life's official currency exchange site
prim - Primitive shape, a basic 3D object such as a sphere, cube, torus, or pyramid
________________________________________
Q> "How do I remove the prefix title from my name?"
When you join a group, it will automatically set you to the group and put the title
above your name.
To remove the title:
- open the "Edit" menu
- select "Groups..."
- scroll to the top
- select "none"
- click the "Activate" button
Note: this does not remove you from the group; it just removes it from your current status.
________________________________________
Q> How do I set my profile picture?
- upload an image under the File menu, or take a snapshot and save it to your Inventory.
Note this will cost you L$10.
- locate the image you uploaded in your inventory -- it should be in the "Textures" or
"Snapshot" folder depending on how you uploaded it.
- open up your profile window by selecting "Profile..." from the Edit menu
- drag and drop the image from your inventory's to the profile picture slot in your profile window
________________________________________
Q> "How should I set my Preferences?"
To open the preferences panel, press Ctrl+P or choose 'Preferences' under the Edit menu.
You can get an overview of all of the various Preferences settings in this separate guide:
[?? ] (click to open)
________________________________________
Q> "What if my question isn't answered in this FAQ?"
If you have any questions which aren't answered here, try the following:
- Press F1 to bring up the help system
- Check out the Second Life Support Wiki under the Help menu
- Select "Live Help" under the Help menu and send a question to the group of
resident volunteer helpers.
- Teleport to the [??] and ask your question in local chat
- Search through the forums, or create a new post with your question at:
http://forums.secondlife.com
- Check for a new version of this FAQ. Click the FAQ dispenser at:
[? ].
- If you are familiar with IRC, try asking on efnet #secondlife
- Send an email to Second Life's official support address:
support@secondlife.com
________________________________________
### Acknowledgements ###
Thank you to the following people for helping me with corrections and additions:
Chage McCoy
Essence Lumin
Torley Torgeson
Please let me know if you see anything that needs correcting =)
### License ###
This text document is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs License.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/
You are welcome and encouraged to share this notecard with others, but only
in an unmodified state. If you would like to contribute additions, or suggest
a change please send me an IM. This way we will only have one most up-to-date version =)
Thanks for reading !
-- Kex Godel
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