| Fee | Benefit |
|---|---|
| US$1 | 266 Linden Dollars (variable) - brokered purchase; may go to LL or a resident seller |
| US$0.30 | per transaction fee for buying Linden Dollars on Lindex currency exchange |
| 3.5% of transaction value | per transaction fee for selling Linden Dollars on Lindex currency exchange |
| US$9.99/month | Premium membership (512 m² mainland, access to higher mainland ranges as below, 300 Linden Dollars per week, access to ticket support) |
| US$125/month | Land as below, plus Concierge service (live support access) |
| US$100 | Island relocation |
| US$50 | Island rename |
| US$100 | Island interuser transfer (includes relocation and renaming) |
| US$1000 plus 20 premium memberships | Unique avatar surname for an organization |
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Second Life : Fee Schedule
Second Life: Land Ownership
Premium membership allows the Resident to own land, with the first 512m² free of the usual monthly Land Use Fee (referred to by residents as Tier, because it is charged in tiers). There is no upper limit on tier; at the highest level, the user pays US$195 for their first 65536m², and then US$97.50 per each additional 32768m² of land. Any land must first be purchased from either Linden Lab or a private seller.
There are three types of land regions; Mainland, Private Region and Openspace. A region comprises an area of 65536m² (16.1943 acres) in area, being 256 meters on each side. Mainland regions form one continuous land mass, while Private regions are islands. Openspace regions may be either Mainland or Private, but have lower prim limits and traffic use levels than Mainland regions. The owners of a Private region enjoy access to some additional controls that are not available to mainland owners, for example they have a greater ability to alter the shape of the land. Residents must own a region (either Mainland or Private) to qualify for purchasing an Openspace region.
Linden Lab usually sells only complete 65536m² (16.1943 acres) regions at auction (although smaller parcels are auctioned on occasion, typically land parcels abandoned by users who have left). Once a Resident buys land they may resell it freely and use it for any purpose that it is not prohibited by the Second Life Terms of Service.
Residents may also choose to purchase, or rent, land from another Resident (a Resident landlord) rather than from Linden Lab. On a Private region, the built in land selling controls allow the landlord to to sell land in the region to another Resident while still retaining some control. Residents purchasing, or renting, land from any other party than Linden Lab are not required to hold a Premium membership nor to necessarily pay a Tier fee, although typically the landlord will require some form of upfront and/or monthly fee to compensate them for their liability to pay the Land Use Fee charged by Linden Lab. However Linden Lab acknowledges only the landlord as the owner of the land, and will not intervene in disputes between Residents. This means, for example, that a landlord can withdraw a Resident's land from availability, without refunding their money, and Linden Lab will not arbitrate in the dispute.
There are three types of land regions; Mainland, Private Region and Openspace. A region comprises an area of 65536m² (16.1943 acres) in area, being 256 meters on each side. Mainland regions form one continuous land mass, while Private regions are islands. Openspace regions may be either Mainland or Private, but have lower prim limits and traffic use levels than Mainland regions. The owners of a Private region enjoy access to some additional controls that are not available to mainland owners, for example they have a greater ability to alter the shape of the land. Residents must own a region (either Mainland or Private) to qualify for purchasing an Openspace region.
Linden Lab usually sells only complete 65536m² (16.1943 acres) regions at auction (although smaller parcels are auctioned on occasion, typically land parcels abandoned by users who have left). Once a Resident buys land they may resell it freely and use it for any purpose that it is not prohibited by the Second Life Terms of Service.
Residents may also choose to purchase, or rent, land from another Resident (a Resident landlord) rather than from Linden Lab. On a Private region, the built in land selling controls allow the landlord to to sell land in the region to another Resident while still retaining some control. Residents purchasing, or renting, land from any other party than Linden Lab are not required to hold a Premium membership nor to necessarily pay a Tier fee, although typically the landlord will require some form of upfront and/or monthly fee to compensate them for their liability to pay the Land Use Fee charged by Linden Lab. However Linden Lab acknowledges only the landlord as the owner of the land, and will not intervene in disputes between Residents. This means, for example, that a landlord can withdraw a Resident's land from availability, without refunding their money, and Linden Lab will not arbitrate in the dispute.
Second Life: Getting Started - Stipend
Second Life's status as a virtual world, a computer game, or a talker, is frequently debated. Unlike a traditional computer game, Second Life does not contain a single objective, nor traditional game play mechanics, and arguably does not contain winners and losers (although some avatars are more successful than others). Likewise, unlike a traditional talker, Second Life contains an extensive world that can be explored and interacted with, and can be used purely as a creative toolset if the user chooses. However, the vast majority of users use Second Life primarily as an entertainment medium, and for most of them the ability to interact with other users is critical to that (meeting the definition of a talker); "clubs" where users engage in generic chat, and sexually themed areas, are consistently the most populated.
Creating a Second Life account, and making use of the world for any period of time, is free. Linden Lab reserves the right to charge for the creation of large numbers of multiple accounts for a single person but at present does not do so. A Premium membership (US$9.95 per month) facilitates access to an increased level of technical support, and provides a stipend of L$300/week.
Creating a Second Life account, and making use of the world for any period of time, is free. Linden Lab reserves the right to charge for the creation of large numbers of multiple accounts for a single person but at present does not do so. A Premium membership (US$9.95 per month) facilitates access to an increased level of technical support, and provides a stipend of L$300/week.
Second Life Currency: Lindens, L$ or Linden Dollars
Second Life has an internal currency, the Linden dollar (L$). L$ can be used to trade goods, land and services with other users. Virtual goods include buildings, vehicles, devices of all kinds, animations, clothing, skin, hair, jewelry, flora and fauna, and works of art. Land in Second Life is a valuable and scarce commodity and can be bought, sold or rented.
Users may also offer items or services to other users in exchange for L$; services include "camping", working in stores, business management, entertainment (which prominently includes adult entertainment), custom content creation, and other personal services.
L$ is usually purchased from other users with real-world currency; Linden Lab and others offer a brokerage service for these transactions. The most popular usage for the exchange of L$ for US$ is in order to pay Second Life's subscription fees. In spite of attracting large volumes of press coverage, only a very small percentage of Residents derive a net income from the economy.
Users may also offer items or services to other users in exchange for L$; services include "camping", working in stores, business management, entertainment (which prominently includes adult entertainment), custom content creation, and other personal services.
L$ is usually purchased from other users with real-world currency; Linden Lab and others offer a brokerage service for these transactions. The most popular usage for the exchange of L$ for US$ is in order to pay Second Life's subscription fees. In spite of attracting large volumes of press coverage, only a very small percentage of Residents derive a net income from the economy.
What is Second Life?
Second Life (abbreviated as SL) is a virtual world developed by Linden Lab which launched on June 23, 2003 and accessible via the Internet. A free client program called the Second Life Viewer enables its users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars. Residents can explore, meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, and create and trade virtual property and services with one another, or travel throughout the world, which residents refer to as the grid. Second Life caters for users aged over eighteen, while its sister site Teen Second Life is restricted to users aged between thirteen and eighteen.
Built into the client is a simple primitive based three dimensional modeling tool that allows any resident to build virtual objects. This can be used in combination with a scripting language called Linden Scripting Language which can be used to add functionality to objects. More complex three dimensional Sculpted prims, colloquially known as sculpties, textures for clothing or other objects, and animations and gestures, can be created using external software. The Second Life Terms of Service ensure that users retain copyright for any content they create, and the server and client provide simple Digital rights management functions.
Built into the client is a simple primitive based three dimensional modeling tool that allows any resident to build virtual objects. This can be used in combination with a scripting language called Linden Scripting Language which can be used to add functionality to objects. More complex three dimensional Sculpted prims, colloquially known as sculpties, textures for clothing or other objects, and animations and gestures, can be created using external software. The Second Life Terms of Service ensure that users retain copyright for any content they create, and the server and client provide simple Digital rights management functions.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
What are Lindens
Lindens or Linden $ or L$ is the currency of second life. Second Life (abbreviated as SL) is an Internet-based virtual world created by Linden Labs.
Second Life has its own economy and a currency referred to as Linden Dollars (L$). This economy is independent of the Pricing, where users pay Linden Lab. In the SL economy, residents buy from and sell to one another directly, using the Linden, which is exchangeable for US dollars or other currencies on market-based currency exchanges.
The basis of this economy is that residents (that is, users, as opposed to Linden Lab) can buy and sell services and virtual goods to one another in a free market. Services include camping, working in stores, business management, entertainment (which prominently includes adult entertainment), custom content creation, and other personal services. Virtual goods include buildings, vehicles, devices of all kinds, animations, clothing, skin, hair, jewelry, flora and fauna, and works of art. To make money in Second Life, one must find customers who are willing to pay for the services or products that one can supply, just like in real life.
Second Life has its own economy and a currency referred to as Linden Dollars (L$). This economy is independent of the Pricing, where users pay Linden Lab. In the SL economy, residents buy from and sell to one another directly, using the Linden, which is exchangeable for US dollars or other currencies on market-based currency exchanges.
The basis of this economy is that residents (that is, users, as opposed to Linden Lab) can buy and sell services and virtual goods to one another in a free market. Services include camping, working in stores, business management, entertainment (which prominently includes adult entertainment), custom content creation, and other personal services. Virtual goods include buildings, vehicles, devices of all kinds, animations, clothing, skin, hair, jewelry, flora and fauna, and works of art. To make money in Second Life, one must find customers who are willing to pay for the services or products that one can supply, just like in real life.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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