tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post1606796529383229200..comments2023-10-22T05:51:24.101-04:00Comments on Phasing Grace | Social Architectures and Virtual Worlds: Virtual World ViewsGrace McDunnoughâ„¢http://www.blogger.com/profile/10573463430195713363noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-53269017114193308812010-07-24T12:49:14.144-04:002010-07-24T12:49:14.144-04:00"...the difference between being happy in you..."...the difference between being happy in your life versus being happy about your life"<br /><br />That's such a deep and true observation. <br /><br />I was just thinking about the relationship between Behavioral Economics and SL retention recently while reading Predictively Irrational by Dan Ariely. He describes a number of experiments that speak to the power of first impressions and the long-term impact of the initial decisions we make. So the impetus behind one's initial entry into Second Life is very significant, as well as first choices in avatar name, form, etc. Seems like trying to tailor the experience to a person's particular "hot buttons" would make sense, whether through the type of test you mentioned or just a few simple sorting questions about initial interests.botgirlhttp://botgirl.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-77008859715838175222010-05-27T12:32:13.199-04:002010-05-27T12:32:13.199-04:00I think that where the Lab have gone wrong in the...I think that where the Lab have gone wrong in their marketing approach is imagining that SL can be tweaked to appeal to people like Scott Carmichael, without alienating the audience they have at the moment.<br /><br />SL is a niche product, a potentially lucrative niche product, but a niche product nevertheless. People who are into it are into it, people who aren't, aren't. The audience self-selects, and they will put up with a poor first hour, indifferent customer service and all the other nonsense because SL supplies them with something they are looking for.<br /><br />If I were M Linden I would be trying to find out as much as possible about the people who like SL now, and why they like it, so that I could try to make the world more comfortable for them, rather than chasing after the business market, or the academic market, or the gamer market or whatever. Perhaps the fact that the Lab cooperated with that research you posted about on user retention is a sign that they are finally seeing their long-term resident base as a resource to be carefully nurtured, rather than a problem to be dealt with, which seems to have been their approach in the last couple of years.Johnnyhttp://secondlifeshrink.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-39328685144189991052010-05-27T07:18:42.580-04:002010-05-27T07:18:42.580-04:00'they absolutely do NOT need to be branded int...'they absolutely do NOT need to be branded into some random sim based on some crude suggestions." <br /><br />Totally agree. This isn't about isolating or branding - this is about making the new user experience orientation more accessible to different types of people. It's just a way to acknowledge that one size doesn't fit all, and it's just a straw man based on Daniel's theory of Self.<br /><br />And based on the research I posted about yesterday - could be completely the wrong approach. <br />http://phasinggrace.blogspot.com/2010/05/second-life-retention-recipe-chat-more.htmlgracemcdunnoughhttp://phasinggrace.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-90936505242433173692010-05-26T08:47:09.113-04:002010-05-26T08:47:09.113-04:00While newcomers do need to be directed to welcome ...While newcomers do need to be directed to welcome areas and newcomer-friendly sims, they absolutely do NOT need to be branded into some random sim based on some crude suggestions. <br /><br />People choose their homes, their jobs and their lifestyles in the real world. Those who appreciate Second Life have also done the same. Can't really force random people on the street to sign up and stay in Second Life - except in a Dictator-run society.NetAntwerphttp://NetAntwerp.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-23761924988842548862010-05-24T12:31:53.605-04:002010-05-24T12:31:53.605-04:00Well said Grace. I came to Secondlife at a much la...Well said Grace. I came to Secondlife at a much later age than likely 90% of users (65) and with less PC experience than almost all users (first PC, 90 days experience...I had no idea of even basics like copy/paste). I am stubborn though...and muddled through until and oldbie from 2003 made me feel part of. The most common comment I do hear from nooblets is that gamers bit..."What's the goal, how do you play this?". From day one I knew this was something special...I found places of incredible beauty... I found people from all over the world. I have created a community in SL, I feel a "part of" still. I continue to believe that the latest viewer is a mistake... the "gateways" were a shameless attempt to direct people into shopping or role playing. I do know what works exquisitely well with *The New User Experience*... One on one mentoring...and in the words of the Lab, it won't scale. I continue to believe that if Linden Lab wants to grow this world...then have a majority of the employees that make in world experiences come and actually "live" in world.Brenda Allenhttp://twitter.com/brindaallennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-68816380398905982302010-05-24T08:20:39.326-04:002010-05-24T08:20:39.326-04:00Hi Grace... This is one of the most insightful vie...Hi Grace... This is one of the most insightful views of Second Life that I've read. It is beautifully written and the logic is impeccable.<br /><br />Your comments about Scott Carmichael's narrow point of view ring true with my own experience, altho I have met gamers here who have been fully immersed in aspects of SL (sex to be exact... hehe). However, the same gamer I'm thinking about moved forward and become part of the music, dancing and exploring aspects of this second world. He's developed a real presence with great clothes and unique persona. However, I think he is more of the exception.<br /><br />The first hour experience you talk about is so important and I think the Lindens believe that Viewer 2.0 is a key part of this experience. Things like the Destination Guide are helpful too, but I can't help feeling that they are looking for a technological solution where they should be looking into a people solution. There are several inworld groups working on the people issues, but the who thing seems haphazzard to me.<br /><br />Please keep up this great series!<br /><br />Sincerely, YordieYordie Sandshttp://yordiesands.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-4062275493467153622010-05-24T04:06:17.154-04:002010-05-24T04:06:17.154-04:00Really great post. You have a new fan.
The thing ...Really great post. You have a new fan.<br /><br />The thing that struck me most about my SL experience is how little like a 'good' Jane Jacobs city it is. There's little variety in density, little in the way of wayfinding, not much sense of activity - there's no herd to follow.<br /><br />I imagined a world where anything was possible, but all I got was a fairly flat and featureless village. I wanted to build a house and imagined house-building yards where you could build houses and then fly them back to your plot and etc. In reality, it took me over an hour to work out how to even buy a plot of land.<br /><br />Like you say, I'd imagined a story of some kind.<br /><br />The thing Scott Carmichael's got wrong is that, I guess, it would be easy to add in quests and 'stories' if SL wanted to. The Linden Dollars could simply work like real dollars - there's a points mechanism, so they could easily plug this in to objectives.<br /><br />But there already are worlds like that.simonbostocknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-76913312509691074952010-05-23T15:41:40.256-04:002010-05-23T15:41:40.256-04:00All Art has It's canvas, and for some, It'...All Art has It's canvas, and for some, It's hard to paint because they haven't found that canvas.<br /><br />Coming into Second Life, was like finding out I could play an instrument with whatever I heard in my head :)Lap Libertyhttp://aviewtv.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36762068.post-46059317095538312532010-05-23T14:19:57.256-04:002010-05-23T14:19:57.256-04:00Excellent, loving the whole SL culture series.Excellent, loving the whole SL culture series.IYan Writerhttp://iyanwriter.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com