Among all the other things I had to do over the weekend that limited questing time I decided to make some time to go and visit some of my friends in SecondLife (SL). Even though I'm playing World of Warcraft, I really haven't quit playing SecondLife entirely. So it was good to pop up the client for SecondLife and log in as Aetius Epsilon, roll down my extensive friends list and off to visit friends and chat and say hello to some others.
Its amazing how much the world on the grid (SecondLife World Map) there has changed, there are literally thousands of Sims now. Some friends are not on as much but all are still there in some capacity and it was just great to catch up with old times and see how we all were doing in real life or in SecondLife. Often you can just check their profile to see what they are up to. We don't have that in WoW a personal profile page, would be nice. I consider my friends there to be great friends as SecondLife is a really social community and environment among all. So was nice to see and chat with lots of friends. Some of my friends now own their own Sim also.
A Sim is your own land bought and paid for from Linden Labs that you can do with as you please or build whatever world you want it to be. It reminds me of when I owned my own Sim "Epsilon" a mythical realm. Epsilon as a Sim is still there. When I left SecondLife on leave pretty much gave my prized possession in SL to my friend to have as her own Sim. Gave to a really great friend I knew, that was a long time friend in SL and to my good trusted friend Paeoti where she made it into a Bikers Sim (Lil Slurgis) and where she now has her Nymphetamine Boutique. She one of SL top clothing designers. I can't say I have friends like that in WoW.
My good friends Chal sanctuary there on her Sim is complete, she worked on it for months. However its nice to know she's now in the wedding business, which was great so she makes money doing it on her land in fantasy enviroment.
That friendship factor always brings me back thinking of WoW. I can't say I have friends like that in WoW, or people that I talk with about my RL or professional life or things I like to do or enjoy. In SecondLife that's apart of having friends. In WoW it a different world yes but its all about guests, leveling, getting epics and jumping in and out of guilds just so some people can get ahead, but yet its still seem empty without great friends in WoW. I have a few friend in WoW yet none like my SecondLife friends. I guess in guilds you can make some friends, but really are they really friends?
I can't say I log into WoW for friends. Mostly log in to progress my character and to level up and do the content. The reason I still play in SecondLife is almost entirely because all the friends I have known for over a year of more and we did thing together in the game or projects we worked on for some goal. I still have a real project someday I would like to do on a new Sim, and will need help of SL friends to accomplish it. Often my friends there send me a message from SL to say hey...We missed you, hows real life going with you? What are you up to? Well I'm playing WoW right now. I guess its some of the social difference of living in 2 Virtual Worlds.
2 comments:
Just for background: I've been in SL for 2 years and WoW for about 14 months.
I know each place is different for different people, but I will say that WoW is NOT "all about guests, leveling, getting epics and jumping in and out of guilds", at least not for everybody. I've been in 2 guilds in all of my WoW life (2 level 70s) and the second one is an offshoot of the first. I've been with about 30 of these people for over a year. We get on Vent and talk RL stuff while running stuff (or in chat). In some ways I know these people better than the SL friends I have.
I was heavily involved in a group in SL and found that most of them had a very strict separation of RL and SL that just doesn't exist with the people I know in WoW. They were very secretive and protective of their RL whereas my WoW guildies (the "core" ones anyway) are very open and willing to share. There are times I'll just log into vent to chat and not even be in WoW. Other times I'll just sit in Shat and chat.
That's not to say that some in SL weren't open. I've become good friends with a couple to the point where we just call each other on the phone.
I know I may be generalizing a bit here, but it's because I think you did the same :)
Both your comment points are true. Everyone experience is different.
While there is only one WoW platform, there are 2 Secondlife platforms: SecondLife teen and Adult SecondLife or normal SecondLife. I played normal one. People below 18 are on the teen grid.
Most the friends i had in SL took time and effort to cultivate in friendship and those i consider core friends. I did have alot of others i hang out with at times roaming around the grid or in RP. But core friends we often talk, not about everything but we were comfortable enough that we could or did if it was no problem. Yes people in SL do guard themselves to some degree, i did too just been a adult. Only so much you say at a time depending on how well you knew someone. All my friends i've known for years there going through stuff with them also.
I really don't use vent as yet in WoW, though i just bough it for my own Guild. Before i only used it a few times with the other friends i leveled with when they had it at the time they did. Was kinda fun, but i often find it distracting while questing mobs to just be listening mostly. When i'm playing WoW its mostly questing, i really don't spend time hanging out in cities or chat unless i'm in AH buying or selling.
So true while you are correct in observation its different to everyone depending on how they are and cultivate their friendships in WoW or in SL.
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