This blog post is to assist new users to get started quickly with the creation of a new “avatar” in Second Life, a virtual world in which an avatar represents the user as they experience locations in 3D. To make the initial avatar creation experience helpful and to install a “virtual world viewer” that will also work with the open source “OpenSimulator” (aka “OpenSim”) platform, it is suggested that the “Firestorm” viewer is used.
0. System Requirements
Second Life can be used on Windows, MacOS and Linux. It needs a desktop or laptop machine and is not (yet) suitable for use on a tablet or mobile phone (though simplified access interfaces do exist for such mobile platforms). A decent graphics card makes the experience and frame rate that can be achieved much better, but even low end graphics cards do work and the system will try to set your graphics levels appropriate to your system (in terms of view distance and graphics quality).
1. Create an Avatar
https://www.firestormviewer.org/join-secondlife/
The Firestorm Viewer Second Life join up link makes for a simpler and easier to understand initial avatar creation process. The Second Life join up process delays initial avatar creation until after first login and may not suit everyone. (see this blog post).
Choose an avatar appearance you are happy with for the first login. Don’t worry too much about your initial appearance, the avatar itself and its clothing can be changed inside Second Life after login.
2. Download and Install the Firestorm Viewer
Download the OpenSim (also supports Second Life) version https://www.firestormviewer.org/os-operating-system/
Firestorm is a properly authorised “third party viewer” and is the most popular viewer used to access Second Life. There are two versions, one that only works for Second Life and another that works for BOTH OpenSim and Second Life. The web site encourages you to use the Second Life only version if you are not accessing OpenSim, but that is only because a commercial physics library (Havok) is included with the Second Life version, and cannot be included in the version that works with the open source OpenSim. This is only relevant if you wish to upload “mesh” content and rigged mesh avatars, in which case the Havok Second Life only version is recommended for Second Life. However, if this arises later for you, the “official” Linden Lab Second Life viewer can also be installed and works fine even installed alongside the Firestorm viewer.
3. Initial Virtual World Login and Avatar Appearance
Now log in to Second Life with your avatar and follow the initial new user start up trail to get used to the controls.
4. Visit a Virtual World Region
When you feel ready you can go to other locations. Look at the map (accessible by one of the viewer buttons, hover over them to get tool tips) and type in a name of a region if you know where you wish to visit from information on the web. Or you can also type the destination region name in the top address bar in the viewer.
SLurls are used to give map locations in a web browser which can be clicked on, or cut and pasted into text chat or the viewer top address bar… e.g. a beach and surfing location via:
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Treeowatoor/227/59/22
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Treeowatoor/227/59/22″>
More ideas for an initial sightseeing trip at:
https://blog.inf.ed.ac.uk/atate/2021/09/14/interesting-locations-on-bellisseria/
5. Going Further
There are many facilities in Second Life, but find your feet and make sure you can do basic movement, use the camera separate to movement of the avatar, sit down, text chat to others, add a friend, and try to connect a headset for voice before you go further.
6. Update: April 2022 – Second Life University
Announcing Second Life University – Blog Post 7-Apr-2022 – a project that aims to teach people all about the vast virtual world of Second Life!
Topics Covered in this Video:
- 0:00 – INTRO: A brief introduction to Second Life University and what to expect in the future.
- 2:04 – GUIDEBOOK: A quick overview of the new Guidebook and how to remove it from your screen once you are done with it.
- 2:58 – TOOLBAR: Some details about the toolbar buttons, how to position them, remove them, and also bring them back.
- 5:39 – TEXT CHAT: https://community.secondlife.com/knowledgebase/english/text-chat-and-instant-messages-r70
- 8:06 – VOICE CHAT: https://community.secondlife.com/knowledgebase/english/using-voice-chat-r77
- 10:52 – HELP MENU: Get assistance from our Support Team or information from our Knowledge Base. Learn how how to file Abuse Reports and speak to Boxy 5000 and get answers to some of your questions. https://support.secondlife.com
- 14:01 – PROFILE: a quick overview on how to update your profile, add an image and text to let other Residents know more about you, all by clicking the gear button in the profile menu.
- 14:56 – DESTINATIONS: Explore Second Life by using the Destinations tab in the viewer. Learn how to get your Destinations listed. https://community.secondlife.com/knowledgebase/english/about-the-second-life-destination-guide-r22
- 19:30 – LAG TIPS: Try derendering avatars and reducing your graphic settings, especially your draw distance, to assist with lag and FPS issues.
- 23:19 – EEP: Control the lighting and environment by playing with your Environment settings under the World menu. https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Environmental_Enhancement_Project
- 24:06 – SNAPSHOTS & 360 SNAPSHOTS: Click the snapshot and 360 snapshot buttons to take images of your surroundings in Second Life. Learn more about 360° snapshots: https://second.life/360
- 30:03 – SEARCH: Use the search feature to look for Events, Places, and People in Second Life. https://community.secondlife.com/knowledgebase/english/search-faq-r1030
Second Life University PlayList: https://second.life/university
Ai Austin Blog 