First, the term "game" is really a misnomer. Don’t make the mistake of logging into SL for the first time and expect anything even remotely resembling a standard MMO or FPS style system. Second Life (SL) is not a game in the standard way of thinking. As a matter of fact, just try calling it a game to some of the old timers or elitists and watch how quickly they go from serene to apoplectic!
SL is more of a platform than a game; a place where the players imagine, invent and create the content. It's an online "virtual world" where people can use highly developed and customizable avatars to socialize, build, create, party, sell and buy stuff, and even make a nice living in real life (seriously, I have several friends who do just that). In Second Life what you create is yours – you hold copyright on it. As for avatars, the sky is the limit. You can be a child, an elf, an 8 foot tall human, a vampire, a goth, a furry, a dragon, a mermaid, a hooker (yep), a machine, a hybrid, a Twi-lik . . . the possibilities are practically endless, including a drow. You can change your shape or change your gender as easily as you change your hair. You can buy (and create) clothes to match your personality (or alter ego) from hats down to shoes.
You can own virtual land and live in virtual houses. You can dance, swim, golf, go hang gliding, boating, skating, exploring, drive a car, fly a plane . . . well, you get the idea. I’m hoping that some coder will come up with a way to do team sports like tennis or football! And if you are looking for combat, there are areas that are set aside just for that purpose and the types of combat are as diverse as any video game – including AD&D (only death simply means you get transported back to your home location). You can walk the deck of the Titanic, sit in the captain's chair on the Enterprise or explore the dark Amazon. All of it created and maintained by fellow players.
You can join groups (not the same thing as a guild) and get notices and free stuff from your favorite stores to IMs about events at your favorite clubs. You can take free classes on things like building and scripting. You can pay to attend college level courses (yes, some colleges and universities have started SL campuses). You can find a niche and start making linden dollars. Be successful enough and you can convert the lindens to real US dollars (this is the exception, not that norm).
While based and developed in the US, Second Life is a multinational game. Last I hear there were more players from Europe as a whole than from the US.
There are too many things to do and see in SL for me to try to describe it. Be aware that there is a good deal of graphic adult content from pole dancers to Gorean lands to BDSM. Mature areas are required to be flagged as such. PG areas are actually more PG13. And, as in any game with more than a few hand picked players, you will find griefers. You will also find scammers out to take your money. Don’t take items from people you don’t know, don’t authorize any item or player to take money from you or give anyone or anything your password. If you come across a griefer or scammer, report them to Linden Labs and to the owner of the land you were on at the time. Retaliation might result in you getting banned.
There are also bugs and glitches to deal with – some actually can be game breaking while in effect. You need a decent computer to handle the real time effects of this platform.
Second Life has two account tiers, basic (free) and premium (monthly payments). You can actually own land with either account (although you are limited in choice with a free one and can’t own an entire sim). However, the main draw for having a premium account is that you start out with 1000L$ in your back account and get a weekly stipend of 300L$. You also get full customer service. You are allowed 1 basic account. Any additional characters you create will be charged a monthly fee. The fee for a premium account is $9.95 US. Paying quarterly or even annually (only $72 US) can reduce the payments. Land usage fees vary by size and depends on whether you purchase Linden owned land or land from a private landowner. Regardless, there are monthly or even weekly fees involved. Purchasing from a private player can be risky though as they can cash in their assets and quit SL, leaving you landless. Always read the land covenants. The woman I purchased my land from is a friend, and she has a promise in the covenants that if she leaves the game she will split any profits from the sell of the land with the owners. I know people who weren’t so lucky.
I have two characters in Second Life, Fionne Burleigh and Siobhan Connell. I’ve been playing SL for just over 2 years now. I run a small Celtic styled shoppe geared for new residents with free to low priced items and offer information and a money tree to help new players get started. I readily admit that I do not know half of what the game is capable of. Fortunately, I know people who do so if someone has a question I can’t answer, I can probably find it given a little time. Hehe.
If you have an avi in SL, feel free IM either of my characters. If you are interested in creating a character, be sure to IM me and visit An Enchanted Life. If I’m online, I’ll be happy to show you the ropes and help you get started. Be sure to look over the website at
[url=http://www.secondlife.com:oqadezxr]Second Life[/url:oqadezxr]. BTW, there is also a teen grid for kids 13 to 17. [/color:oqadezxr]