How to find Cheap, Good Stuff in the SL Marketplace…

Ryan Schultz has published a little tutorial on his site, Second Life Steals, Deals, and Freebies: How to Find Free and Inexpensive Items on the SL Marketplace. I think it is a handy tutorial on how the SL Marketplace search features works… I use the word ‘works’ loosely.

The Search

The Search

Using the left-column of filters makes finding stuff a bit easier. But, one has to know to make the search using the top ITEMS – Merchant/Store search setting ‘Search In’, ‘Show Maturity Levels’, and ‘Keywords’ before adding the left-column filters.

The ‘Sort By’ in the mid-upper right of the page just below the ITEMS search is also a big help. The sort can be changed at any time in your searches.

You can also search for a store or merchant. Once you select a merchant/store you have the option to ‘Search this store’. Then follow with left-column filters.

Things in the marketplace do not age out. Also, when merchants stop using Second Life, their stuff remains in the market place. Even if it requires a third-party server to work and that server is taken offline. All of which is a BIG gotcha for new SL users.

So, the sort order can be important search criteria.

Does Second Life have Grunge Clothes?

You may know grunge is a THING in computer modeling. It is easy to make perfect stuff that looks totally new. It takes some talent to age it and give it signs of wear and dirt. Those improving their creative skill seem to eventually try adding grunge to whatever they are creating.

A fascinating display of grungy, dirty, rusting things can be found in Second Life’s game The Wastelands. I’ve been exploring and playing in Wastelands, probably SL’s oldest and longest-running game, at least AFAIK. My problem is I feel overdressed. I more commonly dress for shopping, events, and clubs.

Razor Store 2018

There are numerous other role play games in SL set in the post-apocalyptic eras. However, in most SL role play areas of such eras, the women make high-end call-girls look like nuns.

I don’t have the clothes for a Wastelands look… The players I have seen go for a more probably real look. So, with my 55k inventory, I have nothing to wear… so sad… …and I have a bridge for sale in San Francisco. (Contact me in-world.)

It is true I literally have nothing I think works for Wastelands style… well, with my mesh body. I have made a classic body outfit that suffices. But, I hate it. So, I’ve been on a quest to find clothes I think work and that I like. I’m not going to take on the Walking Dead zombie look. Eck! There are plenty of those playing in Wastelands that favor that look, just not me. Continue reading

Marketplace Beta Search: Better?

I am one that has bitched about ‘search’ in Second Life™ for years. The results have always been a confusing mix of items related and unrelated to the search target/term. Now the Lab is making the new search, Marketplace Beta Search, easier to find and use.

Marketplace Beta Search Link

Marketplace Beta Search Link

In November 2015 Linden Lab posted an article about the Beta Marketplace Search. See: Introducing Marketplace Search Beta. They updated it later the same month. Now they seemed to have moved to broader testing and have placed a link to the new search on the landing/home page of the current Marketplace or I’m just noticing it.  Continue reading

Second Life Viewer Managed Marketplace Update

At this weeks Third Party Developers’ (TPD) UG meeting Brooke Linden provided an update on Viewer Managed Marketplace (VMM).

gentle bride

gentle bride by mmm lisichka, on Flickr

The VMM beta has launched on the main grid. They are limiting access to the beta for now. Also, VMM is currently only in English. In a couple of weeks the localization (multi-language support) will be in place. You can get more information about VMM in the wiki’s VMM FAQ. Additional information is in the Knowledge Base: VMM. And there is technical information on the VMM API here.  Continue reading