LOL Places? I am still fixated on my appearance!
Hmm, what is this scripting? If I can use virtual money to turn into real money to then turn into virtual money, there is really no money involved!
Scripting is programming in the "Linden Scripting Language" (LSL), which they claim is a C++ / Java-style programming language (I wouldn't know, because I can't program either of those -- LSL is my first exposure to event-driven programming.) Basically,
everything in SL that
does something when you interact with it, happens because a scripter wrote a program to tell it what to do. Scripts are what make Jewel's dragon follow her around, or make doors open when you click on them, or control the poses / animations that happen when you sit on certain things. The LSL on-line resources are a little bit in flux now, but here's the most comprehensive resource for now:
http://rpgstats.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_PageIt's kind of difficult to write a script that does something that anyone will be willing to pay for. But it is possible -- I've done very well.
Other ways to make L$, depending on your skills:
- building: using the fundamental building blocks of SL to build objects (houses, vehicles, clothing attachments, jewelry)
- texturing: if you're good with Photoshop / GIMP / Paintshop, anything that is built, needs to be textured; the "skin" and non-attached (painted-on) clothing that people make is also done with textures
You can actually get "hired" to do things in SL, but that starts to feel like work, unless you enjoy it. But, there are bouncers, receptionists, administrative assistants, sales people, models, escorts, whatever.
Unskilled methods to make L$:
- "camp chairs": there are places that will pay you to just sit in a chair. Why would they do that? Because you will artificially boost their "traffic" numbers, and increase their visibility in search lists. The typical pay rates are L$2 or L$3 every 10 minutes... Given that the exchange rate is L$260 - 270 per $1 USD, I'm not sure this would pay for the electricity of keeping you computer on while camping.
That being said, in the first month or month and a half, I accumulated several thousand L$ by camping, leaving the computer on overnight, or when going to work, or while I was writing scripts. Then again, I didn't buy much of anything.
You're probably better off just spending a few dollars: $5 USD would get you L$ 1,300, which would otherwise take you 100+ hours of continuous camping...
Oh, and paying members get a weekly stipend. People who joined earlier would get L$500 a week, then a few months ago they dropped it to L$400 a week, and as of November, now down to L$300 a week. It's a bit of a bummer, because if an annual membership is $72 USD a year, the people in the top stipend level were getting paid to play: L$500/week x 52 wks/year = L$ 26,000 / year = $100 USD a year of stipend, for paying an annual membership fee of $72 USD a year. Lucky them!
(You can cash out your L$ for USD, or vice versa, on one of several currency exchanges, that work like the real stock market, including limit buy and sell orders.)
TOO MUCH INFO, lol.
Just enjoy the freebie stuff -- there's enough of it to keep you plenty entertained.