Living in a Very Minor Virtual Space. (1) Who is Second Life? (Updated and edited May 22, 2026)
No, I want to make it major from now on! So, with that said
Are you familiar with the game (?) called Second Life? Those who know it might think, "Oh, that thing that shut down!"
When people say metaverse, the image is that VRC is the hegemon, but this one, while having a smaller population, has a high degree of freedom where housing and avatar customization are mostly completed within the game, giving it the image of a metaverse for living.
It might strike a chord with people who have thought, "I wish I could play The Sims 4 in co-op."
I'm bad at explaining, so let me have ChatGPT explain it further.
Second Life is a user-driven 3D virtual space launched by the US company Linden Lab in 2003. Players create avatars as "Residents" to interact with other users, buy and sell land and items, and create their own content.
🌍 Key Features of Second Life User-driven world building: You can freely explore the virtual world using an avatar, and create and sell buildings and items.
Economic activity: Using a virtual currency called "Linden Dollars (L$)", you can buy and sell land and items, and even exchange them for real-world currency.
Diverse activities: Various activities take place, including live events, education, art exhibitions, games, and business.
Age restrictions: It is generally for ages 16 and up, but those aged 13-15 can use it in dedicated areas provided by educational institutions.
This has continued to be updated and is still quietly going on today. (I only vaguely knew it existed until I started it myself.)
※ Avatars are actually pretty good! (I thought there were only those pixelated, stereotypical Western faces.) Besides these, there are beastmen, fuzzballs, bacon, and really all sorts of things.
Going back three years to May 2022, I stepped into this Second Life after being invited by a friend. Since the foundation is old, there are many inconvenient points, but the degree of freedom is amazing!
And it's easy! It's fun!
Interested in the metaverse, but...
・I can't use VR equipment, so I can't fully enjoy it!
・I get motion sickness!
・I prefer a third-person perspective!
・I can't reconcile with Unity!
・I don't want to use voice chat, but I want to communicate! etc.
I would like to write down the merits and demerits of Second Life (I will refer to it as SL from here on because it's long)
based on my own experience.
1. Merits and advantages of SL
・Since it assumes no VR support, you can enjoy it fully even without equipment
Because it doesn't use VR, the initial cost for equipment and the required specs are low! Thank goodness! Also, sit-able objects like furniture often have various animations built-in, so you can enjoy them without having to prepare emotes yourself.
・Abundant housing and avatar items
Since it has been going on for 22 years, the volume of items is already amazing. When you search for clothes by body (think of it as size) on an SL sales site, you might be confused by getting 10,000 hits. Housing items are the same; if you search for something niche thinking it probably doesn't exist, you'll surprisingly find it.
・Customization can basically be completed within SL
In terms of avatars, adjusting body and face parameters, choosing hairstyles, and so on. In terms of housing, choosing buildings, placing furniture, deleting, fine-tuning, and remodeling. Everything is completed within SL, except for creating from scratch by uploading. You don't need Unity. The number of avatars you can save is almost infinite even without paying, and you can change clothes at any time you like. It's easy!
・You can enjoy shopping within the world
In SL, you can possess a virtual currency called L$ through systems like billing, interactions between people, and login bonuses. You can enjoy trying on items and shopping not only at SL sales websites but also by visiting stores located within the world. Clicking on a website is convenient, but browsing these virtual stores is truly fun!
・There are also many items for male avatars
Due to the sheer volume of items, you can choose from quite a lot of men's clothing, which is often hard to find in other worlds. People who want to dress up their male avatars will be happy about this.
Other benefits
・L$ can be exchanged for cash (I think this is for creators)
・The official platform permits adult content by separating it into specific zones
(I think adult content is a major element, but since some people might not be comfortable with it, I will probably write about it in a separate article later)
These are the benefits that come to mind immediately.
2. Disadvantages and inconveniences of SL
・Poor operability until you get used to it
It accepts gamepad controls, but the settings are troublesome, and I think mouse operation is necessary. (I'm sorry if I'm wrong due to my lack of knowledge.) Anyway, it's easier to get used to keyboard and mouse controls, but it's really inconvenient until you do!
・Information is scarce and outdated.
Especially when you try to create something in Blender, you run into this when you don't understand something about the upload process on the SL side. Also, even when you first start building an avatar, there are so many parts that it's hard to find information on which ones to choose.
・Skewed Japanese user base
First of all, the population is small! Proceeding with that in mind, since credit card registration is required for billing, there are basically no children. I thought the age group would be mature, but I feel like users with very unique values stand out. Of course, there are people who value dialogue and have fun, and if you say that interpersonal troubles happen in reality, virtual worlds, and games, then that's true! I think you can enjoy it at your own pace if you start with friends or people you get along with.
・Object menus are basically in English
It originated in America and is accessed from all over the world, so it can't be helped, but it took me a while to get used to this.
Other disadvantages
・I think it's really not suitable for people who need tasks or specified goals.
・Items that sway, like hair and skirts, are not currently mainstream (they interfere with the body, etc.)
・When billing, it is affected by things like the weak yen
So, I've listed the pros and cons, what do you think?
By the way, I like building avatars, so in SL, I make my own makeup,
and lately, I've been having fun making furniture in Blender.
For those who are interested... a friend of mine has created an excellent summary site (I'm truly grateful!), so please check this out as well!
Also, it is important to note that SL has a code of conduct known as the Big 6 (or Big 8). To ensure everyone has a pleasant experience, please take a look at this if you decide to start SL!
✅ Second Life Community Standards (Big Six)
Intolerance
Slanderous or derogatory remarks based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc., are strictly prohibited.
Harassment
This includes intimidating, threatening, or offensive behavior, as well as unwelcome sexual advances or requests.
Assault
Attacking others in safe zones or using scripts that interfere with other users' experiences is prohibited.
Disclosure
Sharing another user's personal information (gender, religion, age, marital status, place of origin, sexual orientation, etc.) without permission is considered an invasion of privacy.
Adult Regions, Groups, and Listings
Adult content is only permitted in designated areas such as 'Zindra' and requires appropriate maturity settings.
Disturbing the Peace
Repeatedly sending annoying advertisements, continuous use of sound, or disrupting events and other users' experiences is prohibited.
That was a long introduction to SL!