Second Life's Region Growth Stalled - among other shitshows to hit the fan

"Well, this is awkward."

- Strawberry Linden, probably

Preaching to the choir, Strawberry.

If you haven't already heard, Linden Lab issued a advisory that they have exhausted all available simulators for deployment as of May 14th, 2020. This is due to a overwhelming demand for private regions that has skyrocketed in recent months as the Coronavirus pandemic has caused what I can only call a Phoenix's rebirth when it comes to Second Life, as residents new and old return to the grid enmasse.

Suffice it to say, Second Life hasn't been faring too well infrastructure-wise in recent months - as the Marketplace has constantly seen intermittent downtime due to being, quite literally - thrashed by heavy traffic, combine this with in-world travel (conventional) being hit or miss, and the influx of new users flocking to Agni for a escape from the world on fire outside our very windows - and we have reached a real shitshow moment.

This proves that these are interesting times for Agni, as the grid faces challenges never faced before as economic futures remain questionable as incomes for residents become uncertain as people become unable to find work, infected or even worse, die from the virus. Add onto the fact that Mainland parcels will probably skyrocket in price (and LIFE Properties will inevitably charge people out the ass for land for the umpteenth time like the shitheads they are) as a result of there being a overwhelming lack of private simulators on offer.

Simulator Shortage - or how residents sucked up their ego and learned to love the mainland (by force)

As stated prior, there are no more simulators available on offer to SL residents at this time - and that will be the case until at least August or September. The reason being that Second Life's simulator infrastructure still is located at Linden Lab's co-location facility in Phoenix. (Co-location being a type of server farm where different companies maintain a presence for their server infrastructure)

There will be a small trickle of simulators as residents are forced to by real life issues or out of just wanting to retire them - into inventory, but these are bound to be first come first serve given the circumstances, and priority could possibly be given to existing simulator owners such as Anshe Chung et al, who would repurpose the land for public use as part of a residential estate, which would ease the demand of private estates to some extent.

There also comes the issue of mainland - right now people probably are scrambling to buy up land in order to either make a run for the rebirth of the land economy or just for a place to call home in this gigantic clusterfuck. I speak from experience as a SL aviator and explorer - there is no shortage of abandoned land, especially on Zindra - which honestly has more abandoned or for sale land than all of the other continents combined. Makes me wonder why the fuck we even have it - but my gripes about the rating system and why minors shouldn't be in SL to any degree shall be saved for another day.

Land Barons - or how I've always wanted to beat the everliving shit out of most of them

If you've driven or flown around the mainland recently in any capacity, you've come across one of two major land baron companies - Life's Good and LIFE Properties. These two are seperate entities as far as I'm aware but fuck me sideways and call me Aelita, are these fuckers (in general) shitheads of highest caliber.

Let me provide an example. I used to live in Arket, a region of Zindra - nice little place with a unpaved linden road that attaches the north and the south road networks adjacent to its' west side. To my South, were LIFE Properties parcels, for sale - half the size of mine (which was IIRC, 1024-2048sqm) - going for 7,000L$+. And to the north, one sim over a whole ass half sim parcel - going for in excess of 1,000 USD.

1,000 United States dollars.

320,000 FUCKING SECOND LIFE LINDEN FUNBUCKS.

FOR A HALF OF A SIMULATOR, WHEN IN LESS TRYING TIMES, I COULD JUST GET A FULL ONE FOR LESS THAN THAT PRICE.

I laughed my ass off and it's a story I keep telling to this day - that some dumb motherfuckers, lost in greed and their ego that is the size of Bellisseria thrice over, thought it was a bright idea to charge a quarter of a million L$ for a half sim, when it would be cheaper to own your own wholeass simulator. It wouldn't be connected to the mainland, yes - but at least when people ask how much you got the land for you won't blush like Nodoka Miyazaki naked in public!

If you come across this post, do yourself a favor and don't humor the land barons unless people have had a genuine - good reputation with them. I haven't worked with any, and honestly I hope I never have to. If anything, I've heard the Chungs are the lesser of all evils. Otherwise, there are private rentals available on mainland if you want one - you just need to look around. I know New Horizons in Satori has spaces open for small apartments and the sort if you're looking for something like that, and my old place at Seedy Street in Moni Targa on Zindra's southwest coast is up for rent along with a bunch of other places there if you're looking for something more adult. Word to the wise, however - my old landlord Elron isn't very active, so It'd be best to send an IM saying you're interested in renting a house there before putting down money.

And for the love of god, Stay far the fuck away from LIFE Properties. The day they buy the farm is the day I dance in glee.

What is to come - or Shit is up in the air, don't ask me

Suffice it to say I'm not well versed in Second Life's economics enough to say how well things will be right now. People are losing their jobs and some jobs, especially in the public sector - are at risk. Even with me having a essential worker in my household, I don't know how stable her job is, as her employer's check bounced at one point and they had filed for Payroll Protection. 

Thousands of other residents of Agni across our physical world are in similar boats, if not worse. Landmarks like Mieto Airfield, Sailor's Cove East, among many others, have been lost due to this pandemic, with Second Norway getting by, by the skin of their teeth. Suffice it to say, we're in the best and worst of times at the same time.

It wouldn't be the first time the residents of Agni had to deal with contradictions.