This evening, at around 8:00 PM (Italian Time), a Zoom meeting will take place with the leadership of Linden Lab, during which some representatives of the Blogger Network will have the opportunity to directly engage with the company. The main goal of this meeting is to demonstrate Linden Lab’s willingness to listen to its community. Participating bloggers will be able to share their opinions, suggest improvements, or ask questions about the future roadmap.
To prepare for this event, I decided to gather testimonies and opinions from my circle of friends on Facebook, focusing particularly on the Italian community. I believe that while other nationalities are already well-represented and influential on Second Life, it is important to give a voice also to Italian users. Additionally, I published an article on my blog inviting readers to share their ideas about desired improvements for the platform. Below is a summary of the main points that emerged from this survey.
1. Native Viewer for Apple
Many users emphasized the need for a native viewer for Apple devices with ARM64 architecture. Since Apple abandoned Intel processors about four years ago, modern Mac users are forced to use the viewer through Rosetta 2 emulation, which results in performance limitations. Linden Lab has not yet released an official version of the viewer optimized for Apple Silicon, although they have acknowledged and “tracked” the issue. Experimental third-party projects are working on native builds, but these are not official solutions.
2. RLV Implementation
Another recurring request concerns the implementation of the RLV (Restrained Love Viewer) system, considered particularly useful for script developers and certain interactive experiences within the platform. It is important to note that Linden Lab has not integrated RLV into Second Life’s official viewer. However, this functionality is available in third-party viewers such as Firestorm (where it is implemented as RLVa) and Kokua, offering users advanced options for script-based interactions.
3. Optimization for Less Powerful Computers
Many users highlighted the need to make Second Life accessible even to those with less powerful computers. Not everyone can afford high-performance devices, and it would be desirable for the platform to be usable even with more modest hardware.
4. Lag and Performance
A problem closely tied to hardware requirements is lag, which many users find extremely frustrating. Specifically, there are complaints about significant delays in loading high-resolution photos, along with general dissatisfaction regarding the prices charged for high-quality images.
5. Advertising and New Users
Several community members suggested that Linden Lab invest more in advertising—even paid advertising—to promote Second Life and attract new users. Currently, the platform seems to have a user base predominantly composed of older or “differently young” individuals. Greater visibility could help rejuvenate and expand the community.
6. Support for Object Editing
With the introduction of new texture parameters in the object editor, some less experienced or older users reported difficulties using these new features. It would be helpful to implement an interactive system providing immediate explanations: for example, hovering over a specific parameter could display an icon linking to a guide or tutorial.
7. Avatar Theft Management
A major concern relates to avatar thefts. A member of the Italian community recounted having their avatar stolen, resulting in their associated credit card being drained and losing inventory valued at thousands of euros. Despite submitting five tickets to Linden Lab—one of which included a formal report filed with law enforcement—no response was received after 25 days. Meanwhile, the thief used the stolen avatar to sell Linden Dollars at discounted prices and even accessed the victim’s virtual home. This incident highlights the urgent need for an emergency procedure for recovering stolen avatars and more effective handling of related tickets.
8. Speculation on Virtual Land
Finally, some users reported alleged speculation in the virtual land market. There are claims that plots are purchased at discounted prices directly from Linden Lab and then resold at competitive rates, creating situations perceived as unfair competition. However, lacking direct information about these dynamics, I cannot confirm or deny these allegations.
These were the main themes that emerged from the collected testimonies. I hope that this meeting with Linden Lab will provide a concrete opportunity to address these issues and improve user experience on Second Life.that this meeting with Linden Lab will provide a concrete opportunity to address these issues and improve user experience on Second Life.
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