Over and over we hear people, from noobs to journalists, saying how second life is hard to start. It is hard to learn the interface, it is hard to get your way around, we don't know what to do, learning curve is steep… Large percent of those 8 million registered users never come back because they cannot handle the "game" and they lose the interest. I understand that if one doesn't learn the basics during the first session probability of coming back is terribly low. But, is it really that hard?
I was never much of a gamer. I like computer games, but, not counting adventures and Elite-like stuff, I was never good with them. If I get my courage to try a first-person-shooter I set options to easiest and get fraged in the first minute. What kept me trying was the feel of the space and moving around enjoying the scenery, just if all those nasty guys would go away and leave me minding my own business. Yes, now you know why I like second life.
When I rezzed for the first time I did through some trouble. Yes, the "I cannot put my pants on" trouble. But, I did my walk through Orientation Island, talked to the parrot and all that stuff. Very soon, I found my way around, despite the fact that I haven't landed on an infohub like most of the other residents. I did felt all alone and a bit of lost, but I noticed the search button. Not hard thing to do I guess. It is blue and always on the screen. So, I really don't understand when somebody says:
I would like to be able to choose where to go, ie, what kind of environment.
Sure that we don't know everything out of the box. We all learn things as we go (it took me months to learn how to change the title of the group, less then I needed to start building) but basic things are pretty visible. And very soon after the rezzing one gets some useful landmarks like New Citizens Plaza. So, if somebody care to tell me how come that noobs cannot find the search button and how's that so many new people are so confused with the new world?
One thing that comes to the mind is that we all got used to do things quickly. We don't read anymore, we scan through the text. If TV show doesn't amuse us in the first minute we change the channel. But, have we got so spoiled to expect that something new as virtual world (and it is something fairly new to the people who cannot find the search button on the screen) doesn't require a bit of learning?
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