give it up (way up) :p

lunarLounge_006, originally uploaded by iliveisl

w00t! as soon as we figure out some dance scripts and public music, we will be set

just another spot to hang out in the iliveisl estate > Energy Hacker Lunar Lounge

and get the KoRn version of Word Up on dizzler

Yo’, pretty ladies around the world
Got a weird thing to show you, so tell all the boys and girls
Tell your brother, your sister and your mamma too
‘Cause we’re about to throw down and you know just what to do

Wave your hands in the air like you don’t care
Glide by the people as they start to look and stare
Do your dance, do your dance, do your dance quick mama
Come on, baby, tell me what’s the word

Word up, everybody say
When you hear the call you’ve got to get it under way
Word up, it’s the code word
No matter where you say it you know that you’ll be heard

Now all you sucker deejays who think you’re fly
There’s got to be a reason and we know the reason why
You try to put on those heirs and you act real cool
But you got to realize that you’re acting like fools

Give us music we can use it, we need to dance
We don’t have the time for psychological romance
No romance, no romance, no romance for me mama
Come on, baby, tell me what’s the word

Word up, everybody say
When you hear the call you’ve got to get it under way, ooh

sl blog trackback test

so they added trackbacks to be visible on the sl blog so we decided to test it with this post.  we had posted a few weeks back on M’s blog about customer service frustrations.  Linden Lab customer support is awesome and fast, but service is not (M even said that the support ticket was the normal channel, but there are no categories for service and requests in the ticket system).   although we followed his suggestion and submitted a ticket tonite since nothing has ensued since

well, all this to say, we are no further along with responses despite the ensuing brouhaha (most excellent word eh?).  in fairness, one request was for information they may not have, or at least my final contact does not have

lol, i guess apathy has finally settled in, or falling through the cracks has beat me down.  i frankly don’t care so much and my evangelism has lost it’s twinkle (but still there and easily rekindled to a blazing fury – i am pretty easy)  :p

so have fun in Second Life and i love it as ever and believe it will be here as the industry standard for a long time

oh, on another note, it’s pretty cool to be able to pull up profiles online:

http://world.secondlife.com/resident/f8f482f8-b6ae-47c4-b063-d1ec73ed4ead

lol, look at how cute in IMVU!

IMVU! =)

flash header for iliveisl site?

well, i’m not sold on it yet, but subQ filmed a sim sweep dolly shot that is like 2 minutes long.  i like the idea, but not sure about the angles, seems like maybe a fly over with several breaks would be better to show off the sims?

en tous cas, it’s up on the site and on blip :)

Coalesced Objects & Two New Sims

Coalesced Objects, originally uploaded by iliveisl

so the sim conversions went very well, sat on one of the sims till SL booted me off. kinda sad, but also the start of a new chapter, when all was said and done, the estate actually grew by 3/4 of a sim (since 4 OS = 1 full)

seems like peeps like it a lot, certainly a lot of prims, but it also means we can plant more trees too

both converted sims have loads of trees (lol, the tropic one might have like 400 when we are done!) o_O

[15:46] pam N: i love the new location
[15:46] pam N: very nice area
[15:46] pam N: u do great work

thank you pam, and everyone else with for your kind words, it’s you that bring the sims to life and transform them into fantastic and beautiful homes. thank you for being here =)

ps – the pic is what is called a coalesced object in your inventory.  it will happen if you select several itesm and take them at one tiime, in which case the object will be called whatever the last (also called the root) prim that was selected was named.  it also happens if several things get returned at one time, like when the sims were taken offline for the conversion

Here’s the new tropic sim

9LotTropicVolcano_002, originally uploaded by iliveisl

since we are paying for so many sims sitting empty, figured why not terraform them and save the raw files.  this is kinda neat with a dormant volcano in the centre as a parcel.

it does not have any trees on it, but the real one will be loaded with palms and ferns and should feel private (plus there is a lot of public space between the lots) :)

4,096 square metres | 1,451 prims | $10,500 L a month ($9,450 if ya pay 4 months in advance)

the price per prim is great, shop around and check it out.  this one should be ready to go on Tuesday or Wednesday (lol, call me speedy)

New Residential Sim Model Open

newResidentialSim, originally uploaded by iliveisl

w00t! the sample sim is up for a few weeks, come check it out! It is better than we expected for the openspace option.

You get 1,451 prims for $10,500 L per month. And if you pay four months at a time, it costs $9,450 L per month.

That is WAY better than $12,500 for 1,006 prims!

slurl | more pics

iliveisl OpenSpace Sim Update

okay, so many of you know about the openspace fiasco at Linden labs. despite what our opinion is, Linden is raising the price of OpenSpace sims. there are 13 of them on the iliveisl estate and they were wonderful for three homes or less. no one on the estate abused the use of these sims, but things change. no need to dwell on that (we were deeply hurt and felt betrayed – can you believe that we still have not received formal notification of this? and you guys know how much we pay Linden)

lol, so much for not getting off on a tangent  :p

Starting January 1st, all openspace sim lots will be $9,500L per month for 1,006 prim properties

Some openspace sims will disappear and be used for conversion to full sims (see previous post)

Starting June 15th, all openspace sim lots will be $12,500L per month for 1,006 prim properties

This means that in June, the cost per prim will be 67% higher than on “full sims”.  Full sims are NOT affected by this. Enerville and Enercity sims will stay the same as they are now (unless some price increase comes from Linden).

you already know that we have very fair prices (lol, read, we don’t break even yet) and we hope you stay with us.  we genuinely want people to have nice places to call home or use for business, so keep up here to see what we come up with (like the previous post)

thanks and remember, we can all make sl what we want it to be.  for some they like the creative side, others the social, and some even love the drama, and it’s all good.  have fun  =D

OpenSpace option looks like a way better option!

okay, so it’s still in the works but we can take a full sim and make 9 pieces that are like 5,184 sm with 1400 prims for $10,500! that sure beats $12,500 for 1006 prims. and that still leaves a buffer zone with your neighbours of 12 metres on all sides. that’s pretty good (nothing will ever be as nice as just three lots on an entire sim though)

so now, we do 1006 prims for $8,500 and in January they go up to $9,500 (then in July to $12,500). so the way we see it is that for 10% more than the Jan cost will be, you get about 40% more prims.

speak up on this and we will have a demo sim open for you to check out very soon (you can see it now at Ener Caldera but it’s under water, just turn on View > Property Lines and hold your breath)

new land prices

yay, well partly yay . . . Linden announced a “softer” approach to the openspace land dealio. instead of raising prices 67% in january, they are going up 25%. but in july, they go up the full 67%

this only affects sims with three homes. so enerville and enercity are staying the same

so that is not as bad right away. in january, iliveisl openspace sim land will go up to $9500. we are keeping our increase below 25% and just want to help people make the transition without losing their homes. so instead of jumping up to $10,000+ L per month, we can do the $9500.

but in july (still 7 months away), they will go up to $12,500L (yikes!) :(

that sure seems like a lot for the land and prims, so we will be working in some alternatives for you to consider. now the three lots to a sim is still really nice, but definately more expensive than now

so maybe doing a full sim into 8 lots (most peeps do 16, but we never do more that 14, unless it’s those cute boutique lots for business start-ups)

so with 8 lots, it would cost a bit less than the $12,500 (maybe like $11,000) BUT instead of 1006 prims, you’d have like 1,600+ prims. it’s still early and we will also be looking at options that are close to $8,000 and 1,000 prims too.

you know that we want people to have a place to call home and be creative, so we always use that as our motivator isl. thanks for speaking up, it helped Linden give us all more time.

have fun! =D

Enercay Midkey

enercayMidkey_021, Originally uploaded by iliveiSL

a second tropical sim is added. within a few hours of going live with it, we started having visitors, not quite sure how anyone finds it so fast?

soon it will connect up with the rest of the estate and allow for lots of water and air travel :)

Boutique Shop Spaces

after a few requests for smaller parcels, we created 4 spots that are about 1,248 square metres, hold 371 prims and go for $2,900L per month (or $692L per week). they are located in Enercity and one has already sold to a really neat, highly-detailed builder.  he specializes in vintage TVs and stereos.  he can even do custom work

lol, he is making a custom retro Ener Cola cooler!  it even makes steam when you open the lid to get a soda!  =D

anyway, the plots are an experiment and if popular, we will make some more.  of course, they are fully bordered by public spaces and made to be easy to reach and use.  

so if you have thought about giving a shop a try, it comes out to like $11 USD a month for a piece of virtual real estate!  see you inworld! :)

oh, for comparison: 1,024 sm of mainland is $8 USD per month and 234 prims (in other words, it would cost $12.68 for this prim count on the mainland compared to our $11.32)

Ener Strait gets a redo for boat docks

enerStrait_001, Originally uploaded by iliveisl

Ener Strait has boat docks and 8,000 square metres of land with 1,006 prims and is only $8,500L per month!

the sim was vacant so we jumped in to see if people would like more space (formerly 4,096 sm lots) and a dedicated boat dock, it’s up now and time will tell if it’s a hit!  =D

Enercay Billboard

we make a big billboard to advertise the new tropical sim!  woot! (then mad chaos insued as we played with the NOOB – a full size model of a newbie.  lol, they were getting dropped, scripted, and run over by a huge rolling PacMan, but that’s another story . . .)

we already have one resident that loves it and he is totally tropical, he did a great job with his new home!  it truly fits into the landscape very well.

but there is still more for us to do, we aren’t content to leave it as it is.  there will be a rope and board bridge and, if we can find one, a sunken plane and boat to explore.  would love some particle bamboo too.  if you know of any, drop us a note, thanks

and remember what iliveisl Sheriff DreamWalker says:
“tan lines, not ban lines!”   =D

enercayBillboard_001

Originally uploaded by iliveiSL

Enercay WestKey

Are you looking for South Pacific tropical beaches for your home?

Each region has only three residential lots to give you space and quality living.

8,000 square meters with 1,006 prims for $8200L per month.  Buy for $300L, pay your first month’s tier and get the secong month free!

Straylight palms and dune grass add to its value. 

And we won’t sell the sim out from under you. We have long term plans published online at http://iliveisl.com and are a group of folks with master’s degrees.  So what?  Well, we understand delayed gratification and that great things take years to create.  Education, like business, is a large part persistence.  Hanging in there knowing that you will succeed. 

You sure can’t succeed by quitting.

An estate in Second Life is no different.  It is not a fly-by-night get rich quick scheme.  You probably have friends whose sims have been sold or just plain disappear.  That is due to no planning or commitment. A lot of people think that Second Life is a magical money maker until they get in it and see that it takes work!  Whether that is in running virtual real estate or opening a club or mall. 

Real work for real results.

This opportunity is no different than any other “real” business.  It takes initial money and a sound business plan with targets and milestones and plans for when those milestones are hit or missed.

It is completely unacceptable to rush in, buy sims, take people’s money and when you don’t make money in six month’s – bail out.  We can’t treat you like that, we can’t be like that to ourselves.

All that to say: we are excited about or offering of wonderful tropical living and hope you enjoy Second Life as much as we do.  :)

enercayWestKey2_023

Originally uploaded by iliveiSL

Tropical Land for Sale!

is that right???  on the iliveisl estate?  yep

lots of peeps love the tropics, it is after all one of the top vacation destinations.  so why not in second life?  so we built our first set of islands.  Straylight trees of course and a south pacific feel (we hope).  it’s important for us to listen and create virtual real estate that adds value to sl and is a nice place to live

Enercay Westkey has three residential lots on it and they are 8,000 square metres each!  they have 1,006 prims and run $8,200L per month.  We plan at least two thers pretty soon just to the east and that is on the development plan.

Enercay Westkey

a first for iliveisl and our virtual real estate: tropical islands!  of course, we only use Straylight trees and plants and are excited about these new larger lots.  they still have 1,006 prims, but are 8,000 square metres.  still only three lots per region and ideal for residential living at $7,900L per month.

hope to see you soon  :)

enercayWestkey_013
Originally uploaded by iliveiSL

really funny, if you are into sl

=D  humor at it’s best about sl!

somewhat slow?

yes i am, and while we try to write this blog as a collective, tonite it’s just ener hax with the pen.  lol, i just discovered that Linden has a Second Life Flickr group.  how tragic is that?  i mean me catching on about that (not like they have banner ads on sl.com talking about it)  :p

and it’s not like i don’t know what flickr is.  between me and subquark, we have almost 1000 pics up there!

needless to say, wonderment came over me as i saw that there are almost a quarter of a million images in the group!  holy smokes!  well, that concludes my humility traing of the nite, i am certain that more opportunities for enlightment are in store for me.  but then . . . without learning new things, what’s the point of breathing?

good nite all *looks forward to all those pics to peruse*

new prices?

so what if prices went up?  well, that is never a good thing.  or is it?  it has been advised to us that our prices are too low.  while that is flattering (about saying we are worth more), it first seems a bit crazy.  we have our formula online and it is designed to make a modest amount of money after a year and a half to two years.  we are not in this to make big money, we really want people to collaborate and be creative and cover our cost.  truth be known, the “profit” margin actually would pay out about a dollar and hour to us.  not a very good wage when you break it down like that.

the very people that suggested raising our prices happen to be current residents and truly creative people. so why would they want to see prices go up?  well, perhaps they value the estate more than we do.  while we love the estate and always offer a prim bonus and have public space, we are also used to putting out more and doing the very best we can in anything we do (irl that is)

maybe what we see as “pretty good” is actually “very good”.  if that is the case, their argument to raise tier fees kinda makes sense.  the feeling is that it will attract a more creative clientele that actually appreciates the convenant.  not that the covenant is much different than any other out there.  many estates limit building heights and do not allow ban lines.  that is not new at all

and we are talking about very modest increases, like $7900L for 4,096 square metres per month to $8500.  when you shop around, it is still a very good and competitive rate.  so like anything else, we throw this idea out there as part of our “transparency” in our business practices

have a thought? post it here, thanks!  :D

Sim Number 12: Enercay Westkey

our first custom ordered sim!  we are so happy to be able to bring on a new sim specifically for one resident.  it was pretty weird to bring it on and sell it within 5 minutes to them!

usually it takes 8+ hours to terraform, divide, landscape, and what not for each sim.  but they wanted that joy and who can blame them?  terraforming is pretty fun  :D

this marks a turn in our business of virtual real estate and shows that the community truly trusts us.  how is that?  well to have someone specifically want to have an entire sim from us is very humbling

all our efforts to add to the community are instantly rewarded with this honour.  to serve others and help provide a safe place to express creativity is our goal, and tonight, it was a goal realised  =)