Second Life Game Developer's Competition 25
Linden Labs, the makers of the virtual world Second Life, is sponsoring a new 2L Game Developer's Competition. The contest invites users to create quests, races, brain teasers, combat games, or anything designed to get Second Life citizens together. First prize is $500 per team member, a year's subscription to 2L, and 8 acres of Second Life land to do with as you please. From the contest page: "Linden Lab will select up to eight teams of 2 to 4 members each to participate in the competition. Each selected team will receive, for a period of up to three months, free temporary accounts for team members, free use of the Second Life development tools, and free use of approximately 3 acres of land in Second Life for the purpose of creating its proposed game and offering it for play by Second Life residents."
Ownership? Copyright? (Score:1)
So, make a game, you get the copyright and ownership but 2ndL gets the financial benefients (save
Re:Ownership? Copyright? (Score:5, Informative)
So, make a game, you get the copyright and ownership but 2ndL gets the financial benefients
What financial benefits? People create games in Second Life all the time, without prizes. The only difference here is that you are giving up some of your rights over you creation (right which, in any other game, you wouldn't have had to begin with). If you don't like the terms of the contest, don't enter.
(save for the prize money you get.)
The prizes also include a total of 16 acres of land in SL, which is not without value. In fact, enterprising users will probably see this as the greater prize.
There's also this part:
They are basically ensuring that it doesn't cost you anything to create your entry.
[I bet some pissed off employee will enjoy your face decorating their dartboard when you win with an idea they should have implemeted themselves]
This is doubtful.
One of the "features" of SecondLife is that the overwhelming majority of the content is user-created. The developers are more interested in creating an environment for them to do so. This contest is an example -- they would rather have the users create the content.
Re:Ownership? Copyright? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Ownership? Copyright? (Score:1)
And no one is interested because: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:And no one is interested because: (Score:2)
Actually, I suspect it's because very few people on Slashdot understand what Second Life is.
Plus as a subscription service 2nd life doesn't seem to offer much in the way of "fun" (in my opinion).
Just to play costs $10, one-time. The monthly price is only if you want to own land, which you don't have to do. I think most people don't.
Also, I would argue that Second Li
Re:And no one is interested because: (Score:2)
Re:And no one is interested because: (Score:2)
There are sandbox areas that you can build anything you want in, but that are erased daily. Additionally, anything you build you can carry off, so if you build a house or a gun or a spaceship in the sandbox, you can put it in your pocket and take it elsewhere.
There may be some limitations, but I've never run into them.
Linux? (Score:2)
Re:Linux? (Score:2, Informative)
Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:4, Interesting)
This thing does sound really cool for people already into Second Life though.
Re:Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:2)
The prize is $500 for each team member, but I think the more important thing is that people are already doing these things in SL for free, on their own time.
Also, the value of the land included in the prize is quite large to someone interested in developing in Second Life. 8 acres ordinarily goes for $125/mo. That's $1500 a year. (
Re:Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:2)
Re:Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:1)
Re:Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:2)
I suppose someone in SL has actually made a p
Re:Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:1)
Re:Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:1)
But... I guess you are too set on seeing the limitations instead of the possibilities. Which is quite opposite
Re:Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:2)
Re:Doesn't seem worth it. (Score:1)
And you realize of course that guided tours is a business idea that people could charge a buck or two for. Of course, from what I've learned already, there is always people willing to guide and help, if you just ask.
Why should look into this... (Score:2, Informative)
Talk about uninformed opinion (Score:5, Informative)
As a Second Life resident since August, I can easily say it's the most fun online experience I've ever had. But, I'm a creative guy. Only creative and imaginative people will really get the most from their Second Life -- others would prefer to let other people create their worlds for them.
The point of this developer competition is to take some of the already talented and creative folk in-game and give them an opportunity to make a career-changing contribution. Second Life is a hobby for folks who love to make their dreams a reality and those folks have gotten pretty darned good at it. It's not "work" it's play. Many people are creating games in SL for fun anyway. Linden Lab contributing a nice fat pot is just a bonus.
Also, some correction to other ill-informed remarks:
Second Life is not a subscription service. Using SL costs just a one time fee of ten bucks for life. If you'd like to own land in the game, you pay a maintenance fee monthly, but it isn't required for maximum enjoyment of the game and not everyone is a landholder.