Building in Second Life

Building in Second Life (SL) is what really separates it from other virtual reality web sites. Residents can build anything they can dream up, from end tables for virtual living rooms to entire virtual shopping malls. The only tools you need are your mouse, your keyboard and the Second Life Viewer software. The only limitations are your imagination, your expertise with the contextual menus...and your membership level.

Basic prims

SL uses primitives modeling, also known as Prims. Basic shapes like cubes and balls are used to create more complex shapes. This 3D graphic rendering system is ideal for creating architectural objects, from furniture to office buildings. The construction process is straightforward, and with a few hours of practice you can easily be furnishing your new in-world apartment, cabin or castle.

Sculpted prims

When creating objects with more organic and irregular shapes, building in Second Life involves using a Sculpted Prim (also called Sculpty or Sculptie). These are ideal for creating trees, pets and even hair designs for avatars. Residents can use free in world sculptor tool kits or use real world software and import the images to create SL objects like dragon wings, shoes and kitchen utensils. Once they're created they can be sold in the Second Life marketplace to other citizens who are looking for those products.

A market for your creations

If your vision for building in Second Life involves larger objects, you can always buy individual sculpted prims and assemble them as needed. Buy your wardrobe, accessories and household objects in the marketplace, and spend your time and talents building houses, cars and shops. There's a market for them, too, and they fetch higher prices. Luxury mansions are frequently listed for sale at more than L$20,000 - that's 20,000 Linden dollars. (Linden dollars are the official currency inside of Second Life. There is a currency exchange within Second Life where you can buy as many Linden dollars as you want with real world currency.)

Building your dream

In order to build your dream house, you have to own land. If you have a free membership, you can rent a private island and build your residence on it, or you can use the airspace above it and build your own castle in the sky. With a paid membership, you have the option of buying land on the Mainland or buying your own private island, and you can build your house or a place to do business. Have you always dreamed of having your own restaurant? You can build it here. Or is it your dream to design clothes and own your own boutique...or shopping mall? You can do it all. Building in Second Life can make your dreams come true.

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