Second Life Software

The Second Life software, along with the thousands of servers in the Linden Lab server farms in California and Texas are what create the entire Second Life virtual world. Each server hosts a 256 x 256 meter region, or sim, and each region can be subdivided into parcels as small as about 23 meters square. Each parcel is home to avatars and buildings and other resident creations, each of which is also run by software.

Software and hardware limitations

Each parcel of virtual real estate has a limitation on the number of prims (also known as ‘primitives’, which are the basic 3D building unit for objects in SL) because of the inherent limitations of the SL software and hardware. The number of prims a given parcel can handle determines how many avatars (and their costumes), trees, buildings, vehicles and other objects can exist and interact at one time.

Software overloads

When too many prims are crowding a parcel, users will experience lag. Their avatars may stop moving or trees and tables might start disappearing from view. This can happen during time when Second Life is experiencing heavy usage, like during weekends when people are off work and have time to play in their Second Life roles. It’s like a traffic jam in real life when too many people are on the same road at the same time. But with Second Life software, the solution may be as simple as removing some of the objects from your virtual environment in order to free up some software resources. For example, if your avatar is wearing an elaborate hairstyle or costume, you can try toning it down to the bare basics.

Linden Scripting Language

LSL, or Linden Scripting Language is the Second Life software that makes inworld objects come alive. Avatars can walk, sit, fly, pick up a virtual book or dance in a virtual nightclub because it can be scripted to perform those actions. LSL also controls HUDs (short for ‘heads up display’), which are control panels that manage specialized scripts, and are not visible to other residents. They can be used to direct avatars to perform custom actions like cast magic spells, roller skate or take a walk while holding hands with another avatar. Because Linden Lab has created Second Life on an open source software platform, anyone with programming skills can create scripts. And if you are interested in starting your own inworld business, there is a growing market for them on the Second Life marketplace.

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