Practicum 5

So last week I provided an update on the activities you can do on Second Life as well as the experiences I have had with the activities. Now I would like to focus on the group and individual interaction I have had so far and how that has helped me understand the game. I mentioned in previous post that I have met a few people and although I would not consider us friends I would consider them acquaintances.  A few of the people I have gotten to know are from out east and joined Second Life a view years ago in hopes of meeting new people and to give them something to do. One issue I came a crossed when meeting people is that I have received a lot of emails from people inviting me to join groups. The problem is that the group is either in Spanish or gibberish and I can't understand them. The way you get invited to groups is either through meeting someone who is already in that group or else going to the actual group (such as the Ohana Rock Club, which I am a part of) and getting invited there. Usually at each club there is some sort of administrator who monitors everyone and makes sure everyone is following the guidelines established. Another interesting aspect I have utilized in Second Life is the teleport feature which is helpful when trying to meet up with either a group or people or an individual. Usually when you want to meet up with a specific group you will just go to the club they are associated with or you can have planned meetings in specific locations. But in terms of just meeting up with a group of friends you have the ability to see where your friends are then are presented with the option to teleport to their location. It is clear to me that a lot of users on Second Life have found the clique of friends and activities they enjoy doing. In my personal experience, although I have only met a handful of people I have participated in a long of group conversations and tried to fit in. A problem I experienced earlier was being a newcomer to a group and trying to keep up and gain an understanding of what was going on with the conversation. Now that I have been playing for a while it has become easier for me to contribute to a group conversation due to the fact that I have gained a familiarity with the people in the groups.  I have noticed through playing the game that everyone is very friendly and it is easy to approach someone and just start a conversation. Although it may not lead to a friendship, people on Second Life are still friendly and easy to talk to.