Auction Flight

Like a lot of people in Second Life, I'd guess, I have a Grand Plan for developing a full sim. Quite frankly, if I were richer than I am, I'd probably have no trouble coming up with several Grand Plans. But since I'd have to sell off most of the hypothetical sim---both to recover as much of the price of it as possible, and to avoid tier---I'm concentrating on the one Grand Plan. The one about making the land as attractive to buyers as possible. (Yes, yes, that's hardly a new idea!)

Being practical, I'd decided that an interior Mainland sim would be best, since it would mean the least possible initial outlay. And in the event I couldn't sell off all the parcels I want to during the first month, my tier payment for that month would be less than if I'd splurged on an Island.

But those coastal sims truly are seductive.

It's difficult to understand how sitting in front of a computer monitor, watching a little avatar sitting in front of 'waves' breaking on the 'beach', can be so soothing and compelling. But such is the case.

Still: it would be more practical to go for the interior.

Friday night I watched six or eight full-sim auctions. Naturally, I teleported to the first one's sim (or to one nearby---several people were doing the same thing, and teleporting was dicey). Like the others, I suppose, I flew over, and walked, each one.

The continent the Lindens are selling off currently has a Western end that minimizes interior sims. (Long and thin--possibly the entire continent is like that. Some of it was just gray squares, Friday.) Maybe that's the plan for future continents, too: it's smart, because as potential buyers get used to the idea that lots of brand-new land will be being offered, the less-desirable sims become even MORE undesirable. After all, many must be thinking, why not just wait a few weeks and get a really nice waterfront property?

And in fact, unless I was misreading the auction action, two interior sims didn't attract any bids at all.

I can't help wondering if eventually there will be differing levels of minimum bids, with a smaller minimum for the all-interior, no water-feature sims. Since the company's goal is to get as many Second Life users to own land as possible, with profits coming from the tier payments, that would make sense.

Anyway, Friday night I was enjoying the process. I suppose if I watch enough auctions it will become dull, but for now the interplay between the characteristics of the land, and the way people bid on that land, was quite entertaining.

I tended to avoid the others flying around. I assumed they were there to take care of business quickly and expeditiously, and wouldn't be in the mood for chat...and of course, who knows how many of them were English-speakers, anyway?

Well, I need to continue to educate myself about this process---to watch as many auctions as I can.

If I do end up buying a Mainland sim, the ideal time would be just after my account is billed for the land I have now. I'll be liable for the full $195 tier no matter when in the month I buy, so of course I should give myself as many days as possible to develop the land according to my Grand Plan, and sell it off---and hope to have a smaller tier payment for the following month.

(Yes, I am Captain Obvious!)

And, of course, I'll leave myself enough land to do some of the building projects I'm excited about.