Summary creators roundtable with LL – By Salt Peppermint.

Salt Peppermint (aka Salt Perry apparently) is the owner of the Salt & Pepper clothing brand.

The below document was shared a little earlier today(approximately 9am SLT). It’s a summary of a Merchant/Creators Zoom call with Linden Lab that happened on Monday 16th, I was not present. The accompanying message when first dropped said it could be shared. I’ve made no changes. It’s as it was at the time of being shared.

—Document Start—

1. Marketplace Challenges and Improvements

• Delivery Issues:
  • Significant delays in item delivery have been reported, especially during high-traffic times (e.g., holidays).
  • These delays often result in duplicate purchases, leading to customer frustration. Creators have to handle customer support, reducing trust in the system.
• Search and User Interface (UI):
  • The implementation of ElasticSearch caused issues with item discoverability, requiring creators to adapt keywords and descriptions to maintain visibility.
  • Visual changes to the Marketplace layout, such as repositioning related items, negatively affected usability and sales.
• Feature Requests:
  • Bulk upload options for demos and related items.
  • A better redelivery system that prevents duplicate purchases automatically, similar to the CasperVend system.
  • Improvements to mobile responsiveness, which is currently under development but remains incomplete.
• Resource Allocation for the Marketplace:
  • Linden Lab explained that the Marketplace is maintained by a small team and does not always receive consistent engineering support.
  • Creators suggested redistributing resources from less critical areas to prioritize fixing Marketplace issues.

2. Documentation, Tools, and Education

• PBR (Physically Based Rendering):
  • PBR was a highly anticipated update, but its introduction revealed gaps in creator understanding due to inadequate documentation and tutorials.
  • Second Life’s unique implementation of PBR deviates from standard workflows, adding complexity for creators.
• Lack of Centralized Resources:
  • Creators emphasized the need for a centralized hub of reliable information, such as a “Creator Corner,” hosting:
    • Tutorials on new features like PBR.
    • Best practices for creating optimized content.
    • Guidance on minimizing lag and improving performance.
  • Miscommunication and misinformation within the creator community exacerbate confusion.
• Community Collaboration:
  • Creators proposed partnering with Linden Lab to co-produce tutorial videos and guides.
  • They suggested engaging prominent community figures (bloggers, experienced creators) to develop and distribute accurate content.
  • Linden Lab indicated a willingness to collaborate and explore these partnerships, including leveraging contractors.

3. Communication and Feedback Loops

• Customer Support:
  • Merchants expressed frustration over the lack of direct communication channels for high-priority issues.
  • Response times for support tickets can take up to 11 days, which is considered too long for merchants.
• Bug Prioritization:
  • Creators called for better prioritization of bugs affecting critical systems like the viewer and Marketplace.
  • There’s a need for clearer workflows to help creators identify whether issues are caused by bugs or user error.
• Engaging Experienced Creators:
  • A tiered communication system was suggested, where experienced, high-earning creators could have direct contact with Linden Lab for urgent matters.
  • This would also allow for feedback on critical updates and enable creators to serve as intermediaries for their communities.

4. Broader Platform Goals and Marketing

• Economic Overview:
  • Linden Lab highlighted that Second Life creators have earned $1.4 billion collectively, which exceeds the revenue shared with creators by platforms like Roblox.
  • This statistic underscores the platform’s commitment to supporting its creator economy, despite limitations in resources.
• Marketing Plans:
  • Linden Lab is preparing to launch new marketing initiatives in 2024 to attract new and returning users.
  • Creators were invited to contribute ideas, such as leveraging customer lists or campaigns to revive interest in Second Life.
• Accessibility and Retention:
  • The platform needs to become more accessible to new users, addressing barriers like technical complexity and outdated hardware requirements.
  • Simplifying the onboarding process for both users and new creators was identified as a priority.

5. Acknowledgments and Shared Goals

• Platform Challenges:
  • Linden Lab acknowledged Second Life’s challenges as a longstanding platform with aging systems. For example, Marketplace and chat functionalities were built before modern equivalents existed (e.g., Discord).
  • The company admitted resource constraints and sought input from creators on prioritizing fixes and features.
• Collaboration Focus:
  • Both parties emphasized a shared goal: improving Second Life for the benefit of creators, users, and Linden Lab.
  • Linden Lab expressed gratitude for creators’ contributions, stating that the platform’s success is intertwined with their efforts.

This meeting represented an important step toward addressing long-standing issues and improving transparency. It highlighted the need for collaboration between Linden Lab and the creator community to ensure Second Life remains a thriving virtual world. Generally it sparked more hope in creators, more motivation and an overall positive mindset.

—Document End—

I found it an interesting read.

Original Google Docs file which may contain changes made since publishing this post beyond my control.

If you’re a Merchant and not in the “Creators Supporting Creators” Discord server (where the invites were sent), you can apply here.