Yxes Muses

Sounds like a poorly quoted line from an old movie, I know. But it does express how I’m feeling lately about the latest “feature” the folks at Linden Labs have shared with the residents of Second Life.

I’m referring to the feature called Avatar Rendering Cost, that is found only in the “Release Candidate” version of the SL “viewer” (or client, as the many of us call it). It is not-so-fondly referred to as ARC, and it is (as my Podmafia co-host might say) EVIL ! It is a “rating” system of how many points of ‘rendering energy’ an avatar is creating, caused by what type of hair, skin, clothing, and other “attachments” that avatar may have on.

Without going any further in the technicalities of this ARC feature, I will say, it stinks! And why does it stink, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you, in my very humble, but honest opinion, exactly why it stinks. It discriminates against the beautiful, the stylish, and the creators of that style and beauty. I think this has sent a very bad message to all the residents that have now discovered it, to go after friends, family and neighbors, and point their virtual finger at them, and judge them to be bad avatars if their ARC is too high.

Hence, the title here, dear reader…. Don’t hate me cuz I’m beautiful. I am an avatar with a need to be stylish, fashionable, and in the know as to who is the best designer of “whatever” I need or want in SL. I, along with tons of other stylish and beautiful avatars, feed the economy of SL by spending lots of our Linden dollars on new clothes, hair, shoes, boots, jewelry, and other attachments every week! The designers of same continue to create new and more wonderful fashions and accessories for the proficient consumer, such as myself. It’s a wonderful cycle of supply, demand, and supply some more. Every one was happy with this, and thriving in their own little way, in Second Life.

And now, we have ARC. A seemingly fun tool, at first, but it has quickly become a weapon of those who are less creative or fashionable to seek out the avatars that are “in the red” with ARC numbers of 2500+. I, myself, was victim of such an “episode” a few weeks back when it was pointed out that I rated well over 6000+ ARC points!!!! Like this is bad to look good, professional, and put together?

I did have some fun with this ARC numbers game, though, before I decided that I really don’t like this feature. At one of our live podcast sessions, a few of us were trying to see just how high this ARC number could go. I put on every high prim attachment I had in my inventory, until I ran out of places to put any more. By the time I finished this exercise, I was over 16,000 ARC points, and *I* didn’t crash any sim, or anyone’s viewer!

I don’t think I’ll worry too much about what my ARC number is, nor will I be taking up any sort of hunt to point out to anyone else what their number is. I will continue to support the economy of SL, and contribute to the aesthetics of my environment, to the best of my ability. And, most of all, I plan on having fun doing it all.

End of this “tongue in cheek” rant!

*giggles*

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