verbosity

Ok, using a bunch of 10 cent words does not make up for the fact that a reviewer obviously didn’t spend any real amount of time in SL.  It just bugs me that people focus on the “negative”aspects without ever truly spending enough time to find the redeeming aspects of the grid.

Somedays . . .

I admit I am an ass about something.  People selling crap is a big issue with me.  So I dropped the guy selling the japanese building for way too much money a note letting him know that if he is going to charge that much, he really needs to not use crap textures.  So he tracks me down in SL.  Here is the conversation that ensued.

[20:12]  Jonny Dusk: Sup there   Andrew MacEwen
[20:13]  Jonny Dusk: Next time you have a problem with someones price of a building no need to go get an alt to do so, be a man say what you have to say and go about your business
[20:14]  Mace Maverick: i haven’t used an alt for anything. you should know what you are talking about before you get in someones grill
[20:14]  Jonny Dusk: happens to be a to scale recreation, its a novelty item, if someone doesn’t want it there’s nothing making them buy it
[20:14]  Jonny Dusk: well you probably need to check this guy then
[20:15]  Jonny Dusk: see he sent me a message on SL Exchange, complaining about pricing, and was brilliant enought to leave a SLUrl to Maverick Designs
[20:15]  Mace Maverick: yeah thats me, that is my name. other wise it wouldn’t be on my profile
[20:15]  Jonny Dusk: and you my friend happen to ironically be complaining about the exact same thing on your WordPress blog
[20:16]  Mace Maverick: i think you are charging too much for crap textures and primmy builds so i said something about it
[20:16]  Jonny Dusk: yeah i know, I’m not new bro, I do mostly poses anyway, i could care less to be perfectly honsest
[20:17]  Jonny Dusk: no adays to many spineless people hide behind the internet, see no isn’t that a lot easier
[20:17]  Jonny Dusk: ok fine sorry ya feel that way, plenty of SL to go around
[20:18]  Jonny Dusk: I been here long enough little phases me, grow up dude, do you, and quit worrying about other people so much, maybe you’ll find a little more solice in that then cowardlyly leaving messages and stuff like that
[20:19]  Jonny Dusk: best of luck to you, now you know your just not quite as slick as you thought you were, reread your TOS by the way, and you have a good one
[20:19]  Jonny Dusk: Dog out ~1!
[20:19]  Mace Maverick: who’s cowardly? you have your wires crossed.
[20:20]  Mace Maverick: you should specify which TOS you mean and frankly you need a dictionary in the worst way.
[20:22]  Mace Maverick: When I see people selling crap i tend to call them on it, i am also an activist for IP rights and copy/trademark protection.  Your insinuation is as insulting as it is unwarranted.  Thanks for taking the time to track me down and provide this enlightening conversation though.  I really appreciate your time and efforts.
[20:22]  Mace Maverick: oh my watch the mute button work.

So I don’t know he thought maybe because I use a different name on SLX that I was hiding from something?  Not certain there.  I do use my own name on the SLX just in case any significant gain ever comes from sales there.  If I put Mace Maverick on my tax forms the IRS might get a bit tetchy.

Not as slick as I thought I was?  I wasn’t trying to be slick.  I had a gripe, I made my gripe and this bone head thinks I was trying to hide behind an alt?  Tell you what champ, why don’t you take the criticism in the light it was meant to be taken and maybe think about not trying to push crap on people for outrageous prices.  Now don’t get me wrong.  If some goombah wants to pay that price there is nothing I can do to stop them and just maybe they should get taken like that.  Maybe I should mind my own business and just accept that there are people out there who charge too much for crap builds.  But then maybe I just want to try and do my part to maintain a level of quality in SL content.  I guess that will show me.

Maybe I will just stop expressing opinions to other content creators.  I mean it does make me look petty right?  So to Jonny Dusk, sorry dude, lower your price.  The rest of your product seems groovy.  To the guy selling WoW based stuff, it’s a bad idea but more power to you.  I look forward to reading about the litigation.  To the fellow selling his product for TWICE the amount listed on the product slides . . . sorry man got nothing positive for you.  Now that I know how easy it is to make DCS2 compatible melee weapons I cannot in good conscience pay 1600L for a cheap ass Norman broad sword that sells for 250L for the SpellFire system which requires a lot more work to script.

Maybe I need a break from SL.  Maybe I just need to take pains to be less critical of other people.

Pricing?

How do some people arrive at their prices?  I mean seriously who thought it was a good idea to sell a crap build for 2k L$?  Worse still, who decided to build a massive post modern monstrosity with a huge number of prims and then sell it for 10k L$?  People must buy the stuff right or else these guys would stop building and selling this crap.  Worse even than that, have you guys seen the ACS 10L line of buildings?  Most of them are 100L.  Yeah I know, what happened to 10L?  They are also about as basic as you can get, built with crap ass textures and zero bells and whistles.

Too!  If you use freebie, non tiling textures you really should not charge 2k L$ for a simple boxy traditional japanese building with WAY too many prims and zero gadgets/features.  There are some awesome buildings out there you can get for free, or better still look for creators like myself who try to balance build quality (prim levels) and use good textures and charge a reasonable amount for the product.

It just really bugs me that people selling junk are able to sell it.

trip out

Ok so a while ago I started selling on the SLX again, despite my general dislike of how they run their show.  I really needed to weigh the dislike against improved sales.  So far I get a lot of traffic, not so much on the sales.  But while perusing the marketplace to see what other things are selling well I keep seeing these massive ultra modern housing nightmares that are selling for 80 or 90 USD.  Do people buy these monstrosities?  I mean hundreds of prims worth of house.  Stock textures or freebie textures.  A few gadgets.  Ok my builds don’t have many gadgets but I am trying to include a few, most notably more use friendly locking doors and some privacy windows. Why I am obsessed with that I do not know. Anyone who wants to see in your pad just has to cam in and getting beyond a locked door it dramatically easy if you have any furniture in your house.

I mean is it a size thing? I can build big although it just happens much of my work is smaller and very budget friendly. I am working on a tower right now (think wizards tower) and so far the base is only 18 prims. I doubt it will be more than 30 total and the whole mess should end up well under 100. So once I have my massive building do I turn around and sell it for a ton of L$? I think I really need to re read my marketing books. I have been trying to provide affordable product to encourage repeat business but it may be time to up the stakes and create some pricey product.

SLX

So despite my general distrust of the organization I have re listed my product on the SLX.  All of my products in all of my vendors are now mod/copy no transfer in the hopes that this will drive up sales.  It was actually a pretty good week with about 2k in sales.  I think as long as I manage to create somewhat unique builds then people will keep coming to the shop.

Re-Opened and in full swing!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Orkney/69/58/22

Maverick Designs is up and running again at full tilt.  I have already had a lot more traffic with buildings and furniture than I had with texture work.  There are several low cost promo items (the 0 to 10L range) and I have a wicked set of free t-shirts in the store for men and women.  Each shirt comes on 3 layers for effectively being tucked or un tucked.

Free Maverick Designs T-Shirt for men

Free Maverick Designs T-Shirt for women

People ask what sort of buildings and furniture I create.  Honestly it runs a pretty wide course.  I really enjoy medieval fantasy settings and things that are dark and gruesome, but I also love Victorian and Steampunk.  I have plans at the moment to produce a line of urban buildings and then move in to some sci fi settings.