Just like the real world, status symbols are popular in Second Life, but in the virtual world they are so much more attainable. Any three week old muppet can shed the bling and scamper about the grid with a stack of Lindens and purchase their way into being a desirable object. The real indicator of SL status however is one that only you can see, I'm talking about the friends list. Tucked away in the button carrying the innocuous name of Communicate is your rung on the ladder. As they say, it's not who you are, but who you know. Whether you got that SLebrity clothing designer through manipulation, persuasion or by actually being the sparkly shining light of their lives doesn't matter. What does matter is they are on the list.
Try to look at it like pokemon (I find many things look better if you look at them in this way but that's beside the point) or any other addiction starting trading card game. It's not what it looks like but what it does. Mew looked like a melted jellybaby but still opened up a whole chapter on pwnage when.. But I digress.
My point is that often in the Calling Card Trading Game™ you'll find that it's QUALITY, not quantity. You may have 324 names on your list but if Bertie McGertison has only one friend going by the name of Starley Thereian, then it's game over love. But please don't pass over the little people. You'll be pleasantly surprised if Mikey69 Cumalot who you met in the free sex s.. Maitreya, turns out to be the hottest cock merchant since Stroker himself.
So how does your list measure up? Well rather that write up the 'Who's Who?' of Second Life, Rosie went with the easy option and created this feindish little quiz for y'all to enjoy/hate/bicker over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just what kind of friend are you? Are people beating down doors to get you on their list? Just how far does your scope spread across the grid? Do you have the friend's list to die for?
Take our short quiz and find out!
- You know what they say... it's not what you know, it's WHO you know. And more importantly, how many of the who's you know. Give yourself 1 point for each "friend" on your friend's list. Do not include people you consider contacts only. Give yourself 1 extra point if you appear in their profile picks. When *who* you know has more personalities than a soap opera diva, this can detract from the brilliance of your list. Take 1 point away for every alt on your list. (any names other than the main account for this person).
- There are a few ungettable-gets you won't find on most lists. We aren't certain of all the reasons why someone might not commit to the trading of friendship markers. Elusive? Shy? Eccentric?Give yourself 10 points each if you have either of the following people on your list:
Anshe Chung
Philip Linden - There are alot of reasons why people become friends. Some people you've known forever... back when they loitered in sand boxes, wore default hair, or twirled their non-flexi titty tassels while grinding on a pre-SineWave dance pole in some strip joint just to earn enough to pay for their next Xcite! update . And who would know that they would become the sought after, SLebrity they are today? Give yourself 5 points for each person on your list who's lived the rags to riches slife. *note: you must still talk to them occasionally beyond you stalking them to qualify for these points. Though it is honorable that these people mean alot to you, you might not be the best judge of their SLebrity status. Subtract 3 points if you have to explain who they are when you're busy name-dropping.
- One of the most important credos of friendship is special privileges. Sure you may have a whole lotta names of productive, successful content creators on your list, but if they aren't kicking down the new releases to you before the general public, well you might not mean squat to them. Give yourself 3 points for each friend on your list who gives you stuff before they release it in their store. Quality does count, however, so just go on and subtract the 3 points if what you've been given is crap (no pun intended). But! Add 7 points if they've named any of their creations after you.
- Bloggers are the scribes of our today and tomorrow. In order to secure your rightful place in society on the grid, it's important that your name is a household commodity to these ehistorians. Give yourself 3 points for each ~consistent~ blogger on your list. Give yourself a bonus of 4 points for each one that's blogged you.
- Give yourself 1 point for everyone on your list that you've cybered. Subtract 4 if any of them turned out to be the opposite gender of what they claimed. Add 9 points if you've done two of them at the exact same time. Subtract the 1 point for each one that disappeared off the face of the grid after their encounter with you.
-9 - 100 pts:
You are new to secondlife and/or you are realizing that it's not your cup of tea. You are a selective friend who cherishes the few close friends you have.
OR
You're a shut-in who makes people feel awkward enough to accept your offer of friendship initially only to cut the card later when you're not online.
101- 200 pts:
You're a social butterfly who knows the meaning of what it is to be a friend. You value friendship above status quo and you look to find the wonderful things about the people you keep close.
OR
You've been around too long to have this few points. Your grid-etiquette may be in serious need of a makeover or else it's time to slack at work and spend more time in sl cultivating beneficial relationships.
200- 400 pts:
You are well-respected and widely recognized as the best friend anyone could ever have. You have a happy, likable disposition and generally make those around you feel they are important and special in your presence.
OR
You are a relentless card-dropping whore who manipulates the staying power of those on your list by a timely IM to say "hi" or other superficial gestures intended to make the other person rethink obliterating you the next time they consider doing some spring cleaning on their list.
401+ points:
Congratulations! You are untouchable and have mastered the Calling Card Trading Game™. Your list and the names on it are the most valuable of your sl assets and your name is one sought after by many others with lists to build.
