Me, My Alts, And I! (Or: Why I Alt)
February 16, 2010Last week on Plurk, Daila Holder posted “Blog Post Topics I’d Like to Read.” Some of them were really pretty funny, Confessions of a Male Fashion Blogger’s Girlfriend and I Saw You Naked and Now I Only Want to IM. On the whole, it seemed that the list would make for very interesting blog posts (I’d post a link to the plurk, but her timeline is set to private.) But there was one that got me thinking, Why I Alt. So I thought, it is an interesting topic, why not give it a go?
Alting is one of those interesting Second Life anomalies; most people do it, but few admit to it. If I had to guess, I would say that easily 85% of regular SL users that have been in-world for more than six months have at least one alt. Maybe people don’t talk about it because Linden Lab wants you to pay for additional avatars. Maybe they are quiet about it because people often use alts to do things they wouldn’t want to admit to publicly. Or maybe people don’t talk about it because they use it as a clean slate. Whatever the reason, people seldom discuss their alts.
But what about you, Lanna? Are you going to talk about why you alt? Yes! And if you’re that curious about it, look after the jump to find out!
Other than Charlanna, I’ve got three alts. Yep, three. I wanted to get a picture of the four of us, but my computer gagged at that idea. And before you think I’m an altaholic, it might help to know that these were all made over the span of two-and-a-half years and each had their one specific reason for being. One was created to be my worker alt, for those times when I had an SL job and I needed to be in SL but didn’t want to be interrupted. One was created to see what being a guy was like in SL. Finally, one was created as a favor to a friend (and before you go there, it wasn’t for the sort of favor that you’re imagining!) Within each of those reasons for creation starts to get to some of the reasons why I alt.
Most of all, I like the quiet of being an alt. For me, it is more about me controlling the flow of communication; I enjoy my friends in SL, but sometimes I prefer to not be disturbed. I can pop on and flit around without the familiar ding of IMs. Mostly I shop and explore, but at the risk of bordering on TMI, one of my alts likes visiting Zindra (Let’s just leave it at that, k? I’ll leave it to your imagination to fill in the gaps). Finally, the guy alt gets out the least; it just wasn’t something that I found terribly enjoyable.
When I’m alting, I don’t run around screaming “I’m an alt! I’m an alt!” But I don’t hide the fact, either. If I start talking to someone that seems really interesting, I disclose that I’m alting and most of the time end up telling them Charlanna’s name. And on the very rare occasion that I’ve bumped into someone I actually know while I’m alting, I tell them who I am. Now I can hear you thinking, “Don’t those things defeat part of why you say you alt?” Given the fact that my alts almost never friend anyone – like once in a blue moon – I still can control the communication and enjoy the quiet.
Alting has been fun at times, but I have to admit that I still greatly prefer being Charlanna. She still gets 90% of the use, plus I like having my inventory at my fingertips. So don’t worry friends, I’m not skulking around on you in my alt. Besides, if I am, chances are good that I’ll say hi.
And you know I wouldn’t post something like this without asking a question or two. Why do you have an alt? What do you do with it?
I have two alts. One is my first avatar whose name I decided I didn’t like. I only use her for extra group slots now.
The other one I was going to use to explore Caledon & try roleplaying. However, I found really preferred to be myself (Lyncean). So she’s also just for extra group slots now.
by Lyncean February 16, 2010 at 8:51 pmI have three alts, created for most of the same reasons. One is a work alt created when I thought I would be doing some RL-SL work and needed a similar looking avatar. The others are photo and testing alts, they rarely leave the platform.
Most people I know know they are my alts and I would tell if I interacted with them in any way. I try to avoid people I know if I am just running the alt, because I am just there for a special purpose and would be back to my main in a second.
I have thought of RPing with one of the alts but I like Lyndz and she has all the cool toys.
by Lyndzay Meili February 17, 2010 at 3:02 amLL stopped charging for alts a while ago (over a year I think). I have an alt because if I’m building I don’t want to be disturbed to talk RL business, I want relaxation time!
by Pam Ribble February 17, 2010 at 8:39 amI am the 3rd female alt/alias of a male typist.
The 1st female is bisexual mer, who seems to be pursuing and enjoying male company more and more. She only reveals her RL gender when asked; most men don’t ask.
The 2nd (created a day after #1, cause it was then I remembered there was a name I liked) started out as one of those “fauxbians” many of you hate so much. She’s been a nun for close to a year, occasionally venturing out of her luxurious treehouse.
Maeve however, is a sweet little asexual and a Freebox Group enthusiast who admits on her Profile that the typist is a man. Because of that admission, Maeve can dress the dolly and travel under the radar in peace and quiet, unlike the other 2, who are always getting hit on.
by Maeve February 17, 2010 at 2:53 pmI’ve written about my alts way too much already, the ups and downs even out, and being able to access twice as many groups and tune alts for particular purposes makes me wonder why anyone who is serious about SL doesn’t have more than one!
by paypabak writer February 18, 2010 at 11:11 amI got sick tired of being hit on by men in SL and also stalked hard by one of them. So I created a male avatar. Nowadays my first avatar is just backup, she has all textures and stuff but i LOVE being my handsome male ava =) I don´t want relationships other than friends in SL so this suits me fine! I have a new life and enjoying SL again fully! But maybee this is not an alt? Everyone knows who I am anyway =)
by Vesper Kling February 22, 2010 at 7:35 amU are an awesome blogger!
I have a number of alts that I’ve formed over the years, but most of my SL time is split between three of them (not equally, however). Each is used for task or role-specific functions and I never mix friends from one to the other. Nor do I go to the same sims or events. For example, I have never performed at nor even attended a live music event in SL in an AV other than Niko; nor has that AV ever been to an adult sim.
Recently I’ve taken to primarily using one alt with four different “characters” (one male, one female, one non-human and one inanimate object) by changing the profile picture and referring people to further details in the “picks” section of the profile. This allows me to RP in different sims with a simple TP rather than have to log into different accounts, etc. It also saves me money as all of my characters can use the contents of my inventory, so I don’t have those “no transfer” blues.
As for sharing my identity, well, I subscribe to the same philosophy as Frozone of The Incredibles:
“Super-ladies, they’re always trying to tell you their secret identity. [stage whisper] Think it’ll strengthen the relationship or something like that! I say, “Girl, I don’t wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that.” I mean, you tell me you’re, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That’s all right with me. I’m good. I’m good.”
niko
by Niko Donburi March 1, 2010 at 6:03 pmI am the first of five avs, one definitely male, three definitely female, one indeterminate. One of the females was made to work in a shop that went broke, she’s inactive now. The indeterminate was an experiment, zie gets some time but not much. The newest female isn’t clear in my mind yet, she has a *very* strong aesthetic but isn’t yet a person. I find her quite intriguing.
My principal av now is my second, female. She was created as an experiment, ad became my default presentation. She gets over 90% of the SL time, the rest of us fight for scraps 🙂
Most people know that three of us are one, the other two are “secret”. I don’t put my RL gender in my profiles, but I will tell anyone who asks, and I always tell if there seems to be any kind of emotional attachment developing.
by Udge Watanabe May 15, 2010 at 3:39 pm