Getting started with Second Life

A Guide to the Second Life Viewer Software

(also known as Beginner's Guide, Manual, User Guide, User's Guide, User Manual, or User's Manual)

Interacting with the Second Life virtual world requires you download, install, and run a "Viewer" program on your computer. The Viewer allows you to log in to the Second life grid, and then see and interact with objects and avatars around your current "location" in the virtual world.

This Guide is intended to document how the current version of the Official Viewer software works.

In addition to the Viewer, some features are accessed via the Second Life website (like this wiki page, for example).

Downloading

Hardware and Software Requirements

The supported hardware and operating system requirements are listed on the Official System Requirements Web Page. Although certain configurations are not supported (for example, satellite or wireless internet), they can still be used with some limitations.

You will need at least 74MB of hard drive space to install, and 1GB or more of hard drive space for the eventual application data that will be generated (mostly cached object and image data) for each version of the Viewer you install. It is possible to have multiple versions installed at the same time.

To use the Viewer with good frame rates and low lag on the highest graphics settings requires (1) a high end gaming computer with a good graphics card, (2) a fast internet connection, and (3) the Second Life server you connect to be not overloaded. If some or all of these are not met, the viewer settings can be adjusted to handle a wide range of circumstances.

Optional hardware includes a headset or microphone to use the voice features, and 3D mouse.

Versions and Download Locations

The Second Life software is under constant development. This includes both the viewer software, and the server and back end databases. These programs are in constant communication when logged in. Therefore only recent versions will work properly.

The latest official software version can be downloaded from the Downloads Page. Older versions can be found on the old versions page. Note that only versions 1.23 and 1.22 are currently supported. When a new version is being beta tested, a series of "Release Candidates" are available for download, and updated even more often (weekly or less) than the official version (every few months on average).

The viewer software has been open-sourced, so there are numerous alternate viewers available with different features:

• The Snowglobe Viewer - An open source viewer jointly developed by Linden Lab and outside contributors.
• Partial List of Alternate Viewers
• Another List of Viewers
• (add any other lists or individual viewers here)

Installing

Windows Install

1. Click download link
2. When popup appears, click save file
3. Navigate to where the file is saved, and run the installer program.
4. Select your installer language (default = english)
5. Select your destination folder (default = C:\Program Files\SecondLife)
6. When you click the install button, the files will be sent to the destination folder, and a start menu folder and desktop shortcut will be created.

Linux Install

1. Download the file tar.gz file and extract it.
2. No installation needed.

Running

Logging In and Out

To interact with the virtual world directly, you must be logged in. This requires previously setting up a Second Life account, with a first and last name, and a password.

Start the appropriate Viewer program with optional parameters, and with optional preferences settings prior to login.

The login page will appear, with a static image, a few menu options on the top left, a status box on the top right, and entry boxes on the bottom for your name and password. If activated, you may enter a start location manually, or start at your 'home' or last location.

After clicking the blue Log In button, your viewer will be connected to a Second Life server which is hosting the map region you start at. If the start location you requested is not available, you will connect to an alternate location. Once connected, the server will start sending you data about the objects and avatars around you, and the 3D view area will gradually appear. When first connecting, you may not be able to move or do other things for a while. Once enough of the view has filled in, you should be able to move and interact.

When you are done, use the normal methods to end a program:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl-Q, red X on top right of viewer window.
• Mac: ⌘ Cmd-Q, red blop on top left of viewer window.

A selectable amount of data is saved in a local cache. The entirety of the 3D world is much much larger than any single computer can store, so the cache only holds some of the last places you visited and people you saw. the 3D world is also constantly changing, so the cache is only partially effective in saving you from downloading items again. If you re-visit a place later, any changes from what is saved in cache will have to be downloaded.

If logging is enabled, you will also have text files saved in a directory (Windows = ...\Application Data\Second Life), containing chat and/or Instant Message history.

Parameters

When running the program, you may use various Viewer Parameters at startup. Some of the more useful ones for regular users includes:

--autologin  (logs in as last saved user)
--login <firstname> <lastname> <password> (logs in as a given user)
--multiple (allows more than one copy of the viewer to run at the same time.  NOTE: Your computer must be high powered for this to work well)
--purge (clear cached data files on startup)
--port <13000 to 13050> (port number for a given copy to use)
--url <SLURL> (specify a start location in the 3D environment in SLURL format.  Must be last parameter)

Setting Preferences

Some preferences are saved locally on your computer, and can be set prior to to login. Ones that you cannot set before logging in are greyed out.

Click the Edit menu > Preferences, or type Ctrl-P to open the "Preferences" floating window. The options are described in detail below. See also the Preferences Window Guide.

Screen Layout

Keyboard Shortcuts

See also Shortcut Keys.