Complexity in Breeding and the Community

I am not going to call the Meeroos breeding system complex, not at all. The title of this post refers to the relative level of complexity in a breeding system and the effect that can have on the community. The Meeroos breeding system is just slightly more complex than others. Team Meeroos have created a breeding system with exciting possibilities by introducing the concept that two identical Meeroos in every way, except personality, might have very different breeding compatibility. Some Meeroos timing might just be off and they won't ever breed. The trade market thrives on these minor details. I specifically mention trade over sales because there is no money involved. It is, normally, like for like. When trading for personality that can be doubly so, it could be the only difference. It is people helping each-other out in a mostly non-commercial way. Nobody is trying to gain any massive advantage, everybody comes out ahead. Especially with the sixty (60) day breeding window, getting mates figured out and matched up quickly is vital.

Second Life is a pretty big place. Much bigger now than when I started and it seems more empty. I don't know if that is true, perhaps it was my early fascination with everything about SL that made it feel vibrant and full of helpful avatars. I am pretty sure it was easier to get help years ago, from other avatars, when you did not understand some fundamental aspect of the world. Sometimes even without being mocked much. Now it sometimes feels like all I do is hang around the same places, mostly home, and script or IM. When I do go out exploring I don't see many other avatars and I have no reason to speak to any that I do. When I see people asking for help they are ignored, or worse: given the wrong information. Before Meeroos Second Life was getting pretty boring and a bit bleak.

I know Group chat is borked most of the time. Just another fact of Second Life. Even so, in the Wonderful World of Meeroos InWorld chat I have once again found a source of helpful, if sometimes a bit stressed, people. The breeding system is not to hard to understand, but it does take some getting used to. People have to get that informations somewhere and they have been coming to Group chat. More will be coming when Launch hits. I have really enjoyed trying to help others in chat, being helped and seeing others do likewise. There are bound to be some issues with avatar personalities as well as Meeroo ones. That is part of being a community. The core information everybody needs is included in the Users Guide, I can attest to that, but the fine details and specific circumstances can often be resolved with a quick trip to Group chat. If nothing else it will get you the attention of a CSR. They are very attentive. And best of all once people come to Group chat, sometimes, they stay and we all have a nice talk.

Getting back to my never leaving home: Petting Meeroos. Yes, you get regard for it, they get regard and comfort, it is good for everyone involved. I am lucky in that my partner and I now both have ten (10) Meeroos. We can, if we choose, pet the other ones Meeroos and collect our one hundred (100) regard points without leaving home. The thing is I kind of want to go see other peoples Meeroos and their habitats, I would not mind petting a few while I am there. They are all cute. If I run into the owner while I am there, well we already know we have something in common. The issue I have found is, um: finding these places. I have posted here where you can get your location listed if you want people to pet your Meeroos. Mine are listed and you can come pet them if you like. I would love to come have a look at other Meeroos areas, so get me a SLURL or a LM and I will drop by, pet your Meeroos, and get it added to the list.

I feel that the petting aspect of Meeroos enriches the community and my personal Grid exploration. When I can find destinations. Other social aspects like Fellowships create groups of Meeroos fans who are all working together for the common good. I can imagine that, once we are properly under-way, things like personality-trades and wrong-gendered trades will be offered to Fellowship members first then to the greater Meeroos community. If nothing else Fellowships are a bit of fun thrown in. I would not take them too seriously, it is not a gang. Although, perhaps a secret handshake would not be out of order. Being in, and contributing to, a Fellowship can be a part of the breeding process because some things can only be unlocked by Fellowships. One more facet of Meeroo breeding that encourages community.

Between helping out new Meeroo owners in Group chat and Grid hopping avatars looking for those last four (4) Meeroos to pet I think we are all going to meet some interesting new people. So far most everybody has been incredibly nice and when they can be: helpful. The tone is well set by the Meeroos CSRs who are courteous under stress and proactive in providing assistance. Did you know, my fact of the day, from this post on the the Meeroos blog: "...[CSRs] sacrificed the ability to own Meeroos in order to provide support and care to people who do." That is correct: Meeroos CSRs can not own Meeroos! That makes me sad for them. I could not do it, even to work with Team Meeroos. If it meant giving them up I would have to say no. I'm holding on to my Meeroos thank you. Remember that next time you chat with a CSR, they gave up Meeroos to work helping you out.

In summation I am thrilled to have been in Open Beta, I could not be more pleased with my Pre-Order boxes and I am looking forward to Launch in about 20 hours. The community has been fantastic and helpful with trades. We were able to sort all of our Meeroos out so they have potential mates. Now we just have to see how the timing matches up. I predict our community is only going to get bigger and better. I hope to see you all in Group chat and on the forums, never know when I might need to trade some Meeroos.