Massively^™

With server version 1.21 still going through its shaky rollout, Linden Lab have decided to put the old land-store back online. It still has all the issues it had before (delays, not working in MSIE, an inability to order void/openspace simulators and so forth), but you will be able to order new sims at new prices.

Hopefully when server version 1.21 and the new land-store are finally online, any outstanding orders can be fast-tracked through the new system. In the meantime, it looks like Linden Lab is taking the hit on extra-handling of simulator purchases by running at the new, lower prices.

Linden Lab is giving the air of being somewhat baffled this week. Earlier in the week, it lowered prices for new Second Life simulators -- because well, lower prices are good, aren't they?

Unfortunately instead of lavish praise for the price cut, response to the move seems to be more along the lines of "Argh! You sons of bitches!" (loosely paraphrased). There seems to be more depreciation than appreciation involved.

Void sims as they are known to Second Life users (or Openspace sims as Linden Lab calls them) are simulators which are more tightly packed onto hardware than is usual. While regular Second Life simulators get a whole CPU to themselves for processing, void simulators are packed in at four to the CPU, generally achieving approximately one fifth of a regular simulator's performance and one eighth of the capacity for objects.

Void simulators are, as the marketing name suggests, good for open spaces, for driving or sailing or scenery, or simply for use as a budget version of a regular simulator, as four void simulators bought in a bundle have been priced the same as a single regular simulator. Linden Lab today announced some changes to the capacity and availability of these budget simulators.