How to Develop an Avatar in Second Life

Last Updated: August 10, 2021

Do you want to join Second Life but don't want to look like a newb? Here are some steps to join this virtual world and appear as if you've been there forever.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Getting Started

1
Make an account in Second Life and download the Second Life Viewer. Remember the name you pick will always be your name. Even though you can change it, your first name is your legacy name and will always be available for others to see. A year or two down the road you might not wish to be known as "Stud Muffin."
2
Don't feel rushed. It's normal to take a long time to learn the ropes of Second Life.

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3
Set up your initial character. Upon enrolling, you will be given a choice of avatar's characters. Because you're going to change it, pick anything, but you might want to pick the gender you want.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Customizing Your Avatar

1
Find a quiet area. When you appear (rez) into Second Life you will be in a public location. Try to find a quiet spot where other avatars are not gathered. You should avoid dressing in public. You will walk and look like a newb.
2
Review your avatar information. Where you create an account is the website where you'll have all your avatar information, including the link to shopping on Marketplace.
3
Buy Lindens to develop your avatar. Trying to do it for free will not give you the results being explained here. There are many beautiful free clothes, but not skins, shapes, hair or animations on Marketplace. If you want hair and skins for free, you must long in and join groups that offer these kinds of gifts. Sometimes these groups ask for a onetime fee to join.
4
Search Marketplace for "complete" avatars. You should be able to find one fairly inexpensive. Make sure it includes the following: shape, skin, eyes, hair. Anything else is a bonus.
5
Consider Animation Overriders. On Marketplace, search for an "AO" or "Animation Overrider." This is a series of animations on a loop that gives your avatar personality. There are starter AO's on Marketplace as low as 1 Linden.
6
Search for free clothing and shoes, or purchase some. There are two kinds of clothes. A painted on type of clothing, and a newer "mesh" clothing. Painted on clothing can just be worn, but mesh clothing require something called an "alpha texture" to be worn with them. Mesh is rarely free, and harder to learn, so you may want to avoid it as a newbie. You can always go back and purchase mesh when you've learned some ropes.
7
Find your purchased items. Once you purchase these items, they will be delivered to your inventory. They will be in a "recent" or "Marketplace" folder. Or you can search by name to find the item.
8
Wear your purchased items. Once you have located your complete avatar, double click on each item, or right click and wear. You must do this for each item. You will notice your avatar changing. There is a tab called "Wearing" so you can check if you seem to have on too many items, like two pair of shoes. From this tab you can remove items.
- It's not recommend to wear the contents of a folder, if you do this, you might lose your hair or other objects attached to your avatar. No worry if you do, you can fix your avatar again. Many of the behaviors in the Second life file folder system behave like those of a Windows folders.
9
Review your avatar. To see your avatar from front and back, hold Ctrl/Alt keys and your right mouse button. You will be able to spin around and see everything.
10
Search for a club, or something of interest, and go have fun. You now look fantastic.
- You are free to use the shape numbers in this picture if you are developing a woman avatar.