Is Second Life Truly Better Than IMVU?
This is a question that has been asked over and over again with no definitive answer so I’m here to try and shed some light on the virtual experience of Second Life (henceforth referred to as “SL”) in comparison to IMVU, hoping to end a long-running feud. As a seasoned user of both worlds, I would have to say yes and no to the aforementioned question. What it really comes down to is personal preference and, since I cannot speak for everyone, I will share my knowledge of dealing with SL.
For one, SL is much more in tune with reality than its rival, IMVU, making it a true virtual world experience. For example, you are required to pay rent every week and, if you choose to have children on the site, whether it’s an avatar or it’s a furniture piece, you must take care of their needs as you would in the real world. Some of the perks of SL that set it apart from IMVU are things like having the ability to fly, walk, and jump rather than clicking dots to move around. You can also purchase a specialized radar that allows your avatar to experience hunger, thirst, the need to use the bathroom, and other such human bodily functions.
As with any pros, there are cons to using SL, some of which include an extremely high cost of living and high start up costs with new users having to spend roughly 5K-10K just to create their avatar! Also, when a new user comes into SL, they literally have nothing and have to start their virtual lives from scratch. On IMVU, however, new users are given their own room, a few pieces of furniture to decorate with, and even a certain amount of credits so that they can shop as they desire. In regards to the currency, known as Lindens on SL, they are much more expensive to obtain compared to IMVU credits. You cannot earn any Lindens, as IMVU allows its users to do. In contrast, where it may cost about $10 for 10K in credits, that same amount will only get you approximately 2,500 in Lindens. IMVU also offers discounts every once in awhile, which SL does not. One bittersweet perk of using SL is that, although the customer service isn’t the greatest and it may take an agent up to a week or more to assist you, it is much more difficult to have your account disabled than it is on IMVU, who disables users for the smallest and even the pettiest of reasons.
One thing that I must mention is that if you are into having virtual sex, the experience is much better on SL, which allows a male avatar to have an erect penis with realistic actions and allows a female avatar to have a realistic vagina, also with it’s own actions. The female avatar can even use birth control, if she so desires, and the amount of sexual positions are endless, including a set specially designed for the LGBT community!
When it comes down to it, the use of either virtual world is solely based on personal preference. If you’re into a more realistic virtual experience, Second Life just may be for you. If you prefer an easier platform to work with that’s also easy on the pockets, then IMVU is your best bet. But keep in mind that neither virtual world is perfect! They will both come with their fair share of crashes, lagging during loads, and even drama between other users. All you can do is try to make the best of it, be as careful as you can, and, most importantly, have fun!
