Real-time 3D Streaming
All content—objects, textures, audio, video and motion—is streamed to you in real-time at DSL/Cable modem (or higher) bandwidths. No zoning or waiting for areas to download. Streaming positional audio creates a rich aural landscape that conveys distance and direction. Share your favorite video; if you can convert it to Quicktime, you can play it in-world.
Endlessly Expandable Landscape
Second Life exists on a scalable server grid running Linux, capable of supporting thousands of simultaneous Second Life Residents. Each server represents a unique geographic region—so the world can grow infinitely in any direction, just by adding off-the-shelf Linux boxes.
Contiguous, Persistent World
Go anywhere in Second Life’s expansive, persistent landscape—no “shards” or duplicate servers. No more wondering where your friends are playing. Build something and it stays there until you remove it. And Second Life keeps evolving, even when you’re gone—while you’re sleeping, your neighbor can build a new house, a castle or something you never would have imagined.
Infinite Avatar Customization
Create your look from scratch with high-resolution character meshes. Using over 150 unique sliders, change everything from your foot size to your eye color to the cut of your shirt. Upload textures for clothing or wild tattoos. Make and wear your own objects—hats, wings, shoes, even a parrot on your shoulder. The possibilities are endless—you’ll never see another avatar like yours!
Cost-effective Thin Client
One 20Mb download delivers persistent desktop access to Second Life—no CD to buy, no 1GB downloads. Everything resides on the Second Life server grid—so all you need on your computer is a small, easily updateable viewer. Plus, you can play from any computer on which the program is installed.
Intelligent Compression
An advanced compression system intelligently sends you thousands of objects per second. Objects that are large, in front of other things, or in motion appear first. Smaller details and textures fill in while you’re not looking. Display any number of textures at any resolution, streamed to you with progressive wavelet compression.
Cross-platform Portability
Second Life has been created with industry-standard cross-platform technologies, including: OpenGL, UDP networking, Linux servers, and Ogg-Vorbis compression for audio.
Easy-to-Learn In-world Building Tools
Create anything you can imagine with powerful, highly flexible building tools, using geometric primitives and a simple, intuitive interface. Build right in Second Life—no separate tools to learn or applications to load.
In-world Collaborative Creation
Build in-world in real time with other Residents. Collaborate on projects. Move a wall, and everyone sees it shift at the same time. Form a group and build a sports arena, a housing development, or an entire city!
Built-in Custom Scripting Tools
A simple yet powerful in-world scripting language lets you add behaviors and special effects to your objects. It’s easy for non-programmers to pick up, since you can easily modify and edit existing scripts. Or make your own scripts—lock your house with a private password, make a music box, or invent a pet that follows you around.
Uploadable Textures and Audio
Upload a real-world digital snapshot and display it in your in-world house. Or, if you’re skilled in graphics or audio programs, add your personal touch to Second Life—create and upload your own textures and sounds.
Rigid Body Physics Simulation
Thanks to Havok™, all objects in the world are collideable and can be dynamic and moving. Make a table, and you can stand on it. Kick it, and it’ll fall over.
Dynamic Lighting and Shadowing
Build a house, and it casts a shadow. Add your own light sources—make a lamp that shines, or elaborate stage lighting.
Realistic Weather System
A cellular automata-based weather system provides wind, cloud formations, and a day/night cycle. Enjoy beautiful sunrises or sunsets—no two ever look the same!
