Quickstart Welcome to your Second Life!

This guide will help you get

Guide
started fast, by explaining how to complete some of the
most common tasks you’ll need to get the most out of your
new Second Life. It might be helpful to print this guide for
reference as you explore the World.

Mouse Keyboard Mic/Headset Viewer Interface

You’ll use a mouse to click buttons, make
selections, and interact with the Second
Life Viewer interface.
You’ll use a keyboard to participate in text If you have a microphone and headphones This Quickstart Guide will teach you how
chats, IMs, for searching, and more. Lots (or speakers), you can participate in real- to find and use the most important tools in
of common tasks are easier once you time voice conversations with other users. the Second Life Viewer software.
learn keyboard shortcuts.
File Edit View World Tools Help Orientation Island 130, 120, 26 (Mature) 7:21 PM PST L$ L$2500 Search

Touch
Sit Here Create

Take Open

Pay Edit
More >

Local Chat Say Gestures Talk

Talk

Communicate Fly Snapshot Search Build Map Mini-Map Inventory

Symbols used in this guide Symbols used in this guide For help setting up your mic and headset, Symbols used in this guide
see Panel 8.

Right-click Contextual menus

Keyboard key Sit (sit is selected)
or Ctrl+click (On a Mac)

Edit > Dropdown menus

Preferences (Prefs. is selected)
Left-click

Stand Up Interface button

Second Life Quickstart Guide 1

 Viewer interface overview
To access most of the features, tools and options in the Second Life Viewer, you’ll want to
1 get comfortable finding your way around both the Top Menu Bar and the Bottom Toolbar.

Current Purchase L$ L$ Balance

Location

Top Menu Bar File Edit View World Tools Help Orientation Island 130, 120, 26 (Mature) 7:21 PM PST L$ L$2500 Search

Media Controls
Start, stop, adjust volume for Voice Chat Controls
Access Local Chat history Local Chat input Gestures streaming audio and video See panel 6

Local Chat Say Gestures Talk

Talk
Bottom Toolbar
Communicate Fly Snapshot Search Build Map Mini-Map Inventory

Show/Hide Open Friends list Start Open Search Window Find People Manage
Local Chat See panel 9 Flying See panel 12 Nearby Your Stuff

As you explore the world of Second Life, you’ll encounter both people and
2 Viewer contextual menus objects to interact with. Many common actions and tools are accessed through contextual
menus, which appear when you right-click on objects, yourself, or other users.

Object Self Others

Interact with objects you encounter, Hides the messages of
See a list of groups
such as buttons and links Ask the selected someone bothering you
you’re a member of
Put the selected user for permission in Local Chat so you
object away in to add them to your can ignore them
your inventory Friends list
See your Friends list
View and edit See the selected
your profile user’s profile

Give money, usually

to purchase the Make changes to
selected object your physical Send an IM to the
appearance selected user

Many objects you recieve will be

boxes containing other objects - Remove individual Give a specified amount
open them to see their contents Opens Gestures pieces of clothing of L$ to the user
palette to see all and accessories
available animations

Second Life Quickstart Guide 2

 Moving Seeing
In Second Life, your avatar can walk, run, and even fly. By default, you’ll see Second Life from just behind your avatar, but
3 If you prefer, you can also use an onscreen control panel 4 you can move and turn the camera around to look at whatever you
to move around. like - including yourself.

Walk Sit Zoom in

When sitting, you Turn
Use alt plus the arrow Turn
Walk forward must click Stand Up
keys to move the camera camera alt
before you can move left right
camera around you
Turn left Turn right again or fly
Sit
Alt + click to focus the
camera on a new point
Stand Up alt

Walk back Fly Zoom out

page
To access the onscreen up
movement control panel: Esc
Communicate Fly Snapshot page Rotate camera Zoom in/out Move camera
down in all directions in all directions
View >
Movement Controls
Click Fly to begin flying, Page Up and Page Down keys To access this panel: Press Esc to return the
and Stop Flying allow you to adjust your camera to its position
to stop flying altitude and land comfortably View > directly behind you
Camera Controls

In Second Life, you can look like – and wear – anything you want. Edit your Appearance to adjust your physical features and
5 Appearance body, and select clothing, outfits and costumes to wear from your Inventory. You can customize your appearance however you
like, or buy pre-designed avatars and outfits that other Residents have made.

Inventory Right-click an item in

File Create Sort Inventory and choose
Wear to put it on
All Items Recent Items
Clothing Free and paid avatars and
New Shirt (worn)
outfits are available in stores
Suit Jacket
Blue Jeans To purchase, you’ll need
Hiking Boots Linden Dollars, which can be
bought by clicking L$ at the
right of the Top Menu Bar
L$
30
Talk 0
Mini-Map Inventory To see a wide selection of
items to purchase, visit
XStreetSL.com
Manage your clothing and
avatars through the Inventory

Second Life Quickstart Guide 3

 Express yourself! You can talk to the people around

Local chat & voice IMs & voice calls

Want to have a private conversation? Use instant
you through text-based Local Chat. If you have a
6 microphone, you can also speak out loud using
7 messages or voice calls to talk to other users, no
matter where they are in Second Life.
inworld voice.

Active Voice friend Communicate

Voice
Local Chat input enabled
Access Local Chat history

Start a voice call

Local Chat
Communicate Fly Snapshot
Enter message
and press send
Show/hide Voice Chat Press Talk to use
voice. Choose the lock Multiple IMs appear as
Local Chat Controls to keep voice on tabs along bottom
controls

Talk
Current tab highlighted Unread IM in flashing tab
Mini-Map Inventory
You can also IM users who aren’t nearby from your Friends list.

8 Set up for voice chat Tired of typing? To use the Voice features in Second Life, you’ll need to set up your microphone
Create a SLurl to the
selected location
and headset. Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be talking in no time.

1 Connect your microphone 4 Make sure Enable voice chat 5 Click Device Settings, then change
or headset via audio-in or USB is checked both the input and output devices to
Preferences your preferred microphone and speakers
General Enable voice chat Voice Chat Device Settings
Input & Camera Hear voice chat from camera position
Hear voice chat from avatar position Audio Devices
Network
Input device (microphone):
Web Push to Talk
Default
Graphics
3 Click Voice Chat Audio & Video Output device (speakers):
Text Chat Privacy Options Default 6 If your mic is working,
you will see green bars
Voice Chat
Input Level in the input level monitor
Communication Device Settings Adjust the slider to control...
2 Open the Viewer preferences Popups
NOTE: Running the Device Settings will temporarily disconnect you
Skins from Voice Chat.

7 Click OK - when you start talking, you’ll

Edit > see the voice indicator over your avatar’s
Preferences About Help OK Cancel Cancel
Apply
head (see 6: Local chat & voice)

Second Life Quickstart Guide 4

 Second Life is a lot more fun when you have friends to explore it with. When you meet interesting
9 Make friends people, you can ask for permission to add them to your Friends list. Then, use the Friends list to
see which friends are online, send them messages, view their profiles and more.

friend you
Send an IM

Friends list
View a friend’s profile

Invite a friend to your

Dornati Fellows
current location
Stanford Larington
Gulliver Fushikano

Online friends
appear in bold Give a friend L$
Contacts Local Chat Wendy Borma Pedro Roltin

Remove/Add friends

The world of Second Life is gigantic, and getting bigger every day. If you want to visit a specific location, you can
10 Location search for it on the Map. You can create and save Landmarks – bookmarks that will bring you back to specific
locations. Use Landmarks to save time, and jump straight to your favorite places!

Gestures World Map

Objects Terrain
Teleport
Person Land for Sale Find the locations of
Build Map Mini-Map You can Teleport to get from
your online friends
Infohead Events one location to another quickly.
Telehub Events (M) To invite a friend to your
location, open your Friends list,
Online Friends Find your previously
Use the Map to find and click Teleport
Landmarks created landmarks
a specific location

To create a landmark you can return to later:

Brightonia
Search Results:
Search
Search for new locations,
SLurl
(Second Life URL)
Brightonia people, and events
Bright Beach You can use SLurl to teleport
World > to new locations. A SLurl is a
Create Landmark Here
Instantly Teleport to a web-based link to a location in
Teleport
specific location Second Life. If you click a SLurl
To return to Landmarks you’ve created, Copy SLURL to clipboard with Second Life open on your
computer, you can immediately
open your Inventory and double-click Create a SLurl to the teleport to that location.
on any item in the Landmarks folder. selected location

Second Life Quickstart Guide 5

 There’s a lot to learn in Second Life, but you’re never alone. If you have Second Life is packed with interesting things to do, people
11 Help questions, need advice, or don’t know what to do, help is always waiting 12 What next? to meet and places to explore. If you’re not sure what do to
for you. Visit the Support Portal at secondlife.com/support to get help now! next, or want to see what’s new, you have lots of options.

Support

To find new activities, events Talk to other users in Second Life

http://www.secondlife.com/support/

whenever you have questions

and places to explore, visit:
At secondlife.com/support,
Support you will have access to the secondlife.com/showcase
Knowledge Base, tickets,
Portal and Billing Support

support portal

Live Chat Support

http://server.iad.liveperson.net/930994

Hi, Can you help me?

Of course!
Of course!
What’s What’s
the problem?
the problem?

Well, let me tell you...

Enter

Find help videos and

Knowledge information on your Live Premium members have Use the Search feature to search
access to Live Chat support
Base avatar, Linden Dollars
Chat in Second Life
all of Second Life
and more

Say Gestures
The Showcase tab displays Snapshot Search Build
interesting places and things
going on in Second Life

Search Second Life

All Classifieds Events Showcase Land Sales Places People Groups
Find: Any Category Search

If you can’t find the help you If you have a non-technical

Support need in the Knowledge Base, Billing issue with your account, Narrow your search results using the tabs at the top of the search window
to specifically search for events, places, people and more
Tickets you can submit a ticket to the Support you can call the Billing Team
Second Life Support Staff toll free 24/7

Second Life Quickstart Guide 6

 Appendix: Keyboard Shortcuts

Movement Communicate General

Guide your avatar’s movements in Second Life. Access and participate in text-based Local Chat and Instant Quick access to useful Second Life resources, interfaces and tools.
Messages with other users.
Ctrl
Walk forward W or Show chat bar / (if not displayed) Preferences Cmd + P

Walk backward S or Hide chat bar Esc (if displayed) Help F1

Ctrl Ctrl
Turn left A or Friends Cmd + Shift + F Search Cmd + F

Toggle between Friends and Groups Tabs Ctrl

Turn right D or World map Cmd + M
with Alt Opt +
Ctrl M
Mini-map + Shift +
Run Double-tap W S
Ctrl
Cmd
Local chat Cmd + H
Ctrl H
or Teleport home Cmd + Shift +
Ctrl T
Communicate Cmd +
Ctrl Ctrl
Always run Cmd + R Inventory Cmd + I
Ctrl
Look at last speaker Cmd + \
E (Tap once) Build B
Jump Ctrl
Gestures Cmd + G
Ctrl
Toggle flying home Upload image Cmd + U

page Ctrl
Take snapshot + Shift + S
Fly up Hold E or hold up
System Cmd

page Basic system-wide functions that work in Second Life. Ctrl + “

Fly down Hold C or hold down Snapshot to disk ‘
Ctrl
Ctrl Quit Second Life Cmd + Q
Undo Cmd + Z
View Ctrl
Redo Cmd + Y
Control your camera view and perspective in Second Life.
Ctrl
Cut Cmd + X

Mouselook M Copy Ctrl

Cmd + C

Esc Ctrl
Reset View Paste Cmd + V

Hold Alt and click mouse to recenter Ctrl

Look at Duplicate Cmd + D
Ctrl 0 Ctrl
Zoom-in Cmd + Select all Cmd + A
Ctrl + 9 Ctrl Key:
Zoom-default Cmd Deselect Cmd + E
Ctrl Ctrl
Zoom-out Cmd + 8 Close window Ctrl
Cmd + W Cmd = Ctrl on a PC; Command on a Mac
Alt Opt Ctrl Alt Opt
Toggle fullscreen + Enter Close all windows + Shift + W
Cmd = Alt on a PC; Option on a Mac

Second Life Quickstart Guide 7