Trivia in SL for Newbies

Two things have happened recently that have made me decide to write something for newbies in SL and in SL trivia. Earlier today, a newbie showed up at Sharon's Diner during a trivia event wearing a "click me for free lindens" box and tag, sat down, and began asking questions about how to find a job in SL. Even though he won L$3 from the random trivia orb while he was there and everyone was encouraging him to try to answer Sharon's questions, he didn't really seem to get what was going on. He IMed one of the players who was being helpful to find out how to be a host; when the player told him that there's more money available in playing trivia than hosting it, the newbie asked, "What is trivia?"

The other incident took place last night, when I attended a regular event with a less regular host. The host was doing a fine job, but one of the players was -- not to mince words -- an asshole to her and to others in the club. He complained repeatedly that she was going too slowly, though her pace felt pretty normal to me; he contested pretty much every question; he used all caps continually. I left early partly because of the comments he was making to me throughout the evening but also because of how he was treating the host. I heard later that this might have been the first time he'd come to a trivia event. At any rate, he was certainly not a regular player anywhere and seemed clueless about some of the proper etiquette and respect you show even a host you think is doing a poor job, to say nothing of one who was doing just fine.

So first I have a list of things to know about trivia if you're new to SL. Following that is a list of things to know if you're not new to SL but you're new to SL trivia. And of course if anyone wants to add other suggestions, please do so!


What every SL newbie should know:

* Second Life has a thriving trivia community with a wide variety of games.

* If you don't yet know what trivia is all about, think Jeopardy!, Trivial Pursuit, The Weakest Link, Who Wants to be a Millionaire... basically games based around questions and answers about different areas of knowledge.

* If you're good at trivia, you can win money at it. Even if you're not, you can meet some of the smartest and most interesting people in SL.

* To find trivia games at times that are good for you, use the search feature in your viewer: click "Search" (at the bottom of the window), then the "Events" tab in the window that opens, and type "trivia" into the search field. You'll see numerous listings of events at various times and places. Choose one, and when the scheduled time comes, use the listing to teleport to the event.

* If you're logged on during the day (in SL time), go to Sharon's. It's a very friendly environment, and the random trivia orb can give you some practice without the pressure of fast typing.

* If you're logged on during the evening (in SL time), go to Club Shiraz. The hosts write their trivia to be accessible to all. (Just note that if a man IMs you to tell you "ur pretty" and to welcome you to his club, it's not a flirtation so much as, um... let's call it an initiation. We all go through it.)

* Most games follow a simple format: the host asks questions, and the first person to answer in open chat wins L$. The amount varies depending on the location. This means that the skills involved include not only knowing (or being able to guess) the answer to the question but reading fast and typing fast, as well.

* Other games follow different formats, so arrive on time and pay attention to the rules the host gives at the beginning. They might accept more than one correct answer, or they might reward witty but incorrect answers, or they might disqualify you from the question if you take more than one guess. Hosts also vary in terms of their standards for spelling, typoes, abbreviations, etc. To avoid unexpected surprises, listen to the rules.

* If this whole trivia thing appeals to you but you're not fast enough to compete very well yet, try your hand at Gogomodo trivia. Gogomodo is a trivia machine that doesn't pay money but that a lot of players find to be a good practice tool. At some places, it's also the watercooler of SL trivia, the spot where people gather and socialize. Find Gogomodo locations at http://gogomodotrivia.com/?pg=where. Many trivia clubs have Gogomodo running at other times or in other parts of the area, too, so if you see the green, starry text, take note and go back when you have time.

* Once you've gotten your feet wet, make sure you try out more than one place. Different hosts have different styles; different places have different payouts. The spots with larger prizes also draw the more competitive crowds, so don't just follow the money at first.

* Join trivia groups to receive announcements. The best ones for general announcements are Trivia Fiends and Sharon's Diner. Go to "Search," select the "Groups" tab, and enter the names of these groups in the search field. Click on the name of the group, then click "View Full Profile," and finally click in the profile where it says, "Join (L$0)."

* It is courteous to tip the trivia host when you go to a paying event. Look for objects with floating text, usually near the host or the front of the space, and pay whatever amount you can afford. Some people tip a portion of their winnings; others tip more if they can afford to do so. If you don't see a tip jar or tip sign, you can tip the host directly. Right-click (or Cmd-click, on a Mac) the object or person, and select "Pay" in the pie menu. At some events, you might wish to tip other staff members, such as DJs, club hosts, dancers, or the club itself. But if you went there specifically for the trivia, then the most important person to tip is the trivia host.


Some rules of etiquette that might be useful for everyone new (and old) to SL trivia, even if you're not new to SL:

* The host sets the rules of the game, so it bears repeating: show up at an event on time the first time you go there, to make sure you hear the rules for that particular game. If you're at an event earlier in the day where the host accepted abbreviations and one later on where they don't, don't be upset with the host if your answer is discounted; he or she probably warned at the beginning that such answers wouldn't be accepted.

* Most hosts are happy to be corrected if they accidentally call the wrong winner for a question or forget to deliver a payment, but be polite if you choose to call these things to their attention. Comments about the correct winner are usually ok to state in open chat, unless the host has specified otherwise (and as long as it is done cordially), but complaints about payments are most appropriately handled in IM with the host or banker.

* Other types of complaints, such as a dispute over an answer, are typically more sensitive to handle, so be sure to lodge these in IM, and always assume that an honest mistake was made (and that it might have been yours). Most of the time, these disputes are not about stupidity but about ambiguous questions. With some hosts, these are simply part of the game. And with all hosts, remember that you're usually playing for pocket change in real life money.

* Lag is a constant problem in trivia as it is in the rest of SL. It can do crazy things to how your chat appears. This is especially important to remember when you believe the host has called the wrong winner. It's possible that either you or the host experienced chat lag. Some hosts will always go with the answers as they appear on their own screen; others will be swayed if they learn that they're the only ones who saw the results that way. Either option is the host's prerogative. The lag factor also provides a built-in way of tactfully questioning a call, by allowing you to say, "Was I lagging? So-and-so was first on my screen."

* Don't badger the host to go faster. Trivia games are usually not merely competitions but are also social events. Most games move at a pace of 10 to 20 qph (questions per hour, and yes, I just made up that term of measurement). This means that some games might have as much as six minutes between questions on average. The host is more than just a question- and linden-generating machine, so use the time to talk with others, either in IM or local chat. The best hosts are good at pacing their games very deliberately. If they seem to be pausing for a while, they're probably doing it on purpose, so don't expect complaints about pacing to be welcomed.

* Be respectful of other players. Sometimes one player will stand out in a game. Making jokes about that player is neither witty nor original, and although many don't care, others become very self-conscious about doing well. Since most seasoned trivia regulars have heard them all before -- from threats to tie the player's hands behind their back to sabotaging their keyboard with sticky syrup to telling their dance partner to distract them with smutty IMs -- you aren't really going to impress them by rolling out a new variation. Pay attention to how they respond if you do make a joke, and if they're not laughing with you, then don't continue to push.

* Always, always remember to thank the trivia hosts. They've worked hard to put this event together for you and in most cases have put up their own money for it. Not all hosts write their own questions, but for those who do, the process can take hours of preparation for one game. Let them know you appreciate it.

This is a starter list for what to expect in the wide world of SL trivia. I would love for anyone with other ideas to post them here. Thanks go out to Alanna Robianni, Cinna Xaris, Honey Potez , and Thornton Writer (part of the late night Greedy crew) for helping me brainstorm these recommendations.


All photos were taken at Club Shiraz on Animal Night.

Specs for locations mentioned in this post:
=> Location: Club Shiraz, http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cicero/245/67/254
=> Trivia times: 6:00 to 8:00pm every day, plus 7:00 to 8:30am Saturdays and Sundays and 11:00am to 12:30pm Sundays; there is also one Gogomodo board in the games area
=> Hosts: Honey Potez, Jynks Clawtooth, Trin McMinnar
=> Prizes: 35 questions during night games, L$20 per question, plus costume contests Thursday through Saturday nights

=> Location: Sharon's Diner, http://slurl.com/secondlife/Doldari/117/119/67
=> Trivia times: live events on most weekday mornings, 9:00 to 11:00am; there are two Gogomodo boards that run when live events are not taking place; there is a random trivia orb that sometimes has money in it for correct answers and might be running at any time
=> Hosts: Sharon Scofield, Maggie Sewell; Mondays now include "bring your own trivia" events featuring a round robin question format
=> Prizes: L$3 for random trivia orb questions; usually L$25 for live questions, but may vary

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