Chapter 2. Tweaking Your System: Adjusting Your Computer to Best Run Second Life

In This Chapter

  • The right equipment for the job

  • What to do when Second Life seems to chug rather than glide

  • What's making you lag?

  • Adjusting the Second Life settings to work best

  • Updating the software

One of the biggest obstacles to using Second Life is, well, using Second Life. Not just any computer can run it, and having the wrong hardware or Internet connection can make using Second Life as frustrating as herding cats.

If you've experienced any of the following, you probably need this chapter:

Tweaking Your System: Adjusting Your Computer to Best Run Second Life

  • You're walking or flying, and you can't stop.

  • Walls, people, and landscapes are gray on your screen.

  • Everything beyond your avatar's arms reach is invisible until you walk toward it.

  • Your avatar looks gray or naked.

  • You can't walk or walk very fast.

These problems and lots more can be remedied by using the right hardware, having the right Internet connection, and adjusting your Second Life settings.

In this chapter, we give you tips and tricks to make Second Life run best on your computer. You learn to troubleshoot the most common Second Life problems, update the software, and know what performance issues are your fault and what's just Second Life lag.

Hardware and Internet Requirements

You might have already checked the hardware and Internet suggestions on SecondLife.com before you downloaded the software. If you didn't, the ...

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