So what is that thing?

[charmian]

On LJ news, someone posted that there was a $100 Virtual Gift. It seems to have something to do with this comm, which appears to be about making a model city or something? Someone else suggested that this was a bulk gift of a sort or had something to do with mobile usage of LJ. In any case, I don't read Russian, so I have no idea.

I've often wondered about virtual gifts... like who buys these things? Why? Why not just make a picture on your own and send it to people? There are free e-greeting cards and all. Is it just the gesture of "I spend money on you, even if it's to buy you a little picture that is of no practical use and that probably no one else will even see"? It would make more sense to like... buy them paid time or something, or buy them something on their Amazon wishlist or whatever. I suppose these things aren't aimed at me?

Comments

[potted_music]

They claim that they are not linked to SUP directly, except for the fact that this toy city is being built in the SUP office.

so what do the toy figures have to do with SIMS? Who's the current mayor?

To me, it seems that it's basically built on the same model, ie, recreating real-life social interactions, complete with elections, policing, making families, etc., in the virtual surroundings. Except that here said surroundings are represented not in graphics but in pictures of this model city.

yustas is the current mayor, but what said mayorship entails I don't know.

[charmian]

How very weird. I wonder how many people signed up and actually paid money for this.

[potted_music]

Looks like only 37 have signed up so far :)

[charmian]

That's 3700! 0_o