People use it because it's free and convenient. Attempting to expand on it to this level makes it no longer that. This doesn't appear to have anything to do with the current RP tool and seems like it could be a completely independent side-project that just uses the same code.

Making parts of it cost money would simply keep most people from getting that part of it, rendering any feature that requires a lot of people to be on the same page completely useless. Titlers and 'RP enhancing' things that you have to 'buy' sell like a clockwork turd. You'd be better off working on your idea internally and pitching sales of personalized versions on commission to sim owners for use in their sim.

-Bea

Some sort of visual to accompany the weather would make it more 'real' to people as well once the changes are in place. There've been times when I'm idling outside on sim, end up starting an RP with a friend, and then ten minutes later someone runs by and is like "HAY YER CRAZY FOR STANDING IN DA RAIN!" Then I look over at the little weather deallie and it's like "TTLY SUPER DUPER RAIN ALL THE TIME EVERYWHERE WINDS UP YOUR ASS EXPLOSION."

-Bea

My first impulse was to go "THIS IS A STUPID. >8C IT WOULD BREAK EVERYTHING." But after visiting the place and dwelling on it a bit, I think there might actually be more genius to the idea than first impressions even allow. Imma break this down to numbered topics because that's how I do:

1. Redefining Sim Layout
Sim layout is super duper extremely important. Why? Because it dictates the hot spots for RP. Currently Lismore has a lot of land, but not a lot of people visiting all parts of the sim. The fact that those other parts are thousands of meters up in the air, though, is a problem, as this segregates the RPers. It means that anyone playing in the phoenix spot in the caves up at 3000+ can not see or be seen by players on ground level and therefore there is less a chance that those other players could even think to try and join them. This was a large problem in Vemnyal, where there was this big elaborate ground setup but anything worth doing was on a different plane 1000+ in the air. This created a huge rift amongst players and made the sim seem absolutely barren to people coming in.

The short of it is that multi-tiered "planes" are a badawful idea, especially when you have a limited pool of players. This is one of the reasons why I advocate the idea of smaller, more close-knit islands in the air, as it allows for those places to exist in a logical fashion. Personally I think they should be a wee bit closer together spacially, but it would be super important to make sure there is a very clear, functional, and easy way to get to and from each place by the average person. I noticed the "Gryphon ride" thing, but something even more super-stupid simple as well, like balloon lifts, something where it isn't a big production for a character to go between areas, yet also makes the city itself look super smart and helpful.

2. Use of space
The redefined "island theme" of the sim would also provide for a better use of space, this means more things happening in a more concentrated area that more people can get in on. Lismore's player base is a little thin at the moment, which isn't necessarily bad, but it requires a lot more thinking on how to keep things fun, interesting, and engaging. At the moment, you could have 10 players on sim, but only see 2 or 3 others, with a pocket of two or three people at 1600, 2990, and even just 200m out across the ground level doing their thing, to which your character has no reason to go to said place. When the whole of the sim is in a ~100m island at varying degrees of space it leaves less room to "spread out" per se and opens up more opportunities for others to pass by and play.

3. Sim Progression
The radical reshaping of the sim would open up new gates for story progression with a sort of passage of time going. I'm sure there's already something story-wise mapped out by the admins but the fact would still remain that it allows for a bit more period-fantasy to be injected into the sim. This would almost be necessary to explain off how the city would still even function so high up in the air, how people would come and go, how it would still have trade, how it would do business in general. Personally I'm guessing lots of hot air technology and maigc stuff. p.o
________

Besides those main points, there are a few inputs I have. Firstly, I notice the newer area could do with a few accessibility touchups. Like, I couldn't even figure out how to get out of the caves, I felt like I was breaking the prims just trying to squeeze out of some random crack I found. Couldn't really figure out how to go between islands without teleporting or flying either. The other thing I noticed was that there are a lot of megaprims or whatnot there for the islands' bases, but I have to wonder if it might be possible to kinda hollow them out a bit and put said 'hideaway areas' down in them for a bit more private/quiet RP's or even faction areas. Aside from that, I guess I just have to wonder about all the fine details of a move like this; weather? Business? People coming and going? How far removed from the world would it become? Etc.

-Bea

I voted NO because here's why:

1. Opening up characters to established franchises can create linked continuities
With the "MLP" example: If they exist, does their homeland? Where would it be in relation to Lismore? Would they be an established "race" in other places as well? What is their history? One could argue that "that can be applied to any character," to which I'd have to give the response that the bipedal humanoid with animalistic traits tends to be under the blanket of "furry," whereas "MLP" is not and should not be, while Sonic falls in the same category.

2. Character physiology
Cartoon characters are renown for not following conventional principals for their avatar. In Lismore it's been pretty simple: Animal-like avatar based on the human biped model. Unique features? Yes. Ears, tails, digitigrade feet, and other animal anatomy, but they are all generally on the same musculature and structure of humanoids. Cartoon characters don't require that, as referenced with the "MLP" example, they can be quadrupedal talking cartoon horses. Or sonic characters with gigantic heads and stick arms. How would these things logically exist in the same world that a human would? How would they have logically evolved to the point they're at? "BUT BEA!" I hear you ask, "THEY COULD BE MADE BY MAGIC!" To which I'd reply that if they can be created by magic, so could a giant pony-eating dickbeast. "WHAT THE HELL IS A DICKBEAST?" A race I just made up via magic.

3. You have no moral grounds with which to deny even more obscure characters
So, my little pony? Sonic characters? Where would it end? Would there be a limit? Can I play an oompah loompah? He-Man? He man had some pretty technological "magic" things, would those be canon too? Come to think of it, I've heard "my little pony" even had machines in their series. Sonic's primary antagonist was basically all about machines and robots. "BUT BEA! I hear you squeal, "THE MAGIC! THEY CAN BE WILLED INTO EXISTENCE WITHOUT ALL THAT STORY STUFF!" To which I would have to say DICKBEASTS. >8C

4. Copyright.
According to the LL ToS you aren't supposed to sell copyrighted material without the express consent of the IP's original owner. <- This right here is why we didn't have Sergal avatars until recently. Originally there was a sergal avatar in production by one Naoki Dengaku and in its initial trial run, the creator and IP owner of the sergal caught wind of it and said they would work to have it removed from SL permanently. In a fit of rage the one making the avatar complied by not selling it, but rather handing out the original sculpts full perms for free to anyone who asked. This was years ago and we didn't see a Sergal avatar until KZK cut a deal with their creator. I haven't done the research but I strongly doubt the creators and IP holders of MLP, nor Sonic Team/Sega, nor Mattel have anything to do with any of the SL variants of their intellectual properties. They are just kind enough/fat and lazy enough not to go on the hunt for it and wipe it from SL in a similar situation to the Sergal incident from before. So, by technicality, their very existence is possibly against the LL ToS.

5. Ruining player immersion
The idea of playing a role involves you getting into character, playing someone who is not really a digital copy of you but rather a character you manifest to play in a world or story. It's a little jarring when you suddenly find your fictional character in this unique world suddenly joined by Sonic the Hedgehog with Knuckles waddling up the wall beside you while he-man orders a milkshake from the bar and a "My Little Pony" is busy doing a jig at your feet and then A GIANT DICKBEAST COMES CRASHING THROU- you get the idea.

In conclusion: Vote yes for dickbeasts.

-Bea