Linden Lab chases new logo for Second Life Snowglobe viewer

by Tateru Nino on Aug 11th 2009 12:00PM

Contests, News items, Opinion, Second Life, Virtual worlds

Linden Lab has launched a contest on 99designs to obtain a new logo for their Snowglobe Second Life viewer. The prize has been prepaid to 99designs and the chosen winner will be paid the sum of US$295 by them.

Of course, a logo to these requirements would normally cost quite a bit more through normal channels. We can't help thinking that if Linden Lab were truly thinking of this as community-sourcing, that they'd be offering commercial rates to the winner. As it is, the proffered prize is much closer to the bottom of the range of logo-design prizes on 99designs than it is to the top.

For that matter, there's the requirements. We can't honestly think of a single logo – well, ever – which could be described as "welcoming, evoking a sense of community and personality." At least, not by anyone outside of the branding business.

All in all, it's quite a tough ask. The range of requirements, both emotional and mechanical, are quite steep, especially for the asking price. Nevertheless, there are a few entries in already. We are, as always, interested in your own thoughts.

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Tags: 99designs, contests, linden-lab, logos, opinion, second-life, second-life-viewer, snowglobe-viewer, virtual-worlds

Reader Comments (3)

"Of course, a logo to these requirements would normally cost quite a bit more through normal channels. We can't help thinking that if Linden Lab were truly thinking of this as community-sourcing, that they'd be offering commercial rates to the winner. As it is, the proffered prize is much closer to the bottom of the range of logo-design prizes on 99designs than it is to the top."

Well, if you are a commercial artist with very little or no experience, Linden Labs choosing your logo design would be a very big step in the door. Having this on your resume would certainly look good.

The rate really is no different than if a commercial artist took an internship.

I've been using Snowglobe almost exclusives for it's sheer performance attributes.

Until recently, the "starting poster" has be blank - jst a black screen (the login screen where the 'official viewer' will grab some fancy screenshot from inworld to tease you with.)

However, it has recently begun showing the current Snowglobe logo (the one you show above) - but with one difference: inside is the single default wood cube prim - with a little amount of snow piling up on it.

Personally, I think that right there would make a mighty fine logo - the Snowglobe with the default cube prim inside and that's it.

Meh.

No excuses, $295 is an insult given the resources available to the company. The whole "it'll look good in your portfolio" routine is about as amateur a tactic as you'll find in any company and it doesn't even hold true. If you're capable of doing good work, then you'll have plenty of opportunities to get paid properly for doing that work. A strong portfolio is a strong portfolio regardless who you've done the work for.

I hope Linden Labs gets what they paid for.

"For that matter, there's the requirements. We can't honestly think of a single logo – well, ever – which could be described as "welcoming, evoking a sense of community and personality." At least, not by anyone outside of the branding business."

Yes, the branding speak might seem a bit esoteric, but it's all relative. Certainly the IBM logo would never be mistaken as "welcoming", but by comparison the Apple logo definitely feels a bit less cold and more personal. It's that kind of direction the client is trying to give when they create their requirements.