I certainly understand the desire to not add yet another internet diversion! I probably would not have, if Second Life hadn't been so different from the others...
The major appeal of SL for me is that it's a creative outlet. I make stuff there. It's not a game really -- there are no objectives or rewards or levels. You don't have to feed or shelter your avatar. People do RP in certain areas where sim owners have set that up, but for most I think its appeal is social. I have plenty of that already outside of SL, but I've made new friends anyway. Still it's the building tools that sold me.
As you all know, I'm an insufferable Star Wars geek. In SL, I've taken that passion to a new level: I've made some SW avatars -- wearable ships! Yes, you can
be a TIE fighter or X-wing and zoom around shooting lasers at stuff.
That shot was taken in the space sim I'm building -- I made everything there: the planet rotates and the stars gently float about. This next pic is of the shop I'm building there to sell the avatars -- I made small models of them for the display sign...still working on the logo to put there.
Hubby asked me to make an avatar out of his "Beezer" character from his Captain Sternn series. This is the prototype (it puffs steam, and "follows" you about):
It's so much fun!