Product Description

Second Life: The Official Guide is the perfect book for anyone interested in Linden Lab’s fascinating Second Life metaverse. This book explores in detail every aspect of Second Life’s rich and multilayered virtual world, explains how it works, and offers a wealth of information and practical advice for all Second Life residents.

The first part of the book, Getting a Second Life, acquaints potential and new players with the Second Life world. It describes the metaverse’s geography as well as its society, explaining the written and unwritten rules.

The second part, Living a Second Life, deals with the practical and economic aspects of Second Life: creating and customizing an avatar, building objects, scripting, and making money.

The third part of the book, Success in Second Life, discusses ways to enjoy Second Life more. This section includes profiles of successful Second Life residents, discusses fascinating in–world events, and examines how some are using Second Life for business, training, and other purposes.

The book closes with a glossary as well as quick–reference and additional–resources appendices.

The accompanying CD–ROM features special animations, character templates, and textures created by Linden Lab exclusively for this book. The disc also guides new users through installation and includes a code that grants a special object their first time entering the metaverse.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #230690 in Books
• Published on: 2006-12-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
Although not a game in the strictest sense of the word, the increasingly popular virtual world of Second Life shares many commonalities with online gaming environments. Libraries interested in Second Life Library 2.0 (http://infoisland.org) and those serving populations active in virtual environments should pick up a copy of this official, thorough full–color guide. The book walks beginners through getting started in Second Life and customizing their avatars; tells them where to go, what to see, and how to define their virtual existence; and ends with a discussion of the future and impact of Second Life. Its CD contains textures, templates, Avimator animation software, sample animations, videos, and a code for exclusive in–world content. Recommended. (Library Journal, January 15, 2007)

"…an excellent job of talking through the history of second life…" (Trusted Reviews, November 2006)

Review
…an excellent job of talking through the history of second life…′ ( Trusted Reviews, November 2006)

From the Back Cover
Enjoy your second life

This exclusive guide offers a wealth of tips, analysis, and information about living in Second Life, the rich, multi–layered 3D virtual world inhabited by nearly a million residents. You′ll find out everything from how Second Life began and where it′s going to the truth about earning a real–world income and what′s needed to enjoy the metaverse′s vices and virtues.

Authored by Second Life experts and featuring contributions from Linden Lab employees and Second Life residents the world over, this official guide is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to create his or her own reality in Second Life. The book includes:

• Avatar appearance advice: Customize your look with ease.
• Places to go: Take a grand tour of interesting Second Life locales.
• Things to do: Check out some of Second Life′s resident–created in–world events.
• People to meet: Get a taste of Second Life′s diverse social scene.
• Building info: Learn how you can create everything from sandals to spaceships.
• Scripting info: Make your projects move, talk, spin around, and more—learn how to script in Second Life from the creator of the Linden Scripting Language himself.
• Economic info: See how you can get the job of your dreams and turn L$ into US$.

Second Life: The Official Guide is perfect for helping you enjoy the world′s geography, economy, history, social etiquette, and the range of behaviors and interactions possible.

• Experience Second Life′s rich and varied social scene
• Get a tour of Second Life′s fantastic places
• Master the skills that let you create anything you can imagine

On the CD
The CD features textures, avatar templates, Avimator animation software, more than a hundred sample animations, and a host of resources to help Second Life builders, scripters, and animators. The CD also features videos created in Second Life and includes a code to?give readers?access to?exclusive in–world content.

Customer Reviews

Get a life in Second Life
This book is excellent if you are new to Second Life. The front half is full of practical tips that will save hours of frustration in-game. I'm not a techie so the sections on scripting and coding passed me by, but overall well worth the time taken to read it.

Invaluable
This book is not only beautiful to look at and beautifully made, it is an absolute must for all those who want to start a Second Life. Packed with inside information and extremely useful tips, it shows you SL from the inside. Don't start without it! You'll discover why it's so important to linger on Help Island, how to make a fabulous avatar, and how to make the most of your new life... for free! Invaluable ressource. :o)

Life in a Hyper-World
I do strongly recommend this book for it is packed with invaluable advice for the Second Life newcomer. It is perhaps a mark of this books' quality that it has yet to become superceeded as a definitive introduction to Second Life. The downside to this is that despite the fact that it has only been published for a few months much of its content is old - such is the pace of change in Second Life.

Nevertheless it is a superbly crafted publication with great layout and illustrations. Instead of merely acting as an intstruction manual there is also a great deal of background information on subjects such as the history of the development of Second Life, regular Second Lifers anecdotal observations and indepth analysis of successful avatars. Undoubtedly there will be a revised and updated edition but until then this book still manages to serve as the best introduction to the subject.