Second Life In-World Travel Guide (Paperback)

~ Sean Percival (Author)
Key Phrases: grid map, manatee reserve, orgy room, Virtual Travel Tips, Virtual Shopping Tips, Groove Nation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Some new users to Second Life may find that it can be very difficult to navigate this new 3D space and even harder to find some of the more interesting places to visit. Many of the best places to visit in Second Life have remained a secret to the most active and seasoned users, until now! Now there is a guide for everyone who wants to access the top destinations on Second Life. “This book provides over 200 destinations in six areas - shopping, entertainment, education, real life in Second Life, adults only, and where to live” to “ over 100 top destinations in shopping, entertainment, adults only, virtual travel, education, and where to live.  Answering questions like - where to go for a night out on the town, how to find the best shopping experience or find a specific area like Adidas. The book briefly covers the basics of navigating Second Life with tips on flying, teleporting and creating landmarks, then jumps into the main areas of travel. It also includes profiles of some of the people behind these locations. In most cases they are just as colorful as some of the places they create. Each location will be highlighted with a brief write up, screen shots, and location information.

 

About the Author

In my first life, my name is Sean Percival, a mild-mannered web developer and blogger from Southern California. I live in a nice (albeit overpriced) apartment, drive a fine German sports car, and have a beautiful wife. Sounds pretty good, right? With a setup like this, you might even wonder why I have a Second Life at all.

 

In my Second Life, my name is Sean Voss, an explorer with a perfect physique from Landmark Island. I have my own private island and drive an even nicer German sports car. However, who really needs a car in a world where you can fly and, even better, teleport? My virtual existence is much of a fantasy life for me as it is for the millions of others who have tried Second Life. Here we live and do what we please with almost no limitations; we build what we can’t find and share it with the community. To me, Second Life is much more than a game; it’s a revolutionary new way to communicate and immerse yourself.

 

For the last 10 years, I have been developing websites for various large and small businesses. Although a rewarding experience for the most part, my passion for the work was fading with each launched website. For me, the flat landscape of the web limits its potential for true immersion and interactively. Awash in a sea of poorly designed MySpace profiles and search results full of spam there has to be something better.

 

My honest hope is that Second Life is just that–a new way to look at and engage content. In 1994, bright-eyed dotcom moguls promised us 3D shopping malls and flying cars. Second Life now offers both, with the trend of mixed reality between the real and virtual worlds continuing. We can only imagine what the final results will be.

 

Making the leap into such an environment can be challenge for many–including myself. Upon arrival, I was unsure of where to go; hopelessly, I wandered through the world until other residents offered to help this lost avatar. After more than a year of extensive research and countless conversations with some amazing residents, I have collected some of the best destinations the metaverse has to offer. If this book helps you find your way or you experience an unforgettable moment, I’ll feel my contribution is complete. I hope you’ll return the favor to fellow travelers you encounter so that Second Life can continue to grow and be shared by all.

 

 Sean Percival’s official website can be found at www.seanpercival.com.

 

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Que; 1 edition (December 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789737302
• ISBN-13: 978-0789737304
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #264,352 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Livng La Vida Virtual, January 4, 2008

By	Knowledge Seeker "The Critical Critic" (Nevada USA) - See all my reviews

Sean Percival's book is one of the best about Second Life I have read. He takes you to many of the best shopping, entertainment, educational, adult only, and island living areas I have seen in Second Life. This book takes the reader off of the mainland and shows that the users of Second Life are truly creative; many of the locations featured in this book far outstrip the mainland content both visually and in software performance.

Percival's writing style is easy to read and entertaining, and serious or funny in an appropriate way. I have read some of what I call, "The Linden Approved" Guides.Those books have the feeling that the writers were simply mouthpieces for Linden.They also offer little in the way of things to do. Percival's book on the other hand, is easy to read; you can pretty much open up to any page and find something interesting or fun, without all the technical hoo-doo. This book is witty and offers a fresh look at what Second Life truly has to offer the adventerous avatar.

Speaking of adventures, Percival (aka sean Voss in-world) also features an in-world companion to his book where he offers tour services and landmarks to locations both in the book and otherwise. Hello, can anyone say innovation??? No CDs, no paid websites. Just good fun ready to access at the click of a landmark. In fact, the name of his island in world is Landmark Island, I found it in places in the Second Life Search Function. Easy, straightforward, interacive. That's using 3D internet the way it should be used!

Linden approved books are expensive, and they offer little more in the way of content that a person can't learn from other residents or experimenting with the building tools in-world. Not to impune Linden Approved titles; they are great for beginners, but I was looking for something more. I found what I wanted in Percival's book. It is much more reasonably priced, has a more fun tone, and offers the in-world companion. I highly recommend this book for anyone who really wants to get the most of their Second Life experience.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love it!, January 7, 2008

By	Sarah Nerd "Sarah Nerd" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

I just received it today, and I love it! It's gorgeous pictures and well written reviews make it a wonderful, up to date view into the world of second life. I've been a resident for 2 and a half years, and it let me discover new places that I still didn't know existed in game.

<3 Sarah Nerd