(Alistair) The latest in my completed non-fiction reading, this is an introduction to content creation for Second Life.

Overall, decent starting point. Be advised that it doesn't cover some of the latest techniques, inasmuch as this book was published in the earlier part of this year, and the construction facilities in SL have moved on a little since the date of publication, but really, in an evolving world, it's about as up to date as you can reasonably ask for.

I have a few quibbles with the style and format; of course, at least part of this is my lack of patience with introductions in technical books in general, since I evidently require rather less introduction than the average chap. Nevertheless, I would venture some criticism that I, personally, might have spent a little less time on the tutorials - especially on the listings which are duplicated, in effect, on the supplied CD - and provided more in the way of reference material. While indexed, reference sections, especially for the visual prim-manipulation techniques, would greatly increase the book's value as a reference after the first read-through-and-try.

I'll still have it handy to refer to, but I do think it could have been better in those respects. Or maybe I just need to find the intermediate-level equivalent text.

( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/cerebrate/2008/11/creating_your_world_aimee_w... ) ( )