Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by over 200,000 people from around the globe. From the moment you enter the World you'll discover a vast digital continent, teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity. Once you've explored a bit, perhaps you'll find a perfect parcel of land to build your house or business. You'll also be surrounded by the Creations of your fellow residents. Because residents retain the rights to their digital creations, they can buy, sell and trade with other residents.
The Marketplace currently supports millions of US dollars in monthly transactions. This commerce is handled with the in-world currency, the Linden dollar, which can be converted to US dollars at several thriving online currency exchanges.

[http://www.bestmmorpg.net/secondlife.php]

The game is based on, but is not limited to, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. However, Turbine does not have rights to any other works in Tolkien's legendarium, such as The Silmarillion or The Children of Húrin.^[3]

The player controls a character avatar which can be moved around the game world and interacts with other players, non-player (computer-controlled) characters (or "NPCs") and other entities in the virtual world. Camera angles can be switched between first-person and third-person options. Player's characters are improved by gaining "levels". A character's level increases after it earns a set amount of experience points through the player versus environment (or "PvE") combat and storyline adventures. Characters' abilities are improved by increasing in level, but character skills must be purchased from specified NPCs after gaining a new level.

The main storyline (also known as the "Epic Quest Line") is set up as a series of "Books", which feature quests called "Chapters". There were initially eight Books when the game was released, with each major update has been adding a new Book.

Player versus player (PvP) combat is included in the form called "Monster Play" or "Player vs Monster Player (PvMP)".^[4] Monster Play is unlocked at level 10, when players can automatically become level 50 monsters that are restricted to a few areas of the game. Players control playable monster characters, which can complete quests and attack other non-monster player characters.

Another aspect of character development are the inclusion of Destiny Points. Destiny Points are awarded for leveling and completing quests and can be used to temporarily increase some of your abilities or skills. These points can also be earned through combat in Monster Play.

Tolkien's Middle-earth as represented in The Lord of the Rings Online implements magic in a different manner than other MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft. There are only five "wizards" in the fictional world, none of which are player controlled. Instead, there are active skills which require "power" (the equivalent of magic points). Some skills behave like magic (like healing or throwing a burning ember at an enemy), but are based on "lore".^[5] In addition, objects and artifacts are used to create effects similar to magic.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_Online:_Shadows_of_Angmar]

[http://www.allakhazam.com/e3/news/sdetail7356.html?story=7356]