Resources and Links Related to Virtual Worlds
This is the zone of the market place (or bazaar), the digital on-line environments, and spontaneously forming crowds. It’s not really a new space. Markets have existed for millennia. While there is often an entity (often formed of traders themselves) that monitors the trading and exchanges and sets some basic rules, these rules are nearly all enablers so that the spontaneous interaction of agents exchanging value with one another can proceed without confusion or unnecessary impediment.
Collaborative work in this arena is characterized by more and more control shifting to agents, or the individual participants, while digital tools and simple rules serve as enablers and connectors. The Internet-based versions of this zone let people work together on projects from a distance (remote) and at their convenience instead of all at the same time (asynchronous). Events take on a more fluid and discontinuous feel.
What follows are links to resources and additional information about Virtual Worlds.
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Theory and Definitions
Virtual Worlds: A virtual world is a computer-based simulated environment intended for its users to inhabit and interact via avatars. This habitation usually is represented in the form of two or three-dimensional graphical representations of humanoids (or other graphical or text-based avatars). Most, but not all, virtual worlds allow for multiple users.
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a genre of online computer role-playing games (CRPGs) in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world.
Massively multiplayer online game (also called MMOG or simply MMO) is a video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and feature at least one persistent world.
A role-playing game (RPG; often roleplaying game) is a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters and collaboratively create or follow stories. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines. Within the rules, players can improvise freely; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the games.
Virtual Places
Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe.
Voy Plaza Virtual: A Whole New World
Virtual MTV: a free online virtual world where you can live the MTV life.
There.com: There is a beautiful virtual world where you can: Create a 3D avatar; Hang out with friends; Play games; Build a home; Design and sell things.
Whyville.com: Whyville is a virtual world where boys and girls from all over the real world come to chat, play, learn, and have fun together. You design your face, earn clams by playing games, hang out at the beach, and go to town events at the Greek Theater. You can start your own business, buy a car and give your friends a ride, or write for the town newspaper.
OpenLife Grid:The OpenlifeGrid is a virtual world built on technology from the opensimulator project.
Massively Parallel, Online Multiuser Games: This is a list of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). For online games in other genres, see list of MMOGs.
Multiplayer Games: This is a list of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), sorted by category.
