Modeling Reality With Virtual Worlds

A virtual world is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface. The virtual world depicts space visually, ranging in style from 2D "cartoon" imagery to more immersive 3D environments. There are many different types of virtual worlds. All off them allow many users to participate at once and interaction takes place in real time. The world allows users to alter, develop, build, or submit customized content. The virtual world allows and encourages the formation of in-world social groups like teams, guilds, clubs, cliques, housemates, neighborhoods, etc.

Virtual worlds have been created for many different purposes. Commercial gaming worlds tend to be the largest and most common type of virtual world that are strongly influenced by fantasy, science fiction, and anime genres of literature and film. Those gaming worlds consistently follow formal conventions such as character-focused avatars, progression through an interactive narrative storyline, and a series of competitive events.

Some virtual worlds have been created for educational purposes. Academic institutions or nonprofit organizations mostly sponsor educational worlds. Forms of Educational worlds include 3D recreations of museum and gallery spaces, computer programming tutorials, virtual libraries, and meeting spaces for online university courses. Similarly, IBM’ idea of creating virtual world for employee trainings may be very attractive to young employees. This makes people “more willing to take risks and more flexible in their thinking”. (Ed Frauenheim)

In addition to the above, there are many commercial community-focused virtual worlds that put emphasis on socializing rather than gaming. These worlds are strongly influenced by the cultures of text-based chat rooms. Participants are there to socialize with others and, in many cases, create and decorate a personal space such as a home, room, or apartment. Social worlds tend to use settings based on idealized versions of reality. Most provide some basic building tools and the ability to host activities and events that revolve around a wide variety of topics.