WHAT IS A VIRTUAL WORLD?
A virtual world is the simulation of a 3D interactive environment accessible to various users by means of a web interface. Users interact with the virtual world by means of their personal Avatar which represents their digital identity. There are a multitude of differing virtual worlds, however they all share six fundamental characteristics:
- Cohabitation of space: many users may participate simultaneously.
- Graphic interface for the user: By taking inspiration from the real world, the virtual world visually represents space, more or less realistically, using animated bi-dimensional figures or a more immersive three dimensional environment.
- Immediacy: The interaction between users and the virtual world occurs in real time.
- Interaction: The world allows the user not only to make use of the existing contents, but also to modify them, develop them or create new ones.
- Persistence: the existence of the virtual world persists regardless of whether or not users are connected.
- Community/Socialization: The virtual world allows and encourages the formation of social groups within it; as in teams, societies clubs etc.
Virtual worlds originated for many different purposes. Initially there were mainly developed for online role playing games (MMORPG-Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), but soon they realized that there were numerous reasons for creating virtual worlds: commercial, educational, social, political and military.
