Virtual Worlds
From Baruchnewmedia
A Virtual world is a computer based simulation of an environment based on the creator's design. Within a virtual world there are avatars. These avatars are computer designed beings that the user creates either as his/her own image or make an avatar that could represent something else such as an animal or a mythical being. Depending on the virtual world you are using there are certain boundaries within them. In order to create your avatar you would need to have some type of virtual world program such as Second Life, MTV Virtual Worlds and many more.
One perception of virtual worlds requires an online persistent world, active and available 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to qualify as a true virtual world. Although this is possible with smaller virtual worlds, especially those that are not actually online, no massively multiplayer game runs all day, every day. All the online games listed above] include downtime for maintenance that is not included as time passing in the virtual world. While the interaction with other participants is done in real-time, time consistency is not always maintained in online virtual worlds. An example is Final Fantasy XI where time passes faster than real-time. Every hour equals to one day in game yet the game will record all of your play time and keep track of what you have done and how much you have done.
Second Life
Second Life is an Internet-based virtual world developed by Linden Labs and launched on 23 June 2003. A free downloadable client program called the Second Life Viewer enables its users, also known as residents, to interact with each other through motional avatars. This provides an advanced level of a social network service. Residents can explore, meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, and create and trade items (virtual property). They can also provide different services with one another while traveling freely throughout the virtual world. Second Life caters for users aged over 18, while its sister site Teen Second Life is restricted to users aged between 13 and 18.
In 2008, Second Life was honored at the 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for advancing the development of online sites with user-generated content. Philip Rosedale, President of Linden Lab, accepted the award.
The basic avatar is human in appearance, but may be of either gender, have a wide range of physical attributes, and may be clothed or otherwise customized to produce a wide variety of humanoid and other forms. Avatars may be creative or can be made to resemble the person whom they represent.[7] A single Resident account may have only one avatar at a time, although the appearance of this avatar can change between as many different forms as the Resident wishes. A single person may also have multiple accounts, and thus appear to be multiple Residents (a person's multiple accounts are referred to as alts).
A player's identity is generally less anonymous in Second Life than in other virtual worlds. Any avatar and any object in the world can establish whether or not real payment info is on file for his or her avatar, although they cannot access any personal details from this payment information; this was implemented to provide age verification and also to enable users to distinguish between established paid-for accounts and free alts which can be thrown away at any moment. Some in-world services also require the resident to disclose his or her real name or other personal data to different source, although this is voluntary and hence the resident can choose not to use the services which require such disclosures.
Avatars communicate via local chat, and global "instant messaging"(known as IM). Chatting is used for public localized conversations between two or more avatars; the range of avatars reached is determined by location in the world. IM is used for private conversations, either between two avatars, or among the members of a group, or even between objects and avatars. Unlike chatting, IM communication does not depend on the participants being within a certain distance of each other. As of version 1.18.1.2, voice chat, both local and IM, is also available on the main grid[9] and teen grid using technology licensed by Vivox, a provider of similar services to other MMO worlds. Only avatars can use voice chat.
Avatars and objects can send and receive email as well, although this functionality is rather limited and not widely used. Instant Messages roll over to an avatar's "real life" email when he or she is logged off (if the avatar has opted into this service and has provided a valid email address.)
This is an example of an Avatar that could be made within Second Life.
Virtual Worlds are a great place for the imagination and one's creative outlet. It gives people a chance to use their imagination and do things that one cannot do in "real life." For example, fly. It allows you to open up a world for yourself that you may not have or be able to have in the real world, but through imagination, it can provide similiar satisfaction. For example, In the Youtube video "A second life on second life," the woman describes what it is like to have a disability, and creating an avatar for herself in the virtual world, allows her to do things that she physically cannot like walk, dance, jump, etc. This is another reason how virtual worlds can help people. This woman learned more about her disability and shared stories with other "avatars," with similiar disabilities and different ones as well. Virtual Worlds allow users to explore the environment and interact with other people and information. Like social networking, its a place where people can communicate and share ideas by developing their own simulations and models. These virtual worlds allow players to create individual characters with unique identities, and sometimes be someone they want to be but are not. By acting through avatars, players take on a role distinct from yet related to their own identity. This allows players to create public characters who think and act as members of a community, rather than just being a private individual like they may be in real life. Also, The avatar can choose to behave in ways that the avatars creator might not.
Teen Second Life
Teen Second Life is a version of Second Life reserved for teenagers, running on the so-called "Teen Grid." It was officially opened to the public on February 14th, 2005 for people aged 13-17 to play Second Life, without entering false information to participate in Second Life (reserved for people aged 18 and over). On January 1, 2006, Teen Second Life operating hours were increased to 24 hours a day, whereas it was previously open only from noon to 10pm Pacific Time.
Teen Second Life users are transferred to Second Life once they turn 18, taking all content and private islands with them. Underage users found to be violating the Terms of Service by accessing Second Life may either be transferred to Teen Second Life or be restricted from accessing either area entirely. In the case of transfer, all inventory is erased in an effort to prevent Mature content being transferred to Teen Second Life. Overage users found to be violating the Terms of Service by accessing Teen Second Life face banning from all areas of Second Life (website, TSL and SL) and their identifying information may be provided to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Open Registration was implemented, but quickly removed for Teen Second Life, to increase security against users over age 18 from entering Teen Second Life.
Adults are allowed on Teen Second Life on a limited basis, provided they pass a criminal background check. Up to this point, these adults, called approved adults, have all been educators or non-profits. They are required to stay in adult owned islands and may not join teen created groups, nor can they under any circumstances visit the mainland of Teen Second Life. See more in the Educators Working with Teens section of this page
Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI is an online gaming Virtual World that allows its users to interact with one another. There are various goals within this online game such as completing quests, "leveling up", going up in the ranks and also specialize in a specific job. Final Fantasy XI first started in 2001 and is currently still going on.
This game is for all teens and adults who wish to play. The minimum age to play is 13 and there is a monthly fee that is charged which is only $13 a month. If you make additional characters and content ID's then you are charged an additional $1 for each one added on. Each person can have a variety of avatars that they would wish to play with but not all of them are human avatars. There are avatars galled Galka, TaruTaru, Mithra and Elvaan. Here is a picture of a Dark Knight Galka and an event within Final Fantasy:
The object of this game is for players to interact with each other and do missions, quests, and level up together. Everyone who starts out start at level 1. Their goal is to get to the level cap which is 75 so that they may be able to do other events and "camp" certain monsters to gain rare items and equipment that further makes the player's character much better. Here is a video of a group of people fighting some particular hard to claim monsters that drop really rare items. HNM fights
