A
virtual world is a Web-based 3D interactive environment much richer than the traditional Web and looks like a “place” -- a real place or a fanciful one. Most are designed to be created or populated by their users. Users are represented by their avatars, and avatars can navigate and move around the
world and communicate with other avatars by text or by voice. A
virtual world is also a platform for socializing and community-building. Some
virtual worlds, like the real
world, have their own functional economy -- a money market for in-
world virtual goods and services. Thus, a
virtual world, as its name implies, is a
world of its own in cyberspace.
Virtual worlds have emerged as an online 3D space for a wide range of activities, including gaming, social networking, education and training, marketing, e-business, and so on.
Learn more in:
Web X.0: A Road Map