If you’re If you’re interested in taking the leap and exploring a virtual world or two where do you start? Your first decision is to determine whether you want to visit one of the open-ended non-gaming virtual worlds or one of the theme based MMORPGs (massive multi-player online role playing games).
Free-Form Worlds
The first category is most widely used for educational purposes. Second Life is probably the best known of these worlds and offers much to explore. There are also a number of published guides to this world to assist you. However, I have found its interface unique and somewhat complex for beginners.
If you want to start with a somewhat simpler interface before exploring Second Life, a world like There.com would be an easy starting point. There is essentially a social space that appears to simulate spring break at the beach. The controls are easily learned and guides seem generally available to assist you.
Somewhat more complex, but still a good place for beginners is Active Worlds. Active Worlds has both a public world and an educational world. If you want to see some examples of the variety of educational uses of a virtual world, the Active Worlds Educational Universe is good place to begin. You can visit any of these worlds for free by setting up an account and downloading their software. Another advantage of these worlds is that they are not terribly demanding in terms of computing power and will run on most modern computers.
Theme Based Worlds
If you’re feeling daring and up for adventure, if your imagination and inner child want a chance to play, then the MMORPGs may be for you. Beware, they can be captivating, and many a visitor has decided to take up residence in these worlds, including a surprising number of academics, their families and friends. You have many choices among these worlds, but some are clearly better designed for beginners.
World of Warcraft (WoW), the most popular of these worlds with over 9 million members world wide is known as a good MMOG for those new to the genre. Lord of the Rings Online (LoTR), a world released in 2007 based on Tolkien’s literature, is also a good starting world. WoW is the least demanding in terms of computing power, while LoTR is known for a somewhat more mature community. LoTR may also be the most beautiful of these worlds to experience from a graphics perspective.
My personal favorite among current MMOGs is Everquest 2 which offers beauty, humor, depth and a mature population. It is somewhat more complex then the other two worlds and benefits from having a good computer (particularly video card), but it can be an enchanting experience.
Be aware that there are differences in the themes of these worlds. The most popular themes are based on medieval fantasy literature, but there are sci-fi and super hero worlds and soon to be released pirate worlds as well. In addition, while many of these worlds offer a free trial period of play, they generally require a monthly fee for continued participation. Finally, because of their graphical sophistication they tend to require a more powerful computer with a decent video card.
Virtual World News, Reviews and Discussions
An excellent site for news, reviews and discussion of virtual worlds, particularly MMORPGs is mmorpg.com. There are a lot of virtual world veterans in the discussion forums with lively debates on a variety of issues, but no lack of information for those who want to explore these spaces. The following link takes you to one of these discussions and begins with a solid analysis of some of the more popular worlds and their individual strengths and weaknesses. http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/1669579#1669579
Key Terms
A few descriptions of key terms may be helpful in understanding the analysis linked to above. “Grind” refers to the almost “work-like” effort sometimes required to advance your character forward. Most worlds use a level system for character advancement with anywhere from 50 to 80 levels being available. “PVE” (player versus environment) refers to those worlds where play is essentially cooperative and the computer generated environment presents the challenges. “PVP “(player versus player) refers to a world in which players can be competitors and adversaries. A number of worlds provide elements of both kinds of play, but individuals often have strong preferences for the type of world they prefer to inhabit. Finally, most worlds also feature crafting, allowing the members to create objects for use or decoration.
If you have any further questions or suggestions about choosing a virtual world or navigating the experience as a “newbie” feel free to post them on the blog comments.
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