Online Worlds

What are online worlds? Who populates these virtual environments? What can you do there? These questions and others like them are constantly being asked across the internet in chat rooms and on social networking sites. Simply put, it is a virtual realm re-created to mimic the real world at some level. Online worlds can range from hyper realistic to fantastic environments, imagined by the most creative minds, or a mix of both.

Your Second Life

Second Life is the most popular of the many online worlds active on the ‘net today. This unique site allows users to interact in real time with people from all over the world. Almost anything you can do in the real world can be done in Second Life and it’s easy to see what kind of fascinating opportunities this offers site members.

Due to the lack of many physical and technological real world limitations, many options available in Second Life are not available in real life like: teleporting, passing through solid objects, floating in the air, being invisible and running underwater. Enjoy these unique “virtual” possibilities offered to you.

A popular question in online circles is “Who are you in your second life?” This refers to the persona a user takes on when joining Second Life. When you become a site member you are asked to choose the starting look for your avatar, which you can customize later in world. Your avatar will function as your virtual representative in Second Life.

You can be anyone you want to be in Second Life. Online worlds allow you to shed unwanted aspects of your life or your personality and recreate yourself. Have you always wanted to be a rock star? Well, get rockin’ in Second Life by creating a rock star avatar. Do you want to be popular but you are a shy person? Make a fancy girl avatar and start interacting a lot and enhancing your list of friends. Be nice and cheerful and don’t bother about your shyness, Second Life keeps your real life safe, you are totally anonymous.

Of course, some people are perfectly happy with who they are and have no intention of trying out new personas. These users can create an avatar that is an actual representation of their looks or their personality. Second Life is a virtual environment where anything is possible, and it is a place to meet amazing people or amazing characters and do amazing things.

It is also quite common to change genders in Second Life. You can find many real life boys playing girls and some but less real life girls using boy’s avatars. Other people are more interested in non-human avatars of all kinds. It’s fun to try different things and explore new options.

What Do You Do?

Another advantage of online worlds is the ability to do things you may have never thought possible before. Anyone who wants to be a rock star, yet cannot play a lick on the guitar, can join Second Life and form a band. In a few time he or she can be found performing in nightclubs and other virtual venues, thanks to sophisticated animations and scripts.

Members use Second Life to create their dream jobs, attempt something new, and live adventurously. Users who are afraid to fly can travel to Africa in this virtual world, see how villages looked hundreds of years ago, and take a guided photo safari. A rising fashion designer can set up shop on one of the Second Life islands and sell her garments.

Second Life and online worlds can also be an extension of your current life. Students sign into Second Life to attend college classes or form study groups. Real estate agents enter to practice their skills and become land barons. Real life business people can re-create their businesses in Second Life and sell their virtual products or services. Workers of big companies and corporations can network in-world. The possibilities for your Second Life are infinite.