Virtual 3D Worlds

Virtual 3D worlds are the hottest places to be on the internet because they allow people to use their imagination and have plenty of ongoing fun. People meet, explore, visit art museums, role-play fantasy games, attend college classes, network and much more while visiting a virtual community. One of the most popular, and most developed, is Second Life.

From the Bottom Up

Linden Lab was one of the first to get in on the virtual 3D worlds market. They took a novel approach to building their community and it worked. Linden Lab offered a blank space on the internet and let their members build the virtual Second Life environment from the ground up. Members were also the owners of their creations in this virtual world.

Users loved the idea and word quickly spread on the internet grapevine that there was a really cool place where creativity ruled. Second Life soon became a haven of creative souls, business people, and guys and girls looking for fun. The site project started in 1999 and in 2003 was available to the public for the first time. In 2006 was on top of all news worldwide and right now is growing quickly.

In this virtual world you can create an avatar to represent yourself and then begin to take advantage of the many site features available to members.

Second Life is composed of islands. Each island has its own theme and can include educational institutions, governmental and non-profit organizations, shops and malls, nightclubs and entertainment venues, arts and cultural expositions, private homes and residential areas and businesses & corporations. One of the most popular islands is the library island or info Island where educators can meet and classes are held. Clubs, gaming venues, and clothing design stores are the most popular retail sites.

My Virtual Clone

To interact in Second Life, or in any virtual 3D world, you must create an avatar. Your avatar is the means by which you will navigate the virtual environment and interact with other members. You will find avatars that look exactly like the person you are chatting with and ones are pure fantasy creations. Some of the most popular avatars are based on mythical and fantastic creatures and famous cartoons and celebrities.

Second Life offers members a user friendly module to create their virtual clone. The module walks you through the process of creating a basic avatar. After choosing your avatar’s first look during the registration process, you can enter the virtual environment and interact with other users.

In-world you have many different options to customize your avatar. You can do it by yourself, using the second life modules and extra templates provided or with the help of others, shopping in avatar galleries or requiring the services of professional designers.

Money, Money, Money

Second Life provides a unique economy for members. Linden Lab created the Linden Dollar that can be used for purchasing products & services, buying land and going out for a day/night of entertainment. Second Lifers can earn Linden Dollars through work or selling virtual items. Linden Dollars can be exchanged for US Dollars. Some Second Lifers are land barons and buy and sell land for a large profit.

Of all the virtual 3D worlds online Second Life has the most advanced economy, with its own stock exchange, the LindeX. This is one of the sites many advantages over other virtual worlds available online.

The best way to discover more about virtual 3D worlds is to join. Second Life has a free membership that allows new users to explore the environment before committing to a membership. But don’t wait too long before buying a membership because many of the best aspects of the world, like buying land, are only offered to paying members. Whether it’s free or paying a small fee, join the virtual world and start exploring its almost unlimited possibilities.