Active Worlds
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Definition
Active Worlds is a commercial 3D interactive environment.
- Active Worlds is probably the oldest surviving commercial 3D environment technology. Founded in 1995 and built on top of "Alpha Worlds", it features a flat geometry on top of which users can build with bricks, a bit like the Lego philosophy. Size of a world is determined by server parameters. Building requires payment; however, it is possible to stake a claim to virtual construction space and construct one's own durable real-world modelled or fantasy building in AW by becoming a "citizen." As of April 2007 the annual citizenship fee is around $70. Owing to its intuitive graphical interface it is quite easy to create most any sort of real or fantasy object/building one wishes to create. An extensive library of free-use objects (brick, stone and other wall panels, walkways, windows, building entrances, an extensive library of furniture, etc.) have already been produced and are available for in an "Object Yard" from use by ActiveWorlds citizens. This means that it is not necessary in most cases to rediscover the wheel: someone has probably already thought of the need for an object or building-block one would like to use and has created and stored it in the Object Yard for future use. A new user needs only to copy the name of the object, its description and any action it is supposed to carry out (blinking, flashing, changing color, etc.) into an empty object creation pane and it is instantly created. Once a building or area has been created in AW, one can send the coordinates of its location to other citizens, select an appropriate avatar and meet there in real time for text-based or VoIP chatting.
See also: Second Life
Technology
- You need a special free client
- There are servers operated by Active Worlds, but you also can acquire the server technology and run your own.
In education
- Active Worlds Educational Universe is an entire Active Worlds Universe dedicated to exploring the educational applications of the Active Worlds Technology. Unfortunately, the Active Worlds Educational Universe seems at present to be in a state of suspended animation. However, following a new surge in development activity in ActiveWorlds in general, it is quite possible that Active Worlds Educational Universe could come out of its current state in the not-too-distant future.
- Features a basic classroom for 20 students at $650/year.
- Alternatively, there institutions who run their own server.
Links
- Official websites
- Other