Virtual Worlds
Presented By
Shashvat Thakor
6/27/2016
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
1
In this talk…..
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What is a virtual world?
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Features of a virtual world
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History
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Purposes of Virtual Worlds
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Massively Multiplayer online role-playing game
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Case Study: Second Life
6/27/2016
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
2
What is a virtual world?
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vir·tu·al (adj.) [Definition by theFreeDictionary.com ]
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Existing or resulting in essence or effect though not in actual
fact, form, or name.
Existing in the mind, especially as a product of the
imagination.
Computer Science Created, simulated, or carried on by
means of a computer or computer network.

An interactive simulated environment accessed by
multiple users through an online interface
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Also called “a digital world”, “a simulated world” or
“Massively Multiplayer Online Game”
6/27/2016
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Features of a virtual world
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Shared Space: many user participate at once
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Graphical User Interface: 2D and 3D environment
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Immediacy: interaction in real time
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Interactivity: customized content
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Persistence: the world’s existence continues
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Socialization: formation of social groups
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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History
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Inception as communities and chat rooms
and not as games
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Some evolved to MUDs and MUSHes
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Use of avatars
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First online virtual world: Habitat, by
LucasFilm Games in 1987
6/27/2016
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Purposes of Virtual Worlds
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Commercial Gaming
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Socializing
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Education
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Political Expression
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Military Training
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Commercial Gaming
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The largest and most common purpose
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Strongly influenced by fantasy, science fiction etc.
 e.g. World of Warcraft
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Focus on
 Singular Fiction theme
 Character focused avatars
 Interactive narrative storyline
 Progression by series of competitive events
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Detail discussion of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing
Game (MMORPG) afterwards
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Socializing
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Community-focused
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Highly influenced by text-based chat rooms
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Usually to socialize and interact rather than win or
play a game
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Use of settings based on idealized versions of reality
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6/27/2016
e.g. Create and decorate a personal space using basic
building tools
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Education

Sponsored by academic institutions, non-profit organizations or
corporations
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Online community in which students can log into and interact
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Use of avatars by students to learn
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Examples
 Active Worlds Educational Universe: Oldest network
 Adobe Atmosphere
 Mokitown: corporate-sponsored educational world
(by DaimlerChrysler)
6/27/2016
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Political Expression and
Military Training
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Forums for political expression
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Completely separate virtual worlds for political
debate
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A tool to recruit potential soldiers
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e.g. AgoraXchange
e.g. America’s Army
Tranining simulations for military

6/27/2016
Company named Forterra System
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Virtual Worlds in Fiction
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Science Fiction writers are portraying such
ideas for decades
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e.g. Novelist William Gibson
The Matrix trilogy
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Virtual reality so real that humans think that they
are leaving in real world
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Main Purpose: MMORPG
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Introduction
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Common Features
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Thematic Elements: fantasy-themed gameplay
Common Roles: dependent upon player’s skills
Common Realms (in detail)
Progression: development of a character
System Architecture : client-server system
Development
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Common Realms
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Exploration: required in order to progress
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Resource Management: constraints related to
survival
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Internal Consistency: predictable rules
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Internal Depth: no one can be intimately familiar
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Incremental reinforcement: risk-reward interaction
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Development
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Cost exceeds ten million dollars
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Front-end/Client:
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3D graphics
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Physics simulation
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Transition from 2D
3D
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Server:
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Database architecture
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Network protocols
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Prevention of cheating
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System for recording game’s data at regular intervals
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Maintenance:
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Sufficient servers and bandwidth
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Support staff
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Expertise with the game-design
6/27/2016
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Case Study
Second Life by Linden Lab

A user-defined world of general use in which people can interact,
play, do business and communicate.
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Features
 Residents
 Communication and transport
 Economy
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(Linden Dollars: 1 US $ = 270 L$)
Creation and Copyright
Business
Education
Technology
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Technology

2000 Intel and AMD servers in San Fransico and Dallas running
on Debian Linux and MySQL database supporting 34 TB of usercreated content

Each area runs on single instantiation of server software, “sim”
and each “sim” on separate processor on a server
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Users-”residents” buy the virtual land
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“hand-off” process: clustering
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Objects
6/27/2016
Primitive Shapes “prim” + Images “textures”
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Future Work in Second Life
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Enhanced search capabilities by moving
searches to separate databases
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Tools to user to see the amount of resource
they are using
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Fore more information:
http://secondlife.com/whatis/faq.php
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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Second Life Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b72CvvMuD6Q
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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References
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http://www.virtualworldsreview.com/info/whatis.shtml
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_World
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMORPG
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http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.j
html?articleID=197800179
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_life
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CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
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THANK YOU !!

6/27/2016
CMSC818Z Info-centric Design of Systems
Spring 2007
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