| Virtual World Questions: |
| What is a Virtual World? |
A virtual world is a 3D terrain running on a network server 24
hours a day. They will be used for everything from web sites, to socially conscious chat
terrains, to virtual shopping Malls, to chambers of commerce. Major cities will eventually use
virtual worlds as tourist attraction
advertising.
|
| Are there any Virtual Worlds Now? |
Yes there are. The pioneers have been in place for
several years. There are VRML based (first
generation 3D for the net) communities where the members can build their own houses.
Some have used these as family projects and a chance to socialize the kids in a
cooperative project. The best Graphic example of a, 24 hour, living world, is an
RPG (Role Playing Game) holding thousands of participants called Everquest.
Microsoft is just one of the competitors that will release a virtual world RPG in the
coming year. But when all these virtual worlds graduate from text to voice
communication - the industry focus will change from games to ...
Check out the Projects
page for examples of the latest virtual world examples.
Update - now the best RPG is Asheron's
Call. The biggest improvement is the ability to
see more terrain with out distance fogging to restrict the graphic
load on the CPU. And If you see a distant feature such as a
mountain you can walk to them without having the program stop to load
up the next areas.
|
| What is the future of Virtual worlds? |
Art!!! We already have 3D engines capable of pure
beauty! A project just released for free use is the first virtual world
to use a cutting-edge 3D engine. You can walk around in a replica of the
Notre Dame by way of the Unreal engine. This
is a prime example of the coming virtual worlds.These kind of applications are about to
explode across the net and in the first 5 years will primarily focus on art, socially
conscious themes, and chatting by voice. There will also be a rush by large
corporations - to get a more "physical" presence on the web - as impressive
"store fronts". Keeping an eye on the scene - we have evidence of
3-5 projects underway - to provide voice chat in sophisticated 3D engines. Since
this is a big money arena (AOL is throwing billions around to secure the means to keep
their monopoly - on the chat arena - when it becomes a virtual setting) the few working on
these are keeping a tight lid on the plans. Since we are on the eve of a new
revolution Virtual World News is an up and coming web site that will track these
developments along with the rest of the 4 winds. |
| How about a quick example? |
How bout 3 choices - click on
one to get a quick visualizing of how virtual world technology will
impact your life!
Pottery shopping in
Brazil
Social
conscious bank quest
Aimless in Paris
|
| Maximizing the
readability of all web sites: |
| Is
your connection too slow? |
Who needs those stinking
graphics - you can find a way to turn the graphics off in your
browsers tool bar. For Instance in Explorer 5 go to
"Tools/Internet Options/Advanced" and uncheck the boxes
under "Multimedia"
|
| Is the text too small? |
Increase the size of the text by changing it in
the viewing menus of your browser. This can mess with the graphics
on a lot of sites however.
|
| Want a bigger
screen? |
Tired of too many scroll bars? (your
probably in a small resolution setting - see below) Want to see more in one view?
Your browser should have a "Full Screen" button. Look under
"view" and note the (most likely a function key such "F11") key that
will take you from full screen and back to full tool bar functionality.
|
| Bigger Yet? |
Change your monitor's screen resolution by
changing the settings in the desk top. It is worth the effort to change from a
640x480 resolution to 800x600. If you try this or an even higher setting and the text
shrinks too much - then try increasing the text size with the info in the first question
above. If your resolution is set at 640x480 then you will have a horizontal scroll
bar (along the bottom) in the text area - that can be adjusted so all body of text is
visible with out scrolling side to side.
|
| Tired of scrolling? |
Hit your space bar right now! Use the
"shift" and space bar together to go up. Or use your key board arrow
buttons. Not working when you go to a new page? Just click once in the field you
wish to scroll. Moving that little cursor or even rolling a scroll button on an
enhanced mouse gets old. Supposedly a lot of people don't like long pages and would
rather load new ones. I don't think that works for a web site that is all about
reading such as a webzine. You could also resize the body of the text to a smaller
size to decrease scrolling by going to the view menu's in your browser.
|
| Printing for personal use? |
Another reason for long web pages. It makes
the printing of an article easy if it is all on one page. Mark your territory by
dragging the mouse then right click, select print and then
check the "selection" box. This way you don't print all those nasty
printer nukeing graphics. Or for those long pages mark your territory by clicking at
one end of the text and then go do another click while holding the shift button at the
other end of the text.
|
| Why is this site so dark? |
Since this site is so heavy on text it is
physically easier to read on a darker screen. We also try to go with that principle
artistically and follow a theme of hand colored black and white photo to
reflect our stage in the development of virtual worlds.
|
| Why is the lay out so repetitive? |
We are primed for heavy reading - using the same
graphics every page speeds loading. You drill deeper into more pages because of the
speed. Also there will be so much material in this site that a deeper than usual
number of links is necessary to preserve the eclectic nature of this webzine.
|
| How will
virtualworldnews.com evolve: |
| What is the aim of VWN? |
We are an internet magazine about the internet and it's future -
a true webzine. J
Our focus at all times will be oriented on the 3 dimensions of
this future:
1. cultural observer through the net
2. evolvement of the net toward virtual world settings/applications
3. a socially conscious application of the net
(3rd dimension making
the net into art)
Virtual World News is a human engine spotting trends and exploring the
human virtual space.
Also see our introduction page here.
|
| Who's making virtualworldnews.com happen? |
You! Tell us what you think of the future
or this site. Some of you will also want to be editors of this site or some other
site - so you can get exposure in your area of expertise. For instance if you are
the head of one of the areas in a news site - you would use the site as a part of
your resume or for networking in a business or well-being sense. You may be
interested in starting your own site and want to dabble on some one else's
to see the
potential. Keep on reading below for more info!
|
| News or article inputs: |
| How do I put articles
or input on this site? |
Look at our objectives above - if it explores a cultural,
virtual, or socially conscious theme in the net arena - then it belongs on this
site. The article should touch on the excitement of the future in one of the
4 Winds,
Newmoon
Consciousness, or the
Projects area. Read the initial page of the area your interested in to see how your
fitting in. It could be anything from a half page commentary/essay to 3 page article
or thesis size if it is in conversational rhetoric (not containing too many words like rhetoric
J,
or an interview.This
site does not assume ownership of submitted material by outside authors. Anything
you submit - you still control - the copyright on every page defends your rights and ours.
Copyrights are more for avoiding legal actions from others, not so
this site can initiate legal action.
Give us a blurb, about you with contact info to be added to your
article or input.
The Nemo's Mind project will also take input from readers but
in this case once it is on the design document then it is owned by
VirtualWorldNews.com and Nemo's Mind, with full credit going to the
original author, on the design document. Nemo's Mind is the flag
ship concrete example of what VWN is all about.
|
| Can I pass on some news? |
You can always send us info on
relevant news with or with out your own blurb, commenting and describing. We will
double check your links and post it.
|
| Who's running
the site: |
| Do we need more editors? |
Yes!! There is room for at least 5 more contributors
- each with a specialty of their own - some may want to be daily news contributors
specifically in the e-commerce area or entertainment industry (examples) or be the heads
of those same areas in the non-news "4 Winds" area. With this many people
involved - it will be easy to make this a dynamic site with additions on a daily basis
|
|
Kevin Long |
I will make my next career somewhere in the
virtual world - When I grow up I want to be a virtual engineer. I
have come a long ways - there was a day in grade school when I wanted
to be a puppy dog when I grew up. I have a history of fascination with interactivity: Making
board game designs, first home computer was a Kaypro in the early 80's, hardware and
software addict, but equally fascinated by cultural evolution. Always had an
artistic streak in writing and graphics. At this time I am
centered on the production of Nemo's
Mind
|
| Doreen Desmond |
| |
| |
| back to the top
contact us |
| ©
1999-2001
by
H. Kevin Long -Virtual World News TM
all rights reserved |
