Multi User Virtual Worlds provide a simulated immersive 3D environment that is similar to the real world. Popular examples include Second Life and OpenSim. The multi-user nature of these simulations means that there are significant computational demands on the processes that render the different avatar-centric views of the world for each participant, which change with every movement or interact...

An important security aspect of Virtual Worlds (in particular Virtual Worlds oriented towards commercial activities) is controlling participants’ adherence to the social norms (rules of behavior) and making them follow the acceptable interaction patterns. Rules of behavior in the physical world are usually enforced through a post factum punishment, while in computercontrolled environments like ...

In this paper we propose viewing Virtual Worlds as open Multiagent Systems and propose the 3D Electronic Institutions methodology for their development. 3D Electronic Institutions are Virtual Worlds with normative regulation of interactions. More precisely, the methodology we propose here helps in separating the development of Virtual Worlds based on the concept of 3D Electronic Institutions in...

Three-dimensional (3D) maps have many potential applications, such as navigation and urban planning. In this article, we present the use of a 3D virtual world platform Meshmoon to create intelligent open data 3D maps. A processing method is developed to enable the generation of 3D virtual environments from the open data of the National Land Survey of Finland. The article combines the elements n...

—This paper proposes the implementation of a 3D virtual library, using open platforms such as OpenSimulator and Sloodle, applied to the integration of virtual learning environments. It also proposes their application to the creation of open libraries to share and disseminate the new dynamic nature of knowledge, in the understanding that 3D virtual worlds may contribute to the future of librarie...

Virtual worlds provide 3D-immersive experiences to users and some of them already have already launched commercial service to users. As computing environment becomes more heterogeneous, more mobile users are anticipated to access the virtual world with their mobile devices. However, still there are challenges and problems to be addressed for mobile users. In this report, state-of-art virtual wo...

KEYWORDS Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), distributed virtual environments, multiuser environments. ABSTRACT VRML —the Virtual Reality Modeling Language— has already become the standard for the distribution of 3D virtual worlds on the Internet. Recently several enhancements have been made to extend it by behaviors, most of them altering the current standard radically. In this paper we ...

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a VRML97 multi-user layer, which is introduced in the EVE distributed virtual reality platform. Main consideration of our multi-user extension is the ease of transforming single-user virtual worlds to multi-user virtual worlds, as well as the conformity with any standard VRML97 browser. Furthermore, we present the EVE' s communication p...

In this article we compare the content creation systems of two popular virtual worlds: World of Warcraft and Second Life. We then discuss recommendations for 3D content creation systems based on current trends in 3D user interface research. We hypothesize that by designing 3D content creation systems that follow these recommendations, virtual world economies based on custom content creation (e....

Virtual worlds provide a rich platform for supporting exploratory education. Their ability to bring together multimedia, programmability, interactivity and enhanced presence in a distributed 3D virtual environment makes them an excellent basis for interactive learning. This paper outlines work done in the virtual world OpenSim to create a learning environment for teaching the core algorithms wh...