Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds are computer-based environments in which users live and experience events through an avatar. This type of new media is greatly used and explored in many video games like World of War craft. Second life is also a popular version of a virtual world. Apart from games, virtual world can also be used in research into many ideas, policies and products where a lot of information on consumer and human behavior can be attained.

Virtual worlds can be very beneficial if used in the right ways. It can allow policy makers to test policies and their impacts in a way that brings it close to the way natural sciences are tested. These uses can be extended to businesses and even provide health care providers with another way of training health care practitioners. In the article "Avatar II: The Hospital" Dr Greci says that "virtual worlds enable a much more immersive experience and it doesn't interrupt a hospital's regular business". Virtual collaboration is now a tool that many businesses use and it is becoming more common. In the CNN article “Going to the virtual office in Second life”, Mark Tutton states, “The ability to collaborate effectively using virtual tools may now become an increasingly important skill as technology offers more options than, say, video conferencing.

Gamers can gain numerous hours exploration and wonder in a world that they can only experience through a virtual world platform. Problems arise when a user gets addicted to the virtual world and forgets or ignores the real world that surrounds him. Virtual world can become an addiction and a threat to social skills.

Online games that are based on virtual worlds are a great example of how it can promote creativity among its users. To go beyond normal life and into a created world with different ideas and situations requires creativity and continually encourages further creative actions as time goes on.

Virtual worlds will continue well into the future. It is not hard to think that these worlds will be more widely incorporated in the commerce and business world. Product demonstrations, vacation locations and attractions are some of the ways that this new media can be put to use and evolved.