Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
2
How to Use This Topic and
Start Doing Virtual World Design
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Virtual worlds are interesting. If you picked up this topic because you agree with that statement, these
pages have lots to offer you. Let's take a quick glance at the content. The irst and last chapters are full
of information about what virtual worlds are, who uses them, and where they may be going in our future.
In Chapters 3-16, you will ind information about design theory and design practice and how those things
relate to you as a teacher, trainer, or content creator. In these middle chapters, you will ind several design
projects that invite you to deepen your understanding as you learn about the topic and solidify it in your
memory. If you are a teacher, try these with your class. If you train people or are interested in simulations
for training in virtual worlds, you may ind that some of these projects will help you bring more immersive
aspects to the virtual environment, such as interactivity, universal access, and a virtual/aural gestalt. If you
are a content-creating designer, this topic will help you understand design parameters in virtual environ-
ments and how to leverage them with a comprehensive design methodology that will beneit you and your
clients. These projects are of varying levels of dificulty, ranging from a beginner's skill set to an advanced
virtual world user's skill set. Here and there you will ind references to Unity (http://unity3d.com/), a free
game engine from Unity Technologies. You may ind it useful to know a little about some of the differences
and similarities between virtual worlds and a game development environment like Unity, especially if you
are going to repurpose your content.
2.2
HOW TO USE THIS Topic
2.2.1 i
f
y
ou
a
re
T
oTally
n
eW
To
V
irTual
W
orlds
If you are new to virtual worlds and virtual environments, it is highly suggested that you read Chapters 1
and 2 irst. These chapters will lay the foundation for your understanding of how a virtual world works and
how to ind a viewer interface. After that, if you are a designer and are interested in setting up a virtual world
design practice, then Chapter 3 is a “must read.” If you are a teacher and want to use this for classwork, then
feel free to jump to Chapter 4 for the irst 3D construction project. After that, it is a buffet course. Feel free to
pick and choose among the rest of the chapters. For the most part, they are stand-alone modules for learning,
although there is some cross-referencing, which is noted in the text.
2.2.2 B
een
T
here
, d
one
T
haT
: o
ld
h
and
aT
V
irTual
W
orlds
If you have been designing in Second Life for a year or two and are thinking about setting up your own
virtual world, then you should read Chapter 1 irst and then skip to Chapters 4-16. Chapter 3 is a good one to
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