Universal avatars bestride worlds!

A virtual character, or avatar, for all the virtual worlds in
which people play, is the goal of a joint project between IBM and Linden Lab.
The computer giant and the creator of Second Life are working on universal
avatars that can travel between worlds, reports Reuters.

The project aims to open up virtual worlds by introducing open
tools that work with any online environment. The companies hope to boost
interest in virtual worlds and make them easier to navigate.

Presently, every virtual world requires a player or user to go
through the process of creating an avatar that will act as their proxy in that
online environment. And, typically, an avatar created for one world cannot move
between these different virtual spaces.

The project aims to create a universal character creation system
so people only have to create a digital double once. While the characters
appearance may change depending on where it is taken, its basic characteristics
would be retained. "It is going to happen anyway," says Colin Parris,
vice president, Digital Convergence, IBM.

By making it easy to travel between different worlds, the two
companies hope to sharpen competition in the market for online worlds.

Virtual worlds are becoming immensely popular. When the first
virtual world conference took place in early 2006, only nine such cyberspaces
were widely known. In 2007, more than 30 will be on show at the virtual world
meeting.

Compiled by Stuti Das


stutid@cybermedia.co.in