I-VW Virtual Worlds Evaluation Methodology
An Intelligent Eye on Virtual Worlds Technology
I-VW Home Page   An evaluation methodology to investigate the potential of virtual worlds for practical uses is being developed as part of the I-VW programme. This concentrates on the perspective of the use of virtual worlds for professional uses and especially collaboration both within and outside an organisation.

Key Headings

  • Server Hosting ... third party, multiple providers, self-host option
  • Client ... availability, generality, thin clients, mobile platform clients, ...
  • Support ...
  • Cost ... model, capital and recurrent, per avatar, for other content, ...
  • Media support ... formats and mechanisms
  • Voice ... features
  • Chat ... features
  • Group management ... features
  • Security, privacy ... mechanism and features
  • 3D model import and export
  • Avatar information import and export
  • Object scripting language and extension languages
  • Links to external programs ... language
  • ...

Other Criteria

Other feature comparisons, evaluation matrices and virtual worlds platform growth figures are available elsewhere. E.g.,
  • Virtual Worlds Platform Matrix by VirtualWorldsNews.com. Includes:
    • company
    • world name
    • world focus
    • user generated content
    • adverts supported
    • currency
    • target audience
    • initial cost
    • virtual item sales
    • perspective
    • URL
  • Virtual Worlds Comparison Chart. Includes:
    • Virtual world - The name of the virtual environment.
    • OS - The available platforms for the title (PC, Mac, Linux, etc.)
    • Cost per month - The cost for a monthly subscription. If the software has free, limited access available, it will be labeled as Free.
    • Target user and style - The intended audience for the virtual world (e. g. kids, teens, adults) and the style of the environment (education, exploration, content creation, building, socializing, etc.)
    • Edit avatars - The ability to customize one’s digital character.
    • Build or design content - The ability to create custom content, without any required programming or coding.
    • Script content - The ability to create objects and items via programming or coding.
    • Own land / sell items - The ability to own virtual real estate, and the ability to sell virtual items within the virtual world.
    • Education ready - The ability to utilize the virtual environment for educational purposes, such as to teach subject matter.
    • Community events - Available community supported or sponsored events within the world.
  • List of Virtual Environments
  • Casual Immersive Worlds - A Comparison Chart by TechCrunch, 5-Aug-2007
  • Virtual Worlds Insight by K Zero - An assessment by age and size of the virtual worlds sector as presented at VW Expo NYC 2008. This research include existing worlds and platforms in development. Includes:
    • K Zero "Universe-graph" - shows total registered accounts across a wide-range of different virtual worlds with accompanying average age and year of formation.
    • Marketing Activity - companies and brands engaging in worlds catering to kids and tweens
  • Clever Zebra - Nick Wilson - Report on "11 Virtual Worlds Technologies That Will Change the Way we Work", 29-Jan-2009. Listing active VW platforms.
© 2008, Web site materials are the copyright of the individual contributors and organizations they belong to. Use on this public web site for open access is approved. Other permitted use of the materials is not implied.
Page maintained by a.tate@ed.ac.uk, Last updated: Thu Jan 29 12:44:12 2009 		AIAI