User:Vovkjn/Functionality

Functionality

Registration

Every program has its own registration. So at the beginning person has to register him/herself to a new virtual environment. This point will give an opportunity to select your new nickname and in the future it will be easier to create your avatar, because many of virtual worlds are made such that if you select your gender the program will use it as a template.

Creation of avatar

When starting to use a new virtual world, first step begins from creation of avatar. Some virtual environments give a freedom in creation. Others let users to modify only some parts of it. Creation of own avatar is one of the most interesting things in virtual world. On the one hand, it is desirable to create the character completely similar to real life user lookalike; on the other hand the virtual environment makes it real to make dreams come true: user can create an ideal body, can become a mythical hero, and sometimes even a subject, for example the user can become a tree. Creation of a new the avatar involves users most of all. Here it is possible to feel complete freedom and completely plunge into the other world called virtual.

Tutorial

After creation of an avatar the majority of the worlds introduce the tutorial of their creation to let users to get used to the new software. This defines, how pleasant the environment will be to new user, whether the idea of the new world will fit all the interests of the new user, how strongly tutorial will be able to interest the beginner and immerse him into the virtual world.

Designing buildings

As soon as it is finished with tutorial, users are able to create own building, for example something similar to his or her house, shop and etc. Some 3D virtual environments, such as Second Life and HiPiHi, give a huge variety of details for construction. Other, for example IMVU and Onverse, put limitations. One of them is that users can not create buildings. The more freedom user has in building of new creation, the more addicted he becomes to the new environment.

Chat

To chat – is to exchange text or voice messages in real time through a computer network, as if having a face-to-face conversation. Chat room is the place where to make new communities or simply contact with other users. Chat helps virtual environment to share the information between users. For example more experienced avatars can help others who try to do something but hopeless.

Finding friends

Virtual world gives an opportunity to find friends through the internet environment. Ways of doing that:
1. Search by an email
2. Search through the MSN contacts (for example such environment as Facebook takes hotmail accounts and searches for users with the same accounts in its database, if there is someone it offers to add this account to your friend list)
3. Search by name and surname
4. Search by school/work/university

After finding a friend the user is able to add him/her to his/her friend list. Later it is possible to manage friend list, for example add someone to favourites, block list, school friends, family. 

Selling items

All things created in virtual world can be sold by their owner. It can be both constructions, and clothes, accessories, themes - packs of items. The better and unique is the thing, the more money the seller can get from selling it. As the result, many users are trying to compete in creation of something new. Each of them offers the best price and quality, in this context quality means attractiveness.

Buying

All things created in virtual world can be bought by users. The price depends on seller. Usually the goods are bought with virtual money, but there are also cases when the seller asks to transfer money into his/her personal account.

Creating games

Virtual world has a lot of different functionalities, which also include creation of games. Users can think out new games, for example card games (poker, solitaire), chess, and pinball. Most of virtual worlds produce their own platforms where users are able to create applications. There is no need in programming. Users just take already done details and put them into the single whole.

Playing games

There are hundreds of different games in virtual worlds. Users are able to play them alone or online with friends, compete or take a simple game. For winning the game user gets some points, which help to get better rank. The more games won the higher rank he would get. The higher rank the user has the more functions he/she will be able to use in game. That stimulates users to return and play the game again and again in order to get better place and more functions than his or her buddy.

Making money

Every application, game, educational program, made goods, such as clothes, buildings, furniture, accessories, vehicles, function can be free or paid. Creator decides whether he wants or not money for the program. In most cases, the first version of the application or some kind of program is free, but if the popularity of the application increases, the creator will start to ask money.
Usually prices are not high. Applications cost from one to five dollars. For user it seems to be like an affordable price and usually he /she will pay for using the application. Making of money through the virtual world’s applications is one of the easiest ways. The virtual world opens a lot of opportunities for commerce:
• Attractiveness - customer can not only see a product, but also turn in, try it and see it from inside
• Cheapness - to make an exhibition is free, to open own store is also free
• Availability - customer can visit a store from every point of the world, there is no need to be actually in the shop

Education

According to John Shaffer article [11] virtual worlds are able to work for educators as an assisting tool. It means that students will be able to take part in their learning in the virtual environment. Students can participate in every chemical process, try new physics reactions, travel all over the world, by clicking on the map see the history and presents of people living in that location. To sum up, there is possible to do all the studies without spending much money. It is beneficial, because often schools do not have resources for making expensive.