Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

Virtual Worlds are "worlds" that are created by designers and immerse players into simulated environments.Virtual worlds can be simulations of reality or environments completely created out of a designer's imagination. Today, virtual worlds hold many different potential uses and have become so widespread in today's technologies and gaming industry that they have become the norm. A benefit of using virtual worlds would be to mimic real-life experiences and situations, in an instructive way. For example, in The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Virtual Classroom and the Role of the Teacher by Guy Posey, Thomas Burgess, Marcus Eason, Yawna Jones, “A new paradigm of education is developing, one that integrates the technology of computers and the Internet in education. We do not only learn from books.” Educational methods are no longer limited to books. There are many Internet and virtual world related methods of teaching students. For example, e-books, online lessons, and this class are all accessible online. Another way for virtual worlds to be used is for entertainment, mostly video games. Most online games today are virtual environments with users being able to create and customize their respective avatars. For example MMORPGs like World of Warcraft or FPS/Battle Royale games such as Modern Warfare, Fortnite, etc. But even virtual worlds designed for gaming can be beneficial. They can train hand eye coordination, improve communication skills with other online teammates, and let people’s imaginations run wild. Virtual worlds can also be a means of escape from real life and to enjoy the company of people across the globe.

            There are of course many pro’s and cons of virtual worlds. Pros would include improving one’s skills, for example, medical and military training programs, surgeries, prototypes of vehicles or houses, and even just a way for people to enjoy the creations of other people. However, there are always cons to virtual worlds. People may become too sucked into a virtual environment that they are desensitized to what really happens on the outside. Virtual worlds can also be extremely expensive and time consuming to create, upholding to the standard of mimicking details of the real world. The more precise and detailed a virtual world is, the more intense of a computer or processor one would need to be able to run it. In After Second Life,

Can Virtual Worlds Get a Reboot? By Diane Mehta, Mehta opens her article with “Some people think virtual worlds are passé.” I believe that almost no one thinks virtual worlds are in the past, as current and future technology only make virtual worlds and augmented reality more accessible. I believe that the future of virtual worlds holds great potential in becoming better and better. With augmented/virtual reality becoming more and more widespread, it is only a matter of time before it becomes a norm in everyday technology.