ABSTRACT

Virtual worlds are interesting. If you picked up this book because you agree with that statement, these pages have lots to offer you. Let’s take a quick glance at the content. The first 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 find 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 find 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 find 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 book will help you understand design parameters in virtual environments and how to leverage them with a comprehensive design methodology that will benefit you and your clients. These projects are of varying levels of difficulty, ranging from a beginner’s skill set to an advanced virtual world user’s skill set. Here and there you will find references to Unity (https://unity3d.com/), a free game engine from Unity Technologies. You may find 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.