One of the original motivations for lots of folks involved with 3D for the Web is the notion of social environments. Places to meet people (or their avatars) and hang out in 3D chat rooms or actually have business meetings without bothering to leave your desk. Multiuser VRML or even non-VRML worlds have been around for quite a while. In spint of the chronic and continual complaints from VRML insiders about the state of VRML MU sites are alive and well - even thriving.
This is Part 1 of a several (I make this stuff up on the fly) part series on Multiuser worlds. Let's go to the communities! There is ActiveWorlds, Worlds Ultimate 3D Chat, Cybertown, Deepmatrix, VNet, TWorld, bang, Talk of the Net, HoloDesk Oz.com and last but not least the forthcoming virtual community of Neuromancer.Some of these worlds are VRML and some aren't. Some require specific browsers or plug-ins and some use standard VRML browsers. All have interesting and someone unique characteristics. This isn't a comprehensive list either and some others are listed in my Net Links page for Multiuser worlds.
Over the next several weeks, not necessarily every week, I'll be profiling each of these multiuser sites. Who knows..we may even meet in one?
One Year Ago in Focus on VRML A Week Without the VRML List