And now we have Metaplace. On the face of it, this is yet another 3D world on the Internet, very similar to many others such as Lively, Second Life and World of Warcraft.
But Metaplace is different. To begin with, you don’t need to download anything to enter this world. Simply fill in a form and you are in a world of your own. While Lively also professed this, the fact was that you had to add at least one plug-in to enter Google’s version of a 3D world. All others need some sort of dedicated software that significantly eats into your hard disk space.
Photoimaging: Monica Gupta / Mint
Also, Metaplace is not a “walled space” like others. It means you can share your world with anybody, through any website or blog, and run it on any computer (Mac’s included) and even smartphone.
It’s a free world
Yes, it is. You want something? Just build it. Want to play God? Go ahead. This openness means that as a Metaplace member, you can do whatever you want, making it similar to a wiki, where people come and contribute.
There is one downside, though. Metaplace spaces and characters are reminiscent of older RPGs (role-playing games). This means that buildings, shops and people look less detailed and slightly outdated. This is reinforced by the fact that this space isn’t as 3D as Lively or Second Life. It is 2.5D, so you move on an essentially flat surface. Yet, as more people join, develop and contribute, the experience promises to get better.
Meta-morphosis
Like all online worlds, once you’ve registered, Metaplace takes you to a “dashboard” area where you can change your avatar’s appearance, edit your profile and read messages sent by other users of the space. This dashboard is always available on a “remote control” on the left side of the screen.
While most of these options are self-explanatory, customizing your avatar helps a lot before you move into this virtual world. Clicking on the “Customize your Avatar” tab on the left of the screen launches a close-up of your virtual self. Pick your gender, skin tone, hairstyle and even clothes and you are ready to roll.
However, unlike some other virtual worlds, Metaplace avatars are human by default. That means you cannot be a cat, pig or any other entity in the virtual world.
Once you are done with your appearance, Metaplace takes you to “Metaplace Central”, a town square that links to all user-created worlds. It has a shopping arcade if you need more articles of clothing, and a variety of options, such as a newspaper stand that helps you stay updated on developments in Metaplace. Central is also the area where most users assemble to learn how to move their avatars, meet other players and get a feel for the world.