Exploring Virtual Worlds- Pandora Drezelan Reporting...

Pandora's IMVU Avatar

Second Life has been such a huge part of my real life for just over three years now, when I first signed up in December 2009 I thought that it was the only virtual world, until I started exploring outside of the grid.

Pandora in Second Life

Second Life

For me Second Life is not only my first virtual world it is my second world and I have learnt so much in the time that I have been here. I’ve made many friends, lost people I thought were friends and discovered more about the real life me than I ever knew existed, my Second Life avatar and the real life me are very similar and also a little bit different as well.




InWorldz

Pandora in InWorldz

A carbon copy of Second Life, from the grid to your profile, I found that some people are nice here while others are very anti Second Life and even though Second Life is where a lot of InWorldz Residents started out the dislike for Second Life Residents is very clear, the freebie shop is loaded with some great clothes, skins, hair, shapes etc to  improve the look and style of your avatar. InWorldz had their own ATM in Second Life so that users could transfer Lindens to I’z (InWorldz currency) but it was closed down and they changed over to PayPal I don’t log on much anymore and I crash too much when I do.

SpotOn 3D

One of the most boring virtual worlds that I’ve seen. There are no freebie shops, there isn’t much of anything and the avatars are not attractive. The grid and profile are the same as Second Life but it is a very dead place with hardly any people and if you don’t use PayPal then you can’t shop there, not that there is much to see. I couldn’t delete my account so I just cleared my profile and left.



Friends Hangout

An interesting concept, firstly the user profile is an entire page and separate from the viewer, originally the avatars could be imported from a site called Evolver (which was eventually shut down) or people could choose from the default avatars, however default avatars cannot be altered in any way and all avatars wear permanent underwear, users can earn Friends Hangout tokens by sending people messages and leaving comments on other peoples profiles etc. I signed up twice but deleted both accounts. 


Avination

As boring as SpotOn3D if not worse and rumored to be based on Second Life’s former teen grid, there are no freebie shops and like SpotOn3D the avatars are in no way attractive as well as the grid and user profile also being the same as Second Life, once again like SpotOn3D I couldn’t delete my account so I cleared that profile as well and left the grid.

Pandora in IMVU

IMVU


Not exactly a virtual world, IMVU is more of a 3D chat program with a virtual feel and like Friends Hangout IMVU’s user profile is a full page profile and also separate from the viewer, users can buy everything from rooms to clothes and body parts, IMVU avatars also wear underwear, if the user signs up for a VIP account then they can buy a nude body and visit adult rooms. I have had three IMVU accounts and I deleted all of them. I recently signed up again using the name Sindy. It has improved a lot and is linked to a site called MeetMe where you can earn IMVU credits.

Pandora in SL at an Inworldz ATM

Overview


Whatever virtual world you choose to spend time in always remember to maintain online safety, never give out personal details, try to use debit cards in opposed to credit cards and check the site out fully. IMVU can be hacked into easily, my first IMVU account was hacked and stolen so I never spend any real life money there, Second Life is the only virtual world I trust to use real money, I’ll stick to earning credits with IMVU. Have fun exploring, stay safe and never take anything too seriously.