Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

A virtual world is a computer-based simulated environment that simulates reality into the network world. It could appear in textual, two or three-dimensional graphical representations. There are many ways that virtual worlds can be used. For instance, Stephanie Simon mentioned a medical training Second Life in her journal "Avatar II: The Hospital". This is a great training for medical emergency situations. Especially there may not be that much of actors, costs, or equipment to simulate different emergency issues for people to get training. But there are many pros to have training in Second Life. Like cost-saving, unlimited training topics, get trained at different places and time, unlimited time for practicing, and others. Also, according to Joe Earle, people started to bring virtual worlds into the classroom after VR has been invented. It was great that classes can be not just limited to some topics or areas. For example, when students having science classes, they can have science experiments in the virtual world, or students can travel to different places when they having geographical courses with VR. Virtual worlds really can make lots of creativity with reality. There was a three-dimensional sandbox game called Minecraft. Some of the architecture already start to use this game to build creative buildings for inspiration and others. However, there are cons in the virtual world use. There might be lots of costs of purchasing huge amounts of VR as a standard tool for use. Also, the techniques still cannot perfectly present reality 100% match. But I do believe that virtual worlds might be a "second life" to us. Like a second reality for us, we can try on clothes, watch movies, have classes and more things that we can do in virtual worlds. Maybe we all can get jobs in virtual worlds one day.


Source:

• The virtual world moves into the classroom Posted by Joe Earle | Sep 14, 2018 https://www.reporternewspapers.net/2018/09/14/the-virtual-world-moves-into-the-classroom/
• "Avatar II: The Hospital" by Stephanie Simon, The Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2010http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703909804575124470868041204.html?KEYWORDS=avatar+ii+the+hospital