Creating virtual worlds and designing games

This paper provides a general and interesting presentation for connecting virtual worlds to game design. It defines virtual worlds as computer-based environments where users can interact by using an avatar or playable characters that are included in video games. Individuals can make a virtual world by joining a virtual world platform like Second Life and creating their own space. To create a virtual world from scratch, a game engine is needed. Virtual worlds serve as the setting for games. Game design is the creation and shaping of the rules and content of the game. It includes the preparation of stories, characters, goals, and challenges. Games can be used for entertainment, education, and for other purposes. The authors visited a class at SUNY Canton to observe an introductory course about building virtual worlds for game design. They gave survey forms to the new college students who were in the initial stage of designing virtual worlds for their games. This paper includes some preliminary and general information obtained by analyzing the results of the surveys completed by the class participants. It also provides a general description of the steps necessary for planning and creating a video game.