Introduction

There are many different types of “virtual worlds” that people participate in everyday. Wikipedia defines virtual worlds as “a computer-based simulated environment intended for its users to inhabit and interact via avatars.” Virtual worlds can take place in reality or in fiction, with multiple users or just one. The use of virtual worlds is growing exponentially in the business and educational sectors because of the ability to communicate with people in “real time” even though the people they are communicating with are located throughout the world. Also, online communities are using virtual worlds to communicate with people who have similar things in common with them and gamers who play different types of “MUD” games use virtual worlds to participate in their games.