SL vs. Active Worlds

Does anyone know if a feature comparison chart exists? I have a feeling SL kicks AW's arse, but I would like to know a bit more about Active Worlds as well. It would be neat to be able to stream a live show into both worlds simultaneously.


Edit: I just played around a little with AW on my work machine. It has a "macarena" action. Yes, I shall be sticking with SL and SL only.

you can get macarena action here too! lol

Please don't tell me that.

Is that like getting your mac on?

Wow, there's a blast from the past...ActiveWorlds.

I played around with it for a couple of weeks back in 1996. It may have had a lot of features added since then (I'm not sure), but back then it was really just a 3d chatroom, where you could build static objects, with absolutely no scripting. It had none of the economical features that SL has, which means there was no buying or selling.

I quit because running a 3d virtual world in 1996 over a 28.8 modem on dial-up was not the best set-up. It just goes to show you how far we've come in the 3d world space with SL.

anna- hmm... possibly, tho i kinda doubt it hehehe

You are onionpencil.

Why do you want to know about that game? I was on it only a few times and did not like it at all. My avatar as just plain UGLY, did not like the movement and there was no inventory. Also before I even got in the game proper there was a prompt to upgrade to citizen.
Linden Labs is on top! Compairing Second Life and Active worlds is compairing a Toyota and a Yugo!

There's a really good thread here with some good discussion of AW versus SL:

/108/dd/60764/1.html

Enjoy!

The comparisons in the topic Flipper linked to are mostly correct, but slightly outdated. Since then, Activeworlds 4.1 was released, with things like:

- Movers. Allows for things like true vehicles (although with very basic physics on them), jetpacks, elevators, trains, trams, etc. There are a few problems with movers in the current 4.1 build, but they more or less work.

- Particle effects. I'm sure you all know what these are. The particles in AW can also do some things SL may not be able to do (but I'm no expert). Meshes as particles, for example.

- Zones. Spatial volumes (cube, cylinder, or sphere) in which environmental rules can be changed, such as gravity, friction, blocking chat (which only sorta works), blocking particles, changing fog, making water, etc.

However, even with 4.1, AW remains a little outdated in many aspects as compared to SL. But what I like about AW is that you can learn building there much quicker than SL. You can get results a little quicker. But in the end, SL is a bit more flexible (pun semi-intended) with its primitives.

So AW IS still being developed, just not particularly actively. There was a long time waiting in between versions 3.6 and 4.1.

Thanks for the update, Delta! I may pop back and check it out one of these days just for nostalgia's sake. I just gotta remember to NEVER say "Second Life" there, heh.

Regards,

-Flip

You can say "Second Life" there. Just not near the ground zero areas in public building worlds. ;P

It was just curiosity. You would think that after a decade, they would be up to speed. After my little foray into there from work today (SL hates my work computer), I was totally unimpressed. I didn't want to dis the Yugo until I had driven it.