Twinity
Encyclopedia
Twinity is the first 3D
online virtual world
to build true-to-scale replicas of large cities from all over the world. Twinity is developed by Metaversum GmbH
, a company based in Berlin
, Germany
. It offers its population, called Twinizens, to navigate around virtual
(outdated) versions of real-world cities, also called a mirror world
or a Metaverse
. An open, public beta began in September 2008 with the release of Twinity's first virtual city Berlin
which later was followed by Singapore
, London
, Miami and New York
.
The company is rapidly moving away from a Mirror World allowing its users to develop fantasy
locations like the Isle of Palmadora working with both indoor and outdoor environments. In this respect Twinity
seems to be moving towards a Second Life
like world with more innovative features, since much of user-created content is fictional and is not related to real addresses of shops
and apartments, they set up within the game.
virtual
world
where they can use their real names like on Facebook
and even create an avatar
that can be customized in different ways, including the usage of a special Photofit
application. Photofit allows a user to upload a real photo, which it then adapts to the measurements of an avatar face, making it resemble a picture. However creation of new alter-ego
and role play
are also quite popular among Twinity players.
used in Twinity are called "Globals" and the conversion rate is pegged to 90 Globals = 1 euro
. With the Globals, the Twinizens can buy clothes, furniture items, animations and pay for their own virtual apartment. Globals can be bought with credit card on the homepage, with PayPal or through Mopay
. The users can also gain Globals by attending virtual contests and events, use SponsorPay or finish the Welcome Tour that they are offered upon registration.
. Users also set up their own apartments, clubs, shops and lounges to share with others or to host various events in. From the fall of 2010, all new and devoted users are given starter apartments that they can furnish and decorate themselves. Users can create their own furniture or purchase premade items from the shops in Twinity. There is also a real estate agency on the Twinity homepage, where the Twinizens can localise an apartment of their choice. Twinity also offers a badge system, which allows avatars to earn special Achievements. These are divided into several categories: Travel, Travel
, Lifestyle
and Living and include such activities as Avatar of the Week, Berlin Marathon, Fashinista, London Marathon, Home is My Castle, Hip-Hop Fashion Award, etc. .
entered the public beta phase. During the launch event the mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit
, was presented with the symbolic key to the virtual city. Around 20 km² of the city and over 50,000 real buildings have been copied into the virtual capital
of Germany, including famous landmarks from both the former East Berlin
and West Berlin
, such as the TV-tower, Brandenburg Gate
, Potsdamer Platz
and Kurfürstendamm
. The visitor can also get a feel of the city's long history
in the virtual Berlin Wall
Museum
which was opened to commemorate the world-changing events of 1989
.The virtual museum
covers background information of the GDR
, from the building of the Wall to the German reunification. Two months after the release of virtual Berlin, Twinity had reached 80.000 registered users.. Now the streets of the city can be visited by any user allowing them to compare any of the created landmarks with their prototypes, especially since the game is equipped with GoogleMaps system.
, Metaversum GmbH
announced that their second city to be launched was going to be virtual Singapore
. Metaversum received funding from Singapore's Media Development Authority
to create the city. The city was opened on August 9, with a big celebration of Singapore's National Day
. . The first city district of Singapore to open was the area around the most famous Orchard Road
. Twinity Singapore was not updated since Mid 2010 and it is currently not a complete reflection of Singapore. There are many new buildings such as ION Orchard , Central Mall and others which have been left out since the last update.
In Mid 2011, Singapore has been removed from Twinity World.
, stretching virtually from Oxford Street
down to Trafalgar Square
including the world-famous Piccadilly Circus
, Buckingham Palace
and China Town. On April 30, 2009 new areas were added to the existing ones. From the West End
of London along the Strand
, including some of the most famous theatres right up the Millennium Bridge
, on the South Bank one of which is Shakespeare's Globe.
mainly covers the areas around the Lummus Park and Ocean Drive
. Miami was the first interactive city in Twinity which brought the users new features, such as the avatar ability to swim in the ocean or build sandcastles.
Twinity follows a natural day and night cycle, which means that when it gets dark in Europe
, it becomes sunny in Miami. The opening of the American city was a step in the direction of getting the growing American community their own home. In July 2010, Twinity had reached over 500 000 registered users since the opening of the public beta.
, Solow Building
or the New York public library
to mention just a few. Just like in the other cities in Twinity, the avatars navigate around the city, either by foot or using their vehicles, and the addresses of virtual New York match those of the real city. The users can see the position of their avatars on a mini-map provided by Google Maps
.
. After the download users are connected to a server
through Twinity network
. When the programme is opened, the application accesses information over the internet
and connects the user to the 3D virtual world.
Twinity uses Next Generation texturing technologies
to deliver a graphically up-to-date visual experience that can be compared to the latest game releases in the industry. This includes such engine features as normal, specular
and cube maps
. Screen Space Ambient Occlusion
and glow shader effects
finish the final look in the post-rendering. Twinity also uses the 3D mapping data currently used for things like Satnav and Google Earth
, which makes the virtual buildings resemble their look in the real world.
A major part of the content in Twinity is user-generated
. Premium members can create 3D-objects, clothes, floor plans and animations which they upload through the Twinity client or export Collada files
through 3D modelling tools such as Google Sketchup, Blender
, Autodesk 3Ds Max or Autodesk Maya.
Twinity uses the 3D Game Engine from Big World
, an Australian Games company for the 3D World, which was specially created for Metaversum.
, Smeet
, IMVU
, Kaneva
, Blue Mars
and Active Worlds
.
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
online virtual world
Virtual world
A virtual world is an online community that takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects. The term has become largely synonymous with interactive 3D virtual environments, where the users take the form of...
to build true-to-scale replicas of large cities from all over the world. Twinity is developed by Metaversum GmbH
Metaversum GmbH
Metaversum GmbH is the Berlin-based startup company behind the 3D virtual world Twinity. The company was founded in July 2006 and is led by CEO Jochen Hummel, CMO Dr...
, a company based in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It offers its population, called Twinizens, to navigate around virtual
Virtual
The term virtual is a concept applied in many fields with somewhat differing connotations, and also, differing denotations.The term has been defined in philosophy as "that which is not real" but may display the salient qualities of the real....
(outdated) versions of real-world cities, also called a mirror world
Mirror world
A Mirror World is a representation of the real world in digital form. It attempts to map real-world structures in a geographically accurate way...
or a Metaverse
Metaverse
The Metaverse is our collective online shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space, including the sum of all virtual worlds, augmented reality, and the internet...
. An open, public beta began in September 2008 with the release of Twinity's first virtual city Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
which later was followed by Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Miami and New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The company is rapidly moving away from a Mirror World allowing its users to develop fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
locations like the Isle of Palmadora working with both indoor and outdoor environments. In this respect Twinity
Twinity
Twinity is the first 3D online virtual world to build true-to-scale replicas of large cities from all over the world. Twinity is developed by Metaversum GmbH, a company based in Berlin, Germany. It offers its population, called Twinizens, to navigate around virtual versions of real-world cities,...
seems to be moving towards a Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
like world with more innovative features, since much of user-created content is fictional and is not related to real addresses of shops
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
and apartments, they set up within the game.
Avatar customization
Twinity members represent themselves in the 3D3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
virtual
Virtual
The term virtual is a concept applied in many fields with somewhat differing connotations, and also, differing denotations.The term has been defined in philosophy as "that which is not real" but may display the salient qualities of the real....
world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
where they can use their real names like on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and even create an avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
that can be customized in different ways, including the usage of a special Photofit
Photofit
Photofit is a technique used by the police for building up an accurate image of someone to fit a witness' description. Photographs, rather than drawings, of individual features are used to construct an image of a suspect....
application. Photofit allows a user to upload a real photo, which it then adapts to the measurements of an avatar face, making it resemble a picture. However creation of new alter-ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
and role play
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
are also quite popular among Twinity players.
Globals
The in-world currencyCurrency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
used in Twinity are called "Globals" and the conversion rate is pegged to 90 Globals = 1 euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
. With the Globals, the Twinizens can buy clothes, furniture items, animations and pay for their own virtual apartment. Globals can be bought with credit card on the homepage, with PayPal or through Mopay
Mopay
mopay is an internationally leading mobile payment platform represented in the USA by mopay Inc. mopay and mopay Inc. are registered trademarks of MindMatics Group, a Germany based mobile marketing expert.- History :...
. The users can also gain Globals by attending virtual contests and events, use SponsorPay or finish the Welcome Tour that they are offered upon registration.
Content
Many Twinizens are also content creators, developing and selling their own products in the world as well as creating their own machinimaMachinima
Machinima is the use of real-time 3D computer graphics rendering engines to create a cinematic production. Most often, video games are used to generate the computer animation...
. Users also set up their own apartments, clubs, shops and lounges to share with others or to host various events in. From the fall of 2010, all new and devoted users are given starter apartments that they can furnish and decorate themselves. Users can create their own furniture or purchase premade items from the shops in Twinity. There is also a real estate agency on the Twinity homepage, where the Twinizens can localise an apartment of their choice. Twinity also offers a badge system, which allows avatars to earn special Achievements. These are divided into several categories: Travel, Travel
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
, Lifestyle
Lifestyle
Lifestyle is a term to describe the way a person lives, which was originally coined by Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler in 1929. The current broader sense of the word dates from 1961. A set of behaviors, and the senses of self and belonging which these behaviors represent, are collectively used...
and Living and include such activities as Avatar of the Week, Berlin Marathon, Fashinista, London Marathon, Home is My Castle, Hip-Hop Fashion Award, etc. .
Berlin
In September 2008, Berlin was the first virtual city to be launched when TwinityTwinity
Twinity is the first 3D online virtual world to build true-to-scale replicas of large cities from all over the world. Twinity is developed by Metaversum GmbH, a company based in Berlin, Germany. It offers its population, called Twinizens, to navigate around virtual versions of real-world cities,...
entered the public beta phase. During the launch event the mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit
Klaus Wowereit
Klaus Wowereit is a German politician, member of the SPD , and has been the Mayor of Berlin since the 2001 state elections, where his party won a plurality of the votes, 29.7%. He served as President of the Bundesrat in 2001/02. His SPD-led coalition was re-elected in the 2006 elections...
, was presented with the symbolic key to the virtual city. Around 20 km² of the city and over 50,000 real buildings have been copied into the virtual capital
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of Germany, including famous landmarks from both the former East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
and West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, such as the TV-tower, Brandenburg Gate
Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate is a former city gate and one of the most well-known landmarks of Berlin and Germany. It is located west of the city centre at the junction of Unter den Linden and Ebertstraße, immediately west of the Pariser Platz. It is the only remaining gate of a series through which...
, Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is an important public square and traffic intersection in the centre of Berlin, Germany, lying about one kilometre south of the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag , and close to the southeast corner of the Tiergarten park...
and Kurfürstendamm
Kurfürstendamm
The Kurfürstendamm, known locally as the Ku'damm, is one of the most famous avenues in Berlin. The street takes its name from the former Kurfürsten of Brandenburg. This very broad, long boulevard can be considered the Champs-Élysées of Berlin — full of shops, houses, hotels and restaurants...
. The visitor can also get a feel of the city's long history
History of Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany. Berlin is a young city by European standards, founded in the 12th century.-Early history:*98 AD: Tacitus described the territory of Germania. What is now Berlin, in ancient times was well outside the frontiers of the Roman Empire...
in the virtual Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
Museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
which was opened to commemorate the world-changing events of 1989
Die Wende
marks the complete process of the change from socialism and planned economy to market economy and capitalism in East Germany around the years 1989 and 1990. It encompasses several processes and events which later have become synonymous with the overall process...
.The virtual museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
covers background information of the GDR
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, from the building of the Wall to the German reunification. Two months after the release of virtual Berlin, Twinity had reached 80.000 registered users.. Now the streets of the city can be visited by any user allowing them to compare any of the created landmarks with their prototypes, especially since the game is equipped with GoogleMaps system.
Singapore
In August 2009, one year after the opening of virtual BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Metaversum GmbH
Metaversum GmbH
Metaversum GmbH is the Berlin-based startup company behind the 3D virtual world Twinity. The company was founded in July 2006 and is led by CEO Jochen Hummel, CMO Dr...
announced that their second city to be launched was going to be virtual Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Metaversum received funding from Singapore's Media Development Authority
Media Development Authority
The Media Development Authority is a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts .-History:...
to create the city. The city was opened on August 9, with a big celebration of Singapore's National Day
National Day Parade
The Singapore National Day Parade is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the Padang , the National Stadium, various decentalized venues all over...
. . The first city district of Singapore to open was the area around the most famous Orchard Road
Orchard Road
Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction...
. Twinity Singapore was not updated since Mid 2010 and it is currently not a complete reflection of Singapore. There are many new buildings such as ION Orchard , Central Mall and others which have been left out since the last update.
In Mid 2011, Singapore has been removed from Twinity World.
London
In December 2009, virtual London was the third city to be launched in Twinity. Users can visit London's famous Soho districtSoho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, stretching virtually from Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
down to Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
including the world-famous Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is a road junction and public space of London's West End in the City of Westminster, built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly...
, Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
and China Town. On April 30, 2009 new areas were added to the existing ones. From the West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
of London along the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
, including some of the most famous theatres right up the Millennium Bridge
Millennium Bridge (London)
The Millennium Bridge, officially known as the London Millennium Footbridge, is a steel suspension bridge for pedestrians crossing the River Thames in London, England, linking Bankside with the City. It is located between Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge...
, on the South Bank one of which is Shakespeare's Globe.
Miami
Virtual Miami was the fourth city to be released in Twinity in July 2010 and the first one in the United States. The virtual Miami South BeachSouth Beach
South Beach, also nicknamed SoBe, is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. It is the area south of Indian Creek and encompasses roughly the southernmost 23 blocks of the main barrier island that separates the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay.This area was the first...
mainly covers the areas around the Lummus Park and Ocean Drive
Ocean Drive (South Beach)
Ocean Drive is a street in South Beach—the southern part of Miami Beach, Florida. It is known for its Art Deco hotels. Ocean Drive is also the location of the famed , one of the most photographed houses in North America. The street is the center of the city's Art Deco District, which is home to...
. Miami was the first interactive city in Twinity which brought the users new features, such as the avatar ability to swim in the ocean or build sandcastles.
Twinity follows a natural day and night cycle, which means that when it gets dark in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, it becomes sunny in Miami. The opening of the American city was a step in the direction of getting the growing American community their own home. In July 2010, Twinity had reached over 500 000 registered users since the opening of the public beta.
New York City
In October 2010, New York City was the fifth city to be launched in Twinity. The starting point of Virtual New York is at the Grand Army Plaza and from there the online community can explore the city and it's world famous landmarks like the Trump TowerTrump Tower (New York)
Trump Tower is a 58-story mixed-use skyscraper located at 725 Fifth Avenue, at the corner of East 56th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It was developed by Donald Trump and the Equitable Life Assurance Company, and designed by Der Scutt of Swanke, Hayden Connell...
, Solow Building
Solow Building
The Solow Building, located at 9 West 57th Street, is a Manhattan skyscraper designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill's Gordon Bunshaft and built in 1974. It is located just west of Fifth Avenue, sandwiched between the 57th and 58th Street, next to such prominent buildings as the Bergdorf Goodman...
or the New York public library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
to mention just a few. Just like in the other cities in Twinity, the avatars navigate around the city, either by foot or using their vehicles, and the addresses of virtual New York match those of the real city. The users can see the position of their avatars on a mini-map provided by Google Maps
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
.
Software
It is free to download Twinity clientClient (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
. After the download users are connected to a server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
through Twinity network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
. When the programme is opened, the application accesses information over the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and connects the user to the 3D virtual world.
Twinity uses Next Generation texturing technologies
Texture mapping
Texture mapping is a method for adding detail, surface texture , or color to a computer-generated graphic or 3D model. Its application to 3D graphics was pioneered by Dr Edwin Catmull in his Ph.D. thesis of 1974.-Texture mapping:...
to deliver a graphically up-to-date visual experience that can be compared to the latest game releases in the industry. This includes such engine features as normal, specular
Specularity
Specularity is the visual appearance of specular reflections. In computer graphics, it meansthe quantity used in 3D rendering which represents the amount of specular reflectivity a surface has...
and cube maps
Cube mapping
In computer graphics, cube mapping is a method of environment mapping that uses a six-sided cube as the map shape. The environment is projected onto the six faces of a cube and stored as six square textures, or unfolded into six regions of a single texture...
. Screen Space Ambient Occlusion
Screen Space Ambient Occlusion
Screen Space Ambient Occlusion is a rendering technique for efficiently approximating the well-known computer graphics ambient occlusion effect in real time...
and glow shader effects
Bloom (shader effect)
Bloom is a computer graphics effect used in computer games, demos and high dynamic range rendering to reproduce an imaging artifact of real-world cameras. The effect produces fringes of light around very bright objects in an image, obscuring fine details...
finish the final look in the post-rendering. Twinity also uses the 3D mapping data currently used for things like Satnav and Google Earth
Google Earth
Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a Central Intelligence Agency funded company acquired by Google in 2004 . It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite...
, which makes the virtual buildings resemble their look in the real world.
A major part of the content in Twinity is user-generated
User-generated content
User generated content covers a range of media content available in a range of modern communications technologies. It entered mainstream usage during 2005 having arisen in web publishing and new media content production circles...
. Premium members can create 3D-objects, clothes, floor plans and animations which they upload through the Twinity client or export Collada files
COLLADA
COLLADA is a COLLAborative Design Activity for establishing an interchange file format for interactive 3D applications. COLLADA is managed by the nonprofit technology consortium, the Khronos Group....
through 3D modelling tools such as Google Sketchup, Blender
Blender (software)
Blender is a free and open-source 3D computer graphics software product used for creating animated films, visual effects, interactive 3D applications or video games. The current release version is 2.60, and was released on October 19, 2011...
, Autodesk 3Ds Max or Autodesk Maya.
Twinity uses the 3D Game Engine from Big World
Big World
Big World is a 1986 live album by Joe Jackson. The album was recorded in front of an invited audience at the Roundabout Theatre in New York City on 22–25 January 1986. Jackson's intent was to capture the excitement and spontaneity of a live performance, but without any noise from the crowd...
, an Australian Games company for the 3D World, which was specially created for Metaversum.
See also
Second LifeSecond Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
, Smeet
Smeet
Smeet is a free browser based 3D social game, developed by Smeet Communications GmbH based in Berlin, Germany. The company was founded in 2007 and is managed by Sebastian Funke , Daniel Bülhoff and Reinhard Köhn . Smeet creates virtual worlds in which people can meet and interact with their avatars...
, IMVU
IMVU
IMVU, Inc. is an online social entertainment destination in which members use 3D avatars to meet new people, chat, create, and play games created by Fydor Guthenschlag. IMVU has over 50 million registered users, 10 million unique visitors per month and three million monthly active users...
, Kaneva
Kaneva
Kaneva, LLC is a privately owned Atlanta-based company founded in 2004 by Christopher Klaus and Greg Frame. Kaneva is a 3D Virtual World that supports 2D web browsing, social networking and shared media....
, Blue Mars
Blue Mars (video game)
Blue Mars is a 3D massively multiplayer virtual world platform currently in open beta. It falls in the general category of social virtual worlds allowing user-created content....
and Active Worlds
Active Worlds
Active Worlds is a 3D virtual reality platform. The Active Worlds client runs on Windows. Users assign themselves a name, log into the Active Worlds universe, and explore 3D virtual worlds and environments that other users have built. Users can chat with one another or build structures and areas...
.