San Francisco-based developer Vivaty has launched Vivaty Create, the "pilot phase" of a new developer program designed to encourage developers to create content for its Vivaty Scenes platform.

Recently brought into public beta, Vivaty Scenes utilizes Vivaty's 3D spaces platform to offer embeddable virtual spaces as a Facebook application and as an application module for AOL's instant messenger.

Users can customize their characters and space in Vivaty Scenes, adding online media, such as YouTube videos or Flickr feeds. They can then send the space's URL to invite a friend into the browser-based world.

With Vivaty Create, developers can share their ideas and submit 3D scenes and content to Vivaty for an opportunity to win cash rewards. Participants can create their submissions using Vivaty Studio, a new creation tool for creating 3D designs specifically for the Vivaty platform. Designers can use Vivaty Studio as a lightweight 3D modeler or as a tool for importing content from Max, Maya, Google Sketchup, or any other applicatino that exports to COLLADA.

The top scene creator will be given $1,000 in cash toward a trip to meet Vivaty's team in the San Francisco Bay Area. Five other participants will be rewarded $200 in cash, while twenty others will be given Vivaty T-shirts. The winners and their designs will also be featured on the Vivaty platform. The first participants will also have the opportunity to the Vivaty Create Council, where they can voice their ideas and help shape the program.