Alongside our daily coverage of online worlds, WorldsInMotion.biz is also building up a database of the major virtual worlds in this new Online World Atlas.

The virtual world guide, which will become the basis for the forthcoming Game Developer Research papers on virtual worlds, MMOs, and virtual items, includes an overview and review of the world, its payment model, key features, useful links, and a brief in-world guide, including exclusive screenshots and analysis on in-world interactions.

Currently, we've completed overarching analyses on the following worlds:

Atlantica Online (NDoors)

"There are arguments all of the time over the differences between Korean and western design sensibilities, but I can't help but feel that a title like this could be far more successful if the mission design was a little bit more exciting ... If there's a lesson from Atlantica Online it's that the coders and artists of NDoors (and perhaps Korea) are beyond comparison, and under the helm of a western-orientated design team they could be unstoppable."

eRepublik (eRepublik)

"I'm not trying to say here that eRepublik is a case of the emperor's new clothes—the wider picture is deeply interesting—but the player experience is deeply poor, so much so that I wonder why players have managed to make the simulation work as well as it does."

Travian (Travian Games)

"Perhaps it's unfortunate that I played Ikariam before Travian, but in comparison the game is deeply disappointing, suffering all of Ikariam's flaws and more. It does ultimately offer more to the player willing to put in the effort (especially when it comes to interactions with other players) but I can see few reasons for the average gamer, or online world connoisseur, to bother."

Audition (Nexon) "Audition feels incredibly dated, and anyone who really wanted to offer a better dancing MMO—and when I say 'wanted to offer' I really mean 'believes in and wants to make' a better one—could easily blow it out of the water. But it's another example of how concentrating on one concept and making that interaction fun is a way to have a successful MMO."

Trukz (Trukz)

"Trukz makes it clear that not everything needs to be festooned in triple-A graphics and mechanics as long as it has a concrete theme. Though few gamers might be interested in long haul trucking, there is nothing wrong with concentrating on a small group of gamers and offering them the best experience they can get within their limited requirements."

NeoPets (NeoPets, Inc.)

"I can absolutely respect the work put into Neopets across the years, but what the've chosen to engineer is (to an adult, at least) absolutely and transparently a timesink ... It's an interesting world, one worth looking at, but as much to see success despite glaring problems as it is to see its positive aspects."

Wizard101

(KingsIsle Entertainment)

"Wizard101 is easily the most impressive kid-orientated virtual world that I've played in my (admittedly short) time investigating them ... It's probably the perfect example of how free-to-play can work. The core game is so fun from the get go I imagine most players want to pay for it just to unlock the extra possibilities on offer."

Urban Dead (Kevan Davis)

"Urban Dead is a great example of the possibilities that MMOs have when you think outside of classic RPG or social world formats: a genuinely scary and compelling world that needs no embellishment to the central concept of survival in a dangerous world -- one filled with other human players."

Ikariam

(GameForge)

"Ikariam soldiers on. Though its social aspects are underdeveloped the game’s economics make it a virtual world of interest, and it’s a very playable game. And in particular, by choosing to do things differently, it opens up the virtual world market to gamers who wouldn’t normally be interested in the genre, and for that reason has a place here."

Virtual MTV (MTV Networks)

"Virtual MTV does seem successful, is technically acceptable, and is enjoyed by its users. But much like its parent, There, it doesn't push the industry anywhere new or even useful, and by being backed by such a huge brand there was great potential to do more that has been completely overlooked."

Forum Warz(Crotch Zombie Productions)

"ForumWarz is a step ahead, with a gorgeous interface, clever cinematics and a very strong and balanced design. It's not a game for everyone,but if you can stomach it, there is a lot to learn from ForumWarz, as a game just as good played alone as played with friends."

Barbie Girls (Mattel)

"If Build-A-Bearville is an example of how to make a browser MMO based around a brand aimed at children, Barbie Girls is an example of how not to do it. People often criticize Barbie's world as pink, plastic and empty, and it's a shame to find her virtual world is exactly that."

Kingdom of Loathing (Asymmetric Publications)
"Kingdom of Loathing probably isn't the kind of game you'd plan to look at if you were trying to work out how to build a community in your MMO, but it only take a short time playing to realize such an assumption is dead wrong. Kingdom of Loathing might be more of a 'game' than an 'MMO' but as either, it easily outclasses many of the competition."

Build-A-Bearville (Build-A-Bear Workshop)
"I'm not going to say this is a perfect world for kids -- my inbuilt distrust of toy brands makes that unlikely -- but it is a very solid entry into the toy tie-in genre, that played in moderation and with a level of parental supervision (even interaction!) would be an enjoyable world for pre-teens who already appreciate the Build-A-Bear Workshop, and is therefore an interesting example of the format for anyone who plans to take such a project on."

Fresbo World (Fresbo)
"The MMO genre is a very crowded one, and while it's admirable for a small team to have created an MMO, the main worry is that without some major future development Fresbo World will be lost in the shuffle. Fresbo World is certainly an MMO to keep watching as an underdog, but it remains to be seen if it can overcome that and find its place."

There (Makena Technologies)
"I've spent a fair amount of time in There, and to be honest, if I was to try and explain There's importance or otherwise its meaning to the industry, I'd have to say that, well, There is… just "there." It's not particularly exciting, it's no longer innovative (if it ever was) and it feels like there's little to say about the world at all."

Gaia Online (Gaia Interactive)
"Gaia Online is very successful, particularly in attracting sponsors; and their other monetization ideas, such as limited edition items for avatars, are very canny indeed. There are more than enough users willing to put up with the clunky interface and slow loading to watch adverts in the hope of getting swag for their avatar -- after all, I spent time learning about Don't Mess with the Zohan, Skittles and MTV while there -- that I think it will remain very successful for them. It's just not worthy of it."

WeeWorld (WeeWorld)
"WeeWorld is in kind of an odd position. As social networks go, it's got its benefits -- great avatar/room customization, for one -- but as an MMO (of sorts) it's nothing more than a IRC chatroom that makes me feel terribly uncomfortable. Perhaps it'll improve, but I'll be honest and say I don't hold out much hope."

Mabinogi (Nexon)

"Mabinogi is a mixed bag. I think that players have to be prepared to put up with perhaps too many traditional MMORPG conventions to enjoy an otherwise quite vibrant world with a healthy social aspect, but those that do want to enjoy a (slightly) lighter-than-average RPG could find a lot to enjoy here."

Dizzywood (Rock Paper Scissors)

"Dizzywood is a bit of a contradiction. The world doesn't look great and the technology behind it isn't particularly special. The games included are (mostly) derivative and boring. But it's brilliant fun to explore, and a great place to meet and collaborate with other players to discover its mysteries."

Moshi Monsters (Mind Candy)

"Moshi Monsters is a world which is artistically fully realized, and is therefore very attractive to new players. Sadly, many players will find themselves waiting for the designers to catch up with the artists to gain full enjoyment from it, but as a daily timewaster I can think of few worlds which can compare."

Millsberry (General Mills)
"Millsberry doesn't talk down to its audience, in the educational "books" that can be borrowed from the library or in its explanations of historical places, and while General Mills products are advertised in the games, it's not intrusive; it's a wholesome place for kids to play."

Whyville (Numedeon)
"The pastiched interface and obtuse game objectives definitely hurt the educational objective... though Whyville clearly puts world social issues and science on the radar of kids who might have showed up hoping for some hip social hangouts, and that can only be a good thing."

Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates (Three Rings)
"Users can simply play games with others in a charming environment, or they can invest personally in the games' outcome, form friendships and pursue advancement. It's a tenderly-drawn and adventuresome environment that's solid where it counts."

MapleStory (Nexon)
"While MapleStory may lack the complexity of more adult-looking MMOs, it's clearly a strong community for a broad age range of young people to play together."

Sherwood Dungeon (Maid Marian Inc.)
"It's a homegrown MMO whose creator has treated his game with such dignity and attention to detail that it'd definitely make a strong example for others. If Endrody can create something so stable and fluid from the ground up, we should expect quite a lot from more elaborate projects with millions of funding dollars!"

Toontown (Disney)
"Kooky, floppy-handed Toons preserve their colorful spirit" by perpetrating wacky gags on monochromatic baddies in Toontown, Disney's adventure game-like virtual world for kids of all ages.

Nicktropolis (Nickelodeon/Viacom)
"Nicktropolis is a series of interconnected areas themed around Nickelodeon's programming and properties, host to interactive content like minigames, songs and videos, where users can chat, play and explore."

Entropia Universe (MindArk)
"The stage is the fictional futuristic planet of Calypso, where users play as settlers tasked with colonizing a wild land, hunting monsters for by-products to trade and sell, mining for materials and exploring as they form new societies."

Runescape (Jagex Ltd.)
"Set in the fantasy world of Gielinor, RuneScape lets users undertake quests, battle monsters, learn skills, collect items, and chat as they explore the realm."

Habbo Hotel (Sulake Labs)
"Part virtual world, part social networking site, Habbo is aimed primarily at the teen and "tween" audiences. The virtual world itself is called Habbo Hotel, and it consists of lobbies, lounges and party rooms where users can socialize..."

Club Penguin (New Horizon Interactive)
"Designed for kids ages 8-14 but open to all, Club Penguin lets users interact in a frosty playground using colorful cartoon penguins as avatars. Penguins can socialize, play minigames, furnish and decorate their igloos, explore different snowy areas, and accessorize."

If you have comments, feedback, or ideas on the worlds that you'd like to see profiled in the Online World Atlas next, please contact us via email at editors@worldsinmotion.biz.