Each online mirror world is built to precisely imitate reality: they aim to build online the offline sites of the world. They are unlike fantasy-based virtual worlds, which allow users to indiscriminately add and remove from their surroundings. Everything in a mirror world is driven by what already exists in the real one.
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Amazing Worlds is a new online platform that is making this possible. Traditionally, users must buy and install large programmes before they can run any online 3-dimensional content. Amazing Worlds replaces those hundreds of megabytes with a small, free "client." That is all that users need to gain access to any of the 'worlds' hosted on the platform's fast and secure servers. - Terence Mak, Amazing Worlds. |
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Terence Mak, Director
Amazing Worlds Pte Ltd |
Like their real-world counterparts, the cities in Amazing Worlds do not sleep. They can be updated with new content on-the-fly without the need for server downtime. Each mirror reality can remain active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; users can actively watch the world being built online just as it is offline.
With graphics powered by Autodesk's industry leading Autodesk AutoCAD and Autodesk 3dsMax software, millions of users now can interactively explore our world online with unparalleled photorealistic graphics: all that is needed is an internet connection and a computer.
The sophistication of the graphics engine allows for reality to be replicated on screen. Using blueprints and structural information designed in AutoCAD, the platform renders architecturally-accurate buildings before using the power of the 3dsMax engine to create everything from detailed interiors to life-like human avatars. Users can explore beautiful locations of any scale, from single houses to entire metropolises, all from the comfort of their own homes anywhere in the world.
Amazing Worlds allows users to walk independently through these virtual realities using a customisable human avatar, putting control firmly in their hands. Unlike websites that bombard viewers with unfiltered content, this platform lets consumers choose what they see.
With just a click of the mouse, users can pull up top-down maps and floor directories to help them decide which locations, shops or exhibitions they want to visit. As they explore, selecting showcase items or advertising banners will give them relevant details of up-coming event listings, product information and links to partner websites. Users online can also chat with each other and attend inworld events with friends or family who might be scattered overseas.
A Powerful Tool For Marketing Round-the-Clock
It is already a natural platform for retailers to want to use: an Amazing Worlds is the most cost and labour effective way of reaching out to millions of global customers. Setting up a shop in a high-traffic world is equivalent to setting up a real store in a popular area. The added advantage is that of drawing shoppers from anywhere in the world. Retailers can position themselves in-world next to advertising partners, and use that shared momentum to drive their sales to a new level.
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It is a new way of introducing products and services. Information can be presented and distributed in an interesting and fun way. Autodesk has equipped us with the necessary power tools to help make this a reality.
- Terence Mak, Amazing Worlds. |
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Amazing Worlds allows these store owners to bring online the customer services they would have offline: they can populate stores with live or programmed service staff, and showcase their all products in 3D. They also have new ways of targeting customers, such as 'quests' that shoppers can complete in exchange for points for use in real world promotions. Best of all, all customer activity and behaviour can be monitored and recorded for use in future marketing campaigns.
For property developers, these worlds help to answer questions that prospective clients may not even think of asking even as they try to make the most informed decision possible. By helping make spatial sense of 2d-maps and bringing to life as-yet unconstructed buildings, each world lets clients see at a glance how properties sit in proximity to nearby landmarks, helping developers to sell not only locations, but localities.
With the ability to walk through the interiors of each building, clients can also better visualise floor space, check for available building amenities and scope out the design of each floor or unit. On their part, developers can use different levels or exhibition halls to showcase floor layouts, or set up 360° panoramic views for each individual room.
Tourism marketers, too, have a new set of tools to use for promotion. They no longer have to make the difficult choice of choosing which of the multitude of programmes available in a location to highlight or to leave out. Amazing Worlds recreates their locations for them, and then allows them to bring online all exhibitions that are concurrently running in the real world. This gives potential tourists from around the globe a chance to preview showcase items while simultaneously directing user traffic to their sponsors.
Marketers can have tour guides host live events online, or use pre-set virtual tours to bring guests from different time-zones through tourist hotspots. All marketing material can also be created in multiple languages to cater for international audiences.
In short, the platform gives all marketing managers new ways of presenting a wealth of information and advertising content while still allowing consumers unparalleled control over their surfing and viewing options. Terence Mak, Director, Amazing Worlds Pte Ltd, says: "It is a new way of introducing products and services. Information can be presented and distributed in an interesting and fun way. Autodesk has equipped us with the necessary power tools to help make this a reality."
Technology analyst group Gartner predicts that there will be 50 to 60 million active Broadband enabled virtual world users by the year 2011, with numbers expected to rise to 1 billion by 2018: Amazing Worlds presents a cost-effective and detail-rich marketing solution that serves both these users and the companies that want to reach out to them.
Amazing Worlds is part of the Autodesk iLIUP (Infocomm Local Industry Partnership) introduced by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). It is a program that promotes strategic, mutually beneficial partnership that enhances local infocomm capabilities and competitiveness.
