SmallWorlds is the first web-accessible, casual virtual world which is designed for mass market appeal. Online virtual worlds have traditionally been impeded by a number of factors that have prevented them from breaking through niche markets to appeal to a broad demographic. These include the need to download and install the application, complicated and intimidating user interfaces, difficulty in navigating and finding things to do in the world, and limited options to customize the world and your experience without a sophisticated level of computer expertise.SmallWorlds breaks through these limitations and brings the very best in accessibility and interaction design from the Web2.0 era. SmallWorlds makes the richness of a multi-dimensional social and entertainment experience available to anyone and everyone from 13 to 103. Of SmallWorlds, Ryan Stewart, Rich Internet Application Evangelist at Adobe and ZDNet blogger said “…filled with Web 2.0 goodness everywhere you look” and called Smallworlds “The coolest Flex application I’ve ever seen”

A 1st class citizen of the web

SmallWorlds has been built as a “first class citizen” of the web from the ground up. In the traditional “2D Web”, the web page is the core unit of addressability. In the 3D world of SmallWorlds the equivalent of a page is a 3D space, and just like any web page, each 3D space has its own URL. This makes inviting friends to join you in your room, to play a multiplayer game or watch together a cool video you’ve just found, as simple as instant-messaging or emailing them the URL of your customized space. By complying with web standards like supporting the browser history backward/forward buttons, incorporating third party web widgets and media, and the ability to be embedded into any web page, SmallWorlds is the first virtual world to be a true first class citizen of the web. Running in almost any web browser on virtually all mainstream Operating Systems, SmallWorlds is instantly accessible to the estimated 98% of people who already have the Adobe Flash Player installed on their computer.

Web2.0 meets Web3.D

One of the unique innovations of SmallWorlds is the way it incorporates and integrates the best features of web2.0. You can furnish your world with Flickr posters and picture frames, YouTube TVs, Last.fm and SeeqPod stereos, and Twitter message boards. However, unlike watching or listening to media on your computer by yourself, SmallWorlds uses its “Social Interplay Engine” to enable you and your friends to experience your favorite videos, music, images and widgets, together - in real-time. All of the web2.0 widgets in SmallWorlds are built on top of our extensible platform and an upcoming release will include a public API so that users and developers can build their own widgets, games and content and share them with others in SmallWorlds.

Build your own world

SmallWorlds has a number of themed public spaces so that people can experience what the world has to offer immediately. But in the same way that blogs and social networks have made self-expression and the creation of personal spaces on the web easily accessible to the masses, SmallWorlds brings the richness of a 3D world to a new generation of User Generated Content. In SmallWorlds, our motto is “build your own world”, and from your very first interaction with SmallWorlds you’ll see how easy it is to customize your own unique identity and to create your own engaging spaces. These spaces can be shared with a close group of friends, a club, guild or community you run or belong to, or anyone and everyone on the web.

A world of entertainment

SmallWorlds integrates all forms of casual entertainment into a realtime social context. Whether it be watching videos, listening to music, or playing casual games, SmallWorlds offers a huge variety of options for users to entertain themselves and others. SmallWorlds integrates game mechanics throughout the world, from missions (quests that give experience and currency rewards) to high score ladders and tournaments. By opening up its platform to third party game developers, SmallWorlds will revolutionize casual gaming by providing a rich social and achievement framework that will reward players beyond the normal confines of a high score ladder.

Register for the open beta now

SmallWorlds has been in development for 18 months, but from Monday 2nd June at noon PDT, it will become available to the general public. However, for the first 1,000 people to sign up for the beta we are offering exclusive access to the product 1 week earlier. Go to the SmallWorlds site now and click on the orange “Register for Beta” button and be one of the first web users to see why Mark Szulc of Adobe called SmallWorlds “the best online interactive experience currently on the web.”

Closing

SmallWorlds is a new convergence product responding to the demand for richer, more social and participative forms of entertainment and self-expression. It sits at the intersection of web2.0, social networking, and entertainment, and wraps these all into a virtual world environment that breaks significant new ground in accessibility. SmallWorlds gives users the ability to create their own 3D spaces in which they can share textured, real-time experiences with their friends and others. By integrating the most compelling features of the current personal publishing, social engagement and entertainment trends, we aim to provide internet users with a new platform where they can express themselves, be entertained, and socialize with one another on a whole new dimension.

We’ve only been live a few days but already we’re gathering a small but growing mass of positive feedback from early SmallWorlds users.  Here’s a selection of what people are saying;

Ryan Stewart says:

“The coolest Flex application I’ve ever seen”

Mark Szulc says: 

“the guys over in Auckland, NZ have been flat out creating what I believe to be the best online interactive experience currently on the web.”

Oscar Trelles says: 

“I have been playing with SmallWorlds for a few days now, and I’ve got to say that I am very impressed with what I’ve seen so far.” “In terms of experience, some say SmallWorlds rivals with SecondLife. I tend to think it is even better, since I find it easier to use and fitting within my user profile.”

Paul Mignard says: 

“kinda like second-life but without the massive download and the flying weirdos. So far - it’s pretty technically impressive. This avatar creation process is pretty fun and intuitive - I love the styling of the windows and the different option selectors”

Campbell Anderson says: 

“Outsmart have done it again. The crew there have been busy with their heads down hiding away working on their secret project, and man is it worth the wait.”

Thanks guys - we appreciate the kind words.

SmallWorlds is escaping beyond the walls of our studio today to enter a much larger world. We have had a very talented team of artists and developers working on the virtual world for up to 12 months now, and today marks the start of our private beta testing phase for SmallWorlds. We’re inviting an initial group of people in to help us test SmallWorlds before we officially launch around March.

SmallWorlds is a new generation of virtual world that runs inside your web browser, without the need to download or install any other software. SmallWorlds combines media, web content, and casual games into a highly accessible & compelling 3D world that integrates seamlessly with the rest of the web, bringing Virtual Worlds into the mainstream.

If you are one of those helping us to test the product - welcome, and thank you. We will be working hard to ensure your experience in SmallWorlds is a great one. Our artists and developers are already at work on building even more compelling content, and over the next few months we have lots of exciting new features planned.

If you haven’t been invited yet, and you’re interested in joining the beta then go to the Home page and click on the “Register for beta” button. We’ll send you out an invite as soon as we’re ready to open the beta up to more testers.

Welcome to a new kind of world.

We’ve been in so-called “stealth” mode for the last 12 months developing a product for what we think is one of the most exciting spaces on the internet - virtual worlds. The product is called SmallWorlds and quite simply it’s a virtual world that runs inside a web browser, without the need to download or install any other software. SmallWorlds enables users to build their own room, house, or even their own world, and to fill it with a wide variety of items and activities for them and their friends to enjoy together. With online friends and acquaintances, users can share experiences like playing games, watching YouTube videos, listening to their favourite band, browsing through photo galleries, and a whole lot more.

Today’s New Zealand Herald newspaper republished an article originally written for the inaugural issue of print magazine Startup in December, making this our first online press mention of SmallWorlds. You can read our brief mention here. Our private beta starts next week so hoping for lots more press to come - watch this space.