Cute, huh?
Here's a quick overview of WorldsAway:
1) The original Habitat had versions both in Japan and in the U.S. The U.S.
version (called Club Caribe) ran from around 1989-1992, and only ran on the
Commodore 64. It had primitive graphics but reasonably full interactivity.
2) WorldsAway is the current incarnation, and it has VGA graphics, all of
which are controlled centrally by CIS (i.e. you couldn't just design
yourself a new Avatar). The graphics are 2D with no perspective--it's
like you have a side view of the room. So Worlds Chat *is* technically
the first 3D multiuser chat system (unless there's yet another one).
3) While the graphics aren't 3D, everything I have seen and heard (a
number of Club Caribe veterans hang out in the WA forum on CIS) about WA
shows a surprising level of interactivity, and a fairly elaborate culture:
in CC there were avatar footraces, grab-and-run object thefts, a fully
functioning economy (one of the main uses for tokens was buying new heads
for your avatar), choreographed avatar dance groups, a nude beach, and
occasional gender-changer devices to wreak havok. To get around, you can walk
from scene to scene (laterally) or through doors (into the scene), or use
teleporters.
4) WA is expected to go online in July. The demo gives a pretty good sense
of what it's like, if you have a Mac or PC if you want an advance look.
--Andy