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[charmedgrl]

Not sure how many people in here are a member of this or even heard of it, but I am a member of IMVU (Charmedgrl there as well).  Here is a little information about it from the IMVU website if anyone is curious at all.  It's basically a mix of Yahoo or MSN Messenger and SL in the fact it is more intended to be a 1 on 1 messenger than an entire world of people but you do have avatars you can dress, change appearance, dance, etc.  However, that doesn't mean you can't have multiple people in 1 area at the same time.  (Also, you don't walk, but have to click on hot spots to move to that location in each room).

About us
IMVU is a consumer internet startup in downtown Palo Alto. IMVU makes the world's best 3D instant messenger, which is now in beta testing with more than 1 million customers around the world. The service lets users express themselves by creating and customizing a 3D avatar with a wide variety of clothes, accessories, pets, and scenes. The service has been live for over a year, and it is generating a rapidly growing revenue stream from the sale of virtual currency. IMVU's culture is maniacally focused on rapidly developing and testing features and business ideas to learn from our customers what will make a great business. IMVU has top tier venture investors and an extraordinarily talented team with deep experience in games and virtual worlds.
Please use the IMVU forums to submit bugs, glitches, and suggestions.

Forums are the fastest way to get help and resolve most issues!
 
 
Our mission
To fulfill the promise of online socializing and creativity.
 
 
Development philosophy
Click here for more about how IMVU is being built.
 
 
Our future
Games - Instead of playing games like poker, pool, or chess with only a screen name or an icon, play using a 3D avatar that you've customized and dressed the way you want.
Platforms - We are actively porting IMVU to as many IM networks, clients, and operating systems as possible, and plan to bring avatars to other devices like cellphones and portable game consoles. We expect to ship a Macintosh port soon.
Graphics and sound - IMVU works on almost any PC, even those without 3D graphics cards. Though we launched our beta test without sound or special effects, we will continually improve the audiovisual features of IMVU and provide all of these improvements to our developer community.
Brands and celebrities - Imagine chatting with your friends using IMVU, dressed up as your favorite movie star, singer, or sport hero, or wearing your favorite brand-name clothes or accessories. IMVU invites celebrities and corporations with brand-name products to extend their popularity and franchises to IM. Contact branding@imvu.com to learn more.
Freedom of expression - In order to support all kinds of content in IMVU, and to build a marketplace and environment where everyone is comfortable, we are committed to providing the necessary controls and ratings systems to support the needs of the general audience and the holders of brands and franchises.
Video game characters - IM your friends using your favorite video game characters. IMVU is creating the technology and business relationships to allow video game publishers to extend their franchises to IM.
Unheralded game designer? - There was a time when video game development didn't require dozens of people or millions of dollars. IMVU will make it possible for hobbyist game developers to create and sell games for IM in collaboration with a thriving development community that is creating avatars, animations, and other 3D and interactive assets.
 

[charmedgrl]

For those worried about a lot of adult content, in order to view any adult material, you have to purchase an adult pass.  So as long as you don't, you can live freely without ever seeing it.  Even if your friend has some adult material in their room, if you don't have the pass, you can enter the room, but you will not see anything that is considered to be Mature.  You can also purchase rooms to make your own house, boat, pool, etc.

Here's a few snapshots I took for all to see...

Pirate Charmedgrl on the Pirate Ship:


Charmedgrl and a friend Posing:


Charmedgrl on Horseback (Yes the Horses Actually Run):


Aerial View of My House:


Charmedgrl Lounging by Her Pool and Dancing at the Pool Party:
   

[danovara]

So it is just like SL? Sorry not understanding it exactly.

[charmedgrl]

It has similarities to SL but is totally different because it's more of a messenger service like Yahoo, MSN, AIM, etc.

IMVU is a graphical instant messaging client (3D chat) currently in beta stage with more than 3 million users. [1] The basic IMVU client is free.

The primary focus of IMVU is the ability to use personalized 3D avatars and environments that let the user interact with the person they’re chatting with. Full 3D scenes make users feel as if they are sitting with a friend in a coffee shop, on a Ferris wheel, etc. The secondary focus of IMVU is allowing the members to develop content that can be sold to other members for use in personalizing their avatars and environments.

Developed by Will Harvey, a video game developer and founder of There, a similar 3D virtual world, IMVU members also receive a personal homepage at no cost. Coding for IMVU homepages is similar to Myspace.

Unlike similar virtual worlds, IMVU contains its own economy with a credits-currency system. Partially based upon physical, real-world money, this economy funds the IMVU project. New members are given 1000 credits to purchase additional IMVU content, but beyond this initial gift, credits must be purchased via credit card, SMS, or money order.

The credits system in operation on IMVU allows members to access virtual items like fashion pieces (hair, clothes, skins, and accessories), pets, and 3D scenes. Each of these virtual items average $0.50 and are largely created by other members.

The age range for this game should be for 13 year-olds and up, as long as they are mature enough to handle a very small amount of graphical content. Many parents may be worried about the information posted on IMVU and the graphical content, but IMVU does not use the info at all. It can be posted on the user's homepage, but the only information they ask of is the age and state in the U.S., which should not be useful to anyone trying to hack the system.

Also, earning free credits is much easier than with SL.  You can get 50 a day just by checking the new items in the catalog among several other ways.