元宇宙平台：活跃世界Active Worlds

1994 年夏天，Ron Britvich 创建了WebWorld，这是第一个2.5D世界，成千上万的人可以在这里聊天、构建和旅行。WebWorld 在Peregrine Systems Inc.服务器上作为业余项目运行，直到 Britvich 于当年秋天离开公司加入 Knowledge Adventure Worlds (KAW)。1995 年 2 月，KAW 剥离了他们的 3D Web 部门，成立了 Worlds Inc. Britvich 最终被其他几位开发人员加入，更名的 AlphaWorld 继续作为 Worlds Inc 的一个臭鼬项目开发，在内部与类似的公司竞争项目内部称为 Gamma，公开称为Worlds Chat. 虽然 AlphaWorld 在很大程度上由于 Britvich 支持用户构建内容的开放理念而发展出强大的狂热追随者，但 Worlds, Inc. 偏爱 Gamma，因为该公司为迪士尼和其他公司制作了合同项目。

In the summer of 1994, Ron Britvich created WebWorld, the first 2.5D world where thousands of people can chat, build and travel. WebWorld operated as an amateur project on the Peregrine Systems Inc. server until it left the company in the fall to join the Knowldge Adventure Worlds (KAW). In February 1995, KaW took away their 3D Web department, created Worlds Inc. Britvich, which was eventually joined by several other developers. AlphaWorld continued to develop as a skunk project for Worlds Inc., within a competition project with similar companies called Gamma, publicly known as Worlds Chhat. although AlphaWorld was created as a powerful promoter of the company's Voltvich and others because of the open-minded ideas that support users.

1995 年 6 月 28 日，AlphaWorld 更名为 Active Worlds（来自 Active Worlds Explorer）并正式推出 1.0 版。大约在这个时候，火圈 (CoF) 的成立是为了为 Active Worlds 宇宙创建内容。这家公司在产品的未来发挥了关键作用。1997 年 1 月，Worlds Inc. 在未能获得所需合同并花费了超过 1500 万美元的风险投资后，几乎解雇了公司的全部员工，只保留了几名员工，其中包括 Gamma 的作者，现在被称为世界播放器. 公司从未将 Active Worlds 视为一项资产，但它成为了与它关系密切的人的斗争对象。由 Richard Noll 运营的 Circle of Fire (COF) 购买了 Activeworlds 的所有资产，并聘请了许多 Activeworlds 开发人员。JP McCormick 此后不久加入公司，并在 COF 中投资以继续扩展 Activeworlds。

On June 28, 1995, AlphaWorld changed its name to Active Worlds (from Active Worlds Explorer) and officially launched version 1.0. Around this time, the Fire Circle (CoF) was created to create content for the Active Worlds universe. This company played a key role in the future of its products. In January 1997, after failing to obtain the required contract and spending more than $15 million on risk investments, it fired almost all of its employees, retaining only a few of its employees, including the author of Gamma, now known as the World Player.

1999 年 1 月 21 日，COF 与 Vanguard Enterprises, Inc. 进行反向并购，将公司更名为 Activeworlds.com, Inc.，成为纳斯达克上市公司，代码为 AWLD。2001 年，该公司推出了一款名为3D Homepages的新产品。每个公民帐户都有权免费试用 30 天的虚拟 10,000 平方米 3D 世界，使用他们从预先设计的样式中选择的布局。试用后，用户可以选择升级到更大的尺寸和用户限制。这些 3D 主页是为用户托管的，这与用户必须让其他公司或用户或他们自己托管的传统世界不同。

On January 21, 1999, COF and Vanguard Enterprises, Inc. undertook a reverse merger to change the name of the company to ActiveWorlds.com, Inc. and become an AWLD. In 2001, the company launched a new product called 3D Homepages. Each citizen’s account has the right to test a 30-day virtual 10,000 square metre 3D world free of charge, using the layout they choose from the pre-designed style. After the trial, users can choose to upgrade to larger sizes and user limits. These 3D homepages are hosted for users, unlike other companies or users or their own traditional world.

2002 年，该公司将其年度公民身份的价格从 19.95 美元提高到 69.95 美元。2008 年 6 月 16 日，Active Worlds, Inc. 发布了两年来对浏览器的第一次重大更新，版本 4.2。它包括对象和可定制化身的网页渲染。 2009 年 6 月 24 日，Active Worlds, Inc. 向公众发布了 5.0 版的公开测试版。 2012年6月7日，6.0版发布。 2013年取消系统注册费。

In 2002, the company increased the price of its annual citizenship from US$ 19.95 to US$ 69.95. On June 16, 2008, Active Worlds, Inc. published the first major update of the browser in two years, version 4.2. It includes the retranslation of objects and customized web pages. On June 24, 2009, Active Worlds, Inc. released a public test version of 5.0. On June 7, 2012, version 6.0 was released. System registration fees were cancelled in 2013.