NearGlobal is a London, UK, based software developer and publisher of Near, a 3D

3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...

 city browser platform and virtual world technology that delivers survey-accurate models of real-world cities that users can explore and interact with from their computer. The Near software was released in December 2009 with a public beta version incorporating the key shopping districts of London's West End .

Purpose

NearGlobal describes the Near product as a discovery platform, rather that a virtual world. Near allows for the seamless integration of existing web-based content into the 3D environment.

Differentiation

Near differs significantly from virtual worlds such as Second Life

Second Life

Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...

, Twinity

Twinity

Twinity is the first 3D online virtual world to build true-to-scale replicas of large cities from all over the world. Twinity is developed by Metaversum GmbH, a company based in Berlin, Germany. It offers its population, called Twinizens, to navigate around virtual versions of real-world cities,...

 and Blue Mars

Blue Mars (video game)

Blue Mars is a 3D massively multiplayer virtual world platform currently in open beta. It falls in the general category of social virtual worlds allowing user-created content....

by focusing more on the presentation of the environment than on its users. The Near software depicts users with blades of light rather than with human avatars.

External links

Official sites

• Near Beta
• Corporate Information