Metaplace

Metaplace promises to be different to the other Web 2.0 virtual worlds in that it offers an RPG development platform and can even be hosted outside of metaplace.com, on your own webspace.
Looking like the isometric RPGs we used to play in the 80s and 90s, it's not exactly innovative in that sense, but combining this with features like being able to add your own links and content, which you can place in certain locations in your virtual world, does seem to set it apart from the competition.

It's beta (like everything these days), ad you'll have to get an invite, either at metaplace.com itself, where you'll have to wait in line (can take a few weeks, apparently), or from sites that are probably giving out invites.

Now, this is not new - metaplace has been going for a while now, but the pace of development and publicity has ramped up since they got a big cash injection last December.

When my invite finally arrives, I'll give it a whirl. I tried Second Life and found it unbearably boring. I'm hoping this will be different. Being able to build your own world á la Sim City sounds appealing, rather than having to always wander around a world that somebody else built and building your own mini-game themes and plots, while hosting content and links - this sounds like it might be a bit more worthwhile. Whether it will be successful, and survive despite all the competition is another thing - only time will tell.

Here's a nine-minute demo: