Google Lets People Create Custom Virtual Realms

Google has rolled out a challenge to virtual world giant Second Life with free software that lets people create their own online three dimensional worlds that can be embedded on websites and melded with other online functions.
Lively by Google lets people place virtual rooms on websites,customize "avatars" to be online proxies,and decorate their fantasy worlds with photos or streaming videos from Youtube,Picasa or other online Sources.
The offering is challenge to Second Life and other animated online worlds that require memberships and don't let people take their creations elsewhere on the internet.
With Lively,a user can adapt his personal online realm to his own imagination.Examples shown include hip flats,sprawling ranches,and rooftops backed and cityscapes.
Lively users can invite friends' avatars over for visits by sending them online room addresses via email or instant messages,according to Google engineering manager Niniane Wang Lively code is available at www.Lively.com and application has been customized for the social networking website Facebook.