Children's Show, "The Zula Patrol," Launches Interactive Virtual World

Zula USA, the company behind the science-themed, animated children's show, "The Zula Patrol" (note: the show, which airs on PBS, NBC and Telemundo, features a group of alien characters in vignettes that are designed to teach children about space, our galaxy, and friendship), has launched an online virtual world called "ZulaWorld" (www.zulaworld.com). Billed by the company as "an immersive environment for the exploration of science, math and astronomy that stimulates curiosity, promotes discovery, and inspires imagination among children" and as providing "a place for parents and educators to engage with their children, students and each other," the virtual world, which is targeted at children six and older, has been available in beta since April, but launched officially June 1st. It was developed in collaboration with IBM Research (under the auspices of IBM's Emerging Business Opportunity program), using IBM's Virtual World Administration software tools.

Visitors to the ZulaWorld Web site are first invited to use an application that enables them to create a custom alien avatar for themselves: the app presents them with six basic characters that can be customized by changing their skin color and their eyes and by dressing them with various clothes, hats and accessories. They then give their avatar a name, enter a parental email address, and, once a parent activates their account, they can use the avatar to explore and interact with ZulaWorld (note: once they are members of the site, they can also use an app to build themselves a customized virtual spaceship).

The virtual world offers a range of games and other activities, many of which are intended to promote team play and all of which are designed to teach children about mathematics, astronomy and other sciences. As users accomplish the various educational tasks set by ZulaWorld's games, they collect rewards that they can use to "unlock new levels, decorate their spaceship, and earn badges for their alien," the virtual world's FAQ explains. A posting on the ZulaWorld blog provides some suggestions for visitors: "Wander around Zulapolis (East, West and Midtown)--click on anything that highlights to blue on mouseover," the posting states. "Click on the map to visit places like Zula Patrol Headquarters, Ice Station Zula and Greater Crater Planetary Park. Click on the spaceship icon on the bottom yellow bar, build your spaceship and fly to Asteroid Gas Station and Venus. Travel to Venus and walk through 'Acid Rain' and get to the 'Cloud in a Jar' Game. Head over to Greater Crater Planetary Park and play the 'Simple Machines' and 'Skate Park' games. On Ice Station Zula you can sled down a hill with 3 of your friends to win, as well go into Precipito's Lab and play the 'Find the Gleep' game."

Another key feature of ZulaWorld is a yellow "HUD" (for "Heads Up Display") toolbar at the bottom of the screen, which, among other things, provides users with easy access to the virtual world's social-networking features. Its tools include:
--The "zPhone," an icon that is billed as allowing users to "add alien friends to your friends list" and to "find them and join them wherever they are in ZulaWorld" (note: users can also "create a secret handshake with a friend," so that that friend can visit them in their spaceship, Zula USA says).

• A spaceship icon that is billed as allowing users to "navigate to your spaceship yard, the inside of your ship, Venus and Asteroid gas station."
• An icon for "safe chat" (billed as allowing users to choose between "lots of fun words and phrases").
• A backpack icon, in which users can store clothing for their avatar, furniture for their spaceship, and other virtual items.
• A map icon that facilitates navigation to various parts of the virtual world.
• A dictionary icon that allows users to look up various scientific terms and watch related videos.
• A "mission journal" icon that is billed as letting users "know what you can do in the different neighborhoods," and as checking off "any games and missions you play."
• An emoticon icon that allows users to send emoticons to their online friends.
• A feedback icon.

ZulaWorld currently offers two levels of membership: free and "VIP" (priced at $5.99 per month; $29.99 for six months; or $49.99 for a year). According to the virtual world's membership page, free members can "Create an alien, build your own spaceship, get your own communicator and stay in touch with your friends, accept secret handshakes from your friends, play entry level games and quests to earn Zlinkles, [and] buy upgrades to your spaceship." VIP members, meanwhile, can "create, accept and send secret handshakes to your friends, visit your friends inside their spaceships, buy premium items for your alien and your spaceship, fly your spaceship to other worlds, buy a lot for your spaceship in one of Zula's neighborhoods, wake up your Fweeeb from hibernation [note: [itvt] is still trying to determine what exactly a "Fweeeb" is], play advanced games [and] accept and complete 'missions.'"