<s>
vSide	O
was	O
an	O
Internet-based	O
3D	O
virtual	B-Application
world	I-Application
that	O
was	O
launched	O
on	O
May	O
15	O
,	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Avatars	B-Application
can	O
be	O
additionally	O
personalized	O
through	O
the	O
purchase	O
of	O
virtual	O
apparel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
virtual	O
game	O
was	O
later	O
renamed	O
to	O
"	O
The	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
became	O
a	O
success	O
,	O
grew	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
re-branded	O
as	O
vSide	O
in	O
the	O
summer	O
of	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
online	B-Application
world	I-Application
was	O
composed	O
now	O
of	O
three	O
cities	O
,	O
the	O
old	O
social	O
status	O
system	O
called	O
"	O
respekt	O
"	O
was	O
replaced	O
with	O
the	O
current	O
vPoint	O
rank	O
status	O
and	O
apartments	O
,	O
which	O
could	O
only	O
be	O
rented	O
in	O
The	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
,	O
could	O
now	O
be	O
bought	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
few	O
days	O
before	O
expected	O
server	B-Application
shutdown	O
,	O
two	O
community	O
staff	O
held	O
a	O
featured	O
event	O
called	O
T.G.I.F.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
itself	O
was	O
not	O
immediately	O
revived	O
,	O
instead	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
servers	O
were	O
moved	O
from	O
their	O
existing	O
location	O
in	O
the	O
Doppelganger	O
headquarters	O
to	O
a	O
new	O
host	O
run	O
by	O
SoftLayer	B-General_Concept
Technologies	O
in	O
Texas	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
section	O
and	O
the	O
users	O
in	O
it	O
worked	O
together	O
with	O
the	O
new	O
ExitReality	O
staff	O
to	O
test	O
the	O
server	B-Application
before	O
opening	O
it	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
areas	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
staff-broadcast	O
music	O
were	O
replaced	O
with	O
SHOUTcast	B-Application
radio	O
stations	O
,	O
which	O
Doppelganger	O
had	O
already	O
integrated	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
ExitReality	O
often	O
responds	O
to	O
requests	O
on	O
the	O
forums	B-Application
,	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
the	O
Dot	O
Dorm	O
A	O
re-release	O
and	O
make-up	O
were	O
often	O
demanded	O
by	O
the	O
user	O
base	O
even	O
before	O
vSides	O
shutdown	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
"	O
Degrassi	O
Spirit	O
Week	O
"	O
,	O
main	O
characters	O
and	O
producers	O
visited	O
vSide	O
to	O
interact	O
with	O
fans	O
by	O
giving	O
interviews	O
and	O
chatting	B-Protocol
at	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
the	O
last	O
version	O
of	O
The	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
,	O
users	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
buy	O
virtual	O
apparel	O
from	O
Kitson	O
and	O
Rocawear	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
The	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
was	O
renamed	O
vSide	O
,	O
other	O
brands	O
such	O
as	O
StarStyle	O
and	O
EDOC	O
Laundry	O
were	O
added	O
and	O
now	O
have	O
a	O
virtual	O
appearance	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Downtown	O
Records	O
had	O
its	O
own	O
venue	O
in	O
vSide	O
as	O
well	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
virtual	O
merchandising	B-Device
was	O
sold	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
tutorials	O
include	O
information	O
about	O
basic	O
avatar	B-Application
control	O
,	O
chatting	B-Protocol
,	O
shopping	O
,	O
clubbing	O
,	O
safety	O
features	O
,	O
apartments	O
and	O
friends	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
store	O
selling	O
virtual	O
Pussycat	O
Doll	O
merchandising	B-Device
is	O
situated	O
next	O
to	O
the	O
Interscope	O
Lounge	O
as	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
PCD	O
Lounge	O
build	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
most	O
popular	O
game	O
called	O
"	O
Sumo	O
"	O
is	O
situated	O
there	O
(	O
added	O
in	O
vSide	O
Beta	O
6	O
)	O
as	O
is	O
vSides	O
Halloween	B-Application
Maze	O
,	O
which	O
opens	O
its	O
official	O
doors	O
around	O
Halloween	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
in-game	B-Application
trivia	O
questions	O
it	O
is	O
referenced	O
as	O
being	O
modeled	O
after	O
Buenos	O
Aires	O
,	O
Argentina	O
and	O
Genoa	O
,	O
Italy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Josh	O
Michaels	O
,	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
apartment	O
slots	O
(	O
before	O
apartment	O
ownership	O
was	O
introduced	O
)	O
was	O
borrowed	O
from	O
an	O
IRC	B-Protocol
chat	I-Protocol
room	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
vSide	O
is	O
moderated	O
by	O
a	O
selected	O
group	O
of	O
people	O
that	O
supervise	O
users	O
 '	O
chats	B-Protocol
in-world	O
in	O
realtime	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Guides	O
are	O
long-time	O
who	O
expressed	O
interest	O
in	O
helping	O
new	O
users	O
with	O
first	O
user	B-Application
experience	I-Application
,	O
giving	O
tours	O
and	O
answering	O
FAQs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Guides	O
have	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
see	O
help	O
calls	O
of	O
users	O
on	O
their	O
server	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
were	O
introduced	O
in	O
The	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
Beta	O
9/10	O
between	O
February	O
and	O
April	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
Guide	O
program	O
in	O
the	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
days	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
no	O
official	O
and	O
public	O
applications	O
process	O
for	O
Guides	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
current	O
virtual	B-Application
currency	I-Application
system	O
has	O
been	O
introduced	O
in	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
vBux	O
is	O
virtual	B-Application
currency	I-Application
which	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
buy	O
clothes	O
,	O
items	O
for	O
private	O
spaces	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
things	O
that	O
make	O
vSide	O
life	O
more	O
fun	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
most	O
virtual	B-Application
worlds	I-Application
,	O
vSide	O
includes	O
social	O
networking	O
and	O
social	O
media	O
elements	O
such	O
as	O
custom	O
profiles	O
,	O
forums	B-Application
and	O
a	O
blog	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Corresponding	O
to	O
their	O
virtual	O
appearance	O
,	O
users	O
are	O
encouraged	O
to	O
things	O
fill	O
out	O
their	O
profiles	O
with	O
personal	O
interests	O
,	O
taking	O
pictures	O
in-game	B-Application
for	O
their	O
image	B-Algorithm
gallery	I-Algorithm
and	O
interacting	O
by	O
making	O
comments	O
on	O
other	O
user	O
's	O
web	O
profiles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
vSide	O
Forums	B-Application
are	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
main	O
information	O
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Staff	O
announcements	O
,	O
for	O
instance	O
,	O
maintenances	O
,	O
updates	O
or	O
issues	O
with	O
the	O
client	O
are	O
being	O
published	O
mainly	O
on	O
the	O
forums	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
they	O
are	O
rather	O
uninteresting	O
for	O
new	O
users	O
except	O
for	O
their	O
help	O
section	O
,	O
"	O
veteran	O
users	O
"	O
often	O
post	O
on	O
the	O
discussion	B-Application
boards	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
vSide	O
is	O
built	O
on	O
a	O
heavily	O
modified	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Torque	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Engine	I-Application
based	O
on	O
TGE	O
1.3.5	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
backend	B-Architecture
is	O
written	O
in	O
Java	B-Language
,	O
which	O
is	O
connected	O
to	O
MySQL	B-Application
via	O
the	O
Hibernate	B-Library
Java	B-Language
library	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
vSide	O
was	O
initially	O
built	O
for	O
Windows	B-Application
,	O
the	O
experimental	O
Mac	B-Application
OS	I-Application
X	I-Application
Alpha	O
client	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
of	O
The	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
Beta	O
6	O
in	O
November	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
buildings	O
were	O
built	O
and	O
lighted	O
with	O
3D	O
World	O
Studio	O
and	O
GarageGames	O
's	O
Torque	B-Application
Constructor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
vSides	O
DTS	O
objects	O
which	O
are	O
likely	O
smaller	O
objets	O
have	O
been	O
built	O
with	O
Autodesk	O
's	O
3ds	B-Language
Max	I-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
world	O
servers	O
(	O
except	O
the	O
Gateway	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
a	O
limit	O
of	O
25	O
users	O
per	O
server	B-Application
)	O
have	O
a	O
capacity	O
of	O
each	O
350	O
users	O
per	O
server	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
vSide	O
has	O
its	O
own	O
URI	B-Protocol
called	O
vURL	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
both	O
Windows	B-Application
and	O
Mac	O
there	O
is	O
a	O
program	O
called	O
Location	O
Switcher	O
made	O
by	O
vSide	O
users	O
that	O
has	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
perform	O
simple	O
vURL	O
teleporting	O
actions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ever	O
since	O
vSides	O
release	O
as	O
The	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
,	O
it	O
has	O
had	O
integration	O
with	O
YouTube	B-General_Concept
in	O
the	O
public	O
districts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
apartments	O
were	O
introduced	O
for	O
sale	O
,	O
users	O
were	O
able	O
to	O
watch	O
YouTube	B-General_Concept
videos	I-General_Concept
on	O
screens	O
that	O
come	O
in	O
every	O
apartment	O
in	O
their	O
private	O
spaces	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
YouTube	B-General_Concept
videos	I-General_Concept
in	O
the	O
main	O
districts	O
can	O
only	O
be	O
controlled	O
by	O
vSide	O
staff	O
and	O
are	O
rarely	O
used	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Not	O
all	O
YouTube	B-General_Concept
videos	I-General_Concept
will	O
work	O
in	O
vSide	O
;	O
some	O
videos	O
that	O
have	O
age	O
,	O
country	O
or	O
copyright	O
restrictions	O
will	O
not	O
load	O
in	O
vSide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
May	O
2009	O
embedding	O
SHOUTcast	B-Application
streams	O
into	O
user	O
apartments	O
was	O
established	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	B-Protocol
Instant	I-Protocol
Messenger	I-Protocol
(	O
AIM	O
)	O
is	O
integrated	O
in	O
vSide	O
using	O
the	O
Open	O
AIM	O
API	B-General_Concept
integration	O
since	O
the	B-Protocol
Music	I-Protocol
Lounge	I-Protocol
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
vSide	O
displays	O
AIM	O
as	O
a	O
second	O
friend	B-Protocol
list	I-Protocol
other	O
than	O
the	O
internal	O
friend	B-Protocol
list	I-Protocol
of	O
vSide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
features	O
basic	O
chat	B-Protocol
and	O
a	O
function	O
to	O
invite	O
AIM	O
buddies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
the	O
vSide	O
Event	O
Calendar	O
was	O
introduced	O
in	O
2008	O
,	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
share	O
their	O
events	O
on	O
Facebook	B-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Users	O
have	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
post	O
in-game	B-Application
screenshots	O
to	O
a	O
Facebook	B-Application
account	O
directly	O
from	O
the	O
client	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
alternative	O
to	O
the	O
manual	O
sharing	O
of	O
pictures	O
introduced	O
in	O
Beta	O
10	O
,	O
connecting	O
vSide	O
accounts	O
to	O
Facebook	B-Application
was	O
established	O
in	O
March	O
2010	O
(	O
vSide	O
Beta	O
12b	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
than	O
that	O
,	O
"	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
easily	O
add	O
vSide	O
events	O
to	O
facebook	B-Application
and	O
invite	O
all	O
your	O
facebook	B-Application
friends	O
"	O
is	O
suggested	O
on	O
the	O
vSide	O
website	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Further	O
,	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
embed	O
Facebook	B-Application
photo	O
links	O
in	O
frames	O
in	O
their	O
apartments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
vSide	O
Tickers	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
messages	O
by	O
scrolling	O
at	O
the	O
bottom	O
of	O
the	O
application	O
window	O
,	O
can	O
be	O
optionally	O
published	O
via	O
Twitter	B-Application
and	O
Facebook	B-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
