ROCKETON is a new, downloadable avatar service that lets you use the entire Web as your virtual world. If you like Weblin, then you’ll like ROCKETON — the underlying concepts are very similar. You create an avatar, and let it journey with you as you surf the Web. Currently ROCKETON is in private alpha, but I got early access to the site in order to check it out. Below is my journey as a ROCKETON avatar:

Hour 1

Downloaded the ROCKETON application. Easy, quick. I found myself on the ROCKETON launch pad, where all the newbies come to play. Here, you customize your avatar, and finish registering your account. The custom options were pretty basic in terms of the type of outfit I could choose, or the hairstyle I wanted, and that’s when I realized why most of the avatars on the launchpad were wearing the same thing. Details like color, however, can be changed.

Even though it was quick and easy to set up, my first impression of ROCKETON was reminiscent of my first experience with Second Life, when you’re left in a virtual environment full of users that are as clueless as you are. That soon changed.

After getting my avatar customized, I noticed a sleek menu at the bottom left corner of my browser. This had just about everything I needed to play with ROCKETON. Here, you can “hide” your avatar and the ROCKETON menu, see the top sites where avatars are visiting, view all of your info (profile, rank, points, preferences, etc.), change your avatar, access your store, buy points, trade items, view friends and play games with other users.