Virtual worlds have been around for a long time of course, MUDs, IRC worlds and virtual taverns, and today’s Web Based Chat have been around for a while.  People do meet each other and fall head over heels in love (or at least imagine they are).  But the communication piece that seems to always be missing in those "worlds" are the most important parts of interpersonal communication - the non-verbal kind: touch, facial expression, voice tone, hand movements, body lean.  All of these and so many others convey so much to the context of good communication it’s hard to imagine having good communication without them.   However, with the worlds the article mentions it appears some of that non-verbal communication (such as a person’s imagination, or how they might react to a given situation - albeit simulated) can be done.

Have a click over the article here to read for yourself.