Wow, Cybertown. That's a name I have not hear of in years. I think that there are many factors which would lead someone to pick one of these virtual universes over Second Life is word of mouth, what aspects of these world catch their eye, and what you have to pay, if you have to pay at all.
I don't know why people would play Cybertown. The site has not changed since probably a decade since I first learned of it. It is much older than Second Life, so that is the one thing it really has going for it.
I have not logged back in, so I could not tell you how much they have improved, but it was awesome back in the day. You could do what you do in Second Life: create your home, visit other locations and do shopping. Active Worlds does not look like anything special to me.It looks dated and I don't know if they have made any improvements.
Entropia is probably the most beautiful virtual world out of all of these. I think that just on aesthetics alone, it's a winner. I would also add that Second Live is not an all-ages friendly experience.
With 3d worlds like Cyber Town, their rules state that they do not allow things like profanity and adult material. So, in short, Second Life may be a good experience, but it doesn't fit every audience.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.