2. NIU Digital Convergence Lab Aline Click (Presenter) Jason Underwood (Presenter) Michael Taylor (Contributor)
3. Intro to Virtual Worlds “A synchronous persistent network of people, represented by avatars, facilitated by networked computers” (Bell, p. 2, 2008). “A place described by words or projected through pictures which create a space in the imagination, real enough that you can feel you are inside of it” (Damer, 2008).
19. Virtual World of Your Own Defined as a 3D application server There is no LL code in OpenSimulator “We didn’t reverse engineer the browser, but the communication that goes between the browser and Second Life”
21. Initial Impetus No age restrictions Research control Control over upgrades Programmable avatar experience Develop locally, implement on server Cost (scalability)
22. The One Room School House Research opportunities Basically free for student researchers Accessible by kids under the age of 13 Protected, private, safe
36. Interoperability Second Inventory Moving regions and inventory across sims and grids (.oar files) Avatars movement from grid to grid (IBM)
37. Experience OpenSim Visit a public grid (OS Grid, Reaction Grid) Install a stand alone sim Install a sim on your own servers Install a sim on a hosted server Connect your sim to another grid Buy or rent virtual land from a grid host
39. An OpenSim on your own server Relatively Inexpensive Allows others to connect Maintenance and Support Demands on the system 10-20 users 4 regions Virtualization
40. Hosted Server Standard $50/mo Maintenance and support OpenSim Specific $75-795/mo Virtualized-dedicated Bandwidth Support
41. Installing an OpenSim Server Download OpenSim and helper applications Install OpenSim application Configure OpenSim.ini Launch server application Access from viewer (http://127.0.0.1:9000)
42. The Future Interoperability between virtual worlds Divergence from Second Life More secondary providers (i.e. Reaction Grid) Distribution of content
44. Contact Information Aline Click (Ali Andrews) aclick@niu.edu Jason Underwood (JM Underwood) junderwood@niu.edu Slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/Aliandrews
Editor's Notes
Audience questions.Who has been in Second Life?Who has been in an OpenSim grid?Who has set up their own Opensim server?Who has used a virtual world for development?Challenges you may have had?
The Digital Convergence Lab (DCL) provides emerging digital technologies for use in teaching, learning, research, and community engagement. The DCL invites the NIU community to explore new ways of communication and sharing of traditional media (print, audio, video) with new media such as digitized text and artifacts, graphics and animation, social networks, virtual environments, mobile devices, video conferencing, serious games, and simulations.
Definitions of virtual world.Bell, M.W. (2008) Toward a Definition of Virtual Worlds. Journal of Virtual World Research. Vol. 1. No. 1. Retrieved on October 3, 2009, from http://journals.tdl.org/jvwr/article/viewFile/283/237Damer, B. (2008). A brief history of virtual worlds as a medium for user-created events. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 1(1). Retrieved on October 3, 2009,fromhttp://journals.tdl.org/jvwr/article/view/285/239
Kaneva - Similar to Second Life in that is a 3D virtual world for social networking. "Kanevamembers create the digital version of themselves -- avatars -- and then meet up in a vibrant, 3D world based on the modern day. Every Kaneva member gets a Kaneva City Loft -- their own 3D space -- that they can decorate and furnish in their unique style" (About Kaneva). There - "A fully interactive, 3D online virtual world where members can customize and create their own 3D character, meet and hang out with friends in real-time using voice and text chat, build their own virtual homes, participate in events ranging from car races to paintball to fashion shows and even create and sell their own virtual items" (About There). Basic membership is free. Metaplace - The site states that it is an "open platform that harnesses the power of the Web to allow anyone to imagine, build and live in their own unique virtual world" (About Metaplace) This virtual world is in 2D, so a slightly different experience than Second Life. For more information read this CNETarticle. realXtend - " offers a free open source virtual world platform with which you can create your own applications using it as a base."
Defined as a 3D application serverReverse engineered from LL browser communication: “We didn’t reverse engineer the browser, but the communication that goes between the browser and Second Life” There is no LL code in OpenSimulatorSo what is it? Can be used to create 3d virtual worlds like Second Life. Can use SL browser or others such as Hippo to view. Like ApacheTalk about the fact that OS is open source and what that means….teams of developers, free, buggy, etc…compare to other open source projects such as Linux, BSD (Berkley Source Distribution), business friendly
Alpha software 60%, it does break, lack of documentation (os wiki), no tech supportOpenSim.ini - call for better physics enginePicture of my head sticking out of the ground
Some has to do with limitations of SL and some reasons are the capabilities of OpenSim
What started as a Second Life dissertation project was rescued by OpenSim when the doc student lost assess to the Teen Grid due to pulled funding.
