OpenSim – JokaydiaGRID

 

What is OpenSim?

OpenSimulator is an open source multi-platform, multi-user 3D application server. It can be used to create a virtual environment (or world) which can be accessed through a variety of clients, on multiple protocols. It also has an optional facility (the Hypergrid) to allow users to visit other OpenSimulator installations across the web from an account on a ‘home’ OpenSimulator installation.

OpenSimulator allows virtual world developers to customize their worlds using the technologies they feel work best. OpenSimulator is written in C#, running both on Windows over the .NET Framework and on Unix-like machines over the Mono framework. The source code is released under a BSD License, a commercially friendly license to embed OpenSimulator in products.

Out of the box, OpenSimulator can be used to simulate virtual environments similar to Second Life™, given that it supports the core of SL’s messaging protocol. As such, these virtual worlds can be accessed with the regular SL viewers. However, OpenSimulator does not aim to become a clone of the Second Life server platform. Rather, the project pursues innovative feature development with an aspiration towards becoming the bare bones, but extensible, server of the 3D Web.

What is JokaydiaGRID?

How to Access

 jokaydiaGRID is a specific OpenSimulator based Virtual World focused on Education and the Arts. The jokaydiaGrid Project has a number of aims including:

  • Providing an engaging educational virtual worlds grid, with a focus on supporting teachers to implement real virtual worlds learning in their classroom
  • Developing a rental service for educators and artists who are interested in working in a PG virtual worlds environment
  • Exploring ways to ‘multi-grid’ – eg. creating strategies, techniques and best practices for creating presence across a range of virtual worlds, and learning how to best use each environment for and to its best advantage
  • Engaging kids in our virtual worlds adventures – the jokaydiaGrid gives us the freedom to create a PG environment which is much more viable for k-12 educational use
  • Learning about Opensimulator – we are excited to be joining the opensource virtual worlds community and look forward to both learning about and contributing to the development of opensource virtual worlds options for education
  • Developing new 3D educational resources – Leveraging off the flexibility available to us on the opensim platform for public and private delivery (without the scary pricetag!)

… and most importantly to Play!

To Sign-up for a free JokaydiaGRID account – please use this link.

How to Access

To access opensim grids you will need to install viewer software, which allows you to login and use your avatar inworld. There are two options for installing and configuring your viewer:

We recommend the following options:

After you have installed your preferred viewer, you will need to configure it to access jokaydiaGRID.

  • Add jokaydiaGRID in your viewer’s GRID settings. Our Grid settings are as follows:

Note: For info on how to configure your viewer, check out the following links:

How to get to the Conference Location

When you first log-in you should find yourself on the Scooter region where there are a number of newbie resources to help get your avatar configured. From Scooter you should find teleport kiosks that will help you get to the main conference venue (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Rockcliffe/128/128/32).