Virtual World Survey

1
Virtual World Survey

• SecondLife (proprietary), OpenSim, RealXtend
• All in the SecondLife family/code-base
• What platforms and services
• How large/active a community
• What attractive technologies
• How to integrate media (flv, swf, etc.)
• How to integrate sharing (browser, vnc, etc.)

2
SecondLife

• Very Large User Community (1,000's )
• Many services/vendors
• Internal and pay html browsers
• Client-side Scripting
• Linden Scripting Language (LSL)
• Linden hosted service/servers
• Highly integrated Viewer
• Multiple OS

3
OpenSim

• Multiple Viewer support
• SL, Hippo, etc
• Server based on SL
• Runs on 32bit Windows and Linux
• ModRex in development
• RealXtend viewer integration with OpenSim
• BSD license

OpenSim via SL viewer on Mac
4
OpenSim

• Large Developer Community (100's to 1,000's)
• Scripting
• Client-side LSL
• Collab Tools
• HTML browser as surface texture
• Skype

OpenSim via Hippo viewer on WinXP
5
RealXtend Server

• Based on OpenSim
• BSD License
• Small Dev Team (6) and Community (200)
• Scripting
• Server-side IronPython (allows swf and other
  media obj.)
• Client-side LSL
• Windows centered Development

6
RealXtend viewer 0.4

• Highly Integrated with Server
• GPL License
• Planned Mac and Linux versions (0.45 or 0.5)
• High Graphics Req.
• 3D Ogre Mesh
• Viewer additions
• Flash Animations
• Access to VNC
• Client-side LSL Scripting

Touch action starts anim.
7
RealXtend viewer Collab

• Can share desktop via VNC connection
• Uses embedded TightVNC client
• Can connect to TightVNC or RealVNC Server
• User of VNC Client controls displayed items
• Direct support for Skype

VNC client window on left VNC projection on a
surface in-world on right
8
RealXtend viewer Collab (in-world browser)

• Can apply browser as a Texture to a prim
• Slide presentation mashup via slideshare.net
• YouTube video work-around
• Co-browsing capable via external website using php

Slides as Flash via slideshare above YouTube
video on right
9
General Comparison
Community Collab Tools Rendering Add-ons/ Scripting Viewer/Server Integration
SecondLife Very Large Commercialfree High Large, but most are commercial High
OpenSim Large Lots of FOSS Moderate Large, most FOSS Moderate
RealXtend Small OpenSim's base additions Highest Open Sim's base Server-side Python High
10
Other Possible Candidate

• EduSim (part of Cobalt/Croquet family Alan Kay)
• Import of 3D models
• Some Google 3D warehouse items
• Included Tools
• VNC application sharing
• Limited in-world HTML browser
• BSD license
• Note SL and OpenSim may become interoperable,
  ModRex may become a plugin to OpenSim

11
EduSim

• Multiple platforms
• Squeak-based (SmallTalk)
• Low graphics req.
• Understood objects
• Some HTML and media
• No Flash

Google homepage on left Jpeg on right