Artist Home

Content Collections
Collections containing many different kinds of resources.


 * Free OAR files - OAR files for regions created by Linda Kellie. CC0 license.
 * Ener Hax - Objects and complete OAR files under creative commons licenses
 * Oligo Academy - IAR/OAR downloads (including DARPA/MOSES assets)
 * OpenSim Archive - IAR/OARs, items, objects scripts and regular builds of OpenSim.
 * opensimcreativ.de - A collection of objects and OAR files
 * Outworldz.com - Collection of textures, meshes, objects, avatars and other items. Licenses vary.
 * Zadaroo.com - Public domain collection of objects, terrains, skins and animations as well as complete sims and OAR files. All created by Zadaroo.

Artist Documentation
This page contains information about content creation for OpenSimulator including best practices, guides, tools, examples, collaborative projects and of course Creative Commons licensed content.

Discussion group for people interested in creating content for Metaverse: Open Content for Metaverse

Some useful resources of free material:


 * A great summary sheet: 3DCG for the hobbyist -- useful products and links
 * A hobbyist animators blog with all kinds of goodies: cgspeed
 * A source for free animations, 3d models, textures, etc.: ShareCG
 * A huge 3d graphics source: Renderosity
 * Runtime DNA: www.runtimedna.com Free Downloads

This is not an exhaustive list, please add to it if you can!
 * OpenGameArt is an exceptional repository of permissively licensed content for game creation.
 * OpenSimCreativ Objects, Information and Downloads - Heightmaps,IAR,OAR.

I have tried to include sites which have free Poser/Opensim compatible content which could be used for "personal use" in your own "world". You must check the licensing for any commercial uses.

Textures
Textures are images used to cover surfaces of 3d models and terrain. Textures can be anything form 1x1 to 1024x1024 images. Most of the textures for buildings, items and clothes are usually 512x512.

Tools

 * GIMP - alternative GIMP - GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program for Linux, OS X and Windows.
 * PaintNET Plugins - Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for Windows.
 * WoodWorkshop - Wood Workshop is a free seamless texture editor for Windows.

Content Libraries

 * Torley Textures is a collection of over 600 textures by Torley Linden.
 * CGTextures Some Great free textures (CC License)
 * tonytextures 4000 free textures and Tutorials for 3D Modelling. English - Deutsch

Models
Models are 3 dimensional objects which are formed from faces and textures. OpenSimulator supports three types of model: parametrized primitives, and sculpted primitives, and uploaded vertex mesh files.

To learn more about the model types, read the Models page.

Best Practices
How To Upload Mesh

Tools

 * Blender - Blender is the free open source 3D content creation suite, available for all major operating systems under the GNU General Public License.
 * makehuman - Realistic 3d humans, open source for Windows, OSX, Linux.
 * SketchUp - SketchUp Make, free 3D drawing tool for OS X and Windows.
 * Wings 3d - Sculpty editor

Projects

 * OpenSimulator Avatar

Terrain
Currently OpenSimulator terrains consists of heightmap and textures for different directions and heights. OpenSimulator terrain can be imported in raw terrain format from several terrain editor tools.

Guides

 * Terrain Tips
 * Using L3DT
 * Using Leveller
 * Terrain making
 * Detailed cross-region terrain making

Tools

 * L3DT Windows-only tool to generate detailed terrain. Now has a specific Opensim export option, which exports in r32 format.
 * Terrain.Party Web-based tool for turning terrain from a real life world map into a height map which can be imported into Opensim using "terrain load .png". Note that the textures require resizing, since they are exported as 1081x1081 png files
 * Daylon Leveller Windows-only tool for producing terrains from from a variety of sources (including Second Life, Terragen, and terrain.painter), and using painting-like tools and filters to create features. Imports and exports region(s) from/to Opensimulator, either as a tileset of one or more terragen files, or via PNG/RAW formats.

Content Libraries

 * Free Terrains

Additional Terrain Resources
TERRAIN EDITING

There is now a Plugin made and available for the free program GIMP by Domino Designs which is easy to install and allows you to bring in RAW files and edit them. See http://dominodesigns.info/project/gimpterrain

GIMP is available free and downloadable at http://www.gimp.org/downloads/ GIMP is available for most Operating Systems and Platforms and is User Supported with many features and functions far beyond Terrain Editing.

REFERENCES / SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCES amd APPLICATIONS: Tweaking Tutorial: Creating OpenSimulator terrain with Blender http://www.stringofbits.net/2009/09/tutorial-creating-opensim-terrain-with.html

Some free and some non-free terrains at http://www.rexxed.com/category/terrain

Tutorial on creating terrain files with Terragen as well as using Photoshop to edit terrain files and create megaregion terrain with a library of free terrain files

Spinmass Virtual Creations, has two products for terrain making and generation which are free downloads. Look at Terrain Sculptor and Bailiwick. They are available from http://www.spinmass.com

Three easy to use Online Image Splitters


 * http://www.chami.com/html-kit/services/is


 * http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/online-image-splitter

Sounds
Sounds clips can be used within (scripted) objects and as part of gestures. Current OpenSimulator sound formats are PCM WAVE (.wav) 16-bit/44.1KHz/mono or stereo with a maximum length of 10.00 seconds.

Tools

 * Audacity - Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.
 * LMMS - Compose sound and music on Windows, Linux and OS X.

Content Libraries

 * The Freesound Project - The Freesound Project is a collaborative database of Creative Commons licensed sounds.

Music
Music can be played via parcel media as either streamed or from a single music file.

Tools

 * LMMS - Compose sound and music on Windows, Linux and OS X.

Content Libraries

 * Jamendo - Jamendo is a community of free, legal and unlimited music published under Creative Commons licenses.

Tools

 * BVHacker - Animation for OpenSimulator avatars.
 * QAvimator - Animation for OpenSimulator avatars.
 * BVH Mirror - This is an online service to mirror a BVH animation/pose file. That is, looking left becomes looking right, the pose of the left arm becomes the pose of the right arm, etc..

Content Libraries

 * CMU Graphics Lab Motion Capture Database