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==About OpenSim==
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The OpenSimulator Project is a [[BSD Licensed]] Virtual Worlds Server which can be used for creating and deploying 3D Virtual Environments. It has been developed by [[Development Team|several developers]]. Out of the box, the OpenSim can be used to create a [http://www.secondlifegrid.net Second Life(tm)] like environment, able to run in a standalone mode or connected to other OpenSim instances through built in grid technology.  It can also easily be extended to produce more specialized 3D interactive applications.
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OpenSim is written in [http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-334.htm C#], and can run under [http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page Mono] or the [http://www.microsoft.com/net/ Microsoft .NET] runtimes. Due to its clean modular nature it is possible to significantly extend functionality yourself via plug-in modules to suit your application. OpenSim is currently in the alpha development stage, with active testing of development versions encouraged. If you're interested in contributing, please read our [[Contributions_Policy|Contributions Policy]], and learn what OpenSim's values are.
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=== What is OpenSimulator? ===
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{{FrontPageSidebar}}
  
==History==
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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 their 'home' OpenSimulator installation.  In this way, it is the basis of a nascent distributed Metaverse.
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|[[Image:Opensim-small.png|150px|thumb|A view of OpenSim's sourcecode]]
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The OpenSim project was founded in January 2007 by Darren Guard (also known as MW), who, like so many other people, saw the potential for an open source 3d Virtual Environments server that could be used for many different applications. Also like many others, Darren had watched many other attempts at open source virtual world servers fail, often due to the massive task of writing both a server and a client at the same time.  
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Then in January 2007, the Second Life(tm) client was released as open source, and libsl (a BSD open source library for creating custom clients that could connect to Second Life(tm)), was reaching the point of being stable. So the idea of opensim was born, with the initial goal of creating a proof of concept server that the SL client could connect to and allow some basic functions. The idea was that over time the project scope would hopefully become much more than its humble beginnings. This has happened, with the current goal of developing a standard virtual world platform that any application could use as a framework. While we still maintain compatibility with the Second Life client, we have been working towards supporting [http://www.realxtend.org several], [http://www.openviewer.org other] clients.
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OpenSimulator allows virtual world developers to customize their worlds using the technologies they feel work best - we've designed the framework to be easily extensible. OpenSimulator is written in [http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-334.htm C#], running both on Windows over the [http://www.microsoft.com/net/ .NET Framework],on Unix-like machines over the [http://www.mono-project.com/ Mono] framework and now on several plaforms on unified [https://dotnet.microsoft.com/ .NET]. The source code is released under a [[BSD License]], a commercially friendly license to embed OpenSimulator in products. If you want to know about our development history, see [[History]].
  
''More information, see [[History]].''
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Out of the box, OpenSimulator can be used to simulate virtual environments similar to [http://www.secondlifegrid.net Second Life™], given that it supports the core of [http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Protocol SL's messaging protocol]. However, OpenSimulator is not just a clone of the Second Life server platform. Rather, the project aims to enable innovative feature development for virtual environments and the Metaverse at large. So only a subset of viewers for Second Life  do implement Opensimulator features, see [[Compatible Viewers]].
  
==Features==
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OpenSimulator is getting more stable over time but is still a high complex software system that can suffer various bugs and quirks; handle with care!
Check out the list of growing features to get an idea of what OpenSim is capable of.
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==Future Goals==
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=== Features ===
Check out the [[Roadmap]], to see what's currently being worked on.
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* Supports online, multi-user 3D environments as small as 1 simulator or as large as thousands of simulators.
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* Supports 3D virtual spaces of variable size.
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* Supports multiple clients and protocols - access the same world at the same time via multiple protocols.
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* Supports realtime Physics Simulation, with multiple engine options.
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* Supports clients that create 3D content in real time.
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* Supports inworld scripting using LSL/OSSL.
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* Provides unlimited ability to customize virtual world applications through the use of [[IRegionModule|scene plugin modules]].
  
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For a more extensive list, see the [[Feature Matrix]].
  
==Contributing to the Project==
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=== Running an OpenSimulator-Based World ===
OpenSim is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source open source] project. This means that anyone who is interested in the project can contribute to it. You don't have to be a developer to help the project, people who can test and provide feedback helps the project tremendously. The best way to learn about and contribute to the project is to log into our IRC channel, located on irc.freenode.net in [irc://irc.freenode.net/opensim #opensim] (for users) and [irc://irc.freenode.net/opensim-dev #opensim-dev] (for developers).
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''Pages by Category:''[[:Category:Users| User-pages]],[[:Category:Development| Developer-pages]],[[Special:Recentchanges| Recent Wiki Changes]]<br />
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*[[Download|Downloading OpenSimulator]]
''Wiki Translations:''[[OpenSimSpanish | Spanish]], [[OpenSimGerman | German]], [[fr | Francais]], [[OpenSimItalian | Italian]], [http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=ja&langpair=en%7Cja&u=http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Main_Page Japanese]
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*[[Dependencies|Required Dependencies]]
[[Category:Main]]
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*[[Build Instructions|Building OpenSimulator]]
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*[[Configuration|Configuring and Running OpenSimulator]]
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*[[Server Commands]]
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*[[FAQ|Frequently Asked Questions]]
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=== Participating in the OpenSimulator Community ===
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OpenSimulator is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source open source] project, and is powered by the community members that devote time and energy to the effort.  There are many ways to participate and contribute to the community:
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* Participate via [[IRC]].  There are channels for users and developers.
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* Participate via the [[Mailing Lists]].  There are mailing lists for OpenSimulator use and development, as well as broader topics such as education and the Hypergrid.
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* [[WikiStructure|Contribute to this wiki]], making the OpenSimulator documentation even better.  Don't be afraid of making mistakes - they can be easily corrected.
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* Report [[bugs]] or submit [[Submitting code to OpenSim|patches]] via our [http://opensimulator.org/mantis/ mantis bug tracker].  If you're submitting code, please read through the [[Contributions Policy]] before starting.
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* Create an OpenSimulator related project hosted on the [http://forge.opensimulator.org Forge] or [[Related Software|elsewhere]] on the web.  In the forge there are over a dozen registered projects, and it's a great way to further extend the OpenSimulator community.
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* Participate to open content creation for OpenSimulator. More details at [[Artist Home]].
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* Participate in the weekly [[Office Hours]] for OpenSimulator development.
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=== Pages by Category: ===
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'''[[:Category:Getting_Started | Getting Started]] , [[:Category:Support | Support]] , [[:Category:Tech Reference|Technical Reference Pages]] , [[:Category:Help|Help]] , [[:Category:Configuration|Configuration Pages]] , [[:Category:Users|User's Pages]] , [[:Category:Development | Development Pages]] , [[:Category:Scripts|Scripts]] , [[Special:Recentchanges| Recent Wiki Changes]]'''<br />
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Latest revision as of 13:19, 25 April 2024

[edit] What is OpenSimulator?

Image of past Moment:
Opensimulator Community Conference 2013
Downloads:

Windownload.png Binaries Zip (0.9.2.2)
Linuxdownload.png Binaries Tarball (0.9.2.2)
Windownload.png Source Zip (0.9.2.2)
Linuxdownload.png Source Tarball (0.9.2.2)
Download.png Diva distro (0.9.2.1). Binary, all OSs

sha1 hashes

Other downloads may be found at either the Download page, or the OpenSim Release Repository

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 their 'home' OpenSimulator installation. In this way, it is the basis of a nascent distributed Metaverse.

OpenSimulator allows virtual world developers to customize their worlds using the technologies they feel work best - we've designed the framework to be easily extensible. OpenSimulator is written in C#, running both on Windows over the .NET Framework,on Unix-like machines over the Mono framework and now on several plaforms on unified .NET. The source code is released under a BSD License, a commercially friendly license to embed OpenSimulator in products. If you want to know about our development history, see History.

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. However, OpenSimulator is not just a clone of the Second Life server platform. Rather, the project aims to enable innovative feature development for virtual environments and the Metaverse at large. So only a subset of viewers for Second Life do implement Opensimulator features, see Compatible Viewers.

OpenSimulator is getting more stable over time but is still a high complex software system that can suffer various bugs and quirks; handle with care!

[edit] Features

  • Supports online, multi-user 3D environments as small as 1 simulator or as large as thousands of simulators.
  • Supports 3D virtual spaces of variable size.
  • Supports multiple clients and protocols - access the same world at the same time via multiple protocols.
  • Supports realtime Physics Simulation, with multiple engine options.
  • Supports clients that create 3D content in real time.
  • Supports inworld scripting using LSL/OSSL.
  • Provides unlimited ability to customize virtual world applications through the use of scene plugin modules.

For a more extensive list, see the Feature Matrix.

[edit] Running an OpenSimulator-Based World

[edit] Participating in the OpenSimulator Community

OpenSimulator is an open source project, and is powered by the community members that devote time and energy to the effort. There are many ways to participate and contribute to the community:

  • Participate via IRC. There are channels for users and developers.
  • Participate via the Mailing Lists. There are mailing lists for OpenSimulator use and development, as well as broader topics such as education and the Hypergrid.
  • Contribute to this wiki, making the OpenSimulator documentation even better. Don't be afraid of making mistakes - they can be easily corrected.
  • Report bugs or submit patches via our mantis bug tracker. If you're submitting code, please read through the Contributions Policy before starting.
  • Create an OpenSimulator related project hosted on the Forge or elsewhere on the web. In the forge there are over a dozen registered projects, and it's a great way to further extend the OpenSimulator community.
  • Participate to open content creation for OpenSimulator. More details at Artist Home.
  • Participate in the weekly Office Hours for OpenSimulator development.


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