[Opensim-dev] thinking about a viewer

[Zadark Portal]

Mr Blue

Thank you for raising the question..

The viewer functionality should focus on user experience. Very
sophisticated graphic and animation design applications are available for
content creation. Bridging tools would be a better alternative to complex
 viewer interfaces.

A single topology may not be a viable option, especially when taking into
account the diverse resources and location of participants . One approach
here would be to distribute critical processing dynamically between the
viewer and server.  Distribution being the product of communication
bandwidth, local processing capabilities and  level of detail definition.

The development iterations that constitute the current permissions system
means to me that evolution is not an option. Fundamental to any 3D
environment is content and unless a flexible authentication and
authorisation framework can be devised content distribution will always be
problematic, thereby stifling creativity and innovation.

IMHO this would have made an engaging in-world keynote debate. It would
signal

to the  community Opensim progressive commitment to virtual world
technology.

Yo



On 5 August 2014 02:08, Mister Blue <misterblue at misterblue.com> wrote:

> I've been seriously thinking about creating a new viewer project. But with
> Maria's survey[1] and all the different virtual world announcements
> happening and the lively OpenSimulator vs Unity discussion on the
> opensim-user list, I'd like to open up the discussion to the OpenSimulator
> development community[2].
>
> LL is making a new world and viewer (closed and proprietary as far as I
> know). HighFidelity is making a new world and viewer (open source with
> commercial 'grid services'). Unity 5 will have a multi-platform web viewer
> and a new multi-user backend (pricing not announced). There are various
> wonderful open source virtual world projects (realXtend, Virtual World
> Framework, ...) as well as many emerging technologies (xml3d, html5,
> asm.js). There are several forks of OpenSimulator (Aurora, ArribaSim, ...)
> that have made many enhancements to the base system. Add to that several
> successful virtual worlds build on OpenSimulator (inWorldz, Anvination,
> Kitely, ...) as well as a few packaged distributions of OpenSimulator
> (Diva, ...). Add to that the many SL/OpenSim third party viewers based on
> the LL viewer. And that's just in our sphere. There is much more happening
> in the gaming and education and training communities.
>
> So, what could a new viewer add to the mix? Whatever a new view does, it
> approaches the question of what OpenSimulator should be three years from
> now.
>
> For me, there are two basic choices[3]: evolutionary change or
> revolutionary change.
>
> Evolutionary change says to build on existing OpenSimulator. Make due with
> the existing LLLP (Linden Lab Legacy Protocol) and improve vehicles, make
> installation and use easier and add an easier to use and improve viewer.
>
> Revolutionary change would be striking off on a new virtual world
> architecture. It could have LLLP support but only for downward
> compatibility and to keep that community and content. But other questions
> arise: How would one build a viewer/virtual world where a HiFi avatar could
> stand next to a SL avatar? How could content be delivered to a viewer so it
> is displayable but is not in the original, copyable form? How to leverage
> the distribution and power of 'the cloud'[4]? How could one make
> hypergridable grids across the many virtual worlds?
>
> What do you  think? Evolution or revolution?
>
> -- mb
>
> [1]
> http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2014/08/survey-better-vehicles-search-most-wanted-in-opensim/
> [2] I see this expanding to other forums eventually.
> [3] With a lot of gray area in between
> [4] I'm always amazed by Google Maps -- it displays the map with traffic
> overlays and I can zoom in and out with almost immediate response. Why
> can't a virtual world viewer do that?
>
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>
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