Ett 590 - Virtual Worlds
-
Upload
aline-click -
Category
Education
-
view
331 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Ett 590 - Virtual Worlds
Virtual Worlds
ETT 590 - Module 5
Agenda Gameplay: Crazy Machines Game Sharing Inspired Teaching and Learning Virtual Worlds: Module 5 Introduction to OpenSim Project Plans
Games and Game Principles in Learning Brainstorm activities that incorporate game
principles and scientific thinking Choose two to describe in more detail
One, non-digital video game experience One, incorporating a digital video game
Present: What is the setting of the activity? What is the goal of the activity? What are the rules/conditions? How will students know when they have succeeded? What game principles have you incorporated? How does your activity encourage systems
level/analytical thinking?
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Intro to Virtual WorldsPersistent spaces made available by networked computers accessible through a graphical interface to provide inhabitants synchronous interactions between individuals and the environment (Bell, 2008; Click 2013, Schroeder, 2008: Ondrejka, 2008).
Short List of Terms Simulator (Sim) – server application Grid – multiple servers Region – 256 x 256 meters of virtual space Viewer – Browser Avatar – Player embodiment Persistent – stuff is still there when you log back on
Virtual Worlds Second Life Opensimulator Minecraft Active Worlds Kaneva Metaplace realXtend
What is Second Life?
Linden Labs Launched Second Life in 2002 Described as a 3-D virtual world entirely built by
its residents Residents retain the IP rights to their digital
creations 15,753,363 people from over 100 countries 30,436 regions (256x256 meters each) Virtual land is 15 times the size of San Francisco
How do I get a Second Life?
Register for an account (free) Select an avatar and screen name Download the Second Life browser Go through orientation (take your time there) Explore and meet people Attend in-world workshops
What technology is needed?
Broadband connectivity Supported video card Administrative control over your computer to install
software, or… Flash drive (see, Second Life in your pocket) Optional – headphones with built in microphone, for
audio chat
Education in Second Life
Harvard UniversityIdaho State UniversityUnited States MilitaryNorthern Illinois UniversityOhio State UniversityUniversity of Central
Missouri
Pennsylvania State UniversityStanford UniversityTexas State UniversityUniversity of Colorado at DenverVirginia TechLeeds College of Art and Design
http://secondlife.com/destinations/learning
Glidden Campus NIU entered Second Life in summer of 2005 Replica of our landmark buildings Collaboration with other universities
All objects start as primitive objects Your avatar does the building. This picture demonstrates Ali rezzing a primitive
object (a box). Other basic objects include a prism, sphere,
cylinder, torus, tube, ring, and sculpted
Laying the floors of Altgeld Hall You quickly realize you need to do things in a
certain order because of the camera limitations. For example I had to build the staircase first. This building is built to scale, but because your
camera is above your avatar things appear smaller.
Building the walls of Altgeld Hall Measuring sticks were used to offset objects Prim heavy - contains over 8000 primitive objects Stone texture – photographs of real world building
Altgeld Hall in Second Life
Altgeld Hall in Real Life
Why teach in Second Life?
Good question and initially heavily debated.• Anytime, anyplace access• Social presence due to avatar embodiment and
interactions• Ability to create your own learning environment• Ability to create a custom avatar
NIU - The Art Café Learning space for art education majors Gallery shows for a global audience Class meetings Doctoral research
NIU - ETRA Online Classroom Classroom community Group work First time we used 2-way audio in-world
NIU - Time Arts Senior projects Live 2-way presentation Local and global attendance
Illinois Crisis Intervention
Online class in Homeland Security certificate Debriefing experience for students
“I am moving to Canada!”
Virtual World of Your Own Defined as a 3D application server There is no LL code in OpenSimulator
“We didn’t reverse engineer the browser, but the communication that goes between the browser and Second Life”
“If you break it, you get to keep both pieces”
Initial Impetus No age restrictions Research control Control over upgrades Programmable avatar experience Develop locally, implement on server Cost (scalability)
The One Room School House Research opportunities Basically free for student researchers Accessible by kids under the age of 13 Protected, private, safe
Microfinance Simulation Package and sell Server-side coding Privacy/containment Consequences
Server-Side Programming Content Management Tool Instructor Dashboard User Administration
Games Camp Basically free persistent space Available and safe for kids under 13 Easy to learn tool set
Feature Comparison
Feature Second Life OpenSim
Audio Yes Yes – Freeswitch module
Groups Yes Not out of the box
Off-line Communication
Yes Not out of the box
Currency Yes Not out of the box
Scripting Yes Yes, but slightly different
Upload Textures Yes Yes - free
Terraform Yes Yes
Grid Mode Yes Yes
Building Yes Yes with some glitches
Comparing SL and OpenSim
Pretty Solid Avatars Land, sky, water Inventory Building
Terraforming Textures Scripting
Yes, But.. Orientation Off-line communication Audio Profiles Search
Not so much…
Currency In-world market
Pros and Cons of Opensim
Pros Cons
Control over server updates Less stable than SL
No age restrictions Need for technical support
Flexibility Lack of some nice SL functions
Control over cost Scattered documentation
Modular Beta application
Opensource Absence of Pre-made Inventory
Scalability Lack of market
Control over user access Lack of large community
Archiving No one in charge of development
Some Pros & Cons of OpenSim
Quickly Experience OpenSim Access one of the public OpenSim grids
(OSGrid, Reaction Grid…) Run a stand-alone sim on y0ur own
workstation or laptop
Viewers Imprudence Hippo Meerkat Emerald Viewer (Mac)
NIU in OpenSim
NIU Digital Convergence Lab
Presents
Highly Interactive Virtual Environments (HIVE) http://hive.niu.edu
Standalone OpenSimulator Free Local creation for export through .oar files Ultimate control over research data
An OpenSim on your own server Relatively Inexpensive Allows others to
connect Maintenance and
Support
Demands on the system 10-20 users 4 regions
Virtualization
Hosted Server
Standard $50/mo Maintenance and
support
OpenSim Specific $75-795/mo Virtualized-dedicated Bandwidth Support
Installing an OpenSim Server Download OpenSim and helper applications
Install OpenSim application Launch server application Access from viewer (http://127.0.0.1:9000) Configure Regions.ini file to add more regions
The Future Interoperability between virtual worlds Divergence from Second Life More secondary providers (i.e. Reaction Grid) Distribution of content – Hypergrid - Diva
Canto (the inventor of the Hypergrid protocol)
Resources
Aline Click (Ali Andrews) [email protected]
Slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/Aliandrews
NIU HIVE http://hive.niu.edu Login URI http://hive.niu.edu:8002/
Imprudence Viewer http://wiki.kokuaviewer.org
SLED Educators Listserv https://lists.secondlife.com/
Opensim http://opensimulator.org