2021 Metaverse meet hypergrid. Hypergrid is a mini-metaverse for interconnection. It connects the independent grids of OpenSim

Metaverse meet hypergrid.   

Hypergrid is a mini-metaverse for interconnection. 

It connects the independent grids of OpenSim

A trip on the hypergrid to the OSCC. New people finding out about the metaverse need to know about the hypergrid.

• Watch on YouTube
• From Kitely
• https://www.kitely.com/
• To OpenSimulator Community Conference:
• https://virtualoutworlding.blogspot.com/2021/12/2021-vw-metaverse-conference.html

Hypergrid 

• https://virtualoutworlding.blogspot.com/2014/05/2014-vw-opensim-hypergrid-summary.html
• http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Hypergrid
• Hypergrid is a set of protocols that provide interconnections across OpenSimulator grids.

Protocols 

• https://www.comptia.org/content/guides/what-is-a-network-protocol

OpenSimulator 

• http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Main_Page
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenSimulator
• OpenSimulator is open source (free) software that creates virtual worlds.  
• People can run it on their own computers.  
• Commercial operators run it on servers and lease out land at low cost.  

What can we do on the hypergrid?

• Avatars can travel to other grids if they have the address.
• User puts the address in the world map, clicks find, then teleport.
• Avatar has suitcase, can put exportable items in it.  
• Suitcase objects are available at the destination grid.
• Users can add people on other grids to their contacts list.
• Users can send IMs to people on their contact list regardless of grid.

Easy access meetings in the metaverse

• Fridays 3 pm eastern (New York) 
• At the Web Show, a video set in the metaverse 
• Go there with this url: https://nonprofitvirtualworld.org/loc... 
• A developer meeting is held there every other week: 
• To find out which week, follow CybaLOUNGE on Twitter: 
• https://twitter.com/cybaLOUNGE
• 3DWebWorldz: Meetings alternate with the Web Show
• Welcome Center.  https://3dwebworldz.com/
• I am usually available weekdays at 1 pm New York time 
• In these 2 places:
• Welcome Center.  https://3dwebworldz.com/
• https://nonprofitvirtualworld.org/location.html?locationid=800000002&dl=true

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License

• Original text in this blog is CC By: unless specified public domain.
• Use as you please with attribution: link to the original.
• All images without attribution in this blog are CC0: public domain.
• Second Life, Linden, SLurl, and SL are trademarks of Linden Research Inc.
• Screenshots from ShareX
• This blog is not affiliated with anything.   Ads are from Google

2020 EDU: PEOPLE: Social user-built 3D on the web: an extension of your living room, your office, your classroom, or your campus. But this extension reaches into your laptop.

Social user-built 3D on the web: 
an extension of your living room, 
your office, or your classroom. 
But this extension reaches into your laptop.

How we digitals use 3D user-built virtual worlds on the web for social educational, and business purposes  

• Watch on YouTube

A user-built digital place 

• Much like the "real" world that we are accustomed to.
• It looks like our normal world.
• If you come at the right time, there are people (avatars).
• The people are talking to each other.
• They are all doing what they please. 
• Some may be playing a game.
• They may be singing and dancing.
• They may be telling jokes.
• A few may be building something.
• Or maybe just rearranging furniture (in a user-built place).
• Some may be taking pictures or making videos.
• Some will be so busy on their own projects that you won't see them.
• They are in a class or holding a business meeting.
• Some may just be looking around.

• Update 8/13/2020 . Opensim Fest 2020 coming August 28-30 STÖMOL is a feature-length sci-fi video done in Second Life®.

2020 HG: HELP: #DTA: OpenSim: get sim visitors to the right destination. Skill sets: land manager, event manager. An example of use-organized instruction.

OpenSim: get sim visitors to the right destination.   
Skill sets: land manager, event manager.
An example of use-organized instruction.

Use-organized instruction:  Instructions grouped by skill sets needed for specific functions.

Arrival point overview

Click image to enlarge

• Those little signs around the wall are not just signs.
• They are walkin teleports.
• An avatar walks into them and arrives at another part of the island.
• You can get them on Kitely Market by searching for teleports.
• Other kinds of teleporters are available.

Skill sets

• Land manager: Your OpenSimulator place may be big, with  many destinations. 
• You want to get visitors to the right destination.
• Event manager: You may be managing an event at on a large sim.  
• You want to get visitors to your event.
• This article gives detailed instruction for OpenSimulator. 
• The skill sets probably apply, with appropriate details, to any virtual world.
• The Digital Teaching Assistant (DTA) for MUVES (virtual worlds): Summary
• Entrepreneurial thinking and design thinking for the virtual world Digital Teaching Assistant
• Use-targeted learning plan for schools in digital worlds. Learners can pick the skills they need for the uses they intend. Gamified as a model

Here is what beginners might know

• Travel tips for the Hypergrid. A DTA content page
• Ingrid (within a grid) Travel tips for OpenSimulator . A DTA content page

• Linden Lab acquired by investors, Focus 360: Virtual model homes. Opensim Fest 2020 coming soon

2020 : #VWEDU: #DTA: WW: Onbording plan from web-worlds to installed virtual worlds

Onbording plans
from web-worlds to 
installed virtual worlds

Installed virtual worlds can offer elaborate places, but they are not easy to get to.  Web-worlds are easy to get to, but can't offer elaborate places.  They could work together, with web-worlds as a transition path to installed virtual worlds.

Web-world for nonprofits 

and public service organizations

• People can have meetings in a web-world--talk, offer web links, show slides.
• And do pretty much everything we used to do in meetings--except for the doughnuts.
• People can come and go as needed--no special actions to bring them in.
• No travel time, no travel costs. Just something that runs a browser with mic.
• Meeting for a conference, presentation, or class can work well
• And a meeting in a web-world can show people why they want to install a viewer. 
• Bringing OpenSim and web-worlds together: Web-world on the landing page

The registration/download/install barrier

• When you go to a web page you expect to start using immediately. 
• You don't expect to be asked to give your name, email address, and password.
• Do they want your email address so they can spam you?
• Will they sell your email address?
• You never reuse a password, so you have to make up one and store it.
• But it gets worse.  You have to download and install a viewer on your computer.
• What fraction of web users will feel comfortable installing software? 
• Can they know it does not contain malware?  Shouldn't they worry about that?
• If they are just curious, they don't even know whether they want an account.
• But if they don't get an account, they never know whether they will like it or not.
• Unless they try a web-world
• Web-worlds are easy to get to. Here are a couple of examples.

• Update 6/25/2020 YouTube Channels. CVL Education Network. . Field trip to Jezero Crater.

2020 HG: HELP: An OpenSimulator place can be big, with many destinations. The landmark solution. Land manager skills

An OpenSimulator place can be big, 
with many destinations.  
The landmark solution.  
Land manager skills       

How to get the public to the place you manage with a landmark.  A Land manager skills set for those who want level up.  Other travel methods and Land manager skills will be covered in later articles.

A landmark is even faster

• A sim in OpenSimulator can be much bigger than 256X256 meters.
• On Kitely, the available sizes go up to 1024X1024 meters. 
• That is over .6 mile on a side,  
• Depending on where you live that is from six to twelve city blocks.
• You could have a dozen destinations of public interest there. 
• You need a way to get people to where they want to go on your place.
• Furthermore, you often need a way that you can post in plain text.  

Travel methods for the Hypergrid

• Landmark: Best method, but can only be given inworld.
• Hypergrid address: in plain text, but only goes to a sim, not coordinates.
• Firestorm hop: in plain text, may only work in Firestorm, only works for users in the grid it directs to.
• Walkin or on-click teleport:  A device located inworld.  

• Update 4/10/2020 . VWBPE Immersive events continue Want To Teach ESL Online? A Dimension Beyond Offers Free online Meeting Rooms. Storylink radio from Seanchai Libraries

2020 VW: WW: #VWEDU: #DTA Use-targeted learning plan for schools in digital worlds. Learners can pick the skills they need for the uses they intend. Gamified as a model

Use-targeted learning plan in digital worlds.
Learners can pick the skills 
they need for the uses they intend.
Gamified as a model

A gamified plan for learning how to use digital/virtual worlds is offered both as a suggestion for teaching the use of virtual worlds and as a model for gamification in other educational contexts.  This article is explicitly licensed Public Domain (CC0).

Practice goal setting 

Overview

• Use-targeted learning plans rest on units of competency-based learning.
• Use-targeted learning plans put the units into clusters of skills needed for practical objectives.
• And they arrange each cluster into subclusters that can mark stages of learning progress.
• The learner sees demonstrable achievement milestones marking progress.
• And, for the more advanced uses, the learner can choose the objective.

Proposed roadmap for instruction in the use of virtual worlds

• Identify the uses
• Identify the user levels
• Specify the skill sets required for each use-level combination.
• Organize tool buttons and instructional units to fit the skill sets.

"Game" elements

• Clearly specified goals and levels. (Practice goal seeking)
• Closely spaced levels allow frequent achievements.  (Growth mindset)
• User choices in targets and paths (Independence)
• Levels based on what the learner can do.  (Objective success) 
• Skills focus rather than "knowledge" focus.  
• "Game" is in quotes because the elements serve for learning, not just for games.

• update 2/20/2020 Kitely updates to OpenSim 9.1.1 OpenSim stats decline reversed this month OpenSim Fest 2020. August 28th-30th, 2020

2019 #VWEDU: Scenegate improvements: onboarding, accessibility, performance, usability

Scenegate improvements: 
onboarding, accessibility, 
performance, usability
Updated 1/25/2020

Scenegate is a new viewer for OpenSimulator grids, directed at the needs of newcomers and particularly newcomers entering to take classes or to attend meetings. It offers a simplified screen with few options--just those needed for classes and meetings. This article is explicitly licensed Public Domain (CC0).

Meeting at IMA Alpha

Contents

• Onboarding
• Accessibility
• Performance
• Usability

2020 HG: #VWEDU: Hypergridders: Let's think outworld groups to augment inworld groups: Discord, Disboard

Hypergridders:  
Let's think outworld groups to augment inworld groups:  
Discord, Disboard
Updated 12/29/2019

The end of Google+ cut badly into our hypergrid outworld communication.  It also forced us to rethink that strategy.  If we want to interest new people, we need outreach.  We need channels we can depend on.  Here is one we may want to try out. 

Communication

Inworld and beyond

• Inworld groups make good sense for a closed virtual world.
• That may be a short term view, because inworld groups stifle outreach.  
• We virtual worlders long ago turned to Facebook, Google+, and others.
• More recently we have been using Discord. 
• Inviting users to your server in Discord does not seem to be easy.
• And we did not know how to search for Discord groups--until now. 
• I am not yet satisfied with what I know about using Discord, so I may update this post.
• Discord official blog.

• Kitely Market Passes $100,000 in Sales. New Dayturn release supports Bakes on Mesh. Dickens project continues

2019 #VWEDU #DTA: Travel tips for the Hypergrid. A DTA content page

Travel tips for the Hypergrid.
 A DTA content page
Updated 1/29/2020

Bits of advice for travelling the Hypergrid. DTA content pages are assembled and written for use as Digicoach advice. This article is explicitly licensed Public Domain (CC0). 

World Map for HG travel
Click image to enlarge

• This page is developed to support the DTA and Digicoach.
• The Digital Teaching Assistant (DTA) for MUVES (virtual worlds): Summary
• A Digital Teaching Assistant (DTA) in MUVE (virtual world): What would it do?
• Using Viewer: Firestorm for OpenSimulator set to Viewer 5 (drop-down menus) 
• Instructions are for Microsoft.  Apple has slightly different names for keys

Key terms

• DTA content page
• Failure
• Hypergrid or HG
• HG address
• Inventory
• Invite
• Landmark
• Suitcase
• Teleport
• World Map
• Search on page: Ctrl+f opens search bar near the top. 

2019 #VWEDU: #DTA: Firestorm settings for beginners. A DTA content page

Firestorm settings for beginners. 
A DTA content page

Suggested changes in Firestorm settings for use with students in educational places.   This article is explicitly licensed Public Domain (CC0).

How to search FS Prefs

• The Digital Teaching Assistant (DTA) for MUVES (virtual worlds): Summary
• A Digital Teaching Assistant (DTA) in MUVE (virtual world): What would it do?

How to search Firestorm preferences

• Top line of Firestorm, Avatar (full left), click Avatar
• On drop-down menu click Preferences. 
• To search preferences panel:  Use the white bar at the top of the panel.
• Type part of the setting and the panel will show settings that match.
• See graphic above.
• Details on Preferences: Viewer 3.3+ Preferences window, Summary
• Using viewer: Firestorm for OpenSimulator set to Viewer 5 (drop-down menus) 

Key terms

• Name tags
• Enable voice
• Media
• Movement
• View
• World Map
• Notifications
• Buttons
• Search this page: Ctrl+f opens search bar near top of page.

• #VWEDU: update 8/15/2019 CVL Presents ACRL Sunday Tour. OpenSim users split on impact of Firestorm fork.

2019 NEW: Considering virtual worlds? Considering Hypergrid? Here is information you may want

Considering virtual worlds?  
Considering Hypergrid?  
Here is information you may want

Virtual worlds are readily available and (on OpenSim) at low cost.  For some areas of interest, there are existing communities that can help you get started.  For example, there is a large and active educational community.

Dancing at 

Kitely Welcome Center

What does it cost?

• Nothing if you just want to meet people and look around
• Nothing if you just want to try building. (There are free sandboxes for that.)
• Sandboxes in Kitely
• Probably nothing if you want to start with a place of your own. 
• (Free rental places are often available.)
• And there are rental places at a few dollars.
• Rental places in Kitely
• Other Grids also have rental places and sandboxes.
  I use the Kitely listing because it is available on the web.

Is there a steep learning curve?

• Only if you want to become a skilled creator.  
• Lots of there are lots of things available as  freebies
• Freebie places in Kitely
• You can also buy things  for a few dollars per item.
• Kitely Market

What do people do in virtual worlds?

• After the break

• #VWEDU: update 8/8/2019 OpenSim users split about impact of Firestorm fork. Encore Escape reenacts Woodstock.

2019 #VWEDU: Community Virtual Library (CVL) opens in Kitely. A view of the space station and its teleporters

Community Virtual Library (CVL) opens in Kitely.  
A view of the space station and its teleporters

Community Virtual Library (CVL) branches out to Hypergrid and OpenSimulator with locations on 2 opensim grids.  One of the library services is hypergrid gates to places of educational interest.  

• Watch on YouTube

• What does a library do in a virtual world?
• When you are on the internet, you don't need a book collection.
• When you have Google search at hand, you don't need a card catalog.
• You can select, recommend, and link to the best reading content.
• You can identify other things that people want to find and show the way.
• Two things of interest in virtual worlds: communities and places.
• In the physical world, even local communities may be a half-hour away.
• And the places you want to visit are a half-day and $2000 away.
• In OpenSim, hypergrid, everywhere is about 39 seconds away.
• So you can use lists of communities and recommended places.
• And video archives of virtual world conferences.

• #VWEDU update 7/25/2019 Firestorm splits into OpenSim and SL versions. LEA closes

2019 MUVE: HG: Ruth and Roth 2.0 Mesh Avatar Project HGluv is home to a version of Ruth and Roth

Ruth and Roth 2.0 Mesh Avatar Project
HGluv is home to a version of Ruth and Roth
Updated 5/4/2019

Ruth and Roth 2.0 are low-poly mesh bodies, specifically designed for OpenSimulator. They are built to use standard Second Life(TM) UV maps using scratch-built open source mesh bodies by Shin Ingen with other open source contributions from the OpenSimulator Community.

Arrive at HGluv

"NOTICE:  This is not the "Official" distribution point for the Ruth avatar.   This is a modified version that we are developing to eventually share with the main group."   

• The official, latest version of Ruth can be found at Outworld GitHub (Fork).
• GitHub by Shin Ingen 
• New Ruth/Roth GitHub (Cited by Bill Blight)
• What is a GitHub? 
• MeWe Community Page for Ruth/Roth
• OpenSim Group: OSGrid RuthAndRoth
• Austin Tate's Blog
• Ruth 2.0 and Roth 2.0 are AGPL licensed
• HG address: 
• grid.hgluv.com:8302:Luv Plaza
• Put the HG address in the Find bar of the world map, click Find, TP

• #VWEDU update 5/2/2019 The #VWEDU initiative. Entrepreneurial educators

2019 EDU: HG: WW: Teachers don't need to learn how to build in virtual worlds to teach there

Teachers don't need to learn 
how to build in virtual worlds 
to teach there 

Virtual Worlds offer great potential for modern instruction at most levels.  But a shift to virtual world instruction could look difficult to present-day teachers.  Here I offer a suggestions on how that difficulty can be minimized.

Universal campus 

for OpenSim

• Sure, some teachers have been building there for years.
• Lots of other people have build things of educational value
• People have been selling products on Kitely Market for years
• Educational items on Kitely Market
• School-related items on Kitely Market
• Universal Campus
• Virtual teacher's assistant  
• Affordances offered by Kitely Organizations and web-worlds

• MUVE update 4/1/2019 VWBPE 2019 April 4-6 (Immersive experiences already started)

2019 HG: PEOPLE: How do I find communities I like on the hypergrid?

How do I find communities I like
on the hypergrid? 

Suggestions on finding communities on the hypergrid that have interests similar to yours.

• Communities you will like probably have interests that match some of yours.  
• The communities of the hypergrid are not just in grids.
• They are also on social media.  That is easier to search.
• Social media for the virtual worlds (RiP G+). Summary
• Below: Communities in Facebook and LikedIn with virtual world interests

• MUVE update 3/15/2019 The G+ MeWe Importer is now live; CVL Participates in VWBPE 2019

2019 WW: Voice problems with Vivox on your grid? Suggestions for plan B

Voice problems with Vivox on your grid? 
Suggestions for plan B

Vivox has demonstrated that it can be out for two weeks or longer.  For educational or most business uses that is a single point of failure.  An alternative is needed.  Some grids may offer fallback options.  Web-worlds can provide a fast fallback with no advance preparation.

ACRL Virtual World interest group

Possible voice emergency alternatives to Vivox

• Discord
• Skype

Web-worlds are alternatives

• 3DWebWorldz
• CybaLOUNGE
• You can visit either of these as a guest, without registering.
• No preparation needed.

• MUVE update 1/31/2019 Kitely Organizations, OpenSim Fest, G+exit

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2019 MUVE: HG: Why am I talking about MUVEs when I am really talking about virtual worlds?

Why am I talking about MUVEs when 
I am really talking about virtual worlds?

Researchers use the term "MUVE" to stand for "Multi-User Virtual Environment."   We virtual worlders use the term "virtual world" to mean the same thing.  These are ingroup terms for different ingroups.  I want this blog to share information between these groups, so I speak the language of both groups.  Here I report on some of the work of the researchers.  

An informal writing class in a MUVE

MUVE:  Multi-User Virtual Environment

• What is Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) | IGI Global
• Multi-User Virtual Environments: History, Contributing Theories and Current Status
• Scholarly articles for Multi-User Virtual Environment

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• MUVE: (virtual worlds) update 12/30/2018

2018 EDU: HG: Mainstreaming Virtual World Learning Colloquium. And some suggestions.

Mainstreaming Virtual World Learning Colloquium
Updated 1/4/2019

A report on a recent colloquium of educators in virtual worlds.  And some suggestions for making more use of the affordances of virtual worlds

The Empty Classroom

• Saturday, December 1, 2018 - 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM
• We weren't in a conference room.  We were comfortably at home.
• Nevertheless, we were meeting with two dozen colleagues.
• This Colloquium was a week before OSCC (Open Sim Community Conference).
• How can people afford the time and money go to 2 meetings in a month?
• Mainstreaming Virtual World Learning Colloquium

Contents

• Where can you hold a time-spread convention?
• Program and video link (TBD) 
• Colloquium reprise at OSCC 
• About the colloquium
• Unconventional conventions

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• MUVE (virtual worlds) update 12/20/2018

2019 PROMO: Themed grids (MUVES): Keng City grid tells its theme: entertainment and shopping

Themed grids (MUVES): 
Keng City grid tells its theme: 
entertainment and shopping

Keng City declares its theme.  It shows its promotion methods.   It offers an example in promotion for other grids (MUVE providers) to consider.

• Watch on YouTube

Keng City theme

Keng City Grid is a small private virtual grid dedicated to entertainment and shopping. It is hypergrid enabled, no new accounts needed as it is open to all to hypergrid in and out freely. Gloebits enabled for the whole grid to make purchasing easier for visitors. We will not be renting out regions, although we do have penthouses for rent. Instead we choose to concentrate on what has always made Keng City great... entertainment, commerce and making everyone who visits feel like family. -- Antoinnette Keng

The Keng City Grid has that sprawling neon-lit look and feel with multiple trendy clubs, fun activities and a variety of shopping. Come and visit the Colorful multi-tiered Keng City Grid and get the experience....

Go there

• HG address
• hg.kengcity.net:8002:Keng City 
• Put the HG address in the Find bar of the world map, click Find, TP

On the web

• Web Page
• Facebook
• MeWe

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• MUVE (virtual world) update 12/13/2018

2018 PEOPLE : Friendica for social media?

Friendica for social media?

Friendica is opensource software for social media communication.  The software is free, but somebody has to create a node (on a server) to run the software.  Nodes can connect with each other so it is a distributed network.   A grid could be part of a node. 

• friendica – A Decentralized Social Network
• Friendica is open source software for a distributed social network. 
• Friendica is part of the democratization of the internet.
• Thus its operation plan is less familiar than the G+ plan (whatever that was).
• To become a user you don't go to the Friendica website.  
• You find a Friendica node and register there.  
• You can immediately connect with others registered on your base node.
• You can also connect with others on Friendica or others on the Fediverse
• To connect outside of your base node, you need to know the Friendica address.
• Friendica is part of the Fediverse, "an interconnected and decentralized network of independently operated servers."

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• MUVE (virtual world) update 12/13/2018

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