QSims: OpenSim Metavers on QNAP – Start your 3D WebSim Now!

I – How To Install

Steps:
(From : http://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=13582&start=15)

  • Install Mono QPKG
  • Register for an account on a Public grid (list of some public grids http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Grid_List).
  • Run the script to Install on your NAS the environment for OpenSim.
  • Download, install and initialize OpenSim (unzip the file into the bin folder and run the exe)
  • Download, install the Hippo Viewer and connect to your Sims on the Public grid

II – Installation

QNAP Ads in Q-Sims

Visit the QNAP forum for technical discussions

QPKG.png Q-Sims LITE and FULL Edition are released
as sets of QPKGs on the QNAP forum.

Q-Sims – Quick-Sims is intended to provide a Mevaterses* Starter Kit for QNAP SOHO servers
* stands for meta-universes or virtual worlds like in Second life.

We strive to offer you a test platform to quickly experience the very brand new Internet 3D environments. We hope to help you to start the creation and development of future web based applications including but not limited to:

  • Audio Conferencing (requires the FreeSwitch QPKG)
  • Virtual Presence Instant Messaging
  • Group discussion (Chat with automatic language translator)
  • Internet relay Chat (IRC)
  • Mailing (see Adding interactivity)
  • WebSims (3D websites)
  • Video and Movie display (streaming)
  • Audio and Music (Download and background music)
  • Social and Role Playing Games (MMOG)
  • Education by 3D Immersion
  • Company trainings (Serious games)
  • 3D Design and Architecture
  • Virtual traveling and Meeting
  • Movies and 3D Animation creations
  • Augmented reality applications
  • Virutal Economy and Business (under development)
  • Second life compatible metaverses
  • and much more …
 Qsims anniv.png
See some of our Q-Sims demonstrator applications.
Frequently asked question: What Q-Sims has to do with SOHO servers?

Q-Sims requires:

Q-Sims OS-logo.png
Exclamation.png IMPORTANT: Q-Sims and associated software are NOT for PRODUCTION.
Our goal is to make available a platform for experimentation in virtual worlds.
« OpenSimulator is an experimental software. If it breaks, you get to keep both pieces »
Please read the “Protection against system crashes” section for details about development status.

 

Contents

[hide]

Table of content

  • Improve your Sims
  • HowTo develop your virtual applications

 

Q-Sims Metavers Starter Kit

The Q-Sims Metavers Starter Kit comes in two flavors:

  • Q-Sims LITE Edition to implement your metavers on your NAS server and join a Public grid to become a piece of a larger metavers.
  • Q-Sims FULL Edition to fully run and administrate your Private metavers on your NAS server or join a Public grid.
    The FULL Edition is not yet released to avoid confusion

In both version a Q-Sims QSA (Quick Start Assistant) will guide you during the installation process up to the metavers administration management.

Once Q-Sims is installed on your server, you only have to install and run a client software (Viewer) on the remote computers to enter and navigate into the metaverses. There are several viewers:

  • Hippo and realXtend are open-source viewers running under Windows and Linux
  • ActiveX plugins for Internet browsers are also under development (eg. 3DI is provided under license)

Definitions

A Metaverse is a fictional virtual world, described in Neal Stephenson`s 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash, where humans, as avatars, interact with each other and software agents, in a three-dimensional space that uses the metaphor of the real world. The word metaverse is the combination of the prefix “meta” (meaning “beyond”) and “universe”. Paravers stands for para-universe and refer to the augmented reality (AR) where real world scenes are superimposed with synthetic imagery. Augmented reality can be achieved using HDUs (Head up display) placed between the viewer and the real scene but also by mixing virtual world imagery (metaverses) with real scenes.

The Sims is a strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It was created by game designer Will Wright, also known for developing SimCity. It is a simulation of the daily activities of one or more virtual persons (“Sims”) in a suburban household near SimCity. The Sims was first released on February 4, 2000.

Second Life (SL) is a virtual world developed by the Linden Lab that launched on June 23, 2003 and is accessible via the Internet. A free client program called the Second Life Viewer enables its users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars. Residents can explore, meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, and create and trade virtual property and services with one another, or travel throughout the world, which residents refer to as the grid. Second Life caters for users aged over eighteen, while its sister site Teen Second Life is reserved to users aged between thirteen and seventeen. As of June 22nd 2009, SL has 2 millions subscribers with about 65 thousands players on-line every day.

MMOG/MMORPG Massively Multiplayer Online /Role Playing Games are video games capable of supporting thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and feature at least one persistent world. MMORPG games like World of Warcraft and Dofus have more than 10M subscribers each.

Some of the definitions above are excerpts from wikipedia

Glossary

Metavers Virtual world made of one or several regions opened to public (like Internet) or private (like Intranet) uses.
Region / Estate The basic land unit (256 x 256 meters with the OpenSim simulator). Metaverses are made of juxtaposition of regions.
Sims Refer to one or several regions owned by one entity for one dedicated purpose (e.g. your Sims may be devoted to Education and made of 2 regions)
Parcel A division inside a Region which can be sold/given to a Resident (minimum size is 16 square meters with the OpenSim simulator). People without server to host regions can rent (sometimes for free) parcels on Public grids.
Grid The grid (1000 x 1000 in OpenSim) gathers the regions to enable navigation across the metavers. Regions connected or hosted on the grid server are located at a XY position on the Grid. The server (Public/Private) which run the grid is referred as the Grid server.
HyperGrid Hypergrid allows navigation between grids running under OpenSim and supports seamless agent (avatars and inventory) transfers among those OpenSim grids. The hypergrid is effectively supporting the emergence of a Web of virtual worlds.
Plaza Refer to a group of regions. Plazas help to organize the large metaverses. When growing, Public grids open new plazas and allocate a range of XY locations for each. New Sims are welcomed to join the newly opened plazas.
Visitors Any one with an account traveling over the metavers but not the owner of a parcel or region
Residents Any one who own a parcel or run a region. Residents who run a region may take the “God” status over the region.
Q-Sims Quick-Sims – a package develop by AdNovea to ease the installation of the OpenSim simulator and associated software on SOHO servers.
Prims Prims are basic shapes (cubes, spheres, torus, etc.) which can be modified thanks to a set of parameters (size, position, texture, scripts) and assembled to build complex objects. Prims are stored in your regions into the database on your NAS.
Avatar This is your virtual representation. It can be customized and characteristics are stored into your inventory.
Inventory The inventory gathers all objects copied from a region (freebies) or downloaded such as textures, sounds, etc. Your inventory can be organized through a tree folder structure. It is stored on the Grid server (the remote server if you are link to a Public grid or your NAS if you run a Private grid). While teleporting, it can be fully or partially accessible to manage security and rights issues. Therefore, you avatar customization and inventory may be incomplete.
Freebies This is what you will be seeking for as a beginner to speed up your integration into Public grids. Inheritance of the open source spirit, the Freebies are objects build by residents and given for free. There is an habit in metavers to give something to someone you meet the first time or to leave freebies in you region.

 

Q-Sims demonstrator

Our first Q-Sims demonstrator snapshot

 In order to port Q-Sims (OpenSim the simulator, QS-Manager the OpenSimWI fork, Mono the .NET FrameWork and FreeSwitch the VoIP-SIP engine) we have built a first demonstrator. Here is below a snapshot of our first metavers demonstrator where we have tested all the available features.

Our demonstrator was made of 5 regions (our Sims). Each regions was 256 x 256 meters. There was about 2000 prims in total. It was run as a Private metavers using Q-Sims FULL Edition on a QNAP TS-639 NAS server (1.6GHz/1MB).

Requirements

This section provides information about the Q-Sims requirements. Data are still under evaluation.
The table below sums-up the QNAP NAS capabilities to help you in your Sims dimensioning.

Client side

Q-Sims runs the OpenSim simulator. To access the Q-Sims metavers, the viewer on the client side has the same requirements as any recent MMOGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Game).

In order to get a good texture rendition and movement fluidity, you shall run the viewer:

  • on a powerful PC (e.g. double core 1.6GHz/2GB RAM)
  • with a high-performance graphic card (e.g. ATI Radeon 256 MB).
    Read The Viewer section for additional information about graphic cards.

NOTE: I can run the viewer on a Sony ultra-portable (Dual core 1GHz/2GB RAM) running Vista Business with Intel 945GM graphic card but with low graphics performances.

Server side

The data below are still under evaluation and the table gives a rough order of magnitude to help you to dimension your Sims (metavers).

Information.png IMPORTANT: while running Q-Sims, Mono will require much of the server resources and up to 100% of the CPU that may slightly slow down other applications.

Specifications for QNAP SOHO servers (under evaluation)
TS-119
TS-219
TS-219 P
(ARM not supported [1])
 TS-x39 Pro
SS-x39 Pro
TS-509 Pro
[5]		 TS-809 Pro
TS-809U RP
SS-839Pro
TS-x59 Pro
[5]
Maximum regions [2] (Sims) 1 @ 50% 1 2
Region size (m²) 256 x 256 256 x 256 256 x 256
Grid size (max number of regions) 1000 x 1000 1000 x 1000 1000 x 1000
Max. number of prims per region [3] 15,000 15,000 15,000
Max. simultaneous visitors per regions [4] ~20 ~20 ~20

 

  • [1] The Mono libgdiplus library and FreeSwitch QPKGs are not yet available for the QNAP ARM servers.
  • [2] More important is the number of prims within a region. It requires about 1 MB of RAM for 18 prims and 1% CPU (x86/1.6GHz) for 240 prims. Keep in mind that a region with more than 1500 prims introduces a significant delay while the viewer is loading the cache over a 2/20MB-ADSL connection.
  • [3] Each prim has parameters to achieve complex shapes. Use as much as possible the parameters instead of adding basic prims. very complex shapes may be achieved using sculpties.
  • [4] Theoretically, 100 visitors can be simultaneously in one region but the “lag” will be unacceptable. Moreover, problems have being highlighted in stress conditions when the number of visitors exceeds 25 avatars (Adam Frisby – march 2009). Recent tests have supported up to 53 avatars in one region (Adam Frisby – july 2009 during the 2 years’ osgrid show).
  • [5] e.g. TS-509 TS-239P TS-239P-II TS-259P TS-439P TS-459P TS-439P-II TS-439U-RP/ TS-439U-SP TS-639 TS-659P TS-809 TS-859P TS-809U TS-239 SS-439 SS-839
    On most of these servers the RAM size is 1GB and can be expanded (please check the QNAP website and forum).

 

 

Which implementation to choose?

Information.png First of all, if you want to get familiar with metaverses, you can just register to a free public grid. You will be able to customize your avatar and to navigate the whole metavers made of several Sims (group of regions with the same purpose: shops, games, sandbox, community, etc.).

In other to experiment the metaverses, you may decide to:

  • rent a parcel in someone else region of the public grid
  • have your own Sims (made of one or more regions) running on your NAS server.
    Your Sims can be a Private Sims (like an Intranet/Extranet today) or connected to a Public grid to become part of a larger metavers.
    Here below we list the differences between the two implementations.

I WANT TO

manage my Private Sims on my QNAP join a Public Grid to run my Sims
QPKG/scripts to install
Q-Sims Edition Q-Sims FULL Edition recommended Q-Sims LITE Edition recommended
FULL Edition for advanced management
Mono QPKG required required
Freeswitch QPKG (to enable Voice chat) optional optional (requires manual installation with LITE edition)
IPKG-Optware QPKG required
(for screen virtual shells and mysql backup)		 required
(for screen virtual shells)
QNAP NAS directory
xxx stands for HD0 or MD0 (RAID)		 /share/xxx_DATA/.qpkg/QSims /share/xxx_DATA/.qpkg/QSims_lite
Storage locations
Sims (regions) is hosted on your NAS on your NAS
Assets (inventory) are stored on your NAS on the Public Grid
Visitors’ accesses
Users registration is managed by QS-Manager web interface (Q-Sims FULL Edition) The Public Grid
You avatar can access foreign regions ONLY if you have an account but with the default avatar appearance YES with all the inventory in any regions managed by the Public Grid
I can transfert my Inventory to other regions ONLY in locally hosted regions In any regions managed by the Public Grid
Who is able to access to your Sims? Visitors registered on Q-Sims Any visitors registered on the Public Grid
Hypergrid teleportation Not supported Some Public grids offer teleportation to other Public grids
Sims’ Servers
OpenSim server run on your NAS run on your NAS
UGAIM servers (Users, Grid, Assets, Inventory, Messaging) run on your NAS run on the Public Grid
Administration interface QS-Manager web interface
based on OpenSimWI from Redux		 QSM Lite web interface (LITE Edition)
QS-Manager web interface (FULL Edition)
Database management
Database type allowed SQLite, MySQL SQLite (LITE edition)
SQLite, MySQL (FULL edition)
QS-Manager web interface
Q-Sims FULL Edition		 Manage MySQL database only (regions and UGAIM) Manage MySQL database only (your regions only)
Regions Backup SQLite and MySQL daily backup SQLite daily backup (LITE edition)
SQLite and MySQL daily backup (your regions only)
Inventory (UGAIM) backup SQLite and MySQL daily backup No
Reliability
OpenSim version changes is under your control is decided by the Public Grid. If you do not change your Sims may become unaccessible
OpenSim server crash is handle by Q-Sims and restarted within 5 minutes is handle by Q-Sims and restarted within 5 minutes
UGAIM server crash is handle by Q-Sims and restarted within 5 minutes is handle by the Public Grid
Sims Backup is under you complete responsibility regions are under your responsibility,
inventory under the Public Grid????

 

  • To read more about the Opensim simulator Architecture and Grid
  • Diagram example of a Q-Sims LITE implementation where your Sims is hosted on your NAS server and connected to a Public Grid Server

 

Q-Sims LITE configuration with your Sims running on your NAS server and connected to a Public Grid server

 

IMPORTANT: Security

Protection against vandalism

Metaverses are opened spaces and give a very high level of flexibility to residents and visitors. Unfortunately, it turns out that some visitors are ill-intentioned and can seriously damage your metavers. You better protect your work and restrict user’s permissions.
read the Protect your Sims (Security) section

Protection against system crashes

All these development including the OpenSim simulator are currently at ALPHA stage (to be used as sandbox or demonstrator)
Therefore, you must consider the security breaches, bugs and crashes as part of the very valuable ongoing development.

Exclamation.png REMINDER: Q-Sims is a Starter Kit to help you to experiment the leading edge of the future 3D Internet technology.
Do not invest in Q-Sims effort or money if you expect or are liable for return on investment.
Q-Sims and the associated software, despite their very good stability, have not yet reached the level of maturity for production.
We, nor third party software, can be blame or endorse responsibility for any direct or indirect losses.

You have been warned, do not complain or blame us in the future.

You will find here valuable information about the status of OpenSim developments.

 

Metaverses and SOHO servers

I have been asked about : The interest of metaverses regarding the SOHO servers business.
Q-Sims as “Metavers Starter Kit” helps to implement metaverses on servers to make available numerous Internet services like any Apache or Tomcat applications do it for managing websites, Asterisk does it to support VoIP or Ventrilo to enable Voice chat.

I suggest to consider the following to evaluate the interest of metaverses in the future server business.

  1. If server business has interests in Web servers, VoIP, Chat, Instant Messaging, Mailing, Internet communication and collaborative applications in general, they de facto must share the same interests for metaverses which include all these functionalities.
  2. Metaverses are hosted and run on servers. Like the websites today, metaverses NEED servers to be hosted.
  3. Each generation uses the technologies it grows up with. MMOG have now more than 15 years and the “always connected generation” (1990-2010) is about to leave the university. The ACG generation does not consider Internet[1] nor the metaverses as something “new”.
  4. Public, private (locally hosted like Intranet today) and worldwide metaverses have started to develop and are currently implemented on PC/SOHO servers. Despite brought to light in 2007 with the buzz around Second life, the hyper mediatization has made the metaverses to be considered as a “trendy effect” rather than to explore theirs huge potentials.
  5. Metaverses are multiple media (multimedia) and networking based technologies that eases the implementation of communication/collaborative applications.

[1] Survey run by the Erin research in Canada and Insite in Belgiun in 2007

 

Which future for the metaverses

Despite metaverses will be overcome for a while with games or assimilated to the 2nd life social network only, they are gaining momentum and start to interest some business applications. Some “niche” applications are already pushing some valuable developments to lead the metaverses to maturity.

There are still limitations today that prevents the wide spreading of metaverses but some are already addressed.

  • Navigation into metaverses with standard Internet browsers: Pushed by business requirements, ExitReality and 3Di have developed the very first 3D wiewer plug-ins running on standard Internet browsers. See the Japanese demo.
  • Centralized grid server to enable navigation across multiple Sims are the bottlenecks for current metaverses simulators. Solipsis, a French R&D project (ANR-RIAM) leaded by Orange Labs, is developing a open source P2P, decentralized Metaverse. The Linden Labs Architecture Working Group in collaboration with the open source commnunity is also working on this topic.
  • Metaverses mimics too much the reality and do not get enough benefit of the efficiency brought by the virtuality: Virtual worlds look like “copy/paste” of reality and shall be more creative to found new forms of usages to “augment” the reality.
  • Major companies have already shown theirs interests and deeply invested in metaverses developments: IBM, Intel (ScienceSim), Sun, Orange
  • In May 2008, Gartner evaluate 70% of the companies to run Private virtual world since 2012. These private implementations will have better focused targets than the public ones. Primarily used internally by the companies for critical and emergency situation trainings, these virtual worlds will be later opened to the whole company for employees collaborative tasks. Finally, these metaverses will be made accessible to the Public (customers and suppliers).

 

Special thanks

I would like to thanks all the people who are directly and indirectly contributing to the OpenSim simulator developments for the great work already achieved.http://opensimulator.org

On the OpenSim website you will find:

  • all relevant information and advices to setup your metavers
  • free assets (objects such as building, textures, etc.) and links to free assets
  • samples and links to avatars customization
  • download links to complete metavers samples (file in OAR format)
  • latest versions of developments for both Windows and Linux
  • tutorials and links to tutorials to startup with OpenSim
  • the status of the ongoing developments http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Testing

OpenSim Wikies are very well documented and translated in multiple languages:
Spanish, German, Francais, Italian, Português, Japanese

If you need to chat with others users or administrators of OpenSim and/or OSGrid.org, use your IRC at:

Downloads

Information.png IMPORTANT: Downloads are available from the QNAP Forum for registered members at
[Q-Sims – The OpenSim metavers for QNAP servers].

To install Q-Sims, you need the following QPKG:

  • Optware QPKG – Download and install from the QNAP Admin pages
  • Mono QPKG – Download and install from the QNAP Admin pages
  • Q-Sim LITE Edition or FULL Edition – Download and install from the QNAP Admin pages
  • OpenSim binary – Download form osgrid.org or let the Installer do it
  • FreeSwitch QPKG – Download and install from the QNAP Admin pages (optional)

NOTE: MySQL shall be enabled on your NAS server if you intend to use the Q-Sims FULL Edition (required by QS-Manager

 

II – Advanced Q-Sims FULL edition installation

Prerequisite

In order to run, Q-Sims needs the following QPKG packages to be installed on your server:

  • Optware (Q-Sims will check if the screen and mysql utilities are available or they will be installed through IPKG)
  • Mono – The .NET FrameWork support for Linux
  • FreeSwitch (optional) – for Voice chat
  • Q-Sims FULL edition – The OpenSim simulator and QS-Manager web based interface
  • OpenSim simulator binary available at OpenSimulator

IMPORTANT: Please read the section related to the Operating Modes before if not yet done.

 

Installation

  • Install and Enable Mono QPKG
  • Install FreeSwitch QPKG if you intend to use Voice chat in your metavers (see Add Voice Chat)
  • Install but DO NOT Enable QSims (won’t work anyway!)
    IMPORTANT: Copy the OpenSim binary content into the /share/www_DATA/.qpkg/QSims/bin folder.
  • Clik on the QSims Web Page link to start the QSA (Quick Start Assistant)

 

QS-Manager Quick Start Assistant

Page 1

  • Forward the ports on your router as mentioned on the welcome page

QSA Step 1

Ports

  • 9000
  • 8001-8006
  • 8895
  • 9001-900x
  • 9300
  • 20800
  • 5060
 Services
OpenSim listener port (used in Standalone mode and the remote administration)
UGAIM servers ports
OpenSim remoting listener port (not used in hypergrid mode)
SSL connections – one port per Grids
OpenSim remoting listener port (used for hypergrid mode)
Remote Grids data access (required to used the QS-Manager remote admin console)
FreeSwitch Voice chat port (only if you intend to use the voice chat and have installed FreeSwitch QPKG)
Exclamation.png NOTE: QNAP UPnP MediaServer uses the port 9000.
If you have enabled this service, the port 9000 is already in use.

  • The default default listener port can be redefined on the QSA page 3 to something else (e.g. 8500,9300, etc.).
  • With a connection of your Sims to a public grid such as OSGrid.org you cannot change the default port 9000. Read the section about TwonkyMedia issues

Page 2

  • Select the mode you want to run (Normal mode is Grid mode) You shall click Apply to continue.

They are different modes but an easy start is to use the Standalone mode.

NOTE: OpenSim simulator can use either a SQLite or MySQL database. QS-Manager supports only the MySQL database. You can change without any troubles the type of database between two reinstallations. Available data are those present in the selected database only.

QSA Step 2
  • Standalone mode (run a metaverse)

The “standalone” mode is well suited for a first installation and debug mode. No UGAIM servers are used. You can quickly entrer into the metavers (Sims) and play around.

  • Grid mode (join a worldwide grid))

You will be able to connect your Q-Sims to other Sims running also the OpenSim simulator. In order to join a worldwide grid like osgrid.org for example and add your Q-Sims as a piece of a vast metaverse, you will have to register. You and your visitors will be able to navigate over the whole metaverse. UGAIM servers are managed by the Grid server.

  • HyperGrid mode (navigate between grids)

HyperGrid mode allows teleportation between Sims (OpenSim). Hypergrid binds all OpenSims together into one vast metaverse. From now on, teleporting is possible from your viewer using the Map, to any other OpenSim including all Sims in an OS-Grid like osgrig.org for example or into a friend’s standalone Sims if permitted. Before using the HyperGrid mode, you shall clearly understand the underlying implications.

Page 3

QSA Step 3
  • Check the default values (They are either the default during first installation or your previously entered values for reinstallation)
  • Change here if needed the OpenSim default listener port (9000)
  • Set your External Host Name, domain name or IP (eg. qnap.com)
  • Default Master account password is “test” (Firstname=Test, Lastname=User, Password=test)

Page 4

QSA Step 4
  • Enter the A/C to access your MySQL (QNAP defaults are root/admin)
  • OpenSim database default password is “os1234″
  • QS-Manager default password is “test”
  • Set your QSims admin e-mail address here
  • Empty password are not allowed
  • if a database already exists, you can erase it by typing “OK” (use cautiously)

Page 5

QSA Step 5
  • During the fifth step, the configuration files are created and FreeSwitch configuration updated (if FreeSwitch is installed)
Waiting for the servers to start
  • The following screen displays a waiting bar. While Q-Sims has not completed the database initialization, this screen is displayed. The database completion may took several minutes after you have launched Q-Sims especially in Mode 2 where OpenSim and the 5 UGAIM services will be started. Be patient!
  • That’ all folks !

 

 

Return to QPKG Admin page

Go back to the QNAP QPK administration page and ENABLE QSims.

You have to wait[*] for the Q-Sims servers to start. At the end of the starting process a “home” button is displayed. Click it to go to the QS-Manager Home page.

First QSA page

[*] This may take one or two minutes (the database initialization will be completed during the startup)

If you press instantaneously the Home button, you may get the message here below. Just wait 1 more minute and you will be sent to the Home page.

The database initialization is not yet completed.
Please Enable Q-Sims from the QPKG interface Now…
It may takes few minutes to complete the configuration and start the servers.

After completion, you will be able to login as administrator or

to access Q-Sims using your Master account.

  • You can login as administrator with your previous QS-Manager account (default A/C is admin/test).
QS-Manager Admin homepage

On the administration page, the running servers are in green and the stop ones in red.
In Standalone mode only the OpenSim server is running whereas in other mode several ones are needed.

 

Enter your Sims for the first time

At this stage your Sims can be accessed.
Login using a viewer (eg. Hippo) and check you can get into it.
DO NOT RUSH … some parameters have been determined and need to be applied.

  • Therefore you must Exit the viewer, and Disable Q-Sims.
  • Again, Enable Q-Sims and Restart the viewer to enter the metavers.

Only restarting Q-Sims is necessary. This is required to setup the permissions on your parcel and let you activate the Voice chat. Using the viewer is only suggested to check the correct behavior.

 

Complete the Master account in QS-Manager [Optional]

The Master account is created during the QSA installation process. Nevertheless, you may want to add additional information about this account.

  • Edit the Master User (USER MANAGEMENT / Manage users and click on the edit icon) to make it the Banker.
  • Enter the missing parameters such as name, etc.

 

How to Start/Stop QSims

Click on Homein the QS-Manager menu and check that all servers (OpenSim and UGAIM) are running (grid mode) or the OpenSim server only is up (Standalone mode)

  • Should one or two servers goes down, click the Enable button on the QNAP QPKG admin page. This action restarts only the required servers that have been stopped.
  • There is a watchdog to check every 5 minutes that all required servers are up and running.
  • To Stop Q-Sims simply click the Disable button on the QNAP QPKG admin page.

 

Connect to your new QSims metavers

  • Download and install Hippo or realXtend
  • Read the instruction regarding the Viewer configuration on the QS-Manager Help pages or Configure the Viewers

 

Don’t want to be Robinson Crusoé (quick way)

First arrival in your brand new metavers

You feel alone on your island and want quickly some customization. The OpenSim community provides you some pre-configured lands.

  • Download here the cyberlandia.tar.gz file for example and rename as cyberlandia.oar
  • Stop QSims from the QPKG page
  • From QS-Manager, run the Installation and select the Standalone mode
  • Open a console and go to the “/bin” folder under Q”Sims
  • Put the cyberlandia.oar file in it and type mono OpenSim.exe
  • Check if you Master user exists or create one using create user Test User test and keep the other defaults.
  • Once you get the prompt type load oar cyberlandia.oar
  • After a couple of second the oar is loaded
  • Open your viewer and log into your Q-Sims.
  • You are on a much better island now!

 

Protect your Sims (Security)

Today, Q-Sims shall be considered as an experimental platform for testing virtual worlds.
If you have already done some nice work and want to protect it against visitor’s aggressions or database corruption, here are below the instructions to save your data:

Saving a region

  • start OpenSim in a console (stop first any previously running Q-Sims instance)
# cd /share/xxx_DATA/.qpkg/QSims (or QSims_lite)
# ./qsims.sh stop
# cd bin
# mono OpenSim.exe
  • at the prompt access the region to save
Regions (<region_name># change region <region_to_save>
  • Then save your region into the backup folder
Regions (<region_name># save oar ../backup/myregion.oar

 

Protecting objects

  • in OpenSim.ini make the following changes:
permissionmodules = "DefaultPermissionsModule"
serverside_object_permissions = true
allow_grid_gods = false
  • set parcel permissions as desired with the estate and terrain menus for each parcel. Click World in the menu bar then select Region/Estate….

Manage your region/estate

This gives you the full control over the parcel you own such as:

  • defining the rights for Terraformation, avatar fly, damage, pushing
  • management of your parcel
  • limiting the number of simultaneous visitors (default is 40 visitors)
  • …

Limitations

They are few features I added into QS-Manager regarding the current state of the art (OpenSimWI) to ease the installation on QNAP servers.
One shall understand that these developments are ALPHA … and shall be considered kindly. The monetary system is implemented but fails to work so far (not a high priority for OpenSim community anyway)

  • Remote console is able to send message but not to read data from the servers yet.
  • Last but not least, I do encourage you to play with Q-Sims but keep in mind the Alpha status.
    Your work is compatible with Second life so you must be able to move it into (visit the SL forums for more information about this topic)

 

Also Please Check Wikipedia For advance Documantation;

  • Q-Sims – Connect to OSGRID
  • Apache-Tomcat
  • Q-Sims – QS-Manager
  • Q-Sims – Admin Messages Manager
  • Q-Sims – Admin Users Management
  • Q-Sims – Admin Configuration
  • Q-Sims – Admin Server Administration
  • Q-Sims – Guidelines
  • Q-Sims – Applications
  • Q-Sims – on OSGrid
  • Q-Sims – Goodies
  • Q-Sims – MMORPG
  • Q-Sims – Education
  • Q-Sims – OpenSim Console
  • Q-Sims – Admin Tips
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