This week saw the start of my OpenSim project for 2013, which in the end saw a very different implementation from the original designs around a Formula 1 race circuit. As you can see from the screenshot we are using a residential centred approach, with the various builds acquired courtesy of OpenSim Creations and Linda Kellie, really worth a look if you have yet to visit these two sites. The sim will be in support of a Java desktop project , where students will produce a GUI app through which it will be possible to simulate control and status of electrical domestic appliances and produces summary power reports accompanied by an estimate of cost per Kw/Hr. A side effect of all this was that I finally got to seriously look at current charges per Kw/Hr, and subsequently found myself walking around my home in real life turning stuff off!
As you can see from this second screen shot the avatars are
mostly arriving, one just in cloud state, and very much default in both clothing and appearance , though in my experience
this will be just about the first thing that will change. Each of my students
will be provided with a variation of appliance configuration that will be
replicated in OpenSim and so will act as a control to the performance of their
app. In the real world of course you could simply take yourself off and check
the results you were getting with actual appliances, this not being
particularly realistic, virtual is certainly the next best and possibly more
fun thing. So what about actual appliances themselves, well I built most of these with one or two exceptions, they are turn On and Off using a Touch event and send data to a central meter that displays the consumption and cost as text, but first the students have the task of installing them in situ. This main building by the way was part of the Open VCE project and houses our SL Scripting exhibition built by Clive Pro.
Please stay in touch for updates, Vega
