Configure OpenSim in Windows

OpenSim is the best free and open source server platform for hosting virtual worlds. While evaluating the game engines during the last week I noticed that OpenSim has been used in many researches. OpenSim works in two modes according to the perpose of the simulation. One is standalone mode and other is grid mode. In grid mode the service which is needed for the simulation, is not the part of region server process. Hence here the execution process is bit complex.

If you are new to OpenSim it is better to understand the simulation process in standalone mode first. When you are using OpenSim as a simulation engine you will have a good community support with strong documentation. Meantime you can reuse huge number of virtual objects and regions. Here are the steps of configure it in Windows.

1. First you have to solve certain dependencies which OpenSim requires. As per current situation it is required .NET Framework 3.5 under windows. If you are using windows XP, be remember to update it at least Service Pack2.
2.   Download the latest OpenSim simulator distribution.
3. Unzip the package and go to /bin.
4. In bin folder you will find OpenSim launcher.   (32-bit version of Windows: OpenSim.exe and 64-bit version of Windows: OpenSim.32BitLaunch.exe)
5. As you are running the OpenSim for first time you have to set up a region and a user account. Give the proper answerer in the command prompt. These settings are written in to /bin/Region/Reagons.ini file.

Also note that you can give default as it suggested, if it is your first time with OpenSim installation.

• New region name – This is the name for your region.
• Region UUID – Unique ID of your region. You can keep the default value.
• Region Location – This is the location of your region in the grid. You can safely leave these as the default (1000, 1000).
• Internal IP address / Port – IP address and Port to connect to your region.
• One here onwards you can leave other parameters as default. But if you are using OpenSim 0.7 or later you need to create an estate manager account. In standalone mode you will ask to create an state manage account.  Don’t forget the account of the master avatar (in 0.6.9) or the estate manager (in 0.7 and later). These user accounts allow you to configure the in-world settings for your region and you can use the account to perform your initial login test. In addition to that you can create a user with ‘create user’ command other than an estate manager.
• There are many 3^rd party viewers to connect with OpenSim and view your region. Install one of them on your pc and lunch the viewer program. Before connecting make sure the server ‘OpenSim.exe’ is up and running. Enter first name, last name and password of the user account.

 Congratulations..!!! You just successfully log on to your own world. Now you can build up your own imaginations and be the master of your virtual arena.