Dedicated Server Project
OK, so I had this great idea. Since I have a dedicated server sitting here next to my desk in my office, and it’s only being used for an expensive paperweight (and second gaming machine for my sons friends LOL), I decided to start a new venture and develop a Second life Clone.
I did some research and discovered the Second Life actually has open source code for the grid they run at SecondLife.com, and it’s free. My favorite word LOL.
So I picked up a copy of OpenSim, which is still in its Alpha testing mode, but fully functional, and started playing around with it.
Within minutes I had an opensim running on my localhost machine and building worlds!
The reason I wanted to get this up and running is, I want to put the world of pandemic Dawn online for people to visit, and help promote my book. I thought that allowing people to actually visit the places I am writing about, and meet some of the people from the book would be really awesome.
There are other advantages to having your own dedicated grid. I plan on developing the grid into themed areas, and selling sims for a fraction of the price that Second Life charges for a sim. Currently a sim will cost approximately $1,300 to set up, and $300 per month to rent.
If my assumptions and calculations are correct, I will be able to offer the same to people for about $150 to set up, and between $50-$100 per month, a fraction of Second life’s cost.
We have a few things that need to be developed before my grid can go “live”, but you will have nearly 100% of the functions of Second Life, and you will also be able to teleport between grids.
My grid will also be connected to the various OpenSim grids out there as well.
I will also offer smaller packages to people who want land, but not an entire sim. There will be common areas (non-themed) as well as smaller rental areas in themed sims.
I plan on offering 4 times as much as Second Life for a fraction of the cost.
My biggest frustration in Second life is how you can’t really build anything without land, and you can’t really afford land there.
I will also have an open sandbox which will be free for all members to use. This will allow members to build larger items without having to own large land.
So…
Right now I have just finished updating the dedicated server, and I am getting ready to send it to my partner for the initial installation and set up.
I will keep posting as I progress on this project.