Avacon Grid is a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) built on OpenSimulator. OpenSimulator is an open source multi-platform, multi-user 3D application server. Similar to Second Life, it can be used to create a virtual environment (or world) which can be accessed through a variety of clients, on multiple protocols. It also has an optional facility (the Hypergrid) to allow users to visit other OpenSimulator installations across the web from their ‘home’ OpenSimulator installation.
Rockcliffe Virtual Library Campus
Rockcliffe’s virtual campus in Avacon Grid is set-up as our main Virtual Library Campus. Avacon’s primary focus is in the field of education. Rockcliffe is helping to support this initiative by prototyping new concepts in digital libraries and literacies in cooperation with multiple library systems.
The Avacon Virtual Library Campus includes four regions encompassing:
- Library Stacks and Archives
- Classrooms and Workshop Spaces
- Main Auditorium
- Makerspaces for Professional Member projects
The Rockcliffe Avacon Library Campus is available to visit at any time however makerspace projects are limited to Community and Professional Members only. New registrants to Avacon can get a free account however if you already have an OpenSimulator avatar from a HyperGrid enabled grid (such as Kitely), an Avacon avatar is not required unless you are managing one of Rockcliffe’s Avacon makerspaces.Â
Other Destinations
Avacon Grid only has a limited number of regions and is fairly simple to move around. Simply use the map feature (ctrl+m) and everything is in close proximity to either the Avacon main landing point or Rockcliffe’s Virtual Library .
Destinations are all rated as either General or Moderate. There is no age policy in Avacon and the residents keep the environment kid friendly. While it is possible for children to be on the grid unaccompanied, the educational atmosphere in Avacon is such that children under 17 are rarely unaccompanied.
Social Communities
Avacon has many social communities that you can explore friendly to newcomers. There is a strong association with related educational communities in Second Life. If you find a community in Avacon you want more information on, you can pretty much ask anyone online or check with the associated group in Second Life.
Economy
Avacon does not have its own economy. Similar to other hypergrid enabled regions, Avacon relies on the Kitely Market and resident imported filed in order to build the environment.
The Kitely Market features thousands of products including avatar looks, clothes, building supplies, homes, real estate, and more.
Land in this virtual environment is divided up into regions (also called islands or sims) and parcels (space that is a sub-division of a region space). To get a dedicated space in Avacon you need to contact Avacon directly.
Avacon Gateway
Rockcliffe currently does not offer a dedicated Community Gateway in Avacon. New residents should use the existing Avacon Gateways as part of your registration and then to teleport over to Rockcliffe’s regions once you are online.
It may be beneficial to use Rockcliffe’s Community Gateway in Second Life prior to joining Avacon Grid or other HyperGrid OpenSimulator environment if you are unsure of what you are doing. Both Avacon Grid and Second Life share about 90% of the features in common. So if you are familiar with how things work in Second Life, Avacon Grid will not be much of a learning curve.
To start you need a free Avacon OpenSimulator account.Â
If you don’t need building rights, we recommend that you use an avatar from Kitely or other HyperGrid OpenSimulator environment. If you already have an OpenSimulator account that is Hypergrid enabled, you can Hypergrid jump to http://grid.avacon.org:8002.
Rockcliffe Main Destinations
Rockcliffe Virtual Library Front Desk (Avacon URL)