Announcing the 8th Annual OpenSimulator Community Conference 2020

AvaCon is delighted to announce the eighth annual OpenSimulator Community Conference 2020 (https://conference.opensimulator.org/2020) to take place virtually on the OpenSimulator Conference Center grid on December 5-6, 2020. 

The OpenSimulator Community Conference is an annual conference that focuses on the developer and user community surrounding the OpenSimulator software. 

Join us and showcase your artistry, innovation, technology, history, archaeology, educational discoveries, and love of life through social venues. Come demonstrate how you use these 3D collaborative spaces in amazing ways! 

Registration and the Call for Proposals for the 2020 conference is open. Please post your proposal by October 18, 2020. At OSCC, we will gaze into the future, inspired by the fire that burns brightly within our 3D community.

OpenSimulator is an open source multi-platform, multiuser 3D application server. It can be used to create a virtual environment as a 3D world which can be accessed through a variety of clients and multiple protocols. Users can also visit other OpenSimulator virtual worlds across the web by using the Hypergrid protocol. With an expansive architecture of independent, yet virtually connected grids accessible via the Internet, OpenSimulator is the server software for hosting social, educational, creative, business, and technical communities within the embodied, distributed Metaverse.

Organized by the metaverse-focused nonprofit AvaCon, this year’s conference features presentations on the latest software release, visions for the future, and technologies or content today that are shaping the future of the platform.

“2020 is a year in which the world has taken a beating emotionally and physically. It is our fervent hope that this year’s conference will be a time of healing and shared joy as we remember how much we value socializing, working, learning, and creating within these marvelous 3D spaces,” said Conference Co-chair Cynthia Calongne.

The OpenSimulator Community Conference 2020 features two days of fast-paced presentations, panels, performances, and workshops that spotlight the best of the OpenSimulator platform and community. In the evenings, we celebrate another year of discovery and wonder as DJs and performers host dances and parties. 

Conference Co-chair Cynthia Calongne continued, “We are thankful for our wonderful core developers, viewer developers, grid owners, streaming videographers, volunteers, artists and designers, scripters, educators, researchers, and residents who make our world come alive!” 

In 2019, we were inspired by the innovations of OpenSimulator and in-world favorites, such as the Animesh dancers on stage. For artistry and philosophy, Art Blue and Juliet Surrealdreaming regaled us with saving the world in a fridge. For technology, Rachel Umoren presented healthcare for babies and their moms to reduce infant mortality using virtual reality, and we were thrilled to see the learning simulations and technical feats of educators and researchers. 

The art exhibits contributed by talented designers combined with the art experience hosted by Cheops and ADRET WEB ART reminded us of the magic of immersive artistry and storytelling. 

The Community Virtual Library stepped into the boxing ring during the Virtual Worlds Smackdown, analyzing the benefits of virtual reality and virtual worlds. Kayaker Magic and Mike Lorre challenged us to think of new ways to use scripts and for technology, Mister Blue advanced our technical prowess through the use of Docker containers.

Viewers are always a hot topic at the conference, and 2019 launched the SceneGate and EchoVoice viewers from the Infinite Metaverse Alliance and the Thales Group. 

We were inspired by community panels representing different technologies and grids and thoughts about the future of our world. 

“Last year’s conference was a terrific success with two days of presentations, panels, exciting expo and Hypergrid experiences, hundreds of attendees within the 3D virtual world conference space, and thousands more watching on via live video stream.” said conference organizer Joyce Bettencourt. “We will be building on that success by offering more opportunities for the community to be involved and furthering outreach to attract new users. With the continued interest surrounding virtual reality technologies, we want the VR community to know that OpenSimulator is a great platform for building the open metaverse.”

Conference organizers also invite everyone in the community to register, sign up to volunteer or become a sponsor of this year’s event.