More than 300 legitimate responses got here in for the Twelfth Annual OpenSim Grid Survey, and Wildwood Bayou acquired practically good scores in all classes, with Utopia Skye, Enchanted Grid, Craft World and Kitely shut behind.
Wildwood Bayou, Utopia Skye, and Enchanted Grid have been all write-in grids. Most years, there’s at the very least one smaller grid that does properly in the person surveys. We presently comply with 1,709 grids complete, of which 468 have been energetic someday this 12 months, so solely checklist probably the most energetic grids amongst our default selections. The full list of currently active grids is here.
Where do OpenSimmers dwell and go to?
Between them, this 12 months’s respondents had visited 77 completely different grids and named 40 completely different grids as their main properties.
OSgrid was the grid that was house to probably the most respondents, adopted by AviTron, DigiWorldz, Alternate Metaverse, Kitely, Craft, Enchanted, and Discovery.
We additionally requested our readers in regards to the grids that they’d visited.
OSgrid, OpenSim’s largest and oldest grid, was probably the most visited — 74 p.c of our readers had been to that grid. The subsequent most visited was DigiWorldz with 54 p.c, adopted by Kitely, with 53 p.c.
The numbers add as much as greater than one hundred pc as a result of most individuals have visited multiple grid. In reality, the common OpenSim customers has been to nearly 5 completely different grids — that they recalled throughout this survey. Many customers mentioned “too many to say” or “I’ve been to 33 completely different grids” with out itemizing particular grids, and should not included in the common rely.
Most residents mentioned they have been very proud of their grids — 93 p.c would “completely” suggest them to others. Fewer than 2 p.c mentioned that they might not suggest, with the remainder responding “perhaps” or “I don’t know.”
Technology, assist, neighborhood, and content material
I didn’t ask folks to match completely different grids and inform me which one is best. After all, no one on the market has visited all of the grids and tried all of them out. Instead, what I do yearly is ask folks what they give thought to the grid that they spend probably the most time on.
Typically, folks fee their house grid extremely. And that is sensible — in spite of everything, that’s the grid the place they determined to spend their time. That’s why most grids had common responses of “excellent” or “glorious” — which I scored as 4 and 5, respectively, once I tabulated the numbers.
As grids get bigger, nevertheless, in addition they get extra people who find themselves typically discontented. In addition, bigger grids might have issues sustaining their know-how or assist. And, in consequence, smaller grids usually do very properly in these rankings.
You’ll discover that the distinction between grids is usually a fraction of a p.c, so please don’t take these outcomes as pure gospel. Plus, with the comparatively small variety of customers we have now in OpenSim, the margin of error is excessive — one extremely dissatisfied resident can skew the outcomes fairly a bit. So please take all the following as “meals for thought” versus “absolute reality.”
Technology
This 12 months, when our readers have been requested how they might grade their grid’s know-how, Kitely got here out on prime, with Wyldwood Bayou, Enchanted Grid, and Discovery Grid all shut behind.
Kitely has a singular, on-demand area internet hosting system that permits them to supply higher efficiency at a lower cost than many different grids. Plus, it’s also the house of the Kitely Market, OpenSim’s main on-line market for digital content material.
Those who dwell on their very own private grid scored their grid the bottom for know-how, which is sensible since these grids usually run on private, house computer systems and connect with different through grids through sluggish, residential Internet connections. Plus, their need to do their very own tech assist.
These survey outcomes additionally solely present how customers really feel in regards to the know-how — not in regards to the effort that the grids have put into their platform. OSgrid, for instance, is the place the OpenSim builders do their testing. This contribution shouldn’t be essentially mirrored in the ballot numbers.
Support
In assist, three grids acquired good scores from their residents — Wyldwood Bayou, Utopia Skye, and Dorena’s World — with Kitely very shut behind.
OSgrid scored lowest, however, once more, the grid is all volunteer-run and areas are hosted on house computer systems. And there’s solely a lot that volunteers can do to assist since all people’s house pc and networking configuration is completely different.
Community
For neighborhood, Wyldwood Bayou had an ideal rating, adopted by Enchanted Grid in second place and AviTron in third.
Small, close-knit grids and startup grids with early and passionate residents usually have excessive neighborhood scores. It doesn’t imply that bigger grids don’t have neighborhood spirit, however moderately that it’s simpler for somebody to really feel misplaced and alone on a big grid until the directors and different neighborhood organizers make a really concerted effort to get folks concerned.
“My private grid” had lowest rating for neighborhood, for apparent causes. Okay, if it’s not apparent to everybody, then let me clarify. You see, a grid that you simply run your self, by yourself pc or by yourself server, will solely have the neighborhood that you simply your self can collect collectively. If it’s a one-person grid for, say, inventive constructing, then you definately’re not going to have a lot of a neighborhood in any respect.
Content
In content material, Utopia Skye, Tangle Grid and Dorena’s World tied for good scores, with Wyldwood Bayou in shut second place.
Again, “my private grid” scored final, since these usually include simply free public area starter content material corresponding to Linda Kellie OAR areas recordsdata.
Additional feedback from the respondents
The following are consultant feedback in regards to the grids. There have been greater than 80 feedback in all, larger than final 12 months, a few of them fairly prolonged, and if anybody needs to see them, or use them on their web sites, simply electronic mail me. Again, I gained’t embody any personally identifiable data.
In addition to leaving out among the repetitive feedback, I’ve additionally skipped those who had damaging private assaults or that appeared libelous. And, after all, I additionally edited out any personally figuring out data. The feedback have additionally been very frivolously edited for spelling and grammar.
3rd Rock Grid
“third Rock Grid is the third oldest grid in the metaverse and that claims one thing. Many grids have come and gone however 3RG stays. We are steady, we have now an amazing group of folks that dwell right here, nice leisure and nice content material.”
“third Rock Grid: a lot integrity in this world, nice leisure.”
AlterEgo
“Simple do-it-yourself grid. It’s a easy grid in a quite simple however rising server. I might suggest it for availability, however they nonetheless have a whole lot of work to do. [There’s] land that may be bought with Gloebit and resold and free land. Usual free content material for OpenSim and areas from DreamGrid. Simple however out there.”
Alternate Metaverse
“Alternate Metaverse has an incredible neighborhood and are a pleasant and energetic bunch to hang around with. The technical facet of the Alternate Metaverse grid is greater than tremendous and the proprietor actually is aware of how you can remedy all points in an expert method .”
“Alternate Metaverse is without doubt one of the finest grids I’ve ever had the honour to be on on the subject of digital worlds and I’ll by no means depart”
“I’ve already really useful Alternate Metaverse to others”
“I’ve discovered Alternate Metaverse to be probably the most welcoming grid to this point. I’ve set house to there.”
“I really like this place.”
“It’s the most effective.”
“Living in Alternate Metaverse is an absolute dream for me and my girlfriend”
“Nice enjoyable neighborhood, with plenty of leisure, wonderful locations to go to and workers. Technical, and most pleasant grid”
“One of probably the most welcoming and type folks round OpenSim”
“The solely grid — other than Kitely — that provides computerized saves of OAR recordsdata, and automatic uploads of OAR recordsdata, from their web site. Amazing folks and neighborhood.”
“This is an superior grid with superior folks and occasions.”
AviTron
“A incredible workers. Well accomplished. I’ve to be trustworthy, till a number of weeks in the past I didn’t know any of those [other] grids … now I’m assembly and visiting them.”
“Among all I do know is the one which has probably the most superior know-how and primarily based on Linux system, which is safer.”
“De todos los grids que he visitado AviTron es el mejor.” [Google translation from Spanish: “Of all the grids I have visited, AviTron is the best.”]
“Excelente servicio y muy buen sistema de soporte.” [Google translation from Spanish: “Excellent service and very good support system.”]
“Is clear that’s simply starting and to be trustworthy to this point is doing OK, however I do know there’s a whole lot of work but to be accomplished. It has plenty of potential.”
Barefood Dreamers
“Wonderful homeowners who get issues accomplished. Amazing younger grid. They will go far.”
Craft World
“At Craft, I’ve been carrying on my venture, the Museo del Metaverso, for years, I really feel at house.”
“Definitely an exquisite grid with lot of content material and other people with out being too crowded.”
“I really like Craft.”
“In the previous 12 months there was a rising variety of inventive occasions of excellent high quality on Craft.”
“It is a good grid and the proprietor, Licu Rau, is extra than simply pleasant — he’s a good friend! One notices, that he loves the grid and the work he’s doing there!”
DigiWorldz
“DigiWorldz is an effective grid with some technical issues. Of course all grids have technical issues… and I’m undecided what number of of these issues are in OpenSim itself and Firestorm.”
“DigiWorldz is a good neighborhood to be part of. The grid proprietor is trustworthy and reliable. I really feel comfortable and belief that my data, knowledge, and creations are protected!! And haven’t any concern of the grid closing or ripping me off. Thumbs up for DigiWorldz.”
“DigiWorldz is extra house to me then different grids.”
“Extremely well-run, fast response — ten minutes or much less — to issues. High efficiency: 95 to 105 frames per second, 103-ish ping. Great for automobiles with uBODE physics choice on sims, nightly backups to a number of servers, and an actual relaxed vibe the place you don’t have to fret if the grid is on-line if you need to log in.”
“I’ve really useful it to many individuals!”
“I’ve to go to different grids, like Discovery Grid or Kitely Market get merchandise not out there on DigiWorldz. I actually like Discovery Grid, however it doesn’t have the energetic inhabitants dimension I want for what I’m constructing.”
“The finest neighborhood IMO of any grid. Dedicated workers, proficient creators and pleasant folks.”
“I’ve been in DigiWorldz for over 4 years now. I’ve discovered so many new issues through the years from so lots of the awesomely inventive creators right here in DigiWorldz! As I be taught increasingly more I solely discover that I need to be taught even increasingly more! It’s a lot enjoyable studying, creating various things… what one can create out of a easy sq. prim is astounding. As I be taught every new factor my thoughts soars into outer area and I’ve so many infinite concepts of extra methods to create extra objects and such. It’s solely due to DigiWorldz that I’ve been capable of specific myself in such distinctive methods. I’m in Second Life for over 16 years now and in DigiWorldz for over 4 years. In the quarter of the time that I’ve been in Second Life, I’ve discovered so a lot extra right here in DigiWorldz. I need to specific my honest gratitude to every and everybody of you individuals who have taught me what I do know. I’m not taking away from anybody else in OpenSim that has taught me a number of all the things… I accomplish that recognize the effort and time that everybody has taken to show me various things. I’m so blessed to have the privilege’s of studying from all of you! Onto my subsequent notice which is final however notice least, are my love for my horses right here in DigiWorldz! They all have such distinctive personalities and I really like all the stunning coats they’ve, too. It’s wonderful to me once I get a brilliant uncommon coat! I simply get so excited to see such awesomeness! Noxy! You’re doin’ one heck of an amazing job with them horseys! Keep up the nice work! I commend you for the extraordinarily laborious work that you’ve got put into your horses! Keep on keepin’ on! Huggelz!”
Discovery Grid
“Grid proprietor is at all times working to replace the grid and make it higher. Water connects all areas until you don’t need to be. People are pleasant and welcoming.”
“Myself and my enterprise cut up time between Discovery Grid and Utopia Skye Grid — two of a small handful of grids I really belief, the place grid homeowners aren’t giving area homeowners god mode and aren’t rife with stolen content material like a number of grids listed above. Discovery Grid and Utopia Skye Grid homeowners really care about vetting stolen content material and run high-end tech servers my enterprise requires in order to run.”
Enchanted Grid
“Enchanted Grid was an amazing shock, my first day there I went to an occasion with an enormous end up and we had a whole lot of nice conversations. There are plenty of actually inventive areas, and plenty of engaged pleasant creators – a few of my favourite InWorldz folks! — so I made a decision to get a number of areas. I particularly love the crusing in a Halcyon grid. Very superior.”
“A closed grid, so most content material created by its personal residents.”
“No copybotted [stuff]. It’s an amazing grid with glorious creators.”
“No drama right here, nice tight neighborhood that welcomes new folks.”
“This grid makes use of the identical physics as InWorldz did and total the grid is similar to InWorldz. There are fairly a number of outdated InWorldz residents and I extremely suggest this grid for anybody that was from there.”
FrancoGrid
“Sadly I concern this grid is dropping attraction.”
Kitely
“Any issues are shortly handled by the grid homeowners and greed and drama are uncommon.”
“Best tech assist of any OpenSim grid. The Kitely Market grows steadily and is the simplest place to promote stuff to almost wherever — legally — in the OpenSim grids.”
“Grid is superb, assist is tremendous good, pity that the avatars are very poor which is a remark for OpenSim in normal. Quite some folks I do know left for that reason. Impossible to draw good clothes makers for OpenSim in normal for that reason. Quality of avatars is tremendous essential so long as this problem shouldn’t be dealt with OpenSim gained’t get the actual inflow of individuals. I do know that an effort has been accomplished to get this updated. With all respect go and have a look at the place and examine objectively. It’s significantly substandard.”
“I’ve spent extra time on this OpenSim hypergrid-enabled grid than some other. I’ve had land right here for a number of years. The weekly conferences are a great way to seek out out what’s going on and the neighborhood itself may be very drama free and there are a lot of fantastic, magical locations to go to. The know-how is certainly top-notch for any OpenSim grid. It’s a really energetic grid which is form of stunning since you may’t money out cash — however perhaps that’s a part of the appeal. The areas you go to aren’t simply buying and golf equipment — they’re digital expressions of residents’ creativeness.”
“Ilan Tochner’s assist to Kitely customers is past distinctive. Absolutely wonderful. I imagine he by no means sleeps.”
“Kitely continues to broaden its vary of choices with its megaworld on a devoted server and is now providing megaworlds with 24/7 uptime service, which is a significant change to Kitely’s enterprise mannequin however has apparently paid off. [CEO] Ilan [Tochner] and [co-founder and VP of R&D] Oren [Hurvitz] persistently present glorious assist to repair bugs and reply to person wants and accomplish that with experience and professionalism I don’t see on different grids. Their concentrate on steady service and glorious backend structure is unmatched.”
“Kitely is quick, economical to make use of — i.e. have sims — and has a brilliant supportive neighborhood. Additionally, the Kitely Market is probably the most highly effective and properly stocked one of many metaverse I imagine. Not solely that, however it connects to the entire hypergrid to be able to store it from wherever. Now that was tremendous sensible!”
“Kitely is the most effective at OpenSim. However, OpenSim is yesterday’s know-how. I want Ilan and Oren have been inclined to create the following era in a digital worlds platform.”
“Kitely values in land are nice. Tech assist may be very useful.”
“Let’s face it, all of us got here from the identical place. They supplied small plots of land at an enormous value and had completely no customer support to talk of. They nickel and dimed us for each add and actually, the lag! How a few years in and there’s nonetheless lag? I did a whole lot of analysis earlier than hanging my hat in Kitely. I wished a low value, giant land mass with stability. I wished customer support, good customer support. I wished a market. I wished neighborhood. Kitely has all of that, they checked off all my bins after which some.”
“The sturdy servers Kitely makes use of, and the non-public hands-on from their assist crew is par excellence!”
“We was in Second Life — however discovered Kitely is, in so some ways higher — and getting even higher.”
Metropolis
“This is a tough ranking, butI was as soon as a giant fan of Metropolis Grid. But my feeling now, with no information over months, no solutions from assist even on tickets, I take into account it barely as lifeless. Sad!”
Mobius Grid
“Great gamer neighborhood that welcomes everybody. Cutting edge grid tech and glorious assist for my most important hypergrid retailer.”
My private grid
“Been with DreamGrid for about two years, with this 12 months hypergrid open.”
“I make my princial house on my private DreamGrid since I don’t belief ANY third-party grid to handle my stock.”
OSgrid
“Committed admins and a robust, caring neighborhood make this the grid to name house.”
“I really like OSgrid. It’s the most effective grid in the universe.”
“Nice place to be…”
“OSgrid is the most effective, in my opinion.”
“OSgrid presents many choices, from rented areas to nearly-free self-server lands. It’s most important, critical draw back is not any neighborhood group bulletins, which makes internet hosting occasions tough. It is an experimental grid, not a neighborhood grid — and that’s its weak spot. But in order for you 110 p.c management over your lands, host your individual server on OSgrid. Or… construct your individual grid.”
“I select to make this grid my second house SOLELY as a result of it’s inhabitants is by far the most important, and motion and communication is simpler inside a grid moderately than exterior of it.”
“Why is it so laborious to teleport to go locations?”
Phantom Rose Grid
“Although my grid is non-commercial, I present many 24/7 actions for guests alone or with others. I additionally give out some very good freebies that I make myself or know to be authorized to provide away.”
Sharing is Caring
“This grid is my household, by no means had such fantastic mates.
“This grid shouldn’t be open to public registrations, moderately, it’s invite solely.”
Tangle Grid
“Tangle Grid tries laborious to maintain up to date with the most recent OpenSim software program. They additionally preserve it’s residents up to date through Facebook, MeWe and their own news website. Overall, they top-of-the-line grids I’ve ever lived on. They exit of their strategy to make you are feeling at house. Most grids I’ve been on you by no means see the homeowners — with Tangle Grid this isn’t the case. They’re at all times there with any issues you will have. They even assist with non-grid drawback like pc setups, in case you are having issues logging in. They been round for 9 years and have little or no down time. Region costs are additionally honest and so they supply free land to strive them out.”
Utopia Skye
“As an artist/builder/videographer, it’s a grid I belief. Unlike another grids listed, I’m completely positive that my mental copyrights are revered there.”
“Small however pleasant grid, solely drama comes from the Golden Touch Theater and wonderful particle reveals.”
“Utopia Skye grid is a persistently progressive know-how grid. It’s a holistic, inventive, inventive area the place folks can take pleasure in occasions and constructing. The codebase is maintained by Mike Chase who is without doubt one of the creators of the Sasquatch model of the OpenSim codebase — a model that proves to be very dependable with zero downtime in over three years! While the grid might not boast among the numbers others do, the numbers reported listed below are true numbers and the people who find themselves listed below are loyal and luxuriate in a heat neighborhood. Plus the Golden Touch Theater performs right here and the reveals they placed on are price all the things.”
“Utopia Skye is a small however professionally-run grid. We welcome residents who need to construct a house and create in an surroundings that respects creator IP. You won’t ever discover a ‘freebie’ retailer that provides botted content material that’s been ‘liberated’ from Second Life or wherever else and we work intently with creators to guard their work.”
Wyldwood Bayou
“The neighborhood right here is probably the most welcoming I’ve discovered on the hypergrid.”
“This grid is made for guests who love music, roleplay and exploring.”
“Wyldwood Bayou grid is non-commercial, so no retailers or leases. It is a vacation spot grid, open to hypergridders in order that they will go to, discover, take part in medi-fantasy roleplay at Brigantia or Ravenquest, and attend occasions on the very good music venues–Rockin’ The Blues, Hot Daddy’s, and many others.”
“Wyldwood Bayou is a vacation spot grid with a small however fantastic neighborhood. The grid presents sailable oceans, stunning areas with function play and profitable golf equipment that are primarily based on friendships, and inclusivity in addition to music. Very nice locations to go to right here and fantastic folks to satisfy.”
“Wyldwood has the most effective neighborhood in the metaverse. The music and the roleplay are excellent and you’ll not discover a hotter welcome wherever.”
‘Wyldwood Bayou runs properly and has a welcoming and type neighborhood. They have weekly music occasions with completely different DJs and roleplaying occasions in fae lands.”
Note to grid homeowners
You are free to make use of any of the data from this text in your grid’s web site or in some other promotional supplies, together with the quotes from survey responders. A hyperlink to this text is appreciated however not required. You also can request the uncooked — anonymized — knowledge on your grid by emailing me at [email protected].
https://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2021/10/twelfth-annual-opensim-grid-survey/
