Open Wonderland is a toolkit for creating 3D virtual worlds for education and collaboration. This talk focuses on the use of Open Wonderland for distributed software development, detailing the suite of collaborative tools that support each of the different activities involved in the software development process.

1. A Tool for
Collaborative Software Development
Nicole Yankelovich
Open Wonderland Foundation
WonderBuilders, Inc.
nicole@wonderbuilders.com

2. What is Open Wonderland (OWL)?
100% Java, free, open-source toolkit for
creating 3D immersive virtual worlds
Copyright 2013, Open Wonderland Foundation 2

3. Build Worlds for...
Simulation
Collaboration with Live Docs
Mixed-Reality Interactions
3D Data Visualization and Analysis Integrating with Real World
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4. Education and Training
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5. Modules for Extensibility Module
• Modules akin to “plug-ins” for adding Code
Artwork
apps and other functionality to OWL Scripts
Assembled worlds
• Mechanism for packaging & sharing Other resources
OWL extensions written in Java
> Can contain code, artwork, audio,
scripts, web management and web services
> Also world configurations for sharing whole worlds
> Deliver art assets via embedded HTTP server
> Packaged as archive (jar) files
• Modules can depend on other modules
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6. Modules can add Apps
• Multi-user, interactive 2D apps
Whiteboard Firefox Screen Sharer Webcam Viewer
• Interactive 3D apps 2D + 3D Combined
Audio Recorder Mic Twitter Feed Portal
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7. Modules can add Capabilities
• Capabilities are functionality that can
be applied to any in-world object
• Each can optionally include a property
sheet
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8. Capability Examples
• Audio: Add recorded audio or audio stream
• Container: Group objects; inherit properties
• Portal: Teleport to new location
• EZScript: Add scripting to any object
2
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9. Modules can add Menu items
• New functionality appears in menu hierarchy
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10. Wonderland Module Warehouse
• Browse
apps &
features
• Share
• Comment
• Rate
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11. Web-based Admin Console
• Add / remove modules from web UI
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12. Case Studies, Activities, and Tools
• Look at two case studies of OWL use for
collaborative software development
> Subsnapshots Project
• Export objects
> Postcards Code-a-thon
• In-world screenshots
• Used a wide range of collaboration tools to support
full range of software development activities
> Planning, coding, debugging, testing, documenting, ...
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13. Case Study – “Subsnapshot” Project
• Collaborative module
development project
• Any developer in the open
source community was
invited to participate in live
weekly meetings
• All meetings held in OWL
• Main purpose
> Help educate developers so more could contribute to
project, help fix bugs, and add new features
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14. SubSnapshot Sessions
• Logistics
> All participants remote
> 2-3 times per month; 1 hour
> Averages 8-12 participants
> September 2010 – May 2011
• Learning Community
> No formal instructor
> OWL architect defacto leader
> Participants take turns driving
> Focus on understanding, good
coding practices, not speed
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15. Case Study - “Postcard” Code-a-thon
• Intensive three-day event to create a module
• Participants came from US, Canada, and several
European countries
• Run by a small organizing committee
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16. Postcards
• New feature that allows
virtual world users to
take and send pictures.
• Uses a virtual camera to
set up shot; simple UI to
compose a message and
specify how to share
• Differences:
> Intensive sessions
> Involved more UI design
> Non-developers involved
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17. Project Space Setup
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18. Activities & Tools
• Before/between sessions
> Live in-world planning mtgs.
> Asynchronous collaboration
• Google Wave, Google
Drive, OWL Forum, Facebook
> Setting up the environment
> Installing new code on
community server
> Testing
• During the live sessions
> Synchronous collaboration with high fidelity audio
> Suite of collaboration tools support variety of activities
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19. Activity: Brainstorming
Tool: Drag-and-drop Images
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20. Activity: Organizing / User Stories
Tool: Card Wall
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21. Activity: Planning & Design
Tool: Multi-user Whiteboard
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22. Activity: Planning Poker & Voting
Tool: Voting Tool
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23. Activity: Consulting the Web
Tool: Firefox
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24. Activity: Collaborative Coding
Tool: NetBeans
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25. Activity: Collaborative Debugging
Tool: Shared Terminal
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26. Activity: Note Taking
Tool: Sticky Notes
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27. Activity: Doc & Desktop Sharing
Tools: DropBox, VNC Viewer
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28. Activity: Documentation
Tools: PDF Viewer / Google Drive
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29. Activity: Unit Testing
Tools: NetBeans, Image Viewer
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30. Activity: Testing the Code
Tool: SubSnapshot Module
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31. Activity: Testing on Remote Server
Tools: VNC, Screen Sharer
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32. Activity: Documenting the Project
Tools: Facebook, Screen Sharer
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33. Lessons Learned
• Benefits:
> Real work accomplished in
the virtual world
> Multiple simultaneous activities
> Participants highly engaged
> Strong relationships developed
> Agile techniques worked
remotely
• Challenges:
> Time zones
> Doing sufficient pre-work to set up the necessary tools
Copyright 2013, Open Wonderland Foundation 33

34. For More Information
• WonderBuilders
> http://WonderBuilders.com
> Custom worlds, consulting
• Open Wonderland
> http://OpenWonderland.org
• WonderBlog
> http://blogs.openwonderland.org
nicole@wonderbuilders.com
• Facebook
> http://facebook.com/openwonderland
• Twitter
> http://twitter.com/openwonderland
> use hashtag: #openwonderland
Copyright 2013, Open Wonderland Foundation 34