Month: September 2012

Upcoming SL projects update

Posted on by Inara Pey

There is a lot going on in terms of projects and development work in Second Life. The following is a further update on a number of key projects I’ve been following and reporting upon through the pages of this blog.

Group Services Project

The Group Services project is an attempt to improve the management and editing of large SL groups by replacing the current UDP-based service (which has capacity issues with the size of group lists it can comfortably handle) with a new HTTP-based service. The project viewer for this is already available (for Windows, Linux and OSX.), as I reported last week.

This week sees the server-side code rolled-out to all three RC channels (Magnum, LeTigre and BlueSteel), allowing the project viewer to be tested in handling very large groups (significantly larger than are available on Aditi). Note that those running viewers without the new code on any RC region will be unaffected, as they will continue to access the current UDP service.

There are still no timescales as to how long the testing of the service will last (“It’ll take as long as it takes,” Baker commented recently), or when the viewer code will progress beyond the project viewer. However, a number of things should be noted in reference to the eventual roll-out:

  • The viewer code is not being made back-compatible with V1 code by the Lab. Therefore, TPV developers using the V1 code base will have to backport the code themselves in order to use the new service
  • The initial HTTP service roll-out does not include any data compression. This means there will still be some delay in downloading member lists for very large groups with tens of thousands of members
  • Once the new service is rolled-out, which service is used is entirely transparent to the user. If a viewer with the new code is running on a region which has the server-side HTTP service, it will connect to that service. If it is on a region using the older UDP service, it will connect to that service instead
  • Once the HTTP service is fully deployed, viewers which do not implement the viewer-side code will still be able to access groups with member lists up to 10K in size via the UDP service until such time as it is switched off (which will not occur for some time after the HTTP service has been rolled-out). However, attempts to access groups with lists larger than 10K will fail.

Interest Lists and Object Caching

It’s been a while since I’ve reported on Interest Lists Object Caching, which forms a part of the Shining Project.

To recap: when you enter a region at the moment, your viewer receives a huge amount of information on what requires updating, much of it relating to things you can’t even see from your position in the region. This information is received in no particular order, with the familiar result that things appear to rez in your view in a totally random order. Not only that, but the chances are that if you’ve previously visited the region, much of the information being sent to your viewer is already locally cached – but is being ignored. The focus of this project is to both optimise the data being sent to the viewer and the information already cached on the viewer with the aim of significantly improving object rezzing times in terms of speed and order (so objects closer to you rez before those further away, for examples).

Object caching and interest list changes: easing the pain of random rezzing

Andrew Linden had hoped the project would be going to QA this week ready for roll-out to one or more RC channels in the near future, but some last-minute problems popped-up and have delayed things until he can get them sorted out. In the meantime, the code has been deployed to a number of regions on Aditi, and Andrew plans to, “Try to throw a pile of test avatars at it to stress it out. Later this week.” No viewer-side changes are associated with this work.

Materials Processing

Work continues on the project to bring materials processing to Second Life. Last week, it appeared as if the new materials – normal and specular maps – would have their own rotation and positioning options independent of any texture (diffuse) map. This week, it appears that this is the hoped for situation, but the matter is still open to question – which goes to show how fluid the project is.

The new capabilities require changes to the rendering pipeline, and details have been released on some of what this entails.

In order to work, normal and specular maps require what is referred to as per-pixel lighting (as noted in the original blog post on the subject). As such, there has been a debate on whether it would be better to develop a per-pixel lighting framework within the viewer, or work to make the current deferred rendering system more accessible to per-pixel lighting capabilities. As the latter approach will allow getting materials processing working within SL sooner than would otherwise be the case, it has been decided to go that route. Thus work is focused on making the current lighting system more configurable and able to better handle a broad range of material types (metallic, matte, plastic, etc.), together with adding support for both per-object and per material shading differences.

However, a dedicated per-pixel lighting framework does offer advantages of its own, and as such is being considered as a possible future extension to the project, which may be implemented at some point down the road. One such advantage is that could potentially be run in a non-deferred mode, which might lightening the load on older graphics systems.

Please use the page numbers below to continue reading

Pages: 1 2

Linden Lab announces Creatorverse and Patterns

Posted on by Inara Pey

Update, October 9th, 2014: Linden Lab announced that development work on Patterns has been discontinued.

Updated February 19th, 2014: Linden Lab has discontinued Creatorverse, therefore link to its website have been removed.

Linden Lab has today announced the first two of its new products, Creatorverse and Patterns. coming after a year of speculation which started at SLCC-2011 in August last year when Rod Humble announced that the company would be diversifying its product stream,

Both of the new products  go some way towards revealing the directions in which the company is heading aside from the continued development of Second Life.

Creatorverse

Creatorverse is described as a “Simple, shared 2D creative space” which will be available on the iPad. The basic idea is that users create whatever they wish – pictures, puzzles, games, etc, and then place them in the creatorverse universe, where others can download them, add to them and re-share.

A Creatorverse screen shot (copyright Linden Lab)

As with in-world building in Second Life, Creatorverse appears to use simple and complex shapes which can be dragged and dropped into the application and combined to create more complex elements, forms and shapes which can in turn be animated. There is a website associated with the new product, and the Lab’s press release includes a video overview of the product, narrated by Rod Humble. It has been submitted to the Apple Appstore and should be available in the next few weeks.

Patterns

Patterns first came to prominence in July of this year,  when it appeared that the official Linden Research website was being prepared for a re-vamp (which has subsequently happened – see below). At the time, it wasn’t clear if “Patterns” was indeed a new product or simply a placeholder in a proposed new web design (interestingly, and in something of a repeat of events surrounding Linden lab’s “other” leaked product, dio, the images relating to the proposed site redesign vanished shortly after the news broke). The press release describes Patterns thus:

Patterns is a new 3D creative environment to explore and shape, where you can build large-scale structures that reach the sky, bridges that traverse chasms, and more, all while the pull of gravity challenges your construction techniques. Soon, we’ll share more details with a video trailer, and adventurous early adopters will be able to get the ‘genesis release’ (our first public build), help shape the development of Patterns by providing feedback and suggestions, and get their names added to the credits as founders.

While the Linden Research website adds:

Imagine a 3D universe of creativity… Explore caverns and valleys, while you harvest substances with real world densities. Build large scale structures that reach the sky or bridges that traverse chasms. Challenge real-world physics to see which creations will tumble — or withstand — the power of gravity.  It’s your universe to shape. Interestingly, and in difference to Creatorverse, there is no mention of any specific platform for Patterns. Whether this is indicative of it being available for platforms other than the iPad (the only platform mentioned in reference to Creatorverse) remains to be seen.

Revamped Corporate Website

Alongside the announcement, Linden Research have launched a new, much slicker, corporate website, which places equal emphasis on both Second Life and the two upcoming new releases – with plenty of room for further products to be added over time.

Part of the revamped Linden Research website

The website still includes an opportunity to sign-up for the company’s beta programme for new products, which I reported on at the start of the year thanks to a nudge from Daniel Voyager, although the sign-up page itself has also been given the once-over.

Initial Thoughts

While it is hard to judge either product from what is seen in this release and on the websites, it would appear that perhaps they are aimed at different age groups. Creatorverse in particular would seem at first glance to be the kind of activity that might find appeal amount younger people and could even be used as something as a learning tool to encourage children to interact with tablet devices (or at least (initially?)  the iPad). Certainly, it would seem to be something one could see parents and children playing with together. Obviously, a large part of this observation is based purely on the graphics shown within the screen captures and the video; the reality of the product might will be something else entirely.

Patterns appears – again on the basis of the screen shot and web text – to be somewhat more involved, and thus potentially aimed at an older audience. Both products certainly appear to build on concepts found within Second Life, such as building complex, potentially interactive creations using relatively primitive building blocks. As I’m not an iPad owner, I doubt I’ll get an opportunity to play with Creatorverse.

If for no other reason than this, I hope that Patterns will be more widely available for those of us who have not taken a bite from the Apple. And if it is intended for mobile use, I hope LL takes account of the fact that Android is increasingly enjoying the lion’s share of the mobile market. Nevertheless, the news is now out – and with at least one, if not two more products also in the offing, times are certainly about to get interesting when Linden Lab is concerned.

A PrimPossible Update

Posted on by Inara Pey

I don’t usually run product reviews (as I’ve mentioned in the past!) – and am unlikely to start. For one thing, others do it so much better than I. For another, I actually don’t tend to buy that much nowadays; nigh-on six years in SL with this avie, and I have an inventory which would probably terrify me were not 3/4s of it packed away…

However, I’ve been in love with Ample Clarity’s PrimPossible range for a good while now, and I decided in my wanderings to go take a peek at what he’s been up to of late. Turns out, rather a lot!

For those of you unfamiliar with the Ample’s work, he specialises in producing comprehensive furniture suites and other items using a single sculpt, offering tremendous value for those operating on a land impact budget. I’ve used Ample’s furnishings extensively – notably in my Linden Home, where they are of huge benefit in allowing me to have a comfortable set-up with a minimal prim outlay (allowing me to “mod” the house somewhat.

The PrimPossible store with a demonstrator of the new sim extender in the foreground

One of the new offerings from Ample is an “all-in-one” sim surround, which provides a customisable mountain range to surround a region which features 24 different mountain shapes and 476 different textures to produce a range of finished effects. It can fully sround a sim, or be set to display on just or or two sides. I’m personally ambivalent about sim extenders – while they can dramatically improve the vista surrounding a private sim, I’m not altogether sure they also don’t cause viewer issues to varying degrees; I certainly appear to encounter more issues on sims employing extenders than I do with those that do not. Whether this is indicative of a real problem, or something with my system, I’ve no idea. However, this offering from Ample appears to provide a very tidy option to those who wish to extend the view around their sim with a potentially flexible means of doing so which doesn’t limit them to a single layout / style. More on this item can be found on Ample’s SL Marketplace store.

It’s really Primpossible furniture that I’m in love with.  As noted above, I use Ample’s furniture in my Linden Home;  the only reason it’s not in use in my primary SL home at the mo is that it doesn’t quite suit the design of my skyhome – although that’ll likely change the next time the building itch strikes!.

In the meantime, Ample has extended his range of suites and set-ups, and one at least has alredy caught my eye and got me thinking about home changes so that I can fit it in! This is the indoor / outdoor corner sofa, a 5-seat unit with over 1,000 texture options, allowing it to be used – as the name suggests – indoors or outdoors. As with all of Ample’s lounge suites, it is powered by the AVsitter engine, and it includes 190 sit, cuddle, dance, and other animations.

The new indoor/outdoor sofa

I’ve also previously covered Ample’s kitchen range which helps to complete a home. He’s now in the process of bringing out a bathroom suite as well, for those who like their homes fully and realistically furnished. Comprising a bath, washbasin, loo and even a toilet roll, the suite is sculpted from a single prim and includes a range of washing animations. I’m not personally into bathrooms or kitchens within SL myself, but I’m aware Ample’s kitchens are already very popular; once the bathroom suite is formally launched, I’m guessing it will also find popularity.

Coming soon: the new bathroom suite

As well as furnishing, etc., Ample also produces what amounts to a “one stop” potted plant. A single prim plant and pot which you can set to any one of 114 different plants, and also re-texture the pot itself to one of 16 different styles – and both plant and pot can be resized. At L$100 per flower, this provides a means to quickly and relatively inexpensively have indoor plants which you can change to suit your mood and / or the season (a copy version is also available on the Marketplace at L$800).

I’m an unabashed fan of Ample’s work, and I’m happy to admit so. I love his fully featured grand piano – which is a hard thing to say after my long love affair with Persephone Milk’s beautiful Musical Alchemy concert grand. Ample’s own top-of-the-range concert grand is simply a wonder, and I love having it gracing either of my homes (it’s “on show” at the Linden Home right now, but liable to bounce back to my little sky home soon!).

My PrimPossible Linden Home: downstairs I have a primpossible lounge suite complete with tables, books, lamp and rug, concert grand and plant – all one prim piece; upstairs a bedroom suite with bead, bedside tables and lamp, etc., and a further sofa – all at 1 prim apiece

For those who haven’t tried Ample’s work, whether or not prim counts / land impact ceilings are an issue, I really do recommend you take a look. I doubt you’ll be disappointed. Not only are his items very well made and represent really good value, I can – as I’ve mentioned in a previous piece on his work – speak from first-hand experience of his superb customer care. In fact, I’ve little doubt I’ll be back at his store in a couple of days to pick up that indoor / outdoor sofa, which is calling to me even as I write this!

Related Links

Group tools: giving notice to people

Posted on by Inara Pey

Group Tools is a Windows client for Second Life specifically designed for those who need to send out group notices or IM messages simultaneously across a number of groups.

Rather than having to create individual notices for each group, or copy & paste a message multiple times into different group IM sessions, Group Tools allows you to set up a single message (with attachments, if required) as a notice, as an IM or both, to all groups you have determined should receive the information. As such, the client is aimed towards people like entertainers, large event organisers, venue owners, and so on, who may operate multiple groups which need to receive the same information, or are members of multiple groups to which they frequently send the same information.

To achieve its goals, Group Tools is designed to be used with an alt account, which is treated as an in-world bot for the sending of messages. So to make effective use of the client, you will either require an alt account which can be used in this way, or create one specifically for use with Group Tools. The bot itself needs to be a member of all the groups to which you regularly send IMs and notices (ans will require permission to send out notices in the case of the latter), and be logged into SL via Group Tools in order to send messages as required. To add flexibility, Group Tools includes the concept of an “Operator’s Group”, which allows those you trust to be able to send out notices / IMs through the bot (they do not need to be running Group Tools).

Account Registration

Group Tools is unusual in that it requires an account registration process and a licence fee payment in order to be used. The registering account should be your main account, which is used to manage your bots, and not any account you intend to use as a bot. Accounts are registered in-world at the Group Tools office.

Licence fees can be purchased on an in perpetuity basis (one payment only) or on a monthly renewable basis. For those wishing to try-out Group Tools, a free one week trail period is available, which provides access to Group Tools in full. Licence prices can be found on the Group Tools website, as can the Privacy Policy, which is a recommended read.

Registration will also supply you with a sample notecard which can be used as a template to help with formatting your own message notecards.

Once you have registered, you’re ready to download Group Tools (if you’ve not already done so), and set-up your bot(s).

Download and Install

The Group Tools download .EXE is 7.56Mb in size, and should install OK once downloaded. However, issues have been reported using Norton Internet Security, and guidelines have been posted on the Group Tools website for those who may encounter similar problems.

Control Centre

Group Tools comprises two parts: the Control Centre, used to set-up bots and log them into Second Life, and the Client Window, where specific operations can be carried out.

Launching Group Tools displays the Control Centre screen which you use to define your bot(s). Bots are set-up using the account name / password for an SL account and linking them to the registered  Master account. Account names are entered with a period between the first and last name, not a space (i.e. “Inara.Pey”, not “Inara Pey”).

Control Centre screen as it appears before any bots have been defined

Once this initial information has been entered, SAVE BOT should be clicked. This will create a dedicated bot account within Group Tools, complete with a Group Tools-specific password, which is quite separate to the bot’s SL password (and so cannot be used to log-in to SL with the bot via other means). Clicking SAVE BOT will also refresh the Control Centre screen to display a SETTINGS button next to the bot’s name. Clicking on this opens a tabbed panel (below), allowing further options to be set for the bot.

Updated log-in screen for a saved bot

The Settings tab comprises options to:

  • Set a default log-in location for the bot when using Group Tools
  • Allow the bot to automatically sit on a defined prim (useful if the bot is logged-in to a busy area and you do not what it to be an obstacle to traffic – just supply the UUID of the prim on which the bot is to sit)
  • Assign the bot to an Operators Group – see below.
  • Set whether or not Group Tools should start and log-in to SL using the bot whenever you start Windows.

The Misc tab allow you to set various options, including:

  • Whether or not the bot can accept friendship offers from anyone or just from operators
  • Whether the bot can use money
  • An automatic IM reply sent in response to incoming IMs
  • How inventory offers are received by the bot.

Once you have set / changed any of these options for a bot, make sure you click SAVE BOT to ensure the settings are correctly stored by Group Tools.

Continue reading “Group tools: giving notice to people” →

Viewer release summary 2012: week 37

Posted on by Inara Pey

This summary is published every Monday and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:

  • It is based on my Viewer Round-up Page, a list of  all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware) and which are recognised as being in adherence with the TPV Policy
  • By its nature, this summary will always be in arrears
  • The Viewer Round-up Page is updated as soon as I’m aware of any releases / changes to viewers & clients, and should be referred to for more up-to-date information as the week progresses
  • The Viewer Round-up Page also includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog.  

Updates for the week ending: 16 September, 2012

  • SL Viewer updates:
    • Beta version rolled to 3.4.0.264601 on September 12 – release notes
    • Development: rolled to 3.3.5.264693 on September 13
  • Dolphin issued 3.3.20.24775 on September 16 – core updates: bug fixes including OOC closing correctly, use of “:” as umlaut when using MU* pose “:”, landmarks open from notecards correctly; new features including Groups list show number of used / free group slots; Groups hidden from profile display (when viewed by others) shown in yellow; Mac OSX build now digitally signed; RenderVolumeLOD defaults to 4.0 for High graphics; “All Friends” can now be hidden on Friends List; AO folder only created when client AO used; Object highlighting when editing can be turned off/on via ALT-H
  • Cool Viewer:
    • Stable branch rolled to 1.26.4.30 on September 15- core updates: Add fast timers from V3 backport; implemented toggleable, dual code paths for llTargetOmega() angles tracking; workaround for MultipleUpdate message bug on OpenSim
    • Experimental release rolled  to 1.26.5.9 also on September 15 – core updates as per 1.26.4.30, plus: Added the v3.4 renderer specific fast timers; Enabled invisiprims rendering in deferred rendering mode (Advanced->Rendering->Deferred Rendering menu); Fixed old style mini-map dots rendering issue (also fixes OpenGL compatibility context issue, speeding up deferred rendering)
    • Release notes for both
  • Singularity rolled to 1.7.2.2956 on September 16 – core updates: “crash fixes” (awaiting details) – release notes
  • GroupTools rolled to installer release 2.2.12.0 on September 16

Related Links

An Enigmatic adventure

Posted on by Inara Pey

Note: This region has closed.

SS Enigmatic is a relatively new role-play venue within Second Life which also offers the opportunity for the adventurous to explore. It’s something of a post-apocalyptic scenario, set in the near future (2073)  following the Earth being rendered uninhabitable as a result of a NEO (near-Earth object), too large to have been diverted from its orbital track, having impacted with the planet. Those who survived the extinction level event now live aboard a gigantic space station, the Enigmatic, occupying Lunar orbit.

Space Station Enigmatic

Enigmatic was never designed to sustain such a large population of refugees over so long a period of time, and in the 30 years since the destruction of the Earth, and despite an operational presence on the surface of the Moon (the resources of which were used to construct the station), it is falling into disrepair – and perhaps its inhabitants are falling into anarchy. While the station has a command structure and attempts are being made to establish a greater presence on the surface of the Moon, many of the people living in the station are more concerned with entertaining themselves in the station’s clubs and gaming halls. Not that they are invulnerable to the general failings of the station.So much so that when injury occurs, it is often easier to simply replace the injured or damaged parts with cyborg replacements rather than using organic means and more familiar surgery.

Looking out over the station

A further reason for the station’s disrepair is due to the presence of an uncommunicative race of aliens. Where they came from is unknown, nor is their intent – although some feel they are a form of intergalactic scavenger. With their own mothership now a wreck on the Lunar surface, they have declared what amounts to war on the station and the human outposts on the Moon. In this, both sides seem evenly pitted, and neither has – so far – gained the upper hand.

The presence of the aliens has caused a rapid, if basic arming of the station, with equipment being pressed into use aboard ships and a handful of fighters being available to fight-off the incursion attempts by the aliens. Even so, being outside the station or away from defended areas on the surface of the Moon can invite attack. In retaliation, humans have attempted to enter the crippled alien mothership in the hope of stopping the aliens in their attempts to destroy the Enigmatic and surface installations – but the attempts have not ended well…

Lunar installation

As a role-play / entertainment venue, SS Enigmatic is in its early days, which potentially makes this the ideal time to join-up and help get things moving, if role-play is your interest. The station itself is big, very big, and the lunar installations make an interesting visit. At the arrivals area, you can pick up a freebie space suit, weapon, combat HUD and assorted cards providing background on the role-play, the station and a lot more.

Photo Competition

As well as the role-play, the station has two clubs, a bowling alley and mall open to players and visitors alike. The organisers are also promoting an artist-in-residence exhibition, and to encourage further interest, a photograph competition. The rules for the latter are straightforward, as posted in the Enigmatic blog:

From now until Oct 7, 2012 the SS Enigmatic will be holding a photo contest. All images must be taken on the SS Enigmatic Sim. Images may or may not include avatars. A variety of styles of shots is encouraged, scenery, action, romance (keep it clean!) depicting life and the environment on the sim. The winner will be awarded L$5000 Linden dollars.

Please see more contest information and photo submission location at http://www.flickr.com/groups/ssenigmatic_photocontest/ , the contest rules page on this blog, or contact Sonrisa Seminario in world for more information.

Entrants should note that under the terms of competition, all entries become the property of the SS Enigmatic organisers, and may be used in promotional material related to the region (but will not be re-sold). Entrants retain the IP to their submissions and the right to use them as they wish.

Thoughts and Feedback

SS Enigmatic is an interesting idea that combines several facets designed to both encourage role-play and general exploration. Players are currently being sought and those interested should contact Sonrisa Seminario or Staryie Furyo (if interested in renting one of the residences or mall space). Available roles cover civilian and military positions on the station, although everyone starts as a civilian. There is even room for intrigue and espionage as alien sympathizers or spies. Players can be human or cyborg, and cyborg avatars are for sale in the arrivals area.

Exploring the station can be fun – although if I were to have one criticism at all, it is in the over-use of glow / full bright in areas of the station’s interior, which can easily white-out detail.

Piloting a fighter

Combat with the alien ships can be frenetic, and I do recommend that when flying a fighter / engaging the alien ships, you consider turning off lighting & shadows, etc., as these can significantly slow viewer response down and make hitting targets a bit of a pain. All combat is unmetered, although a free HUD is supplied for those wishing to use it.

Overall, an interesting and fun place to visit – just make sure you wear a spacesuit when outside of the station and that you carry a weapon! For the former, I used my own outfit (Jackie Graves’ brilliant Gravity outfit), although airlocks appear keyed to the use of the supplied suits. The particle gun is recommended, as the aliens can be quite persistent in their attacks! Those looking for a new role-play / combat environment with a sci-fi theme should certainly give SS Enigmatic a look.

Breaching the mothership

Related Links