Month: October 2013

Firestorm 4.5.1: living in a materials world

Posted on by Inara Pey

firestorm-logoThe long-awaited Firestorm update has arrived in the form of Firestorm 4.5.1.38838. And for windows, it comes in both 32-bit and 64-bit flavours. If you’ve read my recent interview with members of the Firestorm team, or the transcript of the Firestorm Q & A held on October 26th, you’ll know both versions essentially have the same functionality, although there are some slight differences, which I’ll come to anon.

As far as the 32-bit release is concerned, however, there are a few  of up-front notes to be read:

  • It is a beta release, not a “final” release. What does this mean? Essentially that it is coming out with both new functionality and with a fair few bugs, some of which may well continue to irritate while others people should be able to live with
  • The reason it is not a “final” release is that there is a lot more coming down the pipe from Linden Lab – additional SSA + inventory work, further viewer-side interest list updates, new HTTP updates, group ban functionality, and so on. However, none of this has been officially released by LL, and so while it has been hoped to bring to users in a 4.5.1 release, the Firestorm team have (wisely) opted to draw a line under what they have and clear the decks for the next round of code integration and updates (which will also hopefully resolve a number of the more irritating bugs to be found in the viewer – any viewer – where things like inventory, interest list work, etc., is concerned)
  • Although the release is “beta” it is fully supported by the Firestorm support volunteers.

These releases see Firestorm reach parity with the Linden Lab 3.6.7 code base, and all fixes up to that release. What follows here is not intended as an in-depth review of Firestorm 4.5.1.38838, but rather an overview of what is likely to be the more popular features and updates and a look at some aspects of the Windows 64-bit version. This being the case, please also check the release notes / change log for a full list of updates and all attributions thereof.

Download and Installation – 32 bit

It is strongly recommended that users perform a clean install of the new release. For Windows users, this means ensuring you remove the Firestorm folders found in C:\Users\[username]\AppData – under the Local and Roaming folders respectively, as well as uninstalling the program. Do make sure you use the settings back-up option (Preferences > Backup) to back-up your settings prior to uninstalling your current version of Firestorm and deleting these two additional folders.

The 32-bit installer weighs-in at just over 44MB in size, which is pretty much par for the course for Firestorm, and (for me) installation was smooth and didn’t trigger any AVG Pro alerts.

Once started, I noted this release appears to follow the menu bar colour scheme introduced by the Lab alongside of their updated viewer release process. Rather than being the default Firestorm colour, the menu bar is tinged a deep purple, indicating it is a beta release.

CHUI Updates

As Firestorm already had a communications interface which does much of what Linden Lab’s Communications Hub User Interface (CHUI) does, Firestorm does not implement CHUI in its entirety, although some features have been added. These include:

  • Block tab added to the people panel
  • Support for showing/hiding timestamp and names, replacing own name with (You)
  • Added expandable chat entry fields (Firestorm specific improvements made by Cinder Roxley)
  • A new menu item, Comm > Conversation Log (see below)
  • Access to Conversation Log and Chat History from the People floater
  • Sounds for teleport and inventory offers.

Conversation Log

The conversation log allows you to review saved logs of past conversations from within the viewer. As noted above, options can be accessed via the Comm menu or via the People floater.

The Firestorm 4.5.1 Conversation Log floater
The Firestorm 4.5.1 Conversation Log floater

Using Comm > Conversation Log opens a floater listing all available conversation logs. Right-clicking on any name in the list will display a series of options: IM, view profile, offer teleport (if the person is online), etc.

Open Chat Transcript will open up the conversation history with that person in a viewer floater, or if you prefer, Open Chat Transcript Externally will display the conversation history with that person in an external application such as Windows Notepad. These options are also available from the gear cog button at the top right of the floater, while the button next to it allows you to sort the order in which logs are displayed and access the Nearby Chat history.

When using the People floater, right-clicking on an individual’s name will display an option to view your chat history (if available) with them within the viewer. If there is not available history, the option will not be displayed.

Export / Back-up and Import

Firestorm becomes the latest in a number of TPVs to include the capability for users to back-up or export their own creations to their hard drive. Version 4.5.1 provides two file formats for this:

  • .OXP format for backing-up your own creations – which can include prims, textures, sounds, animations and note cards
  • .DAE format (Collada) for exporting objects as mesh.

Both options will export objects and their textures (the .DAE export code is from Singularity), and both are fully compliant with the Second  Life permissions system, meaning:

  • Objects must belong to you, and all parts made by you or export will fail.
  • All textures on the object must be in your inventory, and be made by you. This includes sculpt maps
  • If you are not the creator of any element in an object, it will be replaced by the default when saving to your hard disk (so any prims you did not create will be replaced by a default cube, for example)
  • Any items contained inside the object (e.g. scripts, notecards, etc) must also be made by you
  • Back-up cannot be used to save mesh objects or objects containing mesh parts.
Back-up (l) to .OXP format and export (to Collada .DAE) from Firestorm
Back-up (l) to .OXP format and export to Collada .DAE (r)  from Firestorm. Note that as I am attempting to back-up / export an object which uses textures I did not create, Exportable Textures is set to 0 – on saving the file, the three  textures in the object will be replaced with the default plywood texture

Objects which have been backed-up should be imported using the Import Linkset option via the Avatar / Build > Upload menu. Objects exported as Collada .DAE files can be uploaded using the mesh importer.

To initiate a back-up or export, right-click on the object in question in-world and select Save As > Backup or Save As > Collada as required (if you’re using the pie menu: right-click and More > More > Save As and select the required option). The required dialogue floater is displayed – please then follow the Instructions on the Firestorm wiki.

When importing a back-up, it’s worth noting the following:

  • Importing a backed-up object
    Importing a backed-up object

    If you back-up a textured object to your hard-drive, note that as long as you have the textures in your inventory, you do not have to re-upload them when importing the object once more. Therefore, you can leave Upload unchecked and avoid paying to re-upload the textures. Once the object has been uploaded, the texture will be applied from your inventory

  • If the object contains textures, sounds or animations which have been completely flushed from your inventory since the object was backed-up, you will either need to check the Upload box on the importer and pay to re-upload them as a part of the import, or import them separately
  • You can opt to restore the imported object to the same region co-ordinates as recorded when it was backed-up (use with care) and opt not to have the object re-attach itself to you if it was originally attached when backed-up.

Materials Processing

Full materials processing support (diffuse, normal and specular maps) are included with this release. See my article on materials processing if you’re not already familiar with it. Or if you prefer, simply watch the video.

Movelock

Movelock is designed to provide a means of “replacing” avatar phantom (which no longer works as a result of other changes within LL’s viewer code) as a means of deterring people from trying to push your avatar around (such as when you’re afk, or simply because they are being an 18-karat wombat).

It uses LSL through the Firestorm bridge in order to try to “lock” your avatar wherever it stands (although you can still move around yourself with Movelock is enabled – it comes into play when others try to bump you around).

Movelock can be activated via Avatar > Movement > Movelock or by CTRL-ALT-P, or through the Movelock toolbar button. Once enabled, your avatar can still be pushed by other avatars and objects, but will return to its prior position when the pushing ceases. North, who coded the feature, produced a video on her early work with Movelock, demonstrating it in action.

Again, this isn’t the same functionality as avatar phantom,  but will hopefully act as a deterrent to those who insist on shoving others around.

New Particle Capabilities Support

This release of Firestorm includes the “new” particle system capabilities, comprising:

Arton Rotaru has produced a video demonstrating the ribbon particle effect to create tyre tracks left by a vehicle.

Particle Griefing Alleviation

Note that these new particle capabilities include the ability to right-click on a particle stream / any rendered particles and mute their associated emitter, effectively blocking them. This can greatly simplify dealing with unwanted particle effects, such as during a particle griefing attack be eliminating the need to find the actual emitters and muting them. Also, as part of a general anti-griefing measure, particles will automaitcally cease rendering if FPS drops below 4 (both of these are Linden Lab improvements).

Continue reading “Firestorm 4.5.1: living in a materials world” →

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War of the Worlds returns to Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Two years ago, Seanchai library and friends set themselves a towering goal: to re-create one of the most famous radio events in history. One which, legend has it, caused panic across the United States as that great nation, like the world at large, suffered its share of pre-war jitters.

Orson Welles’ adaptation of H.G Wells’ allegorical classic, War of the Worlds sits in the annals of history as one of the most remarkable adaptations ever undertaken of a work of fiction – even though it would appear that some of the panic it was said to have caused at the time was perhaps not quite so widespread as later claimed. As such a famous piece, it has down the years frequently been recreated in various forms; not that this popularity has made it any easier a broadcast to recreate in any medium.

WotW 2013Staged in time for Halloween 2011, the Seanchai Library’s adaptation, however, was nothing short of marvellous. So much so that additional performances had to be scheduled.

Now, on Friday November 1st, 2013 at 17:00 SLT, the Avatar Repertory Theatre will be staging a single performance of War of the Worlds at their New Theatre at Cookie. The performance  will see several of the cast from Seanchai Library’s 2011 production return to the microphone, together with a host of new (to the play) voices from ART.

As with the Seanchai Library production, the ART performance will be taking place with the blessings of the estate of Howard Koch who, with writing partner Anne Froelich, wrote the original 1938 script.

Caledonia Skytower, who directed things in 2011, will be producing this very special performance to mark the 75th anniversary of Welles’ original Mercury Theatre production, which went out over the airwaves on October 30th 1938. In it, Welles transferred the events of the novel in both setting  and time from England in the late 19th century to New Jersey and New York in 1939.

Welles during his October 30th 1938 broadcast
Welles during his October 30th 1938 broadcast

Producing the show as well as performing in it, Welles is said to have deliberately structured his adaptation so that the first “news broadcast” from Grover’s Mill, New Jersey, would occur some 12 minutes into the show, knowing full well that it was around that time that those listening to NBC Radio’s The Chase and Sandborn Hour would frequently re-tune their radios to listen to his Mercury Theatre on CBS. Thus, they would immediately be caught-up in the drama as if it were real-life events unfolding before them through their radios – a move which perhaps worked a little too well, as subsequent real life events would demonstrate.

The ART production will feature the voice talents of Kayden Oconnell, Corwyn Allen, MadameThespian Underhill, Ada Radius, Avajean Westland, Sodovan Torak, Em Jannings, Thundergass Menges, and will also include dynamic effects. Because of the latter, and in order for lag in general to be reduced as far as possible, members of the audience are asked to refrain from wearing heavily scripted attachments, to remove HUDS and meters, prior to arrival, etc.

The performance is free to attend, although donations are welcome.  I’ll likely see you there!

Join the cast of ART on Friday November 1st at 17:00 SLT to mark the 75th anniversary of Orson Wells' War of the Worlds broadcast
Join the cast of ART on Friday November 1st at 17:00 SLT to mark the 75th anniversary of Orson Wells’ War of the Worlds broadcast

H.G. Wells and Orson Welles met only once in real life, and that was after the infamous 1938 broadcast. However, in 2008, a group of students from the Vancouver Film School presented a short film which brought the two men together in a fictional 1938 radio interview, the events of which just might have given Orson Welles a certain seed of inspiration. I’ll leave you with it in order to further whet your appetite.

Related Links

Visiting a Tudor Rose

Posted on by Inara Pey

I’ve been a little behind things of late due to a project elsewhere taking up a large portion of my time and RL in general being somewhat awkward in its scheduling of things. So there are a few SL Destinations pending a write-up, including another Halloween theme or two which may or may or now seen the light of day. If they don’t my apologies to the creators concerned, both for my failure to get them blogged and because when I do make it in-world, I get totally distracted.

For the latter, you can blame Honour :). You see, I love castles; a good deal of my time has been spent travelling around England and Scotland visiting castles and the ruins of castles, so when Honour blogs about a castle I’ve not seen in SL, then that was it as far as the day’s plans were concerned; I was off to see for myself.

Tudor Rose
Tudor Rose

And Tudor Rose, with its castle, cathedral and waterfront, is certainly worth seeing. It has been developed by Amas Veritas (ppeapod) on behalf of region owner Elizabeth I (Elizabetth Chester), and the Whiteraven group. About Land provides the background to the region:

The setting is north of London along the Thames River to a castle that has been occupied by King and Queens alike for over 900 years, the Elizabeth castle.

This beautiful kingdom is a stage for councils, state ceremonies, summit politics, important feasts and Renaissance dances rich in culture.  A place where Queen Elizabeth I takes respite from the hectic life of court in London in this country retreat.

Tudor Rose
Tudor Rose

I admit that I wasn’t aware that the Thames ran north from London, nor did I realise the lands north of that great city were quite so hilly (the region has a near-mountainous surround on all sides); but this really is nit-picking on my part. What we’re presented with here is plenty to appreciate, enjoy and photograph.

Tudor Rose can be split into a number of distinct areas. The castle itself sits on an island on the north-east side of the region. To the west and south of it lies a small waterfront town, dominated by the huge bulk of a cathedral . Here can be found an inn, a quayside with two ships alongside and a slipway where a third vessel is under construction, its hull looking ready to be tar-sealed. Together the castle the cathedral with its entourage of houses and places of business make up the focal points to the region.

The cathedral is imposing. While built on lower ground to the castle, the spires atop its towers almost match the highest spire on the castle itself. Both the castle and cathedral are open to exploration, although in the case of the former, you may well want to take care if Her Majesty is in residence. Period costume does not appear to be a requirement for visitors, but I’m sure it would be appreciated.

Tudor Rose
Tudor Rose

Beyond the cathedral, moving southwards between it and the woodland separating it from a river, one can find the remaining features in the region. First are the jousting butts, heralding the days of chivalry, and which appear to be in frequent use. Make your way through the trees south-east from here and you’ll find a small church. From her, a path leads the way to a bridge crossing a stream, and which in turn brings you to a mystical dance circle, shrouded in mist and overlooked by a tall, round tower.

I’m not sure how much role-play goes on here; during my visit there were a good few people in period costume, but no-one accosted me for wearing modern clothing, and I didn’t come across any note card / rules giver either on my arrival or in my travels around the region.  Certainly, the opportunities for role-play would appear to be many; be it of a courtly persuasion within the castle itself, possibly involving Queen Elizabeth and her courtiers, or out jousting or perhaps (and possibly more mysteriously) at the open-air dance circle, where the rolling mist and surrounding gnarled trees suggest something of a dark nature may well be acted-out here at certain times of the year. There’s even a hint of the Arthurian within the castle.

Tudor Rose
Tudor Rose

There are a couple of slight incongruities with the architecture within the region in that both the castle and the cathedral have elements which are suggestive of them belonging more in a European landscape than perhaps having once sat close to London. However, as with my earlier quibble, this is a little bit of nit-picking; as a fantasy / role-play region, Tudor Rose has much which is welcoming, and the design lends itself to allowing several different activities or scenarios to be acted-out simultaneously.

For those looking for a period region offering opportunities to meet others interested in the Tudor history of England or similarly role-play, or if you’re simply looking for somewhere new to visit and photograph, Tudor Rose may well be worth adding to your list of places to visit.

Related Links

Firestorm Q and A, October 26th: video and transcript

Posted on by Inara Pey

firestorm-logoOn Saturday October 26th 2013, the Firestorm team hosted another informal question-and-answer session. While the meeting was recorded, the Firestorm team are aware that many of their users have hearing difficulties, and / or prefer to read text. It is because of this that this transcript has been provided.

When reading it, please remember:

  • This is not a word-for-word transcript of the entire meeting. While all quotes given are as they are spoken in the video, to assist in readability and maintain the flow of conversation, not all asides, jokes, interruptions, etc., have been included in the text presented here
  • If there are any sizeable gaps in comments from a speaker which resulted from asides, questions to other etc,, these are indicated by the use of “…”
  • Timestamps are provided as guidance should anyone wish to hear the comments in full from any speaker on the video
  • Questions /comments were made in chat while speakers were talking. This inevitably meant that replies to questions would lag well behind when they were originally asked. To provide context between questions and answers, questions in the transcript are given (in italics) at the point at which each is addressed by a member of the Firestorm team, either in voice or via chat.

Please note: This transcript is provided for informational purposes only. As such, questions on technical issues relating to Firestorm and  / or project-specific questions cannot be answered here unless one of the Firestorm team drops by.

The TL;DR Summary

The numbers in braces are timestamps which refer to the section of this transcript where more details can be read, and to the section of the video recording where the relevant comments can be heard.

  • The upcoming release will be a public beta. It will have a number of known bugs, some of which will be annoying [0:01:42-0:02:28]
  • There is a lot more coming from the Lab, so it is important the Firestorm team get a beta version out, so they can prepare for bug fixing and integrating the new code LL will be pushing out (and which is currently pending release by the Lab) including:
    • SSA updates (AISv3)
    • Group ban list
    • Interest list
    • HTTP updates
  • It will be a beta release, but it will be fully supported  [0:05:10-0:05:33]
  • The Firestorm team have been accused of “holding things back”, they are not. There are valid reasons for any apparent delays (such as the amount of work some code merges have required and code for newer projects has yet to appear from the Lab [0:05:33-0:07:43]
  • A full release is unlikely before February 2014 [0:07:43]
  • The beta will be accompanied by a Windows 64-bit version of the viewer [0:11:01-0:13:41]
  • Why feedback for the 64-bit version is being requested, what kind of feedback is sought, why feedback should be delayed for a week or more following the release, the placebo effect [0:11:37; 0:14:30-0:16:09; 0:32:52-0:34:13; 1:01:04-1:04:08]
  • 64-bit versus 32-bit: what to expect and what the differences are [0:16:09-0:18:22]
  • Linux 64-bit [0:28:50-0:29:34]
  • Why it is unlikely any viewer will have multi-screen support (tear-off panels and menus which can be moved outside the viewer window & between monitors) in the near future [30:09-32:52; 34:13-34:41]
  • Mac 64-bit [0:36:09-0:41:49]
  • The issues in building 64-bit versions of Firestorm [0:41:49-0:44:47]
  • Mac Maverick support [46:05-48:08]
  • Both Windows 32-bit and 64-bit can co-exist on the same PC [49:47; 57:29]
  • 64-bit and lack of Havok support [58:29]
  • A discussion on Firestorm on mobile devices & LL’s coming beta with OnLive [50:39-54-15]
  • Why clean installs are really, really necessary at times [1:14:47-1:18:39; 1:24:58-1:25:47; 1:32:50-1:35:24]
  • Important notes on the 64-bit installer / installation [1:19:20-1:21:29]
  • Why Firestorm should only ever be downloaded from the Firestorm website [1:22:14]
  • OTR is coming, but not a priority [1:23:48-1:23:54]
  • Questions on 32-bit and 64-bit throughout.

With thanks to North for the video.

Continue reading “Firestorm Q and A, October 26th: video and transcript” →

SL project updates: week 44 (1): server, viewer, interest list, anti-griefing

Posted on by Inara Pey
Simulator UG meeting (stock)
Simulator UG meeting (stock)

Server Deployments week 44

As always, please refer to the week’s forum deployment thread for the latest news and updates.

Main Channel

There have been no updates to the Main channel.

Release Candidate Channels

All three release candidate channels received the same new server maintenance package on Tuesday October 29th, which fixed some crash modes.

The reason for the RC channel updates being moved to Tuesday is because there was due to be a planned outage on Wednesday October 30th at the time the deployments usually take place to allow some database work to take place. This would have likely seen log-ins blocked for about an hour. However, Simon Linden believes the work has now been postponed for a week – although the recommendation is to keep a check on the Grid Status page – see the original notice for details.

SL Viewer Updates

A new release candidate appeared in the release channel  on Monday October 28th. Version 3.6.10.282997 has no functional updates, but includes an update to the GPU table.

About the GPU Table

The GPU table is used to define your graphics card to the viewer and the default graphics settings which are applied as a result when you first start the viewer (or if you never adjust them).

Graphics cards are defined by classes (currently 0-5), which can be defined as:

  • 0 – Defaults to low graphics settings. No shaders on by default
  • 1 – Defaults to mid graphics settings. Basic shaders on by default
  • 2 – Defaults to high graphics settings. Atmospherics on by default
  • 3 – Same as 2, but with lighting and shadows(now referred to as Advanced Lighting Model in the viewer) enabled
  • 4 – Same as 3, but with ambient occlusion enabled
  • 5 – Same as 4, but with shadows set to “Sun/Moon+Projectors.”

The table is a .TXT file which is located in a viewer’s installation location on your computer. For Windows, this means it can be found either in C:\Program Files\[viewer name] or in C:\Program Files (x86)\[viewer name] (if you are running a 32-bit version of a viewer on a 64-bit system).

It is not recommended that you amend this file in any way, unless you know what you are doing. You can, however, open it and use it to determine which class your viewer falls under, and the default settings it is given.

To make it easier for those wanting to quickly reference common graphics cards, Garvie Garzo has produced a .PDF file of the table. However, do bear in mind that the table is subject to updates (as the release candidate mentioned above demonstrates), so the PDF may become outdated over time. Also, some TPVs have been working on updating the GPU table themselves.

When perusing the table, cards are listed alphabetically by maker, and the first digit following the card name refers to the class it has been assigned to, while the far right column defines the overall family of GPUs the card belongs to (you may find when viewing the table that the columns do not align well).

The settings within the GPU table are subject to some debate, as they are used to determine which graphics cards present a “reasonable” enough performance in order to have ALM enabled by default. Linden Lab consider anything qualifying as a class 3 or above is capable of adequately running with ALM enabled; some TPVs do not agree.

The problem here is how “reasonable” is defined; it’s a subjective term, and everyone will have their own opinions on the matter. As I reported back in week 39 and week 34, the Lab had statistics to show that class 5 cards GPUs (e.g. ATI Radeon HD 7800, 7900, 8900, 8950 + similar, nVidia GTX 460/460SE, 465, 550TI, 580, 660/660TI + similar) actually performed better with ALM enabled than with it off, while class 4 GPUs showed little difference between having ALM enabled and disabled. However, because measurements do tend to be subjective (again, frame rates, etc., can take on different levels of importance depending upon what you are doing in SL), Oz Linden had been hoping to establish a means by which more controlled testing could be undertaken within the Lab; it’s currently unclear how far this has progressed, if at all.

Interest List Viewer

Andrew Linden revealed that the interest list RC / project viewer (however it appears) is now unlikely to debut before November 12th. “There was a performance regression that we’re working on — lower FPS in project interesting,” he informed the Simulator User Group meeting on October 29th, “Probably because it is rendering more objects — more small objects in view get rendered (that’s my theory anyway).”

Andrew Linden: Anti-griefing Work

Andrew Linden
Andrew Linden

Andrew Linden is back working on various pieces of anti-griefing work.

For obvious reasons, he doesn’t want to go into specifics, but he did indicate that he’s looking to address new griefing modes that are aimed at estate managers. He’s also been thinking about ” raising the arms race against landbots”, although he admits he is “still in the planning/discovery phase on that.”

There are a number of other items in his list as well he may well be taking a look at.

Other Items

Slow loading Sculpts?

Some people are reporting they are seeing sculpts loading a lot more slowly since the last set of server-side interest list updates. It’s not clear how widespread this might be or if it is a possible placebo effect. For his part, Andrew Linden felt that sculpts potentially download faster with the interest list viewer code (which, as noted above, has yet to make a public debut), but again he caveated why this might appear to be the case. Andrew indicated he’ll look a little more into this.

Last Owner / Previous Owner

Many TPVs expose details of the “last owner” of an object through the build floater. A request has been passed to make this information, which is stored as a field in the object data, accessible through scripts. Both Simon and Andrew Linden didn’t see why this could not be done, with Andrew stating he’ll see what’s involved and will look to someone to nudge him about it next week.

Viewer release summary 2013: week 43

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 adhering to 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
  • 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: October 27th, 2013 (with extras)

Official LL Viewers

  • Current Release updated on October 23rd to version: 3.6.9.282535 (formerly the”ShareStorm” RC viewer combining SLShare functionality with request teleport feature, et al) – release notes
  • Release channel cohorts (See my notes on manually installing RC viewer versions if you wish to install any release candidate(s) yourself):
    • Removal of Google Breakpad RC
  • Project viewers:
    • None at present

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V3-style

  • Black Dragon updated on October 28th to version 2.3.4 Alpha – core updates: prim alignment tool; ability to derender objects and avatars, fullbrights; SLShare (release notes)
  • CtrlAltStudio Experimental updated on October 23rd to version (Occulus Rift): 1.1.0.34332 (Alpha 4) – core updates: initial pass at implementing UI elements in “Riftlook”, updated set-up options for Oculus Rift (Preferences > Graphics > Display Output (release notes)
  • Kokua updated on October 22nd to version 3.6.8.30064 – core updates: code base to SL viewer 3.6.8 (incl AMD / ATi Catalyst drivers hot fix), legacy search with shortcut Ctrl-Alt-F & access via menus; initial Area Search with shortcut Alt-A; UI enhancements (change log)
  • UKanDo updated on October 21st to version 3.6.8.27869 – core updates: addition of Quick Tools and Area Search; context menu updates; improved UI; RLV updated to latest version (release notes).

V1-style

  • Cool VL updated on October 26th to:
    • Stable version: 1.26.8.35
    • Experimental version: 1.26.9.35
    • Release notes (both) core updates: provisional support for the new Export permission flag in OpenSim, Improved inventory item permissions floater; Kitely added to OpenSim grid list; code backports, improvements and optimisations

Additional TPV Resources

Related Links