Year: 2015

SL project updates 37/2: TPV developer meeting and more

Posted on by Inara Pey

Sommergewitter; Inara Pey, September 2015, on FlickrSommergewitter September 2015 – blog post

The following notes are primarily taken from the TPV Developer (TPVD) meeting held on Friday, September 11th, 2015. A video of the meeting is included at the end of this report, with any time stamps in the following text referring to it. My thanks as always to North for the recording and providing it for embedding.

Server Deployments – Week 37

As always, please refer to the server deployment thread for additional information.

  • The Main (SLS) channel did not have any deployment / restart during the week, largely due to the fact the one deployment in week #36 was to a single channel (BlueSteel), which was rolled-back on Thursday, September 3rd
  • The three RC channels all received a new server maintenance project, comprising internal simulator fixes.

Upcoming LSL: llGetAttachedList()

The Week #38 (week commencing Monday, September 14th should have a new LSL function rolling to at least one RC channel.

llGetAttachedList() is a new function that will return a list of root keys of all visible attachments worn by an agent except for HUDs. Originally a feature request (see BUG-9683), which also lists a number of potential benefits of such a function. The wiki page for the function is still in preparation,but the function itself can be tested on the Aditi (beta grid) region of Tehama. Note that it will only work when invoked for a target within the same region. I’ll have more on this should the function make it into an RC deployment in the coming week.

SL Viewer Updates

Mesh Importer

[01:50] The Mesh importer viewer continues in RC status as the Lab continues to fix problems either found internally or by those making use of the RC viewer, although Oz notes the problems are gradually becoming less severe in nature. However, it’s still not quite ready to be promoted to the de facto viewer.

Notifications Viewer

[02:39] The notifications viewer has been getting a “lot of exercise” as a project viewer, and looks set to move to release candidate status in the near future.

Quick Graphics Viewer

[03:11] The Quick Graphics project viewer, which presents the new Avatar Complexity capability and the ability to save and re-load graphics settings more-or-less on the fly,  updated to version 3.8.4.304916 on Thursday, September 10th. There are still some further adjustments being made to the viewer, but it should progress to RC status some time in the next two weeks or so.

[46:13] One of the changes which may be made to the Avatar complexity aspect of the viewer is a further toning-down of the colour intensity of avatars rendered as “Jelly Babies”. Also, the values on the Complexity slider my be further adjusted to assist those with low-end systems.

[50:20] Some have expressed an opinion that having an “infinite” upper limit to Avatar Complexity is counter-productive, as it does little to discourage people from having complex avatars which can tax other systems. In reply to this, Oz Linden said:

I really want to emphasise this, and I hope people understand it. we’re not trying to create a standard for what is “good”. what we’re trying to do is inform people about what effect they’re having and to control the impact other people have on them,  and then let things sort themselves out.

[54:28] Also with reference to this viewer, the Advanced Graphics floater has been updated to a 2-column format in response to concerns that the earlier, large single-column floater could not be easily displayed on some laptops / lower resolution monitors.

They updated Advanced Graphics floater in the September 10th Quick Graphics project viewer, version 3.8.4.304916
The updated Advanced Graphics floater in the September 10th Quick Graphics project viewer, version 3.8.4.304916

I’ll be taking a further look at Avatar Complexity once the viewer reaches RC status.

Project Azumarill

[06:25] Project Azumarill is the name of the Lab’s new project viewer, version 3.8.4.304871, which offers a complete replacement of the under the hood HTTP infrastructure, and which impacts all aspects of the viewer using simulator capabilities.

This is essentially building on Monty Linden’s HTTP work, which was applied to the most critical paths within simulator / viewer communications, and sees Rider Linden apply the changes through the viewer, and so includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • Asset upload (Images, Meshes, Animations)
  • AISv3 inventory manipulation
  • Viewer Managed Marketplace
  • Simhost event polling
  • LSL script compilation
  • Experience management (blocking, allowing, creating).

Currently, the new code is sitting in the viewer alongside older code, although the latter will be removed prior to the viewer being promoted to the de facto release viewer. While a significant update, it is anticipated that the viewer will progress rapidly through the release process, as functionally, there isn’t that much which can be said to be new for people to play with. As such, it will hopefully go through a total of two project viewer iterations prior to becoming a release candidate, then move fairly quickly from RC to release.

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SL Project updates: 37/1: inventory reliability improvements

Posted on by Inara Pey

Mysts of Eyr; Inara Pey, September 2015, on FlickrMysts of Eyr September 2015 – blog post

At the TPV Developer meeting on Friday, September 11th, the Lab provided further information about the ongoing work to improve inventory handling and management in Second Life.

As has been reported through these pages, the Lab has been tackling a wide range of issues related to inventory, inventory management, inventory losses, etc., over the last several months. The updates given at the TPV Developer meeting were to provide information and news on both the work to help fix issues around large “flat” inventories, and on new and upcoming work in rationalising inventory related code within the viewer, with Izzy and Aura Linden providing the updates.

The video of the meeting can be seen here, and time stamps are given below to the relevant points in the video where the items are discussed.

“Flat ” Inventories

[10:15] This is something that has been mentioned through a number of project updates in these pages. However, in summary: if you have a large “flat” inventory structure with tens of thousands of items contained in single folders at a time, rather than being split between multiple sub-folders, you can experience significant issues in logging-in to Second Life, up to and including being completely unable to log-in at all.

Earlier in the year, the Lab developed an inventory transform tool which, when run, can take the contents of such large folders and split them into smaller, easier-to-load sub-folders. This tool has been undergoing testing for some time, but has now been issued to the Lab’s support teams. So, those encountering log-in issues and know they have large, relatively “flat” inventory structures can raise a support request (Premium or Basic) and have the tool run against their inventory, thus hopefully fixing  matters for them.

Inventory Code Improvements

Task Paths

[12:50] Currently, the viewer has multiple paths and mechanisms by which inventory tasks can be undertaken / completed. Aura is therefore working through the viewer code to try to rationalise how inventory is handled, ensure that older paths / mechanisms are properly deprecated / removed and replaced by newer and more robust mechanisms.

[14:20] The first set of changes Aura is working on is to remove from the viewer all of the old UDP inventory messaging paths which have already been replaced by more robust mechanisms (and in some cases already had the server-side support for them removed), but which have until now remained a part of the viewer’s code.

These changes should be appearing in a project viewer for testing by TPVs in the next month or so. This is to allow them to identify possible impacts on any dedicated inventory handling mechanisms they may use (e.g. RLV / RLV/a) which may also use the older UDP messaging paths, and address any updates they may need to made as a result.

Once this viewer reaches release status, the Lab will seek to remove any server-side support for legacy UDP for inventory operations from the simulator code. Again, this will be done in consultation with TPVs, with testing regions available on Aditi beforehand, so the Lab can again be warned if they are triggering potential problems which may need to be thought about / addressed.

Code Refactoring

[19:35] The second element in the work is a refactoring of the viewer inventory files. This work will initially rationalise inventory functions within the viewer so that they are more closely coupled with their actual purpose, rather than being more widely scattered through the viewer code, and will not involve any actual code changes.

However, a further part of the work will involve code changes, with the overall aim being to make the code a lot more readable, easier to test and maintain and understand.

Server-side Inventory Rules Enforcement

[23:32] Additionally, once the above work has been carried out, new checks will be added server-side to prevent actions which are known to cause inventory problems from happening.

For example, there have been issues where people have found themselves with more than one Current Outfit folder or with multiple Trash folders, both of which can result in complications when using the viewer. The simulator-side rules, when put into place, will be designed to prevent these kinds of instances occurring.

Time Frames

As noted, the first phase of Aura’s work – the initial code deprecation work – will be appearing in a project viewer in the next month or so, and the work will progress from there in the stages, thus:

  • Remove the deprecated inventory message paths from the viewer
  • Remove any remaining simulator support for deprecated inventory messaging support
  • Rationalise the inventory functions in the viewer
  • Refactor the viewer’s inventory code in the interests of stability, maintenance, testing and update
  • Add simulator checks to prevent folder duplications, etc

How long it will take to implement each phase isn’t currently clear, and will to a degree depend on feedback about issues discovered by TPVs, as well as the results of continued testing by the Lab.

Strictly light pink and blue with Duran Duran in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
The giant record player at Khanada will be the location for a special celebration at the Duran Duran universe in SL
The Giant Record Player at Khanada will be the location for a special celebration at the Duran Duran universe in SL

On Friday, September 11th, Duran Duran, the English rock band out of Birmingham, issued their 14th studio album, Paper Gods. In a career spanning some 36 years. albeit with various line-ups and changes of face and style along the way, the band has enjoyed remarkable longevity.

They’ve also had a long association with Second Life. The Duran Duran Universe was launched by duranduran.com in-world on June 16th 2011, although planning for it goes back to around 2006. It comprises four regions, each with icons from the Band’s long history:

  • Tlon, an entertainment Island, featuring an eyeball that ‘follows’ the users (“Being Followed“), a Mediterranean Spa and the Cinema Eye
  • Azizi, an urban style Island, on the lines of a cosmopolitan city which includes the unmistakable Lipstick Tower which has to be explored to be believed
  • Sanhedralite, the nature island
  • Khanada, the region where “users can visit each band member’s dressing room (designed by the band members themselves)”.
The Lipstick Tower in features (among other things) a display of art by SL artist jjccc Coronet
The Lipstick Tower in Azizi features (among other things) a display of art by SL artist jjccc Coronet

It is to Khanada  that attention is being drawn for Saturday, September 12th, when from 13:00 SLT, a celebratory party will take place at the Khanada Giant Record Player.  The event is of course organised by the folk responsible for running the regions on the band’s behalf, and no assumptions should be made that members of the band will actually be there. It does, however, give Duran Duran fans  the opportunity to get together and mark the launch of Paper Gods.

The dress code is obvious: light pink or light blue (although I’m sure a flamboyant uniform would also be acceptable 🙂 ). Lipstick (for the guys) entirely optional.

and that only leaves me to leave you with the title track from the album.

SLurl Details

Hot Bay City Nights in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Hot City Nights 2015 - the best in vintage and classic cars, 1940-1965
Hot City Nights 2015 – the best in vintage and classic cars, 1940-1965, and all in support of Child’s Play

Marianne McCann brings word of the 4th annual Hot Bay City Nights event which will take place at the Bay City Fairgrounds, North Channel, from Saturday, September 12th through until Sunday, September 20th 2015.

Celebrating Bay City’s mid-Twentieth Century theme, as well as the city’s extensive road network, Hot Bay City Nights focuses on top Second Life vintage and classic car makers, showcasing vehicles representing the era between 1940 and 1965.

First held in August 2012, the event was an instant success with Bay City residents and auto makers alike. This year, as with previous years, the week is aimed at raising funds to support Child’s Play, a charity providing toys and games for children in hospitals around the world. Alongside the auto show there will be various other activities taking place, including charity car washes and the crowning of Miss Bay City 2015 on Sunday, September 20th. So make sure you get along to Bay City during the week and join in the fun!

About Bay City

Bay City is a mainland community, developed by Linden Lab and home to the Bay City Alliance. The Bay City Alliance was founded in 2008 to promote the Bay City regions of Second Life™ and provide a venue for Bay City Residents and other interested parties to socialize and network. It is now the largest Bay city group, and home to most Residents of Bay City.

With thanks to Marianne McCann

Amidst the Mysts of Eyr in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Mysts of Eyr; Inara Pey, September 2015, on FlickrMysts of Eyr September 2015 (Flickr)

Cube Republic recently sent me a snapshot he’s taken at Mysts of Eyr with a suggestion I should perhaps hop over and take a look. As I always tend to enjoy recommendations, and given Cube and I share an eye for natural beauty, I added Mysts of Eyr to the top of my list of places to visit “next” – although a couple of things have kept me from getting there sooner.

The region was once the home of Mystara and is now under new management. However, the storyline within it offers those who enjoyed Mystara with something of a new volume of tales set within the same universe, while opening the doors to broader RP as well. The setting is now that of one of the many jungle islands of the Eyr archipelago, where survivors of Mystara’s vanishing are attempting to settle – albeit not always with the blessings or support of the locals and other parties with an interest in the island.

Mysts of Eyr; Inara Pey, September 2015, on FlickrMysts of Eyr September 2015 (Flickr)

The Mysts of Eyr web site notes of the new environment:

Our vision is to bring you an immersive, high quality roleplay environment in a unique new setting, within a familiar campaign – the Realm of Mystara universe. We believe that a roleplay sim built community first, crafted with heart and soul, and operating on fair principles provides the best platform for expression.  For former members of Mystara, it is our aim to provide you a home for your character and continuity of storyline. Mysts of Eyr was founded on that hope.

The core concept of Eyr is about stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing your wild side! You will find no quaint medieval villages or towering stone castles in Eyr: a vast jagged island with many hidden secrets not to be underestimated. In Mysts of Eyr, high fantasy meets dense, otherworldly jungle life — and unlike Mystara, a realm ruled by race kings and queens — Eyr is ruled by powerful faction leaders warring for territory.

Mysts of Eyr; Inara Pey, September 2015, on FlickrMysts of Eyr September 2015 (Flickr)

I cannot speak directly for the communities involved in Mysts of Eyr, mainly because I explored the region whilst most who are involved there were most likely either in bed or at work. But I can say this of the region itself – like Mystara before it, it is beautifully conceived and designed, and utterly captivating to the eye, the build brought together under the creative skills of Annie Ibanez.

The care and artistry invested in the design is evident from the moment you arrive in the aerial Welcome Area. Here you’ll find directions for getting started, either as a player or an observer (the latter being the recommended way to learn about Mysts of Eyr, even if you are keen to join the RP). There is also information on the admins, the mentors and the various groups and factions operating in the region, all with web links and information note cards. Thus the new arrival is presented with a thorough grounding in a very relaxed approach and eye-catching build.

Mysts of Eyr; Inara Pey, September 2015, on FlickrMysts of Eyr September 2015 (Flickr)

A teleport provides access to the role-play environs, and you can select one of several destinations. For my first visit, I opted for the tavern at Stormstead, the small village / town built by the survivors from Mystara. It proved to be a sound choice as the tavern’s owner, Alteripseity, was on hand to greet me. Not only is he a charming fellow (and someone well-versed in all manner of role-play!), he is also a mentor at Mysts of Eyr, and thus well-placed to help those newly arrived. His establishment is also a most charming hostelry, and I recommend casual visitors can do no better than seeking it as their starting-point for explorations; particularly as not all destinations in the teleport system are necessarily open to public use or on the ground.

There is no enforced dress code for visitors, but I would perhaps suggest a perusal of the Mysts of Eyr website and the various groups, factions and character types found there and an effort to find something that helps you blend a little more, even when wearing the Observer Tag, would likely be appreciated. My usual black pants, blouse and heels certainly looked out-of-place, although I compensated for this by using an animation to vanish underground and letting my flycam explore for me.

Mysts of Eyr; Inara Pey, September 2015, on FlickrMysts of Eyr September 2015 (Flickr)

The range of environments to be found here really is extraordinary. the exist above ground, below ground, under water and in the air – and so discovering them all is something unlikely to be achieved via a casual visit: immersion is required – and rightfully so, even the nature of the role-play here.  Such is the nature of the design that when exploring the ground level, it can feel as if Mysts of Eyr extends far beyond the limits of a 256×256 metre region, particulalr as one finds the cave and cavern entrances and starts underground explorations.

All told, this is a stunning region, one which offers role-players considerable depth and opportunity, and which is supported by a well conceived and constructed web site. I’m not much of a role-player myself, but Mysts of Eyr is certainly enticing and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and have no hesitation in recommending it to those who are looking for a new role-play home.

My thinks to Cube again for the tip, and to  Alteripseity for his guidance.

SLurl and Web Details

 

Stand Up 2 Cancer in Second Life this September

Posted on by Inara Pey

logo-2Saturday, September 12th marks the start of the 2015 Stand up 2 Cancer (SU2C) campaign in Second Life, and the venue schedules are shaping up nicely. I previewed this year’s campaign, at the end of August, so feel to treat this as a small update / teaser.

This year builds on the 2014 début event, which saw L$ 1.5 million raised over 4 days, and will see more than 150 performers, DJs and tribute bands perform at around 40 venues across Second Life in two weeks of music and fund-raising to assist the ground-breaking work of Stand Up 2 Cancer. Activities commence on Saturday, September 12th and run through until Sunday, September 27th, all brought together through the leadership of Still Braveheart, who pioneered the 2014 inaugural weekend.

Jasmine's Hollow; Inara Pey, June 2015, on Flickr The Dirty Grind over Jasmine’s Hollow  will host multiple events across the 2 weeks of SU2C fund-raising

As I noted last time around, the focus this year is not only on a much broader time span for fund-raising, but it is also looking to support far more of SU2C’s work by splitting donations between SU2C’s activities in Canada, the UK and the USA. In addition, people will be able to donate directly to SU2C’s work in through three countries by following the special donation links available at all participating venues if they’d prefer to pay direct, rather than via in-world L$ donations.

Obviously, with so many performers and venues participating, listing them in a blog like this is impossible – so do please keep a track of the SU2C in SL event schedule on Google, and via Stills’ own blog, which will have daily events, times and LMs to venues as things get under-way, as well as all the very latest news. However, to help whet appetites, here is a small sampling of what is to come (note schedules subject to possible last minute change).

Saturday, September 12th: BS’s Bring a Friend and Stay Awhile

09:00
 KeivnMThomas Carpool
10:00
 Manu Aurell
11:00
 wolfie Moonshadow
12:00 noon
 LaidBack Celt
13:00
 Bandit Eddingham
14:00
 Leannan Wolfgang
18:00
 Erin & Satin
BS's Bring a Friend and Stay Awhile - kicking things off for SU2C 2015
BS’s Bring a Friend and Stay Awhile – kicking things off for SU2C 2015

Thursday, September 17th: Breakwaters New England Community

15:00
 emptypockets88240
15:30
 Bo Hayes
16:00
 Premium Composer
16:30
 Automatic Quandry
17:00
 Manu Aurell
17:30
 Luvofmusic
18:00
 Travis Overrland
18:30
 Glenn Bunjie
19:00
 MrMulti Write
19:30
 Ariangels Resident
20:00
 Dilah Halostar
Breakwaters New England Community
Breakwaters New England Community

Monday, September 21st: RMS Titanic

16:00
 Saxy and Romantic
17:00
 MusicMan Appletor
RMS Titanic, another stately 2015 SU2C venue
RMS Titanic, another stately 2015 SU2C venue

So, do please keep an eye on Still’s blog for the full schedule of events, together with the Google calendar, and who knows – we might bump into one another at one of the venues! If so, do please say hello.

About Stand Up 2 Cancer

SU2C takes an innovative  approach to ending cancer by focusing on forming “dream teams” of doctors and researchers who are directly involved in leading-edge cancer research and treatment, and then undertaking aggressive research programmes. 100% of all donations made through SU2C goes directly into funding cancer research and treatment and paying for these teams; none is lost to “administrative costs” or put aside for CEO or executive salaries, etc.

Such is the success of this approach that as of 2014, and in the USA alone, SU2C has raised over $261 million in seven years. This money has all be used in directly supporting 141 clinical trials of possible cancer treatments, involving 750 scientists and 5,000 cancer patients, and which have spanned 112 US institutions.

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