SL project updates 2017-4/1: Server, camera pre-sets, Nvidia issue

Devin – blog post

Server Deployments

As always, please refer to the server deployment thread for the latest updates.

On Tuesday, January 24th, the Main (SLS) channel was updates with the same server maintenance package deployed to the RC channels during week #3. This includes a partial fix for (non-public) BUG-3286, “Can’t move object” fail notifications (fixes for regions/objects with longer names are pending), together with enhanced server logging and minor internal server enhancements.

There will be no RC deployment on Wednesday, January 25th – but the RC region will be restarted in keeping with the Lab’s new policy of restarting the channels every 2 weeks, regardless of whether or not there is an associated deployment.

The next RC deployment is expected to be week #5 (commencing Monday, 30th January, 2017).

SL Viewer

No changes since my last update. The status of viewers in the pipeline remains thus:

• Current Release version: 5.0.0.321958, dated December 1st, promoted December 5th, 2016 – formerly the Project Bento RC viewer
• Release channel cohorts:
  • Maintenance RC viewer, version 5.0.1.322791, dated January 12th
• Project viewers:
  • Project Alex Ivy (LXIV), 64-bit project viewer, version 5.1.0.501863 for Windows and Mac, dated January 10th
  • 360-degree snapshot viewer, version 4.1.3.321712, dated November 23, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images – hands-on review
• Obsolete platform viewer, version 3.7.28.300847, dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.

Camera Presets

As I noted in a recent TPVD meeting update, Jonathan Yap is working on a code contribution for the official viewer which will allow users to set and save their own preferred camera presets in the viewer.

The idea is that, like the graphics presets functionality Jonathan contributed to the viewer in 2016, users will be able to define their own placements for the SL camera around their avatar (e.g. an over-the-should view, a view from overhead, etc.), which can then be saved and selected / used as required. Jonathan has only recently started on the work – which has an associated feature JIRA, STORM-2145 – but that should hopefully change once various decisions have been made by the Lab.

Nvidia Driver 378.49 + 64-bit Viewer Bug

Nvidia release their 378.49 driver on Tuesday, January 24th, and it can cause an unusual bug / issue with 64-bit viewers. The problem was first noted on Firestorm 5.0.1 (see: FIRE-20774), but I have repro’d it on the Lab’s own 64-bit project viewer (version 5.1.0.501863 at the time of writing) and  on Alchemy 4.0.0 (a crash issue had prevented comprehensive testing on Alchemy 5.0.0 at the time of writing).

The issue only manifests when Advanced Lighting Model (ALM) is disabled in a 64-bit viewer, and renders the in-world view with an odd blue tinge which almost looks like the blue colour channel is impinging on the red channel. As noted in the Firestorm JIRA, enabling ALM can prevent the issues, as can toggling Glow off when ALM is disabled. See the Firestorm JIRA for workarounds, should you encounter the problem.

The issue was raised at the Simulator User Group meeting on Tuesday, January 24th, a JIRA for the issue on the Lab’s 64-bit project viewer is available on BUG-41294.