Day: November 3, 2017

SL project updates 44/2: TPV Developer meeting

Posted on by Inara Pey
The updated official viewer splash screen for general users (i.e. not first-time log-in)

The following notes are taken from the TPV Developer meeting held on Friday, November 3rd 2017. The video of that meeting is embedded at the end of this update, my thanks as always to North for recording and providing it.

SL Viewer

The Voice RC viewer has one remaining significant bug, which causes some of those on the Windows version of the viewer to connect to the wrong voice channel, which is preventing this viewer progressing further.

The 64-bit Alex Ivy RC viewer updated to version 5.1.0.510354 on November 2nd, 2017. Overall, this viewer is described as doing “really well”, although there are still crash issues with it. These are most noticeable with people on 32-bit Windows systems (those on 64-bit versions of Windows running the 64-bit version of the viewer are experiencing far fewer crashes).

The latest update should correct issues with the viewer’s updater, and it is likely more users will be added to the RC cohort usage pool before this viewer is promoted to release status.

Work is once again proceeding with the 360-snapshot viewer, with improvements to image quality and processing speed, and a new update should be appearing soon. The Lab is also working on a new means to upload 360 snapshots from the viewer to SL Place pages.

Inventory UDP Messaging

Work has started in deprecating all UDP inventory messaging. This is not progressing “super fast”, as it is being progressed alongside other work, and the projected end date is some time “fairly soon” after the end-of-year holidays, when back-end support for the UDP messaging will be turned off. This means that any active viewers still using the UDP inventory handling routes should be making the move to HTTP.

No Change Windows

With the end-of-year holiday season approaching, the Lab is looking at dates for no change windows – periods when they will not be making and simulator or viewer releases, and would prefer to see TPVs do the same.

The first of these periods will be the US Thanksgiving holiday period, when a no change period is liable to be enforced from Wednesday, November 22nd, with the all-clear on Monday, November 27th (subject to formal confirmation).  The Christmas no change window is still TBD, but will likely be from at least Friday, December 22nd through until shortly after the new year.

Other Items

Resource Usage tools

Chalice Yao has proposed a feature to the Firestorm team to allow users better understand the resources they are using, both through their avatar’s VRAM usage and the VRAM, triangles and vertices for any selected object (see FIRE-21793). As the Lab is currently working on amending how rendering cost calculations, a more detailed discussion on these ideas has been tabled for the next TPV Developer meeting, on Friday, November 17th.

Firestorm Release

The next Firestorm release has been delayed of late, but recently entered beta testing, with the aim of it appearing before the end of the year. When it arrives, I’ll have me usual overview of significant updates, but Beq Janus recently blogged about a couple of updates she has contributed to the release, and the Lab have indicated their own interest in possibly adopting the updates, if contributed.

Second Life Minimum System Requirements

It has been noted that the specified minimum system requirements for Second life may be out-of-date (see BUG-139301), and this may be exacerbated with the Alex Ivy viewer. It’s likely that the specifications will be looked at again.

2017 National Diabetes Month in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

November is National Diabetes Month in the United States, a time when the American Diabetes Association (ADA) draws attention to diabetes awareness, prevention, treatment and support mechanisms available to  diabetes sufferers and their families.

In support of this, Team Diabetes of Second Life are marking the month with a number of fund-raising and informational events, as announced in a November 3rd press release.

The Red Hunt, November 1st through 30th –  an open hunt, meaning you do not have to start in any order. All items are 10 lindens, with 100% proceeds going to Team Diabetes of Second Life. Refer to the Red Hunt web page for more information, including participating stores and SLurls.

The Red Fling, November 1st through 30th –  stores throughout Second Life each have 1 item that is in a red vendor and offered for sale with 100% of the proceeds going to Team Diabetes of Second Life.

Live Healthy Tips – distributed via Kultivate Magazine’s in-world groups and the Team Diabetes website, through until the end of November.

The Red Ball and Art Exhibition, November 12th – an art exhibition and ball with live performers over two hours, together with fund-raising. Details to follow on the Team Diabetes website.

In addition, November 14th in National Diabetes Day in the USA, and throughout the month, Team Diabetes of SL are giving away a free National Diabetes information pack through their in-world office at Nonprofit Commons. The pack includes information on diabetes awareness, prevention and treatment from the American Diabetes Association, and goodies for Second Life avatars!

About the American Diabetes Association

Established in 1940, the American Diabetes Association is working to both prevent and cure diabetes in all it forms, and to help improve the lives of all those affected by diabetes. It does this by providing objective and credible information and resources about diabetes to communities, and funding research into ways and means of both managing and curing the illness. In addition, the Association gives voice to those denied their rights as a consequence of being affected by diabetes.

About Team Diabetes of Second life

Team Diabetes of Second Life is an official and authorised fund-raiser for the American Diabetes Association in Second Life. Established with the aim of raising funds in support of diabetes treatment and to raise awareness of the disease in SL, Team Diabetes of Second Life was founded by Jessi2009 Warrhol and John Brianna (Johannes1977 Resident), and is served by an advisory board comprising Eleseren Brianna, Jessi2009 Warrhol, Sandie Loxingly, Rob Fenwitch, and Dawnbeam Dreamscape, with Saiyge Lotus serving as a special advisor. Events Co-coordinator (with John Brianna) is Veruca Tammas.

Additional Links

Gallant Estates: a Second Life showcase

Posted on by Inara Pey

Gallant Estates; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrGallant Estates – click any image for full size

Gallant Estates opened its doors to the public at the end of October 26th, 2017.  It is a venture by Gallant Magazine, a publication dedicated to Men’s Fashion and Home & Garden which launched in March, 2017. The region, a Homestead, is intended to be a companion location for the magazine, as is explained on the Gallant website:

Gallant wants to provide readers with the interactive opportunity to see many of the scenes showcased in the magazine as they appear in Second Life. Until November 5th, readers can visit this newly decorated sim for decor ideas or take pictures with the sim as a backdrop. Feel free to drop us a note with any feedback or ideas for future home & garden scenes.

Gallant Estates; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrGallant Estates

Given the November 5th deadline, I’m leaving it very short time frame for people to visit, but having spend time exploring with Caitlyn, we can certainly recommend dropping in.

Primarily designed by the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Divos Titanium and Pahkah (Parker Droverson) with support of their partners, Apple Fall, the region had an autumnal look at the time of our visit with hints of Halloween, the region presents three furnished homes to be explored along the C-shaped main island, with a barn conversion towards the east end of the region, which is very imaginatively done and a genuine showcase of decor and design.

Gallant Estates; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrGallant Estates

The western end of the island, by contrast, offered an upland setting, overlooking the bay, where a house sits on a rocky outcrop, perfectly decorated for Halloween. Between the two sits a small farm, the farmhouse facing the landing point and offering another setting for internal decor suggestions.

Enormous care has been taken to provide a natural landscape to explore and for photography, with tall hills and mountains surrounding the setting, all of which is sitting under an atmospheric windlight – particularly if you’re using something like Firestorm and can easily tweak your cloud maps.

Gallant Estates

I understand from Divos that the region will close for a time to the public after November 5th in order to be redressed ready for the next issue of Gallant Magazine. I hope to keep track of at least some of the region designs as they are made public, Gallant Estates offering a unique way to see design concepts for house and home.

In the meantime, I recommend that if you have the time before the end of November 5th, you drop into Gallant Estates and explore the current design.

Gallant Estates

SLurl and Web Details

Giovanna’s Allegories in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Solo Arte: Allegories

Opening on Friday, November 3rd, 2017, is an exhibition of Giovanna’s art entitled  Allegories, at Solo Arte, which runs through until November 24th.

Renowned for her immersive installations, Giovanna uses the open-air and gallery spaces at Solo Arte to present a range of her pieces, large and small. Some are standalone pieces, such as The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which sit in the small park adjacent to the landing point. Others are elements from larger installations, such as Circe from Il Folle Volo and also seen in Line, found in the piazza next to the bar, The Desire and The Bird from Flash Back / Flash Forward, which can be found in the small courtyard to the rear of the art space and Sirens from Il Folle Volo, as they float over the central canal.

Solo Arte: Allegories

The two largest pieces on display sit at either end of the canal, but the best way to appreciate the art on display is to follow the paths around the gallery space, starting at the park and then walking down to the main gallery building, then cross the canal to explore the other gallery building and the outdoor spaces.

Unlike the majority of Giovanna’s installation, there doesn’t appear to be a central theme to the exhibit – other than the name – but what is on display offers an intriguing glimpse of Giovanna’s significant talent in constructing thought-provoking and visually stunning pieces of 3D art.

Solo Arte: Allegories

The exhibition officially opens at 15:00 SLT, with music by DJ Faby.

SLurl Details