2018 SL UG updates #34/1: server, viewer, and mobile SL rumours

Posted on by Inara Pey

Erebos Harbor; Inara Pey, July 2018, on FlickrErebos Harbor – blog post

There was no Simulator User Group meeting for week #34 2018, so the project notes are pretty brief.

Server Deployments

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

  • On Tuesday August 21st, the SLS (Main) channel was updated with sever maintenance package 18#18.08.10.518612, comprising an update to the HTTP delivery of off-line IMs and notifications that should ensure group notices and Friend requests are correctly delivered. This release was deployed to the main RC channels in week #33.
  • There is no planned deployment or restart for any of the RC channels, also leaving them on server maintenance package 18#18.08.10.518612.

SL Viewer

  • The Second Life Voice viewer, version 5.1.8.518593 and dated August 14th, was promoted to de facto release status on August 20th, 2018.
  • A new Love Me Render viewer, version 5.1.8.518751, was released on August 20th, containing assorted viewer rendering fixes for the following issues / requests:
    • Applying planar texture alignment to prims with diffuse and normal maps fails.
    • Align Planar Faces does not work on normal or specular maps.
    • Handle dual-graphics systems more robustly.
    • Derendering Avatar type also derenders some rezzed mesh objects.
    • Selecting mesh objects make several HUD-related items invisible.
    • Negative horizontal & vertical offset values for normal & specular maps always revert when closing build floater.
    • Add info to text debug display for cache hit rate and fetch timing.
    • Grids.xml with a single grid instead of an array in LLSD can crash viewer.
    • Objects with Alpha Masking > 0 do not rendering correctly on avatar.
    • With transparent texture and alpha masking at cut-off 1, the underlying colour shows through in small patches.
    • [DRTSIM-383] Changing the horizontal offset value also changes the vertical offset while editing specular maps in the build floater.
    • Incorrect values of Rotation degrees field with checked Align Planar Faces check box in different tabs.

The remaining SL viewer pipelines are currently unchanged:

  • Release channel cohorts:
    • Animesh RC viewer, version 6.0.0.518579, August 13.
    • BugSplat RC viewer, version 5.1.8.518305, August 7. This viewer is functionally identical to the current release viewer, but uses BugSplat for crash reporting, rather than the Lab’s own Breakpad based crash reporting tools.
  • Project viewers:
  • Linux Spur viewer, version 5.0.9.329906, dated November 17, 2017 and promoted to release status 29 November – offered pending a Linux version of the Alex Ivy viewer code.
  • Obsolete platform viewer, version 3.7.28.300847, May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7. This viewer will remain available for as long as reasonable, but will not be updated with new features or bug fixes.

SL iOS / Android Clients / Streaming SL

Speculation is running rife in some quarters that the Lab is developing a mobile client for iOS / Android following the publication of a job opportunity for a Second Life Senior Mobile Engineer.

The potential for offering a mobile (or even a streamed viewer experience through a browser) was most recently publicly discussed by both Ebbe Altberg and Oz and Grumpity Linden at the SL15B Meet the Lindens events in June 2018. I’m embedding the audio from those sessions here, together with links to the summaries of what was said, for those who prefer reading over listening:

Published by Inara Pey

Eclectic virtual world blogger with a focus on Second Life, VR, virtual environments and technology.

5 thoughts on “2018 SL UG updates #34/1: server, viewer, and mobile SL rumours”

  1. What if “Senior Mobile Engineer” just means that Residents in-world for 10 years or more get a free powered mobility chair to get around? Or an Old Person AO?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yup. 2012 wasn’t the first time either, IIRC. There was an attempt with the old v1 style viewer called – again IIRC – Project Pelican. And very prescient on your part with that blog post, raising the subject of the Cloud 😉 .

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  3. Second Life on iOS? still chasing the streaming dream? I remember ONE New year where i used SLGo to run Second Life on my iPad, logged in to see in the new year with my SL friends, while also sat with my family, living the augmented social reality dream. I was really impressed with SLGo’s quality and ease of use and thought YEHY THIS IS THE FUTURE….. pffttt. few months later it was SLgone. (i wrote this entire sentence just for that joke).

    Is there really an alternative to the Streaming solution at Linden Lab. I mean If they made a ‘native’ iOS Second Life client, then they would be half way to making a native MacOS Client that could survive the eventual OpenGL Purge.

    If LL made a native iOS SL or Sansar Client, i could kick my Nephew off my iPad who plays Minecraft, Roblox and Fortnite on it.

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