2022 SUG meetings week #8: summary

Amore Italiano, January 2022 – blog post

The following summary notes were taken from the Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022 Simulator User Group (SUG) meeting. It forms a summary of the items discussed, and a video of the entire meeting is embedded at the end of the article – my thanks to Pantera for recording it.

Server Deployments

The week #7 Main channel restart and RC channels deployment were described as “bumpy”, prompting the Lab to dig into things. It is believed the cause of the problems has been identified (the failure of one of the tools used by the Lab) and a fix put in place. To this end:

  • There was no deployment / restart of the Main channel on Tuesday, February 22nd.
  • Wednesday, February 23rd will likely see a limited restart “on just one or two small RC channels.”

Available Official Viewers

The J&K Maintenance viewer updated to version 6.5.3.568554 on Tuesday, February 22nd.

This list reflects the rest of the official viewers currently available.

  • Release viewer: version version 6.5.2.567427 – Mac Voice hotfix viewer, January 13 – no change.
  • Release channel cohorts (please see my notes on manually installing RC viewer versions if you wish to install any release candidate(s) yourself).
    • The Tracy Integration RC viewer version 6.4.23.563771 (dated Friday, November 5) issued Tuesday, November 9.
  • Project viewers:
    • Performance Improvements project viewer version 6.6.0.567604, dated January 24.
    • Mesh Optimizer project viewer, version 6.5.2.566858, dated January 5, issued after January 10.
    • Performance Floater project viewer, version 6.4.23.562625, issued September 2.
    • Legacy Profiles viewer, version 6.4.11.550519, dated October 26, 2020.
    • Copy / Paste viewer, version 6.3.5.533365, dated December 9, 2019.

In Brief

  • At the week #7 meeting, a suggestion put forward (by a user) was to have a vehicle given the lowest access permissions among those avatars seated on it. That way, if any agent attached to an object cannot enter a parcel, the vehicle would treat that parcel as a solid obstruction – see feature request BUG-231802. At this meeting,
    • Rider Linden indicated the Lab is considering ending the ban line info for an entire region to the viewer  earlier as part of the parcel flag info.
    • The request is listed as Awaiting Review, but Rider intimated to could well enter the queue of work for the Lab.
  • A request was made for the ability to put objects inside the contents of child links (such as animations) and be able to read it and play that animation stored in the child link (see BUG-231848). Rider Linden noted that “it is an interesting idea but it is going to take some thought.”
  • A request was made for the ability to pitch shift sounds (similar to SVC-4373). This would have multiple potential benefits from avoiding the need to upload multiple sound in order to create a meaningful pitch change through to enabling a grater range of musical instruments in SL. As SVC Jiras are no longer active, a request was made for a new feature request on the idea.
  • There was a lot of general discussion on WIMNIs for SL and what might be done by way of improvements to things like region crossings, etc., but nothing that is currently being actioned as a project, so please refer to the video below for these items.

An Endless Graveyard in Second Life

The Endless Graveyard, February 2022 – click any image for full size

For those who are missing the likes of Halloween and ideas of the spirits that might lie beyond the the veil of death and / or dark magiks, then a visit to The Endless Graveyard might be just the ticket.

Occupying a Full private region making use of the LI bonus, it is a setting designed by Lady Death Valiant (Death Ravenhurst) that presents quite the adventure / opportunity for exploration., with multiple levels and locations lying within its boundaries. Visits commence close to the ground level, where sits the the landing point – and an invitation.

The Endless Graveyard, February 2022
A forest in Sweden that exists at the edge of the land of the living. Can you find the hidden doorway to the realm of the dead?

The Endless Graveyard About Land

The first thing to note about the setting is that – as per the notices at the landing point – this is an environment which uses dedicated EEP settings throughout, and for the fullest appreciation of the region and these settings, it is best to set the viewer to Use Shared Environment (menu → World → Environment), and to make sure Advanced Lighting Model (ALM) is enabled (Preferences → Graphics). The notice at the landing point suggests Shadows should also be enabled, but I’d leave this to a matter of choice and your system.

The Endless Graveyard, February 2022

Beyond the landing point is the Forest of the Veil, a cold, snowbound setting (which is appropriate, given we’re in the wilds of Sweden). Here and there, braziers light the way, while a cold light, seeming to descend from an aurora-like sky, pieces foliage and lights grassy trails. The latter wind around the semi-rugged landscape, leading to various points of interest – a small lake fed by waterfalls and lit by lanterns, a farm ostensibly producing milk caught within the eerie glow of light and mist, a lonely cabin, and more besides.

And, for those who find it, the ruins of a church, and the start of the journey through the realm of the dead. Triggered by the acceptance of a region experience, this will carry visitors to a land similar to that of the ground level, but which sits in darkness and free from snow. Here the church stands intact, although it is not a place given to the glory of God.

The Endless Graveyard, February 2022

Outside, tracks again curl through the landscape, leading the way to a graveyard and a music hang out, or onward to a castle that sits atop a high plateau or over a hill to the River Styx – complete with a ferryman waiting (and who left me with the words of the Chris de Burgh song echoing in my head).

To be honest, it’s here that I admit to getting a little confused; on finding my way to the high castle, I entered it and got growled at by a security orb – although as nothing actually happened, I continued exploring unsure as to whether the castle was supposed to be public access or not. I’m hoping that it is, as it is an intriguing mix of furnished rooms and teleport doors and portals that lead to additional rooms and spaces at different levels within the region, all of which offer their own secrets and portals the lead to further locations when discovered, all of which added further depth to the setting.

The Endless Graveyard, February 2022

Similarly, across the river lies a further building – the actual gateway to death’s realm (I think). Again I was a little confused by it, but once inside, I found a further teleport portal lead me on to a series of chambers connected by tunnels and snaked and curled from point-to-point, offering still more opportunities for exploration.

Rich in detail, and  – assuming the castle is open to exploration -with plenty to see and discover, The Endless Graveyard is a dark (literally and figuratively!) place worthy of exploration – particularly if the likes of witchcraft, the  realm of death and mystery are your thing.

The Endless Graveyard, February 2022

SLurl Details

Aliens, allegories and an evening of sci-fi in Second Life

Seanchai Library

It’s time to highlight another week of storytelling in Voice by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s home in Nowhereville, unless otherwise indicated. Note that the schedule below may be subject to change during the week, please refer to the Seanchai Library website for the latest information through the week.

February 21st, 19:00: When They Came

I was never afraid of monsters—at least, not until They came: the visitors from outer space.

Now They’re in our skies, on our streets, always watching, forever waiting.

At seventeen, I’m just about to graduate from the Juvenile Education System and declare my career of choice. The Midnight Guard—who protect our community from the vicious things that lie outside our walls—calls to me.

It’s hard, dangerous work, with gruelling hours that offer little sleep, but it’s the one thing I know will help make a difference in our ever-changing world.

– Ana Mia, When They Came

Having graduated from the juvenile education system, Ana Mia decides to join her sister as a part of Fort Hope’s Midnight Guard. Fort Hope is a stronghold, protecting its inhabitants from Earth’s alien invaders; and the Midnight Guard forms the eyes, ears and guardians of the stronghold’s Wall.

Without the Guard and without the Wall of the stronghold, the aliens would be free to harvest humanity, using their ships and the Coyotes who form their eyes and ears in opposition to the Midnight Guard.

Gyro Muggins read’s Kody Boye’s When They… saga.

Tuesday, February 22nd

12:00 Noon: Russell Eponym

With music, and poetry in Ceiluradh Glen.

19:00: Haroun and the Sea of Stories

Caledonia Skytower reads the fifth of Salman Rushdie’s major publications and his first since The Satanic Verses. 

Written for the younger reader, but with plenty with it suited to older ears, it is of an allegorical nature and addresses a number of societal problems, particularly those found in the Indian subcontinent.

Dedicated to Rushdie’s son, the book looks at the issues it raises – including that of censorship (unsurprisingly, given the reaction following the publication of The Satanic Verses in 1988) – through the eyes of Haroun Khalifa, the son of a doctor and master storyteller.

Both father and son are struck by afflictions related to Haroun’s mother deserting them; Haroun has a form of attention-deficit disorder, whilst his father is prone to bouts of depression. Both can only be relieved of their afflictions should Haroun’s mother, Soraya, return.

Before then, however, Haroun is set for an adventure and discovery.

Thursday, February 24th 19:00: Science Fiction Thursday

With Finn Zeddmore.