Updates for the week ending Sunday, September 18th
This summary is published every Monday, and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:
It is based on my Current Viewer Releases Page, a list of all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware), and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy. This page includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog
By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.
Official LL Viewers
Current Release version: 4.0.8.319463 (dated dated September 9), promoted September 15 – formerly the Visual Outfits Browser RC viewer download page, release notes
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions) RC version 5.0.0.319688 released on September 14 (download and release notes)
VLC Media Plugin Viewer RC updated to version 4.1.1.319583 on September 13 – replaces the QuickTime media plugin for the Windows version of the viewer with one based on LibVLC (download and release notes)
Cool VL viewer Stable branch updated to version 1.26.18.24 and the Experimental branch updated to version 1.26.19.26, both on September 17th (release notes)
The following notes and audio were taken from the weekly Bento User Group meeting, held on Thursday, September 15th at 13:00 SLT at the the Hippotropolis Campfire Circle. and chaired by Vir Linden. For details on the meeting agenda, please refer to the Bento User Group wiki page.
Note that this update is not intended to offer a full transcript of the meeting, nor does it present the discussion points in chronological order. Rather, it represents the core points of discussion, grouped together by subject matter were relevant / possible, whilst maintaining the overall context of the meeting.
RC Viewer Release
As indicated in an official blog post, and in this blog, the Bento viewer is now at release candidate status with the release of version 5.0.0.319688 – which can be obtained through the Alternate Viewers wiki page. This means that TPVs can now officially adopt the Bento code and release it in their own viewers. Cool VL Viewer already has Bento merged into its experimental branch, for example, and Firestorm has the code merged ready for their next scheduled release.
There are a number of small updates in the RC version of the viewer, chiefly typos in the sliders which were preventing them from having symmetrical effects. These affected the lip thickness slider, the square head slider, and the body thickness slider, together with a slight tail bone issue.
The RC Viewer and “Distorted Avatars”
If you opt to experiment with the Bento RC viewer and Beno demons etc., keep in mind that any Bento-enabled items to you wear will only appear as intended when viewed from another Bento capable viewer. Anyone using a non-Bento viewer see you is at best going to see things incorrectly positioned on your avatar, and at worse, see whatever you are wearing utterly deformed.
Bento creations will only appear correctly when viewed in a Bento-enabled viewer, as shown in these two pairs of images. On the left: a Bento head seen in a Bento viewer (note; the jewellery is out-of-position on the first image as I didn’t bother repositioning it to fit the head for the photo) and then on a non-Bento viewer – note the head is now located in the small of my back (arrowed). On the right, a Bento avatar seen respectively in a Bento and a non-Bento viewer (click for full size)
Obviously, as the Bento code is more widely adopted and reaches release status, these issues will decline – but for now, if you’re using the Bento RC viewer (or other viewer with Bento support), do keep this in mind when venturing out in public.
In extreme cases, older viewer versions may crash if a Bento avatar / Bento content is encountered; but these cases should be rare. The Lab added code to the viewer some time ago to specifically prevent Bento updates from crashing the viewer, so as long as a viewer has these updates – as should be the case with all currently maintained viewers – it should not crash.
Reset Skeleton
The Reset Sketon option is available from the right-click context menus for both avatar name tags (l) and avatars (r)
There are occasions (when changing between avatars, for example) when those who are on a Bento viewer may see themselves or another Bento avatar distorted. This is due to variances in how appearance updates are received / handled (and even with non-Bento avatar models has in the past required a re-log to fix).
To overcome this in the Bento viewer, there is a Reset Skeleton option, which can be used on either yourself or other deformed avatars in your view. This can be found in the avatar name tag context menu, or the avatar context menu, either of which can be access by right-clicking on the name tag or avatar respectively.
Vir notes the solution is not ideal, but the only other way to fix such issues would be extensive re-working of the viewer code – and at least this approach avoids the need for a re-log to correct matters.
Time Frames for Release
Questions were asked on when the viewer might go to release. this is actually dependent on a number of factors, including:
The viewer’s crash rate compared with the current release viewer and other RC viewer in the release channel
Whether exposure to a wider audience of users uncovers non-bento bugs or regressions which require additional fixing
Relative priorities between Bento and other projects.
Avatar Vertical Position (height above ground) Calculation
This has been a running topic for some time. In short, a n avatar’s vertical position relative to the ground is determined by a complex calculation which involves using a number of joints running up through the body from the left foot to the skull. The idea is to present a consistent view of an avatar standing on the ground, rather than in the ground or over the ground. However, if any of the joints used in the calculation are changing position unintentionally when the calculation is made, it can result in the avatar seeming to bounce up-and-down (see here for more).
To help overcome these kinds of issues, Vir has now documented the body height calculation bones, and the details can be found here: Avatar body size
Joint Position and Volume Bones
Visualising volume bones
It’s been noted that zooming in on a Bento avatar or attempting to click on a part of the avatar can be difficult. This is generally because the collision bones are not set-up correctly. The positions of the volume bones can be seen using Advanced Menu > Avatar > Show Collision Skeleton.
This will overlay the avatar with a series of oval shapes (official viewer – other viewers may render the collision skeleton slightly differently) which show the position of the volume bones. The closer these match the shape an avatar (something which may not always be possible, depending on the avatar type / size), the easier it will be to zoom in on the avatar and / or click on it.
Setting volume bone positions can either be done within the mesh model or via animation, although there was some confusion whether collision volumes now get included in joint offsets.
On Thursday, September 15th, the Lab promoted the Visual Outfits Browser (VOB) as the de facto release viewer, version: 4.0.8.319463.
For those who missed my coverage of this viewer when it reached RC status, and simply put, the VOB viewer allows you to use the Appearance floater to capture / upload / select images of your outfits and save them against the outfits in a new Outfit Gallery tab within the floater.
The new Outfits Gallery tab (right-click your avatar > select My Appearance > Outfits Gallery) displays all of your created outfits as a series of folder icons, each one displaying the name of the outfit beneath it. You can replace these icons with an image of the outfit quickly and easily in one of three ways:
You can wear the outfit, then right-click on its associated folder icon and select Take a Snapshot (shown above left). This will open the snapshot floater with save to inventory selected by default, allowing you to photograph yourself wearing the outfit and upload the image to SL, where it automatically replaces the folder icon for the outfit
You can use Upload Photo to upload an image of the outfit your previously saved to your hard drive, and have it replace the folder icon
You can use Select Photo to select any image previously saved to your inventory (including any image supplied with the outfit in question, if appropriate), and use that to replace the folder icon for the outfit.
The new Outfit Gallery tab in the Visual Outfit Browser allows you to create photos of any outfits saved to My Outfits as thumbnails. You can then use the Appearance floater to scan your outfits to decide what to wear, and use the context menu to wear the one you want
When using the capability there are a number of points to keep in mind:
Both the Take a Snapshot and the Upload Photo options will incur the L$10 upload fee, with the images themselves saved in your Textures folder
In all three cases, link to the original images are placed in the outfit folder
This approach only works for outfits you’ve created using the Appearance floater / the Outfits tab. It doesn’t work for any other folders where you might have outfits – such is the Clothing folder.
Overall, it would seem that the VOB viewer has received favourable feedback by many of those who have used it during its time as a release candidate viewer. I confess, I cannot offer any real feedback, as I actually don’t used the Outfits folder that much. However, with its arrival as the de facto release viewer, expect to be seeing it in more TPVs (those which haven’t already adopted the code) as they continue to update.
OK, I admit I wasn’t expect this until next week, but on Wednesday, September 14th, the Lab announced that Project Bento is now officially available as a release candidate viewer – version 5.0.0.319688 – which can be obtained through the Alternate Viewers wiki page.
And just in case anyone has missed all the Project Bento news, the best way is to catch-up through the official video. In short, Bento adds a wealth of new bones to the basic avatar skeleton (30+ to heads / faces and to hands alone!), making a wealth of new avatars (humans and non-human) and mesh wearables possible.
The reason I wasn’t expecting the viewer to get promoted just year is that the Lab also has a proof-of-concept viewer being tested, so I assumed any push to RC would come after a decision had been made on incorporating those changes (if they are to be adopted). So, not for the first time, I’m been wrong 🙂 .
The move to release candidate status doesn’t mean the project is at an end. There is still further work to be done as remaining bugs are fixed, etc (so updates such as the slider locking in the proof-of-concept might yet arrive in the viewer). What it does do is three things:
Makes the viewer available to a wider audience through the Lab’s RC distribution mechanism, thus allowing any unforeseen issues in merging the Bento code into the current release viewer code (and which may be outside of direct Bento testing) to be identified and fixed
Potentially makes the viewer more widely available to content creators who may not have so far tried the viewer
Means that TPVs can now officially start incorporating the Bento code into their viewers (in fact, Cool VL Viewer has had Bento in its Experimental branch from some time, and Firestorm have also been working to merge the Bento code as well – but this shouldn’t be taken to mean there will be a new release of the latter in the near future).
In keeping with the status of the Bento code, the Lab do ask people – particularly avatar content creators – to give the viewer a go, and to file a JIRA against any issues found.
As noted above, Bento offers a range of opportunities for mesh wearable and avatar creators – you can see a couple of video exploring the AK and Catwa preview Bento mesh heads in my SL project update. Also, back in August, Vista Animations produced a video illustrating the potential of finger animations:
Then, of course, there is a huge range of non-human avatars: centaurs, “rideables”, winged creatures – all of which can be achieved a lot more efficiently through Bento than has previously been the case.
On Tuesday, September 13th, the Main (SLS) channel received the same server maintenance package previously deployed on the RC channel in week #36. This comprises “minor internal logging changes” which may help with some of the problems occasionally seen with estate bans; at a minimum the Lab will be able to gather more information on them.
There iss no planned deployment or restart set for the three RC channels during the week. RC deployments will resume in week #38. This may involve further serve-side updates to reduce certain griefing vectors.
SL Viewer
The VLC Media Plugin viewer updated in September 13th to version 4.1.1.319583. This viewer replaces the QuickTime media plugin for the Windows viewer with one based on LibVLC.
In addition, and as indicated in my TPVD meeting notes, this version should include changes for exception handling in the viewer intended to ensure exceptions are better handled and recorded. These may not prevent crashes occurring, but should provide the Lab with better data on the exception throws and catches. Overall, they are describes as “fairly small, widespread changes” to the viewer code.
The remaining viewers in the various pipelines remain as per the end of week #36:
Current Release version: 4.0.7.318301 (dated August 8), promoted August 11 – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer download page, release notes
Visual Outfit Browser viewer, version 4.0.8.319143, dated August 30 – ability to preview images of outfits in the Appearance floater
Project viewers:
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions), version 5.0.0.318969, dated August 25 – avatar vertical position update; SLM files are by default not created or used; show bones display uses colours differently; animation of collision volumes fixed
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.
Project Bento
Following my last Bento update, Matrice and Gaia have been working on Avastar 2, which has now reached Alpha 10, supporting the current version of the project viewer (5.0.0.318969).
Demo Heads
In that update, I also blogged about the AK Bento preview head. On September 13th, Catwa offered some bloggers a preview look at an upcoming Catwa head, as well as a preview video. – Doubtless, more heads will be appearing in the near future.
An important point to note with Bento heads is that while they will offer considerably more options for customising your look that “conventional” mesh head, it won’t simply be a case of buying Bento head, wearing it, and having it conform to your existing facial features – you will obviously need to adjust many of the head / facial sliders to get a close / approximate look, and even then, just how close a look you can achieve will depend a lot upon the base mesh of the head itself. So careful testing of Bento heads to find one which bears some initial resemblance to your desired look is likely to be required, and it may be that multiple heads are still required to achieve all of your desired looks.
Strawberry Singh has produced a video based on the AK Bento preview head, demonstrating how it currently works with the sliders.
As Whirly Fizzle pointed out to me, on the day Catwa issued preview copies of her Bento head work, fashion blogger Daeberethwen Arbenlow also put a video together running through the capabilities on that head as well
A further point of note with Bento mesh heads is that the degree of customisation available will depend on which bones of the face and head a model is rigged to, and the weighting assigned to it. An example of this is the nose division, mentioned in both videos. This can potentially be more prominent, providing the head is rigged to the mFaceNoseBase bone and has a suitable weighting applied.
As Cathy Foil, developer of MayaStar, and one of the core members of the Bento development team points out:
Each mesh head designer will have to decide what sliders they want and will have to experiment with different weighting. It will be very exciting to see how face weights will evolve over the next few months and years.
Which again underline the need for careful comparisons when selected Bento heads as they become more and more available once Bento moves past RC status, and more Bento products start to appear.
SL Wiki
The Wiki remains locked to the majority of users for editing, no news on when it may be unlocked, or what might be done to address the current issues.
Updates for the week ending Sunday, September 11th
This summary is published every Monday, and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:
It is based on my Current Viewer Releases Page, a list of all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware), and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy. This page includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog
By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.
Official LL Viewers
Current Release version: 4.0.7.318301 (dated dated August 8), promoted August 11 – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer download page, release notes
Visual Outfit Browser viewer updated to version 4.0.8.319463, on September 9 – ability to preview images of outfits in the Appearance floater (download and release notes)
Cool VL viewer Stable branch updated to version 1.26.18.23 and the Experimental branch updated to version 1.26.19.25, both on September 10th (release notes)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 