Category: SL Tech

Black Dragon 2.4.2 goes beta; UKanDo 3.7.26 and RLV 2.9.7 get AHH

Posted on by Inara Pey

There have been a number of rapid-fire TPV updates this week, so here’s a quick overview for Black Dragon, UKanDo and RLV.

Black Dragon 2.4.2 Beta

On Monday, March 23rd, Black Dragon updated to version 2.4.2 Beta, with Niran focusing on further updates to rendering, although there are some interesting WIP elements as well.

In particular, Niran notes that he’s done further work on the volumetric lighting capability, notably adding a Falloff slider to both Preferences -> Display and the Machinima Sidebar (F1), so that Godrays will fall off the closer they are to the camera which will be further smoothed in future releases), and working to get volumetric lighting working with FXAA and glow.

Black Dragon 2.4.2 Beta add options for both directional volumetric lighting and Godrays Falloff
Black Dragon 2.4.2 Beta add options for both directional volumetric lighting and Godrays Falloff

Also within Preferences -> Display, Niran has added a check box for enabling alphas in depth of field calculations. When unchecked, this excludes alpha from both depth of field and volumetric lighting calculations to prevent focus issues (depth of field) and odd lighting effects (volumetric lighting). when checked, both depth of field and volumetric lighting calculations will include alphas in the field of view.

The new option for enabling / disabling the inclusion of alphas is DoF and volumetric lighting calculations. The option is unchecked (alpha inclusion disabled) by default
The new option for enabling / disabling the inclusion of alphas is DoF and volumetric lighting calculations. The option is unchecked (alpha inclusion disabled) by default

Other additions with this release comprises:

  • A Custom System Memory option and a separate slider for the “linked” memory version
  • A chat colour for Friends
  • (as a work-in-progress) a new information system for Preferences to tell possible performance breakers and problems that could occour with certain options.

As always, for a full list of changes / updates, please refer to the viewer’s release notes.

Related Links

UKanDo 3.7.26

The UKanDo v3 style viewer updated to release 3.7.26.28080 on Tuesday, March 24th. This update brings the viewer up to parity with the Lab’s 3.7.25 and 3.7.26 code, and almost up to spec with Marine Kelley’s RLV updates (2.9.7 of RLV having appeared just after the UKanDo update).

UKanDo 3.7.26 includes the Lab's new Avatar Hover Height capability
UKanDo 3.7.26 includes the Lab’s new Avatar Hover Height capability

In particular, this release sees UKanDo gain the maintenance fixes from the 3.7.25.299021 official view release and the new Avatar Hover Height functionality which has just become a part of the official release viewer.

In addition, this release of UKanDo includes:

  • Disabled the RLV start-up restriction feature by default. Re-enable via the “RLVStartUpRestriction” Debug setting or the RLV tab under General in Prefernces
  • FIRE-15489 by Ansariel Hiller – Add confirmation when unlinking objects, released under LGPL
  • RLV – Quick fix Courtesy of Nicky Perian, and tidy-up.
  • A fix for the “nolink>” parser bug, courtesy of Drake Arconis (Alchemy Viewer).

Related Links

RLV 2.9.7

This release of the Restrained Love Viewer sees assorted fixes for recent RLV release and the inclusion of the Lab’s Avatar Hover Height (AHH) capability, which came about as a result of a detailed formal proposal being put before Lab by members of the Firestorm team during a TPV developer meeting in June 2014.

Currently, and as noted by Marine, AHH is not yet linked to her existing “@adjustheight” capability and slider in the top bar of the viewer.

Related Links

 

SL project updates week 13/1: server, RTLP and misc news

Posted on by Inara Pey

Server Deployments Week 13

As always, please refer to the deployment thread in the forums for the latest updates / news.

  • On Tuesday, March 24th, the Main (SLS) channel received the server maintenance package deployed to the three RCs in week 12, comprising updates which allow the Lab to make various configuration changes without having to necessarily run a rolling restart when they have done so. It contains not actual functional changes to the simulator software
  • On Wednesday, March 25th, the three RC channels should all receive the same new server maintenance package, which is focused on inventory loss issues, and provides the Lab with better error detection and logging, improving their ability to look at some of the failure places and the removal of unused code.

SL Viewer

On Tuesday, March 24th the Avatar Hover Height (AHH) viewer, version 3.7.26.299635 became the de facto release viewer. Avatar Hover Height is a new feature that allows you to adjust the vertical position of your avatar within some preset limits. This is a purely graphical tweak that does not affect your position for physics purposes. For it to work properly, both you and observers watching you need to be running a supported viewer.

You can find out more information view the wiki page and / or via my overview of AHH.

Now in the release viewer: Avatar Hover Height provides a means of adjusting your avatar's graphical height above the ground / floor / objects, as seen by yourself and others
Now in the release viewer: Avatar Hover Height provides a means of adjusting your avatar’s graphical height above the ground / floor / objects, as seen by yourself and others, on-the-fly

A very slight peculiarity with AHH, which seems to work very well, that if you have camera angle moved to the “default” view looking out from behind your avatar by hitting ESC to reset your camera angle, and use the AHH function, it can also change your camera angle. However this doesn’t happen if you’re using any other camera position at the time you alter your height using AHH. This appears to be because there is some interact between the avatar’s height and the default camera position which might be expected behaviour, and may be looked at again in the future. In the meantime, it doesn’t impinge on the overall functionality of AHH.

Restore to Last Position

Note that the RC update is does not include any deprecation of the server-side message used by the restore to last position code (RLTP) used by TPVs.

Commenting on the status of any removal of the server-side support for RTLP (see here for background on this) during the Simulator User Group meeting on Tuesday, March 24th, Simon Linden said, “We haven’t done anything about RTLP  and it’s still officially unsupported.   There’s a long list of issues that would really make that feature work.   It would be really nice, but it’s not just fix-one-bug.”

Oz Linden then added, “We won’t disable it completely without fair warning at the TPV meeting. What I’ve done so far is just ask questions – it doesn’t count as fair warning :-).”

 Other Items

Mesh Uploader

There is currently a mesh uploader project viewer (version 3.7.25.298441), which includes various improvements to the uploader, and which will most likely be progressing through to RC status and to a release status over time. However, there are still further requests for the uploader to be improved in terms of the information it displays, two of which are:

  • Better capabilities for zooming the model preview window after using the scale option, so that if the preview image is enlarged the user can zoom out further than is currently possible
  • The ability to provide an actual LI calculation while using the custom physics model upload, rather than just a convex hull measurement (see VWR-28177 “Enable Prim physics-shape-type physics weight display in upload floater”).

Both of these were raised at the Simulator User Group meeting on Tuesday March 24th; which doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily be acted upon, but while the Lab is tinkering with the uploader, it does bring both matters back to the Lab’s attention.

2015 viewer release summaries: week 12

Posted on by Inara Pey

Updates for the week ending: Sunday, March 22nd, 2015

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: 3.7.25.299021 February 24th – no change
  • Release channel cohorts (See my notes on manually installing RC viewer versions if you wish to install any release candidate(s) yourself):
    • Maintenance RC viewer updated to version 3.7.26.299845 on March 18th – multiple fixes and improvements (download and release notes)
  • Project viewers:
    • No updates

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V3-style

  • CtrlAltStudio Alpha for Oculus Rift updated to version 1.2.3.42797 on March 18th – core updates: recommended alpha update for windows & crash fixes (release notes)
  • Kokua updated to version 3.7.26.35224 on March 16th – core updates: parity with LL 3.7.25 code base and RLV 2.9.6.8 (release notes)

V1-style

  • Cool VL Viewer
    • Stable branch updated to version 1.26.12.36 – March 21st
    • Experimental branch to 1.26.13.4 – March 21st
    • Release notes

Mobile / Other Clients

  • Mobile Grid Client updated to version 1.22.1241 on March 20th – core updates: fix for chat/IM tab highlighting in Android 5; improved IM channel highlighting on new messages (release notes).

Additional TPV Resources

Related Links

OnLive: Firestorm now on Android and iPad

Posted on by Inara Pey

SL go logoImportant note: The SL Go service is to be shut down on April 30th, 2015. For more information, please read this report.

On Monday, March 23rd, OnLive, the company providing the SL Go service, announced the release of Firestorm Mobile for SL Go, bringing Second Life’s most-used viewer to Android devices and the iPad.

Commenting on the launch to me, Dennis Harper, OnLive’s Product Manager for SL Go, said “Since the launch of Firestorm on SL Go in December 2014, one of the questions we’ve most frequently been asked has been, ‘when will Firestorm be available for mobile?’ With this release, OnLive is delighted to again fulfil a request from users and provide them with the service they desire.”

However, due to technical constraints, the launch does see a change to the mobile side of the service, where OnLive is only able to provision one viewer to users. Given the huge popularity Firestorm for SL Go has already achieved since its launch on the SL Go service, it will, for a time, be the only viewer available to those using the service on Android devices and the iPad. Hopefully, this will be a short-term situation, and OnLive will again be able to offer a choice of viewers to mobile users in the near future.

This will not affect SL Go users on PCs and Mac computers, to whom OnLive will continue to offer a choice of the Lab’s Second Life viewer or Firestorm when running the SL Go service.

OnnLive have released Firestorm for SL Go running on Android devices and iPads - and for the time being, it is the viewer for such devices
OnnLive have released Firestorm for SL Go running on Android devices and iPads (note the SL Go screen overlay in the image) – and for the time being, it is the viewer for such devices

If you are already using SL Go on either an Android device or an iPad, you do not need to do anything. As soon as you log-in to SL Go, Firestorm will launch automatically.

New users can continue to join the service in one of two ways:

  • Via subscription, complete with a 7-day free trial of the service: simply visit the SL Go web page and sign-up (credit card or PayPal required)
  • By in-world payment (minimum of L$650 for one week) via the SL Go in-world payment service (no name and no credit card are required) – you can also read about this service here.

 

SL project updates week 12/1: server, RTLP, viewer translation tool

Posted on by Inara Pey
Tugby! Rugby with tugboats - blog post
Tugby! Rugby with tugboats – blog post

Server Deployments Week 12

As always, please refer to the server deployment thread for the latest updates and information on the week’s roll-outs.

  • On Tuesday, March 17th, the Main (SLS) channel received the server maintenance package previously deployed to the three RC channels.  This comprises “internal improvements for premium users”
  • On Wednesday, March 18th, all three RC channels should receive the same new server maintenance package, comprising various internal fixes for the simulator code.

Commenting on the RD deployment at the Simulator User Group meeting on Tuesday, March 16th, Simon Linden said, “the code going to RC tomorrow doesn’t have anything you will notice, but helps us when we want to make some configuration changes.” Oz Linden followed-up his comment by adding, “that is to say, it allows us to make changes we used to have to roll code to make.”

Other Items

Restore to Last Position (RTLP)

As noted in my last SL projects update report, the Lab is considering deprecating the last of the simulator messaging support for the “restore to last position” (RTLP) functionality, which can still be found in some TPVs and can, albeit with some undesirable results, depending upon how it is used, to restore an item directly from inventory  and return it to its last recorded in-world position, relative to the region in which the user is standing.

Because the Lab are considering the future of the simulator-side support for the capability, and also as I’ve reported, the Firestorm team is seeking use cases from users on how RTLP is useful, in the hope of presenting the Lab with a reasoned argument on why RTLP, or some similar capability should be retained / provided.

Oz Linden - keeping an eye on feedback through the Firestorm blog on "restore to last position"
Oz Linden – keeping an eye on feedback through the Firestorm blog on “restore to last position”

Commenting on the effort, Oz Linden said, “I’ve been following that. some are supportable, other not so much. Very good food for thought, though, and at least as far as I’ve gotten … people are heeding the request to be civil and non-hyperbolic. I really appreciated that.”

Also commenting on RTLP, Simon said, “What I’ve always wondered with that … the viewer really has a lot of info to do this better. It seems like it could record a list of things as they are removed from a region, then later put them back and give you better feedback on what works and what doesn’t.”

A number of possible approaches to handling cases currently managed by RTLP were also raised during the discussion, but these were just ideas, although they were listened to positively by Oz and Simon. However, this does necessarily mean the Lab will not deprecate the simulator support required for RTLP at some point in the future as a part of dealing with inventory loss issues, or that they’ll necessarily replace it with other functionality. But they are listening and reading.

So again, if you do have a good, concise use case for RTLP which hasn’t so far been reported on the Firestorm blog post’s comments (not here!), do make sure you hop over there and write it up.

Viewer Translation Tool Issue

Nalates Urriah reports that the translation option within the SL viewer (and used by TPVs) is effectively broken for those wishing to use it for the first time (see: BUG-8794 “The Bing API used by the viewer is depreciated [sic]”).

This isn’t an issue within the viewer per se; rather it is a result of the older Bing translation tool WPI / widget having been deprecated by Microsoft, and the means to access it removed from the web page to which users are directed on clicking the Bing API link within Preferences > Chat  > Translation in the viewer.

However, this isn’t a matter of the Lab simply correcting the link used within the viewer; deprecating the “old” translation service means that any keys obtained by following links to the “new” service will not verify through the API currently used by the viewer, thus preventing the Bing translation service being used.

Microsoft have deprecated the existing Bing translation API / widget with the result that new translation keys will not work within the translation function in the viewer (official and those TPVs using the Lab's translate options)
Microsoft have deprecated the existing Bing translation API / widget with the result that new translation keys will not work within the translation function in the viewer (official and those TPVs using the Lab’s translate options)

However, as noted in both the notes from Microsoft, and in comments accompanying BUG-8794, existing verification key previously obtained using the “old” Bing API are still supported, and will still work; thus, this issue only impacts those trying to obtain a new key. As this matter has just been reported, there is no word from the Lab on how it might be handled.

2015 viewer release summaries: week 11

Posted on by Inara Pey

Updates for the week ending: Sunday, March 15th, 2015

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: 3.7.25.299021 February 24th – no change
  • Release channel cohorts (See my notes on manually installing RC viewer versions if you wish to install any release candidate(s) yourself):
    • Avatar Height Hover RC viewer version 3.7.26.299635 released on March 10 – Avatar Hover Height allows you to adjust the vertical position of your avatar within some preset limits. See the wiki page and my overview (download and release notes)
    • Experience Keys RC viewer updated to version 3.8.0.299338 on March 9 – provides support for viewing and managing Experiences and for contributing content for Experiences (download and release notes)
  • Project viewers:
    • No updates

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V3-style

  • Black Dragon updated to version 2.4.1.9 on March 10th – core updates: rendering improvements to horizon, Godray / volumetric light (change log)
  • CtrlAltStudio Alpha for Oculus Rift updated to version 1.2.3.42796 on March 15th – core update – parity with Firestorm release 4.6.7 (download and release notes)
  • Restrained Love Viewer updated to version 2.9.6.8 on  March 10th – core updates: ability to shift camera focus when blindfolded, allowing avatar to “feel” environment around them (release notes)

V1-style

  • Cool VL Viewer
    • Stable branch updated to version 1.26.12.35 – March 14th
    • Experimental branch to 1.26.13.3 – March 14th
    • Legacy branch to 1.26.8.91 – March 14th
    • Release notes

Mobile / Other Clients

  • No updates.

Additional TPV Resources

Related Links