The was no Main (SLS) channel deployment or re-start on Tuesday, April 11th.
On Wednesday, April 12th, the three RC channels should all receive a new server maintenance package which includes:
Several internal fixes and two new internal logging modes
Another adjustment to fix issues with off-line IM and Group Notice delivery reliability
Fixes an issue where large numbers of objects could be returned after a rolling restart.
It had been indicated that the new server OS build could be deployed to an RC this week. Whether this would be a “full” RC (BlueSteel, Magnum or LeTigre) or perhaps to a limited channel (as is the case with the increase avatar capacity updates, which are on McRib), was made clear. More on this later in the week, maybe.
SL Viewer
The recent Voice RC, version 5.0.4.324770 was withdrawn some time on Monday, April 10th / Tuesday April 11th as a result of suffering a high crash rate.
The AssetHTTP project viewer was promoted to RC status with the release of version 5.0.4.325144 on Monday, April 10th.
This leaves the remainder of the current viewer list as:
Current Release version: 5.0.3.324435, dated March 13th – snapshots to e-mail hotfix download page, release notes
Project Alex Ivy (LXIV), 64-bit project viewer version 5.1.0.503537 dated March 17th
360-degree snapshot viewer updated to version 4.1.3.321712 on November 23, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images – hands-on review (download and release notes)
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
The notes in this update are taken from the following sources:
Server Beta User Group meeting, held on Thursday April 6th, 2017 at 3:00pm SLT – transcript here
The TPV Developer meeting held on Friday, April 7th, 2017 at 12:00 noon SLT.
A video of the TPV Developer meeting is embedded at the end of this update. My thanks as always to north for providing it. Timestamps in this report, where relevant, will link you to the point in the video where items are discussed (via a new browser tab).
SL Viewer
No changes to the current pipeline since part one of the week’s update:
Current Release version 5.0.3.324435, dated March 13th – snapshots to e-mail hotfix
Release channel cohorts:
Maintenance RC viewer version 5.0.4.325124, dated Monday, April 3rd – review
Voice RC viewer version 5.0.4.324770 released on March 20th – several improvements to voice
Project viewers:
Project AssetHttp project viewer, version 5.0.4.324828 dated March 30th – This viewer moves fetching of several types of assets to HTTP / CDN – overview
Project Alex Ivy (“LXIV”), 64-bit project viewer, version 5.1.0.503537 dated March 17th
360-degree snapshot viewer, version 4.1.3.321712 dated November 23rd, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images – hands-on review
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
64-bit Build Instructions & Windows Crash Rates
[11:15] The Lab plan to update the viewer build instructions on the wiki to match the 64-bit build process once the 64-bit viewer reaches release status, and the build process is seen as stable.
[29:14] The 64-bit build is being tested across all versions of Windows back to Windows 7. While the current project viewer cohort of users is small, there is evidence that Windows 7 64-bit systems have a “significantly higher” crasher rate with the viewer than Windows 8 or Windows 10, with Windows 10 systems having the lowest overall crash rate.
SL Voice: Linux Updates and Blocking Older Versions of SL Voice
[0:49] Vivox, the company that provides the Voice back-end service and delivers the Voice plug-in for the viewer are no longer providing updates for Linux. This means there will no longer be any Voice updates for the Linux flavour of the viewer unless Vivox reverses that decision.
[1:42] The plans to block older versions of SL Voice to ensure users are only using the most recent versions of the plug-in, first announced in the latter part of 2016 and placed on hold in December 2016, remain on the back-burner with Oz Linden noting, “We don’t have any time line for disabling older Voice versions … We may or may not get to it.”
Region Access Changes
There are two changes to region access which are currently in progress.
Region Capacity and Access
[2:36] The first is the Improved Region Capacity and Access updates as reported by the Lab on Tuesday, April 2nd, and which are being rolled-out in stages. There has been some negative reaction to these change (some basic account users have been particularly vocal about the upper capacity to a very busy region being “reserved” for Premium members); however, the deployment which was placed on its own limited server channel (McRib), appears to be going well and so will be rolled to a larger selection of regions in week #15 (commencing Monday, April 10th).
[3:28] The Lab will continue to look at avatar capacity within region types as they continue to make other changes to the system, and if the opportunity arises to increase the numbers, they “probably will” (quote). Of course, increases to region capacity on the back-end can have a negative impact at the viewer end of the equation, where the viewer and client system potentially have to work than much harder.
Revised Region and Parcel Access Controls
[4:40] The Lab is revising how Public Access controls are set at both region and parcel access. This involved changes to both the back-end (already on RC) and a set of changes to the viewer UI. You can read more about this in my separate report here.
Simulator Operating System Update
[4:07] As noted in recent SL project updates in these pages, the Lab has been working on a new region simulator build using an updated version of Linux. These work has been on test on Aditi (the beta grid) for the last several weeks (on channel DRTSIM-323), and is due to move to an RC release in week #15, pending no last-minute show stoppers arise in final QA / test.
This is an extensive back-end change to the simulator, which should be largely invisible to users. However, the Lab will be watching the initial deployment carefully, because as Mazidox Linden commented at the server beta meeting, “It won’t change anything you should notice, and could change anything, at the same time.” This being the case, there is a standing request that as the update is deployed, those using regions running on the RC channel(s) on which it is running (see the week #15 server deployment notes in the Second Life Server forum, once published) to be extra vigilant and report anything untoward they may see / encounter.
Once this operating system update has been completed, the Lab will start work on a further update.
Other Items
Rendering Cost Calculations
[19:25] The Lab is running a background project to look at the cost of rendering a wide range of Second Life features across a range of different client systems running the viewer. The tests for this work have now been defined and are about to be put into use. Once sufficient data has been gathered, the Lab will use it to determine what might need to be done to improve the accuracy of the avatar rendering calculations with a view to making them more accurately reflect the real cost of rendering high poly count items. Changes will be communicated through forums such as the TPV Developer meeting ahead of any implementation.
[33:55] One potential project which might help with mesh avatar complexity is to allow system layer texture baking to be applied to mesh avatars. This has been the subject of numerous discussions at the Content Creation User Group meetings (see here and here for more), and while it is still not officially adopted as a project by the Lab, they are continuing to take a detailed look at the idea,
Ban List Improvements
[28:00] This was first raised at the TPV Developer meeting held of Friday February 17th. Essentially, the region ban lists are seen as difficult to use, particularly where the ban list is extensive. There have also been requests that the upper limits for both region and parcel ban lists are raised.
Both subjects are still subject to discussion within the Lab, and while no project is currently on the cards to deal with either, it seems likely that were they to be addressed, they would be addressed together. It has been noted that one possible driver for change might be the upcoming changes being made to how Public Access is managed for regions where it is set (see above).
Windows 10 / Nvidia Shadowplay Bug
Whirly Fizzle has reported a bug which appears to have started with a recent Nividia driver update or a Windows 10 update. In short, launching the Nvidia GeForce Experience and enabling ShadowPlay on a Windows 10 system with Nvidia graphics, which tend to result in a viewer crash. See BUG-11530 for more, including a response from Nvidia on the issue.
On Tuesday, April 4th, the Main (SLS) channel received the server maintenance package previously deployed to the three RC channels in week #13, comprising a small update to asset metrics stats logging.
On Wednesday, April 5th, the three RC channels should all receive a new server maintenance package which includes a new option in the estate settings which allows parcel owners to override the public access settings for all parcels in the estate. However, this change is pending a viewer update in order to make it visible to users.
SL Viewer
The Maintenance RC viewer updated to version 5.0.4.325124 on Monday, April 3rd. This viewer as a number of updates and improvements, which I reviewed in a recent post (albeit for the earlier version of the viewer).
Outside of this, the release of the LL viewer pipeline remains unchanged:
Current Release version 5.0.3.324435, dated March 13th – snapshots to e-mail hotfix
Release channel cohorts:
Voice RC viewer version 5.0.4.324770 released on March 20th – several improvements to voice
Project viewers:
Project AssetHttp project viewer, version 5.0.4.324828 dated March 30th – This viewer moves fetching of several types of assets to HTTP / CDN – overview
Project Alex Ivy (LXIV), 64-bit project viewer, version 5.1.0.503537 dated March 17th
360-degree snapshot viewer, version 4.1.3.321712 dated November 23rd, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images – hands-on review
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
Region Capacity and Access
On Tuesday, April 4th the Lab announced increases of between 10% and 25% on the number of avatars can enter a region, the exact percentage depending on the region type. These percentages apply to the default maximum number of avatars each type of region (Full, Homestead and Open Space), and to the limit imposed by the region owner. They also include other changes – refer to the official blog post (or my own) for further information.
Commenting on the change at the Simulator User Group meeting, Oz linden pointed out the change was made as an attempt to respond to multiple requests made at the SUG meetings for accessing full regions to be “improved”. Hints were given that the approach might be further refined / updated in the future.
There was no update to the Main (SLS) channel on Tuesday, March 28th.
On Wednesday, March 29th, the three RC channels received a new server maintenance package, primarily comprising a small update to asset metrics stats logging.
Week #14 (commencing Monday, April 3rd) should see a new RC update: “New estate setting allowing estate owners to override the parcel level allow public access settings”, which I assume will be awaiting a viewer-side update once deployed – but more on that next week.
SL Viewer
The new AssetHttp Project viewer, version 5.0.4.324828, appeared on Thursday, March 30th. This contains code for handling the delivery of landmarks, wearables (system layer clothing and body parts), sounds and animations via HTTP and through the Content Delivery Networks the Lab leverages. I have a separate report on it available here, and Vir Linden – who has been leading the viewer-side work for the project – had this to say at the Content Creation User Group meeting on March 30th:
Outside of this, the various LL viewer channels remain as follows:
Current Release version: 5.0.3.324435, dated March 13th – snapshots to e-mail hotfix
Release channel cohorts:
Maintenance RC viewer version 5.0.4.324882 released on March 23rd – avatar rendering and other updates – overview
Voice RC viewer version 5.0.4.324770 released on March 20th – several improvements to voice
Project viewers:
Project Alex Ivy (LXIV), 64-bit project viewer updated to version 5.1.0.503537 on March 17th
360-degree snapshot viewer updated to version 4.1.3.321712 on November 23rd, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images – hands-on review
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
New Simulator Build Testing
DRTSIM-323 is the channel on Aditi (the beta grid) which is carrying the a new version of the simulator code using the Lab’s latest build of the server operating system. In includes the regions: Fire Ants, Bug Island and Mauve (again, these are on the beta grid). It’s still under test, and will remain that way for a while yet, although there is some limited testing occurring on the Snack channel on the main grid.
Content Creation Group Notes
Animation Transitions
Vir is still looking at the issue of animations becoming “stuck” between transitions when using llSetAnimationOverride – an avatar freezing when it should transition from standing to walking, for example, or getting stuck in a pre- or post-jump mode (see BUG-7488 as an example of the kind of problem). As llSetAnimationOverride is a server-side function, it would appear that something is going awry there, but pinning it down is proving difficult.
Mesh Upload Physics Type
This goes back to a very old Mesh beta (when mesh model support was being introduced to SL), and feature request CTS-571, and also related to BUG-40694. In sort, the original request was to allow the physics shape for an object to be set at upload time, rather than as is currently the case, after the upload. Allowing this is seen as a potential fix for a wide range of issues associated with mesh modelling, and could also overcome lot of the “failed to rez” inventory loss is due to the use of the lowest LOD auto-generated shape preventing a ray trace hit on the server-side when trying to place objects, as defined in BUG-40694.
While cautioning that changes to the mesh uploader aren’t currently on the roadmap, Vir listened to the discussion of the issues, and indicated he’d take a look at the upload and the problems, and possibly suggest a re-visit to the uploader might be in order depending on what he finds.
Note that while the following was discussed during the Content Creation User Group meeting, it does not mean anything is about to be changed with the Second Life permissions system.
There have been a number of long-standing pricing issues with selling full permission items, such as kits to help people build content they can sell, or mesh templates for clothing and accessories which allow non-mesh modellers to enhance (via texturing, scripted options etc.) to enhance and then re-sell. So of these discussions can be seen as far back as with feature request SVC-2622.
Touching on these issues from the perspective of diminishing returns for creators of full permission kits and templates, Cathy Foil enquired whether a “derivative” permissions flag, similar to that seen within IMVU might be added to SL. This would still allow those wishing to sell full permission Copy, Modify, Transfer items to do so, but it would also allow kit and template makers to set the Derivative flag against a product (so it is Copy, Modify Derivative, for example).
This flag would allow others to buy the item, enhance it, resell it, etc., but with the caveat that the minimum they could re-sell it for would be the original purchase price. Thus, they would naturally be encouraged to sell it for more (with the potential for the original creator of the item effectively getting a “royalty” type payment of each item sold).
This sparked a lengthy discussion on a range of topics – such as adding derivative chains to the system (allowing all changes to an item by various resellers to be tracked), through the idea that such a system would encourage people to add value to the products they create using fell perm kits / templates in the knowledge their work would be rewarded, etc.
However, as Vir pointed out, changing the permissions system itself is complicated and not easy to update. Adding some kind of derivative tacking system would as well makes any such update, even were it to be considered, vastly more complicated in scope. As such, it is not something the Lab is liable to consider.
Avastar, MayaStar and Maya .ANIM Exporter
Avatar 2 is now at release candidate 7 for those with the product, MayaSatar has received an update covering bug-fixes and the like.
Aura Linden is still working on the .ANIM exporter for Maya (does not require MayaStar), but as she’s working on this in her own time, it’s taking a little longer than anticipated to finish off, having had to re-write the exporter using python rather than Maya’s own MEL scripting language.
There was no update to the Main (SLS) channel on Tuesday, March 28th, as there had been no RC deployment in week #12. As there had been a deployment to this channel in week #12, it was not restarted.
On Wednesday, March 29th, the three RC channels should receive a new server maintenance package, primarily comprising a small update to asset metrics stats logging.
SL Viewer
The current viewers / candidates remain as:
Current Release version: 5.0.3.324435, dated March 13th – snapshots to e-mail hotfix
Release channel cohorts:
Maintenance RC viewer version 5.0.4.324882 released on March 23rd – avatar rendering and other updates – overview
Voice RC viewer version 5.0.4.324770 released on March 20th – several improvements to voice
Project viewers:
Project Alex Ivy (LXIV), 64-bit project viewer updated to version 5.1.0.503537 on March 17th
360-degree snapshot viewer updated to version 4.1.3.321712 on November 23rd, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images – hands-on review
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
Other Items
Script Editor Minor Bug
A minor, but irritating bug has been noted when working with the script editor. It is described as:
Open a script, select a reserved word, go to “help” > “keyword help”, minimize the wiki, minimise the script. Observe, you can’t open them individually.
The issue repros in both the official viewer and Firestorm, so is likely to be common to most viewers. A JIRA on the issue is expected.
The notes in this update are taken from the following sources:
Content Creation User Group meeting, held on Thursday March 23rd, 2017 at 1:00pm SLT
The TPV Developer meeting held on Friday, March 24th, 2017 at 12:00 noon SLT.
A video of the TPV Developer meeting is included, and timestamps to it are included in the text, where relevant. Notes from the Content Creation User Group appear towards the end of this update.
SL Viewer Pipeline
Maintenance RC Re-issue
On Thursday, March 23rd, the Lab released a new Maintenance RC viewer – version 5.0.5.324882 – to replace the faulty March 16th release. As such, it includes the same set of updates, and I’ve written an overview of the core changes.
Voice RC
[0:19] The Voice RC viewer, version 5.0.4.324770, has a problem with the SSL Certificate Authorities update included with it. This triggers some code deep within the viewer which should not be triggered. This tends to affect TPVs for than the official viewer (the issue was actually noted by Firestorm). It’s be at least a couple of weeks before this matter is resolved, and until it is, the Voice RC viewer will not be progressing, and the Lab is unlikely to expand the cohort of users running it. Alongside of this, but separate to is, is an issue which is giving the viewer a higher than expected crash rate. which is also being looked into. Additionally, among the updates to this viewer and not included in the release notes, is support for the Opus Interactive Audio Codec, although server-side support is still required. This should eventually see further Voice quality improvements.
64-bit Project Alex Ivy
[3:10] As noted in part 1 of this week’s update, the 64-bit viewer was updated on Friday, March 17th to version 5.1.0.503537. This viewer is showing a significantly lower crash rate, although it does have some other issues. It should have a further update in the next two weeks.
360 Snapshot Viewer
[4:06] It appears unlikely that the 360 snapshot viewer will be update in the next week due to the ongoing work with the 64-bit viewer.
Asset Fetching Via HTTP
Vir Linden has been focused on the viewer side of this work, which will see the remaining inventory asset classes – landmarks, gestures, animations, shapes, sounds and wearables (system layer clothing) – switch from UDP delivery through the simulator to HTTP delivery via the via the Content Delivery Network(s) the Lab uses.
[4:42] The viewer for this work may be appearing in week #13 (week commencing Monday, March 27th). However, this is dependent on some back-end web configuration work being completed so that the required simulator changes can be correctly enabled on the Main grid.
Once these remaining assets have been shifted to delivery to the viewer via HTTP / CDN, the remaining UDP messaging for asset delivery will be turned off on the simulator end. This may be around July / August time (to be confirmed once the HTTP updates have reached release status), and will mean any older viewers still using UDP messaging for asset data fetching will be unable to do so.
New JIRA – Soon
[14:35] There is a new JIRA update coming, in line with recent updates made by Atlassian. It is currently on internal testing at the Lab, but there is no time frame as to when it will make a public appearance.
FMod Studio
[16:00] Around the start of the 64-bit viewer project there was a potential for an open-source contributed project for using Fmod Studio with viewer audio. This is likely to be re-examined, and if found suitable it may be up for adoption. However, given it will require a licence, which is likely to take a while to be processed by the Lab, it will not prevent the 64-bit viewer progressing forward toward release. Instead, the code module will be integrated as and when the licence has been obtained.
Content Creation Meeting Round-up
Animation Transitions: as noted in my March 9th CCUG meeting notes, people have been noting issues with animation playback, some of which appear to be related to llSetAnimationOverride, one of the server-side functions for controlling your animation state (see BUG-7488 as an example).
Vir has been looking at this, but no definitive cause has been found. One suggestion is that it might be related to Walk Adjust cutting in, which can occur when transitioning from standing to almost any other state when using llSetAnimationOverride. Although is that some transitional animation, such as a pre-jump or landing might be accidentally set to loop, causing an apparently freeze / lock. Vir will continue to poke at this.
Avatar Rendering Calculations: work continues on refining the rendering cost calculations for avatars. However, this work is still not ready for shipping. Theses adjustments are twofold: to account for more “recent” changes which have been made since the system was last properly evaluated, and to address known issues in how the calculations are made.
Applying Baked Textures to Mesh Avatars: this is still on the short list, but is not an adopted or active project within the Lab as yet.
Rigging Animated Attachments to the Skeleton: there are issues trying to rig animated attachment to the avatar skeleton (e.g. a set of nunchaku or a gun that twirls before being holstered). While they may work OK using a specific avatar shape, problems can occur should the shape be changed (e.g. the nachaku / gun no longer accurately positions relative to the hand). Medhue Simoni suggests items like this might be rigged and animated to the relevant attachment point instead.
NPCs / Animated Objects: this is still not a formal project at the Lab, but there has been some discussion on the potential feature set, were it to become a project.
Scripted method to position bones: see BUG11407. VIr’s concern with this approach would be the level of complexity / risk of conflicts with animations / need to expand the scripting capabilities on the back-end in order to make full scripted positions of bones useful. However, within the meeting, it was seen as being more useful in being able to fine tune poses for things like photography (e.g. to prevent hands vanishing into breasts or thighs), and thus supplant something like Anypose. As a result, Vir’s agreed to look at tools like Anypose and have a fresh look at the JIRA.
Other Items
Bento Ridable Horse
Strawberry Singh has all the information on a new Bento Rideable horse, which has a release had of Saturday, March 25th. As the name implies, this is a horse which makes full used of the Bento skeleton extensions (so when worn, it is an extension of your avatar). Berry has produced a tidy video on the horse, and I’ll finish this update by embedding it – read Berry’s blog post for the specifics.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 