Category: Outdated and Discontinued

The Phoenix has risen

Posted on by Inara Pey

Today sees the “final” release of Phoenix as a Release Candidate, that brings together the last clutch of major releases from the Phoenix team prior to work starting in earnest on their Viewer-2 hybrid, Firestorm.

Given there are a number of fairly big updates in this release (.725), the Phoenix team are taking a wise course of action in declaring it a Release Candidate that may require some tweaking to iron out remaining issues and bugs before it can be considered a “final” release. Therefore, I’d recommend you bear this in mind when downloading and installing.

The key feature list with this release is impressive, and it is good to see Phoenix get code that officially supports multiple prim attachments, thus finally breaking the issues with using the Emerald hack for this, and there is even a document for those who have routinely used the “Emerald hack” explaining what they’ll likely get on using the RC. Display Names are also introduced with this release, so there are going to be some interesting times ahead for people longing to be able to set suitable role-play names  as well! It’s wotrh watching the video on DisplayNames, as Phoenix, I understand, offers additional functionality on these over Viewer 2.x

There are also some changes “missing” from this release (as in, no-one anywhere has yet ported the code for use in 1.23.5-based Viewers), and some changes that are going to doubtless cause confusion and / or minor heart palpitations for those who have not read the supporting documentation. Chief among these are:

  • No support for multiple clothing on the same layer: in other words, you cannot wear two Jacket layers, as is possible in Viewer 2.x and its derivatives. Those desiring this are likely going to have to wait for Firestorm or something like Imprudence’s upcoming Kokua Viewer
  • Phoenix adopts the Viewer 2.x inventory management code. This means that if anyone has ever used Viewer 2, they could be in for a surprise when they log in with the Phoenix RC and find themselves wearing clothing and one or more prim attachments they were wearing the last time they ever logged into SL using Viewer 2. However, the good news is that Phoenix now has the ability to create Outfit folders at last – although this may not be such a boon to those who manage some of their outfits through #RLV.

The ability to manipulate parcel presets with the same ease as with Viewer 2.x is also a massively-welcome addition to Phoenix.

I’ve run a quick test on various elements – like multi-attach and Outfits creation and the use of Display Names, and all appear to work perfectly well, although I still feel Outfits is limited in that there is no ability to “nest” outfits within a sub-folder structure so that, for example, you could have MY OUTFITS -> GOWNS -> and all your various gown Outfits. Now, this isn’t a fault with Phoenix – it’s the way things work in Viewer 2.x – but perhaps Jessica and the team could look at tweaking the  code for Firestorm…

Display Names has a nice work-through, given Phoenix doesn’t have that bloody sidebar, and the functionality is neat.

Overall, this appears to be a mighty swansong for the 1.23.5-based Phoenix (which, once this release hits “final”, will be subject to issue / bug fix releases only), and one that – RC jitters aside – is going to please a lot of people.

Me included! Kudos to the Phoenix team and all associated with the project!

Rising from the ashes

Posted on by Inara Pey

As Phox/Fractured leads those who listen into self-immolation, a new Viewer rises from the ashes in the form of Phoenix.

As Jessica Lyon announced:

My name is Jessica Lyon. My goal during my time with the Emerald Project, was always to give the users what they want. That goal has never and will never change. I’m very happy to announce, it continues…

A few days ago, I assembled a team of developers to work on a new viewer. Some who were originally Emerald developers, some who were not. All are respected reputable residents in the SecondLife Community. The goal was simple, to provide users with what they want and do it transparently.

I’m am very proud to announce the launch of the Phoenix Viewer. This project, has started off simple, with it’s initial release of a safe clone of the Emerald viewer. Users want Emerald features, you shall have them. We have big plans to expand to the Snowstorm project as well. We have already applied for the TPVD, to which we have no doubt we will be accepted in a timely fashion. We have already started making in world groups for support, (Phoenix Viewer Support), beta testing etc. There is much more to do… however…

This Viewer is ready for use by you, right now!

For this project, I insist on, and everyone on this team insists on 100% public transparency in EVERYTHING we do. We have already established a public IRC Dev chat, public repo and are working on much much more.

Our developers are; (in alphabetical order), Dakun Flux, Dimentox Travanti, Jessica Lyon, Kitty Barnett, LordGregGreg Back, Techwolf Lupindo, Tonya Souther, Vortex Saito, Wickman Gibbs, with more to come.

Our Lead Developers are: Dimentox Travanti, LordGregGreg Back, Techwolf Lupindo, Tonya Souther.

Ed Merryman will be leading our support team: Aleia Sapphire, bee Baroque,  Damian Zhaoying, Ed Merryman,  Marybeth Oceanlane,  Mindy Spiritor,  Nisa Maverick, PixelProphet Lane,  Toy LaFollette, Vortex Saito, Whirly Fizzle, Wolfspirit Magic.

Our website is still in progress, however we have up the required links.
Downloads.
I am very pleased and excited about this project, and I hope that you will be too.

Sincerely,

Jessica Lyon and the Phoenix Viewer Development Team.
My personal blog: http://jessicalyons.wordpress.com

This is potentially momentous news. Phoenix looks to incorporate some worthy individuals: Jessica, LordGregGreg Back and Kitty Barnett of RLVa fame.

As Jessica’s note explains, this is an initial release, based on “safe” Emerald code. The current iteration lacks many of the options that can already be found in LGG’s Emergence, but doubtless these will come in time as Jessica states. Most interestingly, the group are stating they’ll be looking to work with the Snowstorm project.

Currently, Phoenix is not on the TPV List, but the paperwork has been submitted and there are also some issues around the code repository that need to be resolved – the links don’t currently work (20:00 BST, 3rd Sept). However, for all those worrying about the future – given that, despite what has happened, Emerald did have a highly-effective list of functions – it would appear a Viewer of equal capability is now available.

I, for one, wish it every success and a drama-free future!

Imprudence returns

Posted on by Inara Pey

Following the recent discussions on the TPVP which led to some needed rewording, Imprudence have announced they will continue to support Second Life.

While SL may no longer be the primary “market” for Imprudence (and Lord knows the OS environment needs a viewer with Imprudence’s strengths), that they have reversed their earlier, and somewhat irrational action is to be strongly commended. So to is their willingness to engage in the issue of clarifying concerns around the TPVP’s ill-considered wording.

Kudos, Imprudence!