Category: Viewers

Lette Ponnier: “The three hours that can change your SL”

Posted on by Inara Pey

Letter Ponnier, one of the core support staff on the Firestorm viewer, runs her own blog, which often focuses on Second Life, the user’s experience and more. Obviously, as a member of the Firestorm team, many of her posts are Firestorm-centric – but this doesn’t make them any less a worthwhile read. When it comes to understanding SL and the viewer in general, Letter has much to say that is very much worth taking the time to read.

In a recent post, she covered The Three Hours That Can Change Your Second Life. As many know, the Firestorm team run regular classes throughout the week focusing on many aspects of Firestorm and getting to grips with it. In her blog post, Lette points to four lessons the team run, three of which could lead to anyone, regardless of their viewer preference, to enjoy their SL experience a lot more and gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the viewer and Second Life.

These classes are:

  • Preferences 2 – covering the Graphics and Network & cache tabs – which is definitely of use to anyone using SL, regardless of viewer
  • Lag – a mini-class which explains the major types of lag and dispels many of the myths surrounding lag – once again useful for anyone who has ever felt their SL is suffering as a result of “lag”
  • Basic Troubleshooting – which may be useful to anyone who experiences issues and problem, again regardless of their viewer
  • Reporting Bugs, Requesting Features – which is more Firestorm-centric, but can still be useful for those using any viewer which has a JIRA-based bug reporting system.

Details on when these lessons are held can be found on the Firestorm wiki.

As well as the blog post, which provides an overview of each of the classes, Lette has provided an audio recording for those who can multi-task and wish to listen while doing over things. You can find the recording at Vocaroo.

If you are at all interested in making your SL experience more enjoyable and / or in getting to grips with your viewer, I recommend three things – take a read of Lette’s post or listen to the audio, read Lette’s blog (you’ll also find a link in my blogroll, right), and try popping along to the Firestorm lessons.

Related Links

With thanks to Lette Ponnier.

Singularity 1:8:3: Export textures with your Collada files

Posted on by Inara Pey

singularitySingularity 1.8.3 has been released and as promised by Latif, it sees the recently added export capability updated.

With the new version, the Collada .DAE export option can now also include textures, rather than just exporting the bare prims. Additionally, it has the ability to apply texture parameters such as repeats, offset and others to the exported UV map, combine prim faces with the same texture and colour into one submesh and optionally skip transparent faces.

This makes the export tool even more powerful for those wishing to save their own in-world creations locally. Again, it’s important to remember that the export capabilities will only work if you are the creator of all elements of the item you are attempting to export – including the textures.

To export an item, including textures using the Collada DAE format:

  • Make sure you are the creator of all parts of the item (and any textures used with it that you wish to export)
  • Right click on the object and select More > More > Tools > Save DAE (if you cannot export the item, this option will be unavailable)
  • A floater will open displaying information on the item, including the prims and textures you can export
  • Use the Options section to define whether or not you wish to export the textures, the format in which you want them exported (.TGA being the default), and whether you wish to export the texture parameters (repeats, rotation, offsets, etc), and / or wish to skip transparent textures / consolidate faces
  • Select a save location for the object and save it.
The Collada export option now has its own floater, which will indicate the prims / textures in an object you can export (arrowed) & which allows you to set additional options for the export, including the preferred format for textures
The Collada export option now has its own floater, which will indicate the prims / textures in an object you can export (arrowed) & which allows you to set additional options for the export, including the preferred format for textures

The item will be exported and saved, and can be uploaded as a mesh .DAE object into any grid supporting mesh / mesh uploads. Note that if you don’t have the right to export any of the textures in the object, they will be stripped from the copy of the object on export.

If you export an item you created but which includes textures to which you don't have the right to export, they will not be saved with the object
If you export an item you created but which includes textures to which you don’t have the right to export, they will not be saved with the object

4096 Bug Fix

This version of Singularity also offers a fix for the “4096 bug” in OpenSim, wherein teleporting more than 4096 regions can lead to problems / failure. See also SVC-2941 and FIRE-11593.

Other Updates

In addition, version 1.8.3 includes the following updates Please refer to the release notes for the correct attributions):

  • Restored Teleport, Pay, and Log buttons in the IM window
  • Spanish translation update
  • Audio code crash fix
  • Fix for crash when RLV is enabled and viewing inventory forbidden
  • Made  the map dot color for everyone else customizable
  • New debug settings
    • ResetViewTurnsAvatar allows preventing avatar turning when camera position is reset after zooming (addresses VWR-27956)
    • LiruNewMessageSound allows users to mark a specific chat session important, so “ding” sound is played for every message, not just when the conversation first starts
    • NewIMsPerConversation when set will count number of new IM conversations, not just total number of new IM messages when the communicate window is closed
    • NewIMsPerConversationReset allows new IMs button’s visibility to be reset when the communicate window has been opened and closed
    • LogShowHistoryLines allows setting the number of lines displayed in a new IM window from the previous conversation.

Related Links

Firestorm meeting 14th September, 2013 – video and transcript

Posted on by Inara Pey

firestorm-logoOn Saturday 14th September 2013, the Firestorm team hosted another informal question-and-answer session. While the meeting was recorded, the Firestorm team are aware that many of their users have hearing difficulties, and / or prefer to read text. It is because of this that this transcript has been provided. When reading it, please remember:

  • This is not a word-for-word transcript of the entire meeting. While all quotes given are as they are spoken in the video, to assist in readability and maintain the flow of conversation, not all asides, jokes, interruptions, etc., have been included in the text presented here
  • If there are any sizeable gaps in comments from a speaker which resulted from asides, questions to other etc,, these are indicated by the use of “…”
  • Timestamps are provided as guidance should anyone wish to hear the comments in full from any speaker on the video
  • Questions were asked in chat while speakers were talking. This inevitably meant that replies to questions would lag well behind when they were originally asked. Therefore, to provide context between questions and answers, questions in the transcript are time stamped at the point at which each is addressed by a member of the Firestorm team
  • Some questions were asked and answered purely in text. These have been excluded for one of two reasons. Either a) they lacked context with the voice conversation, or b) the seating arrangements in the auditorium meant there were some questions or answers which didn’t appear in my local chat window.

Please note: This transcript is provided for informational purposes only. As such, questions on technical issues relating to Firestorm and  / or project-specific questions cannot be answered here unless one of the Firestorm team drops by.

Video courtesy of Northspring

Continue reading “Firestorm meeting 14th September, 2013 – video and transcript” →

Viewer release summary 2013: week 37

Posted on by Inara Pey

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 Viewer Round-up 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
  • By its nature, this summary will always be in arrears
  • The Viewer Round-up Page is updated as soon as I’m aware of any releases / changes to viewers & clients, and should be referred to for more up-to-date information
  • The Viewer Round-up Page also 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.

Updates for the week ending: September 15th, 2013 (with extras)

Official LL Viewers

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V3-Style

  • CtrlAltStudio Experimental version (Oculus Rift): updated on September 15th to version 1.1.0.34268 – core updates: added Max OSX support; added looking around with the Rift in 3rd person view; various fixes (release notes)

V1-Style

Other Clients

  • Mobile Grid client updated to version 1.21.1203 – core updates: people search fix (not showing results with less than a 100 entries)

Additional TPV Resources

Deprecated / Discontinued Viewers

  • Niran’s Viewer – discontinued as of version 2.2.0.2701 & superceded by Black Dragon
  • SLiteChat removed from listing; no updates since 2011, removed from TPV Directory & no response from developer
  • SL Second Life Beta viewer – deprecated as of version 3.6.2.278491, July 15, 2103
  • SL Development viewer – deprecated as of version 3.5.2.274629 April 24, 2013
  • Zen Viewer – discontinued by developer and no longer available, January 27th, 2013
  • Phoenix viewer – development and support ended on December 31st, 2012

Related Links

Facebook support coming to the SL viewer

Posted on by Inara Pey

Eagle-eyed (or given his avatar, should that be owl-eyed? :)) Daniel Voyager spotted a pointer that a degree of Facebook support is coming to the SL viewer for those who already have a Facebook account.

The new capability is called Second Life Share, which is being aimed at the viewer 3.6.6  code base (although it isn#t a part of the latest Materials RC viewer, 3.6.6.280797 released on September 11th).

When it does appear, the capability will be opt-in, an important point to remember. Nothing happens vis-a-vis the viewer and Facebook unless you want it to happen (and you have a Facebook account). It will apparently consist of a new viewer floater, itself comprising a number of tabs:

  • Account Tab: will allow those with a Facebook account to connect their SL account to it for the purposes of posting from SL to Facebook
  • Check-in tab: will allow someone to share the SLurl for their current in-world location via Facebook, together with a short comment on the location and a map image if they wish
  • Status tab:  will allow someone to share a text comment with friends via Facebook
  • Photo tab: will allow someone to upload a snapshot to their FB account. As with the current Profile Feed option in the snapshot floater, the resolution of the image can be selected at upload (minimum 800×600), and an optional SLurl / comment can be included with the image.

Details on the capabilities are outlined in Viewerhelp on the wiki, which also references a new Knowledge Base entry, Second Life Share. Unfortunately, clicking the link generates a 404 error, and a search of the Knowledge Base at the time of writing did not yield and further relevant results. I’ve included the link here in anticipation of the issue being fixed by LL.

Whether the title of the new functionality is “Second Life Share” is indicative that it may be extended to include other social media options remains to be seen. It will also be interesting to see what it might mean for the future of the snapshot floater – if anything at all – if this is the case.

I’ll follow-up on this post once the new functionality is visible.

Viewer release summary 2013: week 36

Posted on by Inara Pey

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 Viewer Round-up 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
  • By its nature, this summary will always be in arrears
  • The Viewer Round-up Page is updated as soon as I’m aware of any releases / changes to viewers & clients, and should be referred to for more up-to-date information
  • The Viewer Round-up Page also 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.

Updates for the week ending: September 8th, 2013

Official LL Viewers

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V3-Style

  • No updates

V1-Style

Other Clients

  • Lumiya updated to 2.5.4 on September 4th – core updates: advanced rendering on PowerVR;
    ability to resize HUDs; support for llTextBox function in scripts; fixed issue with avatar shape not being updated after changing outfits (release notes) – Google Play , Android Pit

Additional TPV Resources

Deprecated / Discontinued Viewers

  • Niran’s Viewer – discontinued as of version 2.2.0.2701 & superceded by Black Dragon
  • SLiteChat removed from listing; no updates since 2011, removed from TPV Directory & no response from developer
  • SL Second Life Beta viewer – deprecated as of version 3.6.2.278491, July 15, 2103
  • SL Development viewer – deprecated as of version 3.5.2.274629 April 24, 2013
  • Zen Viewer – discontinued by developer and no longer available, January 27th, 2013
  • Phoenix viewer – development and support ended on December 31st, 2012

Related Links