Category: Viewers

Text clients reviewed 3: Radegast

Posted on by Inara Pey

We’re all familiar with the Second Life Viewer in one flavour or another. But what about the non-graphical “lightweight” clients that are available for accessing SL when using a “full” Viewer isn’t always an option?

Like the Viewer, these “lightweight”, or text-only clients come in a number of flavours, some of which can run on computers and others on mobile devices. Given I don’t have a suitable mobile device, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the former, focusing on the Windows platform, and given some kind of insight into their features and capabilities for those who have never used them. So over the course of three articles, I’ll be taking a look at Libretto, Metabolt and Radegast – all of which are on the SL TPV Directory, and all are still very much under enhancement.

Radegast

  • Platform(s): Windows / Linux (Windows reviewed)
  • Available from: http://radegast.org/wp/
  • Version reviewed: 1.28.872

Radegast pitches itself as , “Light-weight feature rich non-graphical client, ideal for situations where full 3D rendering client is less than ideal option, for instance, an office environment, running on low performance computers and similar” – and given just what the client is capable of, this is something of an understated description.

Unlike Metabolt and Libretto, which I’ve also reviewed as a part of this series, Radegast is available in both a Windows and a Linux flavour – although it is the Windows version that is investigated here. Comprising a downloaded .EXE installer, the client installed itself easily enough and when started presented a very professional-looking log-in / splash screen featuring a crisp and clean design.

Following Viewer 2’s example, Radegast dispenses with requesting your first name and last name in individual fields, but simply asks for your user name and password. Beneath these are options to enter / select your preferred log-in location and to select your preferred grid Use the drop-down list or supply the required uri; the grid will automatically be added to the list).

Once logged-in, you are transferred to the chat window, as shown below.

Menus

  • File: provides options to upload images / objects, start another Radegast session (so you can log-in another avatar), the ability to disconnect / reconnect to SL with the current avatar without needing to manually log-in; and an option to quit Radegast
  • World: presents a set of familiar in-world actions, such as setting Fly, Always Run, Ground Sit, Stand, Stop all Animations, set Busy / Away,create a landmark, teleport home, etc. Two interesting options are also offered: the ability to change your Display Name, and the ability to view parcel / region information (and, if you own the sim, to restart it)
  • Tools: access a series of tools, the majority of which are self-explanatory, and of which My Attachmentsis most interesting, as this displays a list of attachments worn by your avatar, allowing you to:
    • VIEW any attachment in an image window where you can rotate it, zoom in and out on it, etc.
    • TOUCH it (if it is a scripted object) to access and use the associated menu – just as you would if you were using a regular Viewer.
  • Plugins: Allows you to run / manage additional Radegast plugins (which fall outside the scope of this review in consideration of article length)
  • Help: (extreme right of Radegast window) accesses a comprehensive set of help options, including a useful set of keyboard shortcuts.

Window Tabs

  • Chat: displays the chat window, show above.
  • Friends: opens the Friends tab. Here you can:
    • IM a friend, view their profile (in a Viewer 1-style profile window), offer to teleport them to you, pay them, or remove them from your friends list.
    • IMing a friend opens a new tabbed window to converse with them
    • You can also set / revoke map, edit and see permissions against Friends from this tab
  • Groups: displays a list of your current Groups, and allows you to start a Group IM, activate a Group tag, view Group information, leave a Group, invite someone into your Groups, and even create a new Group
  • Inventory: is a powerful window that allows you to view, sort and organise your inventory. In addition, you can use it to create new inventory items, wear or remove clothing / attachments, review information (creator, UUID, permissions, etc.) for a specific item (left-click to select) and transfer items to other avatars (permissions allowing). a search function is included to make locating objects easier

  • Search: allows you to search for people, groups and places
  • Map: accesses the SL world map and provides the same functions as a graphical Viewer
  • Objects: accesses the Object Manager (see below)
  • Media: accesses the parcel media stream controls, allowing you to set the volume, start / stop the client fro relaying local sounds, etc.
  • Voice: accesses the SL Voice options.

A point to note when using menu options that open a window or any of the window tabs is that when you open an additional window, a further tab appears under the Menu / Window Tabs area:

The menu displayed by right-clicking on a tab is particularly useful:

  • Detach: detaches the window from Radegast and places it in an independent floater. Closed the floater (red X) to re-dock it with the main Radegast window
  • Merge With: allows you to merge one window with another.
    • This will change the Merge With option to Split, allowing you to separate the windows once more
  • Close: closes the selected window (in addition to using the two options shown in the image above)

Object Manager Window

This is a powerful feature within Radegast when interacting with objects around you.

Using this tool you can:

  • Scan your immediate vicinity for objects (set your desired scan range)
  • Interact with objects using the In-world tools – walk to an object, point to it, sit on it, stand up from it, mute it, etc.
  • If the object is touchable, you can use TOUCH/CLICK; if it contains any menu that is open to other avatars to use, the menu will be displayed & can be used just as you would in a graphical Viewer
  • View the contents of an object (CONTENTS) to check scripts and other items it might contain
  • Display a 3D image of the object (3D View) and:
    • Zoom in/out on it, rotate it, etc., using the ALT key and your mouse
    • Right-click on the image and display a list of actions you can take with it (sit on it, return it, etc.)
    • View its wireframe, etc.
  • You can additionally view details of a selected object and its child components.

Radar, Movement and Interaction

The radar can scan the entire sim you are on (up to 4096 metres altitute), and list all occupants by name and distance from you. Left-clicking on a name activates the radar buttons to the right of the radar list for that avatar. Alternatively, you can right-click on an avatar name and display a menu with more detailed options. In both cases, actions that cannot be used with the selected avatar (e.g. because they are out of range or you don’t have permissions for the action, such as Eject or Ban), will be greyed-out.

Movement can be handled in a number of ways:

  • By using the Object Manager to select an object and using WALK TO to walk to it
  • Using the Map to teleport to a selected destination
  • Accepting a teleport offer from a friend
  • Use the Radar to select someone nearby and then FOLLOW them
  • Using the Movement keys, located in the Chat window, under the Radar options: ^ moves your avatar forward; << turns your avatar to its left; >> turns your avatar to its right; R moves your avatar backwards.

An interesting means of direct interaction with another avatar, beyond chat and IM, is the  ATTN/Attachments button/menu option in the Radar display.

This opens a window listing all attachments the selected avatar is wearing, together with a VIEW button, which will display a 3D image of the selected objected when clicked, much like the 3D VIEW button in the Object Manager. If the attachment is touchable, an additional TOUCH button will be displayed;  if the attachment contains any menu that is open to other avatars to use, the menu will be displayed & can be used just as you would in a graphical Viewer. This makes it possible for users to enjoy something of a higher level of personal interaction possible when using Radegast when compared to other text-based clients, and could be useful in certain situations.

3D Scene Rendering

However, for those who would still like a visual element to their Second Life experience, but who cannot use their Viewer for whatever reason, the Radegast team is currently developing a “3D Scene Viewer”. This is quite simply stunning, even in the pre-release mode. Simply put, it gives you a window on what is going on around you in-world.

You can pan, zoom, and move around the image, see other avatars moving around, and your own avatar will respond to your use of the movement keys in the Chat window. Much of this capability is still under development, so I couldn’t test it thoroughly without encountering crash issues, but again, it looks set to be an excellent addition to Radegast that will lift it head-and-shoulders above other text clients; although whether one can continue to call it a “thin” client is technically debatable – with the rendering option running, Radegast’s memory usage ballooned from 79,392K to a huge average of 239,536K (which compares to Firestorm’s 381,080K and Phoenix’s 198,324K averages). One cannot fault the feature on this, however. I’ll be curious to see how this develops and whether it’ll be able to handle things like mesh.

Radegast and other Grids

A major plus point for Radegast is that it supports other grids, making it a good option if you have a presence on several grids and need a text-based client to access them. I tried Radegast with both InWorldz and Avination – neither of which are on the default list of grids, and logging in to both was as simple as giving my avatar details, selecting CUSTOM from the list of grids and then entering the login URI for the grid to which I wanted to connect. Once the grid details had been entered, the grid name was also automatically added to the drop-down list of available grids.

Website

The Radegast website matches the client – very well put together, informative and demonstrating that the client has both a strong development cycle. The wiki provides a good measure of documentation and a nice range of screenshots, although elements of it (such as the help pages) have been deleted (presumably to be re-written), and the link back to the main site didn’t work in Chrome.

Use and Opinion

Radegast is polished, professional and impressive. While the client can look a little complex, getting to grips with it is easy, and it offers considerable flexibility of use. I’ve by no means covered everything in this review; rather I’ve covered the features and capabilities that are liable to see the most use, and haven’t mentioned things like speech recognition for voice commands or the ALICE AI plug-in. If you want to find out about these, and other features, I suggest you give Radegast a go; you’ll find it a fascinating tool to play with.

I found very few issues with the client, although response times when logging-in to other grids were noticeably slower by comparison to SL, but that was about it. As expected, sitting on a object can sometimes be touch-and-go unless there are handy-dandy poseballs – but that’s to be expected.

Overall, I personally put this as the best of the current non-graphical Windows clients on offer via the TPV Directory; ideal for those with a presence on multiple grids, or who find themselves in environments where logging-in to SL using a full Viewer isn’t possible, and who wish to be able to enjoy a level of direct interaction with friends – something that will be enhanced even further once the 3D scene rendering is fully incorporated into the client.

Related Links

Text clients reviewed 2: Metabolt

Posted on by Inara Pey

Metabolt-logoWe’re all familiar with the Second Life Viewer in one flavour or another. But what about the non-graphical “lightweight” clients that are available for accessing SL when using a “full” Viewer isn’t always an option?

Like the Viewer, these “lightweight”, or text-only clients come in a number of flavours, some of which can run on computers and others on mobile devices. Given I don’t have a suitable mobile device, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the former, focusing on the Windows platform, and given some kind of insight into their features and capabilities for those who have never used them. So over the course of three articles, I’ll be taking a look at Libretto, Metabolt and Radegast – all of which are on the SL TPV Directory, and all are still very much under enhancement.

Metabolt

Metabolt modestly describes itself as, “a thin text client with rich features to enable users to perform most important functions in SL”

Installation comprises downloading a ZIP file, extracting the contents to a temporary folder and then installing from there, which is somewhat long-winded, but the results are worth it.

From the start it is clear that Metabolt is intended to cover a lot of bases, allowing you to not only log-in to Second Life’s Main grid, but also to the Beta aditi grid, and to a number of pre-defined OS grids. You can even define a custom log-in for any grid not on the list, providing you have the necessary login uri. As with a graphical Viewer, you can additionally set your preferred log-in location. Finally, on logging-in, your avatar’s details are saved by Metabolt & can be selected from a drop-down drop-down list (First Name), simplifying the logging-in process in future sessions.

A successful log-in to Metabolt takes you directly to the Chat window (below).

Menu bar

  • Applications Menu: provides access to a comprehensive set of preferences, some of which (Text, etc.), mirror the chat preferences in the SL Viewer, while others (such as the AI icon), are specific to Metabolt
  • World: provides a series of in-world and avatar-specific options, including the ability to animate your avatar (so you can dance if you log-in at a club, rather than standing like a lemon); allows you to Tp Home or set a Tp point where you are, rebake (useful if someone informs you that you are a cloud in-world), go to your account history page at secondlife.com, etc.
  • Tools: provides access to a range of tools, including a searchable grid map, complete with teleport options, a separate teleport option, an exceptionally powerful Object Manager (see below), an upload tool for images, and various other tools
  • Logs: allows you to define save locations for for Metabolt chat and IM log files (a-la the Viewer), and accesses a log of all teleports made while using Metabolt
  • Utilities: Reloads the AIML libraries associated with the AI plugin and allows you to launch the official SL Viewer, if you have it installed.

Window Tabs

  • Chat: displays the chat window, show above.
  • Friends: opens the Friends tab. Here you can:
    • IM a friend, view their profile (in a Viewer 1-style profile window), offer to teleport them to you, pay them, or remove them from your friends list.
    • IMing a friend opens a new tabbed window which in turn provides options to view their profile, save a log of the conversation, review the history of the conversation and even mute them
    • You can also set / revoke map, edit and see permissions against Friends from this tab
  • Groups: displays a list of your current Groups, and allows you to start a Group IM, activate a Group tag, view Group information, leave a Group, invite someone into your Groups, and even create a new Group
  • Inventory: is a powerful window that allows you to view, sort and organise your inventory, look at item properties and wear / remove / transfer items, as well a perform a number of other tasks as shown below.

  • Search: opens a Viewer 2-type search window, allowing you to search in-world and the SL forums and related sites
  • IMbox: allows you to review and reply to unread IMs you’ve received from other avatars.

To the right side of the window tab is a small computer icon which will display a drop-down menu:

  • Merge with: allows you to merge a selected window with another window and display them in a single tab. The option will then change to Split, allowing you to separate the two windows once more
  • Deatch: will detach a selected window tab from Metabolt and display it in its own floater. Use the Reattach option in the floater, or simple close the floater to redock the window with Metabolt.

Object Manager Window

This is a powerful feature within Metabolt when interacting with objects around you. Using this tool you can:

  • Scan your immediate vicinity for objects (set your desired scan range)
  • Interact with objects using the In-world tools – walk to an object, point to it, sit on it, stand up from it, mute it, etc.
  • View the contents of an object (CONTENTS) to check scripts and other items it might contain
  • Display a 3D image of the object (3D View) and:
    • Zoom in/out on it, rotate it, etc., using the ALT key and your mouse
    • Right-click on the image to display a list of actions you can take with it (sit on it, return it, etc.)
    • Use the camera icon at the bottom of the image window to save the image to your hard drive
  • You can additionally view details of a selected object and its child components.

The Object Manager includes a button to touch items around you and which should – I think – bring-up any menu associated with them to allow you to interact with it; however, this option does not appear to work as expected at present: a window is opened for the Touched object, but no actual menu is displayed.

Moving using Metabolt

Moving around in-world using Metabolt is obviously not easy – you can’t see where your avatar is going, or who or what is in the way. However, movement is possible in a number of ways, including:

  • By using the Object Manager window and selecting an object then clicking on GO TO (to walk to it) or LOCATION to teleport to it
  • By opening the map (TOOLS -> MAP or CTRL-M) and displaying a region before setting your desired co-ordinates and teleporting to it
  • Using the movement and direction keys, in combination with the map / mini-map
  • Having someone teleport you to them (TP offers appear in red alongside the Window Tabs)
  • Getting friends around you to help direct you as you use the movement keys.
  • Using the radar FOLLOW or GOTO buttons (see below).

None of these options – other than teleporting to fixed points – are terribly effective, but can at times help with things, and can be fun to try!

Radar Buttons

Another useful set of tools are the radar buttons, which are displayed in the Chat window. These become activate when an avatar name is selected from the list of nearby avatars, and are described below

Metabolt and other Grids

A major plus point for Metabolt is that it supports other grids, making it a good contender if you have a presence on several grids and need a text-based client to access them. I tried Metabolt with both InWorldz and Avination – neither of which are on the default list of grids, and logging in to both was as simple as giving my avatar details, selecting OTHER… from the drop-down list of grids and then giving the login URI for the grid to which I wanted to connect. If I have a complaint here, it is that the grid name isn’t added to the list of available grids, so you have to re-enter the URI each time you wish to enter a grid that isn’t listed.

Website

The Metabolt website is very polished and provides excellent support in the form of a set of wiki pages, one of which provides a series of additional plug-ins to the “basic” client, as well as a reasonably-good Help section. There is also a forum for users as well, which appears to be in reasonable use, suggesting that there is lots of help to be had there from other users, should you need it.

Use and Opinion

Metabolt can appear a little off-putting with the log-in page ads (although there is an option to remove these if you donate to the project) – but don’t let them stop you trying out the client, as it may prove to be what you’re looking for when you can’t use the full Viewer.

Despite the apparent complexity of the main window, getting to grips with Metabolt is very easy, and you should encounter few problems in using it for basic tasks. That said, refinement of some of the more advanced options – such as touching objects – is required.

I’m personally not convinced of the need to include movement keys – unless there are plans to include some kind of 3D real-time rendering tool, a-la Radegast. I also felt the overall colour scheme could be improved; some of the background colours on the Object Manager buttons might make reading the button labels hard for some people. Sitting on a object was also sometimes touch-and-go due to not being able to define precisely WHERE on an object you might want to sit (unless a poseball is available for selection); but this is an issue for any non-graphical client offering this type of functionality.

That said, Metabolt is certainly a more involved text client than Libretto, and can enable you to do a lot more while without full graphical access to a grid. Overall a very good application with an impressive feature list.

Related Links

Text clients reviewed 1: Libretto

Posted on by Inara Pey

Note: Libretto ceased development in 2013.

We’re all familiar with the Second Life Viewer in one flavour or another. But what about the non-graphical “lightweight” clients that are available for accessing SL when using a “full” Viewer isn’t always an option?

Like the Viewer, these “lightweight”, or text-only clients come in a number of flavours, some of which can run on computers and others on mobile devices. Given I don’t have a suitable mobile device, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the former, focusing on the Windows platform, and given some kind of insight into their features and capabilities for those who have never used them. So over the course of three articles, I’ll be taking a look at Libretto, Metabolt and Radegast – all of which are on the SL TPV Directory, and all are still very much under enhancement.

Libretto

  • Platform(s): Windows
  • Available from: http://www.librettoviewer.com/
  • Version reviewed: 0.13.0

Libretto describes itself as, “A light weight, text-only viewer for Second Life. It’s designed to resemble and function as an instant messaging client, that can be used in an office environment, on low performance/bandwidth computers, or when multiple instances are needed.”

It is delivered as a standard .EXE install file for Windows, requiring a quick A/V scan prior to a double-click to install it with minimal fuss.

Once installed, it certainly looks somewhat like Microsoft Messenger, with the log-in screen comprising a window onto Libretto announcements and a log-in area with the obligatory check-box for accepting the SL ToS (with link for reviewing!) for people using the client for the first time.

A nice touch is once you have logged in with an avatar, the details for the avatar are saved by Libretto and can be accessed from the drop-down list displayed next to NAME.

As you are logged in, the Libretto window splits into a two-pane display, with any Message of the Day from LL is displayed in the upper section (where all messages appear), while the lower section lists all those in your immediate vicinity (if any).  There are several elements to this display, which are explained below.

The Menu Bar

  • File: allows you to Logout of Second Life and return to the Libretto log-in screen, or Quit (log out of SL and shut down Libretto)
  • Edit: currently displays the Preferences pop-up which allows you to:
    • Define your e-mail preferences
    • Select whether to run Libretto whenever you start Windows
    • Select Libretto to automatically log you in to Second Life when it is started (useful if you predominantly use only the one avatar with Libretto)
  • World: currently allows you to teleport to your home location – note this can cause Libretto to go unresponsive while the teleport is in progress
  • View: allows you to display / hide the Window tabs (see below) at the bottom of the Libretto window, and change the default colour for the Libretto client
  • Help: displays information about the Libretto client.

Action Buttons

The Action buttons are displayed in both the “people nearby” window pane and the Friends tab, and allow you to carry out a range of tasks:

  • View a person’s profile (seen in a separate pop-up window that closely resembles the old Viewer 1.x style of profile display)
  • Open an IM conversation with them
  • Teleport them to you
  • Pay them
  • Remove them as a Friend
  • Invite them into a Group.

A down-pointing arrow to the right of the buttons takes you to an option to remove or add buttons to the list. Buttons are activated by left-clicking on an specific avatar name and then clicking on the required button (buttons become coloured when active).

Window Tabs

Controlled from the VIEW option in the Menu Bar, these provide access to a range of dedicated tabbed windows:

  • Friends: displays your Friends list, complete with the Action Buttons, described above
  • Groups: displays all your Groups, with a set of Action Buttons that allow you to: display information on a specific Group (left click the Group name to select); IM the Group; activate the Group tag for your avatar; leave the Group
  • Objects: displays a list of objects surrounding your avatar (may need to use the Refresh button to get the list to display), together with buttons to Sit on a selected object (left-click to select the object from the list), and your avatar’s status will change to SITTING at the bottom of the Libretto window while the SIT button will change to STAND; and a button to Touch a selected object
  • Inventory: allows you to peruse your inventory, with a Share button to give items to other avatars (click on the item to be given, then SHARE & select the name of the avatar (from those nearby & your Friends list) to whom you wish to give the item (permissions allowing). Note that you can also accept inventory offers from others using Libretto as well
  • Find People: opens a search window allowing you to search for a specific avatar (first name; first name+ last name). Matching results are displayed in a list, and the window includes the Action Buttons described above to view an individual’s profile, etc.

Clicking on an tab name in VIEW will open the associated tab, which can then be closed either by clicking on the tab name in VIEW or by clicking on the X in the tab itself, at the bottom of the Libretto window.

Multiple Instances

Libretto handles multiple instances without issue – simply double-click on the application icon to start an additional session.

Website

The Libretto website is adequate, if a little basic in looks and information – but then, the application is so intuitive, you’re unlikely to be spending a lot of time there.

Use and Opinion

Using Libretto is very intuitive and easy to get to grips with. It may not offer all the capabilities found in other text clients, but it really does do, “exactly what it says on the packet” without the need to refer to lengthy help files or anything. Working in chat or IM is easy, while the Action Buttons provide enough functionality to get things done.

Libretto is still a work-in-progress, and it is certainly the most lightweight of the three clients I’m reviewing. The window layouts are all clean and easy-to-follow (although the colours are perhaps not so easy on the eye: for “red” read “pink” and for “blue” read “violet”). The current options are sufficient to take care of many basic tasks that don’t rely on an in-world view.

Overall, an extremely intuitive application that exceptionally easy to pick-up and use.

Firestorm: usage grows & new video out

Posted on by Inara Pey

firestorm-logoThe Firestorm development team report that Linden Lab has confirmed Firestorm is now the third most popular viewer by number of distinct users and in terms of hours spent using SL. This moves it into third place in terms of popularity, ahead of the old official 1.23 Viewer.

According to the Viewer Directory (last updated 12th July), Firestorm sits in sixth place overall in terms of crash rates, putting it directly behind the official 2.7.2 release, and up on the official 2.7.5 release. Interestingly, the current full release of the official Viewer (2.7.4) isn’t listed.

To aid people making the transition from the Viewer 1.x environment, Phoenix have produced a new video tutorial, which is well worth a look-in:

(with thanks to CS Pfeffer for the nod on the video)

Over the Rainbow

Posted on by Inara Pey
Rainbow Viewer

One of my first experiences with V1 TPVs was via the Windows Cool Viewer compiled by Boy Lane, and which became the Rainbow Viewer. For a long time, this was simply my Viewer of choice. I was therefore intrigued to see that after over a year, Rainbow has been overhauled and made available once again.

Based on the 1.22 release of Viewer 1, Rainbow has a core of die-hard fans, and the new release does much to bring it up to par with the likes of Phoenix and Imprudence 1.3/1.4, given it now includes:

  • Client-side AO
  • Media filtering
  • TP history
  • Display Names
  • Multiple attachments (but like other V1 TPVs, no multiple wear for the same layer of clothing)
  • Tattoo and Alpha layers
  • Outfits creation
  • Prim alignment tool
  • Multiple grid support

Using Rainbow is like a blast from the past. At installation, you’re informed that you need to obtain several files from either the “official” Viewer 1 or from Snowglobe. This is something I haven’t had to do in ages, and while I can understand why Boy has gone this route (better performance where the Kakadu system is concerned), I nevertheless wonder as to how vulnerable this leaves Rainbow: Viewer 1 is no longer available and there is no guarantee LL might not at some point simply remove snowglobe access, given it is now a dead project.

Once in the Viewer – and my use of Firestorm of late notwithstanding – there was something nostalgic in using Rainbow; the interface, the Preferences options – all hark back to the “good old days” in many respects when things were indeed, “fast, fun and easy”. However, the nostalgia is actually very short-lived. There is much that Rainbow lacks that I find hard to do without: there is no vertical tabbing for IM windows, for example, and no Quick Preferences option (although granted, both may come). Even the inclusion of avatar physics is – to be honest – now dated. The Viewer 2 system (already adopted by Firestorm) is far superior for those willing to give it a go.

Where Rainbow is likely to score is in being aimed at other OS Grids. I tested it with InWorldz and Avination, both with few issues other than getting the “you have been logged out” message, complete with options to review chat / IMs each time I logged out of InWorldz, rather than getting s “clean” exit. Other than that, performance was easily as smooth at Imprudence 1.3, and a lot better than the likes of Phoenix. As such, it is a welcome addition to the list of Viewers that can access other grids.

In terms of SL, however, I do wonder about the Viewer’s longevity. As I’ve already commented, the reality is that V1-based TPVs for Second Life are likely coming to their End of Days, what with the Search issues, mesh, and so on.

One of the problems facing Rainbow: Mesh as seen in the V2 Mesh Viewer (left) and in Viewer 1 (right) – with thanks to Linden Lab

To be fair to Boy Lane, the Viewer has been released with a clear statement of intent:

“Rainbow does not intend to be a competitor of viewer 2 or any other of the 3rd party viewers around. All of them are based on either V2 or Snowglobe code. Rainbow is based on 1.22, and playing in a league of it’s own. To support legacy hardware, and to support all my friends in Opensims.”

The last part of this statement is a worthy goal in itself – and again, full kudos to Boy for providing OS grid users with a greater choice. However, where Second Life is concerned, and even with a loyal following, given all that is coming down the road in the next few weeks and months, it’s hard to see this latest Rainbow release as having a decent shelf life.

Viewer 1: adieu!

Posted on by Inara Pey

Some may count this post as premature, but given we’re now into July, and what is coming down the road, I’m getting my goodbyes in early.

Viewer 1 has been with us since Second Life opened its doors. Over the years, it has seen features added, tools moved around, the capability for API elements to be introduced (perhaps the most widely-used being Marine Kelley’s Restrained Love Viewer); the code has been open-sourced, allowing a raft of famous (and not a few infamous) Viewers to come into use: the OnRez Viewer, Cool Viewer, Rainbow Viewer, Meerkat, Imprudence, Phoenix and of course the “Devil incarnate” itself: Emerald (and that’s without mentioning the various “blackhat” Viewers).

Many changes to the Viewer were welcome (remember the introduction of the first skin option? of Windlight?), many were being decried and striking fear in the hearts of some even before they rolled out (remember the hoo-haw in some camps over the arrival of Voice?); others were met with much facepalming and LL’s apparent failure to grasp how people used their viewer (remember the consternation when the chat windows all changed and “communicate” turned up?). Some of the criticism aimed at the Viewer and LL was justified; a lot of it wasn’t. But through it all, Viewer 1.x, in all its many guises has remained a perennial favourite among Second Life users. Not even the demise of the official 1.x series of Viewer did much to put a dent in this: people simply switched over to V1-based TPVs in preference to going over the Viewer 2.

Viewer 1.18 at the Windlight launch (with thanks to Eckhard Jager)

Now all of that is about to change. In truth, the writing has been on the wall for V1-based Viewers for the last 12 months or so: ever since Linden Lab depreciated all versions of their Viewer prior to 1.23.5 and then turned off Snowglobe work in favour of Snowstorm for Viewer 2.x.

Snowglobe showing the silver skin (thanks to SamanthaS Nightfire)

From this month, however, even those using V1 TPVs are going to have to consider where they are going to move to next. As LL remind us (via retweets of this announcement, at least through @SecondLife), mesh commences its roll-out this month, starting with, I understand, the Blue Steel Release Channel prior to the remaining Release Channels & the rest of the main grid being mesh-enabled by the end of August.

The key issue here is that V1-based TPVs apparently will not be able to render mesh objects in-world, nor will they be able to upload mesh imports even if they follow LL’s “registration” requirements.

Ergo, if people want to see mesh objects, they are going to have to move to a V2-based viewer. What’s more, unless the TPV developers have persuaded LL otherwise, it is possible those wanting to upload mesh imports will be forced to use Viewer 2 for this purpose, given LL were looking to ring-fence this capability (whether this is still the case is unclear – like much else around mesh).

Mesh: heralding the end of the road for Viewer 1 TPVs (model by Timmi Allen)

Nor does the bad news for Viewer 1 end there; Oz Linden is on record as saying that developers of such Viewers are facing an uphill battle: “[A]ny Viewer that isn’t being actively maintained is going to start having fairly serious problems over the next months. We’re making a lot of changes… if viewers don’t keep up, things will break.” 

The fact is, it will become harder and harder for TPV devs to try and maintain Viewer 1 code. Kirstenlee Cinquetti saw the writing on the wall over a year ago, and has moved over entirely to the development of the outstanding S21 Viewer. Announcements made at the end of last year concerning the future of the Viewer 1 Search prompted Phoenix and Imprudence to start down the road to developing a V2-based Viewer each. While Imprudence are still putting effort into their V1-based 1.4 Viewer, it is evident that their longer-term aim is not merge this work into their V2 Kokua Viewer, while Phoenix already have the outstanding Firestorm available. Individual TPV developers are also transitioning: Lance Corrimal hasn’t done anything significant with his V1-based Viewer since the end of April, while his V2-based Viewer comes on in leaps and bounds.

It is going to take a while for mesh to really make its presence felt – assuming, again, that the roll-out goes smoothly and without any major updates; it’s also possible that some TPV developers will look to try and backport the Search 2 functionality into their offerings in the hope of keeping things alive. So it’s possible that some may try to cling to Viewer 1 for a little longer; but while it may be seen as an unpopular statement in some quarters, the era of Viewer 1 really is now drawing to a close.

I don’t say that with any sense of superiority (I am an unabashed V2-based Viewer convert – Firestorm and Kirstenlee’s S21); I started out with Viewer 1 (version 1.14 or 1.15), and personally have no problems with it. But, sad to say, we all come to a time where, for better or worse (depending on one’s own feelings), we must move with the tide.

And the tide is now assuredly flowing to Viewer 2’s shore.