There was no deployment to the Main (SLS) channel on Tuesday, October 11th.
On Wednesday, October 12th, all three RC channels should receive a new server maintenance package comprising the new Experience Key scripted sitting (Project Espeon). Note that at the time of writing, the release notes were awaiting update to reflect this.
SL Viewer
The VLC Media Plugin RC viewer was promoted to de facto release status on Monday, October 10th. Version 4.1.1.320331 includes a new media plug-in based on LibVLC, which replaces QuickTime as the media player in the WINDOWS version of the viewer. Other versions of the viewer will be updated to use VLC when their 64-bit versions are issued.
The leaves the current viewer pipeline as follows:
Project Bento RC (avatar skeleton extensions) viewer version 5.0.0.320160, dated October 7th
Maintenance RC viewer version 4.0.9.320231, dated on October 4th – over 70 crash fixes, improvements and other fixes
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
Premium Weapons Testing and New Sandbox Quad
There is a new Premium users Weapons Testing sandbox available, which has been requested numerous times by Premium users. It sits kitty-corner with the existing Weapons Test sandbox.
The new Premium Weapons Testing Sandbox on the world map
There is also a new 4×4 group of general sandboxes coming on-stream, with each of the regions is running on one of the four simulator channels (Main SLS, BueSteel RC, Le Tigre RC, and Magnum RC). These are designed to make easier for creators to make comparisons between the four underpinning simulator versions during product testing, etc. They are:
Tuesday, October 4th saw the Main (SLS) channel updated with the server maintenance package previously deployed to the three RC channels, which includes a fix for BUG-40565, introduced as a result of the deployment of the week #38 server maintenance package.
There is no planned deployment / restart for the three RC channels, although there should be a new RC package available for week #41 (commencing Monday, October 10th).
SL Viewer
The Maintenance RC viewer was rapidly updated on Tuesday, October 4th, after only having been released on September 28th. Version 4.0.9.320231 see the addition of a Project Espeon fix (“Experience permission dialogue should include “Sit your avatar””), suggesting this project is making progress. Overall, this viewer includes over 70 crashes and bug fixes and improvements – refer to the release notes for the full list.
Excluding this update, the remainder of the current crop of official viewers remains unchanged:
Current Release version: 4.0.8.319463 (dated September 9), promoted September 15 – formerly the Visual Outfit Browser RC viewer
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions), version 5.0.0.319893, dated September 22nd
VLC Media Plug-in Viewer RC, version 4.1.1.319856, dated September 20th – replaces QuickTime in the Windows viewer with a media plug-in based on LibVLC
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847, dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
There was no deployment to the Main (SLS) channel On Tuesday, September 27th.
On Wednesday September 28th, all three RC channels should receive the same new server maintenance package, which includes a fix for BUG-40565, introduced as a result of the deployment of the week #38 server maintenance package.
SL Viewer
The VLC Media plug-in viewer didn’t make the jump to release status as had been anticipated, but should remain the next in line for promotion.
A new Maintenance RC viewer did arrive, however. Version 4.0.9.320038, released on Wednesday, September 28th, focuses on assorted crash fixes and stability fixes, with over 70 updates and fixes included. This has the current official SL viewer list looking as follows:
Current Release version: 4.0.8.319463 (dated September 9), promoted September 15 – formerly the Visual Outfit Browser RC viewer
Maintenance RC viewer, version 4.0.9.320038, dated September 28th – 70+ fixes and updates
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions), version 5.0.0.319893, dated September 22nd
VLC Media Plug-in Viewer RC, version 4.1.1.319856, dated September 20th – replaces QuickTime in the Windows viewer with a media plug-in based on LibVLC
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847, dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
Render Cost Investigations
This was first raised at the TPV Developer meeting on Friday, September 23rd, and again at the Bento User Group Meeting on Thursday, September 29th (although it is not Bento specific.
Vir Linden is leading an investigation into rendering cost and land impact of items (worn and in-world). This is as a result of JIRAs filed on the LI cost of various items not being correctly assessed, etc. It is not clear if any changes will result of the investigations, particularly where legacy content is concerned, but equally, it might be that some adjustments can be made to the rendering cost formulae. In particular, the Lab is interesting in learning about problematic content and JIRAs filed on LI / rendering calculation issues (such as BUG-37631). Speaking at the Bento meeting on the subject, Vir had this to say:
As always, please refer to the server deployment thread for updates or changes.
There was no deployment to the Main (SLS) channel On Tuesday, September 27th.
On Wednesday September 28th, all three RC channels should receive the same new server maintenance package, which includes a fix for BUG-40565, introduced as a result of the deployment of the week #38 server maintenance package.
SL Viewer
Unless something untoward has happened with the latest RC version, it is anticipated the VLC Media Plug-in viewer will be promoted to de facto release status this week. A new maintenance RC is also anticipated. In the meantime, the current batch of official viewers remains unchanged from week #38:
Current Release version: 4.0.8.319463 (dated September 9), promoted September 15 – formerly the Visual Outfit Browser RC viewer
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions), version 5.0.0.319893, dated September 22nd
VLC Media Plugin Viewer RC, version 4.1.1.319856, dated September 20th – replaces QuickTime in the Windows viewer with a media plug-in based on LibVLC
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847, dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
Experience Scripted Sits
As per my blog post of September 23rd, Rider Linden is working on a new scripted sit capability for Experiences. The new LSL functions form Project Espeon (after the Pokémon character), and Rider has produced a proposal document on the new functionality, which can be read in PDF format. The capability can also be tested on ADITI (the beta grid) in the following regions: Leafeon or Umbreon or Sylveon, with test content is available on Leafeon. If anyone testing them has suggestions or feedback, please raise a JIRA against Project Espeon.
There was no update on the Main (SLS) channel on Tuesday, September 20th. On Wednesday, September 21st, all three RC channels should receive the same new server maintenance package, containing further “minor internal changes”.
SL Server
As noted in my article at the time, on Thursday, September 15th, the Lab promoted the Visual Outfits Browser viewer to de facto release status.
Also as similarly reported here in a separate article, the Bento viewer reached release candidate status on Wednesday, September 14th. This leaves the current list of official viewers as follows:
Current Release version: 4.0.8.319463, dated September 9th, promoted September 15th – formerly the Visual Outfit Browser RC viewer
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions) RC version 5.0.0.319688 released on September 14th
VLC Media Plugin Viewer RC, version 4.1.1.319583, dated September 13th – replaces the QuickTime media plugin in the Windows viewer with one based on LibVLC
Project viewers:
None.
Obsolete platform viewer, version 3.7.28.300847, dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
On Tuesday, September 13th, the Main (SLS) channel received the same server maintenance package previously deployed on the RC channel in week #36. This comprises “minor internal logging changes” which may help with some of the problems occasionally seen with estate bans; at a minimum the Lab will be able to gather more information on them.
There iss no planned deployment or restart set for the three RC channels during the week. RC deployments will resume in week #38. This may involve further serve-side updates to reduce certain griefing vectors.
SL Viewer
The VLC Media Plugin viewer updated in September 13th to version 4.1.1.319583. This viewer replaces the QuickTime media plugin for the Windows viewer with one based on LibVLC.
In addition, and as indicated in my TPVD meeting notes, this version should include changes for exception handling in the viewer intended to ensure exceptions are better handled and recorded. These may not prevent crashes occurring, but should provide the Lab with better data on the exception throws and catches. Overall, they are describes as “fairly small, widespread changes” to the viewer code.
The remaining viewers in the various pipelines remain as per the end of week #36:
Current Release version: 4.0.7.318301 (dated August 8), promoted August 11 – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer download page, release notes
Visual Outfit Browser viewer, version 4.0.8.319143, dated August 30 – ability to preview images of outfits in the Appearance floater
Project viewers:
Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions), version 5.0.0.318969, dated August 25 – avatar vertical position update; SLM files are by default not created or used; show bones display uses colours differently; animation of collision volumes fixed
Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.
Project Bento
Following my last Bento update, Matrice and Gaia have been working on Avastar 2, which has now reached Alpha 10, supporting the current version of the project viewer (5.0.0.318969).
Demo Heads
In that update, I also blogged about the AK Bento preview head. On September 13th, Catwa offered some bloggers a preview look at an upcoming Catwa head, as well as a preview video. – Doubtless, more heads will be appearing in the near future.
An important point to note with Bento heads is that while they will offer considerably more options for customising your look that “conventional” mesh head, it won’t simply be a case of buying Bento head, wearing it, and having it conform to your existing facial features – you will obviously need to adjust many of the head / facial sliders to get a close / approximate look, and even then, just how close a look you can achieve will depend a lot upon the base mesh of the head itself. So careful testing of Bento heads to find one which bears some initial resemblance to your desired look is likely to be required, and it may be that multiple heads are still required to achieve all of your desired looks.
Strawberry Singh has produced a video based on the AK Bento preview head, demonstrating how it currently works with the sliders.
As Whirly Fizzle pointed out to me, on the day Catwa issued preview copies of her Bento head work, fashion blogger Daeberethwen Arbenlow also put a video together running through the capabilities on that head as well
A further point of note with Bento mesh heads is that the degree of customisation available will depend on which bones of the face and head a model is rigged to, and the weighting assigned to it. An example of this is the nose division, mentioned in both videos. This can potentially be more prominent, providing the head is rigged to the mFaceNoseBase bone and has a suitable weighting applied.
As Cathy Foil, developer of MayaStar, and one of the core members of the Bento development team points out:
Each mesh head designer will have to decide what sliders they want and will have to experiment with different weighting. It will be very exciting to see how face weights will evolve over the next few months and years.
Which again underline the need for careful comparisons when selected Bento heads as they become more and more available once Bento moves past RC status, and more Bento products start to appear.
SL Wiki
The Wiki remains locked to the majority of users for editing, no news on when it may be unlocked, or what might be done to address the current issues.
