I had lots of problems with Phoenix 225. So, I’ve been looking forward to Phoenix’s next release. Yesterday I was reading the Phoenix Release Notes/Change Log and looking all over for the 373 download. They put it up today. This version is much nicer.
Download Size – The first Phoenix I used was in the 40+ mb range, and 225 was 33 mb. This release is down to 28 mb.
Install
The install remembers your settings and your cache location setting. Yay!
WARNING: On the download page they advise you to clear your cache before logging in. This means open the Phoenix viewer, click Edit->Preferences->[Network] and click Clear Cache. Then close the viewer. The cache clears on the next viewer start.
Viewer starts up and runs. Yay! Login worked too. Avatar rendered. I have inventory. All good things. Plus I’m getting 35 to 40 FPS on High (Duel Core2 2.4mhz w/4gb & 8800 GTS).
Features
They have added PhoenixEnablePieMenuInMouselook to the debug settings. There is a load of settings, about 300, starting with Phoenix that I don’t remember. I suppose these are mostly Emerald settings that are moving over to Phoenix. Whatever the default setting is off (FALSE). I set mine to true but it didn’t work. Many I need to relog…
Ability to set color for Object IMs. This is a new color square on the Preferences page Text Chat.
Area search has been added. You will find it in the top menu, Phoenix drop down.
Auto-complete avatar names in local chat… Start typing a name then press tab. Each time you press tab another name is brought up. The default is off. You need to go into Preferences->[Phoenix]->[Page1]->[Chat] and enable it. It works in local chat, bar or panel. When you press tab it will complete a first name. Pressing tag again will bring up the last name. When you first press tab and realize it is the wrong name a left arrow or backspace will remove the added text. This allows you to add more letters to target the right name.
Color Friends Tags – This lets you tell the viewer to make the name tag of anyone in your friends list a special color. The setting is in Preferences->[Phoenix]->[Page1]-[TP/Login]. Look for the little color square.
By setting PhoenixVoiceAnimWhileTyping you can play the medium level voice chat animation while typing. It’s in Debug settings.
In group chat the Group Moderators’ chat is bolded.
PhoenixKillTheClouds in Debug Settings disables rendering clouds.
Plus there are 33 fixes in this release.
I used the viewer for a couple of hours and no real problems.
Outside the Phoenix Viewer
If you haven;t seen it, the wiki has a list of the groups available to support Phoenix Viewer users. Several languages are supported. Phoenix Viewer: In-World groups (8 groups – 6 languages)
Main Wiki Page: http://wiki.phoenixviewer.com