At this meeting there was not lots of new information. Mostly there was reaffirmation of what we already know. Also there is more confusion about the Mesh Deformer or Deformation Project, which some label parametric-clothes.
Mesh Deformation Project
In previous articles I’ve described the problem with mesh clothes. Later today (5PM SLT/PST) in The Model’s Workshop I will likely be answering questions about the problem. See Mesh Workshop article.
Hamlet wrote an article on the project’s delay. Karl’s Crowdsourced Second Life Mesh Fix Update: Linden Lab Working With Him, But Progress is Delayed. This delay is to be expected. The Lab has been researching available technology to provide the feature. The research of finding technology is complete and the lab is in the process of deciding which technology will best serve LL and SL. The complications are figuring out what works with what we have without breaking existing content. Also, the Lindens have an internal road map for future projects. They have to figure out what will work with the planned directions.
Karl Stiefvater has submitted a proposal to LL for what he plans to do. The Lab will need to tell him whether that will or won’t work and if not, what needs to change. I suspect it may be some time before hear what the Lab has decided… or we could hear tomorrow, Monday, or who knows?
As far as I know the Lab has not completed their planning for mesh deformation. They are going to take their time. No one is going to rush them into a hasty decision. If they make a mistake now, SL gets locked into a bad system that will be painful to change at some future date. We live with several decisions the Lab has made at various times that in hindsight could have been better. One does what they can with what they have and know at the time.
Current Work
Between now and the end of the year the Lindens are working on stability and performance issues. Runitia says, ‘…compatibility and stability changes have been taking longer than expected and continue to take priority over new features.’
Sticking LoD Levels
Ashasekayi Ra reported that LoD (level of detail) levels were sticking on her tiny avatars. As one zooms out the lower LoD levels are used. As one zooms back in the LoD is not changing to the higher LoD levels as it should. Runitia asked she file a JIRA and she plans to do that.
Mesh Project Viewer
Charlar Linden in answering a question about which viewer to use for testing said we should still be using the mesh project viewer for testing mesh. However, we are getting near the point where all the Mesh Project’s code will merge with the main viewer trunk. At that time the Mesh Project Viewer will be depreciated and there will be no point in using the Mesh Project Viewer. He says the depreciation is in the near term. I’m guessing this quarter.
The New ARC
Draw Weight is the new term for ARC – Avatar Render Cost. One of the current problems is no matter what value it gives, it colors it red. Nyx says that will be fixed. See: #SL ARC Replaced for more information.